In the NBA, shouldn't the top 3 teams of each division by ranked 1,2,3.?

Question

In the NBA, shouldn't the top 3 teams of each division by ranked 1,2,3. Then how come they do the rankings as 1,2, and 4?

Answer 1

the three division winners in each conference get entry into the playoffs, and the five teams with the best record of the remaining teams in the conference will get the other playoff spots. However, the three division winners and the team with the best record of the non-division winners (top four seeds) will be seeded based on record, while the bottom four teams will get seeds according to record. this system still rewards winning your division (you are guaranteed a top-4 seed) but makes also rewards a great team in a great division

Answer 2

Absolutely not. Some divisions are considerably worse than other divisions. Compare just about ANY division with the Atlantic division this year, whose best team--Toronto--is barely above a .500 winning percentage.
The best example of this came in last year's playoffs, when the Nuggets, whose record wasn't all that good, were ranked 3rd in the Western Conference because they won a division in which they beat Minnesota and Utah at their worst. The Clippers were ranked sixth in the standings, even though they had a better record. Therefore, the Clippers got an unfair advantage playing a team that should have been ranked either 7th or 8th. Contrast the Clippers playoff opponent with the Lakers, who had to play the Pheonix Suns in the first round.

Answer 3

They had been using this format, but they changed it because of last year, where Dallas had the 2nd best record in the Western Conference, but was in the same division as San Antonio, the West's best record. This meant that two teams that did worse, but still won their divisions, would be seeded 3rd and 4th, as was the case with Phoenix and Denver. Seeing this problem, the NBA decided to give the 3 division winners 3 of the top 4 seeds, depending on their records. The problems with the seeding haven't been fixed yet though, since the Atalntic division leader has like the 8th or worse record in the East..

Answer 4

They don't necessarily rank them 1,2, and 4. The division winners are guaranteed a spot in the playoffs but they rank the teams in order of record. In the West the Mavs, Suns, and Jazz all won their respective divisions, but the Spurs have a better record than the Jazz, so they're ranked number 3. There was a glitch last year that resulted in the Mavs and Spurs playing in the second round when they shouldn't have met until the conference finals.

Answer 5

They eventually will. Just for the sake of showing how close they are, they will put the top three teams as division leaders, unless there is a second place team in a division that is in a close race with their respective leader and/or with the records of the other divisions.

But you are right, division leaders will eventually be the top 3 seeds.

Answer 6

in no way supply up Caramel...hahaha ....the superb communities Dallas ....San Antonio....then theres a huge drop off....Phoenix...possibly the warmth and Detroit......yet so long using fact the league place of work loves ya what does it count?