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Parity at the top
Western Conference on pace for tightest finish ever
Posted: Wednesday March 28, 2001 4:22 AM
Updated: Thursday March 29, 2001 1:40 AM
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| Great Eights |
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Kevin Garnett and the Timberwolves are on pace to be the best No. 8 seed in NBA history. Jamie Squire/Allsport |
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The highest winning percentages of No. 8 seeds (since 1983-84):
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| Year |
Team |
Pct. |
| 2001* |
Minnesota |
.592 |
| 2000 |
Sacramento |
.537 |
| 1998 |
New Jersey |
.524 |
| 1992 |
L.A. Lakers |
.524 |
* Through March 28
Note: Does not count lockout-shortened 1999 season.
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By Jacob Luft, CNNSI.com
The Western Conference is putting on a playoff race for the ages.
As of Wednesday, a mere eight games separate the teams holding the first and eighth spots -- San Antonio (50-21) and Minnesota (42-29).
Since the NBA expanded to a 16-team playoff format in the 1983-84 season, giving each conference eight postseason spots, the fewest number of games separating a No. 1 seed from a No. 8 in a full season is 14, which has happened twice (see chart, below).
In the NBA's 16 non-shortened seasons beginning with 1983-84, the difference between the first and eighth seeds in a conference was at least 20 games on 21 occasions. The largest disparity between the first and eighth seeds was 37 games in the 1986 Eastern Conference (Celtics 67-15; Bulls 30-52).
The Timberwolves' current winning percentage of .592 would be the highest of any eighth seed in NBA history by a whopping 55 points. There have been 16 No. 8 seeds that didn't even reach the .500 mark.
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The fewest games separating the first- and eighth-place teams in a conference (since 1983-84):
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| Year |
Conf. |
G |
No. 1 seed |
No. 8 seed |
| 2001* |
West |
8.0 |
San Antonio 50-21 |
Minnesota 42-29 |
| 2000 |
East |
14 |
Indiana 56-26 |
Milwaukee 42-40 |
| 1992 |
West |
14 |
Portland 57-25 |
L.A. Lakers 43-39 |
| 1994 |
East |
15 |
Atlanta 57-25 |
Miami 42-40 |
| 1984 |
West |
16 |
L.A. Lakers 54-28 |
Kansas City 38-44 |
| 1990 |
East |
17 |
Detroit 59-23 |
Indiana 42-40 |
| 1989 |
West |
18 |
L.A. Lakers 57-25 |
Portland 39-45 |
* Through March 28
Note: Does not count lockout-shortened 1999 season.
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