sports // no. 6

Does winning

game one

matter in
the finals?

» It might be pivotal for some teams

Mo Hussain
Sports Reporter

 

hen you're playing on the grandest stage in your respective

sport, everyone will be looking for any nook or cranny
available that will give them the advantage. This is especially the
case when it comes down to the championship series in the NBA,
NHL, and MLB—where the two teams that make it to the finals
have to play in a seven-game series. Teams usually get multiple
chances to scout one and study one another and then adjust their
strategy accordingly. However, there tends to be a common narrative
throughout every finals series that winning the first game is

essential.

Some believe that winning the first game can supposedly give
enough momentum to win an entire finals series. Every series is

 

 

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obviously objective, but let’s look at history to see whether game
one actually matters in the grand scheme of things.

NBA = 60 percent of NBA Champions

Since the 2010-1 NBA season, 60 percent of total
NBA champions have won the first game. Only
NBA champions from 2010-11 to 2012-13, and the
2015-16 NBA champions have not won game one
of the NBA finals. The rest of the champions
throughout this past decade have gone on to
win the first game, especially the last four NBA
champions.

CHAMPION DID THEY WIN GAME ONE?
Dallas Mavericks No
Miami Heat No
Miami Heat No
San Antonio Spurs Yes
Golden State Warriors Yes
Cleveland Cavaliers No
Golden State Warriors Yes
Golden State Warriors Yes

Toronto Raptors

Los Angeles Lakers

NHL = 60 percent of Stanley Cup Champions
Since the 2010-1 NHL season, 60 percent of all
Stanley Cup winners have also managed to take the
first game. This was especially the case from the
2011-12 season all the way up to the 2016-17 season
where all of those teams had won game one. The
2010-11 Boston Bruins and the past three Stanley
Cup champions did not win game one.

CHAMPION DID THEY WIN GAME ONE?
Boston Bruins No

Los Angeles Kings Yes
Chicago Blackhawks Yes
Los Angeles Kings Yes
Chicago Blackhawks Yes
Pittsburgh Penguins Yes
Pittsburgh Penguins Yes
Washington Capitals
St.Louis Blues

Tampa Bay Lighting

MLB = 80 percent of World Series Champions
When it comes to baseball, it seems like winning
game one is more important than in other

sports. Since the 20u MLB season, World Series
Champions from 2o0n until 2015, and from 2018
to 2020 have all won the first game of the world
series. The only two teams to not win game one
and still go on to win the world series are the
Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros from 2016 and
2017 respectively.

MLB

YEAR CHAMPION DID THEY WIN GAME ONE

St. Louis Cardinals
San Francisco Giants
Boston Red Sox

San Francisco Giants
Kansas City Royals
Chicago Cubs
Houston Astros

Boston Red Sox

Washington Nationals

Los Angeles Dodgers

Yes

Yes

Yes

As to what can explain these trends is still subjective for every series and sport. However, it will be interesting to keep this in mind later this year during the

NBA Finals, Stanley Cup Finals, and World Series.

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