2020 End of Season / Playoffs

[bertarapsfan]

At this point I'm kinda meh on the whole thing.
Scrap the NBA and NHL seasons, no champ.
Start MLB if they can do it by July 1 because it's a Summer sport anyways.

NBA and NHL have completed enough of a season we know who the contenders are. When it comes to playing it's still going g to be competitive exciting ball. The big game changer is the teams who worked to get home court advantage lose that privilege. I still think one of the 3 title favorites will win with small outside chances to the raps rockets heat celtics and nuggets. It would only really be tranishied if a complete outside team won the whole thing

[planetmars]

wow. so when would next season start? if it goes to october i'd just as soon call the whole thing off. that's ending the finals when training camp/preseason is normally starting.

Let's see.. the NBA finals last year ended on June 13.. and the regular season started on October 22.. so that was 132 days inclusive.

If the last game of the NBA finals this year is on October 12th, add 132 days and you get about Feburay 20 as a start date.

Of course they can expedite the off season and move up the start date. But that will require a sign off from the NBPA. My guess is they come back on Christmas, which would be about a 75 day layoff.

Playing on Christmas is a big deal for the NBA. I don't think they'll miss out on that opportunity. But it will be a very short off season.

[G__Deane]

NBA and NHL have completed enough of a season we know who the contenders are. When it comes to playing it's still going g to be competitive exciting ball. The big game changer is the teams who worked to get home court advantage lose that privilege. I still think one of the 3 title favorites will win with small outside chances to the raps rockets heat celtics and nuggets. It would only really be tranishied if a complete outside team won the whole thing

I get that it's just that I can't get up for a lot of sports once July and August hits....too many other things to do.
I used to listen to baseball outside back when the Jays were relevant, not so much anymore.

And I'm getting tired of politics entering sports non-stop to be honest and then the constant public bickering over money. COVID's not going away in the next month, you got people shooting police south of the border now and the President threatening real force....

-Just feel I'd be OK scrapping the season(s) at this point.

[KeonClark]

Let's see.. the NBA finals last year ended on June 13.. and the regular season started on October 22.. so that was 132 days inclusive.

If the last game of the NBA finals this year is on October 12th, add 132 days and you get about Feburay 20 as a start date.

Of course they can expedite the off season and move up the start date. But that will require a sign off from the NBPA. My guess is they come back on Christmas, which would be about a 75 day layoff.

Playing on Christmas is a big deal for the NBA. I don't think they'll miss out on that opportunity. But it will be a very short off season.

And they'll still play 82, and run next season(and onward?) into August. At least that's the current plan as I understand it.

[KeonClark]

I get that it's just that I can't get up for a lot of sports once July and August hits....too many other things to do.
I used to listen to baseball outside back when the Jays were relevant, not so much anymore.

And I'm getting tired of politics entering sports non-stop to be honest and then the constant public bickering over money. COVID's not going away in the next month, you got people shooting police south of the border now and the President threatening real force....

-Just feel I'd be OK scrapping the season(s) at this point.

Each sport is just a business, trying to grab as many dollars bills out of the air as they can before they fly away. No different than 99% of businesses during covid: "how can we make this hurt the least financially while still pretending we really really care about the coronavirus?"

[bertarapsfan]

I get that it's just that I can't get up for a lot of sports once July and August hits....too many other things to do.
I used to listen to baseball outside back when the Jays were relevant, not so much anymore.

And I'm getting tired of politics entering sports non-stop to be honest and then the constant public bickering over money. COVID's not going away in the next month, you got people shooting police south of the border now and the President threatening real force....

-Just feel I'd be OK scrapping the season(s) at this point.

It definitely wont have me as enthralled when I could be out fishing but I'd sure as hell watch every Raptors game and most 2nd round match ups. I think most fanbases would be the same. I'd probably skip watching Pacers heat or other 1st round series but that's about it.

[MixxAOR]

So will NBA Draft happen before the games resume?

[bertarapsfan]

Let's see.. the NBA finals last year ended on June 13.. and the regular season started on October 22.. so that was 132 days inclusive.

If the last game of the NBA finals this year is on October 12th, add 132 days and you get about Feburay 20 as a start date.

Of course they can expedite the off season and move up the start date. But that will require a sign off from the NBPA. My guess is they come back on Christmas, which would be about a 75 day layoff.

Playing on Christmas is a big deal for the NBA. I don't think they'll miss out on that opportunity. But it will be a very short off season.

I would cut the teams coming into the bubble and maybe make 1st round 5 game series. Less 3 days off and if 2nd round or conference finals are set before other series are done just start those series at the same time. That should at least cut a few weeks off.

[bertarapsfan]

So will NBA Draft happen before the games resume?

I think draft will be after the season but I have heard they might so free agency before the draft. Could help us to see if we need a center if serge and Marc dont come back

[chris]

I would cut the teams coming into the bubble and maybe make 1st round 5 game series. Less 3 days off and if 2nd round or conference finals are set before other series are done just start those series at the same time. That should at least cut a few weeks off.

i think every series should be played every other day rather than with the 2 and 3 day breaks that accompany typically accompany travel as well as the breaks that are just to space out games in the early rounds when lot's of teams are playing. that might be too grueling though at playoff intensity.

[Rudy Bargnani]

wow. so when would next season start? if it goes to october i'd just as soon call the whole thing off. that's ending the finals when training camp/preseason is normally starting.

Next season is not starting on time even if they cancel this season. They want to maximize games with fans in stands next year. Dragging this year out and having a late start buys time for the possibility of sold out seats 12 months from now.

[chris]

Next season is not starting on time even if they cancel this season. They want to maximize games with fans in stands next year. Dragging this year out and having a late start buys time for the possibility of sold out seats 12 months from now.

i keep forgetting that point. i change my mind again bring on the late summer playoffs

[inthepaint]

Let's see.. the NBA finals last year ended on June 13.. and the regular season started on October 22.. so that was 132 days inclusive.

If the last game of the NBA finals this year is on October 12th, add 132 days and you get about Feburay 20 as a start date.

Of course they can expedite the off season and move up the start date. But that will require a sign off from the NBPA. My guess is they come back on Christmas, which would be about a 75 day layoff.

Playing on Christmas is a big deal for the NBA. I don't think they'll miss out on that opportunity. But it will be a very short off season.

I think if they were really willing to, I think they could bring that game 7 finals date from October 12 to something like Sept 25ish. Maybe bring fewer teams to the bubble (22 sounds like a lot), and eliminate the days off for travel within a playoff series you typically see (since there's no travel).

Also, If it was doable logistically, they could try to start sooner than July 31st (they were talking about July 15th at first). If they could finish around Sept 25, and had opening day on Dec 25, that would be 3 full months (and that's only for the two teams making the finals, the other 28 would have a longer "offseason").

For the following years they could either leave it like that (opening day as x-mas day, and goinng into the summer), and if they felt people weren't really tuning in the summer they could gradually start reverting back. The point about fans is a good one though: if this season is butchered anyway, the later the next one starts, the more likely it will be with fans on the stands

[inthepaint]

As for games in the summer, at first I've grumbled about the idea too, but then I asked myself, who am I kidding. Summer is busy but on that stretch between mid-July to early September (aka the dog days), I'm still coming to this dang board almost every day looking for Raptors news and rumours. If there are Raps playoff ball in August, I know I'd be watching, doesn't matter how much BBQ'ing I'll be doing.

I've always wanted to try a backyard outdoor projector screen for games. Maybe if I have a playoff game on outside in July, grilling something on a nice evening out with some beers, I could finally get some of my neighbours into bball (I know a couple of them have been curious since the Raps won the title)

And if the quiet months end up being October and November instead, those are the months I'm on my own beer-leagues anyway. That's also when my wife likes to throw dinner parties, which tend to be right on game days (Grrr!), so I'd be free then. Between that, and catching up on new netflix seasons that come in the fall, I could get behind a X-mas opening day. There, talked myself into it.

[planetmars]

NBA top-seeded teams are trying to figure out a way where they can generate a home court advantage in the playoffs per ESPN:
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...off-advantages

Some of the scenarios discussed, sources told ESPN, include:

• The higher-seeded team being awarded the first possession of the second, third and fourth quarters, following the traditional jump ball to begin the game.
• The higher-seeded team being allowed to designate one player to be able to be whistled for seven fouls instead of six before fouling out.
• The higher-seeded team receiving an extra coach's challenge.
• The higher-seeded teams being able to transport their actual hardwood home court from their arenas to Orlando to try to preserve the feel of their home playing experience.
• An off-court feature in which playoff teams, in order of seeding 1-16, receive first choice on picking which hotel they will stay at in the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and Disney World Resort. ESPN is owned by the Walt Disney Co.

Bringing in the home floor is dumb. I think the last bullet point makes the most sense.