Yes folks, this is that time of the year. The NBA regular season just wrapped up, and the playoffs are already looming large. The excitement is palpable and you can almost feel the electricity in the air as 16 teams, some luckier than others, but all equally deserving, embark on the quest for the Larry O’Brien Trophy. 16 teams for title? Is it that wide open? Or is it a mirage (for most of them, obviously)?
The NBA is the most predictable of all major American and European sports leagues. Just looking at the stats, the evidence suggests that if you’re seeded in the top three in your respective conference, the odds at winning it all are overwhelmingly favorable. Indeed, since the NBA expanded its playoffs to the current 16-team format in 1984, on only one occasion has a team ranked outside the top three of its conference gone on to win it all. The odd man out? The 1995 Houston Rockets, who were seeded sixth in the Western Conference. What about runner-ups, then?
The only team no ...
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Article written by Ralph Ganthier