Top 5 NBA Finals of all time
The 2015 NBA Finals kicks off tonight in Oakland, California as the Golden State Warriors host the Cleveland Cavaliers. There is no telling what type of series it will be or who will win.
Despite the presence of Lebron James and Stephan Curry, it will take a lot for it to join the ranks of some of the greatest championship series ever seen. They all had drama, characters and sometimes controversy that allowed them to go down as epic matchups.
The following are our top five championship series in NBA history:
5. New York Knicks vs. Los Angeles Lakers (1970): Facing Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, the Knicks were going against one of the best starting lineups in history. It looked even more bleak when Willis Reed tore a muscle in his thigh. However, Reed ignited a New York crowd and teammates when he hobbled out of the tunnel for Game 7 and started the game. He scored twice and that was all they needed from them as they defeated a stunned L.A. squad 133-99.
4. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Philadelphia 76ers (1980): The series featured future Hall-of-Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Julius “Doc J” Erving and a host of other big name players. But it was the play of rookie Earvin “Magic” Johnson that stole the show. When Abdul-Jabbar, who had been averaging 33.4 points in the series went down with an ankle injury in Game 5, Johnston stepped up his game even more. Playing all five positions, he racked 42 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists in a 123-107 series clinching victory.
3. Chicago Bulls vs. Phoenix Suns (1993): During the Chicago Bulls six championship run during the 90s, there was very few times Michael Jordan wasn’t the best player on the court. One of those, it could be argued, was when he faced then-friend Charles Barkley, who was the MVP of the league that season. While the two superstars went back and forth, it took a last second John Paxson 3-pointer in Game 6 to prevent Barkley from getting a title.
2. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Detroit Pistons (1988): When the series started Magic Johnson and the Piston’s Isiah Thomas were best friends. When it was over, their friendship was never the same. The Lakers were the defending champion and going for the first back-to-back title since the 60s. Detroit was the upcoming squad looking to make a name for themselves in a league that had been dominated by L.A. and Boston. The Pistons had a 3-2 lead in the series and almost won the title in Game 6 behind a miraculous effort by an injured Thomas. But the Lakers prevailed and won Games 6 and 7 to earn the team its fifth title in nine years.
1. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics (1987): L.A. and Boston have met a record 12 times in the NBA Finals. To try and say one is more meaningful than other is almost impossible. But the 1987 game stands out. Since the careers of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird had started, they had already met in the finals twice. Bird took the first one in 1984. Johnson came back the next year to even the series. The ’87 series would be the last time the two legends would meet with a title on the line. The Lakers wound up winning the championship in six games. But Game 4 showcased the greatness of both players. It concluded with a game-winning baby hook from Johnson.