What’s the value of a No. 1 seed, particularly as it applies to the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers?
Consider this: Since the NBA adopted its current playoff format (1983-84 season), there have been 33 championships won. Twenty-two of them have gone to No. 1 seeds. Six have gone to No. 2 seeds. Four have been No. 3 seeds. And one title was one by a No. 6 seed.
The difference isn’t necessarily noticeable in the first round. No. 1 seeds are 61-5 vs. 8-seeds, which is the same record as 2-seeds vs. 7-seeds.
And the difference doesn’t necessarily come in the conference finals, where when 1-seeds and 2-seeds match up in a series, they’re 14-14 against each other.
The big difference comes in the conference semifinals, where the No. 1 seed is 56-5, meaning they win that series 92 percent of the time. No. 2 seeds have won their second-round series 57 percent of the time (35 out of 61).
But chances are that LeBron James won’t mind the Cavs being a No. 2 seed much. The last No. 2 seed to win an NBA title was James’ Miami Heat in 2012 (against Kevin Durant and the Thunder).
