Is the 2 seed in the East better off than the 1 this season?

[jbpats]

There have been a lot of people around here saying how important home court is throughout the playoffs and how the #1 seed is vital to our success.
I am going to argue that point.

As it stands if we finish #1 we would face a VERY HOT Toronto team with a rested Lowry coming back from injury. A Toronto team that has owned us for the last few seasons. I know i'll hear a lot of "Lowry is coming back from injury, he won't be ready." I'll rebuttal that right now by saying he is a NBA all star/Olympian, he'll be ready.

If we finish #2 we face a very tough inexperienced Wizards team in round 2 who we match up much better with.

Now everyone is saying we need home court to have a chance against the Cavs in the ECF. I believe we probably don't get that far if forced to play Toronto round 2.  I also believe these "struggles" the Cavs are having are somewhat stemmed by the fact they don't want to play Toronto round 2 either. Keep in mind you can claim the Cavs are struggling but facts are facts, Lebron is 12-3 in the eastern conference playoffs after finishing second in the East.. Lebron doesn't need home court, and i'd guess playing lesser opponents mean more to him.

This debate is also under the assumption on who we play round 1 doesn't really matter considering all teams fighting for playoffs are somewhat equal.

[saltlover]

If Toronto stays even lukewarm they will be the #3 seed, so no, it's not better to be the two seed.  Toronto could be the 3 seed as early as tonight. Indeed, with a home game against Indiana while Washington plays at Utah, you might even expect it. By the time the weekend is out, they will likely be up one game plus hold the tiebreaker with 5 games to go, as they host Philly while Washington plays at Golden State.  If you want to avoid Toronto, the 1 seed is your goal.

Furthermore, the 8 seed is more likely to be one of Indiana, Detroit, and Chicago, while the 7 seed Miami or Atlanta, so again, the 1 seed is better.

[TheSundanceKid]

If Toronto stays even lukewarm they will be the #3 seed, so no, it's not better to be the two seed.  Toronto could be the 3 seed as early as tonight. Indeed, with a home game against Indiana while Washington plays at Utah, you might even expect it. By the time the weekend is out, they will likely be up one game plus hold the tiebreaker with 5 games to go, as they host Philly while Washington plays at Golden State.  If you want to avoid Toronto, the 1 seed is your goal.

Furthermore, the 8 seed is more likely to be one of Indiana, Detroit, and Chicago, while the 7 seed Miami or Atlanta, so again, the 1 seed is better.

Exactly. Toronto moving up to the 3 seed is very likely and whoever is in the 4/5 bracket is in for a battle. Having the number 1 seed gives us home court throughout the eastern conference, I think last year taught us well how important that is

[JohnBoy65]

There have been a lot of people around here saying how important home court is throughout the playoffs and how the #1 seed is vital to our success.
I am going to argue that point.

As it stands if we finish #1 we would face a VERY HOT Toronto team with a rested Lowry coming back from injury. A Toronto team that has owned us for the last few seasons. I know i'll hear a lot of "Lowry is coming back from injury, he won't be ready." I'll rebuttal that right now by saying he is a NBA all star/Olympian, he'll be ready.

If we finish #2 we face a very tough inexperienced Wizards team in round 2 who we match up much better with.

Now everyone is saying we need home court to have a chance against the Cavs in the ECF. I believe we probably don't get that far if forced to play Toronto round 2.  I also believe these "struggles" the Cavs are having are somewhat stemmed by the fact they don't want to play Toronto round 2 either. Keep in mind you can claim the Cavs are struggling but facts are facts, Lebron is 12-3 in the eastern conference playoffs after finishing second in the East.. Lebron doesn't need home court, and i'd guess playing lesser opponents mean more to him.

This debate is also under the assumption on who we play round 1 doesn't really matter considering all teams fighting for playoffs are somewhat equal.

Logical post OP, and I get people's concerns about match ups, but you're going to have to play and beat good teams to get where you want to go. If we can't beat Toronto in the 2nd round how should we expect to beat Cleveland in the ECF? It doesn't always work that way I know, but this year it pretty much does. I think that if we want to consider ourselves an elite team in the East we should worry less on who we play, and focus more on how and who we beat.

[TheSlipperyWhistle]

Right now #2 would play Miami in the first round. #1 plays the Pacers... I want to be number one. Second and ECF round be [dang]ed. We are going to have to beat good teams, but I would rather have a "slightly imploding" Pacers team than a "burning like the sun" Heat team in the first round.

[mef730]

We need to get to the ECF against Cleveland before we can worry about beating them.

Given the OP's options, I'd rather the #2 and go up against Washington.

Mike

[GreenEnvy]

I'd prefer to finish first and see what happens with how everyone else seeds. We are going to have to get through some good teams if we wanna dance with Cleveland, we need to take care of business. And if we do, I want home court against them.

[colincb]

We need to get to the ECF against Cleveland before we can worry about beating them.

Given the OP's options, I'd rather the #2 and go up against Washington.

Mike

Give me the top seed and home court. It's pretty much a coin flip that we'll see TOR (as opposed to WAS) in whichever slot we end up in.

[Ilikesports17]

I expect Toronto to get the 3 seed.