The 2012 NBA Playoffs are in full swing. For the second straight year, the Chicago Bulls and the San Antonio Spurs top their respective conferences and own the #1 seed and home-court advantage through their Conference Finals.
For the past nine seasons, since the 2002-2003 season, only one top seeded team in the Eastern Conference has reached the NBA Finals. The '08 Boston Celtics were the only team to reach (and win) the NBA Finals as a #1 seed in the East since 2003. In that span, six #2 seeds, one #3 seed, and one #4 seed have went on to win the East.
The Miami Heat were the top seed in 2005 but lost in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Detroit Pistons. Both times the Heat went on to the NBA Finals, they were seeded #2 and beat the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference Finals despite not having home-court advantage ('06 Pistons, '11 Bulls).
This pattern appears as though it might continue this year. The #1 Chicago Bulls have already lost the heart of their team in Derrick Rose for the remainder of the playoffs and the beginning of next season. The Miami Heat are current favorites in the East and are aiming to be the seventh #2 seed to make the Finals in the last ten seasons.
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