NBA PLAYOFFS POOL

3D SCORING BREAKDOWN

Progressive Points For Each Round

in 2023, the Denver Nuggets marched through the NBA Playoffs en route to the NBA title. Not a single participant picked the Nuggets to go all the way, but if anyone had, (s)he would have accumulated 70 points (10 + 15 + 20 + 25) for Denver's four series victories.

Upset (Seed Differential) Bonus

Only underdogs (higher-seeded teams) can collect points in this category. In the 2023 NBA Playoffs, Miami was the Upset/Seed Differential Bonus king.:

ROUND 1: No. 8 Miami def. No. 1 Milwaukee

8 -1 = 7 SEED DIFFERENTIAL x 5 = 35 points

CONF. SEMIS: No. 8 Miami def. No, 5 NY Knicks

8-5 = 3 SEED DIFFERENTIAL x 7 = 21 points

CONF. FINALS: No. 8 Miami def. No. 2 Boston

8-2 = 6 SEED DIFFERENTIAL x 10 = 60 points

All told, the Heat bagged 116 Upset Bonus points -- and would have added 105 more (7 x 15) had they defeated top-seeded Denver in the Finals.

Series Length Bonus

In a long series, picking the winner is only half the fun. In the Meadow of Shame's NBA Playoffs Pool, you pick up even more bonus points for your accuracy in predicting the length of each series -- 4, 5, 6 or 7 games. The closer you are, the bigger the bonus -- and those bonuses increase with every round. If you miss by three games, however, no bonus for you.

3D SCORING EXAMPLE (FROM 2023 PLAYOFFS)

In the opening round, Joe picked the 6th-seeded Warriors to beat the 3rd-seeded Kings in 6 games. In actuality, Golden State won the series in 7 games.

Joe received:

10 points for calling the Dubs

An Upset Bonus of 15 points (5 points x the seed differential of 3 (6-3)

A Series Length Bonus of 4 points for being 1 game off

Joe's point total for the series: 29

Had Joe picked the Kings: 0 points, all-around.

ALSO: There are no Series Length Bonus Points for being 3 games off in your prediction. Nor are there any Upset Bonus points if the better-seeded team wins the series.

ONLY TWO ALIVE IN POOL AS NUGGETS-WOLVES ATTACK GAME 7

OFFICIAL SCOREBOARD (tHru 5/19 -1 of 2 games)

Highlighted (yellow) picks will earn Upset Bonus if team wins series.

2024 CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

2024 FIRST ROUND (COMPLETE)

3-DIMENSIONAL (3D) SCORING:

3D SCORING BREAKDOWN

Progressive Points For Each Round

Upset (Seed Differential) Bonus

Series Length Bonus

3D SCORING EXAMPLE (FROM 2023 PLAYOFFS)

MEADOW OF SHAME NBA PLAYOFFS POOL CHAMPS

TO BE DETERMINED

Ryan Peckham (Midland, TX)

Ryan Peckham (Midland, TX)

Ryan Peckham (Midland, TX)

Ryan Peckham (Midland, TX)

Ryan Peckham (Midland, TX)