How Would You Re-align the Divisions?

[lethalweapon3]

I'd like to see the league go back to 4 divisions (and division champions).(ordered within division by guess-timated central media market size):EASTERN CONFERENCENortheast: New York, Brooklyn, Toronto, Philadelphia, Boston, Detroit, Cleveland, IndianaSoutheast: Washington, Atlanta, Miami, Charlotte, Orlando, New Orleans, MemphisWESTERN CONFERENCENorthwest: Chicago, Golden State, Minnesota, Denver, Portland, Sacramento, Utah, MilwaukeeSouthwest: LA Clippers, LA Lakers, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, San Antonio, Oklahoma CityBulls and Bucks would go west while the Grizzlies and Hornets would come east. Both Chicago and Milwaukee were Western Conference teams until 1980, and the NHL Blackhawks is a Western Conference team. Both franchises would rightfully complain about expanded travel, but an extra home game or two against the Lakers will help placate that. The Hornets were an Eastern Conference team during their first two seasons after moving to New Orleans.A division title might mean more to fans if you're beating out six or seven other teams than if you're outperforming four. Plus you minimize the issue of a lesser division winner getting a crappy seed. A guaranteed top-four seed would be less difficult to accommodate with two division winners instead of three.Limiting the divisions to four also minimizes the chance of a "Atlanta Thrashers to Winnipeg" effect causing too many teams to have to shift divisions and conferences. The Kings could only upset the balance of things if they moved to a Northeast market, which is unlikely (Seattle, Anaheim, Virginia Beach, Kansas City).Would you do this differently? Or are you fine with the structure as-is?~lw3

[MaceCase]

Random jumbling of thoughts:1) Well now that Ferry says he has no interest in raising division titles then your idea doesn't matter to me.......because we won't have any to worry about in the past or future.2) But damn, the whole South-East sanz Miami (now) could get contracted due to low attendance. It was always the case but now you can draw an easier graph to represent this to the owners.3) Would eliminate poor division teams from getting an auto-bid of being a top 4 seed which is nice.4) solves my conumdrum and distaste for Phoenix (a desert) being in the Pacific and OKC being in the North-West.

[capstone21]

That linup makes a whole lot more sense then what is there now.

[macdaddy]

your plan could work in collage football

Is this collage football?

I'm not even sure the point of divisions anymore. Why not just have two conferences?

[lethalweapon3]

Is this collage football?

I'm not even sure the point of divisions anymore. Why not just have two conferences?

I know I'd be tempted to consider it, because teams that fail to reach the Finals don't exactly consider it a big bleepin' deal. Limiting the division banners to 4 instead of 6 will help, though.

I think, though, with our national north-south sensibilities, there would be too much bellyaching if there was too much geographical imbalance in the postseason from year-to-year (especially if media-heavy Northeast teams failed to crack the top 8 for years at a time).

Probably much more valid than that argument, the NBA can load up on neighboring rivalries with more games (Knicks-Nets 6 times a year) than they would with each team playing 13 other teams 3/4 times equally (Knicks/Nets as many times as Knicks/Bobcats). I'm thinking this was where the NBA was going with the NFL-style division settings, but Hawks-Bobcats doesn't build up the same intrigue as Falcons-Panthers.

~lw3

your plan could work in collage football

I wish college sports would, instead of trying to shoehorn Boise State in the Big East. lol

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

With Seattle being a little more Northwest than Pacific, will the NBA move toward a 4-directional-division (NE, SE, NW, SW) plan like the one described above sometime soon? Surely they won't have Seattle (Pacific) and Portland (Northwest) in separate divisions, will they?

~lw3

[lethalweapon3]

(ordered within division by guess-timated central media market size):EASTERN CONFERENCENortheast: New York, Brooklyn, Toronto, Philadelphia, Boston, Detroit, Cleveland, IndianaSoutheast: Atlanta, Washington, Miami, Orlando, Charlotte, Memphis, New OrleansWESTERN CONFERENCENorthwest: Chicago, Golden State, Seattle, Minnesota, Denver, Portland, Utah, MilwaukeeSouthwest: LA Clippers, LA Lakers, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, San Antonio, Oklahoma City

Southeast still looks bad attendance-wise, but in terms of TV revenue which seems to be where the money's at these days, they've probably got at least three of the fastest-growing markets out there.

~lw3

Edited January 10, 2013 by lethalweapon3

[Dnice]

I wouldn't mind going back to 4 divisions, like back in the days.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Northeast: New York, Brooklyn, Toronto, Philadelphia, Boston, Detroit, Cleveland, Indiana
Southeast: Atlanta, Washington, Miami, Orlando, Charlotte, Memphis, New Orleans, VIRGINIA BEACH

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Northwest: Chicago, Golden State, SEATTLE, Minnesota, Denver, Portland, Utah, Milwaukee
Southwest: LA Clippers, LA Lakers, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, SACRAMENTO

That's right. Add 2 expansion teams ( with Sacramento keeping the Kings and Seattle and Virginia Beach starting from scratch ) and make it a 32 team league.

While I don't think Memphis, New Orleans, and Milwaukee would make a big stink over switching conferences, I think Chicago would definitely pitch a fit.

28 in-division games

24 opposite division in-conference games

32 games vs opposite conference ( home and away )

84 game season.