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Out of all the champions in NBA history, 87% have been the number 1 or the number 2 seed in their conference. 66 out of the 76 winners were top 2. This blew my mind, and as crazy as it sounds, the NBA champions are often the clear and obvious choice with very few surprises.
So the fact that nobody is afraid of the top 2 teams in the west which are the Denver Nuggets and especially the Sacramento Kings, and instead teams in the 5th, or 6th seed, or even in the play in right now see their chance at a championship run- makes this season, and the coming playoffs one of the wildest rides in NBA history.
And we’ve seen some insane things like this happen before. Let me show you.
We all remember Dirk’s heroic title run with the Mavs in 2011. Well that Mavericks team was 1 of only 8 teams that won it all as a 3rd seed.
And you know a few of the others. In fact Golden State did it just last season.
Giannis with Milwaukee is also in this group. And another one that you may remember is that Detroit Pistons team with Billups, Hamilton, Prince and the Wallace duo.
There are only 2 other champions that won as a lower seed. The Celtics in 1969 who were number 4, and the lowest seed to ever win it-
the 1995 Houston Rockets who went back to back as a 6th seed.
This is especially difficult to do. First, they would have to go against great teams, like Stockton and Malone’s Utah Jazz, then Charles Barkley, Kevin Johnson and the Phoenix Suns, Pop’s Spurs led by David Robinson, and in the finals against Shaq and Penny Hardaway.
Not only that, but they didn’t have home court advantage in any of those series, since of course they were the lower seed in every round of the playoffs. This is almost impossible to accomplish.
The New York Knicks came incredibly close to it in 1999 when as the 8th seed, they made a sensational playoff run, upsetting the number 1 team in the east, the Miami Heat, and went all the way to the finals.
And based on everything that we’ve seen so far in the West, I feel like this year has the potential to bring us surprises similar to the ones from 95 and 99. Let me explain why. But first
We already know that the East runs through Milwaukee and Boston. Philly is lurking behind but we have 2 legitimate favorites there.
But the west…it’s chaos over there.
Literally nobody is trusting the clear number 1 seed the Nuggets. The Lakers are not even a lock to make the play in- let alone the playoffs and people are still picking them over Denver. Right now. This sounds ridiculous as I’m even saying it, but on the other hand, do you think a hypothetically healthy Lebron and AD with this new Lakers roster fear Jokic and Denver? Honestly I don’t think so.
Then, Kyrie and Luka as a potential 7 seed going up against the young and inexperienced Sacramento roster appearing in the playoffs for the first time in 16 years. Who you got?
You got the most dangerous 6 seed ever, probably in the Golden State Warriors. Do you know that Klay Thompson is officially back? Yes he had that awful start and we all said that he was done. Well, ever since the 25th of December, for the last 2 and a half months Thompson is averaging 25.5 points per game, on 46% from the field and 43.4% from downtown. That’s lights out. And if he’s just now gearing up, then how hot can he get in the playoffs.
So are you betting against the reigning champions, with the splash brothers in full rhythm? Didn’t think so.
Oh and btw, currently sitting at number 4 we got a superteam with 3 of the best midrange scorers in NBA history. With KD, Booker and CP3, the Suns are definitely not fearing any team in the west.
But this brings us to yet another variable. And that is player availability.
Starting off with Memphis, we don’t know if and when Ja Morant will return, and how this whole situation will impact him. This is taking away the main guy from the number 3 seed.
KD all of a sudden could miss the rest of the regular season with his ankle injury, and who knows if Kawhi Leonard will stay healthy enough. He always misses games.
These are all additional factors that could impact the title race and bring even more unexpected results.
With about 15 games remaining, not a single one of us has a basic idea of who will win the west. And that’s the perfect scenario for the 6,7 or even an 8 seeded team to get hot at the right time, make a run and do the unthinkable.
Let me know in the comments who’s your pick. Is it this guy? Get this t-shirt in the link in the description and Talk to you in the next one. Peace out.
