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NBA playoff potpourri
Teams that draw first blood win series
Since 1983, teams that won the first game held a huge advantage in the first round, winning the series 83.9% of the time.
Winning the first game was a bigger edge than having home-court advantage. Those teams won 76.8% of their first-round series. In six seasons (1983-84, 1991-92, 1995-96, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2003-04) every team that won the first game of the first round went on to win the series.
The advantage of winning the first game has been muted somewhat since first-round series were changed from best-of-five games to best-of-seven for the 2003 playoffs, dropping to 67%.
Pistons' edge?
The Detroit Pistons might be in a better position than last season.
With a loss to Charlotte on Wednesday, the Pistons finished with the same 54-28 record as last season but have finished on a better run.
Last season the Pistons were 9-3 in their final 12 games. This season they finished 11-1.
"We're finishing the season off very well," Tayshaun Prince said. "Hopefully it will carry over to the playoffs, which it usually does."
Spurs the favorite:
USA TODAY sports analyst Danny Sheridan's odds against winning the NBA title:
San Antonio 1:1, Miami 2:1, Phoenix 3:1, Detroit 5:1, Dallas 10:1, Seattle 12:1, Denver 20:1, Houston 22:1, Sacramento 25:1, Boston 35:1, Chicago 45:1, Washington 50:1, Indiana 60:1, Philadelphia 70:1, New Jersey 75:1, Memphis 100:1.
Runner-up or down?
The Los Angeles Lakers are the first NBA Finals runner-up to miss the playoffs the next year in nearly 30 years. The last Finals runner-up to miss the playoffs the next year was the 1974-75 Phoenix Suns.
Lost streak:
The Utah Jazz ended their streak of seasons with a .500 or better record at 21.
Miami's concern:
The Miami Heat can't afford to relax with the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Being the top seed hasn't been a first-round guarantee for them. In 1999 the No. 8 Knicks upset the top-seeded Heat 3-2 in the first round, and in 1998 the No. 7 Knicks beat the No. 2 Heat 3-2.
Celtics tradition:
The Boston Celtics have won 25 division titles, but this is their first since Larry Bird retired in 1992.
L.A. dreamin':
Neither Los Angeles team made the playoffs, the first time that happened since the 1994 playoffs.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/playoffs/2005-04-21-potpourri_x.htm
Teams that draw first blood win series
Since 1983, teams that won the first game held a huge advantage in the first round, winning the series 83.9% of the time.
Winning the first game was a bigger edge than having home-court advantage. Those teams won 76.8% of their first-round series. In six seasons (1983-84, 1991-92, 1995-96, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2003-04) every team that won the first game of the first round went on to win the series.
The advantage of winning the first game has been muted somewhat since first-round series were changed from best-of-five games to best-of-seven for the 2003 playoffs, dropping to 67%.
Pistons' edge?
The Detroit Pistons might be in a better position than last season.
With a loss to Charlotte on Wednesday, the Pistons finished with the same 54-28 record as last season but have finished on a better run.
Last season the Pistons were 9-3 in their final 12 games. This season they finished 11-1.
"We're finishing the season off very well," Tayshaun Prince said. "Hopefully it will carry over to the playoffs, which it usually does."
Spurs the favorite:
USA TODAY sports analyst Danny Sheridan's odds against winning the NBA title:
San Antonio 1:1, Miami 2:1, Phoenix 3:1, Detroit 5:1, Dallas 10:1, Seattle 12:1, Denver 20:1, Houston 22:1, Sacramento 25:1, Boston 35:1, Chicago 45:1, Washington 50:1, Indiana 60:1, Philadelphia 70:1, New Jersey 75:1, Memphis 100:1.
Runner-up or down?
The Los Angeles Lakers are the first NBA Finals runner-up to miss the playoffs the next year in nearly 30 years. The last Finals runner-up to miss the playoffs the next year was the 1974-75 Phoenix Suns.
Lost streak:
The Utah Jazz ended their streak of seasons with a .500 or better record at 21.
Miami's concern:
The Miami Heat can't afford to relax with the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Being the top seed hasn't been a first-round guarantee for them. In 1999 the No. 8 Knicks upset the top-seeded Heat 3-2 in the first round, and in 1998 the No. 7 Knicks beat the No. 2 Heat 3-2.
Celtics tradition:
The Boston Celtics have won 25 division titles, but this is their first since Larry Bird retired in 1992.
L.A. dreamin':
Neither Los Angeles team made the playoffs, the first time that happened since the 1994 playoffs.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/playoffs/2005-04-21-potpourri_x.htm
