Who says that home court advantages are meaningless?
Sure, playoff basketball is where “it” absolutely hits the fan — where each game either shifts a team’s needle towards a collective couch party, or advancement into even more meaningful face-offs en route to the ever-coveted Larry O’Brien trophy.
But that doesn’t necessarily denounce the importance of the regular season.
The 82-game (72 this year) grind is the foundational groundwork for the plights to come in the playoffs, and has an undeniable impact on a team’s fairings throughout playoff competition.
For Phoenix, its rampant run through the regular season slate earned the team the West’s second seed in postseason competition, which of course accompanied the privilege to defend their home court to begin play.