The NHL playoff format is both similar and different to the NBA. It is similar in that a total of 16 teams make the playoffs (eight from each conference), but different in the structure of who plays whom. The captions along with the photos below explain in depth the organization of the NHL playoffs.

Gallery • 3 Photos

NHL.com

Figure 1: The Tampa Bay Lightning were the best team in the Eastern Conference (and NHL) with 128 points. As a result, their first opponent of the playoffs was the Columbus Blue Jackets. Likewise, the Washington Capitals were the best team in the Metropolitan Division with 104 points. As a result, their first opponent of the playoffs was the Carolina Hurricanes. Conversely, the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs earned the second and third seeds respectively in the Atlantic Division. As a result, they played each other in the first-round. Finally, the New York Islanders and Pittsburgh Penguins earned the second and third seeds respectively in the Metropolitan Division. As a result, they played each other in the first-round.

Given this information, who has the superior playoffs: the NHL or NBA? It is the NHL and I will map out the reasons why. First is the format. Divisions are far more important in the NHL. In the NBA, division placement is irrelevant and useless. The only element that determines the matchups in the NBA playoffs are the conferences, which makes me wonder why the NBA even has divisions other than regular season matchups. On the other hand, the NHL encompasses both division and conference placement when identifying playoff matchups, which is a more effective and honorable strategy than strictly relying on conferences.

Another reason why the NHL has the better playoffs is simply the competition. In this year’s NHL playoffs, all the Wild Card teams advanced to the second-round. In fact, the Tampa Bay Lightning, who were the No. 1 overall seed in the East and had 21 more points than the second-best team in the league, got swept by the East’s last-seeded Columbus Blue Jackets. In the NBA, the competition for No. 1 & 2 seeds in the first-round is laughable. In general, higher seeds advanced to the second-round. The only tight series in the first-round was the No. 7 seed San Antonio Spurs and the No. 2 seed Denver Nuggets in the West. The Nuggets won that series in seven. Not even a five seed remotely challenged a four seed this year. Also, as Tyler mentioned, no number eight seed has ever beaten a number one seed. Seriously?! Why are eight seeds even allowed in the playoffs? (The answer is money!) Honestly, the first-round of the NBA playoffs is a complete waste of time. There has also been no competition in the NBA playoffs the previous four seasons. The Warriors have won four straight West titles and they have faced the Cleveland Cavaliers all four years. Thankfully, we will see a new East representative in the playoffs this year (given that the Cavaliers didn’t make the playoffs), but we are almost certain of another NBA Final return by the Warriors.

Finally, the play of the NHL is better than the NBA. In the NHL, there is continual action for sixty minutes. Power plays and penalty kills ignite the crowd and there is pushing, shoving, and intensity like no other. Hockey is just a fun and an entertaining sport to watch, especially when the playoffs arrive. And then there is the NBA, where they have to play beating “music” because the crowd isn’t loud enough. There is no defense, the refs are subpar—traveling doesn’t exist and big names like Kevin Durant and James Harden get every call—and the better team in the standings tends to always win. And how many timeouts can you possibly have in the last minute of a game? Maybe I’m being too critical of the NBA (I’m not). Nevertheless, the playoffs in the NHL greatly exceed what the NBA has to offer.

While the NBA playoffs do not necessarily have the same appeal as March Madness, there is definitely still a lot to enjoy about the postseason. 16 teams (eight from each respective conference) can claim their spot in the playoffs. Teams will play others in their conference (East and West) until the NBA Finals, where the top team from each conference will battle for the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. Teams are seeded based off their overall record in the regular season. If two teams happen to have the same overall record, then it falls to a tiebreaker, with the higher seed going to the team that won the matchup between the two teams in the regular season. Matchups for the first-round go as follows: 1 versus 8, 2 versus 7, 3 versus 8, and 4 versus 5. Every series is a best of seven, meaning the first team to win four games wins the series. With single elimination being the major factor to March Madness’ overall success and competitiveness, a seven-game series doesn’t sound too appealing, right? Wrong. Unlike March Madness, NBA playoff games aren’t played on a neutral court. Each team has two home games, with the first two going to the higher seed. In the case of a game seven, the home court advantage will be rewarded to the higher seed. This makes fan support crucial for home games, as one of the hardest things to do in sports is to play on the road. One of the major factors in any sports postseason is controlling the home court advantage. According to Bleacher Report, the higher overall seeds have won 64.9% of their games at home in the postseason. Bleacher Report also states that teams decrease turnovers by 3.1%, increase scoring by 3.4%, and decrease fouling by 4.7% while playing at home. Most people assume that games lack competitiveness in the playoffs and that the higher seed will win, but that is not always the case. Like March Madness, it is heavily favored for the No. 1 overall seed to win their matchup against the lowest seed. In fact, no eight seed has ever won a series against a one seed. This does not mean games cannot be competitive though. Currently, in the Western Conference, the No. 1 seed Golden State Warriors and back-to-back champions are facing off against the No. 8 seed Los Angeles Clippers. Most expected the series to be a sweep but the Clippers came back from a 31 point deficit in Game 2 to tie the series at 1-1. Though Golden State won the series 4-2, the Clippers’ comeback demonstrates that anything can happen.

What also makes the NBA playoffs fun and intense is the storylines. We see headlines like, “Can the Warriors three-peat?”, “Who wins the East with LeBron now in the West?”, and “Are the Nuggets a legit contender?”. Matchups only add to the intensity. We get to see Most Valuable Player candidates like Joel Embiid and Most Improved Player front-runner D’Angelo Russell face each other, as well as potentially witnessing the Warriors and Rockets face off in the second-round—a rematch of last years Western Conference Finals which went to a game seven.

For some, the NBA playoffs may seem a step down from March Madness. However, there are a lot of aspects of the NBA playoffs that create a fun and intense atmosphere, including the fans, star-studded matchups, and newsworthy storylines. If you get the chance, I encourage you to watch a game or two from the wide selection of playoff matchups.