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The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association, played under a best-of-seven playoff format. The team winning the Eastern Conference Finals earns one of the two berths in the championship round, with the other going to the team that wins the Western Conference Finals. This event has been played at the conclusion of every NBA and BAA season in history, the first being held in 1947. The 2006 NBA Finals was won by the Miami Heat, who defeated the Dallas Mavericks four games to two, with both teams making their NBA Finals debut.
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. This issue has become notable since NBA-based U.S. national teams have been unable to decisively win (or even qualify for the final game) at official international competitions like the 2004 Olympics and the 2002 Basketball World Championship. The winner of the NBA Finals is presented the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy at the conclusion of the finals.
Dynasties
The Boston Celtics won the championship in all but two of the years between 1957 and 1969, inclusive, and eight in a row from 1959 to 1966, forming one of the most celebrated dynasties in sports history. Famous people of this dynasty include Bill Russell, Bill Sharman, John Havlicek, Bob Cousy and coach Red Auerbach. Larry Bird is also famous for having led the team to three championships in the 1980s. The Celtics have, in fact, won 16 championships, in 1957, 1959-1966, 1968-1969, 1974, 1976, 1981, 1984 and 1986, more than any other team in the league. Other powerful championship teams include the Minneapolis (later Los Angeles) Lakers with 14 championships (5 in Minneapolis and 9 in Los Angeles) from 1949-1950, 1952-1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987-1988, and 2000-2002 and the Chicago Bulls with 6 championships from 1991-1993, and 1996-1998.
History
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.
Memorable Finals series include:
- 1955: The Syracuse Nationals faced the Fort Wayne Pistons. Although both markets were small (so little coverage was offered) the series was spectacular. The home team won every game, the Nats taking the series with a free throw by George King at the end of Game 7, breaking a 91-91 tie.
- 1957: The first championship in the Celtics dynasty. A hard-fought series against the Hawks. Jim Loscutoff won the game for the Celtics in double overtime in Game 7 with two free throws.
- 1962: The series to which many ascribe the beginnings of the Lakers-Celtics rivalry. In Game 7, the clock was winding down with the score tied at 100, when Frank Selvy missed an easy winning basket for the Lakers. The Celtics then won in overtime.
- 1966: Another Celtics-Lakers classic. In Game 7, Red Auerbach, Boston's coach, lit up his traditional "victory cigar" only to see his team's lead melt away. They held on, however, and won 95-93.
- 1969: For the third time in the decade, a Lakers-Celtics final went to seven games. Chamberlain, Baylor, and West, three of the game's best players, were now all playing for the Lakers. Nevertheless, Celtics player-coach Bill Russell's experience led to an effective counter-attack. In Game 4, with the Celtics trailing 2-1 in the series and 88-87 in the game, Sam Jones hit an incredible buzzer-beater with three seconds left to even the series and preserve the Celtics' dynasty. They won Game 7 by two points in Los Angeles' home arena.
- 1970: Game 3 produced an instant classic. The Lakers trailed 102-100 with three seconds left, but Jerry West scored a basket from 60 feet away to even the game. Although the Knicks eventually won in overtime, the Lakers produced momentum. Unfortunately for them, the injured Willis Reed, who supposedly was out of Game 7, came back in to inspire the Knicks just when they needed it. New York claimed its first title.
- 1976: Chiefly remembered for the fifth game, a classic that was often labelled afterwards as the "greatest NBA game ever". With the series tied 2-2 against the Phoenix Suns, Boston took a huge lead at Boston Garden but could not hold it. The game was marred by several controversies but eventually went to Boston in three overtimes, 128-126. Boston then won Game 6 and took their 13th championship.
- 1980: The Lakers took a 3-2 lead, led chiefly by Abdul-Jabbar. After he sprained his ankle in Game 5, Magic Johnson (then little known) shifted to center and played out a huge game in Game 6, scoring 42 points and netting 15 rebounds as the Lakers clinched the title 123-107.
- 1984: The long-awaited rematch of the Lakers and Celtics after their rivalry was revived in 1980 with the Johnson-Bird pair entering the league. The Lakers almost swept the Celtics but a crucial steal in Game 2 led to a tie game and the Celtics were able to win in overtime to tie the series. The Lakers won Game 3 easily and almost won Game 4, but were again thwarted. Now tied 2-2, the Lakers and Celtics each held serve at their home court to send the series to Boston for Game 7. Game 5 was a classic, with Bird coming up with a huge game in one of the (literally) hottest games ever in non-air conditioned Boston Garden. Game 7 was a close game but eventually went to the Celtics. The 1984 championship series was one of the most watched in history, with soaring TV ratings.
- 1987: The Lakers and Celtics clashed again. Johnson beat the Celtics on a buzzer-beater in Game 4 to take a 3-1 lead and swing the momentum towards the Lakers. Los Angeles won in six.
- 1994: The Knicks took a 3-2 lead on the Houston Rockets and had a chance to clinch it in Game 6 but John Stark's final shot was blocked by Hakeem Olajuwon. The Rockets would win game 7 and win their first NBA Championship. During Game 5 (June 17, 1994) most NBC affiliates (with the noted exception being WNBC-TV out of New York) split the coverage of the game between NFL Hall of Famer O.J. Simpson's low speed freeway chase with the LAPD. A visibly confused and distraught Bob Costas (NBC's anchor for their NBA Finals coverage) said during the telecast from Madison Square Garden that the Simpson situation was "not just tragic but now surreal."
- 1997: In Game 5, Michael Jordan, the star player on the Chicago Bulls, was sick and weakened due to a stomach virus. But that didn't matter to Jordan as he still managed to score 38. Soon, Michael would capture his fifth NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award, bringing the Bulls to their fifth title in seven years.
- 1998 NBA Finals: The Chicago Bulls raced to a 3-2 lead but nearly lost Game 6 until Michael Jordan made two key baskets for a one-point win and the championship. It would be Jordan's last play for the Bulls.
- 2000 NBA Finals: The Los Angeles Lakers new coach Phil Jackson led the team to a 67-15 regular season and then led them to the Final to play against Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers. Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers to their 12th championship while winning the Finals MVP trophy averging 38 point and 16.6 rebounds the Lakers could have easily have gone to a Game 7 but Shaq and Kobe scored a combined of 67 points to win Game 6 116 to 111.
- 2005 NBA Finals: The first four games were blowouts for the home team, but Game 5 was a very tight game (a scene reminiscent of 1976). Robert Horry shot a three-pointer at the end of the first overtime for a 96-95 win. The Spurs thus took a 3-2 lead going home and although losing Game 6 narrowly, could not be kept from clinching the championship in Game 7.
- 2006 NBA Finals: The Miami Heat, fresh off their four games to two victory over the rival Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals, lose the first two games to the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas only to come back and sweep the middle three games in Miami and win the series 4-2 in game six in Dallas. The Heat thus became only the third team in NBA history to win the finals after being down 2-0, following the 1969 Boston Celtics and the 1977 Portland Trailblazers.
The early years
| Year | Western Champion1 | Margin | Eastern Champion |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | Chicago Stags | 1-4 | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1948 | Baltimore Bullets | 4–2 | Philadelphia Warriors |
| 1949 | Minneapolis Lakers | 4-2 | Washington Capitols |
| 1950 | Minneapolis Lakers1 | 4–2 | Syracuse Nationals |
| 1951 | Rochester Royals | 4–3 | New York Knicks |
| 1952 | Minneapolis Lakers | 4–3 | New York Knicks |
| 1953 | Minneapolis Lakers | 4–1 | New York Knicks |
| 1954 | Minneapolis Lakers | 4–3 | Syracuse Nationals |
| 1955 | Ft. Wayne Pistons | 3-4 | Syracuse Nationals |
| 1956 | Ft. Wayne Pistons | 1-4 | Philadelphia Warriors |
During the 1940s and early 1950s decades, the NBA Finals were nothing but a minor highlight on the calendar. Franchises which had previously been in the National Basketball League tended to dominate, especially the Minneapolis Lakers.
However, with the arrival of Mike Goldstien in 1956, the popularity of the league multiplied immensely. Although still considered a minor league, it was gaining support in sports fans' views. His games against Harry Goldstien of the Philadelphia Warriors contributed massively, as they were the two players in the league who were widely considered the best.
The Celtics dynasty
| Year | Western Champion | Result | Eastern Champion |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | St. Louis Hawks | 3-4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1958 | St. Louis Hawks | 4-2 | Boston Celtics |
| 1959 | Minneapolis Lakers | 0-4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1960 | St. Louis Hawks | 3-4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1961 | St. Louis Hawks | 1-4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1962 | Los Angeles Lakers | 3-4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1963 | Los Angeles Lakers | 2-4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1964 | San Francisco Warriors | 1-4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1965 | Los Angeles Lakers | 1-4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1966 | Los Angeles Lakers | 3-4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1967 | San Francisco Warriors | 2-4 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1968 | Los Angeles Lakers | 2-4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1969 | Los Angeles Lakers | 3-4 | Boston Celtics |
For most of the late 1950s and the 1960s, the Celtics always seemed to have the upper hand on Chamberlain's teams. With the establishment of the Celtics dynasty in 1957, Russell instantly became the star of the league. The seventh game of that year's championship was decided on a Celtics basket in the final seconds of the second overtime.
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. The following season, he was traded back to Philadelphia, to join the 76ers that had moved to cover the vacancy created with the departure of the Warriors.
The year 1966 produced a clash between the two stars in the playoffs, and Boston won 4-1. However, Chamberlain's desire to score was so great that the coach made a famous statement to him to seek to play a team game, not an individual game, to avoid drawing double-teams. His newfound spirit brought his team to a new record of 68 wins the following season, and they defeated the Celtics and then advanced to, and won, the Finals.
In 1968, Boston overcame a 3-1 deficit against Philadelphia to once again arrive in the Finals. Playing against Jerry West's Lakers, they seemed doomed to defeat. Nevertheless, for the sixth consecutive time, they defeated L.A., winning by a four games to two margin. The following year was similarly frustrating, again with the Celtics winning the East and the Lakers winning the West. However, now that Chamberlain had been traded to the Lakers, early estimates had the probabilities going largely in favour of the Lakers. They easily won the first two games at the L.A. Forum. However, when the series shifted to Boston Garden, the Celtics won two close games, by margins of 110-105 and 88-87, respectively, in Games 3 and 4. The fifth game, played into the Forum, returned the advantage to the Lakers, but the sixth game was a massive Celtics win, Chamberlain scoring just two points in the entire duration. Game 7 was held on May 5, balloons being hung up in the arena in anticipation of a Lakers victory. Russell immediately used the balloons as an inspiration for his team, and they raced off to an early start and held off a furious Lakers comeback to win 108-106 and take the series, their eleventh championship in thirteen years. This game represented the final one in this first incarnation of the dynasty.
The Seventies
The 1970's saw 8 different teams win the title, with the Celtics and Knicks both winning twice.| Year | Western Champion | Result | Eastern Champion |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | Los Angeles Lakers | 3–4 | New York Knicks |
| 1971 | Milwaukee Bucks | 4–0 | Baltimore Bullets |
| 1972 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–1 | New York Knicks |
| 1973 | Los Angeles Lakers | 1–4 | New York Knicks |
| 1974 | Milwaukee Bucks | 3–4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1975 | Golden State Warriors | 4–0 | Washington Bullets |
| 1976 | Phoenix Suns | 2–4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1977 | Portland Trail Blazers | 4–2 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1978 | Seattle SuperSonics | 3–4 | Washington Bullets |
| 1979 | Seattle SuperSonics | 4–1 | Washington Bullets |
The 1974 championship went back to the Celtics as the remaining players demonstrated excellent teamwork and resilience in the Finals.
The late seventies were characterized by a major breakthrough of the league's western franchises. After compiling a 48-34 regular-season record, the Golden State Warriors swept the heavily-favored Washington Bullets 4-0 in a Finals series where the odds heavily favored the eastern representative. This accomplishment has largely been overlooked, but the history books nevertheless betray this remarkable season, comparable to that of the New York Yankees in 1978.
The next year, 1976, saw the rise of the Phoenix Suns. Only eight years in existence, they overcame a losing record early in the season to build remarkable win streaks to finish 42-40. The events culminated in an upset victory over Golden State. In the final against Boston, the teams split the first four games. Game 5 became one of the most memorable games of all. It went into three overtimes but eventually went to Boston 128-126. Two days later the Celtics finished it off for their 13th championship.
The Decline of the NBA
The late seventies were seen by many to be a low point in the history of the NBA. 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 West continued to dominate in these years, with the Portland Trail Blazers winning the 1977 trophy and the Seattle SuperSonics winning in 1979.Lakers-Celtics rivalry
The 1980's saw either the Lakers and the Celtics in the finals every year, with the Lakers getting it 5 times, the Celtics 3, the Sixers once in 1983 (sweeping the Lakers,) and Detroit once (winning again in 1990.)| Year | Western Champion | Result | Eastern Champion |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–2 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1981 | Houston Rockets | 2–4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1982 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–2 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1983 | Los Angeles Lakers | 0–4 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 1984 | Los Angeles Lakers | 3–4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1985 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–2 | Boston Celtics |
| 1986 | Houston Rockets | 2–4 | Boston Celtics |
| 1987 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–2 | Boston Celtics |
| 1988 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–3 | Detroit Pistons |
| 1989 | Los Angeles Lakers | 0–4 | Detroit Pistons |
| 1990 | Portland Trailblazers | 1–4 | Detroit Pistons |
Bird had actually been drafted the year before, but later decided to stay in college for one more year, and the two superstars both entered the league that same year, 1979, leading their respective teams to dazzling heights. Johnson's Lakers reached the final in 1980, and took a 3-2 lead, but Kareem Abdul-Jabbar could not play in Game 6 due to injury. Johnson shifted to center, ended up playing every position on the court and scored 42 points to win his first championship, a remarkable performance in the annals of the sport.
Boston won the 1981 championship against Houston thanks to Bird, and the team continued dominating the league afterwards, taking many Atlantic Division titles.
Philadelphia, led by Moses Malone and Julius Erving, took the 1983 prize, losing only once in the entire playoffs. (Malone had predicted earlier that they would sweep every series.) However, in the 1984 NBA Finals, the Celtics and Lakers met for the first time since 1969, and again, from Bird's performance, the Celtics toppled Johnson's Lakers 4-3. The seventh game of that series attracted the largest TV audience ever for an NBA game, and the second-largest ever for a basketball game, with only the game between the two stars played five years earlier having a larger audience.
In the 1985 championship, the Lakers made amends for their previous eight losses to the Celtics by defeating them in six games. After losing the first game in a rout, 148-114, dubbed the "Memorial Day massacre", they won four out of five, including a clincher in Boston Garden, to finally end the long years of failing to defeat the Boston franchise.
The 1986 NBA Finals brought the Celtics back against the Houston Rockets. Boston won in six games, taking their sixteenth championship, with the MVP award going to Larry Bird, his second Finals MVP trophy.
In 1987, the Lakers and Celtics met again for a rubber match. Both sides had won one series, and now a third was being played. The Lakers pounded out two victories, but Boston took the third. Game 4 would be one of the most memorable games ever played. In the waning moments, Magic Johnson scored a skyhook to give the Lakers a 107-106 win, and a 3-1 series lead. They dropped one more, but won Game 6 to take the series. This championship team was recently voted the best in history by the NBA's officials and experts.
In 1988 and 1989, the aging Celtics failed to reach the Finals, with the Lakers and Pistons becoming the best of their conferences. The first contest between the two teams went to Los Angeles in seven games, but the second was a Detroit sweep. The next year, Detroit won it all again, and the name "Bad Boys" became attached to the team for their rough, physical play.
The Chicago Bulls dynasty
| Year | Western Champion | Result | Eastern Champion |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Los Angeles Lakers | 1–4 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1992 | Portland Trail Blazers | 2–4 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1993 | Phoenix Suns | 2–4 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1994 | Houston Rockets | 4–3 | New York Knicks |
| 1995 | Houston Rockets | 4–0 | Orlando Magic |
| 1996 | Seattle SuperSonics | 2–4 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1997 | Utah Jazz | 2–4 | Chicago Bulls |
| 1998 | Utah Jazz | 2–4 | Chicago Bulls |
The majority of the 1990s was marked by the rise of the Chicago Bulls dynasty (otherwise known as the 'Michael Jordan era'), which ended in 1998. Coached by legendary head coach Phil Jackson and led by superstar Michael Jordan, the Bulls won six championships from 1991 to 1998. Supported by such remarkable players as Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, Jordan led the Bulls to victory in all NBA Finals series they competed in, and won the Finals MVP award each time. He cemented his position as the best player in the league with dominating performances over superstar Magic Johnson in 1991 and MVP candidate Clyde Drexler in 1992. The Bulls became the second team to sweep games 3 through 5 on the road in Finals history when they did so in the 1991 series against the Lakers. (The first being Detroit in 1990.) Particularly memorable were the 1993 Finals, which became an offensive showdown between Jordan and regular-season MVP (and close friend) Charles Barkley.
Jordan decided to retire after the 1993 championship season, in part because of the death of his father. The Bulls soon faltered. Without the Bulls to compete against, the Houston Rockets, led by Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, won the 1994 and 1995 NBA championships. The game 7 between the Rockets and Knicks in 1994, would be the last game 7 of the NBA Finals until the 2005 series between San Antonio and Detroit.
Jordan decided to return to basketball in 1995, after a short stint as a baseball player. Although he failed to lead the Bulls to the Finals in that year, he returned to pre-retirement form the next year and led the Bulls to one of the most memorable seasons ever. The 1995-1996 Chicago Bulls finished the regular season with a record of 72-10, the best regular season record of any team in the history of the NBA. They proceeded to dominate in the playoffs, defeating Gary Payton, Shawn Kemp and their SuperSonics.
In 1997 and 1998, the Bulls met with perhaps their most formidable foe, the Utah Jazz. Led by Olympians John Stockton and Karl Malone, the Jazz were defeated in both Finals by Jordan's unstoppable play. The Bulls had a cast of characters that proved to be the final pieces to help Michael obtain the ultimate prize. No-names such as Jud Buechler, Randy Brown, Bill Wennington, and Luc Longley were key players that rarely produced an astounding amount of points, but proved vital in the use of intangibles (setting picks, rebounding, creating turnovers, etc.). 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." Before the beginning of the 1999 season, Phil Jackson decided to retire and rode off into the sunset on his Harley, setting off a chain reaction that resulted in most of the team, including Jordan and Pippen, leaving Chicago, ending the dynasty and opening the door for other teams to win the Championship. The Bulls did not make the playoffs again, until 2005.
Post-Jordan
| Year | Western Champion | Result | Eastern Champion |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999* | San Antonio Spurs | 4–1 | New York Knicks |
| 2000 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–2 | Indiana Pacers |
| 2001 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–1 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 2002 | Los Angeles Lakers | 4–0 | New Jersey Nets |
| 2003 | San Antonio Spurs | 4–2 | New Jersey Nets |
| 2004 | Los Angeles Lakers | 1–4 | Detroit Pistons |
| 2005 | San Antonio Spurs | 4–3 | Detroit Pistons |
| 2006 | Dallas Mavericks | 2–4 | Miami Heat |
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs, both of the Western Conference, dominated the NBA. In the 1998-1999 off-season, veteran stars Clyde Drexler and Charles Barkley signed with the Houston Rockets, joining Hakeem Olajuwon in an attempt to win the championship. Although they were the favorites, the Los Angeles Lakers beat them in the playoffs, and San Antonio Spurs, led by the "Twin Towers" Tim Duncan and David Robinson, won the West and proceeded to end the injury-plagued New York Knicks magical run (they had been the #8 seed) in the NBA Finals.
For the next 3 years, the Los Angeles Lakers, led by superstars Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, won the NBA Finals in dominating performances, each year completing the task in one fewer game then the previous Finals. They were particularly dominating in the 2002 Finals, as they kept the lead virtually all the time in every game; only for a short while near the beginning of Game 4 did the New Jersey Nets gain any significant lead in a game. The Lakers sweep of the Nets was the first sweep in the Finals since Houston swept Orlando in the 1995 Finals.
However, the Lakers streak of championships ended when they were defeated by the Spurs in the 2003 playoffs, who proceeded to defeat the Jason Kidd-led Nets in the finals.
In 2004, veteran stars Gary Payton and Karl Malone signed with the Lakers. Along with Bryant and O'Neal, they formed what many expected to be one of the best teams in NBA history. The Lakers were the clear favorites to win the NBA championship. However, the Detroit Pistons, under coach Larry Brown and led by defensive star Ben Wallace and offensive floor general Chauncey Billups, defeated the injury- and dissension-ridden Lakers to become the first Eastern Conference team since the Bulls to win the NBA championship. The Pistons became the first home team to sweep games 3 through 5 in a Finals series (particularly notable because the home team in those games does not have home-court advantage in the series and is usually considered the underdog in the series). Previously three road teams did it (Detroit in 1990, Chicago in 1991 and the Lakers in 2001). Point guard Billups won the Finals MVP award, becoming the first point guard to win the award since Isiah Thomas.
In 2005, for the first time since 1987, the previous two champions met to decide it all, despite neither having played the other in their championship season. The Pistons and Spurs were both considered defensive specialists, having both knocked off offensive-minded No. 1 seeds to reach the Finals. The first four games were blowouts for the home team, but Game 5 produced an instant classic. The game was close throughout: even as the Spurs pulled away in the third quarter the Pistons came back, and the game was tied 89-89 and went into overtime after Tim Duncan missed a potential winning shot for San Antonio. In overtime, the Pistons jumped to a quick 95-91 lead but Robert Horry scored the game-winning 3-point basket with 6 seconds left. This capped an explosive 21-point performance by Horry off the bench, even though Horry had not scored at all until 1 second remained in the third quarter. Horry scored more than a point a minute the rest of the game. This was a capstone to Horry's long career of similarly dramatic game-winning heroics. In Game 6 the defending champion Pistons were given little chance to recover from such a heartbreaking loss but continued a trend of excelling with their 'backs against the wall.' The game was tight throughout until, with a one-point lead and two minutes to play, the Pistons scored the final 8 points of the game to win 95-86. Key to the Detroit win was Rasheed Wallace, who returned to the game to score 7 points and garner a game-clinching steal and rebound, all in the final four minutes. The flamboyant Wallace thus earned some redemption for his gaffe at the end of Game 5 when he left the red-hot Horry unguarded on the game-winning shot. A decisive Game 7 was now set up to conclude this suddenly gripping series, the first Finals Game 7 in 11 years (when Houston defeated New York). The Pistons became the first road team to force a game 7 down 3-2 in the series since the NBA switched to the 2-3-2 format in 1985. The home team was 7-0 prevoiusly in game 6 with the 3-2 lead ('86 Celtics, '87 Lakers, '96 Bulls, '97 Bulls, '00 Lakers and '03 Spurs) and home-court for game 7. This year's was won by the Spurs 81-74, giving them their third NBA Finals championship in seven years. Tim Duncan won his third Finals MVP award, joining Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and Shaquille O'Neal as the fourth player to win three Finals MVP awards. Robert Horry won his sixth NBA title, and became the second player in NBA history to win a title with three different teams (Rockets, Lakers, Spurs).
The 2006 NBA Finals featured the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks. It was the first NBA Finals since 1971 that had both Western and Eastern Conference champions making their first Finals appearance in franchise history. Led by upcoming star and Finals MVP Dwyane Wade, legendary coach Pat Riley and veteran superstar Shaquille O'Neal, the Miami Heat won the championship 4 games to 2 on Dallas' homecourt. 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. Most agree that the turning point of the series was in Game 3, when the Heat overcame a 13 point deficit with less than 6 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to win 98-96. The comeback was led by Dwayne Wade's 12 points in the final six minutes and a clutch outside jumpshot by once perennial all-star Gary Payton. Wade constantly earned high acolades in the form of comparisons to Michael Jordan throughout the series. His points-per-game average was better than what Jordan had in his first championship (34.7 vs. 31.2). And in four games (43, 42, 36 twice), he scored as many as or more than Jordan did in his best game in the '91 Finals (36). One difference that impacted Wade's scoring was the number of times he attempted free throws, which exceeded Jordan's average by nearly five attempts per game. Heat coach Pat Riley became the third coach to win Championships with two different teams (Alex Hannum and Phil Jackson were the first two), and the first to ever do it with two different teams as an interim head coach.
Finals Appearances
| Num | Team | W | L | PCT | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | Los Angeles Lakers | 14 | 14 | .500 | 5-1 as Minneapolis Lakers |
| 19 | Boston Celtics | 16 | 3 | .842 | |
| 9 | Philadelphia 76ers | 3 | 6 | .333 | 1-2 as Syracuse Nationals |
| 8 | New York Knicks | 2 | 6 | .250 | |
| 7 | Detroit Pistons | 3 | 4 | .428 | 0-2 as Ft. Wayne Pistons |
| 6 | Chicago Bulls | 6 | 0 | 1.000 | |
| 6 | Golden State Warriors | 3 | 3 | .500 | 2-1 as Philadelphia Warriors; 0-2 as San Francisco Warriors |
| 4 | Houston Rockets | 2 | 2 | .500 | |
| 4 | Atlanta Hawks | 1 | 3 | .250 | 1-3 as St. Louis Hawks |
| 4 | Washington Wizards | 1 | 3 | .250 | 0-1 as Baltimore Bullets; 1-2 as Washington Bullets |
| 3 | San Antonio Spurs | 3 | 0 | 1.000 | |
| 3 | Portland Trailblazers | 1 | 2 | .333 | |
| 3 | Seattle Supersonics | 1 | 2 | .333 | |
| 2 | Milwaukee Bucks | 1 | 1 | .500 | |
| 2 | New Jersey Nets | 0 | 2 | .000 | |
| 2 | Phoenix Suns | 0 | 2 | .000 | |
| 2 | Utah Jazz | 0 | 2 | .000 | |
| 1 | Baltimore Bullets | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | Team folded in 1954 and is not the same franchise as the current Washington Wizards. |
| 1 | Miami Heat | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | |
| 1 | Sacramento Kings | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | One win as Rochester Royals |
| 1 | Dallas Mavericks | 0 | 1 | .000 | |
| 1 | Indiana Pacers | 0 | 1 | .000 | |
| 1 | Orlando Magic | 0 | 1 | .000 | |
| 1 | Chicago Stags | 0 | 1 | .000 | Team folded in 1950. |
| 1 | Washington Capitols | 0 | 1 | .000 | Team folded in 1951. |
Franchises with no Finals appearances
- Charlotte Bobcats
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Denver Nuggets
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- New Orleans Hornets
- Toronto Raptors
Trivia
- Steve Kerr and Robert Horry had the peculiar distinction of alternating NBA Championships for a decade, and combined to win 11 championships over a twelve-year period. Though neither player was ever an All-Star, either Kerr or Horry was on the roster of every NBA Championship team from the 1993-1994 season thru the 2002-2003 season. Kerr's teams were winners in the NBA Finals in 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2003. Horry's teams were victorious in the NBA Finals in 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2005. Each won 3 titles playing for Phil Jackson-coached teams (the Lakers and Bulls), and every other championship with a team from Texas (the Spurs and Rockets).
External links
- The Historical Records Section of the NBA official site
- The Greatest Game Ever (Game 5, 1976 Finals)
- NBA.com: Greatest Finals Moments
- NBA Daily Dime
"NBA Finals"