NBA PLAYOFF TIME .....................2025......

I saw some NBA videos on SOS so I looked up who had the best PR I that lost in the finals. 

It was 97 Jazz at 9.

To put that in.perspective of the 5 Duncan Spurs titles and the 3 Shag & Kobe Lakers titles not 1 of those teams rated 9 or better.

99 Spurs with both Duncan and Robinson rated 8.83 was the best of the bunch.

Spurs 2007 team was 8.49

LA 2000 team 7.98

But 2000 LA was better in PR II then 97 Jazz.

No Spurs team was better then 97 Jazz in PR II.

Now if we look at SOS for those 2 teams in all their titles runs in the finals both those teams played some of the weakest teams to make the Finals.

And interesting as it is, when both teams played a better opp rated better then them they both lost.

Spurs to 2013 Heat and LA to 2004 Pistons.

I think we can reach a pretty good conclusion that SOS matters quite a bit.

90's Bulls played one of the toughest SOS in finals along with 80's Lakers.

Lebron played the toughest schedule overall having played Warriors 4 straight.

I need to look at conference finals as well as Lebron very likely played a weak SOS as did Magic in 80's but doubtful as weak as Lebron that is why he has many finals appearances.

Some day I want to look all this up. Hopefully some day soon.

Hey I did just finish up researching the conf finals from 1997 to 2025.

But dint have 2007 and 2014.

Will have alot of new stuff next year.

Found some game changing info for sure 

PR I wins series 76% of the time when better by minimum amount.

PR II wins 80%.

Teams rated 8.5 or better in PR I win series 13-3

Teams rated 54.75 or better PR II wins series 10-2

If the same team ranked 4th of the 4 teams in conf finals in both PR I & PR II they are 5-10 at winning the series.

Actually not that bad winning 33.3% of the time. Didnt expect that good a win rate.

The highest rated team in PR I to lose in conf finals was 2009 Cavs with Bron 9.4.

A Rating of 9 would be considered  amoung the all-time great teams.

If we look at 8 teams LBJ beat in conf finals, the ave PR I rating of those teams was a pretty pathetic 3.47.

I don't have 2 years he made finals but I doubt that would improve by much.

A rating of 6 would be the start of a very good team.

5 of his 8 opps rated below 4, 7 of his 8 opps rated below 5, only 1 team rated over 6, that was 2012 Bulls at a pretty strong 7.82 but the best player D. Rose was injuried in that series 

What year had the weakest 4 teams make the conf finals ?

Keep in mind from 1980 to 2025 only the 2023 Nuggets  won the title without having the common deniminators (CD) of past champs.

Yep it was 2023, I feel my  (CD) was vindicated with this new info.

The 4 teams in conf finals averaged  a very pathetic 2.34, even worse the LBJ's opps.

If we take out the champion Nuggets of the 3 opps the Nuggets could have faced the ave was a laughable  1.89. Again easily the weakest of any year. No other year was the 3 opps below 3.5.

And of the 2 teams the Nuggets actually beat to win the title the ave of those was a dreadful (-.14).

The 2cd weakest year is very interesting  as well, because it was 2020, first year of covid with no fans in stands and playoffs on a neutral site.

Ave of 4 teams 3.96, ave of the 3 opps LA could have played 3.51 and ave of 2 opps LA beat to win title 2.59 even worse the LBJ's opps in conf finals.

And that was 1 of his 4 titles.

Which year had the highest rated 4 teams ?

1997 the Bulls 2cd repeat

Heat with Alonzo Mourning and I think Hardaway.

Jazz of course Malone and Stockton

And Rockets with Akeem.

Ave 7.33

Ave 3 opps 6.44

Ave 2 teams Bulls beat 7.17, one of very few teams to beat opps ave over a 7 rating.

2cd best was 2008 with Celtics winning title.

Ave 7.25

Ave 3 teams 5.99,  ave 2 teams C's beat 6.69

3rd best 1998 the Bulls 2cd 3-peat.

Ave 6.99

Ave 3 teams 7.25, ave 2 teams Bulls beat 7.25

The highest rated 2 teams any team needed to beat was 2019 Raptors beating Bucks 9.31 and Warriors 7.74, however KD was injuried and the Klay was to so I don't count this as the best.

But was not the highest rated 4 teams or 3 opps they may have needed to beat.

Very likely Warriors win that series if those 2 don't go down.

So that leaves the highest rated 2 teams any team beat was 2016 Cavs beating Raptors only 3.98 but beating the 11.34 Warriors for an ave of 7.66.

So we should give LBJ credit here.

But Green suspended 1 game and Bogurt getting hurt certainly brings that ave down some.

It is hard to say how much we'd  need to lower the ave but I'll  give Bron and Cavs the benefit of the doubt and call this the highest rated 2 teams any team beat.

Anyway just wanted to throw this out there, looking forward to next season with lots of new info to battle the books.

Hope to see everyone there, untill then BOL ....