Is There A Disadvantage In Finishing First?

[MeloTheJazzKiller]

My Knicks (second best team in NBA) finished in fourth place. We have a week off and we know our opponent - the Hawks. We can study thousands of minutes of film on the Hawks, run play after play in practice simulating Hawks D and O, and if we want we have a whole week to pull a Tonya Harding on Trae Young.

But you Jazz finished in first, most likely will play your first playoff game on Sunday, but won't know your opponent until Friday night! Do you find that wrong? Sure the Jazz have books on the play-in teams, but you really do lose out on a week's worth of simulating practicing and film work against those teams.

Disadvantage to finishing in first?

 

[infection]

We actually lost both games to the Knicks, which tied us with the Suns, and since they have the tie breaker we’re actually in second.

 

[jope]

The thought has crossed my mind. Also an unusual year where 3 of the best players in the NBA are featured down at 7 and 8 in the west with injury riddled seasons. Gonna be a funky playoffs.

 

[Max Porter]

Most years no. This year it could be a disadvantage IF we get the lakers. If not, not really. The west is just STACKED.

 

[NAOS]

It sucks that we can’t scout our specific opponent until, like, a day before the series begins. That sounds like a disadvantage to me. It’s easily the biggest drawback (and maybe the only one) to the play-in.

 

[kabenac]

I would much rather sit around and give Mitchell more time to heal than go into a 1st round playoff series without him....

 

[NAOS]

I would much rather sit around and give Mitchell more time to heal than go into a 1st round playoff series without him....

The 3rd thru 6th seeds have the same break period.... and they know precisely whom they’re preparing for.

 

[TheGoldStandard]

Home court advantage through the playoffs is not a disadvantage.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

The team we are playing against will have to prepare for two different teams then face us, so yeah, I don't see how it's a disadvantage.

 

[gomretat]

I didn't know the Eastern Conference had any teams that made the playoffs?

 

[fishonjazz]

The 3rd thru 6th seeds have the same break period.... and they know precisely whom they’re preparing for.

On the other hand, 3 can prepare for 6 but 6 can also prepare for 3
Our opponent can't prepare for us just like we can't prepare for our opponent.

To me it doesn't make a difference.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using JazzFanz mobile app

 

[kabenac]

The 3rd thru 6th seeds have the same break period.... and they know precisely whom they’re preparing for.

I get what you're saying (seeds 7-10 play first) but we get the first round off (I'm referring to the traditional 1st round and not the play-in nonsense). I'm thinking about it in the broader sense of us and Phoenix resting.

 

[UB]

Ask your girlfriend

 

[NUMBERICA]

The team we are playing against will have to prepare for two different teams then face us, so yeah, I don't see how it's a disadvantage.

They can process the matchup in the background, officially or unofficially.

Then again, half of the play-in teams won't know if they're going to play the 1st or 2nd seeds.

 

[DasJazz]

On the other hand, 3 can prepare for 6 but 6 can also prepare for 3
Our opponent can't prepare for us just like we can't prepare for our opponent.

To me it doesn't make a difference.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using JazzFanz mobile app

And then in this case it will usually come down to overall talent which the Jazz clearly will have more of given our near wire to wire 1st place league record.

 

[NUMBERICA]

This is only a question in a weird season in the Western Conference. In no season would it be a disadvantage in the Eastern Conference since they usually produce only 6 winning teams a year.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

This is no different than the situation where a team finishes its playoff series early and has to wait to find out who their next opponent is. It happens all the time in the playoffs.

 

[NAOS]

On the other hand, 3 can prepare for 6 but 6 can also prepare for 3
Our opponent can't prepare for us just like we can't prepare for our opponent.

To me it doesn't make a difference.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using JazzFanz mobile app

Coaching is supposed to be one of our advantages, right? .... more time for our coaches is, therefore, supposed to incur an advantage, even when equal time is had by opponents.

 

[MT Steve]

I am sure that the coaches are currently preparing for both the Lakers and Warriors.

 

[Engorged On Unborn Gore]

I think the disadvantage is bad enough that Gobert will have absolutely no clue on what to do, our coaching staff will defecate on court at various times through the series, and we will lose each game by a bucket.