Comparing the Cleveland Cavaliers' Start to Past NBA Champions
How indicative is the first quarter of the season?
We’re more than a quarter into the NBA season. That’s not nearly enough time to have definitive answers about teams, but it is enough time to have a general idea of what the ceiling for a team is.
Before a game last week, Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson mentioned that the first portion of the season is something that is a very good indicator to who a team is.
How much, exactly, is the first quarter an indication of whether or not a team is a championship contender?
Looking back at the previous 10 winners of the NBA Finals, the worst start that any team got off to through their first 22 games of the season was the Denver Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks. Both teams started 14-8 in their respective championship seasons. The best start belongs to the 2014-15 Golden State Warriors, beginning the season 20-2. The average record through 22 games for the soon-to-be champion has been 17-5, a mark which the Cavs have obviously surpassed.
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