Some things really irritate me when it comes to the NBA Finals.
1) Finals format:
All NBA playoff series up until the finals are formatted as 2-2-1-1-1. This means that the favourite plays at home the 1st 2 games, game 5, and game 7. On the other hand, once you get the Finals, things change. Since the 80's, the NBA Finals are of a 2-3-2 format. This format gives the home team an even bigger advantage than previously.
Up until the 1980's, the 2-2-1-1-1 format was utilized during the NBA Finals. The favourite team won roughly 70% of series. Right around when the celtics/lakers dynasties in the 1980's began, they decided to go with the 2-3-2 format. Since going to the 2-3-2 format, home teams have won 78% of the series. Talk about odds!!
Thus, if you're the underdog and lose the 1st 2 games, you're pretty much done. This is the case this year for the magic. Can you really expect them to win 3 in a row at home?
2) Is anyone else sick of the Kobe/Lakers love. I know they're the most marketable team in all of basketball but come on! The Magic set a record for shooting percentage in a Finals game in game 3 , yet all they did was talk about Kobe and the Lakers ad nauseum. We get it, the Lakers are great, Kobe is god, but seriously where would the Lakers be right now if they didn't practically steal Gasol from the Grizzlies last year?
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ReplyDeleteYou spelled favorite wrong. This ain't the UK son.
ReplyDeleteStill don't understand the 2-2-1-1-1 format. If you want the general masses to understand, you need to explain better.
To further explain: 2-2-1-1-1 format
ReplyDeleteLet's say the Knicks are the favourite and the Hawks are the underdogs. The Knicks would be playing the 1st 2 games (Game 1 & 2) at home, Game 5 and Game 7 at home.