NBA changes playoff format: division winners not guaranteed top four seed

NBA divisional champions will no longer be guaranteed a top four playoff seed.

NBA divisional champions will no longer be guaranteed a top four playoff seed.

The NBA announced Tuesday that changes to playoff seeding and qualifications have been unanimously approved by the league's board of governors and will go into effect in the upcoming 2015-16 season.

The eight playoff teams in both Eastern and Western conferences will be sorted, respectively, by regular-season record. Division winners will no longer automatically receive a top four seed and home court advantage in the first round. 

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The Board also approved changes in the playoff seeding tiebreaker system. Head to head results between two teams with the same regular-season record will become the first criterion. If two teams tied during the season, then whichever team won its division will be given the higher seed. 

Both changes were unanimously recommended by the NBA's competition committee prior to the board vote.

- Jeremy Woo