April 29, 20122:05pmAtlanta, GA
So it’s been 20hours since the ACL-tear that broke Twitter, and likely the Bulls chances of achampionship.
Let's for the moment put aside the blame of the lockout (sorry, I'm not on the bandwagon with this one. Sadly, Max and I have been talking about something like this happening to Rose since he came into the league jumping sideways). What is striking is how quickly everyone has advanced the Celtics ahead eight wins on their NBA Playoff Chutes and Ladders board.
Hey I get it.It’s completely natural to think about a Boston-Miami Eastern Conference Final.Never mind the fact that we’re still hours away from the Celtics’ first playoffgame…in their first playoff series…which is not against Chicago.
And since I’mgetting all bloggy from a hotel room in Atlanta, I’d remind everyone that theCeltics, will not even have home-court advantage against the Hawks, let aloneanyone else. Of course the Celtics camewithin a couple of rebounds of winning the championship two years ago, playingtheir third straight series without home court. But what that team did, beating the top two seeds in the East on theroad, was a pretty rare occurrence.
So using my ownbrilliant idea, and having our buddy Adam (@StatsAdam…follow him if you’re into this stuff) do all the hard work, we came up with this. Since the NBAPlayoffs went to 16 teams in 1984, only seven teams have won multiple-serieswithout home court advantage. Only two(The ’99 short-season Knicks and the ’95 Rockets) won three such series, withthose Rockets of course winning four and the championship.
Teamsince 1983-84 to win multiple series without home-court advantage
’10Celtics: 2 series (4thseeded Bos beat #1 Cle & # 2 Orl)
-Had home-court advantage in 1st round, but wonmultiple series without home-court advantage
‘99Knicks: 3 series (8th seeded NYK beat#1 Mia, #4 Atl & #2 Ind)
-Did not have home-court advantage at all
’95 Rockets 4 series (5th seeded Hou won title)
-Did not have home-court advantage at all
'94Pacers: 2 series (5th-seeded Ind beat#4 Orl & #1 Atl)
-Did not have home-court advantage at all
‘89Bulls: 2 series(6th-seeded Chi beat #3 Cle & #2 NYK)
-Did not have home-court advantage at all
‘87Sonics: 2 series (7th-seeded Sea beat#2 Dal & #6 Hou)
-Did not have home-court advantage at all
Oh, and by theway, I’m all for convenience and saying something that sounds good rolling offthe tongue, but for the record, theCeltics do not have the best record in the NBA, or even the East since the all-star break. That would be the Spurs and Bulls,respectively. But pulling these numbers,two things jumped out at me…Memphis, and Miami. Here are the 16 playoff teams since the break....
SAN ANTONIO 26-6
Now, why the realitycheck? It’s not to put a damper on the playoff opener for the Celtics as theybegin the last ride of the Big Three. Ipoint out the monumental, long shot task that lies in front of them because ifyou’ve watched this team the last two months, and the last five years, youknow, quite simply, they’ve got a shot.
Which is all youwant this time of year.
And none of thisconversation is a knock at the Hawks. None of it.
Last week duringthe pseudo-exhibition game the Celtics staged here in Atlanta last Friday, conceding home court by sitting Pierce,Garnett, Rondo, Allen and Pietrus, a Hawks employee came at me somewhatbitterly during halftime, complaining about the makeshift lineup thatdisappointed the crowd and threatened to make a mockery of the game. He felt the Celtics should have played all their stars.
It seemed he wanted to vent, so I let him. But as he walked away I toldhim don’t worry…they’ll be here next week.
The Hawks had a very good year, 40 wins, 6thin scoring differential and they did it without their best player.
But be carefulwhat you ask for, you just may get it…on national television.
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