Does Having The Best Player Always Determine The Outcome Of A Series? - Part 3 (Finals)

Read Part 2 Here

Read Part 1 Here

Many NBA fans, including myself, believe that the team with the 'best player' going into a playoff series will win most of the time. Picking the 'best player' is subjective and wins & loses may be affected by injuries. In most cases the 'best player' is obvious, but not always. Let's see how my theory is holding up.

The scores after:

First round:
 *Raw score: 5-3
**Adjusted score: 6-2

Second round:
*Raw score: 6-6
**Adjusted score: 7-5

Round 3 (Conference Finals)

Matchup            Best Player       Pick        W/L  Actual Best Player
Heat   vs. Pacers  LBJ               Heat   W    LBJ
Spurs  vs. Griz    Parker            Spurs  W    Parker

 *Raw score:      2-0
**Adjusted score: 2-0

Playoff Totals:
 *Raw score:      8-6
**Adjusted score: 9-5
  
* The 'Raw score' is the win/loss record based off of the original 'best player' picks.
** The 'Adjusted score' is the 'Raw score' adjusted for mistakes that I made picking the 'Best Player'.

Additional Notes:

1. I was super shocked at the Spurs sweep. I really thought Memphis was a tough team. I went against the 'Best Player' theory and pick them to win b/c of their youth and size, but I was COMPLETELY wrong. They never recovered from the Spurs game #1 punch-in-the-month. Sadly, Memphis bball VP John Hollinger may break up the Gasol, Z-Bo, Conley, Allen core. Given Wade and Bosh's recent play, I hope they give it one more run with their current core. The 2014 title may be completely up for grabs.

2. I am glad I don't bet on sports b/c my anit-Spurs bias would have cost me a lot of $$$.

3. Big props to R. C. Buford, who built a deep playoff-focused roster.

4. A personal plea to Coach Pop, PUT NANDO IN!!!!

5. I assume that my negative feeling towards coach Pop and the Spurs are the same as non-Patriots fans have towards coach Belichick and the Pats.


Round 4 (NBA Finals)

Matchup            Best Player       Pick
Heat   vs. Spurs   LBJ               Heat

Additional Notes:

1. I slightly like the Spurs youthful playoff rotation players 4-7 (Leonard, Green, Bonner, & Neal) more than the Heats 4-7 (Chalmers, Haslem, Allen, & Battier).... mostly because  of Leonard.

2. I like James, Wade, and Bosh more than Parker, Manu, and Duncan... just because James is soooooo much better than anyone else on the floor.

3. The two conference finals could not have been more different. However, the Spurs sweep and he tough 7 gamers for the Heat do not have any bearing on the finals... IMO.

4. After struggling in the ECF, I expect better series out of the Wade, Allen, and even Battier.

5. My personal pick (anti-Spurs bias again), is Heat in 5, although I can see it going 6 or 7. The Heat will win in any case.