NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has done everything in his power to help increase interest and intrigue in the league the past few years, introducing new events like the Play-In Tournament and the Emirates NBA Cup.
The Play-In Tournament has added extra excitement to the postseason, though the NBA Cup seemingly took a step back in terms of ratings this past year after a successful inaugural season when the Los Angeles Lakers won the tournament. Silver has drawn some criticism for constantly tweaking the NBA and its events, though it’s all with the league’s long-term future in mind.
Fortunately for Silver and basketball fans, the 2025 NBA Playoffs have been one of the best postseasons in recent memory because it’s produced several thrilling moments that fans will remember forever. The mix of teams still in the mix for a championship coupled with down-to-the-wire matchups has made for a fun playoffs so far.
Adding to the excitement levels is the increased physicality teams have been allowed to play with. Silver acknowledged he’s loved watching the games and believes this is the kind of postseason basketball fans want, via NBA on ESPN:
“Excellent. It’s throwback playoffs in a way. I love the increased physicality. I mean, It’s not by accident. Credit to Joe Dumars who just stepped down as our head of basketball operations to go to the Pelicans, but also with some influence that fans may not know from Coach K, Mike Krzyzewski who’s been an advisor to the league office over the last few years who pointed out that fans like defense too. We’re not quite back to the ‘Bad Boys.’ I’m not sure we want to be there but I think that the physicality, to your point, on top of the increased parity it seems in a positive way, not correlating to market size or anything else, just great competition from around the league. Emerging teams that haven’t been competitive for several reasons, traditional teams hanging in there, and also the competition’s been terrific in terms of buzzer-beaters, close games. Not every game has been perfect, but I’ve loved it. I’ve loved it as a fan and on behalf of the league it’s the kind of basketball I think the people love.”
Ratings have been a constant conversation for the league the past few years, though things like this year’s physical playoffs and the Luka Doncic trade surely help in that regard. With the games becoming more and more high stakes, the increased physicality on the floor will likely pick up and that could result in more tough battles between the remaining teams.
Adam Silver considering international competition for 2026 NBA All-Star Game
Adam Silver has tried for years to create more buzz about the All-Star Game, though last year’s format fell flat. However, now Silver is considering an international competition for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles.
More must-reads: