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Explaining how group play should work and benefit Orlando Magic, NBA

By Philip Rossman-Reich

No matter the return format, the Orlando Magic are likely staring down a playoff matchup with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
No matter the return format, the Orlando Magic are likely staring down a playoff matchup with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) /
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Markelle Fultz, Orlando Magic
Markelle Fultz recorded a team-high 14 assists to lead the Orlando Magic’s attack and check off another box in a win over the Charlotte Hornets. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images) /

Exiting group play

The twist under my plan is how we seed teams after group play is completed.

Typically in group play tournaments, teams are seeded in the next round — whether that is another group play round like in the FIBA World Cup or in the knockout round like the FIFA World Cup — based on where they finish in their groups. For example, typically in the FIFA World Cup, the winner of Group A plays the second-place team in Group B, and so on.

But I think the NBA should preserve seeding and records from the regular season. To respect the nearly three-quarters of the season that have already been played, seeding for the Playoffs would be based on the total combined record of the regular season and the group play.

For instance, let’s say the Orlando Magic go 3-2 in group play and the Brooklyn Nets go 2-3 in the opposit group and advance out of the group play round. The Magic would earn the East’s seventh seed by one-half game by going a combined 33-37 whereas the Nets would be 32-37.

This seeding format also works to protect the top teams.

Say the Bucks struggle and go 3-2 or 2-3 in the group play. Assuming they stay in the top four (and tiebreakers can be regular-season record for this purpose too), they would still be the top seed in the Eastern Conference because of the regular season record they built before the league went on hiatus.

They essentially still get the benefit of the work they did through March.

Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic /

Orlando Magic

All they would have to do is make sure they are in the top four of their group. That should not be a problem, right?

Another example, let’s say the Washington Wizards beat out the Brooklyn Nets for the final spot in group play. Or even the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards outperform the Philadelphia 76ers in group play. That would be unfortunate as the Sixers had all but assured themselves a playoff spot, but everyone has to put something on the line here the burden cannot be merely on the 8-seed.

The teams would then be seeded in the playoffs based on their combined record. The regular season would still be rewarded, even if the Wizards finished ahead of the Nets in group play, the Nets and Magic would still hold a seeding advantage over them in the Playoff field.

The point of all this is to balance all the interests of the teams in the bubble.

It gives the top teams a chance to warm up and get themselves ready for the playoffs with minimal risk of missing out on the playoffs. It gives the teams outside of the Playoffs a chance to get into the Playoffs, making their trip to Disney worthwhile.

And a team like the Magic? Even this method still benefits them while giving them the best chance to maintain their playoff spot.