NBA Summer League To Adopt NCAA Tournament Style Format

The NBA Summer League in Las Vegas is "adopting an NCAA-tournament elimination style format that will crown a definitive champion," according to basketball writer Ric Bucher. Every team will be "guaranteed a minimum of five games, per usual, but only three will have a scheduled opponent." The teams with the top three-game results will be "given a one-game bye and the remaining teams will square off, the winners advancing to play the top-seeded teams." After all that, the top eight teams "will then pair off, the winners advancing to play in the semifinals; the semifinal winners will then play one game for the Summer League championship." Teams reaching the finals "will play a total of eight games." The new format will "provide some compelling basketball for broadcast at a time of the year when hoops TV is a little barren" (SULIA.com, 3/11).

CLEAN BREAK NEEDED: NBA.com's David Alridge cited sources as saying that talks of the NBPA "working on a settlement" with former NBPA Exec Dir Billy Hunter behind the scenes "could be picking up steam." However, neither Hunter's reps nor the union "would comment Sunday." But a settlement "would be the smart, sensible thing for both sides." Neither Hunter nor the union "needs to be embarrassed further in public by the continuing airing of their mutual dirty laundry" (NBA.com, 3/11).