Commentary: What Are You Waiting For?

The NBA’s first round playoff schedule is silly. The league is stretching out the first round, which is a best of five series, to two weeks. Teams are getting three or four days off between games that take place in the same city! This is not just unusal, it’s unheard of. And it could have an effect on the outcomes. NBA teams are used to playing regularly, with a game every other day, and some times on back-to-back days. You would think the extra time off would help an older team, like Indiana, but after a long layoff following their game one win, the Pacers looked stale and got slapped by Milwaukee in game two. Game three is scheduled for some time near Memorial Day. The playoffs are supposed to be a grind, not a respite. I’ll give credit to commissioner David Stern for one thing, though: He’s telling it like it is. Stern has said flat out, they’ve stretched the first round so they could get every game on national TV and make more money! Attaboy, Dave. I guess it could be worse. Take the Blues. Their next playoff game isn’t for another year.