NBA playoffs truest test of champions in major North American sports – Chicago Tribune

Breaking news: The Bulls won’t win the NBA championship.

If they do, they will break the history book. No eighth seed ever has captured the Lawrence O’Brien trophy. In fact, since the NBA expanded the playoffs to 16 teams in 1984, No. 1 seeds are 61-5 against No. 8 seeds in the first-round series.

Since 2003, when the NBA expanded the first round from best-of-five to best-of-seven, only three No. 8 seeds have advanced. That included, of course, the 2012 76ers when Derrick Rose‘s left ACL betrayed him and Joakim Noah also went down with a severe ankle sprain.

No. 1 seeds have won 51 of the last 70 NBA titles. Ten No. 2 seeds have prevailed.