Tanking teams and a broken 65-game eligibility rule have dominated NBA headlines since a successful All-Star break two months ago. Commissioner Adam Silver and the league desperately need greatness to happen in the NBA 2026 playoffs to change the narrative.
The new All-Star format (U.S. vs World) rolled out by Silver this past February in Los Angeles was a smash hit. All of that goodwill has been washed away in a matter of weeks, however. Nearly a third of the league has tanked its way to the regular season finish line, while several of the league’s superstars have come up short for All-NBA eligibility. Luca Doncic, Anthony Edwards, Cade Cunningham, and Lebron James highlight the group of players that did not meet the 65-game mark. The NBA has been pounded with talk by fans and national pundits alike on how to fix these problems instead of what could have been a celebration of the product on the court.
There is no denying the growth of the NBA under Silver’s tenure in terms of global expansion and economic growth. The league is now a global, multi-billion-dollar sports and media brand, with its footprint now entrenched in the far reaches of China. Before the start of the season, he secured a record-setting $76 billion 11-year media rights deal split across NBC, Peacock, ESPN, ABC, and Amazon Prime Video. Most have argued, however, that the actual health of the game itself is at a critical stage. NBA TV ratings have steadily declined since 2012, with key factors being the rise of the three-point shot, load management, and tanking, which have led to regular-season irrelevancy.
The league, fans, and media couldn’t have asked for better playoff matchups in the upcoming 2026 NBA playoffs. The loaded Western Conference features a battle against Father Time matchup between Lebron James’ LA Lakers and Kevin Durant’s Houston Rockets. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the OKC Thunder are once again the top seed and will likely have to go through Victor Wembanyama (Spurs) or Nikola Jokic (Nuggets) for the chance to defend their 2025 NBA title. The matchup prospects in the Eastern Conference are just appealing. A possible Final Four Scenario could include a rematch of the Celtics vs. the Knicks from a year ago, and the up-and-coming top-seeded Pistons squaring off against the Cavaliers. In a star-driven league, the NBA needs its stars more than ever right now.
The New York Knicks conquered the Celtics last season in the first round on the way to their first Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years. Boston’s perennial all-star Jason Tatum suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during Game 4 and was expected to miss the entire 2026 season. Tatum’s accelerated return to the court in early March fueled Boston’s 13-3 record to close out the regular season. These two teams appear to be on a collision course for the highly anticipated rematch in the second round. Both markets are a huge ratings draw, and with the return of Tatum to the scene of the crime (Madison Square Garden), it’s the kind of matchup the NBA and Silver desperately need.
A turbulent year for the NBA and Adam Silver can all be quieted with an explosive postseason. Lebron’s potential Swan Song, the rise of Wembanyama and the Spurs, and a starving major market like New York making another deep playoff run are all on the table. The Knicks have won 7 of their last 10 against the Celtics, with or without Tatum. I’m picking New York to come out of the East and have a chance to capture their first NBA title since 1973.
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