Why Do We Use NBA Regular Season Outcomes As An Indicator For Potential Playoff Results?

[murksiderock]

This seems to apply to all sports not just the NBA, thread instantly reminded me of the Pats beating the Jets 45 - 3 in a MNF game only for the Jets to eliminate the Pats in the divisional round a few weeks later

Or the '07 Patriots beating the Giants in Week 17 to finish the regular season 16-0, only to lose to them in the Super Bowl ...

We shouldn't look to regular seasons to determine the outcome necessarily, but it should give us insight into matchup advantages on both sides. Let's say the playoffs started today, all seeds hold serve from the play-in. First round series would be:

(8) Hawks vs (1) Cavs; Hawks won season series 2-1
(5) Pistons vs (4) Pacers; Pacers won season series 3-1
(6) Bucks vs (3) Knicks; Knicks swept season series 3-0
(7) Magic vs (2) Celtics; C's lead 2-1 (one more game left)

(8) Wolves vs (1) Thunder; 2-2 season series
(5) Grizzlies vs (4) Lakers; Lakers won season series 3-1
(6) Clips vs (3) Nuggets; 2-2 season series
(7) Dubs vs (2) Rockets; GS won season series 3-1

Atlanta won the season vs Cleveland but who expects Atlanta to win a playoff series vs them? I'd be stunned!

Pacers won the season vs Detroit but it wouldn't be a shocker to see Detroit beat them in a series...

Wolves play the Thunder as well as any West team and have clear advantages, that's not the best Rd1 matchup for OKC...

Clippers/Nuggets could go either way, so could Dubs/Rockets...

 

[FTBS]

Do we really though? When OKC and CLE were both on pace for 70 wins, nobody was predicting a Finals matchup between the two. In the NBA especially we tend to look at the players involved and history because that actually tends to be more telling than regular season performance. Especially in the era were players arent playing 40+minutes every night. Posteseaon and regular season basketball have never been more different.

 

[Kunty McPhuck]

There is always a story being told within regular season match ups and the season as a whole. But that all depends if you watch games outside of your own team.

Who played in those games?
When did those games happen in the season?
How long did the starters play for?
Where the games close?
Was there a difference in performance on the road from when at home?
What is the form like towards the end of the season?
How healthy/fresh is the team?
Can the bench I.e. guys 8-10 in the rotation what has their form been like? Can they be trusted?
Which players play good/bad vs which teams?
What player of the opposition are off form/ not healthy that could be exploited.

 

[Loose]

Regular season tells you a lot about teams, But I guess if you're a casual and just look at standings it doesn't.

 

[mbewane]

Do we really though? When OKC and CLE were both on pace for 70 wins, nobody was predicting a Finals matchup between the two. In the NBA especially we tend to look at the players involved and history because that actually tends to be more telling than regular season performance. Especially in the era were players arent playing 40+minutes every night. Posteseaon and regular season basketball have never been more different.

Facts, I feel like it's more of a combination of RS records and who are the players and the history. For example when Atlanta and Toronto (pre-Kawhi) were at the top of the EC I don't think anyone really thought they could go to the Finals. And on the other had you had the Butler-led Heat for which seeding didn't mean anything at all.

 

[concise]

When is the last time we saw a 7 or 8 seed win a championship?

 

[Devil Plisken…CMS]

Regular season tells you a lot about teams, But I guess if you're a casual and just look at standings it doesn't.

It really doesn’t lol

Coaching staff isn’t showing their hands
Playoff risers & droppers
Pacing
Physicality

 

[Loose]

It really doesn’t lol

Coaching staff isn’t showing their hands
Playoff risers & droppers
Pacing
Physicality

It does but like I said if you're a casual and just look at standings it doesn't tell you anything.

 

[Devil Plisken…CMS]

It does but like I said if you're a casual and just look at standings it doesn't tell you anything.

I told you why and you responded with some bullshyt. Stand in the corner

 

[SchoolboyC]

Because there are very few upsets in a 7 game series

Someone within the top 3 seeds generally get to the finish line

When is the last time we saw a 7 or 8 seed win a championship?

In the entire history of the NBA, every championship winning team has either been a top 3 seed in their conference, a defending champion or both.

100% success rate based on those two parameters alone.

Wonder what the percentages would look like for the NFL/MLB/NHL with that same criteria

 

[In The Zone '98]

In the entire history of the NBA, every championship winning team has either been a top 3 seed in their conference, a defending champion or both.

100% success rate based on those two parameters alone.

Wonder what the percentages would look like for the NFL/MLB/NHL with that same criteria

With that said. I'm not even sure why the question was asked

Casuals, I guess

 

[skylove4]

Because it's the NBA no 8th seed is winning anything