Odd NBA playoff results.

[Stillriledup]

Memphis-OKC, Atlanta-Indiana and SA-Dallas all seemed to have a common theme. That common theme is that the first half of the series, it looked like the underdog had a serious shot at pulling the upset and then late in the series, the underdog just completely quit and went away.

Memphis battled OKC and showed to be their equal for the first 4 or 5 games. Than, in the last 2, Memphis just stopped on a dime. Same thing for Atlanta, looked like they were going to knock out a reeling Indiana team, but then late in the series, they just quit. Same for Dallas.....battled SA for the entire series, than they're a "no show" for game 7?


Any thoughts on this stuff from a handicapping standpoint?

[cj]

Obviously for Memphis, Conley pulling his hamstring and Z-Bo being an idiot in Game 6 gave them little chance in Game 7. These teams are all pretty evenly matched. The clippers trailed by 3 with 4 minutes left in Game 7. The Blazers hit a miracle three or they were going back to Houston for Game 7.

Atlanta just stinks as far as the east goes. I'll be shocked if Indiana can beat Washington.

[Stillriledup]

Obviously for Memphis, Conley pulling his hamstring and Z-Bo being an idiot in Game 6 gave them little chance in Game 7. These teams are all pretty evenly matched. The clippers trailed by 3 with 4 minutes left in Game 7. The Blazers hit a miracle three or they were going back to Houston for Game 7.

Atlanta just stinks as far as the east goes. I'll be shocked if Indiana can beat Washington.

I guess Memphis's game 6 was essentially their game 7, they had to win that game or else and once they lost it, it was disheartening, they were done emotionally after that and any injury they had certainly didnt help.

As far as the Clippers go, and this is just my theory, that the Warriors are obviously good, but their "hate" for the Clippers (for some reason) runs really deep, so those guys are playing in more than just a sporting event, its personal and they went to as deep as they could to the well. I don't think the Clippers hate GS as much as GS hates LAC, maybe its the jealous of LA thing, after all, people in LA don't chant "beat GS" but other cities chant "Beat LA" and there's a reason for that.

I haven't seen one second of Washington, so i don't know what kind of team they are but if i was forced to bet that series, i would just blindly fade Indiana.

Not sold on the Heat yet, so i'd go with Bklyn in that series.

[Valuist]

Memphis-OKC, Atlanta-Indiana and SA-Dallas all seemed to have a common theme. That common theme is that the first half of the series, it looked like the underdog had a serious shot at pulling the upset and then late in the series, the underdog just completely quit and went away.

Memphis battled OKC and showed to be their equal for the first 4 or 5 games. Than, in the last 2, Memphis just stopped on a dime. Same thing for Atlanta, looked like they were going to knock out a reeling Indiana team, but then late in the series, they just quit. Same for Dallas.....battled SA for the entire series, than they're a "no show" for game 7?


Any thoughts on this stuff from a handicapping standpoint?

The underdog just doesn't have the bullets to fire over 7 games. They can hang tough for a while but by the end of the series, they are used up.

The underdog is generally less talented (I know I'm stating the obvious here) but they have to "want it" more than the favorite and try and win on energy. That can work early in the series. I also think the series favorites may be a little content and need "wake up calls" to get them 100% focused.

[Stillriledup]

The underdog just doesn't have the bullets to fire over 7 games. They can hang tough for a while but by the end of the series, they are used up.

The underdog is generally less talented (I know I'm stating the obvious here) but they have to "want it" more than the favorite and try and win on energy. That can work early in the series. I also think the series favorites may be a little content and need "wake up calls" to get them 100% focused.

I thought that was probably the reason.....i think this is probably what happened. If a "false favorite" such as Indiana can't get beat, it just seems to me the favorite almost always wins.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_number_8_seeds_have_won_an_NBA_championsh ip

No 7 or 8 seed has ever won the title.

[Valuist]

I thought that was probably the reason.....i think this is probably what happened. If a "false favorite" such as Indiana can't get beat, it just seems to me the favorite almost always wins.

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_number_8_seeds_have_won_an_NBA_championsh ip

No 7 or 8 seed has ever won the title.

Atlanta is a weak team. 38-44 during the regular season and they still took Indiana to a 7th game. I have a friend in Indy who says people down there are starting to get confident again and I think that's a big mistake. Would not be at all surprised if Washington took down this phony number 1 seed.

The 8 seed in the West was Dallas. Can you imagine if the Pacers matched up against the Mavs? The Pacers would be sent on vacation long before any possible game 7.

[Stillriledup]

Atlanta is a weak team. 38-44 during the regular season and they still took Indiana to a 7th game. I have a friend in Indy who says people down there are starting to get confident again and I think that's a big mistake. Would not be at all surprised if Washington took down this phony number 1 seed.

The 8 seed in the West was Dallas. Can you imagine if the Pacers matched up against the Mavs? The Pacers would be sent on vacation long before any possible game 7.

Totally. Any team in the west who finished in the top 8 would clobber the Pacers. You can even make the case that the 9th seed Phx would beat them too.

[cj]

As far as the Clippers go, and this is just my theory, that the Warriors are obviously good, but their "hate" for the Clippers (for some reason) runs really deep, so those guys are playing in more than just a sporting event, its personal and they went to as deep as they could to the well.

You think everyone has some vendetta against the Clippers, a team that hasn't accomplished much of anything. It is the playoffs, everybody hates everybody. This is the third time in four years OKC has played Memphis. You think they like each other? Portland hadn't won a series in like 20 years. You think they didn't want to win just as much as Golden State?