The NBA Finals are once again upon us, and every year it feels like we end up wildly swinging towards one end of the “greatest Finals ever” or “worst Finals ever” spectrum. Last year, we really did have one of the greatest series of all-time, one that was competitive throughout and contained iconic moments like Ray Allen’s three pointer in Game 6.
Perhaps that is really what makes a Finals truly great: a mix of competitive games, a long series, and one or several iconic moments that live on in the highlight reels well after the series has been concluded. We’ll always remember Will Reed hobbling around Madison Square Garden, Kevin McHale clotheslining Kurt Rambis, and Isiah Thomas playing on a badly sprained ankle, certainly much more than we’ll remember the results themselves.
The Finals are a showcase for the league’s best, and often that brings out a lot of animosity between the two teams. The Celtics and Lakers have met in the Finals an astonishing 12 times, which has played an instrumental role in making them basketball’s greatest rivalry. While we don’t quite see that yet from the Spurs and Heat, give it time. Maybe it’s coming.
While there have been plenty of duds and a large number of mediocre efforts, these are the 20 Greatest NBA Finals of All Time.
The NBA Finals are once again upon us, and every year it feels like we end up wildly swinging towards one end of the “greatest Finals ever” or “worst Finals ever” spectrum. Last year, we really did have one of the greatest series of all-time, one that was competitive throughout and contained iconic moments like Ray Allen’s three pointer in Game 6.
Perhaps that is really what makes a Finals truly great: a mix of competitive games, a long series, and one or several iconic moments that live on in the highlight reels well after the series has been concluded. We’ll always remember Will Reed hobbling around Madison Square Garden, Kevin McHale clotheslining Kurt Rambis, and Isiah Thomas playing on a badly sprained ankle, certainly much more than we’ll remember the results themselves.
The Finals are a showcase for the league’s best, and often that brings out a lot of animosity between the two teams. The Celtics and Lakers have met in the Finals an astonishing 12 times, which has played an instrumental role in making them basketball’s greatest rivalry. While we don’t quite see that yet from the Spurs and Heat, give it time. Maybe it’s coming.
While there have been plenty of duds and a large number of mediocre efforts, these are the 20 Greatest NBA Finals of All Time.
20. 2006: Miami Heat vs. Dallas Mavericks
Winner: Heat in six games
Finals MVP: Dwyane Wade
The 2006 NBA Finals featured the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks, two franchises making their first-ever appearance in the season's final showdown. The Mavericks easily handled the Heat in the first two games, winning each game by over 10 points. In Game 3, the Heat's Dwyane Wade went off for 42 points and 13 rebounds, sparking a 13-point comeback with less than five minutes to go in the fourth quarter to earn a 93-92 victory.
After an easy win in Game 4, Miami would barely edge the Mavs in Game 5 after the controversial "phantom foul" call sent Wade to the foul line, where he cashed in two free-throws to give the Heat the victory and 3-2 series lead. The Mavs came close to taking this series to Game 7, but Wade's 36 points in Game 6 led the Heat to a 95-92 victory and an NBA title.
19. 1987: Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Winner: Lakers in six games
Finals MVP: Magic Johnson
The Celtics made it to the Finals in 1987 on the strength of Larry Bird's clutch last-second steal of an Isiah Thomas inbound pass in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. While the Celtics' road had been laden with seven game series, the Los Angeles Lakers had lost just one single game en route to the Finals. It would be the third and final time Larry Bird and Magic Johnson would square off in the Finals, with each having won one and lost one. The series itself was an offensive showcase; both teams averaged over 110 points per contest and shot over 50 percent from the floor in the series, but the Lakers would prove to be too much for the Celtics (who were playing in their fourth consecutive Finals) and take the series in six games. Bird praised LA after the series concluded, saying "I guess this is the best team I've ever played against."
18. 2005: San Antonio Spurs vs. Detroit Pistons
Winner: Spurs in seven games
Finals MVP: Tim Duncan
After capturing the 2004 NBA Championship over the heavily-favored Los Angeles Lakers, the Pistons made their way back to the Finals in 2005. This time, their opponent would be the San Antonio Spurs, who had just won the title in 2003 and had established themselves as a perennial title contender. None of the first four games were close, but Game 5 finally lived up to the hype; this classic featured 12 lead changes, 18 ties, and one game-winning three from (who else?) Robert Horry in overtime. Detroit would fight back with a 95-86 victory in Game 6, though, becoming the first road team to force a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. With the Spurs having home-court advantage in Game 7, Tim Duncan dropped 25 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, driving the Spurs to their second title in three years.
17. 1992: Chicago Bulls vs. Portland Trail Blazers
Winner: Bulls in six games
Finals MVP: Michael Jordan
The 1992 Finals were hyped as "Michael Jordan vs. Clyde Drexler," and clearly that rubbed Jordan the wrong way. MJ never considered Drexler to be on his level, so he took that frustration out on the Blazers' shooting guard on the floor. Drexler would have a perfectly fine series, scoring 24.8 points per game on a .407 percentage from the field; Jordan, though, was on another level as he shot .526 from the field for the series and averaged 35.8 points per game. His most iconic moment, of course, is his "shrug" in Game 1, in which he scored 35 points in the first half and hit an uncharacteristic six three pointers.
16. 1977: Portland Trail Blazers vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Winner: Trail Blazers in six games
Finals MVP: Bill Walton
Bill Walton's NBA career was dramatically shortened by foot injuries, but for one season a healthy Walton led the Trail Blazers to what most thought would be the first of many NBA titles. The 1977 Finals pitted Dr. J's Philadelphia 76ers against Big Red's Blazers, and the Blazers dropped the first two contests, losing Game 2 by 18 points. Jumpers weren't the only things being launched in Game 2, as a nasty fight broke out with about five minutes remaining.
With the Sixers in the driver's seat, it appeared that this matchup could actually be headed towards being one of the most anti-climactic NBA Finals of all-time. However, the Game 2 brawl ignited the Blazers, and they would rattled off four dramatic wins in a row to take home the championship. Walton's 18.5 points, 19.0 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 3.7 blocks per game won him Finals MVP and signified what was believed to be the beginning of a dominant career.
15. 1993: Chicago Bulls vs. Phoenix Suns
Winner: Bulls in six games
Finals MVP: Michael Jordan
The Charles Barkley MVP season is kind of forgotten, considering it happened in the height of the Jordan era. While we can debate the merits of giving anyone other than Jordan the MVP throughout that decade, what we can't deny is that the Phoenix Suns that year were stacked, They had Barkley, All-Star guard Kevin Johnson, and sharpshooter Dan Majerle carrying them on both ends of the floor, and if the whole series had been played in Chicago they might have won the title. The Suns went 0-3 in Phoenix during this six game series, losing for the final time on John Paxson's iconic three pointer.
14. 1976: Boston Celtics vs. Phoenix Suns
Winner: Celtics in six games
Finals MVP: Jo Jo White
Before the 1976 NBA Finals, the Phoenix Suns had one playoff appearance and had been known as the team that lost the coin toss that sent Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Milwaukee in 1969. They would reach the playoffs for the second time in 1976, surprisingly reaching the NBA Finals where they matched up against the heavily-favored Boston Celtics. After the teams traded wins over the series' first four games, Game 5 turned out to be a triple-overtime thriller that would later be defined as "the most exciting game in NBA history." The Celtics came out on top at the end of three-overtimes, and with both teams still feeling the effects of that marathon game the Celtics finished the Suns off with an 87-80 win in Game 6.
13. 1997: Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz
Winner: Bulls in six games
Finals MVP: Michael Jordan
While Michael Jordan's last Finals gets most of the attention, don't sleep on their first matchup with the Jazz the previous year. The series started with a Game 1 buzzer beater from Jordan (after Scottie Pippen's famous "the mailman doesn't deliver on Sundays" psych-out of Karl Malone), and was one of the most hotly-contested Finals of the decade. After falling behind 2-0, Utah came storming back to tie the series and (it appeared, at least) seize momentum from the defending champion Bulls.
When it was announced Michael Jordan had the flu and may not play Game 5, it looked like Utah's championship aspirations were about to be realize. The problem, though, was that Jordan may be an alien. The famous "flu game" was one of his finest performances, as the Bulls stole Game 5 on the road before returning to Chicago and winning the title on Steve Kerr's last second 17-footer.
12. 1985: Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Winner: Lakers in six games
Finals MVP: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
After an unbelievable Finals in 1984 that rekindled one of the great rivalries in sports history, the Lakers and Celtics met again for the title in 1985. The series kicked off with what is known as the "Memorial Day Massacre," in which the Celtics basically didn't miss a shot and beat the Lakers 148-114. From there, though, it was all Los Angeles; the took Game 2 in Boston and Games 3 and 5 back at home, giving themselves two chances to exorcise the franchise's Celtics-related demons (they were 0-8 against them to date in the Finals). It only took one, though, as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar earned the series MVP award with averages of 30.2 points, 11.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.0 blocks in the Lakers' four wins.
11. 1957: Boston Celtics vs. St. Louis Hawks
Winner: Celtics in seven games
Finals MVP: N/A
The 1957 NBA Finals saw the Boston Celtics win their first of the now-17 NBA championships, and it was an all-time classic series. They lined up against the St. Louis Hawks, who were also making their first NBA Finals appearance. The teams were already linked, as the previous year the Celtics and Hawks had agreed to a draft night trade that sent No. 2 overall pick Bill Russell to Boston.
This extremely evenly matched series had four games decided by two points or fewer, and both the first and last games of the series went to double overtime. Game 7 will be best remembered for Bob Pettit and the Hawks' two misses from close range that would have tied the game in double OT, a classic finish that remains the only Game 7 in Finals history to need a second extra period.
10. 1980: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Winner: Lakers in six games
Finals MVP: Magic Johnson
This series produced some of the most iconic highlights and performances in NBA history. Remember Julius Erving's famous baseline up-and-under move? That was in Game 4, and put on display for the entire world just what an incredible athlete Dr. J was. But the relative significance of that moment has totally faded into the background thanks to Magic Johnson, who made some history of his own in Game 6. Starting center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had been injured in Game 5 and didn't even travel to Philadelphia for the game, but Johnson took over the starting center duties and finished with 42 points, 15 rebounds, and seven assists to secure the title for the Lakers.
9. 1962: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics
Winner: Celtics in seven games
Finals MVP: N/A
The 1962 Finals are remembered for one thing: the Frank Selvy miss. The Celtics led by four points with a minute to go, but the Lakers staged a furious comeback led by Selvy, who hit two shots and grabbed two big rebounds to tie the game. The Lakers had the ball and a chance to win the title, but Selvy's seemingly easy 12 foot baseline jumper rimmed out as time expired, and the Celtics would go on to win in overtime. As the years went on, the shot was lamented as the Lakers' best chance to derail the budding Celtics dynasty, as Boston rattled off a 6-0 Finals record against the Lakers in the Russell era.
8. 2010: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics
Winner: Lakers in seven games
Finals MVP: Kobe Bryant
The Celtics and Lakers' rivalry was back in full force in 2010. After the Celtics topped the Lakers in 2008, Kobe Bryant and Co. were out for revenge against a well-rounded Celtics squad that had founds its stride in the playoffs after an up-and-down regular season. After the teams traded victories over the first four games, the Celtics took a critical Game 5 in Boston and headed back to LA with two chances to clinch the title.
Game 6 proved a disaster for the green, though, as they got blown out and center Kendrick Perkins tore his ACL in the process. A sluggish Game 7 saw the Lakers outlast the Celtics to take the title, with a 6-for-24 shooting night from Kobe Bryant offset by a monster night on the glass for Pau Gasol, who grabbed 18 rebounds (including nine offensively).
7. 1978: Washington Bullets vs. Seattle SuperSonics
Winner: Bullets in seven games
Finals MVP: Wes Unseld
Both participants in the 1978 Finals took an unconventional route to get there. Seattle lost 17 of their first 22 games, but a coaching change spurred a 42-18 finish to get them safely into the postseason. The Bullets, too, had not had a particularly noteworthy regular season either; they were never more than nine games above .500, and finished at a pedestrian 44-38.
Nevertheless, the two squads engaged in a classic seven game battle when they met in the Finals. The Bullets fell behind 3-2 after dropping a close decision in Game 5, but crushed the Sonics in Game 6 to force a deciding Game 7 at home in DC. The Bullets nearly blew an 11-point lead with 90 seconds left, but Dennis Johnson's 14th missed shot of the game followed by a Bob Dandridge breakaway dunk sealed Washington's 105-99 win and the only NBA title in franchise history.
6. 1970: New York Knicks vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Winner: Knicks in seven games
Finals MVP: Willis Reed
The 1970 Finals is remembered really for one player: Willis Reed. And while that's fine, considering how his iconic comeback in Game 7 came to represent an entire era of Knicks basketball, let's not discount the contributions of players like Dave DeBusschere (19.0 points, 12.6 rebounds per game in the Finals) or Walt Frazier (36 points, seven rebounds, 19 assists in Game 7).
The series also featured Jerry West's full-court heave in Game 3 that forced overtime, still one of the greatest buzzer beaters in the history of the NBA playoffs. The series was very high scoring, as the Lakers' 99 points in Game 7 was the only time a team finished with fewer than 100 points in a game all series long, and the incredible offensive talent on display made this one of the great Finals ever.
5. 1998 Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz
Winner: Bulls in six games
Finals MVP: Michael Jordan
Can a series be truly great if it is only remembered for one shot? If you're referring to the 1998 Finals, then yes. Michael Jordan's final shot in Game 6 actually came on the heels of a possibly even greater play by His Airness, who snuck in behind Karl Malone to steal the ball and set up the Bulls' final possession. Other than a historically bad Game 3 in which the Jazz somehow only managed to score 54 points, this was a very evenly matched series that saw an average margin of victory of just three points in the other five games.
4. 1988: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Detroit Pistons
Winner: Lakers in seven games
Finals MVP: James Worthy
The birth of the Bad Boy Pistons pushed the Celtics out of the top spot in the Eastern Conference, and Detroit proved a formidable foe for the Lakers in the 1988 Finals. Game 6 is forever remembered as the Isiah Thomas "sprained ankle game," in which Thomas rattled off 14 straight points in the third quarter, badly sprained his ankle, then kept going and scored 11 of his team's next 15 to set a Finals record for points in a quarter with 25. He ended up with 43 points and eight assists, but the Lakers managed to hold on for a nailbiting win that evened the series at 3-3.
Game 7 was an equally thrilling affair that saw the birth of "Big Game" James Worthy, who scored 36 points, grabbed 16 rebounds, and handed out 10 assists for the only triple-double of his career. You'll also see the controversial last play above where the Pistons had a chance to tie it, but Magic Johnson basically body-checked Thomas with no foul called. The play ended the series and gave the Lakers a second consecutive title.
3. 1969: Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Winner: Celtics in seven games
Finals MVP: Jerry West
There were so many great things about this series, but for sake of brevity we'll focus on Game 7. The Lakers had suspended balloons above the floor in anticipation of the team's ultimate triumph, prompting Celtics' player-coach Bill Russell (in his final NBA game) to snarl at the Lakers' Jerry West, "those fucking balloons are staying up there." And stay up they did, as the Celtics held off the Lakers for a 108-106 win that brought the team its 10th title in 11 years. The Lakers' loss certainly had nothing to do with West, who scored 42 points and was named Finals MVP. It remains the only time the series MVP has come from the losing side.
2. 2013: Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs
Winner: Heat in seven games
Finals MVP: LeBron James
While it will take time to truly place last year's Finals in the proper historical context, just a year later we've hardly wavered from our stance that this was one of the all-time great series. It had future Hall of Famers, close games, and of course an iconic moment that stands among the most clutch shots in the history of the NBA. The final two games of the series were among the most tense in recent basketball history, and the two teams involved only heightened the drama.
The Spurs, winners of four titles and possessing one of the all-time great coach-player duos in league history, were trying to put a final punctuation on their dynasty and win titles 14 years apart. The Heat, still maligned despite winning the title the year before, were trying to prove that they, too, had the makings of a dynasty. This clash of NBA powerhouses was one we'll never forget.
1. 1984: Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Winner: Celtics in seven games
Finals MVP: Larry Bird
The first meeting of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in the NBA Finals was an all-out battle. It looked like the Lakers were going to romp in this series, as they jumped out to a 2-1 series lead and held a five point lead with under a minute to play at home in Game 4. However, "Tragic Johnson" struck as Magic allowed a key steal by Robert Parish and then missed two big free throws in overtime, allowing the Celtics to even the series.
It was one of the most brutally physical Finals in history, as Game 4 alone saw Kevin McHale's famous clothesline of Kurt Rambis as well as Larry Bird and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar mixing up. Game 5 was the infamous "heat game," in which a 97 degree day in Boston mixed with a lack of air conditioning in the Boston Garden to make the conditions barely playable. Cedric Maxwell's huge Game 7 cemented a win for Boston, striking the first blow in what would be an epic Finals rivalry.