Home court advantage myths

By Lefteris Moutis/ moutis@eurohoops.net

A little before the start of the Euroleague playoffs, Eurohoops.net triesd to find out what happens since 2008-09 when the series changed to 2-2-1 from 1-1-1. How powerful is home advantage and how tough is to start any team with 2-0?

• Only six teams with home advantage among the 16 series defended their home and won both of the first two games. Olympiacos and CSKA the seasons 2008-09 and 2009-10 and Barcelona and CSKA last season.
• Panathinaikos is the only team that has won two games in a row on road. Siena won in OAKA in the season 2008-09, but the Greens won the third and fourth game. No team has started any series with 0-2.

ADDITION: Barcelona did the same thing (two wins on road) against Real Madrid one year later.

• Half of the teams that broke the home advantage in one of the first two games, qualified: Partizan in the season 2008-09, Panathinaikos, Maccabi and Siena two years ago and Olympiacos last season. The two last champions had home disadvantage.
• In twelve of the sixteen series, one of the two opponents won two games in row during two days. All of them qualified in the Final Four. So, whoever can stay fully focused for 48 hours goes to the final four.
• Five teams in total have qualified in the final four without home advantage. So, the law of the home advantage is confirmed by 69%

The history of the playoffs series shows a lot, but it’s also very interesting to watch this season’s records at home and on road. In the quarterfinals there are teams that play better in front of their fans, teams that aren’t affected by the court and… Olympiacos.

The champions are the only team that has in total in the Euroleague more wins on the road than in SEF! Four teams (CSKA, Barcelona, Maccabi and Caja Laboral) have the same results at home and on road.