Will Cavs Join List of Most Dominant Playoff Teams Ever?

by TheStats on May 12, 2009 4:45 AM CDT Comment 8 comments

The Cavs are now 8-0 in the playoffs. The only other team to do that since the NBA switched to 7-game series in the first round is the Miami Heat in 2005. Miami went on to lose to Detroit in the Eastern Conference Finals. If the Cavs can avoid that fate they could become the most dominant single-season playoff team in NBA history or at least join the list of all-time dominant playoff teams. Here are the 10 best ever listed by playoff winning percentage:

Tie 9) .800, 16-4, San Antonio Spurs, 2007

Tie 9) .800, 12-3, LA Lakers, 1972

Tie 6) .833, 15-3, Boston Celtics, 1986

Tie 6) .833, 15-3, LA Lakers, 1987

Tie 6) .833, 15-3, Chicago Bulls, 1996

Tie 4) .857, 12-2, Milwaukee Bucks, 1971

Tie 4) 857, 12-2, LA Lakers, 1982

3) .882, 15-2, Chicago Bulls, 1991

2) .923, 12-1, Philadelphia 76ers, 1983

1) .9375, 15-1, LA Lakers, 2001

To join these ten teams the Cavs would have to win their next two series while dropping 4 or fewer games. If they lost only 1 game their mark would be 16-1, edging out the 2001 Lakers.

Another measure of dominance is point differential. Here are the only NBA playoff champions with double-digit point differentials in the playoffs:

6). 10.3 points, 1986 Celtics

5) 10.6 points, 1996 Bulls

4) 11.4 points, 1987 Lakers

3) 11.7 points, 1991 Bulls

2) 12.8 points, 2001 Lakers

1) 14.5 points, 1971 Bucks

Right now, through 8 games, the Cavs point differential is a phenomenal 16.75. It will be hard to keep it that high but that is already quite a feat.

Meanwhile, LeBron James' individual brilliance has actually increased since the post I wrote last week. More on that tomorrow.

This is a Fan-Created Comment on FearTheSword.com. The opinion here is not necessarily shared by the editorial staff at FearTheSword

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4x4=16

Cleveland expat, Cavs fan out here in NW Ohio where many of the “Ohioans” are fans of the Detroit teams. Believe I’m gonna borrow a couple of octopi from my Redwing fan friends to commemorate the Cavs run this year. It’s been a long time coming, fellow Clevelanders (I graduated form Valley Forge in 1964!!!for God’s sake), let’s savor it to the max. God bless King James!!

by sockalexis2003 on May 12, 2009 6:19 AM CDT reply actions

ALL HAIL THE KING!

by Ilamuku on May 12, 2009 2:50 PM CDT up reply actions

I actually ran some numbers on this a few weeks back, but was going to wait until the finals to post them. But this is as good as any time/place to post them.

First off, I think you may have missed a few teams in your top 10, here is what I got for the top 25 winning percentage for champions:

1. 2001 Lakers 15-1 .938
2. 1983 76ers 12-1 .923
3. 1999 Spurs 15-2 .882
3. 1991 Bulls 15-2 .882
3. 1989 Pistons 15-2 .882
6. 1982 Lakers 12-2 .857
6. 1971 Bucks 12-2 .857
8. 1996 Bulls 15-3 .833
8. 1987 Lakers 15-3 .833
8. 1986 Celtics 15-3 .833
8. 1950 Lakers 12-2 .833 (Minneapolis)
12. 2007 Spurs 16-4 .800
12. 1972 Lakers 12-3 .800
12. 1964 Celtics 8-2 .800
12. 1961 Celtics 8-2 .800
16. 2002 Lakers 15-4 .789
16. 1997 Bulls 15-4 .789
16. 1993 Bulls 15-4 .789
16. 1985 Lakers 15-4 .789
20. 1990 Pistons 15-5 .750
20. 1980 Lakers 12-4 .750
20. 1953 Lakers 9-3 .750 (Minneapolis)
23. 1977 Blazers 14-5 .737
24. 1967 76ers 11-4 .733
25. 1959 Celtics 8-3 .727
25. 1958 Hawks 8-3 .727

And here are the worst 10:

1. 1962 Celtics 8-6 .571
2. 1954 Lakers 6-4 .600 (Minneapolis)
3. 1960 Celtics 8-5 .615
3. 1963 Celtics 8-5 .615
3. 2008 Celtics 16-10 .615
6. 1988 Lakers 15-9 .625
7. 1970 Knicks 12-7 .632
7. 1955 Nationals 12-7 .632 (Syracuse)
9. 1951 Royals 9-5 .643 (Rochester)
10. 1966 Celtics 11-6 .647

by talonk on May 12, 2009 3:41 PM CDT reply actions

But there is another way to look at postseason performance as well. The NBA has a number of different postseason formats throughout the years. I will denote them as 1st round, 2nd round, Conference Finals and Finals

2003-Present system – all best of 7
2007 Spurs 16-4 .800
2006 Heat, 2005 Spurs, 2004 Pistons 16-7 .696
2003 Spurs 16-8 .667
2008 Celtics 16-10 .615

1984-2002 system – 1st – best of 5, rest best of 7
2001 Lakers 15-1 .938
1999 Spurs, 1991 Bulls, 1989 Pistons 15-2 .882
1996 Bulls 1987 Lakers, 1986 Celtics 15-3 .833
2002 Lakers, 1997 Bulls, 1993 Bulls, 1985 Lakers 15-4 .789
1990 Pistons 15-5 .750
1998 Bulls 15-6 .714
1995 Rockets, 1992 Bulls 15-7 .682
2000 Lakers, 1994 Rockets, 1984 Celtics 15-8 .652
1988 Lakers 15-9 .625

1977-1983 system – 1st – best of 3 and seeds 1 and 2 get byes; rest best of 7
1983 Sixers 12-1 .923
1982 Lakers 12-2 .857
1980 Lakers 12-4 .750
1977 Blazers 14-5 .737 (was lower than a 2 seed)
1981 Celtics, 1979 Sonics 12-5 .706
1978 Bullets 14-7 .667 (was lower than a 2 seed)

1975-1976 system – 1st – best of 3 and seeds 1, 2, 3 get byes; rest best of 7
1975 Warriors 12-5 .706
1976 Celtics 12-6 .667

1968-1974 system – no 1st round; rest best of 7
1971 Bucks 12-2 .857
1972 Lakers 12-3 .800
1973 Knicks .706
1974 Celtics, 1969 Celtics 12-6 .667
1970 Knicks, 1968 Celtics 12-7 .632

1967 system – no 1st round; 2nd round best of 5, rest best of 7
1967 Sixers 11-4 .733

1958-1966 system – no 1st round; 2nd round best of 5, 1st seed gets bye; rest best of 7
1964 Celtics, 1961 Celtics 8-2 .800
1959 Celtics, 1958 St Louis Hawks 8-3 .727
1965 Celtics 8-4 .667
1966 Celtics 11-6 .647 (was not a 1 seed)
1963 Celtics, 1960 Celtics 8-5 .615
1962 Celtics 8-6 .571

1955-1957 system – no 1st round; 2nd round best of 3, 1st seed gets bye, Conf Finals best of 5, Finals best of 7
1957 Celtics, 1956 Phil Warriors 7-3 .700
1955 Syracuse Nationals 7-4 .636

1951-1954 system – no 1st round; 2nd round best of 3, Conf Finals best of 5, Finals best of 7
1953 Minn Lakers 9-3 .750
1952 Minn Lakers 9-4 .692
1951 Roch Royals 9-5 .643
1954 Minn Lakers 6-4 .600 (could not confirm what their 1st round record was)

1950 system – three divisions, 1st, 2nd and semis best of 3, Finals best of 7
1950 Minn Lakers 10-2 .833 (they also won a tiebreaker to finish as 1st place team in their division)

by talonk on May 12, 2009 4:08 PM CDT reply actions