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Finally got around to digging up the stats of my own OP. Since it's looking pretty damn likely the Spurs will represent the West in the Finals.

It has been over 20 years since a team representing the East or West in the NBA Finals has NOT had to face a 1, 2, 3 or 4 seed on their path to the Finals. That surprises me.

So statistically speaking, the Spurs have had a relatively easy path to the Finals. Much easier than their past 4 rings per Ganondorf's post.

Not since the 1989 NBA Champion Detroit Pistons has this happened. That year the Pistons faced the following teams/seeds on the way to sweep the LA Lakers in the Finals:

1st Round: DET (1) beats BOS (8) 3-0
2nd Round: DET (1) beats MIL (5) 4-0
ECF: DET (1) beats CHI (6) 4-2

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good research. Were there any Westbrook type injuries or other circumstances that helped the 6 seed Bulls get to the ECF?

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Lol, the circumstance is named Jordan. That's how they got there.

This is going to be a good one. The Heat won't be getting a starstruck opponent.

Damn the heat are going to destroy the spurs

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Damn the heat are going to destroy the spurs

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JerryAg is such a pathetic Spurs hater.

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This is going to be a good one. The Heat won't be getting a starstruck opponent.

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indeed that was a big coming out year for Jordan in the playoffs as he hit the Shot to beat the heavily favored Cavs and then destroyed the Knicks. Only other circumstance I see is that the Bulls made the trade for Bill Cartwright at the deadline that year which set Jordan up with a legitimate center for the playoffs.

So it is rare for 3 of 4 top seeds to lose in first 2 rounds. I believe the Westbrook injury was the biggest factor this year, and that robbed the casual fans of a potentially great conference finals. I believe it's more common for middle teams to be bunched together in the standings then it is for an elite team to lose a star player to injury. You can always point out how a 4-6 seed was really only a few games out of being a higher seed, but these mid-seeds usually lose by the 2nd round.

But in the end the Spurs will get a legitimate opponent in either the Heat or Pacers assuming no big Heat injuries.

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JerryAg is such a pathetic Spurs hater.

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Don't take it personal. I want the spurs to win against the Heat. I just like to see Spurs fans get all emotional

You are a prime example, sharkenleo

Seeding is not necessarily indicative of "ease-of-path". If you look at opponent's winning percentage, SA doesn't even have the easiest path to the Finals in this playoff:

Miami: avg. opponent record of 0.539
SA: avg. opponent record of 0.602