Following a six-month marathon, the NBA selects the very best 16 teams to compete in the post-season for a title. The competitiveness of these contests is demonstrated by the scores:
104-78
108-70
123-91
106-74
115-95
89-72
94-68
115-103
The average margin of victory in the first batch of face-offs -- 21 points.
Many hoops analysts are pulling their hair out over the snoozefest that is the first round. They are torturing themselves to explain this mysterious phenomenon. The answer is right under Jimmy Durante's nose.
Even Stevie Wonder can see why the games are such stultifying blowouts. Too many teams are allowed into the playoffs. The mediocre enter the postseason alongside the magnificent; indeed, they match up against them. Golden State is the greatest regular season team in NBA history. They are playing a dysfunctional Houston outfit that needed a late streak to reach .500. It's a mismatch.
Likewise San Antonio, with the game's seventh best record all time, pairing up with downtrodden Memphis, ravaged by injuries and limping down the stretch. It's a Major League team playing a Double-A team. It's not fair. It's not fun to watch. It doesn't tell us anything.
Helen Keller could have told you: the first round of NBA playoffs is rubbish. Eliminate half the qualifiers and all the mismatches. That would improve the playoffs and give the regular season some meaning.
Johnny Manziel could figure that out.
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