The NBA has a problem. There is only one thing that matters: to players, to fans and to the media.

The NBA Championship.

Because of this, the 82-game NBA Season struggles to deliver consistent and satisfying stakes and consequences.

The result of this is a new Mid-Season Tournament. Is the tournament a good idea? Does it fit? Does it make sense? Does it contribute to or detract from the drama of the NBA Season?

I’m a writer. I’m obsessed with the rhythm and flow of good storytelling. And so, I’d like to analyze the NBA Season using basic, fundamental, narrative theory, in order to find the solution to the NBA’s problem of stakes, consequences and the Mid-Season Tournament.

We’ll need to define things like: Act Breaks, the Central Conflict, and the Climax.

We’re going to compose an outline of the NBA Season and expose the strengths and weaknesses of its storytelling.

And for the purpose of comparison, I’m going to reference 1977’s ‘Star Wars’ as a model for functional narrative.

Let’s start with the CLIMAX.

Star Wars: The Rebels attack the Death Star and Luke ultimately destroys it.

NBA Season: Two teams compete in the NBA Finals and one team becomes champion.

Next, the CENTRAL CONFLICT.

The central conflict of a story is the ONE THING that is competed over by forces, with conflicting interests. And the central conflict is resolved by the climax.

In Star Wars the competing forces of Luke, the Rebels and the Empire are all in opposition over THE DEATH STAR. Luke wants to help deliver the Princess’s secret plans. The Rebels want to destroy it. The Empire wants to use it to control the galaxy.

In the NBA Season, the competing forces of each NBA team, player and fan base are all in opposition over THE NBA CHAMPIONSHIP. Who is competing for it? Who is not? The opportunity to compete for the NBA Championship is the one thing that governs all the most important choices throughout the season.

And now to define ACT BREAKS.

This is a bit more complicated. But an act break occurs as the dramatic question of a story changes and evolves.

In Star Wars, the First Act ends when Luke’s parents die and he accepts Princess Leia’s mission. The Second Act ends when Luke’s mission to Alderaan fails and he’s captured by the Death Star. The Third Act ends when Luke rescues the Princess and escapes the Death Star. And the Final Act ends when Luke destroys the Death Star.

With each new act, the characters are confronted by a different dramatic question. And with each new act, the stakes increase.

In the NBA Season, the dramatic question and stakes only change once:

The First Act is the 82-game regular season, where everything revolves around winning enough games to enter the playoffs.

The Final Act is the NBA Playoffs, where the dramatic question is all about being the last team standing after four rounds of elimination series.

The function of ACT BREAKS in movies is really all about TIME.

If the central conflict and stakes never change, in a two hour movie, the experience will likely feel dull and repetitive. This is why it’s important to break down the central conflict into smaller pieces. Think of them like small steps in the direction of a single goal.

In Star Wars, destroying the Death Star, is only the subject of the Final Act. Until then, this conflict is broken up into smaller pieces.

First it’s about accepting the Princess’s mission. Second is about delivering the message. Third is about rescuing the Princess. And fourth is about destroying the Death Star.

In the NBA Season, the central conflict doesn’t break down as much as in Star Wars. First (in the regular season) it’s about making the playoffs. And last (in the playoffs) it’s about winning the final series.

This is the core problem that the NBA is struggling with.

The NBA Season doesn’t have enough Act Breaks.

The number of act breaks is determined by the complexity of the Central Conflict.

How many steps are required in order to resolve the Central Conflict.

The central conflict in Star Wars (Death Star) was explored through four phases of dramatic struggles.

Princess Leia sends R2-D2 to get help (to destroy the Death Star).

Luke helps Obi Wan deliver Leia’s message to Alderaan (to destroy the Death Star).

Luke helps Leia escape the Empire (to destroy the Death Star).

Luke joins a mission to attack the Empire (to destroy the Death Star).

The important note is that the purpose of each phase, no matter how different the smaller struggle, is that they are all functioning for the same reason (the central conflict - the Death Star).

The central conflict in the NBA Season (the Championship) is explored through two phases of dramatic struggles.

Teams play 82 games to determine playoff seeding (to win the Championship).

Teams play four elimination series (to win the Championship).

That’s it. The stakes of the 82 game season remain unchanging and constant. The stakes escalate in the playoffs and remain constant until the championship is determined.

The most important thing to take away from this analysis is this: whatever new phase is added to the drama of the NBA Season, it must feel like another step in the direction of resolving the central conflict (the NBA Championship).

What does it look like if I add the Mid-Season Tournament as another phase (another act) in the NBA Season?

Teams compete for a championship trophy in a Mid-Season Tournament (to win the Championship).

Teams complete 82 games to determine playoff seeding (to win the Championship).

Teams play four elimination series (to win the Championship).

Something here doesn’t make sense or fit the narrative.

Playing 82 games for playoff seeding. Playing four rounds of elimination series. These are necessary conflicts on the path to resolving the central conflict.

Playing a Mid-Season Tournament does not change the stakes or change the dramatic struggle in the 82-game first act of the NBA Season’s story.

The dramatic question, in relation to the central conflict (the NBA Championship) is not changed by the Mid-Season Tournament. And therefore, the drama it contributes is superficial and contrived.

What’s obvious about this analysis is that the dramatic question within the 82 game season needs to be split up and revised. As a story act, it’s just too long. Too redundant. It asks the same dramatic question over and over for too long, without changing the stakes.

I think the NBA was right in identifying the need to add something into the regular season. But their solution just doesn’t make good narrative sense.

It would be like Star Wars adding another sequence where someone blows up another (smaller) Death Star in the middle of the movie.

The important questions to ask are: What additional steps should it take for a team to compete for the NBA Championship? What additional consequences should be suffered for a team to compete for the NBA Championship?

If the NBA wants better stakes, they need to understand the fundamental mechanics of good storytelling.