1. For several years now, the NBA has taken steps to stretch out each round of the playoffs as much as possible in order to maximize television money.
Just because it’s the norm now doesn’t make it any less annoying for NBA fans.
The ultimate playoff schedule for each series should be to play two nights, get a night off and repeat. But the NBA doesn't want teams playing on back-to-back nights.
Therefore, the schedule should just be a straightforward every-other-day-off format. However, that schedule wouldn’t allow the league to milk the profits.
So, the result for the conference semifinals, which began Sunday with the Indiana Pacers–Cleveland Cavaliers game, is that two series will have a pair of three-day breaks, while the Golden State Warriors–Minnesota Timberwolves series features an absurd four-day break.
The Denver Nuggets–Oklahoma City Thunder series has one three-day gap between Game 6 (May 15) and 7 (May 18).
Warriors-Timbervoles has a four-day gap between Game 5 (May 14) and 6 (May 18).
Pacers-Cavs has two three-day gaps. One comes between Game 2 (May 6) and 3 (May 9) and the other between Game 6 (May 15) and 7 (May 18).
The New York Knicks–Boston Celtics will have a three-day gap between Game 3 (May 7) and Game 4 (May 10) and Game 6 (May 16) and Game 7 (May 19).
NBA second round playoff schedule pic.twitter.com/t2UHhYTqlP
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) May 5, 2025
There’s no good reason for any series to feature three or four-day gaps. But all things in sports that don’t make sense always happen because of one simple thing: cash.
2. The local radio call by Winnipeg Jets analyst Mitchell Clinton on Cole Perfetti’s game-tying goal with 1.6 seconds left in Game 7 against the St. Louis Blues Sunday night was electric.
"1.6 SECONDS LEFT IN THE THIRD PERIOD AND THE JETS HAVE TIED IT UP AT 3! HOLY SMOKES!" -#NHLJets Perfetti's game tying goal called by @UtilityVoice & @MitchellClinton on 680 CJOB pic.twitter.com/vTKJnuNyZ8
— Winnipeg Sports Talk (@SportsTalkWPG) May 5, 2025
3. Saturday’s Kentucky Derby was a big hit for NBC. The event pulled in 17.7 million viewers, making it the most-viewed Kentucky Derby since 1989.
From 7 to 7:15 pm ET, 21.8 million people tuned in to watch Sovereignty pull off the win.
4. This is good content. Not because it highlights terrible calls by home plate umpires, but because it’s funny how angry the home broadcasters get when a bad call goes against their team.
Umpires missed 1031 calls during the week of April 28th.
— Umpire Auditor (@UmpireAuditor) May 5, 2025
These were the worst called strikeouts. pic.twitter.com/1KylhMjzPT
5. A great gambling stat regarding the Warriors and the postseason.
The Golden State Warriors (+155 vs. T’Wolves) are underdogs in an NBA Playoff series for the first time in more than 10 years.
— Ben Fawkes (@BFawkes22) May 5, 2025
They were last underdogs before a series began in Round 1 of 2014 postseason (+170 vs. the Clippers, lost in 7)
6. This week’s SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast features a conversation with Ringer editor-at-large Bryan Curtis.
Topics covered with Curtis, who also hosts The Press Box podcast, include the reaction to Mel Kiper Jr.'s Shedeur Sanders comments during the NFL draft, ESPN’s draft coverage and decisions on which talent to use and not use on air.
Also discussed with Curtis is Bill Belichick’s disastrous CBS Sunday Morning interview, Belichick’s book tour and which interviewer would have the guts to ask Belichick tough questions.
Other topics include Shannon Sharpe taking a leave from ESPN, TNT using remote broadcasters for NHL playoff games, Aaron Rodgers’s future in broadcasting, Amazon’s NBA hires and a surreal moment on 60 Minutes.
Following Curtis, Sal Licata from WFAN radio and SNY TV in New York joins me for our weekly “Traina Thoughts” segment. This week, we discuss WrestleMania 41, terrible betting losses and how to sell a baseball card collection.
You can listen to the SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast below or on Apple and Spotify.
You can also watch SI Media With Jimmy Traina on Sports Illustrated‘s YouTube channel.
7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: If, like me, you grew up in the 1980s, Kurt Loder was a huge part of your childhood. The MTV legend turns 80 years old today.
Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Google. You can also follow Jimmy on X and Instagram.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Nobody Knows How to Drag Out the Playoffs Like the NBA.
