The NBA Playoffs are a test that really only one team passes.
As exciting as everyone gets for making the playoffs and the energy that flows through the building, the playoffs are built on failure. Fifteen teams lose and one team wins. Almost every successful team ends their season with a loss and a bitter taste in their mouth.
The difference between a seven-game series and the grind of the regular season is the attention to detail required to win four out of seven games. A series allows a team to hone in on specific weaknesses and find ways to exploit it.