Is There A Disadvantage In Finishing First?

[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.

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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.

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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.

 

[MTS]

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.

 

[Park Bites]

All I can say is the jazz have home court through out and allowed 71% capacity. That is going to be a huge hill to overcome.

I think that will be the biggest crowd in the nba on one of the hardest courts to win on.

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[jope]

at least the 8 seed will come in with barely any rest, while we have had 1+ week and sitting at home (maybe thats bad)

 

[cowhide]

It is not like the Jazz do not know their opponents. I am sure the Jazz have watched plenty film on the potential teams they might play in the first round. Typically, having the best record is great because you travel less, you have home court advantage and you usually play the worse team. Unfortunately, this year the 8th seed team most likely will not be a typical 8th seed. Jazz also get to watch their potential opponents at full strength in these play-in games. I am excited to find out though who the Jazz play but I see mostly positives for having the first seed.

 

[idiot]

#1 seed gets to rest while #8 seed by definition will have had to have faced two do-or-(nearly) die matchups in the 96 hours before the playoffs start. I'll take that.