Craziness in the CBA playoffs

[sportsguy12]

Apparently, the CBA has dumped their playoff format for a finals only series? What gives?

I don't believe arena availability to be the problem. Also, Pittsburgh gets a victory because they can't agree on a make-up date with Albany? That's non-sense. Albany owns their arena, so switch the game to their place.

All of this non-sense doesn't make sense. If Apex didn't own most of the league, there's no way this would have happened.

I have been a staunch supporter of this league, but this is ABA-esque. I think Apex may have seen the tils run low and cut their losses.

Yakama deserves to win their conference, but either Albany or Minot will get screwed out of a good conference final matchup. Also, this decision happens so late in the season, too.

http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=3434482

[psbf]

like it or not, I'm happy with it. The Xplosion get another win and Richardson hates losing:D

[diggy374]

When I saw that they changed the playoff format again I was in disbelief. I have been following this league for 5 years and its a shame but this is the worst its been by far. I mean it is not near the ABA level but I expect much more from the CBA. Still no Callups to the NBA I dont rememeber that ever happening its sad becuase i think the CBA is a funner league then the NBDL but some thigns have to change.

[indy legend]

What is this crap? Changing the playoff format with less than 10 games left in the season? I thought we left the ABA to rid ourselfs of BS like this. No arenas availible? Albany owns their building, Indiana plays in high school gym and the high school hoops season will be finished and I'm sure things could be worked out in Butte and Great Falls! There's not one night availible in the next 3 weeks that Albany and Pittsburg can make up a game? I've been a critic of the ABA on here and a supporter of the CBA but this uncalled for. I guess I'll take back some of the positive things I've said about the CBA.
I guess the next release coming out of the league office will be "CBA cancels last three week of the regular season and starts playoffs early to accommodate natioal TV deal". Looks like Newman has already found a new job .

[bdaly]

The playoffs often aren't profitable, so it sounds like an effort to cut losses. I agree that it's pretty bush--if I were a fan of an impacted team I'd be pretty upset--but it likely comes down to travel and low crowd expectations. I was concerned about the CBA season coming it, and it could have went worse, but it could have went better. I expect we'll see a bit of a shakeup this off-season in minor league basketball. Who knows, it could work out for the best with the best of the ABA and CBA coming together to create a stable, cost effective league with sane travel and expenses.

[psbf]

Although the Xplosion will not be going, I am surprised by the change, I admit. I thought it was set in stone(or should have been). While I'm a bit confused by it, the format sounds like the Championships will begin right away, am I wrong?
I still feel the CBA is much better than the ABA, although things like this do bring questions. Hopefully this will be the only, or I'll be having my doubts also. The good part about the ABA(in my mind) was that we made the playoffs.
As far as the Albany/Xplosion game, everyone on here is questioning it, but I feel glad that the X don't have to return to the N.Y. Capital again this year(where we were winless).

[sportsguy12]

Although the Xplosion will not be going, I am surprised by the change, I admit. I thought it was set in stone(or should have been). While I'm a bit confused by it, the format sounds like the Championships will begin right away, am I wrong?
I still feel the CBA is much better than the ABA, although things like this do bring questions. Hopefully this will be the only, or I'll be having my doubts also. The good part about the ABA(in my mind) was that we made the playoffs.
As far as the Albany/Xplosion game, everyone on here is questioning it, but I feel glad that the X don't have to return to the N.Y. Capital again this year(where we were winless).

to Pittsburgh is that the race between Albany and Minot is so close. There's less than 7 points between them - which is the maximum number of points you can earn from a win. Say the Patroons were to sweep the QP, then the gap would be upto 8.

Those three games in Minot (with the Pats) are daunting enough without the addition of only one team advancing from each conference to the playoffs.

[psbf]

to explain, Sportsguy. The league sided with us and they have their reasons. I'll take the win and I suggest you concentrate on your next game.

[bdaly]

The problem with these two announcements is now Albany is suddenly fighting for a playoff sport, so losing those points could really hurt. If they get knocked out by that margin, I suspect there will be some very legit complaining. That's not to say Albany would have beat the Xplosion anyways, but you never know. It's tough to figure out why something couldn't have been arranged--there are other venues and the travel distance is modest.

[Chuck the Writer]

The race between Albany and Minot is so close. There's less than 7 points between them - which is the maximum number of points you can earn from a win. Say the Patroons were to sweep the QP, then the gap would be upto 8.

Those three games in Minot (with the Pats) are daunting enough without the addition of only one team advancing from each conference to the playoffs.

What that's most likely going to mean is that Albany and Minot's last few games of the season are going to have major added importance. Ronnie Fields might be back with the Skyrockets from his ankle injury; Desmond Ferguson's been shooting lights-out from behind the arc; and Kenyon Gamble and Ray Cunningham have stepped up their game. Meanwhile, the Patroons have found new life with the addition of Kareem Reid and John Strickland; Jamario Moon is almost a lock for defensive player of the year; and Kwan Johnson is scoring like a man possessed.

In those three games, there is a possibility of a 42-point quarterpoint swing between Minot and Albany, depending on how the quarterpoints fall (every Minot QP win is an Albany QP loss, and vice versa).

Right now the quarter-points look like this:

Albany Patroons - 25-15, 92.0 QP, 167.0 QP won, 4.18 QP average
Minot Skyrockets - 25-14, 83.5 QP, 158.5 QP won, 4.06 QP average

With eight remaining games, Albany can earn a maximum of 223 QP's; with nine remaining games, Minot can get a maximum of 221.5 QP's.

Albany's last eight games look like this:

March 9 v. Butte
March 12 at Minot
March 14 at Minot
March 17 v. Yakama
March 18 v. Yakama
March 21 at Minot
March 23 at Indiana
March 25 at Indiana

Minot's last nine games look like this:

March 10 at Butte
March 12 v. Albany
March 13 v. Pittsburgh
March 14 v. Albany
March 15 at Indiana
March 18 at Indiana
March 21 v. Albany
March 22 at Pittsburgh
March 23 at Pittsburgh

Now you look at this and say, Albany's got a tougher road, they're playing Yakama and Minot's got Pittsburgh. Yeah, but as we all know, Pittsburgh has not been a slouch as of late, and they're fighting to avoid having the worst quarter-point total in league history (95 QP's, set by the 1992-93 Rochester Renegades and tied by last year's Michigan Mayhem). So they don't want that hung on their resume - and they've beaten Minot before.

I'd rather have a battle to the death for the American Conference title than having everybody play out the string and then face each other in a playoff setup that was bloated out halfway through the season to six out of seven teams. I'd also rather talk about the games on the court than the stuff off of it. Okay?

[Chuck the Writer]

The problem with these two announcements is now Albany is suddenly fighting for a playoff sport, so losing those points could really hurt. If they get knocked out by that margin, I suspect there will be some very legit complaining. That's not to say Albany would have beat the Xplosion anyways, but you never know. It's tough to figure out why something couldn't have been arranged--there are other venues and the travel distance is modest.

Take into consideration that the game was supposed to be played in Pittsburgh and Albany could not get to the building because of the snowstorm. If the league really wanted to stick it to Albany they would have awarded Pittsburgh a 7-0 forfeit (there is precedent in this, the 1994-95 Mexico Aztecs were on their way to a game against the Hartford Hellcats when the Hellcats folded - the Aztecs were given a 7-0 forfeit win).

So a 3.5-3.5 split, after both teams tried to find an available open date to reschedule the game, is better than what Albany could have faced.

[bdaly]

I'd rather have a battle to the death for the American Conference title than having everybody play out the string and then face each other in a playoff setup that was bloated out halfway through the season to six out of seven teams.
The problem is many teams are now virtually out of the hunt, so it renders the rest of their games meaningless. I suspect there are a few less than excited fans in those cities, as changing the rules late is questionable. But, in the case of Albany and Minot, it should be an exciting stretch run.

[panchess]

..I actually like it better than the other formats. Given the large number of games that have been played within the division, it is nice to see that winning the division title is going to mean something.

Having said that, the changes in the format do make the CBA look a bit Mickey Mouse. It is a bit different than the ABA, though, where the format still isn't really announced or fixed, with the playoffs starting next week.

As for the various places, is the information a bit thin? Perhaps. Here's my take.

Albany-Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh isn't drawing or making the playoffs. They haven't been able to get enough dates in one place to play the regular season as it is. Albany has no big breaks in their schedule. Micheal Ray sounds confident, but the result probably helps the Patroons.

Even as a Patroons fan, moving the game to Albany would not have been fair, giving them an extra home game.

Butte/Indiana: Teams aren't drawing well, or playing particularly well at the moment. Therefore, not much lost. The Butte Civic Center calendar looked open for the playoffs though.

Great Falls: Not a bad team, and perhaps the buzz in the playoffs would have been helpful.

Albany/Minot: Obviously one very good team gets left out of the playoffs. The Patroons control the Armory (Albany and Yakama are probably the only prime tenants in their buildings, which makes a big difference). Minot? They've had some strange dates this season, so they may have arena issues.

If you're a fan in Albany and Minot, you should be going to every game from here on out though. They all mean something.

[bdaly]

Butte/Indiana: Teams aren't drawing well, or playing particularly well at the moment. Therefore, not much lost. The Butte Civic Center calendar looked open for the playoffs though.

That's the question--have they given up (or the teams) at this point? I suspect some diehards in these cities won't return next year given the late rules change. But, if they're as good as dead, then it doesn't really matter. We'll see.

The format itself is okay though, as it makes winning the division actually mean something. It's just the way that it was executed that is poor.

[panchess]

../they don't play themselves..:)

[diggy374]

Chuck you seem to know a hell of a lot on the CBA. Now I love the league but have you've seen a season like this w/out any NBA callups in the last 25 years. I don't think there has been a season like this in fact there are always double digit callups if my memory is correct. I think it would be a crying shame if no callups happened this season, which seems to be the case.

[panchess]

...is that the CBA didn't appear to consider extending the season for the makeup game. Therefore, it isn't as easy as it looks to find a reasonable date in this season, particularly in Pittsburgh, where the Mellon Arena can't even provide enough dates for the full Xplosion schedule.

The Patroons start the USBL in mid-April. They probably want to finish the CBA before then and start concentrating on the new season too.

[psbf]

I can't speak for the other cities, but here in Pgh, the Xplosion call the Peterson Event Center as a part time home, which actually houses the University of Pittsburgh and the Panthers are in the Big East Tournament currently.
As for the Mellon Arena, the Pens will be using that, while their ongoing battle with the city continues. So if the league had prolonged the season, it would be difficult for the Xplosion. As it is, though, the season has 2 weeks left and we are playing spoilers.

[panchess]

..but it's a fact of life when you are a second or third tenant at any building. You get the dates that are left over.

If the teams come back, the situation will probably be easier next year when there is more time to plan the schedule with the various arenas.

[bdaly]

..but it's a fact of life when you are a second or third tenant at any building. You get the dates that are left over.

If the teams come back, the situation will probably be easier next year when there is more time to plan the schedule with the various arenas.
Lack of lead time is likely to be a key problem. The Razorsharks get all of the leftover dates in Rochester (after the Amerks, Knighthawks, and tournaments). That explains all of the weekday and weekend afternoon games they get. The only time they get weekend evenings is during the holidays (not a peak time as everyone is shopping). Maybe Pittsburgh should try for more afternoon games--it has turned out to be a great time for the Razorsharks and the Pens will usually shoot for the evening slots. Of course, if the Pens leave, the Xplosion will get their pick of dates anyways. But hopefully they'll remain in Pittsburgh.

[panchess]

..and I am guessing Pitt basketball does a lot of weekend afternoons for TV if nothing else.

The USBL had a tough year last year, and is back with more teams than before. Ken doesn't mention the USBL Champion folded after the season, and two other teams dried up during the season, even if they didn't "officially" fold.

Given what they had to work with, I would give the CBA a B or B- for the season. The playoff snafu is a black mark, though.

[Sam Hill]

Wait....you mean the CBA didn't fold yet?

[psbf]

Pitt does not always play on afternoons and the X only get limited times. Afternoon games sound good, but I wonder if they really are.
I also wonder if it would really be a good thing, for the X, if the Pens go. It could have a reverse affect. But we all want the Pens to stay. I think they can only enhanse the Xplosion.

[bdaly]

Pitt does not always play on afternoons and the X only get limited times. Afternoon games sound good, but I wonder if they really are.

In the case of the Razorsharks, it's been a great thing because it gets lots of families out to the games. Afternoon games haven't historically been a good thing for other local teams in this area, but they've really caught on. The R-Sharks targeted families and have partnered with local Verizon Wireless stores to promote those games. And since no one else wants those dates, it works out well. So given the situation (lack of availability), I think it's worth a shot in Pittsburgh too. But, Panchess makes a good point with Pitt. I wouldn't ever place them head-to-head with their games, or then it would be a losing proposition.