With the Hawks forcing a game seven against the Celtics, a question struck my mind. I
wondered whether there was a correlation between the number of games played equals
winning a championship or not. The media and fans alike argued whether it was better
for the Lakers to rest or if playing games and keeping rhythm was better. In the
research I conducted, I gathered information back until 1980 to see whether a team
won the championship and also played the fewer amount of games. I kept everything
else constant. Here are the results:
............West.....East.....Least Win.....Most Win.....Tie
1980.....10.........12 ........x
1981.....15.........11 ........x
1982.....8.........15 ........x
1983.....11.........9 ........x
1984.....14.........16................................x
1985.....13.........15........ x
1986.....14.........12 ........x
1987.....12.........17 ........x
1988.....14.........16 ........x
1989.....11.........13 ..............................x
1990.....16.........15 ........x
1991.....14.........12 ........x
1992.....15.........16 .............................x
1993.....18.........13 ........x
1994.....18.........16 ........x
1995.....18.........17 .............................x
1996.....15.........12 ........x
1997.....14.........13 ........x
1998.....14.........15 .............................x
1999.....12.........15 ........x
2000.....17.........17 ...........................................x
2001.....11.........18 ........x
2002.....15.........16 ........x
2003.....18.........14 ........x
2004.....17.........18 .............................x
2005.....16.........18 ........x
2006.....17.........17 ...........................................x
2007.....16.........16 ...........................................x
2008.....4...........7
19 6 3
In conclusion, 19 Championships were won by the team that played a fewer amount of
games in the post season. 6 was won by the team that played the most in the post season.
3 were tied in the amount of games played. The team that won the championship with the
fewer amount of times won it 74% of the time. The team that won the championship
playing more games won it 24% of the time. I threw out the 3 that tied in games.
**Another thing, when the team that won the championship playing more games, it was
only a difference by 2 or less games.** So maybe the more difference in rest, the
better the chances of winnining.
With this said, It seems that rest is more important than rhythm.
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