The end result of 5-0 (and 0-5) starts in the NBA
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night won their fifth consecutive game to start the 2013-14 NBA season with a 97-80 win over the Chicago Bulls. The Pacers are the last remaining undefeated team and the only team to get to 5-0 to start the season.
The Pacers became the 20th team since the 1999-2000 season to start the year 5-0. In 2012-13, the New York Knicks were the only team to reach 5-0 to start that campaign.
Starting 5-0 has been a good omen for teams. First, of the previous 19 teams to start the year 5-0, all made the playoffs. Five eventually lost in a conference first round series; four lost in a conference semifinals; two lost in a conference finals; and eight made the NBA finals that year, with four winning the title. Here’s a look at the last eight teams to start the season 5–0 who made it to the NBA Finals that season.
Started 5-0 and won the NBA title that year
2001-02: Los Angeles Lakers
2007-08: Boston Celtics
2008-09: Los Angeles Lakers
2011-12: Miami Heat
Started 5-0 and lost in the NBA Finals that year
2000-01: Philadelphia 76ers
2003-04: Los Angeles Lakers
2009-10: Boston Celtics
2011-12: Oklahoma City Thunder
Let’s look at the other end of the spectrum, starting the season 0-5. The Utah Jazz this year are the only NBA team that does not have a victory after five games. The Jazz became the 28th team since 1999-2000 to begin the season with an 0-5 record. The good news is that four teams were able to recover from this slow start and still make the playoffs that year. The bad news is that 23 of the 27 teams that started 0-5 did not make the playoffs that season.
Here’s a look at the four teams since 1999-2000 that started 0-5 yet still made the playoffs that year.
2001-02: Philadelphia 76ers (finished 43-39; lost in the first round of the conference playoffs)
2003-04: Miami Heat (finished 42-40; lost in the semifinals of the conference playoffs)
2004-05: Chicago Bulls (finished 47-35; lost in the first round of the conference playoffs)
2007-08: Washington Wizards (finished 43-39; lost in the first round of the conference playoffs)
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Seahawks win second OT game this season
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Week #9 of the 2013 NFL season saw a pair of overtime games. The Seattle Seahawks won their second OT game of the year by defeating the Tampa Bay Bucs, and the Washington Redskins beat San Diego in overtime.
There have been seven overtime games this season with the home team winning five of those games. Last season there were 21 OT games with the home teams winning 11 and losing 10.
Cincinnati, Houston and Seattle have each played in two overtime games this year; the Texans and Bengals have each won one and lost one, while the Seahawks have won both of their OT games.
Going back to 2000, there have been 216 regular-season overtime games in the NFL. The San Francisco 49ers have played in the most games with 20, while the New England Patriots and New York Giants are tied for the best record in OT games since 2000 with a .692 winning percentage (each team is 9-4 in overtime).
Here’s a look at each NFL team’s record in overtime games since 2000.
New England: 9-4 .692
New York Giants: 9-4 .692
Chicago: 10-5 .667
Indianapolis: 4-2 .667
St. Louis: 8-4-1 .654
Arizona: 11-6 .647
Washington: 11-6 .647
San Francisco: 12-7-1 .625
Denver: 10-6 .625
Baltimore: 8-6 .571
New York Jets: 10-8 .556
Jacksonville: 6-5 .545
New Orleans: 6-5 .545
Oakland: 6-5 .545
Seattle: 7-6 .538
Dallas: 9-8 .529
Buffalo: 7-7 .500
Tennessee: 7-7 .500
Green Bay 5-5 .500
Pittsburgh: 8-10-1 .447
Cincinnati: 3-5-1 .389
Detroit: 5-8 .385
Atlanta: 6-10-1 .382
Tampa Bay: 6-10 .375
Minnesota: 4-7 .364
Kansas City: 6-11 .353
Philadelphia: 3-6-1 .350
San Diego: 5-10 .333
Houston: 4-8 .333
Miami: 4-8 .333
Cleveland: 4-9 .308
Carolina: 3-8 .273
Note: The Denver Broncos and New York Giants have the longest active streak of OT wins with five each. Oakland has won four straight overtime games. The Carolina Panthers have lost five straight OT games, the longest active losing streak. Jacksonville, Green Bay and San Diego have each lost four straight overtime games.
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