The Celtics are the best in the NBA 2022-23 tournament so far after 41 games with a strong 29-12 record. But, when will the midway champions go on to win that year’s title?
Well, it turns out to be less common than expected. Over the past decade, only 5 teams have had a better halftime record and advanced through the rest of the regular season, playoffs, and playoffs to win the championship.
Will this be 2023 for the Celtics? Well, I have to admit, 29-12 is a good record but really, we’ve all seen the bold stats halfway through, like the Milwaukee Bucks’ 35-6 record in January 2020. And I remember you. People who didn’t even win the Bucks that season!
Over the years, medieval statistical analysis has taught us sports fans a great lesson. For example, they are only the second team in the last decade to set a halfway record by winning the tournament four times. So, nugget, wake up! This might just be your lucky year.
Let’s have a blast from the past and revisit each half-season winner and NBA champion from the past decade:
2013: Miami won even though they weren’t better at halftime
Surprisingly, performance-wise that 2012-13 streak seems destined for Oklahoma City. The Thunder had the best record at the halfway point (32-9) and finished with a 60-22 record after 82 games. The problem was… LeBron James. The Heat rebounded in the regular season to finish first with a 66-16 record. The Miami Heat beat the Spurs 4-3 in the last series to win their second straight title.
2014: Pacers were dominant midway through the season, but Spurs took home the title.
Once again, a team that was strong midway through the season didn’t even make it to the finals. The Indiana Pacers had a 33-8 track record in January 2014, but it was Miami who would eventually win the Eastern Conference. In the West, San Antonio was waiting for a chance to get revenge on the Heat, and in the final series, 4-1, they found their undeniable opportunity to win their fifth NBA Championship.
2015: Warriors were great all year.
Finally, for the first time in this countdown, the Golden State Warriors proved they could be dominant from start to finish. The Warriors showed their strength with a 35-6 record, even with a 33-9 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. The Bay Area team started a great rivalry with the Cavs that year, until the final minute when the Warriors won 4-2. For the first time, Stephen Curry will be the MVP of the league.
2016: No team can compete with the Cavaliers.
2016 was a year to remember for Cleveland. They were better (30-11) halfway through the regular season. They crossed paths with the Warriors for another classic matchup in the finals. Only this time it’s back for the Cavs on a seven-game winning streak in Golden State. Although LeBron James was named the Finals MVP, Steph Curry was awarded the MVP award for the second time in a row.
2017: Golden Year of the Golden State
It might be one of the best displays of basketball we’ve seen in decades. Golden State’s 2017 was almost flawless. They were 35-6 in January and tied for first place at the end of the regular season with 67 wins in 82 games. They have won every series they have faced in the Western Conference playoffs by an impressive 4-0. They faced the Cavaliers again in the finals, but this time won the series 4-1. This year’s MVP was an impressive 31.6 points per game for Russell Westbrook.
2018: Anyone against the Warriors?
Seriously, is anyone against the Warriors? That year, the Rockets took over. At halftime, Golden State had the best record (33-8), as expected, but after 82 games, Houston swept the league and defeated the Warriors at the top of the West. In their conference finals, the Rockets came close to defeating the Bay Area team in seven straight games. In the end, Curry’s team would win and still meet LeBron James in the finals and announce himself as the winner with four consecutive victories.
2019: Toronto was the last team to win by half and all the way.
So when the Cavs vs Warriors rivalry finally ended, other franchises began to blossom and dominate the spotlight after years of golden dominance. 2019 was the year of the raptor and it was well deserved. In Week 13 of the tournament, Toronto is in first place with a 29-12 record, with only Denver trailing at 28-13. In the Finals, it was Golden State’s nightmare again, except Kawhi Leonard had nothing to say about it. The Raptors beat the Warriors 4-3 to become the first Canadian team to win an NBA title. Below you can watch this moment you will never forget as Toronto won the championship on the loudspeaker.
2020: The Lakers beat the Bucks’ incredible half-distance record to the title
Yes, this is when the fantasy of a halfway championship seems elusive. It was January 2020 and Milwaukee was convinced it would be their year to win the championship. At the halfway mark, they were tied for first in the East with 35 wins. The Lakers had other plans. After signing LeBron James that year, anything could happen. The Lakers were second best midway through the season and slowly improved throughout the tournament. King James’ side will face the heat of the old team and show them who’s boss. LeBron would be the finals MVP and the Lakers would finally win their first NBA title since 2010.
2021: Bucks get revenge after Utah’s great season
Well, if not 2020 it should have been 2021 for Milwaukee. This time, it was the other way around. The Jazz were in first place at both midseason (30-11) and the end of the regular season (52-20). The Bucks also had a good season, but were always in Utah’s shadow. Incredibly, the Jazz lose a game against the Conference Clippers, and Milwaukee goes all the way to the Finals. Wisconsin’s team played its last series against the Phoenix Suns and won 4-2, thanks to big performances from Giannis Antetokounmpo all year.
2022: GSW takes over Phoenix favorites
Finally, up to the championship winners. Just a year ago, Phoenix was almost certain to win the championship, especially after losing to the Bucks in the finals. The Suns won 32 times in 41 games, and later compiled a 64-18 record by the end of the regular season. Golden State didn’t do too badly, but managed to finish third in the West (53-29) behind Memphis and Phoenix. Arizona’s side is finally rolling through the conference playoffs and the Warriors have grown favorites in the latter stages. On June 16, 2022, the California team defeated the Boston Celtics to win the NBA championship with the inspiration of Steph Curry.
