Overheard the other day at Newsday was the following argument from a co-worker (paraphrased):

The NBA needs to follow in the NHL’s steps and re-seed in the playoffs. Why should the No. 1 seed have to play the No. 4 seed if the seventh seed tops the No. 2 seed?

Well, unnamed co-worker, you’re wrong, because the NBA’s got it right, and the NHL’s got it wrong.

The simple reason here is that when a seven-seed tops a two-seed in a seven-game series, chances are the seventh seed is probably BETTER than the two seed.

I understand that when a 14-seed (ie. Ohio) tops a 3-seed (ie. Georgetown) in the NCAA Tournament, it is an upset, and the next nine times the two teams play, the Hoyas would probably win. I understand that in a three-game series, an inferior team could win two times out of three. I’ll even by a lesser-quality team having a shot at winning a five-game series.

When you get to seven-game series, though, I’d argue that 100 times out of 100, the better team is going to win.

A perfect example is in this year’s playoffs. The second-seeded Dallas Mavericks are on their way to being ousted by the seventh-seeded San Antonio Spurs (as correctly predicted by yours truly).

Why? The Mavericks are a solid, solid team, well-deserving of the second seed in the Western Conference. However, with Tony Parker, a healthy Manu Ginobili, a damn-good George Hill, and of course Tim Duncan, San Antonio is a really solid team.

It isn’t a secret that one of the reasons San Antonio is seeded seventh is because of the lack of Parker for a large portion of the season. And it isn’t a secret that when San Antonio moves on, it won’t be shocking to anybody.

Now, let me ask you. Do you think the Lakers (assuming they move past the Thunder, which they will) would rather take on the Jazz or Spurs in the second round?

It’s definitely close, and no clearcut answer. I’d argue the Spurs, but if you’re taking the Jazz, you’re not crazy. But no way will Phil Jackson be complaining to David Stern that the second round should be reseeded because his team earned the right to play the Spurs. While San Antonio was the seventh best team in the West during the regular season, they took down the second-ranked team in the postseason, and thus, are the second-best team in the Western Conference during the postseason.

So don’t start pitching for re-seeding in the NBA playoffs, because if you force a team to win four games out of seven against another team, the side that comes out on top IS the better team.