RebKell's Junkie Boards

[NYL_WNBA_FAN]

So...for the second straight season we are seeing semis that are less than compelling. Not to entirely blame the one-and-done, because maybe NY and CT would have lost anyway. But, it goes without saying that the shorter the number of games, the greater the likelihood of a lower seed beating a higher seed. Further, I think that both CT and NY were better equipped to challenge the top 2 seeds in a longer series due to things like matchups and attrition.

So, looking back, we do know that there was a very well-attended Seattle-Phoenix late regular season game that had major playoff ramifications. That's all well and good. We also saw the 8 and 7 seeds get bounced in two games of pretty inferior quality.

As for the second round one-and-dones, maybe the outcome would have been the same in best of 3s, but let's face it. Best of 3s are going to change everything. The mindset of the players entering game 1. The potential for adjustments after game 1 that might be impactful, etc.

In any case, the bottom line is that if you had a situation with top 6 making the playoffs with first-round best of 3s, you'd probably increase the likelihood of more compelling semis. You'd get rid of the 8 and 7 seeds and you'd decrease the likelihood of a 6 or 5 seed pulling off a victory.

So I guess what I am asking is whether or not these one-and-dones are a "penny wise pound foolish" way of doing business? The WNBA has eliminated the first round best of 3s that weren't profitable while theoretically adding one-and-dones that would make for more compelling TV. However, we've seen very lackluster semifinals last year and so far this year. Isn't that the bigger picture?

It's not just that the Libs are out of it for me either. I watched the game 1s in the semis. Last night I feel asleep at 9:30 and I didn't even turn on the Minnesota-DC game. Even when I saw DC was up I gave them very little chance to win. The lack of compelling game 1s really reduced my interest in the game 2s. I watched the finals last year. I will again this year. No interest in the semis though. That says something.

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The poster formerly known as LibWNBAFan.

[tfan]

I had the same feeling. I was looking forward to the Sparks/Lynx having to face the Sun and the 10-in-a-row Liberty and was wondering if Phoenix/Washington would have won a 3-game series. But a 3 game series is still pretty short. I have heard claims that the best team always wins a 7 game series, but that probably doesn't hold for a 3 game series.

[hangtyme24]

I agree with you 100%. Im all for the top 6 teams making the playoffs. I hope the W makes the switch soon. Maybe the owners and players prefer the current format. Idk.

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HERE 2 STAY!

[toad455]

Hopefully with the new CBA. I don't think the players like the format either. The thought of a Sparks-Liberty & a Lynx-Sun semis seemed very exciting. This Lynx-Mystics series is exactly what I expected, a snoozer.

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LET'S GO LIBERTY!!!!!!

Twitter: @TBRBWAY

[Speebs56]

I thought the Mystics-Lynx semi last night (Thursday) was great! It was a close game, Whay was a sparkplug in last 2 minutes. And it made for exciting b-ball.

[Randy]

I don't agree with the premise that the one and done changes outcomes that much particularly in round 2. Perhaps plight has specific data but my guess is the team that wins game 1 in a 3 game series wins the series something like 70 percent of the time. In this case it was the road teams that won so they would have been the home team for game 2 further helping theit odds of winning the series.

A second question is what would have made NY or CT any more likely to have produced a more compelling series than Phx or DC.

[Bob Lamm]

[pilight]

[zune69]

Only one day of rest before a 5 game series when most of that day was spent traveling is just asinine...3 days rest before rd 1(1 gm)....but only 1 day of rest before rd 2(5 gms)....Taurasi was dead ass tired in gm 1.She went 2-5 from the ft line.Probably cost phoenix a game 1 victory.I'm sure Washington was also tired.

3 days of rest before 1 gm elimination and 1 day of rest before a 5 game series is just stupidity.Especially when the home teams have been resting for 5 full days.

[Silky Johnson]

[Mysticsfan12]

[Admiral_Needa]

[Luuuc]

Uneven series can happen anywhere along the standings. This year there seems to be 2 top teams, followed by the rest. Is that always the case though? I don't think a system should be designed around an assumption about where the level changes.
Single eliminations might not be ideal, but turning a crappy, one-sided contest into a multi-game series isn't ideal either.
At least under the current system, 6 teams get a home playoff game, and the games involving the lesser teams are meaningful. There's more at stake in an elimination game than in game 1 of (potentially) 5, and that fact increases the value of the game for the fans & players.
Personally I'd be fine with having the semi finals as best-of-3 series. Not because this season happens to feature only 2 top teams, but because 1-1-3-5 flows better to me than 1-1-5-5. If you have a system that allows an average team to get lucky, then it's perhaps better not to commit to a 5-game series against the best teams.

Also, regarding upset results, how about a little perspective. NY finished high on the standings, but come 2016 playoff time they had injury issues, and finished the regular season on a 3 game losing streak. No one was shocked that they lost to Phoenix. Similarly, this year, the Sun had a great season, but they entered the playoffs in a form slump too. If a "good" team is struggling at the wrong end of the season it's unfortunate, but in those cases it's debatable whether giving them more games is going to help.

I'm pretty certain that the WNBA playoffs in general would be a lot better attended if the dates were known at the start of the season, the venues were the same as the regular season venues, and if a substantial proportion of the fans were able to pay for their seat several months in advance. i.e. if the circumstances were the same as for regular season games. We have the same issues down here with both the mens & womens leagues, and it is much more a result of people not being able to plan ahead, than a result of people not wanting to watch playoff basketball.
But the fact is that until the league is more popular, the "best" playoff system is always going to be compromised towards the "more profitable" (or should that be "least-costly") system.

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Thanks for calling. I wait all night for calls like these.

[mercfan3]

LA and Minny would have slapped around whatever teams they were facing.

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“Anyone point out that a Donald Trump anagram is ‘Lord Dampnut’”- Colin Mochrie

[RavenDog]

My preferences would be a 3 game semi-finals, instead of a 5, saving the 5 game series for the finals.

[Aladyyn]

[RP]

Mystics had a lead in Game 2 with under five minutes to play. I'm not sure how two road losses can be looked at as validation, but a 14-point loss at home can be overlooked.

[Michelle89]

Maybe best of 3 series and then the finals best of 5

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"Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson were and are the dynamic duo. They're the one-two punch. They're all the clich�s possible to describe people that perfectly complement each other, who make each other better and also bring out the best in the team." �Karen Bryant

[OtterlyAmused]

I attended Game 2 of the Lynx/ Mystics series and it was a great game to watch. The Mystics are absolutely semi worthy. I'm sure the Liberty and Sun would've been fun in either series too, but I think that says more in a good way about the upper half of WNBA teams this season. Also, I'd now attend any WNBA game at The Barn - great atmosphere.

Toliver can be crazy and score in waves. I've been to games to see EDDin person before but never as up close as this week. She's phenomenal.

If I was a fan of higher seeded team that lost I'd be pretty bummed, but I don't think it makes the semis uninteresting. I don't think single elimination is the worst thing... The entire NCAA basketball tourney plays out that way and I didn't see many UConn fans dwelling on they didn't get to play Mississippi State in a best of 3, although I'm pretty certain the result of which team would've moved on would have changed.

I'm not opposed to a one game or best of three. I've been more disappointed for this board is putting down Phoenix and Washington and I actually find both teams as good tough match ups in the semis and fun ball. I think some fans are missing out.

My bigger concern than the format is I've watched too many playoff games over the years in the W I feel the refs have greatly influenced. That would be my real concern with a single elimination playoff game. Being eliminated one of those nights would be a lot tougher than seeing Toliver just light up my team for 9 treys.

[NYL_WNBA_FAN]

Right now there's been two enjoyable games out of 8 in the playoffs. The Mystics are worthy. They have talent. But I thought CT matched up better to Minnesota. And PHX with DT unbeaten in one game eliminations, looks like they don't belong on the floor with LA, even with Parker at less than 100%.

It's also the second year in a row the semis have been a disappointment though I do think last year's Libs probably would have gotten killed in the semis. [/i]

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The poster formerly known as LibWNBAFan.

[mercfan3]

[pilight]

I don't want the Mystics to win because I don't want the W playing in the Georgetown dump

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I'm a lonely frog
I ain't got a home

[Brinx]

I like the proposed 1-1-3-5 game format.


I honestly don't think these semifinals would be any more or less interesting if NY or CON had advanced. Both those teams proved they crack under pressure so I'm not sure what people think would be happening if they were playing LA or Minny now; it likely would be similar to what we see with the current match ups. At the end of the day, the fact is, LA and Minny have more talent and are playing significantly better than all the other teams right now.

[Aladyyn]

[NYL_WNBA_FAN]