Category: 🏀 Sport

I wonder if the grand slam or major tournaments in tennis should change to be a best of 5 sets to only 4 games per set, for both men and women.

What

• Play best of 5 sets to 4 games for men at major tournaments
• Play best of 5 sets to 4 games for women at majors as well
• All other rules including tiebreak lengths remain the same
• Regular tournaments can remain best of 3 sets to 6 games
• Maximum games for men would decrease from 60 to 40
• Maximum games for women would increase from 36 to 40

Why

• Men's matches at majors can be too long and boring to watch
• Service break in men's tennis can make 6 game sets predictable
• Men's majors are too physically demanding with 5 sets to 6 games
• Women may now be able to handle 5 set matches to 4 games
• Intensity of matches may increase due to breaks and shorter sets
• Men's and women's majors could have the exact same format

I wonder if simplest NBA Draft Lottery rule change to quickly try would be to eliminate play-in tournament, and give equal odds to all 14 picks for all 14 non-playoff teams, even though I'm not sure it's fair to bottom teams or a great long-term solution.

Be Careful What You Swish For Act

I wonder if more NBA rules created to discourage rebuilding and tanking results in "perverse incentives", and that reversing course to completely remove both the draft lottery and play-in tournament might be the simplest, best, or most natural order.

Draft

• Flagg 1 (12th Last)
• Risacher 1 (10th Last)
• Wemby 1, Harper 2, Castle 4
• Cade 1, Ausar 5, Ivey 5
• Tatum 3, Brown 3, Smart 6
• Wade 5, *James 1, *Bosh 4
• Jordan 3, Pippen 5, Grant 10
• Magic 1, Worthy 1, *Kareem 1

While the current NBA rule changes with the draft lottery and play-in tournament, as well as any further flattening of the draft lottery odds or other rule changes, are an attempt to combat a team rebuilding with homegrown talent and tanking or losing some games some years, it's possible the effects of these changes are worse and with other unexpected and negative consequences and natural reactions by teams that we have seen. It may be that great teams of the present and past had often naturally rebuilt to get one or two high draft picks or the possibility of a star player, and then they would go on to win or try to win for many years, including many of the top ranked, successful, and championship level teams of the past.

Continued... >

When people say things like "This NBA team could finish 7th but not 5th", it doesn't make sense to me logically. In 24-25 West 3-8 was 2 games apart, in 23-24 East 2-8 was 4 games apart, in 22-23 West 4-10 was 3 games apart, in 21-22 East 6-10 was 3 games apart, etc.

Hey Jacob.

Great Evaluation And Analysis

• I think you really do a great job of evaluating players and coming up with different analysis or ideas for teams or players, to understand the value of players or make possible changes and adjustments.
• It's really fun to hear your thoughts on players or trades, and in particular I think your draft prospect bullet point breakdowns are an excellent example of that.
• In terms of evaluating players, one thing I think that I look at extremely differently than you is ages of players, and in particular young players who might be truly valuable or even untouchable, and also when players are going to be entering or in their prime.

Potential Of Young Players

• Lowry was 26, about 3 years older than Barnes is now, when he was traded to the Raptors and he wasn't that great of a player yet, being traded for a future first round pick.
• Masai didn't want to include the young Siakam or Anunoby in the Kawhi trade, and they were basically nothings on offense at about age 23 and 21 after each averaged about 7 points the previous year.
• Josh Giddey is still just 22 and he already shot 38% 3PT on 4 3PA this year while Caruso shot 35% on 3 3PA.
• James Harden was about 23 and playing on the bench for OKC the previous year when he was traded to Houston.
• Shai was a bit younger at about 21 when he was traded away after his 10 PPG rookie year along with a 20 PPG Danilo Gallinari and about 5 first round picks for a 28 year old Paul George.
• Barnes is just 23, already won rookie of the year, and has already been an All-Star, so he'll just be entering his age 24 season next year!

Continued... >