One of the most magnificent events in sports is the NBA Finals- a thrilling seven-game series between the Eastern and Western Conference champions, competing for the prestigious Larry O’Brien Trophy.
In the 2023 edition, the Denver Nuggets ended their 47-year wait for a Finals crown with a Game 5 victory over the Miami Heat, with Nikola Jokic winning the Bill Russell MVP award.
In the 2022 playoffs, the Golden State Warriors made a long-awaited return to the NBA Finals, facing the talented Boston Celtics led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The timely return of Klay Thompson from an ACL tear proved pivotal, as the Warriors clinched the title over the Celtics to win their 4th title in 7 years.
The 2024 NBA Finals, despite having a viewership decline estimated to be in the region of 300,000 per data courtesy of Statista, wasn’t without its own form of ecstacy, particularly for fans of the Celtics as Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and the boys from Boston delivered the elusive banner 18 for the franchise, with a dominant 4-1 series victory over Luka Doncic and the Dallas
Mavericks.
On the back of this, FLOS shines the spotlight on five of the best NBA Finals in recent history.
Five of the best NBA Finals in recent history
Miami Heat vs San Antonio Spurs – 2012/13
Result: Heat 4 Spurs 3
Finals MVP: Lebron James
In the thrilling 2013 NBA Finals, LeBron James and the Miami Heat, returning as defending
champions with an impressive 66-16 regular season record, clashed with the San Antonio
Spurs, led by Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili. This encounter reignited the
James-Duncan rivalry from the 2007 Finals.
Despite being the favorites, the Heat stumbled in Game 1 on their home court, as the Spurs orchestrated a remarkable fourth-quarter comeback to seize victory. The series unfolded as a fiercely competitive exchange, with both teams trading wins until the Spurs claimed a 3-2 lead.
Game 6 emerged as a highlight in NBA Finals history. With Miami holding a narrow 101-100 lead late in the 4th quarter, Dwyane Wade missed a crucial jumper that could have extended their advantage, providing Manu Ginobili with an opportunity to seal the series for San Antonio.
However, Ray Allen infamously came up clutch, snatching the ball and drawing a foul. With remarkable composure, Allen sank both free throws, forcing a thrilling Game 7.
LeBron James delivered a masterful performance in the decisive final game, tallying 37 points and 12 rebounds to guide the Heat to back-to-back championships and their 3rd title in NBA history (6th-most). James earned Finals MVP honors for the second consecutive year, capping off an exhilarating NBA Finals series.
Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors: 2015/16
Result: Cavaliers 4 Warriors 3
Finals MVP: Lebron James
LeBron James, having surprisingly returned to Cleveland, led the team to the NBA Finals in
2015, only to fall short of a championship against the Warriors (4-2).
The subsequent season set the stage for a rematch between the two teams. Golden State, coming off a record-breaking 73-win season, had just rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the Western Conference Finals to defeat the Kevin Durant-led Oklahoma City Thunder to book their place in consecutive Finals. They took a commanding 3-1 lead in the finals, placing LeBron and the Cavs in a precarious position.
What followed became the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history, orchestrated by LeBron James and Kyrie Irving. Facing elimination, LeBron delivered two of the most spectacular NBA Finals performances in consecutive games, scoring 41 points in both Game 5 and Game 6 to even the series at 3-3.
After winning Game 5 on the road and then Game 6 to extend the series, the Cavs needed to return to Golden State’s Oracle Arena and win Game 7 to achieve the seemingly impossible.
No team in NBA history had ever overcome a 3-1 deficit in the Finals, but thanks to Kyrie
Irving’s clutch three-pointer late in the 4th quarter, the Cavs made history. They dethroned the champions , securing the Cavalier’s first NBA title and the third in LeBron’s career. LeBron was once again named Finals MVP, capping off one of the most memorable NBA playoff series ever witnessed by fans.
Boston Celtics vs Los Angeles Lakers: 1983/84
Celtics 4 Lakers 3
Finals MVP: Larry Bird
The 1984 NBA Finals between Magic Johnson’s Lakers and Larry Bird’s Celtics is often hailed as the greatest NBA playoff series of all time. The rivalry between Magic and Bird had its roots in the 1979 NCAA Championship, where Magic led Michigan State to victory over Bird’s Indiana State.
Their rematch in the 1984 Finals featured two of the league’s most charismatic stars and drew immense national interest, significantly contributing to the NBA’s rise in popularity. When these two legends faced off, the entire nation was captivated.
Both the Lakers and the Celtics entered the Finals as the top seeds in their respective
conferences. The Lakers had just triumphed over the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Finals, while the Celtics, led by Bird, had dispatched the Milwaukee Bucks 4-1 in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The series began with each team winning a game, however, after a humiliating 137-104 loss in Game 3 at the Great Western Forum, which led to Bird famously criticising his teammates, ushered in a seismic change to the tie.
Game 4 saw the Celtics respond in dramatic fashion, with Bird dominating with 29 points and 21 rebounds to even the series at 2-2. The teams then traded home victories, setting the stage for a decisive game 7.
The final game of the series was fiercely contested to the very end and the championship ultimately came down to the final moments of Game 7.
With the Lakers closing in on the Celtics’ lead, Cedric Maxwell made a crucial steal from
Johnson in the final minute, crushing L.A.’s hopes of a comeback. As the final buzzer sounded, Celtics fans stormed the court to celebrate Boston’s championship victory, marking another chapter in the storied franchise’s history.
Chicago Bulls vs Utah Jazz: 1997/98
Result: Bulls 4 Jazz 2
Finals MVP: Michael Jordan
In the late ’90s, Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and the Chicago Bulls were on the cusp of securing their second three-peat, having already won three consecutive championships from 1991 to 1993, and then two more following Jordan’s return to the NBA in 1996 and 1997.
Their formidable opponents were the Utah Jazz, anchored by the exceptional duo of playmaker John Stockton and serial scorer Karl Malone.
The 1998 Finals were anticipated as the swan song for the Chicago Bulls dynasty, a final
showcase for one of the greatest teams in NBA history.
After dropping Game 1 in a gripping overtime battle, the Bulls rebounded with three consecutive victories, including a commanding 96-54 win on their home court. While Chicago seemed poised to clinch their sixth championship of the Jordan era, Utah rallied to take Game 5.
Game 6 would go down as one of the most iconic in NBA history. Scottie Pippen, hindered by a severe back injury, left the game early, leaving the Bulls’ fate in Jordan’s hands.
Jordan delivered an unforgettable performance, scoring 45 points. With the Jazz holding a three-point lead in the final minute, Jordan made a critical layup to cut the deficit to one. He then made a crucial steal before nailing a jump shot after crossing over Bryon Russell, that clinched the series—one of the most iconic moments in the league’s history.
This shot marked the end of Jordan’s career with the Bulls, sealing his sixth title and sixth Finals MVP award. The 1998 Finals are unequivocally one of the greatest NBA playoff series of all time.
Los Angeles Lakers vs Boston Celtics: 2009/2010
Lakers 4 Celtics 3
Finals MVP: Kobe Bryant
The Boston Celtics and the L.A. Lakers have arguably the most storied rivalry in NBA Finals
history. This iconic matchup began in the 1960s with Bill Russell’s Celtics facing Jerry West’s Lakers and continued into the 1980s with the legendary duels between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. The rivalry was reignited in a memorable 2010 series.
In 2010, the Celtics and Lakers clashed again, just two years after the Celtics’ victory over the Lakers in the 2008 Finals. Determined to avenge their prior defeat, the Lakers started the series by losing Game 2 and giving up their home court advantage but bounced back with a win in Game 3 to lead the series 2-1. However, they then dropped two consecutive games, putting them behind 3-2 despite Kobe Bryant’s 38-point effort in Game 5.
Facing defeat, the Lakers delivered two strong defensive performances to stay alive. In Game 6, they held the Celtics to just 67 points, forcing a decisive Game 7 at the Staples Center. The Lakers pulled away in the final game, with a crucial three-pointer from Ron Artest, (a.k.a. Metta World Peace) extending their lead to six points late in the game. Although Kobe Bryant struggled with his shooting, he contributed 10 critical points in the fourth quarter. Los Angeles was on the top of the NBA planet once again, with the Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant winning his 5th and final NBA championship in historic fashion.
