Conference Dominance a Predictor of Playoff Success?

[zoyathedestroya]

Celtics currently have an 8-game lead over the #2 seed Cavs and #3 seed Bucks in the East. Cavs have the 13th hardest remaining schedule. Bucks the 3rd hardest. Celtics the 3rd easiest.

Here are the teams that had at least a 10-game lead over the team w/ 2nd best record in their conference since ABA/NBA merger:
• 2015 GSW (+11) - won the title
• 2013 MIA (+12) - won the title
• 2009 LAL (+11) - won the title
• 2006 DET (+12) - number 2 seed MIA won the title
• 2000 LAL (+12) - won the title
• 1996 CHI (+12) - won the title
• 1992 CHI (+10) won the title
• 1989 DET (+11) - won the title
• 1986 BOS (+10) - won the title
• 1986 LAL (+11) - Lakers suck! Celtics are the balls!
• 1985 LAL (+10) - won the title
• 1984 BOS (+12) - won the title
• 1980 LAL (+11) - won the title
• 1980 BOS (+11) - womp, womp, womp
• 1978 POR (+10) - lost to eventual Finalist Sonics

11/15 (73.33%) eventually raised the LOB trophy.

[Fencer reregistered]

Celtics currently have an 8-game lead over the #2 seed Cavs and #3 seed Bucks in the East. Cavs have the 13th hardest remaining schedule. Bucks the 3rd hardest. Celtics the 3rd easiest.

Here are the teams that had at least a 10-game lead over the team w/ 2nd best record in their conference since ABA/NBA merger:
• 2015 GSW (+11) - won the title
• 2013 MIA (+12) - won the title
• 2009 LAL (+11) - won the title
• 2006 DET (+12) - number 2 seed MIA won the title
• 2000 LAL (+12) - won the title
• 1996 CHI (+12) - won the title
• 1992 CHI (+16) - won the title
• 1989 DET (+11) - won the title
• 1986 BOS (+10) - won the title
• 1986 LAL (+11) - Lakers suck! Celtics are the balls!
• 1985 LAL (+10) - won the title
• 1984 BOS (+12) - won the title
• 1983 PHI (+14) - won the title
• 1980 LAL (+11) - won the title
• 1980 BOS (+11) - womp, womp, womp
• 1978 POR (+10) - lost to eventual Finalist Sonics

12/16 (75%) eventually raised the LOB trophy.

Actually, a few of them hoisted the Walter A. Brown Trophy instead.

Surely we can agree that they got the cooler memento.

[zoyathedestroya]

Celtics currently have an 8-game lead over the #2 seed Cavs and #3 seed Bucks in the East. Cavs have the 13th hardest remaining schedule. Bucks the 3rd hardest. Celtics the 3rd easiest.

Here are the teams that had at least a 10-game lead over the team w/ 2nd best record in their conference since ABA/NBA merger:
• 2015 GSW (+11) - won the title
• 2013 MIA (+12) - won the title
• 2009 LAL (+11) - won the title
• 2006 DET (+12) - number 2 seed MIA won the title
• 2000 LAL (+12) - won the title
• 1996 CHI (+12) - won the title
• 1992 CHI (+16) - won the title
• 1989 DET (+11) - won the title
• 1986 BOS (+10) - won the title
• 1986 LAL (+11) - Lakers suck! Celtics are the balls!
• 1985 LAL (+10) - won the title
• 1984 BOS (+12) - won the title
• 1983 PHI (+14) - won the title
• 1980 LAL (+11) - won the title
• 1980 BOS (+11) - womp, womp, womp
• 1978 POR (+10) - lost to eventual Finalist Sonics

12/16 (75%) eventually raised the LOB trophy.

Actually, a few of them hoisted the Walter A. Brown Trophy instead.

Surely we can agree that they got the cooler memento.

Right. Two of them to be exact.

[zoyathedestroya]

Celtics now with a 9.5 lead over the 2nd place Bucks.

[zoyathedestroya]

This is currently happening…



10-game lead. Not that common.

[zoyathedestroya]

The Celtics lead over the 2nd seed in the East is bigger than the Nuggets lead over the 10th seed in the West.





You can't set us up for disappointment like this, beloved Cs. Gotta make it out of the East this year.

[zoyathedestroya]

Celtics currently have an 8-game lead over the #2 seed Cavs and #3 seed Bucks in the East. Cavs have the 13th hardest remaining schedule. Bucks the 3rd hardest. Celtics the 3rd easiest.

Here are the teams that had at least a 10-game lead over the team w/ 2nd best record in their conference since ABA/NBA merger:
• 2015 GSW (+11) - won the title
• 2013 MIA (+12) - won the title
• 2009 LAL (+11) - won the title
• 2006 DET (+12) - number 2 seed MIA won the title
• 2000 LAL (+12) - won the title
• 1996 CHI (+12) - won the title
• 1992 CHI (+10) won the title
• 1989 DET (+11) - won the title
• 1986 BOS (+10) - won the title
• 1986 LAL (+11) - Lakers suck! Celtics are the balls!
• 1985 LAL (+10) - won the title
• 1984 BOS (+12) - won the title
• 1980 LAL (+11) - won the title
• 1980 BOS (+11) - womp, womp, womp
• 1978 POR (+10) - lost to eventual Finalist Sonics

11/15 (73.33%) eventually raised the LOB trophy.

This should be fact-checked lol.

Previous version had couple of mistakes. Seeding was confusing before when they still used division rankings.

[shackles10]

Much like NBA officiating we expect you to fact check yourself.

[Curmudgeon]

You mean like the Suns team a couple of years ago that won 64 games and then wet the bed in the playoffs?

[zoyathedestroya]

You mean like the Suns team a couple of years ago that won 64 games and then wet the bed in the playoffs?

Correct. There are no guarantees. But it's still awesome that we're lapping the field. Some great indicators in the regular season but they still got to show up once the games truly matter.

Suns were also up 8 over the team with the 2nd best record in 2022.



14 games over 2nd place in own conference hasn't been done since 1976. And Warriors (16 games over the 2nd place Sonics) didn't win the title then. The Celtics did.

[London2Boston]

Like JB said. When Playoffs start it’s right back to square one.

[shackles10]

You mean like the Suns team a couple of years ago that won 64 games and then wet the bed in the playoffs?

Like the Suns team that lost to a team who’d just acquired Jrue Holiday which benefits us as a narrative much more than what Phoenix did or didn’t do. In fairness though PHX was up 2-0 so that was the masterful choke job more so than the 64 win regular season to get there.