‘Di na sigurado sa NBA playoffs ang Division titlists

NEWARK, N.J. -- Ang isang division title ay hindi na makakatiyak ng playoff spot sa NBA.

Sinabi ni NBA Commissioner Adam Silver na balak ng liga na huwag ibigay ang playoff spot sa isang koponan na mananalo sa kanilang dibisyon at sa halip ay pipilitin nitong makatapos sa top eight para makakuha ng tsansa sa division title.

Nauna nang sinabi ni Silver na inasahan na niya ang pagbabago sa kasalukuyang format na guma-garantiya sa mga division winners ng No. 4 seed.

Ngunit matapos makipag-usap sa competition committee at board of governors, naniniwala si Silver na mas marami pang pagbabagong mangyayari.

“First of all, it’s never happened before that a division winner did not finish within the top eight, and our basketball analytics folks calculate that there’s less than a 5 percent chance that it would happen,’’ sabi ni Silver bago ang isang panel discussion sa “Beyond Sport United’’ program.

“Where we are leaning right now is that we would not guarantee a spot for a division winner in part because it’s so unlikely to happen, and No. 2 if it does happen it would be potentially confusing to fans. No. 3, you would be displacing a team that did have a top-eight record,” dagdag pa nito.

Nakuha ng Portland ang No. 4 seed sa Western Conference  noong nakaraang season matapos manalo ng Northwest Division, pero nasa sixth place sana ang Trail Blazers kung titingnan ang kanilang win-loss record.