These Conference Finals Have Shown that Rest Equals Rust

For the most part, both the NBA and NHL Conference Finals have been a major disappointment. It’s quite possible that none of these four series will last more than five games, and a majority of these games have either been lopsided or lackluster. For instance, every game in the Flyers-Canadiens series has been decided by at least three goals. A common factor in these conference finals is that the team with more rest entering the series has been on the losing end of these conference finals.

First, in the NHL, the San Jose Sharks, after dethroning the Detroit Red Wings in five games, had a whopping eight-day gap between the conclusion of the conference semifinals and the start of the conference finals. By the end of the Red Wings series, the Sharks were clicking on all cylinders, as the top two lines of forwards were at the top of their games. In particular, Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau, who both struggled in the first round, amassed a combined 12 points in the conference semifinals.

However, all the momentum gained from the Detroit series was immediately lost in the conference finals, in which the Chicago Blackhawks swept the Sharks in four games. The Sharks clearly lagged behind the Blackhawks all series, as Chicago had the edge in puck possession in every game of the series. The Sharks were also often a step in slow in reacting to the puck, something they excelled at in the Detroit series. Clearly, the long rest period negatively affected the Sharks, as they could not carry over their momentum into the conference finals.

The Eastern Conference Finals was no different, as the Montreal Canadiens, who had two more days of rest than the Philadelphia Flyers, looked completely flat in the first two games of the conference finals. In fact, the Flyers shut out the Canadiens by a combined score of 9-0 in the opening two games, including a 6-0 romp in the opening game. Montreal goaltender Miroslav Halak, who played exceptionally in the first rounds against Washington and Pittsburgh, has not looked the same in this series, while the Canadiens offense as a whole has disappeared, getting shut out in three of the first four games of the series. Like San Jose, Montreal has been negatively affected by the long rest, as they have not maintained the same level of play that they showed in their first two series.

Similarly, both the conference finals series in the NBA have been equally as lopsided, especially in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Orlando Magic, who absolutely dominated their two first round series by sweeping both Charlotte and Atlanta, have been annihilated by the Boston Celtics in the conference finals, losing the first three games of the series. Entering the series, the Magic had seven days of rest, while the Celtics only had two days after struggling to defeat Cleveland. The long layoff caused the Magic to lose their edge in this series, as the Celtics have led for all but four minutes against the Magic. In addition, Dwight Howard, Vince Carter, and Rashard Lewis, the three marquee players for Orlando, have averaged a combined 20 points fewer than what they accumulated in the Atlanta series. Additionally, Orlando’s overall intensity and execution haven’t been the same against Boston, as they have recorded more turnovers than assists in the conference finals.

Along the same lines, the Phoenix Suns looked shaky in the first two games of the conference finals against the Lakers. After having eight days off between games, the Suns looked out of sync in the opening two games against the Lakers, allowing an astonishing 126 points per game and shooting under 31% from three-point range. The trio of Steve Nash, Channing Frye, and Amare Stoudemire particularly saw their production dip in the first two games, as they averaged a combined 17 points fewer than what they recorded in the conference semifinals. It took the Suns until the third game of the series for them to finally play like their normal selves.

It’s no accident to why the Suns, Magic, Flyers, and Sharks all struggled with longer rest. In the regular season, these teams play on a consistent basis, with no more than two or three days off at a particular time. With more game action, playoff teams build a stronger rapport and establish an identity. Extensive time between series destroys the momentum and everything a team has built during a period of time, since teams have never been accustomed to taking this much time off. It is very difficult for a team to regain its swagger after not playing for a period of time, especially in the playoffs where teams battle hard on a regular basis. For teams like the Suns who play at a faster pace, they need continuity to excel, since their offense revolves more on precision and rhythm. Overall, these playoffs have proven that the teams with more rest have shown rust, while teams that have played on a consistent basis have maintained their rhythm.