Miami Heat Playoffs: They Can, Effectively, End Atlanta Hawks Run Friday

The Miami Heat head into Game 3 of their opening-round NBA Playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday. Seeing themselves dominate Game 1 as a unit on both sides of the ball, while Jimmy Butler took center stage in Game 2’s win, the Miami Heat now have a chance to go to Atlanta and end it on Friday, effectively.

While they would still need to get to the traditional four games before the series is officially over, the numbers tell a story that says that it would be all but over if Miami can take Game 3 as well. In fact, they already say that but who wants to get that far ahead of themselves in an era of NBA Hoops where history is constantly being rewritten.

With that in mind though, let’s look at a few of the numbers. Though they are based on statistics from a few years back, the data is still close enough to make accurate approximations and the points should still ring resoundingly true.

Let’s get into it.

The Miami Heat head to Atlanta Friday up, 2-0, in their first-round NBA Playoff series. Based on history, they can, effectively, end things on Friday with a win.

There are two sets of numbers. The first set will be for all NBA Playoff history, while the second set of data is actually explicitly from the modern era.

Regardless, the points remain the same.

All-Time Best-Of-Seven Series In NBA Playoffs

• Teams that win the first game of a best-of-seven series go on to win the series 76.6% of the time (393-120).
• Teams that win the first game of a best-of-seven series at home go on to win the series 85.4% of the time (321-55).
• Teams that win the first two games of a best-of-seven series go on to win the series 93.5% of the time (273-19).
• Teams that win the first two games of a best-of-seven series at home go on to win the series 94.0% of the time (236-15).
• Teams that win the first three games of a best-of-seven series go on to win the series 100% of the time (127-0).

The modern era, the 16-team playoff system prior to the addition of the NBA Play-In portion that’s been used since 1984, isn’t that much different either.

Modern Era History Of Best-Of-Seven Series In NBA Playoffs (Since 1984)

• Teams that win the first game of a best-of-seven series go on to win the series 76.8% of the time (275-83).
• Teams that win the first game of a best-of-seven series at home go on to win the series 86.0% of the time (228-37)
• Teams that win the first two games of a best-of-seven series go on to win the series 93.1% of the time (201-15).
• Teams that win the first two games of a best-of-seven series at home go on to win the series 93.9% of the time (184-12).
• Teams that lead a best-of-seven series 3-0 have gone on to win the series 100% of the time (93-0).

Well, there you have it, folks. The Miami Heat have a chance to, not only, go up 3-0 in their opening-round playoff series on Friday, but a chance to end it all, according to history.

They should too, as they are just the better team and the one with the best player on the floor for either team. It’s time to put the Hawks and Trae—on ice.