this is probably not the only time, but the Atlanta Braves were perfect gamed by randy Johnson in 2004 and still made the play-offs...
Yes, In the 2011 Playoffs season.
Yes.
arik
No, the season is long. The best teams lose about a third of the time. Even the worst team can beat the best team sometime during the season.
Yes in the 08-09 season.
as of 2008-2009 season playoffs start, only once (2008 mid-season)
they went 12-4 in the regular season in 1988 and then 2-1 in the playoffs that year
No
As of the 2011/2012 NHL season no team has gone 16-0 in the playoffs.
yes los angeles and phiphidalphia 76ers
As near as I can tell from eye-balling/cross referencing a couple of websites, there has never been a situation where the team with the MVP on its roster did not make the playoffs.
Since the NFL went to it's current twelve game playoff format in 1990 eleven team who have been three games below .500 at any point during the regular season have gone on to make the playoffs. The last team to start the season 1-4 and make the playoffs were the 2002 NY Jets who not only made the playoffs but won the AFCE. The 2008 Chargers are the only team since 1990 to ever be four games below .500 at any point during the regular season and make the playoffs. SD won the AFCW in a tie breaker with the Denver Broncos.