A look at the last 13 years, which is the length of time the first round has been a best of seven ... 21 first round sweeps have happened during that span, and here’s how those teams finished out the playoffs:
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The two first round sweepers to go all the way were last year's Golden State Warriors and the 2013 Miami Heat.
Overall, Western Conference sweepers have a better track record than their Eastern Conference counterparts. Of the eight Western squads that swept their first round opponent, four went on to make the NBA Finals, while only three of 13 from the East made the Finals.
With only 10.5% of teams who earn a first round sweep going on to win the Finals, history might not be on the side of the Spurs and Cavaliers, but with the injury bug stinging the Golden State Warriors, their odds to buck this trend have received a nice boost.
| Result | Number of Teams |
|---|---|
| Lost in Second Round | 5 |
| Lost in Conference Finals | 7 |
| Lost in Finals | 7 |
| Won Finals | 2 |
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The two first round sweepers to go all the way were last year's Golden State Warriors and the 2013 Miami Heat.
Overall, Western Conference sweepers have a better track record than their Eastern Conference counterparts. Of the eight Western squads that swept their first round opponent, four went on to make the NBA Finals, while only three of 13 from the East made the Finals.
With only 10.5% of teams who earn a first round sweep going on to win the Finals, history might not be on the side of the Spurs and Cavaliers, but with the injury bug stinging the Golden State Warriors, their odds to buck this trend have received a nice boost.
