Your Thursday Kickoff: Will Higher Seeds Prevail in Championship Round?

Plenty of Upsets in NBA, NHL Playoffs

After the first two rounds of the 2023 NBA and NHL playoffs, there have been plenty of upsets, with higher seeds struggling to advance. In the NBA, the No. 1 seed Milwaukee Bucks were eliminated in the second round by the No. 7 seed Brooklyn Nets, and the No. 2 seed Phoenix Suns were eliminated in the first round by the No. 10 seed New Orleans Pelicans. In the NHL, the No. 1 seed Boston Bruins were eliminated in the first round by the No. 8 seed Carolina Hurricanes, and the No. 2 seed Toronto Maple Leafs were eliminated in the first round by the No. 7 seed Montreal Canadiens.

No. 1 Seeds Face Tough Test in Game 3

In the NBA, the No. 1 seed Miami Heat and the No. 1 seed Denver Nuggets both face tough tests in Game 3 of their respective series. The Heat are tied 1-1 with the No. 4 seed Philadelphia 76ers, and the Nuggets are down 2-0 to the No. 6 seed Golden State Warriors. In the NHL, the No. 1 seed Colorado Avalanche are tied 1-1 with the No. 8 seed St. Louis Blues, and the No. 1 seed Florida Panthers are down 2-1 to the No. 8 seed Washington Capitals.

Higher Seeds Have Historically Advanced

Historically, higher seeds have had a significant advantage in the NBA and NHL playoffs. In the NBA, the No. 1 seed has won the championship 22 times, the No. 2 seed has won 13 times, the No. 3 seed has won 7 times, and the No. 4 seed has won 5 times. In the NHL, the No. 1 seed has won the Stanley Cup 24 times, the No. 2 seed has won 16 times, the No. 3 seed has won 10 times, and the No. 4 seed has won 8 times.

Can the Lower Seeds Continue to Upset?

It remains to be seen whether the lower seeds can continue to upset the higher seeds in the 2023 NBA and NHL playoffs. However, the first two rounds have shown that anything is possible, and that the higher seeds will need to be at their best to avoid being eliminated.