Amid this NBA shutdown created by reasons far greater than basketball, TNT's Kenny Smith was candid Thursday when he acknowledged the longstanding reality that the league's 82-game season is too long.
As it is, the NBA playoff field _ if there are to be playoffs _ essentially is set.
In the Eastern Conference, the No. 8 Orlando Magic have a 5 {-game lead over the No. 9 Washington Wizards. In the West, the No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies have a 3 {-game lead over the No. 9 Portland Trail Blazers.
So while it would make sense to play at least a few regular-season games before moving onto a postseason _ if there is to be a resumption of play _ those games essentially would be glorified playoff preparation.
The reality is that, even with the NBA's re-weighted lottery, teams on the outside of the playoff picture would have little incentive, in returning for three or four games, to push for victory, with lottery balls essentially already their fate.
For that matter, if an NBA player from an eliminated team is returning after a month off to merely play three or four additional games before returning home, what exactly would be the motivation either in the interim or in the games?
Work back into shape, for what?
Risk injury, for what?
So here's a thought, amid the hope that there is a sooner-rather-than-later finish line to this awful health situation:
Lock the playoff teams into the postseason field _ with one exception.
In the East, you're done.
With all due respect to the No. 9 Wizards, a team 16 games below .500 can't make a postseason argument.
In the West, with four teams within three games in the loss or win columns of the No. 8 Grizzlies, give Adam Silver's proposed in-season tournament a trial run.
Something along the lines of: the No. 9 Portland Trail Blazers (29-37) play the No. 12 San Antonio Spurs (27-36), with the No. 10 New Orleans Pelicans (28-36) playing the No. 11 Sacramento Kings (28-36). One game, loser go home.
Then have the winner of those two games play a one-game showdown for the right to then play the Grizzlies for the final playoff berth in the West. Memphis essentially would receive a double bye for standing the current 3 { games ahead of the field.
As for the rest of the playoff field, schedule the additional three or four (or whatever number) of regular-season games to essentially include tiebreakers for seeding.
Sort of one last chance to make a move in the standings.
In the East, that would be the No. 5 Indiana Pacers (39-26) against the No. 6 Philadelphia 76ers (39-26), as well as the No. 7 Brooklyn Nets (30-34) against the No. 8 Magic (30-35). All other seeds in the East are separated by at least two games.
In the West, perhaps the No. 3 Denver Nuggets (43-22) against the No. 4 Utah Jazz (41-23), as well as No. 5 Oklahoma City Thunder (40-24) against the No. 6 Houston Rockets (40-24).
In other words, create made-for-national-television drama with the closing regular-season matchups, provide one last chance for regular-season gains.
Otherwise, the NBA, at its sudden and shocking stoppage, basically was in playoff position anyway.
Only this time, you also can remove pretense about not playing for the lottery.
No more tanking.
And, assuredly, no need for time off for players.
No more load management.
To that end, such an approach would eliminate two of the ugliest phrases from the NBA vernacular.
All of this, of course, is if there is relief from what still could get worse before it gets better.
But at least there could be a blueprint in place, one provided in a neat package by where the standings left off.
