The events culminated in an upset victory in seven games over Golden State in the Western Conference championship. Although both markets were small (so little coverage was offered) the series was spectacular. Basketball-Reference.com's 1994 NBA Playoffs page, su basketball-reference.com. [10] The Heat won Game 7, 95–88, to clinch the title. 0–1 as the Baltimore Bullets, and 1–2 as the Washington Bullets. Chicago defeated the Trail Blazers in Game 1 by 33 points, a game notable for Jordan breaking the record for the most three-pointers in a first half, with six. No other team in NBA History has done that. Despite encountering some difficulty when up against teams led by Wilt Chamberlain, for most of the late 1950s and 1960s, the Celtics and Russell managed to have an upper hand on Chamberlain's teams. Last edited by DEN 2K on Tue Nov 17, 2020 7:46 pm, edited 9 times in total. The Rockets were only the second team in NBA history to make the Finals after posting a losing record in the regular season, and the Celtics had an NBA best record of 62–20. The game is considered one of the greatest playoff games in NBA history. The next year, 1976, saw the rise of the Phoenix Suns. During the 2019 offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers obtained All-Star forward Anthony Davis via trade from the New Orleans Pelicans. Discussion. In 1976, the Phoenix Suns, after only eight years of existence as a franchise, overcame a losing record early in the season to build a remarkable win streak to finish 42–40. They also attained a three-peat in Minneapolis from 1952 to 1954, and another in Los Angeles from 2000 to 2002. 1 seeds to reach the Finals. In 1987, the Lakers and Celtics met again for a rubber match. In the 1998–99 off-season, veteran stars Clyde Drexler and Charles Barkley signed with the Houston Rockets, joining Hakeem Olajuwon in an attempt to win the championship, particularly Barkley. This game represented the final one in this first incarnation of the dynasty. Online. Julius Erving and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were the only remaining major stars, and college basketball took over the fans' support, as players who would later become NBA stars were playing. The Houston Rockets were down 3 games to 1 to the Phoenix Suns in the Semi-Finals and won 2 out of 3 games on the road, including game 7 to advance to the Conference Finals. In the finals against Boston, the teams split the first four games. Both losses in Detroit came in Game 7s. The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1987. Boston then won Game 6 and took their 13th championship. The Los Angeles Lakers have contested the NBA Finals the most times, with 32 appearances. The winners of the Finals are awarded the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy, which replaced the Walter A. Without James, the Cavaliers struggled and did not return to the playoffs. After trading for Clyde Drexler midseason, the Rockets later swept an Orlando Magic team consisting of Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway in the 1995 Finals; Olajuwon was again named Finals MVP, and the Rockets became the fifth franchise to win back-to-back titles and became the first 6th-seeded team to win the title without enjoying home court advantage on any of their playoff series. Trang này được sửa đổi lần cuối vào ngày 23 tháng 1 năm 2021 lúc 09:48. In 1993, Jordan was matched against close friend Charles Barkley, who was the league's reigning MVP of the Phoenix Suns. The 1986 NBA Finals brought the Celtics back against the Houston Rockets. In 1970, a classic final featured the New York Knicks against the Lakers. In 2018, James left the Cavaliers and signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. Two seasons after losing in the Finals, the Lakers won 33 straight games, the longest such streak in NBA history. The 1957 NBA World Championship Series was the championship series of the 1956–57 National Basketball Association season, and was the conclusion of the 1957 NBA Playoffs.The best-of-seven series was played between the Western Division champion St. Louis Hawks and the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics.This was the first trip to the Finals for each team, the first Finals in which … More NBA coverage on NBA.COM Nevertheless, Celtics player-coach Bill Russell's experience led to an effective counter-attack. In 1985, to ease the amount of cross-country travel, it was changed to a 2–3–2 format, where the first two and last two games of the series were played at the arena of the team who earned home-court advantage by having the better record during the regular season. The Los Angeles Lakers have contested the NBA Finals the most times, with 32 appearances. The 2019-20 NBA season was suspended in March 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and resumed on a shortened schedule in July 2020 inside the NBA's isolated "bubble" set-up at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Florida. In the 2016 NBA Finals, the Warriors got out to a 3–1 lead, but James and Irving led the Cavs to two straight victories to force a deciding Game 7. The 1984 championship series was one of the most watched in history, with soaring TV ratings. In this best-of-seven play The only other team to win a title during this time was the Houston Rockets who won titles in 1994 and 1995, during Jordan's first retirement from professional basketball. Michigan State won the game. Despite holding a 2–1 advantage going into Game 4, the Lakers led 87–86 and had the ball with 10 seconds to play. During the 2019 offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers obtained All-Star forward Anthony Davis via trade from the New Orleans Pelicans. The Lakers lost Game 5, but eventually won Game 6 to clinch the series, and a 2–1 win against the Celtics. Popular pages. If needed, the remaining three are played at each team's home arena alternately.[4]. This event has been played at the conclusion of every NBA and BAA season in history, the first being held in 1947. These finals were the first to be played in the 2–3–2 format, which was suggested by Boston coach Red Auerbach to NBA commissioner David Stern, as he hoped to cut back on the frequent traveling from Boston to Los Angeles. The Lakers would win again in 1954 to become the first team to three-peat. In the waning moments of Game 3, with the series tied, Jerry West hit a basket from 60 feet to tie the game, a shot which became one of the most famous ever. Following Jordan's departure, the Houston Rockets, led by Hakeem Olajuwon, won the 1994 and 1995 NBA titles. Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. Wikis. National Basketball Association 1993-1994; Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award; Collegamenti esterni. Although both markets were small (so little coverage was offered) the series was spectacular. Although the Lakers lost the first game by 34 points in the Memorial Day Massacre, they won 4 of the next 5 games, including Game 6 at the Boston Garden. The Heat repeated as champions in 2013, this time over the San Antonio Spurs, with the finals being the first since 1987 to feature four former Finals MVPs in the Finals; with Tim Duncan (1999, 2003, 2005) and Tony Parker (2007) for the Spurs, and Wade (2006) and James (2012) for the Heat. Includes a record of 4–8 while in Fort Wayne, and 18–10 while in Detroit. In 1997 and 1998, the Bulls met the Utah Jazz in the Finals twice. The following season the Warriors would again reach the Finals, however they would fall short to the now defunct Baltimore Bullets. Simpson's low speed freeway chase with the LAPD. Horace Grant, Bill Cartwright, John Paxson and Dennis Rodman were all pieces that were added to the puzzle to create the dynasty known as the "Untoucha-Bulls." The 1984 NBA Finals was contested by the Celtics and Lakers, who faced each other for the first time since 1969. The Lakers won the series 4-2, claiming their seventeenth title to tie the Boston Celtics' franchise record; LeBron James was named Finals MVP for the fourth time in his career. Appeared in a record 10 consecutive NBA Finals. Scenario: Future NBA Finals. The NBA Finals, previously known as the NBA World Championship Series until 1987, is the … The Lakers went on to claim the first seed in the Western Conference, while the Warriors failed to make the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons. The Historical Records Section of the NBA official site, The Greatest Game Ever (Game 5, 1976 Finals), https://basketball.fandom.com/wiki/NBA_Finals?oldid=69048, Team folded in 1954 and is not the same franchise, 1955: The Syracuse Nationals faced the Fort Wayne Pistons. Includes a record of 9–11 while in Syracuse, and 15–18 while in Philadelphia. The following year was similarly frustrating, again with the Celtics winning the East and the Lakers winning the West. The NBA Finals was initially structured in a 2–2–1–1–1 format. After the Thunder won Game 1 at home, the Heat won four straight games to win the series 4–1, becoming the first team to win a championship after trailing in three playoff series. All games played during the Finals have been against the Heat, and won 4–2 in their last Finals appearance in 2011. It was the first NBA Finals since 1971 that had both Western and Eastern Conference champions making their first Finals appearance in franchise history. Lost 4–0 in their last Finals appearance in 2018, as well as becoming the only team in the Finals to overcome a 3–1 deficit in 2016. The Heat were then considered the favorites by many to win multiple championships. 0–2 in Fort Wayne and 3–2 in Detroit. In 1970, a classic final featured the Knicks against the Lakers. Lost 4–2 in their last Finals appearance in 2000. The Suns won Game 5, 108–98, sending the series back to Phoenix. Original Content. In 2018, James left the Cavaliers and signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. All Finals appearances have occurred while the team was in New Jersey, and lost 4–2 in their last Finals appearance in 2003. Appeared in three straight NBA Finals, winning back-to-back in 1989 and 1990. The Western Conference Finals is the championship of the Western Conference (NBA). The 2006 NBA Finals were the only Finals during this time not to feature the Spurs or Lakers, instead featuring the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks. The Lakers bounced back from their 2008 loss and returned to the Finals in 2009, where they faced the Orlando Magic, led by Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard in 2009. Looking for a three-peat, the Heat reached the 2014 NBA Finals and faced the Spurs in a rematch of the 2013 Finals. The Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors met in every NBA Finals between 2015 and 2018, becoming the first two teams to meet in four consecutive Finals. The next year, Detroit won it all again, and the name "Bad Boys" became attached to the team for their rough, physical play. The Eastern and Western conference champions play a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion. Includes a record of 0–4 in Baltimore and 5–11 in Washington, all as the Bullets. Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player är ett pris som instiftades 1969 och ges ut i den amerikanska basketligan NBA.Priset ges ut till den spelare som anses vara värdefullast under slutspelet. Nevertheless, for the sixth consecutive time, they defeated L.A., winning by a four games to two margin. As basketball is a major sport in the United States, the Final round has become a large-scale event on the sports calendar, with higher popularity than the concurrent Stanley Cup final in the National Hockey League. The Lakers took a 3–2 lead, but Kareem Abdul-Jabbar could not play in Game 6 due to injury. Considered to be one of the best front courts of all time, all three players later made the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. 2021 NBA Finals: Boston Celtics Denver Nuggets: 2 MVP: Jayson Tatum, BOS 2022 NBA Finals: Dallas Mavericks: 4 Brooklyn Nets: 1 MVP: Luka Doncic, DAL 2023 NBA Finals: Philidelphia 76ers: 4 Portland Trail-Blazers: 1 MVP: James Harden, PHI 2024 NBA Finals: Miami Heat: 4 New Orleans Pelicans: 0 MVP: Bam Adebayo, MIA 2025 NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers: 4 Milwaulkee Bucks: 2 MVP: Anthony Davis, … For most of the late 1950s and the 1960s, the Celtics always seemed to have the upper hand on Chamberlain's teams. Between 1980 and 1990, the Celtics, 76ers, Lakers, or the Detroit Pistons won every NBA Finals. The Warriors continued their success and reached their fifth straight Finals in 2019, becoming the first team since the 1960s Celtics to make it to five straight Finals, and the first Western Conference team to ever do so. Jerry West was named Finals MVP, making him the first (and only) player to win the award despite being from the losing team. Register Start a Wiki. Controversially, the NBA Finals are often regarded by league officials and U.S. media as a "World Championship," implying that no basketball team in the world could compete with NBA Finalists. Final NBA adalah seri kejuaraan bola basket National Basketball Association di Amerika … The Cavaliers traded away Kyrie Irving to the Boston Celtics in the 2017 off-season and continued to change their roster throughout the season, while the Warriors largely remained intact. The SuperSonics managed to exact revenge on the Bullets the following season, as they won their first title in 1979. With the establishment of the Celtics dynasty in 1957, Russell instantly became the star of the league. In 1964, Chamberlain, who had moved to California with his team, led the San Francisco Warriors to a Western Conference championship, but again failed to conquer the Celtics. In 1975, after compiling a 48–34 regular season record, the Golden State Warriors swept the Washington Bullets 4–0 in the 1975 NBA Finals. Won one title in. [3], The statistics below refer to series wins and losses, not individual games won and lost. They went on to defeat the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals to again become NBA champions. The Lakers defeated Orlando in five games, with Bryant earning the Finals MVP award. The 1999 NBA Finals was the championship round of the shortened 1998–99 NBA season or the 1999 season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. During the 2015–16 season, the Warriors broke the record for most wins in a season with a record of 73–9 and Curry won his second straight MVP award, as well as becoming the first unanimous MVP in history and shattering his own record for three-pointers made in a single season. With James limited in Game 1 due to leg cramps, the Spurs ended the game on a 31–9 run, winning 110–95. The 1980s saw either the Lakers and the Celtics in the Finals every year, with the Lakers winning 5 times, the Celtics 3, the Sixers and Detroit once. The Heat's clinching victory in game 6 was their first win at Dallas in four years, and they became only the third team to ever win the finals after going down 0-2, the first since the 2-3-2 setup after 1985. Stream 62 short stories on the NBA, ABA, college hoops, the women's game, international basketball, and socio-cultural issues told by 165 legends. Year NBA Champion Runner Up 2000 Los Angeles Lakers Indiana Pacers, 4-2 2001 Los Angeles Lakers Philadelphia 76ers, 4-1 2002 Los Angeles Lakers New Jersey Nets, 4-0 2003 San Antonio Spurs New Jersey Nets, 4-2 2004 Hall of Fame inductee Joe Fulks played for the Warriors in the series. Renewing the teams' rivalry, this marked the 11th time that these two teams met in the Finals, the last meeting happened in 1987. Franchises which had previously been in the National Basketball League tended to dominate, especially the Minneapolis Lakers.