Colin Cowherd Says The NBA Must Shorten The Playoffs

One day after the devastating injury to Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, Colin Cowherd suggested that the NBA must shorten the playoffs.

Colin Cowherd’s Suggestion To Shorten Playoffs

"Shorten the playoffs. They started two weeks before the draft… the NFL Draft."@colincowherd says shortening the NBA playoffs is a good idea for the league. pic.twitter.com/cxdbasGU3I

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) June 23, 2025

“The NBA is on notice. Shorten the playoffs,” Cowherd said on Monday’s edition of The Herd. “They started two weeks before the draft. The NFL Draft!

After making three 3-pointers to start the game, Haliburton went down with what looked to be an Achilles tear in the first quarter of the Pacers’ 103-91 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals.

Haliburton fell to the ground and screamed in pain. The Pacers guard had to be helped off the court. Haliburton was seen after the game on crutches.

The Pacers confirmed the injury was a torn Achilles on Monday. No timeline has been announced for Haliburton’s return. However, the injury and rehab will likely cost Haliburton the 2025-2026 season.

Haliburton is one of several key stars to suffer an Achilles tear this postseason. Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard and Boston’s Jayson Tatum tore their Achilles tendons a few weeks ago.

Nearly 10 players suffered Achilles injuries this past season. Cowherd believes the NBA’s two-month postseason and 82-game regular season might be causing these injuries.

“The NBA is faster. There’s more spacing. There’s way more movement. Players are just moving more. It’s twitchier,” Cowherd said about the state of the game. “When you can see his Achilles flop, ugh, it’s gutting. An Achilles tear used to be what old guys did at 58 playing handball. It was an old guy injury. It wasn’t for 20-year-olds. That tells you everything.”

Colin Cowherd Wants To Return To 5-Game Series

Tyrese Haliburton suffered an injury to his right Achilles tendon during last night's game at Oklahoma City.

An MRI taken today that confirmed he tore his right Achilles tendon and surgery is scheduled for later today.

More info: https://t.co/DD5ZCgPA6F pic.twitter.com/OINPMODzPh

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) June 23, 2025

Cowherd would like the NBA to return to a best-of-five series, especially in the earlier rounds.

“The NBA has never been a stubborn league. Move off 7-game playoff series until you get to the Finals,” Cowherd said. The host slightly adjusted his answer shortly after, saying the conference finals could also be a best-of-seven.

The NBA used to play five-game series in the first round from 1984 to 2002. It changed to a best-of-seven format in 2003.

Cowherd believes fewer playoff games will drive more interest to the sport, similar to college basketball and March Madness.

“College basketball in March gets bigger rating than the NBA often gets in the playoffs. Why? Urgency. Make the games matter,” Cowherd explained. I’m not asking for one and done. But when you’re seeing eight injuries and three tears over the course of the season.”

If losing money is the determining factor for a seven-game series, Cowherd brought up that the league kicks off its $76 billion media rights deal next season.

“The oligarchs and the billionaires have a $76 billion contract coming,” Cowherd said. “They can give a couple of games back.”