Playoff Push: 2008 NBA Postseason: Did you know?
By Peter D. Newmann
ESPN Research
Updated: April 11, 2008
With the NBA postseason just a week away, here are 10 interesting facts and statistics regarding the playoffs:
Did You Know?
1. The most wins the No. 4 seed in the East can finish with is 46 (Cavaliers must win final three games to reach 46). The current win total for the No. 9 seed in the West is 47 (Warriors have three games left).
2. Since the playoffs expanded to 16 teams in 1984, the most wins by a team that did not make the postseason is 45 by the 2000-01 Houston Rockets. Either the Warriors (47 wins with 3 games left) or Nuggets (48 wins with 3 games left) will set a new mark this season.
3. The Celtics have locked up home-court advantage throughout the postseason. The last time they did that was in the 1985-86 season, when Boston won its last NBA title.
4. The Hornets currently have 55 wins. That is the most wins in franchise history. The Hornets had 54 wins in 1996-97. Also, the Hornets are currently the top seed in the Western Conference. Prior to this season, the best seed the Hornets ever had was the No. 4 seed (done four times).
5. The Pistons have advanced to at least the conference finals in five straight seasons. That hadn't been done since the Bulls did it from 1988-89 to 1992-93. The last team to do it in six straight seasons was the Lakers from 1981-82 to 1988-89.
6. The No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference has not made the NBA Finals since the 2001-02 New Jersey Nets.
7. The active player with the largest career increase from regular season scoring average to postseason scoring average (min. 20 playoff games) is Tracy McGrady. He averages 22.4 points per game in the regular season and 28.8 ppg in the postseason (+6.4 ppg). The irony is that McGrady has never advanced past the first round of the postseason. He has tried with the Raptors (0-1), Magic (0-3) and Rockets (0-2).
8. This is the Spurs' ninth straight 50-win season. The last team with nine straight 50-win seasons was the Lakers from 1979-80 to 1990-91 (12 straight).
9. Since the playoffs expanded to 16 teams in 1984, the only teams to meet in the first round of the postseason in three straight years have been the Pacers and Celtics (2003 to 2005). With the Cavaliers currently No. 4 and the Wizards No. 5 in the East, they could meet in the first round for the third straight season. The Lakers and Suns also have a chance to meet in the first round for the third straight season.
10. Since the playoffs expanded to 16 teams in 1984, the tightest finish for seeds 1 to 8 in any conference is eight games (2002-03 Eastern Conference). The Western Conference (from 1-8) is currently separated by 7 games.
By Peter D. Newmann
ESPN Research
Updated: April 11, 2008
With the NBA postseason just a week away, here are 10 interesting facts and statistics regarding the playoffs:
Did You Know?
1. The most wins the No. 4 seed in the East can finish with is 46 (Cavaliers must win final three games to reach 46). The current win total for the No. 9 seed in the West is 47 (Warriors have three games left).
2. Since the playoffs expanded to 16 teams in 1984, the most wins by a team that did not make the postseason is 45 by the 2000-01 Houston Rockets. Either the Warriors (47 wins with 3 games left) or Nuggets (48 wins with 3 games left) will set a new mark this season.
3. The Celtics have locked up home-court advantage throughout the postseason. The last time they did that was in the 1985-86 season, when Boston won its last NBA title.
4. The Hornets currently have 55 wins. That is the most wins in franchise history. The Hornets had 54 wins in 1996-97. Also, the Hornets are currently the top seed in the Western Conference. Prior to this season, the best seed the Hornets ever had was the No. 4 seed (done four times).
5. The Pistons have advanced to at least the conference finals in five straight seasons. That hadn't been done since the Bulls did it from 1988-89 to 1992-93. The last team to do it in six straight seasons was the Lakers from 1981-82 to 1988-89.
6. The No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference has not made the NBA Finals since the 2001-02 New Jersey Nets.
7. The active player with the largest career increase from regular season scoring average to postseason scoring average (min. 20 playoff games) is Tracy McGrady. He averages 22.4 points per game in the regular season and 28.8 ppg in the postseason (+6.4 ppg). The irony is that McGrady has never advanced past the first round of the postseason. He has tried with the Raptors (0-1), Magic (0-3) and Rockets (0-2).
8. This is the Spurs' ninth straight 50-win season. The last team with nine straight 50-win seasons was the Lakers from 1979-80 to 1990-91 (12 straight).
9. Since the playoffs expanded to 16 teams in 1984, the only teams to meet in the first round of the postseason in three straight years have been the Pacers and Celtics (2003 to 2005). With the Cavaliers currently No. 4 and the Wizards No. 5 in the East, they could meet in the first round for the third straight season. The Lakers and Suns also have a chance to meet in the first round for the third straight season.
10. Since the playoffs expanded to 16 teams in 1984, the tightest finish for seeds 1 to 8 in any conference is eight games (2002-03 Eastern Conference). The Western Conference (from 1-8) is currently separated by 7 games.
