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		<title>NBA Finals Guide &#8211; Make It Seem Like You&#8217;ve Been the Best Cavs Fan or Best Warriors Fan All Along</title>
		<link>https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/features/nba-finals-guide-make-it-seem-like-youve-been-the-best-cavs-fan-or-best-warriors-fan-all-along/</link>
		<comments>https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/features/nba-finals-guide-make-it-seem-like-youve-been-the-best-cavs-fan-or-best-warriors-fan-all-along/#respond</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 29 May 2017 19:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
                <tcinfo:postPublishDate>2017-05-29 12:00:12</tcinfo:postPublishDate>
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		<dc:creator>Kyle Schurman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cleveland Cavaliers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Golden State Warriors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NBA finals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sports betting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sports memorabilia]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/?p=28637</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/author/kschurman/">Kyle Schurman</a></p>
<p>June is almost here, so that means it&#8217;s the ultimate part of the pro basketball season. (We know playing in the summer doesn&#8217;t make sense for an indoor sport, but that&#8217;s the way the NBA rolls.) If you haven&#8217;t really paid attention to the NBA all season, but you want to make it seem as [&#8230;]</p>
<p><a href="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/features/nba-finals-guide-make-it-seem-like-youve-been-the-best-cavs-fan-or-best-warriors-fan-all-along/">NBA Finals Guide &#8211; Make It Seem Like You&#8217;ve Been the Best Cavs Fan or Best Warriors Fan All Along</a></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/author/kschurman/">Kyle Schurman</a></p>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons" ></div><p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28658" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/NBA-Finals-Guide.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="NBA Finals Guide" width="800" height="450" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/NBA-Finals-Guide.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/NBA-Finals-Guide-300x169.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/NBA-Finals-Guide-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />June is almost here, so that means it&#8217;s the ultimate part of the pro basketball season. (We know playing in the summer doesn&#8217;t make sense for an indoor sport, but that&#8217;s the way the NBA rolls.) If you haven&#8217;t really paid attention to the NBA all season, but you want to make it seem as though you have, use our NBA Finals guide. After reading it, you&#8217;ll fool everyone into thinking you&#8217;re the best Cavs fan or best Warriors fan around!</p>
<h2>2017 NBA Finals: How We Got Here</h2>
<p>The Cleveland Cavaliers won the Eastern Conference playoffs, while the Golden State Warriors won the Western Conference playoffs. Both teams have shown complete dominance over their conference foes.</p>
<p>Golden State finished the 2017 regular season with a 67-15 record, easily the best in the NBA. The Warriors then cruised through the playoffs, sweeping Portland, Utah, and San Antonio for a 12-0 playoff record. Golden State is the first team to enter the NBA Finals with a 12-0 playoff record.</p>
<p>The Cavaliers just missed matching Golden State. Cleveland swept Indiana and Toronto, before defeating Boston 4-games-to-1 for a 12-1 postseason mark. Cleveland had a 51-31 record during the regular season, finishing second in the Eastern Conference to Boston by two games.</p>
<p>In modern NBA history, only two teams have managed to go through all of the rounds of the playoffs with just one loss. The 2001 Los Angeles Lakers went 15-1 en route to the title, and the 1983 NBA champion Philadelphia 76ers recorded a 12-1 record. The team many consider to be the best in NBA history &#8212; the Michael Jordan-led 1996 Chicago Bulls, who won 72 regular season games &#8212; finished 15-3 in the playoffs en route to the title.</p>
<p>To have two teams with a combined 24-1 playoff record meeting in the 2017 NBA Finals just shows the dominance of these two teams over the rest of the league &#8230; and the almost inevitability since the season started in October that the Cavaliers and Warriors would meet for the title.</p>
<h2>Info for the Best Cavs Fans</h2>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28660" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Cleveland-Cavaliers-NBA-Finals.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Finals" width="800" height="611" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Cleveland-Cavaliers-NBA-Finals.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Cleveland-Cavaliers-NBA-Finals-300x229.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Cleveland-Cavaliers-NBA-Finals-768x587.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Long-time fans of Cleveland sports teams may be forgiven if they&#8217;re still celebrating last year&#8217;s NBA championship, more so than they&#8217;re ready for the 2017 NBA Finals. It was the first major professional sports title for the city of Cleveland since 1964. (Plus, Cleveland fans have had to suffer through the follies of the Browns, so it felt like a lot longer than 52 years.)</p>
<p>Although LeBron James is the most well-known Cavaliers player &#8212; and the most well-known active player on the planet &#8212; he&#8217;s not doing it all alone. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love both score more than 15 points per game. Irving had 42 points in Game 4 against Boston.</p>
<p><strong>Five Fun Facts About Cleveland:</strong></p>
<p>Here are five bits of knowledge you can use to fool people into thinking you&#8217;ve been a Cavaliers fanatic for years:</p>
<ul>
<li>James&#8217; 2017 salary is $30.96 million.</li>
<li>When Cleveland was granted an NBA expansion franchise in 1970, it was nearly nicknamed the Foresters, before settling on Cavaliers.</li>
<li>James has won three NBA titles &#8212; two with Miami and one with Cleveland. After last season&#8217;s title, most Cavs fans have forgiven him for leaving Cleveland as a free agent in 2010 to go to Miami before returning to Cleveland.</li>
<li>Cavs Coach Tyronn Lue took over in the middle of the 2016 season, and Cleveland is 28-6 in playoff games under him with an NBA title. That&#8217;s among the highest playoff winning percentages in NBA coaching history.</li>
<li>Cleveland made James the #1 overall pick in the 2003 draft, making him the only modern multiple MVP winner taken first overall, unlike Steph Curry (#7 overall in 2009), Kobe Bryant (#13 overall in 1996), Steve Nash (#15 overall in 1996), Karl Malone (#15 overall in 1985), and Michael Jordan (#3 overall in 1984).</li>
</ul>
<h2><strong>What the Best Cavs Fan Should Wear</strong></h2>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28663" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Cavs-LeBron-Jersey.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Cavs LeBron Jersey" width="800" height="400" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Cavs-LeBron-Jersey.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Cavs-LeBron-Jersey-300x150.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Cavs-LeBron-Jersey-768x384.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>If you want to look like a lifelong Cavs fan, the place to start is with a LeBron James #23 replica jersey. And then you can pretend that you&#8217;ve had the jersey since LeBron&#8217;s first tour in Cleveland &#8230; and that you didn&#8217;t participate in the #23 jersey burnings that occurred in 2010 after James&#8217; ESPN-produced &#8220;The Decision,&#8221; in which he announced he was leaving Cleveland as a free agent.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="button red"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cleveland-Cavaliers-LeBron-Replica-Jersey/dp/B00TXYNA0Q/ref=bensbargaicenter" >Check Price on Amazon</a></span></p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28665" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Cleveland-Cavaliers-2016-NBA-champions.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Cleveland Cavaliers 2016 NBA champions" width="800" height="501" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Cleveland-Cavaliers-2016-NBA-champions.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Cleveland-Cavaliers-2016-NBA-champions-300x188.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Cleveland-Cavaliers-2016-NBA-champions-768x481.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>Perhaps your workplace frowns on wearing a LeBron jersey to work. Not a problem: Just take your Cavs 2016 NBA Champions travel mug to work. And if your coworkers ask why they&#8217;ve never seen it before if you&#8217;re such a big fan, just say you were keeping it at home in storage for luck until the Cavaliers made the 2017 NBA Finals.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="button red"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Cleveland-Cavaliers-2016-Champions-TRAVEL/dp/B01HP09AWQ/ref=bensbargaicenter" >Check Price on Amazon</a></span></p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28664" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/vintage-Cavs-t-shirt.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="vintage Cavs t-shirt" width="800" height="401" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/vintage-Cavs-t-shirt.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/vintage-Cavs-t-shirt-300x150.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/vintage-Cavs-t-shirt-768x385.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>Of course, the best way to make it seem as though you&#8217;ve been a Cavs fan since the days of Craig Ehlo is to purchase a new t-shirt that has a weathered look and features the original Cavaliers logo.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="button red"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Majestic-Weathered-T-shirt-Cleveland-Cavaliers/dp/B01LFOXM2C/ref=bensbargaicenter" >Check Price on Amazon</a></span></p>
<h2>Info for the Best Warriors Fans</h2>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28661" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Golden-State-Warriors-NBA-Finals.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Golden State Warriors NBA Finals" width="800" height="629" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Golden-State-Warriors-NBA-Finals.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Golden-State-Warriors-NBA-Finals-300x236.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Golden-State-Warriors-NBA-Finals-768x604.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>After winning the 2015 NBA Finals, Golden State set the NBA regular season record for wins in 2016 with 73. Yet the heavily favored Warriors were upset in the 2016 NBA Finals by Cleveland, meaning Golden State fans are not going to take this 2017 NBA Finals appearance for granted.</p>
<p>The Golden State roster is filled with superstars, led by Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Steph Curry, who was the NBA MVP in 2015 and 2016. Last summer, the Warriors added All-Star Kevin Durant, making them an even heavier favorite for the 2017 season. Durant&#8217;s decision to leave Oklahoma City to join the powerful Warriors made him a villain in Oklahoma City, but if he earns a championship ring with Golden State, we&#8217;re guessing he&#8217;ll live with villain status.</p>
<p><strong>Five Fun Facts About Golden State:</strong></p>
<p>Here are five bits of knowledge you can use to fool people into thinking you&#8217;ve been a Golden State fanatic for years:</p>
<ul>
<li>Steph Curry&#8217;s favorite TV show is Game of Thrones.</li>
<li>Kevin Durant is making $26.5 million this season.</li>
<li>Golden State is the only NBA team with two players whose fathers also played in the NBA &#8212; Curry&#8217;s father, Dell, played 17 years in the NBA and Klay Thompson&#8217;s father, Mychal, won two NBA titles with the Lakers.</li>
<li>Andre Iguodala won the 2015 NBA Finals MVP for the Warriors &#8230; not Curry, as a lot of people assume.</li>
<li>Golden State picked Curry seventh overall in the 2009 draft, after players like Hasheem Thabeet, Ricky Rubio, and Jonny Flynn. Oops.</li>
</ul>
<h2><strong>What the Best Warriors Fan Should Wear</strong></h2>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28666" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Golden-State-NBA-Champion-t-shirt.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Golden State NBA Champion t-shirt" width="800" height="401" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Golden-State-NBA-Champion-t-shirt.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Golden-State-NBA-Champion-t-shirt-300x150.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Golden-State-NBA-Champion-t-shirt-768x385.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">To look like you&#8217;ve been a Golden State fan for at least a few years, wearing a 2015 NBA Finals champion t-shirt will help. And by making it yellow, it&#8217;ll seem as though you fit in with the &#8220;Sea of Yellow&#8221; at Oracle Arena.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="button blue"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Warriors-Finals-T-shirt-XX-Large/dp/B010GPIDL6/ref=bensbargaicenter" >Check Price on Amazon</a></span></p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28668" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Steph-curry-vintage-jersey.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Steph curry vintage jersey" width="800" height="398" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Steph-curry-vintage-jersey.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Steph-curry-vintage-jersey-300x149.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Steph-curry-vintage-jersey-768x382.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>Having a replica Steph Curry jersey isn&#8217;t going to make it seem as though you were a Warriors fan before the team drafted Curry in the 2009 draft, but that&#8217;s okay. It&#8217;s a Steph jersey after all, and everyone loves Steph!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="button blue"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Warriors-Stephen-Replica-Jersey/dp/B004S379OA/ref=bensbargaicenter" >Check Price on Amazon</a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28667" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/The-City-vintage-t-shirt.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="The City vintage t-shirt" width="800" height="400" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/The-City-vintage-t-shirt.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/The-City-vintage-t-shirt-300x150.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/The-City-vintage-t-shirt-768x384.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">A vintage logo t-shirt can help you look like a long-time Golden State fan. The distressed &#8220;The City&#8221; t-shirt is a great option to wear to your Warriors-Cavs NBA Finals viewing parties.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="button blue"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Warriors-Womens-47-Bleacher/dp/B00K2TG7CE/ref=bensbargaicenter" >Check Price on Amazon</a></span></p>
<h2>We&#8217;ve Seen This Match Before</h2>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28662" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Lebron-vs-Steph.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Lebron vs Steph" width="800" height="450" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Lebron-vs-Steph.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Lebron-vs-Steph-300x169.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Lebron-vs-Steph-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>The Warriors and Cavaliers have played in the past two NBA Finals, splitting those meetings.</p>
<p>Cleveland shockingly overcame a 3-1 series deficit in 2016, winning Game 7 in Oakland, 93-89. The road team won three of the final four games in the 2016 NBA Finals. James scored 41, 41, and 27 points in the last three Cleveland wins.</p>
<p>Golden State had no such problems in the 2015 NBA Finals, defeating the Cavs, 4 games to 2. Cleveland actually led the series 2-1, but Golden State won the final three games, including winning twice in Cleveland.</p>
<p>Steph versus LeBron Round 3 should be a lot of fun!</p>
<p><strong>More Steph and LeBron</strong></p>
<p>If you want to show your fandom for either <a href="https://bensbargains.com/search/basketball/?sr=1">Steph or LeBron</a>, we at Ben&#8217;s Bargains have collected some deals for you on their lines of shoes at the link.</p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28670" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Cleveland-NBA-champion-DVD.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Cleveland NBA champion DVD" width="800" height="409" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Cleveland-NBA-champion-DVD.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Cleveland-NBA-champion-DVD-300x153.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Cleveland-NBA-champion-DVD-768x393.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>If you want to relive the 2016 NBA Finals &#8212; or if just want to do a little homework to create a successful look as a long-time Cavs fan &#8212; try the 2016 NBA Finals DVD. (Highlights are also available on Amazon Video at the link.)</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="button green"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/2016-Cleveland-Cavaliers-Champions-Blu-ray/dp/B01FWDFP4A/ref=bensbargaicenter" >Check Price on Amazon</a></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28671" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Golden-State-Warriors-NBA-Champions.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Golden State Warriors NBA Champions" width="800" height="399" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Golden-State-Warriors-NBA-Champions.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Golden-State-Warriors-NBA-Champions-300x150.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Golden-State-Warriors-NBA-Champions-768x383.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>Warriors fans will appreciate the 2015 NBA Finals with this DVD &#8230; much more so than the 2016 NBA Finals. (Highlights are also available on Amazon Video at the link.)</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><span class="button green"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/2015-NBA-Championship-Highlights-Warriors/dp/B00Y1899MM/ref=bensbargaicenter" >Check Price on Amazon</a></span></p>
<h2>NBA Finals Schedule</h2>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28659" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/NBA-2017-Playoffs-Guide.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="NBA 2017 Playoffs Guide" width="800" height="526" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/NBA-2017-Playoffs-Guide.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/NBA-2017-Playoffs-Guide-300x197.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/NBA-2017-Playoffs-Guide-768x505.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />Thanks to our NBA Finals guide, now you&#8217;re ready to watch the NBA Finals! Here&#8217;s the TV schedule for the best-of seven game series. (In other words, the first team to win four games is NBA champion.)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Game 1 &#8211; Thursday, June 1 &#8211; </strong>Cleveland at Golden State, 9 p.m., ABC</li>
<li><strong>Game 2 &#8211; Sunday, June 4 &#8211; </strong>Cleveland at Golden State, 8 p.m., ABC</li>
<li><strong>Game 3 &#8211; Wednesday, June 7 &#8211; </strong>Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m., ABC</li>
<li><strong>Game 4 &#8211; Friday, June 9 &#8211; </strong>Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m., ABC</li>
<li><strong>Game 5* &#8211; Monday, June 12 &#8211; </strong>Cleveland at Golden State, 9 p.m., ABC</li>
<li><strong>Game 6* &#8211; Thursday, June 15 &#8211; </strong>Golden State at Cleveland, 9 p.m., ABC</li>
<li><strong>Game 7* &#8211; Sunday, June 18 &#8211; </strong>Cleveland at Golden State, 8 p.m., ABC</li>
</ul>
<h6>* if necessary</h6>
<h6>(all game times Eastern)</h6>
<p><a href="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/features/nba-finals-guide-make-it-seem-like-youve-been-the-best-cavs-fan-or-best-warriors-fan-all-along/">NBA Finals Guide &#8211; Make It Seem Like You&#8217;ve Been the Best Cavs Fan or Best Warriors Fan All Along</a></p>
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		<title>Stanley Cup Finals Guide &#8211; Make It Seem Like You&#8217;ve Been the Best Penguins Fan or Best Predators Fan All Along</title>
		<link>https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/guides/stanley-cup-finals-guide-make-it-seem-like-youve-been-the-best-penguins-fan-or-best-predators-fan-all-along/</link>
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		<pubDate>Sat, 27 May 2017 19:00:12 +0000</pubDate>
                <tcinfo:postPublishDate>2017-05-27 12:00:12</tcinfo:postPublishDate>
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		<dc:creator>Kyle Schurman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nashville Predators]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[NHL finals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Pittsburgh Penguins]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sports betting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[stanley cup finals]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/author/kschurman/">Kyle Schurman</a></p>
<p>June means summer and warmer weather outside. So when you&#8217;re ready to feel cooler, there&#8217;s nothing quite like watching the Stanley Cup Finals. All of that ice on your TV screen is guaranteed to cool you off and beat the heat. And if you want to crack open an ice cold beer while watching the games, [&#8230;]</p>
<p><a href="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/guides/stanley-cup-finals-guide-make-it-seem-like-youve-been-the-best-penguins-fan-or-best-predators-fan-all-along/">Stanley Cup Finals Guide &#8211; Make It Seem Like You&#8217;ve Been the Best Penguins Fan or Best Predators Fan All Along</a></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/author/kschurman/">Kyle Schurman</a></p>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons" ></div><p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28644" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Stanley-Cup-Finals-guide.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Stanley Cup Finals guide" width="800" height="450" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Stanley-Cup-Finals-guide.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Stanley-Cup-Finals-guide-300x169.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Stanley-Cup-Finals-guide-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>June means summer and warmer weather outside. So when you&#8217;re ready to feel cooler, there&#8217;s nothing quite like watching the Stanley Cup Finals. All of that ice on your TV screen is guaranteed to cool you off and beat the heat. And if you want to crack open an ice cold beer while watching the games, no true hockey fan would dare to stop you.</p>
<p>Our Stanley Cup Finals guide will help you prepare for the NHL championship series, even if you haven&#8217;t paid attention to the NHL all season. Additionally, if you want to jump on the bandwagon and appear as though you&#8217;ve been the best Penguins fan or best Predators fan for years (instead of a day or two), we have plenty of information and ideas to fool your friends!</p>
<h2>NHL Stanley Cup Finals: How We Got Here</h2>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28645" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/NHL-Finals-2017.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="NHL Finals 2017" width="800" height="450" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/NHL-Finals-2017.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/NHL-Finals-2017-300x169.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/NHL-Finals-2017-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />Nashville and Pittsburgh seems like the ultimate David vs. Goliath match. The Predators had never even made the conference finals before two weeks ago, and now &#8212; in their first Stanley Cup Final &#8212; they&#8217;ll draw the defending Stanley Cup champion Penguins and the best active player on the planet in Sidney Crosby.</p>
<p><strong>Pittsburgh&#8217;s Path to the Cup</strong></p>
<p>The Penguins are in a familiar spot &#8212; back in the Stanley Cup Finals &#8212; but their path to the championship series was anything but traditional.</p>
<p>Pittsburgh survived two pressure-packed Game 7s to win playoff series, including a double-overtime, 3-2 victory against Ottawa in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals. The Penguins also defeated Washington 4-games-to-3 in the conference semifinals. By comparison, Pittsburgh&#8217;s 4-1 series win against Columbus in the first round was a cake walk.</p>
<p>Additionally, Pittsburgh made a change at goalie midway through the series with Ottawa, subbing Matt Murray for Marc-Andre Fleury. Sometimes, that&#8217;s a move of desperation. But it worked here, as Murray is 3-1 in the playoffs with a save percentage of 0.946 and a goals against average of 1.35.</p>
<p><strong>Nashville&#8217;s Path to the Cup</strong></p>
<p>Nashville entered the Western Conference playoffs as the #8 seed, but the Predators have been dominant in the postseason. The Predators whipped the top-seeded Blackhawks 4-games-to-0 in round one before defeating St. Louis, 4-2. And despite suffering some key injuries in the conference finals, Nashville eliminated Anaheim, 4-games-to-2.</p>
<p>The Predators will not be healthy for the Stanley Cup Finals though. Ryan Johansen, who tied for the team&#8217;s scoring lead during the regular season, will miss the Stanley Cup Finals with a thigh injury suffered in Game 4 against Anaheim. The injury required emergency surgery after Johansen finished the game, as the seriousness of the injury was unknown when it occurred.</p>
<p>While Nashville&#8217;s injuries are mounting, Pittsburgh will actually see a couple of key players return from injury just in time for the Stanley Cup Finals. Patric Hornqvist and Justin Schultz have returned to the Penguins lineup after missing several playoff games each. In his first game back, Schultz even had a goal in the Game 7 win against Ottawa.</p>
<p>Filip Forsberg has eight goals and 15 points to lead Nashville in the playoffs. Colton Sissons had a hat trick in the clinching game against Anaheim, giving him five goals in the playoffs. Goaltender Pekka Rinne has been brilliant in the playoffs for the Predators, posting a 12-4 record, while allowing only 1.70 goals per game with a 0.941 save percentage.</p>
<h2>Info for the Best Penguins Fans</h2>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28648" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Pittsburgh-Penguins-Stanley-Cup.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Pittsburgh Penguins Stanley Cup" width="800" height="498" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Pittsburgh-Penguins-Stanley-Cup.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Pittsburgh-Penguins-Stanley-Cup-300x187.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Pittsburgh-Penguins-Stanley-Cup-768x478.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>Pittsburgh&#8217;s explosive offense &#8212; led by Crosby &#8212; is a huge problem for most opposing goaltenders. Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel, and Crosby all have at least 19 points (assists plus goals) in the playoffs, and all three players have at least seven goals. It&#8217;s tough to defend a three-headed monster like the Penguins offense has.</p>
<p>Pittsburgh has won four Stanley Cups, including in 1991, 1992, 2009, and 2016. The Penguins franchise has been blessed over the past four decades with having two of the NHL&#8217;s greatest all-time players in Crosby and Mario Lemieux.</p>
<p>Since 1990, only two franchises have won back to back Stanley Cups: Pittsburgh in 1991 and 1992 and Detroit in 1997 and 1998. The Penguins can break the NHL&#8217;s 19-year drought of back to back Cup winners by defeating Nashville.</p>
<p><strong>Five Fun Facts About the Penguins</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>The Penguins are playing in their seventh Stanley Cup final in the franchise&#8217;s 50th anniversary season.</li>
<li>Rookie Jake Guentzel &#8212; just 14 months removed from playing college hockey with Nebraska-Omaha &#8212; is tied for the NHL lead in playoff goals this season with nine.</li>
<li>The last NHL goaltender to play without wearing a mask was Pittsburgh&#8217;s Andy Brown in 1973.</li>
<li>The Penguins black and gold primary colors match that of Pittsburgh&#8217;s other major professional teams, the Steelers of the NFL and the Pirates of MLB. The Penguins original colors were blue and white until 1980.</li>
<li>Lemieux scored on his first NHL shift and first NHL shot with the Penguins.</li>
</ul>
<h2>What the Best Penguins Fan Should Wear</h2>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28754" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Vintage-Lemieux-jersey.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Vintage Lemieux jersey" width="800" height="571" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Vintage-Lemieux-jersey.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Vintage-Lemieux-jersey-300x214.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Vintage-Lemieux-jersey-768x548.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>If you want to look like a lifelong Penguins fan, you&#8217;d be expected to have a vintage Mario Lemieux replica jersey hanging in your closet.</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><span class="button red"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pittsburgh-Penguins-Lemieux-Classic-Vintage/dp/B00FMUWHO0/ref=bensbargaicenter" >Check Price on Amazon</a></span></p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28755" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Vintage-Penguins-logo.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Vintage Penguins logo" width="800" height="406" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Vintage-Penguins-logo.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Vintage-Penguins-logo-300x152.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Vintage-Penguins-logo-768x390.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>If you want to try to convince people you were a fan of the Penguins even before Lemieux played, try wearing this vintage logo Penguins t-shirt. (Notice the subtle change to the Penguins mascot from this logo to the current logo &#8230; another good way to show off how knowledgeable you are about the Penguins.)</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><span class="button red"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pittsburgh-Penguins-Throwback-Vintage-Shirt/dp/B004FHGD2I/ref=bensbargaicenter" >Check Price on Amazon</a></span></p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28758" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Crosby-bobblehead.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Crosby bobblehead" width="800" height="519" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Crosby-bobblehead.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Crosby-bobblehead-300x195.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Crosby-bobblehead-768x498.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>Only a true Penguins fan would own a bobblehead doll of Crosby skating with the Cup. And it&#8217;ll go great with your vintage Lemieux replica jersey.</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><span class="button red"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Pittsburgh-Penguins-Stanley-Champions-Bobblehead/dp/B01M2VLIWZ/ref=bensbargaicenter" >Check Price on Amazon</a></span></p>
<h2>Info for the Best Predators Fans</h2>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28649" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Nashville-Predators-Stanley-Cup.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Nashville Predators Stanley Cup" width="800" height="410" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Nashville-Predators-Stanley-Cup.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Nashville-Predators-Stanley-Cup-300x154.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Nashville-Predators-Stanley-Cup-768x394.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>Nashville and ice hockey might not seem like a natural match, but don&#8217;t tell Predators fans. During this incredible and unexpected playoff run, they&#8217;ve quickly made Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville one of the loudest arenas in the entire NHL.</p>
<p>And if you&#8217;re still having trouble thinking about successful hockey below the Mason-Dixon line, consider this: Teams in Tampa, Los Angeles, Raleigh, and Anaheim have won Stanley Cups in the past decade or so. You don&#8217;t have to be a city that sees snow regularly to appreciate the NHL &#8230; or to hoist the Cup.</p>
<p><strong>Five Fun Facts About the Predators</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>The Predators had won only three playoff series in their previous 17 seasons before winning three series this season to reach the Stanley Cup Final.</li>
<li>Other nicknames considered for Nashville&#8217;s expansion franchise in 1998 included Ice Tigers and Fury.</li>
<li>The team considered moving to Hamilton, Ontario, or Kansas City in 2007, but a local group stepped up and bought the team.</li>
<li>Fans sometimes celebrate a goal at Bridgestone Arena by throwing a catfish on the ice.</li>
<li>The Predators were almost the Devils &#8212; Nashville nearly persuaded the New Jersey Devils to relocate to Nashville in 1996 before being granted an NHL expansion franchise.</li>
</ul>
<h2>What the Best Predators Fan Should Wear</h2>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28716" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Nashville-western-conference-champions.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Nashville western conference champions" width="800" height="556" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Nashville-western-conference-champions.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Nashville-western-conference-champions-300x209.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Nashville-western-conference-champions-768x534.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />There have been a lot of firsts for Nashville this season. To reach the franchise&#8217;s first Stanley Cup final, the Predators had to win the Western Conference Final. So this t-shirt will be a great piece of memorabilia well into the future. And you&#8217;ll fit right in with the &#8220;Sea of Yellow&#8221; at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville.</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><span class="button red"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nashville-Predators-Western-Conference-T-shirt/dp/B0725QHMNG/ref=bensbargaicenter" >Check Price on Amazon</a></span></p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28717" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/best-Nashville-hoodie.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="best Nashville hoodie" width="800" height="589" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/best-Nashville-hoodie.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/best-Nashville-hoodie-300x221.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/best-Nashville-hoodie-768x565.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>Sure, the weather in June might be too warm to wear your Predators hoodie. But we&#8217;re trying to convince people that you&#8217;ve been a fan for a while. So you purchased this hoodie a few winters ago (wink, wink). Plus it&#8217;s cold inside the arena, what with the ice and all.</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><span class="button red"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nashville-Predators-Jersey-Pullover-X-Large/dp/B01L5YBVLG/ref=bensbargaicenter" >Check Price on Amazon</a></span></p>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28718" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Nashville-Predators-tailgating-table.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Nashville Predators tailgating table" width="800" height="444" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Nashville-Predators-tailgating-table.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Nashville-Predators-tailgating-table-300x167.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Nashville-Predators-tailgating-table-768x426.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>One of the great things about May and June hockey is that it&#8217;s warm enough to tailgate outdoors. This ice hockey rink replica, 8-foot folding table is perfect for tailgating for long-time Predators fans like yourself. (We&#8217;d suggest spilling a little barbecue sauce near one of the blue lines to make it seem as though the table has been used numerous times previously.)</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><span class="button red"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Nashville-Predators-Portable-Folding-Tailgate/dp/B01NCM7AO8/ref=bensbargaicenter" >Check Price on Amazon</a></span></p>
<h2>Pittsburgh Vs. Nashville History</h2>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28647" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/history-of-the-stanley-cup.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="history of the stanley cup" width="800" height="514" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/history-of-the-stanley-cup.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/history-of-the-stanley-cup-300x193.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/history-of-the-stanley-cup-768x493.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>Nashville and Pittsburgh split their two meetings this season. The Predators won 5-1 at home in October and the Penguins won at home in January, 4-2. This will be the first time the Predators and Penguins have met in the NHL playoffs.</p>
<h2>NHL Finals Schedule</h2>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-28646" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Stanley-Cup-Playoffs-guide.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="Stanley Cup Playoffs guide" width="800" height="450" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Stanley-Cup-Playoffs-guide.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Stanley-Cup-Playoffs-guide-300x169.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Stanley-Cup-Playoffs-guide-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />Thanks to our Stanley Cup Finals guide, now you&#8217;re ready to watch the NHL championship series. Here&#8217;s the TV schedule for the best-of seven game series. (In other words, the first team to win four games is NHL champion.)</p>
<ul>
<li><strong>Game 1 &#8211; Monday, May 29 &#8211; </strong>Nashville at Pittsburgh, NBC, 8 p.m.</li>
<li><strong>Game 2 &#8211; Wednesday, May 31 &#8211; </strong>Nashville at Pittsburgh, NBCSN, 8 p.m.</li>
<li><strong>Game 3 &#8211; Saturday, June 3 &#8211; </strong>Pittsburgh at Nashville, NBCSN, 8 p.m.</li>
<li><strong>Game 4 &#8211; Monday, June 5 &#8211; </strong>Pittsburgh at Nashville, NBC, 8 p.m.</li>
<li><strong>Game 5* &#8211; Thursday, June 8 &#8211; </strong>Nashville at Pittsburgh, NBC, 8 p.m.</li>
<li><strong>Game 6* &#8211; Sunday, June 11 &#8211; </strong>Pittsburgh at Nashville, NBC, 8 p.m.</li>
<li><strong>Game 7* &#8211; Wednesday, June 14 &#8211; </strong>Nashville at Pittsburgh, NBC, 8 p.m.</li>
</ul>
<h6>* if necessary</h6>
<h6>(all game times Eastern)</h6>
<p><a href="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/guides/stanley-cup-finals-guide-make-it-seem-like-youve-been-the-best-penguins-fan-or-best-predators-fan-all-along/">Stanley Cup Finals Guide &#8211; Make It Seem Like You&#8217;ve Been the Best Penguins Fan or Best Predators Fan All Along</a></p>
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		<title>Want Office Bragging Rights? Try Our NCAA Tournament Bracket Analytics</title>
		<link>https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/features/want-office-bragging-rights-try-our-ncaa-tournament-bracket-analytics/</link>
		<comments>https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/features/want-office-bragging-rights-try-our-ncaa-tournament-bracket-analytics/#respond</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Mar 2017 17:00:56 +0000</pubDate>
                <tcinfo:postPublishDate>2017-03-03 09:00:56</tcinfo:postPublishDate>
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		<dc:creator>Kyle Schurman</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[basketball]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[college basketball pool]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ncaa bracket]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ncaa pool]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ncaa tournament]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[splendiferous]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sports]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sports betting]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/?p=27523</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/author/kschurman/">Kyle Schurman</a></p>
<p>If you&#8217;re like most people, you&#8217;re about to participate in one of the most frustrating exercises known to Americans: Filling out an NCAA Tournament bracket. And whether the typical winner of your office pool is the person who knows every team and player intimately or the person who picks teams with the best mascots, it&#8217;s [&#8230;]</p>
<p><a href="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/features/want-office-bragging-rights-try-our-ncaa-tournament-bracket-analytics/">Want Office Bragging Rights? Try Our NCAA Tournament Bracket Analytics</a></p>
]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/author/kschurman/">Kyle Schurman</a></p>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;" class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons" ></div><p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-27527" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/NCAA-Tournament-pool-analytics.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="NCAA Tournament pool analytics" width="800" height="534" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/NCAA-Tournament-pool-analytics.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/NCAA-Tournament-pool-analytics-300x200.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/NCAA-Tournament-pool-analytics-768x513.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>If you&#8217;re like most people, you&#8217;re about to participate in one of the most frustrating exercises known to Americans: Filling out an NCAA Tournament bracket. And whether the typical winner of your office pool is the person who knows every team and player intimately or the person who picks teams with the best mascots, it&#8217;s frustrating to lose to either one of them every year. So if you&#8217;re like most people and you don&#8217;t follow college basketball enough to make well-reasoned choices, try our 12 NCAA Tournament bracket analytics tips to help you have a better chance. We&#8217;re confident you&#8217;ll at least beat the guy who lets his dog make his picks.</p>
<div class="blue-box"><div class="blue-box-content">Full disclosure: I love the NCAA Tournament. My favorite team doesn&#8217;t make it often &#8212; and this season is no different &#8212; but I still love it. In high school, a friend and I called each other in sick, posing as each other&#8217;s fathers, to be able to watch the games. (Hopefully my old high school principal doesn&#8217;t read this, because I think he had some suspicions.) But even if you love college basketball, you&#8217;re sure to be surprised by some of the numbers listed here.</p>
<p>I studied the past 10 NCAA Tournament brackets, finding some of the trends that can help you fill out your bracket without worrying about the teams. Just focus on the seeds, the conferences, and where the games are played. And remember that the numbers provided are averages over the past decade. Pick any single NCAA Tournament in our time frame, and it&#8217;ll have exceptions to the averages listed here. These trends aren&#8217;t hard and fast rules, but more like guides. So just use these trends and numbers as a tool to help you figure out if you&#8217;re picking too many upsets &#8230; or too few.</div></div>
<h2>1. Pick the #1 Seeds in First Two Rounds</h2>
<p>Might as well get the gimme out of the way first. In the 10 NCAA Tournaments we studied (2007-2016), the #1 seed defeated the #16 seed in the first round every time, going 40-0. In fact, since the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 or more teams, the #1 seed is 128-0 against the #16 seed.</p>
<p>You won&#8217;t have a surer thing in your bracket than picking the #1 seed over the #16 seed. (Then again, if you would consider betting on the Washington Generals against the Harlem Globetrotters because &#8220;Washington is due,&#8221; that #16 seed may be really tempting for you.)</p>
<p>Additionally, the #1 seed does really well in the second round, winning at a 90% clip (36-4). And when the #1 seed is a power conference team (more on them later), the winning percentage in the second round increases to 94.6% over the past 10 years. So you can feel pretty comfortable taking that #1 seed through to the Sweet 16.</p>
<h2>2. Pick the #2 Seeds Too</h2>
<p>The #2 seed has a 90% winning mark in the first round, posting a 36-4 record against the #15 seed. All time, the #2 seed is 120-8 against the #15 seed (93.8%). Everyone loves to pick upsets in their brackets, but don&#8217;t do it here.</p>
<p>Now if you want to take an upset for the #2 seed, you may be able to find one in the second round. The #2 seed is 26-10 in the second round over the past 10 NCAA Tournaments for a 72.2% winning clip. On average, that says one #2 seed won&#8217;t make the Sweet 16. The trick is finding the right one.</p>
<h2>3. Home State Teams Win a Lot</h2>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-27528" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/NCAA-Tournament-bracket-analytics.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="NCAA Tournament bracket analytics" width="800" height="450" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/NCAA-Tournament-bracket-analytics.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/NCAA-Tournament-bracket-analytics-300x169.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/NCAA-Tournament-bracket-analytics-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>NCAA Tournament rules prohibit teams from playing on their home floor for the tournament, but sometimes teams are placed into sites that are in their home states. These teams often win, and it doesn&#8217;t seem to matter if they&#8217;re high seeds, low seeds, power conference teams, or non-power conference teams. They all win at a high clip.</p>
<p>Teams playing somewhere in their home states at any point in the tournament have a record of 69-12 in the past 10 NCAA Tournaments. That&#8217;s an 85.2 winning percentage, making it one of the surest things in the bracket.</p>
<p>This does make some sense, as the NCAA Tournament selection committee often rewards the highest seeded teams by allowing them play as close to home as possible, so the best teams in the tournament often are the ones playing in their home states.</p>
<h2>4. Pick High Seeded Power Conference Teams</h2>
<p>In the first round, when a power conference team is seeded #1 through #4 and is playing a non-power conference team, the power team wins at an 88.4% clip, going 129-17 in the 10 years studied.</p>
<div class="blue-box"><div class="blue-box-content">Power conference teams are considered those from the <a href="https://www.bigten.org/library/stats/mbb-confsked.html">Big Ten</a>, <a href="https://www.big12sports.com/standings/Standings.dbml">Big XII</a>, <a href="https://www.secsports.com/standings/mens-basketball">SEC</a>, <a href="https://www.theacc.com/standings/#!/m-baskbl/2016">ACC</a>, <a href="https://pac-12.com/mens-basketball/standings">Pac-12</a>, and <a href="https://www.bigeast.com/standings.aspx?standings=2">Big East</a>. Click the links to see which teams are in each league, in case you don&#8217;t know.</p>
<p>And understand that the membership rosters of these conferences have changed quite a bit in the past several years, complicating our research. Some teams, such as Butler, have gone from being a non-power conference team to joining the Big East, for example, during the research period.</div></div>
<h2>5. When to Pick Non-Power Conference Teams</h2>
<p>Sticking with the first round, when a power conference team is seeded #5 through #12 and is playing a non-power conference team, it&#8217;s basically a coin toss situation. The power conference teams only win at a 52.9% clip in this situation (45-40). So if you want to pick some upsets, here&#8217;s a good place to try. After all, it&#8217;s the little school knocking off the big boys that makes the NCAA Tournament so great.</p>
<h2>6. Power Conference Teams Win More As They Advance</h2>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-27529" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/College-basketball-pool-analytics.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="College basketball pool analytics" width="800" height="600" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/College-basketball-pool-analytics.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/College-basketball-pool-analytics-300x225.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/College-basketball-pool-analytics-768x576.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>Once you get past the first round, the power conference teams dominate non-power conference teams. From the second round through the NCAA Championship Game, when a power conference team plays a non-power conference team, the power conference team wins at a 72.6% clip (77-29). That&#8217;s nearly three out of every four times. So when you have these matchups on your bracket as the tournament advances, stick with the power conference team most of the time.</p>
<h2>7. The Magic 5/12 Games &#8230; and 6/11 Games</h2>
<p>If you watch the NCAA Tournament enough, you&#8217;ll hear plenty about how &#8220;a #12 seed always beats a #5 seed&#8221; from commentators. And they&#8217;re basically right. In eight of the last nine NCAA Tournaments, at least one #12 seed has upset a #5 seed in the first round. In the past 10 tournaments, the #5 seed won only 55% of the time in the first round against a #12 seed.</p>
<p>But the #11 seed does even better in the first round against the #6 seed. The #6 seed wins only 52.5% of the time in that matchup. In each of the 10 NCAA Tournaments we&#8217;ve studied, at least one #11 seed defeated a #6 seed.</p>
<p>So both the 5/12 and 6/11 seed games in the first round are essentially coin flip games. Pick a few upsets here &#8230; and hope that you picked the right ones.</p>
<p>And when you really think about it, it makes sense. The #11 and #12 seeds often are among the best non-power conference teams. These teams may not have the strength of schedule of power conference teams, so they don&#8217;t receive a favorable seed. But just because they play in a weaker conference, that doesn&#8217;t mean they wouldn&#8217;t have done well against tougher schedules.</p>
<p>And if you end up with a power conference team at the #11 and #12 seed lines, these often are teams that had to play really well against a tough schedule down the stretch to gain one of the last at-large bids to the NCAA Tournament, and they&#8217;re able to maintain that high level of intense play through the first round of the NCAAs.</p>
<h2>8. More Coin Flip Matchups</h2>
<p>Not surprisingly, when teams play in any round where the two seeds are consecutive &#8212; #8 versus #9, #4 versus #5, #2 versus #3, et cetera &#8212; the games are basically a coin flip, no matter in which round they are played. So don&#8217;t fall in the trap of just picking the higher seed every time you have one of these games. In these types of games over the past decade, the better seed wins 53.9% of the time (55-47).</p>
<h2>9. #1 Seed Vs. #2 Seed</h2>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-27530" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/College-basketball-bracket-analytics.png" loading="lazy" alt="College basketball bracket analytics" width="800" height="514" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/College-basketball-bracket-analytics.png 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/College-basketball-bracket-analytics-300x193.png 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/College-basketball-bracket-analytics-768x493.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>The only time a #1 seed can meet a #2 seed in a region is in the regional final. In the 10 NCAA Tournaments we studied, it happened 15 times out of the possible 40 (37.5% of the time). So if your bracket has more than two #1 versus #2 matchups in the regional finals, you may want to rethink it.</p>
<p>And perhaps more surprisingly, in those 15 games between #1 and #2, the #1 seed only won six times (40%).</p>
<h2>10. Final Four Picks</h2>
<p>People who win their NCAA pools do a great job of picking the Final Four teams. It&#8217;s easier said than done to find the right mix though, meaning many people just go with primarily #1 seeds.</p>
<p>But in five of the past seven NCAA Tournaments, only one of the four #1 seeds has made the Final Four. And in another one, zero #1 seeds made it. So if you&#8217;re picking all #1 seeds in the Final Four, you&#8217;re probably in trouble.</p>
<p>Now that doesn&#8217;t mean you want to pick a bunch of double-digit seeded non-power conference schools to make the Final Four either. Of the 10 NCAA Tournaments we studied, only nine teams seeded #5 or worse made the Final Four (out of 40 total spots). So that&#8217;s about one per year. The other 31 Final Four participants were seeded #1 through #4, roughly three per year. Of those 31, 16 were #1 seeds.</p>
<p>So it&#8217;s not out of line to have one surprising team (#5 seed or worse) in your Final Four, one or two #1 seeds, and one or two teams seeded #2 through #4. That would pretty closely match the average in the past 10 NCAA Tournaments.</p>
<h2>11. Seeds Still Matter at the Final Four</h2>
<p>If you compare the regional seeding of the teams playing in the Final Four, the team with the better regional seed won 16 of 20 games in the Final Four over the past 10 seasons, or 80%. (In the other 10 Final Four games during our studied time frame, the two teams playing had identical regional seeds.) So if you have the #2 seed in the West playing the #4 seed from the South in your Final Four bracket, the better seed has been winning that matchup at an 80% clip.</p>
<h2>12. The First Four Winners</h2>
<p><img decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-27531" src="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/NCAA-Tournament-bracket-pool-analytics.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="NCAA Tournament bracket pool analytics" width="800" height="400" srcset="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/NCAA-Tournament-bracket-pool-analytics.jpg 800w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/NCAA-Tournament-bracket-pool-analytics-300x150.jpg 300w, https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/NCAA-Tournament-bracket-pool-analytics-768x384.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p>
<p>The NCAA expanded from 65 to 68 teams in the 2011 tournament, meaning eight teams play in four games called the First Four in Dayton, Ohio. Two of the games feature the four lowest seeded teams that received automatic bids, all of which have been seeded #16 in their regions. Two of the games feature the last four teams that received at-large bids, and these teams have been seeded anywhere from #11 to #14 in the region. The four winners of the First Four games then advance to the first round. (Most NCAA Tournament bracket pools don&#8217;t ask you to pick the First Four games.)</p>
<p>Of the teams that won the First Four games that received automatic bids, they went 0-12 in the first round games. Of course, those teams were all seeded #16, so them being winless really isn&#8217;t surprising, as they&#8217;re always matched up with a #1 seed in the first round.</p>
<p>However, of the 12 teams that received at-large bids that won their First Four games, six of them have gone on to win their first round games, despite being underdogs as double-digit seeds. And three of those six went on to reach the Sweet 16 (#11 seed Tennessee in 2014, #13 seed LaSalle in 2013, and #11 seed VCU in 2011). This means 25% of the at-large bid First Four winners have advanced to the Sweet 16 as double-digit seeds. VCU in 2011 even made the Final Four. So if you&#8217;re looking to pick a surprise team, keep an eye on the First Four games.</p>
<div class="blue-box"><div class="blue-box-content"></p>
<h2>Too Tough To Call: The Gonzaga Effect</h2>
<p>One of the toughest teams for people to pick in their 2017 NCAA Tournament pools will be Gonzaga. The small Pacific Northwest school may be a #1 seed, which is a rare occurrence for a non-power conference school. So how have these teams fared as #1 seeds in the past?</p>
<ul>
<li>2014: Wichita State was a #1 seed with a 34-0 record. The Shockers lost in the second round to Kentucky, 78-76.</li>
<li>2013: Gonzaga was a #1 seed with a 31-2 record. The Bulldogs lost in the second round to Wichita State, 76-70.</li>
<li>2008: Memphis was a #1 seed with a 33-1 record. The Tigers reached the NCAA Championship Game before losing in overtime to Kansas, 75-68.</li>
</ul>
<p>So two of the three non-power conference #1 seeds in the past 10 seasons didn&#8217;t even reach the Sweet 16. But Kentucky in 2014 and Wichita State in 2013 continued pulling upsets and reached the Final Four, so neither team was a slouch. The statistical pool for non-power conference #1 seeds is just too small to gain a good feel for how Gonzaga may perform in 2017. So if you want to ask your dog to help you with picking Gonzaga&#8217;s games, I&#8217;d say go for it. (Just don&#8217;t be surprised if your dog favors the Bulldogs; he has to stick with his home team after all.)</div></div>
<p><a href="https://bensbargains.com/thecheckout/features/want-office-bragging-rights-try-our-ncaa-tournament-bracket-analytics/">Want Office Bragging Rights? Try Our NCAA Tournament Bracket Analytics</a></p>
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