The Toronto Raptors have clinched the postseason and now wait to see who will be their first-round opponent. Their matchup will be a result of the way in which the NBA has structured their playoffs format. The league has had the same bracket composition since 1949 when it was still under the BAA umbrella (granted the number of teams has expanded during that time).
With the long history of the playoff tournament being run the same way, it is time to shake things up, disrupt the traditionalists and start a new more interesting tradition. We will explore some options that could benefit the league’s best teams such as the Raptors in their hunt for the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.