playoffs! playoffs?!?

The NBA wrapped up its regular season last night and the playoffs begin in a few days. For those of you who aren't aware, 16 teams make the playoffs out of 30 NBA teams - 8 from the East and 8 from the West.

What's annoying to me is that teams like the Atlanta Hawks in the East have a 37-45 record. In other words, they are losers. Meanwhile, winning teams like the Golden State Warriors in the West have a 48-34 record and since they are the 9th best team in the West, they are out of the playoffs.

My idea is this: Pit the teams with losing records in one conference for a one-game playoff against winning teams from the other conference. We'll use Atlanta and Golden State as examples. Atlanta and Golden State have to play a one-game playoff in Atlanta. If Atlanta wins, then its business as usual and they start their series against the Celtics (the East's #1 seed). If the Warriors beat Atlanta, they take Atlanta's spot and face the Celts in Round 1.

What a novel concept: winning teams making the playoffs!?!? Come on people, this isn't 1st grade T-ball. Everybody doesn't get a cheap trophy and a Capri Sun. Win or go home.