The 50 Best Series in NBA Playoff History

Round: NBA Finals
Dates: June 8-June 22
Winner: Rockets, 4 games to 3
Just one of the games was close and thanks to O.J. & A.C.'s fast break, much of Game 5 wasn't even televised. But the Knicks and Rockets slugfest was still one to remember. Leading 3-2 with a chance to join the NHL champion Rangers at the center of the sports world, the Knicks failed to capitalize in Houston.

Hakeem Olajuwon blocked John Starks' last second attempt to tie Game 6 and in that fateful Game 7, Starks imploded, shooting a ghastly 2 for 18 from the field. Neither team scored 100 points in the entire series, but with Ewing setting a Finals record with 30 blocks, it was as beautiful as ugly can be.

Winner: Warriors, 4-3
James Harden’s Rockets just couldn’t get over the hump against the Warriors in the mid-2010s as Houston was eliminated by Golden State in both 2015 and 2016. In 2018, however, the Rockets had the Warriors on the ropes. Eric Gordon had 24 points off the bench in Game 5 and his steal on Golden State’s last possession wrapped up a 98-94 win to give Houston a 3-2 series lead.

The Dubs showed their championship mettle in the final two games of the series, though. Klay Thompson scored 35 points in a Warriors Game 6 win, and then the Rockets missed an incredible 27 straight 3-pointers in Game 7 as the Warriors went back to the Finals for the fourth year in a row.—Matt Burke

Winner: Bucks, 4-3
If Kevin Durant’s feet were a size or two smaller, this series would have turned out differently. In Game 7 in Brooklyn, Durant was cooking the Bucks all night long. With Milwaukee leading 109-107 with three seconds left in regulation, KD pulled up for what initially looked like a game-winning 3-pointer. He drilled it, but after further examination, his foot was on the line. Just a two-pointer.

The game went to overtime where the Bucks ultimately prevailed, 115-111. The Bucks withstood a Game 7 NBA record 48 points from Durant. Giannis was not too shabby himself as he totaled 40 points and 13 rebounds in the Milwaukee victory. —Matt Burke

Winner: Suns, 4-3
2006 belonged to Kobe Bryant. So did this series. Until he didn't want it anymore. Bryant averaged an astounding 35 points per game that year, shredding any defense put before him, single handedly dragging Los Angeles into the playoffs. But he knew as well as anyone that the seventh seeded Lakers would only prevail as a team.

Kobe acted as a facilitator early in the series, enabling surprising performances from Lamar Odom and Kwame Brown. Then he sunk two clutch baskets in Game 4 to give the Lakers a commanding 3-1 series lead. With a chance to wrap things up at home in game 6, Bryant racked up 50 points, but the Suns still emerged victorious. The opportunity was lost and apparently even Kobe knew it. In the most curious performance of his career, Bryant all but refused to shoot the ball as Phoenix buried L.A. by 31 in Game 7.

Winner: Celtics, 4-3
The Big Three took the league by storm in their first season together, winning 66 games and looking primed for Boston's first title run in ages. But in yet another display of defiance, LeBron James gave them all they could handle, leading Cleveland to consecutive victories to match the Celtics at 2-2.

After trading wins again, everything came down to a Game 7 in Boston, where James and Paul Pierce did their best impression of 'Nique and Bird, with 45 and 41 points respectively. The Celtics would advance to the Conference Finals and eventually a championship, but the legend of LeBron James continued to grow.

Winner: Cavaliers, 4-3
Kyrie Irving, LeBron James and the Cavs ousted the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2017. One year later, the two teams met again in the ECF but Irving was in street clothes on the Celtics bench. Kyrie was traded to the C’s in the summer of 2017 but was injured in March of 2018 - causing him to miss the playoffs.

A Celtics squad featuring Jayson Tatum in his rookie campaign and Jaylen Brown in just his second season took the first two games at home, and also took Game 5. LeBron was spectacular in the final two games of the series, however, as he scored 46 points in Game 6 and had 35 points and 15 boards in Game 7, both Cavs victories.—Matt Burke

Winner: Pistons, 4-3
Conventional wisdom says that a team must learn to deal with defeat before becoming a champion. The Chicago Bulls had learned plenty, losing to their nemeses in Detroit two years in a row. Armed with experience, a new coach in Phil Jackson, and a new offense, Chicago looked to finally break the Jordan Rules in that year's Conference Finals.

Detroit held home court through the series' first two games, but Jordan wouldn't be denied, scoring 47 and 42 in Games 3 and 4, both Bulls victories. The squads held serve again and Game 7 was sure to be an epic conclusion. Then Scottie Pippen got a headache and Chicago lost by 19. Jordan scored 31, but his teammates were nowhere to be found, shooting 15-63. Chicago would eventually get past Detroit and never look back, however this was the peak of a rivalry between two teams that combined for five consecutive championships.

Winner: Heat, 4-3
The Kevin Garnett/Paul Pierce/Ray Allen Celtics were running on fumes by 2012, and they had been eliminated in five games by the LeBron James/Dwyane Wade/Chris Bosh Heat the year prior. So, it was quite surprising when Boston won Games 3, 4, and 5 over the Heat in the ECF.

The pivotal game in this one was Game 6, where a locked-in LeBron painted a masterpiece at TD Garden. This was the game where LBJ gave his legendary “stare/scowl.” He finished with 45 points and 15 rebounds as Miami won, 98-79. The Heat would then win Game 7, 101-88, to make the NBA Finals for the second consecutive season.—Matt Burke

Winner: Nuggets, 4-3
The best series to take place in the 2020 COVID bubble. The Kawhi Leonard/Paul George-led Clippers built a 3-1 series lead over the Nikola Jokic/Jamal Murray-led Nuggets. Denver already had a reputation in the bubble of being the comeback kids, as they dug out of a 3-1 hole in Round 1 to beat the Utah Jazz. Denver won Game 5, 111-105, and then Game 6, 111-98, setting up a monster Game 7.

The Nuggets trailed by 12 points in the first half of Game 7, but outscored the Clippers 50-33 in the second half to come away with a 104-89 series-clinching victory. Jokic showed up with one of his patented triple-doubles in Game 7 against the Clips with 16 points, a whopping 22 rebounds, and 13 assists. Murray was on fire from the floor as he put up 40 points in the clinching win.—Matt Burke

Winner: Spurs, 4-3
The defending NBA champion Thunder looked like an unstoppable juggernaut in the first two rounds of the 2026 playoffs as they swept the Suns and then the Lakers. The young Spurs were an entirely different animal, however, as San Antonio won Game 1 in OKC in double-OT, 122-115.

The Thunder would bounce back, winning Games 2, 3 and 5. The final two games of the series belonged to the Spurs, however, highlighted by a 111-103 Game 7 win on the road in OKC. Victor Wembanyama won series MVP, averaging 27.3 points,10.9 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks.—Matt Burke

Winner: Magic, 4-2
The Kobe vs LeBron mania was at its peak and we were just four games away from one of the most anticipated Finals matchups of all time. The Cavs were heavily favored and would build significant leads in the series' first two contests. But Orlando would overcome both, taking Game 1 and barely missing a chance at Game 2, thanks to a miraculous three pointer at the buzzer from LeBron.

James would put the Cavs on his back in Game 4, finishing with 44, 12, and 7, yet it wasn't enough to prevent another Magic win in overtime, as Orlando put Cleveland in a 3-1 series stranglehold. A classic triple double from Bron in Game 5 delayed the inevitable, but Dwight Howard's 40 and 14 concluded the shocking upset in Game 6.

Winner: Raptors, 4-2
The Warriors made their fifth straight NBA Finals in 2019, where they met Toronto - which was making its first Finals appearance in franchise history. Kawhi Leonard led the way for the Raptors that spring, particularly in the Finals as he averaged 28.5 points, 9.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.

In the closing moments of Game 6, Steph Curry missed a contested 3-pointer before the Warriors called a timeout it did not have. Leonard sunk the technical free throw with 0.9 seconds left to seal the deal.—Matt Burke

Winner: Bulls, 4-2
The Bulls' quest for a historic three-peat would have to go through New York, again, but the Knicks were favored this time and armed with home court advantage. They'd hold serve in the first two games, including John Starks' infamous dunk over Grant and Jordan in Game 2, however Chicago won Game 3 easily at home and Jordan personally took over Game 4 with 54 points. Seeking to maintain an edge, New York fought Chicago down to the wire in that fateful Game 5, yet Charles Smith left the Knicks hanging. Chicago would wrap the series up in six, but it was a lot closer than it looked.

Winner: Celtics, 4-3
He wasn't a household name and they certainly weren't America's team, but Sidney Moncrief and the Bucks were pretty good in their day. They'd prove as much in this dramatic go at the Boston Celtics. After winning handily in the opener, Boston narrowly escaped with a two-point Game 2 victory.

However Milwaukee wouldn't surrender their home court, defeating the Celtics in a Game 3 overtime. But Boston would double down on OT with two in Game 4, which the Celtics won 138-137. The two teams traded haymakers, each winning in the other's building in Games 5 and 6. Leading by eight with just five minutes remaining in Game 7, the Bucks were foiled by no one other than Larry Bird, who scored 13 4th quarter points to save Boston's season.

Winner: Knicks, 4-1
The Knicks entered the 2026 NBA Finals against the young Spurs as a +160 series underdog at Fanatics Sportsbook despite having rolled through the Eastern Conference Playoffs. Jalen Brunson and Co. had won 11 straight playoff games heading into Game 1 against Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs.

New York wasted little time in proving the doubters wrong as they took Game 1 in San Antonio, 105-95, and then took Game 2, 105-104. Game 4 proved to be the pivotal match. The Knicks found themselves down 29 points in Game 4 and it seemed for certain that the series was going back to San Antonio all tied up. New York, however, just kept chipping away and chipping away at that lead. The Knicks outscored San Antonio, 26-14, in the third quarter, and then 32-16 in the fourth quarter.

The final Knicks points of the night came from OG Anunoby, the author of the biggest bucket in Knicks history. With the Spurs leading 106-105 and 4.1 seconds left, Brunson pulled up from 3. It hit the front of the rim but a soaring Anunoby got his right hand on the ball and tipped it in. Ball game. The Knicks would win Game 4, 107-106, and then Game 5 in San Antonio, 94-90, to clinch the title. It was the Knicks first NBA championship in 53 years.—Matt Burke

Winner: Warriors, 4-3
So many juicy storylines in this one as the Kevin Durant/Russell Westbrook-led Thunder met the Splash Brothers-era Warriors.

Not only were the 2016 Warriors coming off a championship the previous season, but Golden State broke the NBA’s all-time season wins record in the regular season with 73 victories. Another championship seemed like a given, but OKC stunningly held a 3-1 series lead after four games.

The Warriors stormed back in the series, though, highlighted by Klay Thompson’s 41-point effort in Game 6 in OKC in which he made a playoff-record 11 3-pointers. The Dubs would go on to win Game 7, 96-88.—Matt Burke

Winner: Warriors, 4-2
Fueled by the pain of their Finals loss, the Mavericks came back even stronger the following year with a league-leading 67 wins. Their first round series against the lowly Warriors should've been a breeze. Instead it was a matchup nightmare. Golden State's quickness ran circles around Dallas and a stellar defensive performance from Stephen Jackson stifled Nowitzki for much of the series

The Warriors would steal the opener in Dallas and three of the series first four games before burying the Mavericks comeback hopes with a 25-point Game 6 victory. Golden State became the first eighth seed to defeat a top seed in a seven game series and Dirk had to suffer the humiliation of accepting his MVP award at a press conference as the Playoffs rolled on.

Winner: Mavericks, 4-2
We certainly didn't expect Dirk to win this time. The Miami Heat became Public Enemy No. 1 overnight, but much of it was because they were just that good. Shutting down and dunking on whoever they pleased, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh ran roughshod over the league and right into the Finals.

Nowiktzki's Mavs were on a surprising run of their own, yet it wasn't until their 15-point comeback in Game 2 that we believed they had a chance. Miami would bounce back in Game 3, but Dallas was seemingly a team of destiny, taking the series' final three games. Whatever it was—Dirk's redemption or Bron's deserved dose of schadenfreude—this was an instant classic.

Winner: Cavs, 4-2
Sometimes a young team just needs experience to get over the hump and sometimes all the experience in the world won't matter. Cleveland's run-in with Detroit-their second in as many years-was supposed to be just another lesson. What we learned was that when he really wants to be, LeBron James is simply unstoppable.

Game 1 ended with what is now a familiar controversy, after James passed to Donyell Marshall for the tie instead of taking matters into his own hands. The talking heads chattered all the way through the series' first four games before Bron shut everyone up in Game 5. In the fourth quarter and two overtimes, Bron scored 25 consecutive points to seize a 3-2 series lead; Cleveland would finish a stunned Pistons squad off in six and reach his first NBA Finals.

Winner: Celtics, 4-2
No series was defined more by two games than this one. Dave Cowens fueled the Celtics' victories in Boston before Paul Westphal and Alvan Adams helped Phoenix bounce back in Game 3. The Suns would survive overtime in Game 4 to send the series back to Boston Garden for a pivotal Game 5 that would seemingly never end.

Nearly marred by a series of officiating and timekeeping mistakes, Game 5 saw the Suns and Celtics battle back and forth for two overtimes, until John Havlicek sunk what appeared to be the winning basket. However, there were two seconds returned to the Suns, just enough time for Gar Heard to fling in a buzzer beater to force a third OT. The Celtics would eventually secure the victory and a championship in the following game.

Winner: Rockets, 4-3
After upsetting the Jazz in the first round, Houston quickly found themselves in a 3-1 hole against Phoenix. The Rockets avoided elimination with a Game 5 OT win, then defended their turf in Game 6 for a trip back to Phoenix for a thrilling Game 7.

The Suns would lead by as many as ten for much of the game, but Kevin Johnson's 46 and 10 weren't enough to combat Drexler and Olajuwon, who finished with 29 each. The real hero however, was Mario Elie, with one of the Playoffs all time clutch baskets, a three-pointer to give Houston the series and the definitive moment of an improbable title defense.

Winner: Bulls, 4-2
Everyone knew this was the Bulls last dance and we didn't expect them to go out any other way. In a Finals rematch with Utah, Chicago responded to a Game 1 overtime loss with three straight Ws, including the biggest beatdown in Finals history, a 96-54 Game 3 drubbing. But the Jazz would steal another one in the United Center as Michael Jordan's last second three pointer missed the mark.

When Scottie Pippen went down early in Game 6 with a bad back, many thought the Bulls might be facing the challenge of a seventh game in Utah-which means we continued to underestimate Michael Jordan. Twenty-three points in the first half, 45 points for the game, the league's most lasting image, and a sixth championship were the final reminder that they didn't call him Money for no reason.

Winner: Mavericks, 4-3
Somehow two 60-win teams ended up staring each other down in the second round. The Mavericks jumped out to a 3-1 lead over San Antonio, but Bruce Bowen's clutch defense of Dirk Nowitzki saved the Spurs' chances in Game 5 and Manu Ginobili's 30 points in Game 6 led to a seventh game in San Antonio we all expected the Spurs to win.

Intent on playing the spoiler, Dallas seized a 20-point lead, but somehow still found themselves playing catch up until Dirk's and-one with seconds remaining sent it to overtime. His heroics continued in the extra frame and Dallas pulled off the upset and avoided an epic collapse at the same time.

Winner: Lakers, 4- 3
Both teams look back on this series knowing the outcome probably sealed their fate. The Blazers were an unbelievably deep and talented team, led by Scottie Pippen and Rasheed Wallace. The Lakers were home to the league's two greatest talents in Shaq and Kobe, but for years, they'd failed to fulfill expectations.

When the two clashed in the Conference Finals, Los Angeles took a 3-1 series lead, yet couldn't finish off Portland in Game 5 or 6, and suddenly found themselves down 15 points headed into the fourth quarter of Game 7. Then in one of the most memorable collapses in playoff history, the Blazers missed 13 consecutive field goals, paving the way for a Laker rally and the iconic Kobe to Shaq oop that sealed the deal and started a dynasty.

Winner: Celtics, 4-3
The stakes weren't as high as other series on this list, but this is arguably the greatest first-round series ever, and, thrill-for-thrill, one of the greatest series in any sport. Boston's title defense was shaken by Kevin Garnett's midseason knee injury, however they refused to be derailed by the young and hungry Bulls.

No team won two games in a row the entire series and five of the seven games were decided by a single basket. Game 1 in Boston went to overtime. So did Game 3. Game 4 went to double OT. Game 5 went to overtime and Game 6 was a triple overtime thriller. The anticlimactic Game 7 went to the C's, but it's a shame this one ever had to end.

Winner: Pacers, 4-3
In a drama packed series more suited for Broadway, the Knicks' three contests with Indiana in the Garden went down to the last possession. The curtain opened with Reggie Miller's still unbelievable eight points in nine seconds, giving the Pacers a shocking Game 1 victory.

The Pacers overcame an eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter of Game 3 for a 2-1 series lead and would grab control with a Game 4 win, but Patrick Ewing's jumper with a second remaining in Game 5 and 25 and 15 in Game 6 sent the series back to the Garden. Neither teams budged in Game 7, trading clutch baskets until the series was in Ewing's hands again on the final possession, a missed layup as the buzzer sounded and Indiana rejoiced.

Winner: Lakers, 4-3
The Lakers were absolutely embarrassed by Boston in the 2008 Finals, blowing a then-Finals record 24-point lead with a chance to tie the series in Game 4 and succumbing to another record-breaking blowout in the clincher, a 39-point loss. The Celtics however, still had something to prove themselves, having watched L.A. win the title in '09 as Kevin Garnett nursed his ailing knee. So with the two battling for another title in 2010, we were practically assured a classic grudge match.

The Lakers won Game 1 handily, but a record eight three pointers from Ray Allen stole the spotlight in Game 2. Derek Fisher's 11 fourth quarter points in Game 3 helped Los Angeles recapture the home court advantage and Nate Robinson along with Big Baby Davis surprisingly led the Celtics to a 2-2 series tie in Game 4. Game 5 saw Kobe Bryant put on a classic showing in the third quarter, scoring from every conceivable angle, but Boston still prevailed, forcing the Lakers to fight for their lives in back-to-back home games. They'd bludgeon the C's in Game 6 and bury them in Game 7, thanks to timely buckets from some guy who used to go by the name Ron Artest.

Winner: Lakers, 4-3
Though Tim Donaghy's shadow stains the curious case of Game 6, this battle between the Kings and Lakers remains a classic. Los Angeles was primed for a threepeat, but Sacramento was equally determined to best their division rivals. They'd split the first two games and the Kings would take the momentum of a Game 3 win into Game 4, where they built a 24-point lead, putting the champs on the ropes. But the Lakers managed to erase the deficit, setting up Robert Horry's greatest hit, a buzzer beating three-pointer to give the Lakers a win and new life, tying the series at 2-2.

Game 5 was another barn burner, capped off by a game-winner from Mike Bibby. We won't even try to explain the 27 free throws the Lakers took in the 4th quarter of Game 6, but we will say that the Kings had a chance to wrap the series up at home in seven and blew it. Kobe dropped 30 alongside Shaq's 35, and the Lakers won in overtime, becoming the first team in 20 years to win a Conference Final or Finals Game 7 on the road.

Winner: Celtics, 4-3
Lakers vs. Celtics is never lacking in star power, but Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell all fighting for championship glory, ended in even more dramatic fashion than usual. The home team won each of the first six games in this series, the most notable being Sam Jones' jumper off the famed picket fence play in a Celtics Game 4 victory to tie the series. So the Lakers were expected to defend their home with a championship on the line in Game 7. In fact, team owner Jack Kent Cooke had already planned the celebration, leaving a program for the festivities in every seat as ballons hovered over the court in anticipation of the final buzzer.

Before tip off, Russell told West, “Those fucking balloons are staying up there.” And that they did. An ill-timed spat between Wilt and his coach and an incredibly lucky shot from Don Nelson sealed the final championship for Russell's Celtics, which was perhaps their sweetest. Jerry West would have to settle for a Finals MVP trophy instead, the only time a player from the losing team received the award.

Winner: Cavs, 4-3
LeBron James returned home in the summer of 2014 with the hopes of ending Cleveland’s professional sports drought that had spanned half a century. In 2014-15, LeBron took the Cavs to the Finals, but they were toppled by the Warriors in six games. There was a bit of an asterisk with the 2015 series, considering Kevin Love missed the entire Finals due to injury and Kyrie Irving missed Games 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 due to injury.

Fast-forward one year and we got our rematch, this time with the Cavs fully healthy. The 73-win Warriors built a 3-1 series lead, but the Cavs rattled off three-straight victories to win their first title in franchise history. The most memorable moment was Kyrie Irving’s 3-pointer over Steph Curry with 53 seconds left in a thrilling Game 7.—Matt Burke

Winner: Bulls, 4-2
The unthinkable had happened. We actually got tired of Michael Jordan winning. He was far and away the league's most graceful athlete and fiercest competitor, but no matter how he wowed us, we knew to expect it. So when a brash Charles Barkley led the Phoenix Suns to a league-best record, we swooned at the thought of a new king and coronated him a bit too soon.

Barkley hoisted the MVP trophy and proclaimed the Suns a team of destiny. Little did he know their destiny was to be embarrassed by Jordan. Chicago took both Games 1 and 2 in Phoenix, but the Suns fought back to claim a triple overtime thriller in Game 3 at Chicago behind 24 and 19 from Barkley. But just when Chuck began to get his hopes up, Michael burned the Suns for 55 in Game 4 to take a 3-1 lead. Phoenix won Game 5, shifting the series back home, but lost a chance at a seventh game when John Paxson launched his way into NBA history. Jordan averaged an unfathomable 41 points per game in the series, the Bulls were the NBA's first three-peat in decades, and no one has called Charles an MVP since.

Winner: Lakers, 4-3
Still reeling from their unexpected loss to Boston in the previous year's Finals, the Lakers were determined to right their course, yet once again found themselves on the wrong side of history. The Knicks pounced on L.A. in Game 1 and nearly took Game 2, were it not for two clutch free throws from Jerry West. Game 3 provided one of the greatest shots in Finals history as West hurled a sixty footer to tie the score at the end of regulation.

However, New York would emerge with another victory in overtime. Thirty-seven points from West and 30 from Baylor kept Laker hopes alive in Game 4, but Game 5 was the series turning point. Los Angeles capitalized on Willis Reed's leg injury to build a 16-point lead, but once again the Knicks came scrambling back to take a 3-2 series advantage. Wilt Chamberlain would dominate with 45 points in Game 6, but inspired by the presence of a hobbled Reed in Game 7, New York ran away with the title in a 14 point win, led by Walt Frazier's 36 and 19.

Winner: Lakers, 4-2
This series wasn't exactly close, but it sure was significant. Facing off in the Finals for the second straight year, the Lakers got off to an awful start in Boston. Dubbed the "Boston Massacre," Game 1 saw the Celtics demolish L.A., 148-114. The Lakers, however, would not be deterred.

Stealing Game 2 in the Garden and following it up with a 25-point beating of their own at home in Game 3, Los Angeles was left heartbroken again when Dennis Johnson's buzzer beater tied the series for Boston at two games apiece. The Lakers responded with a Game 5 win and squelched any thought of a Celtic revival with a stellar performance from Kareem in Game 6, leading to the first championship celebration by a visitor in Boston Garden.

Winner: Heat, 4-3
This series featured an old Tim Duncan and a young Kawhi Leonard going up against the “superest” of super teams in the LeBron James/Dwyane Wade/Chris Bosh Heat. Miami was looking for its second straight championship, while San Antonio was looking to reach the mountaintop again for the first time since 2007.

Game 6 was the most memorable contest in this seven-game affair. The Spurs entered the fourth quarter of Game 6 up 10 points, but LeBron James and Ray Allen led the way in the Heat comeback. LeBron scored 16 points in the fourth quarter, and Allen hit one of the most memorable shots in Finals history - a corner 3-pointer to tie the game, 95-95, with 5.2 seconds left. The Heat would win Game 6 in overtime, and go on to win Game 7, 95-88.—Matt Burke

Winner: Lakers, 4-3
The Celtics had started to fade away and the Lakers were seemingly left without a challenger. But just as one rivalry died out, another one began. In their first Finals appearance, Isiah Thomas and the Detroit Pistons gave us a captivating series filled with grit, drama, and iconic performances. The Pistons took command early, behind 34 points from Adrian Dantley in Game 1. But even the flu couldn't let Magic face the possibility of an 0-2 hole headed to Detroit, as the superstar dug deep for 23 points and 11 assists.

The Pistons would take 2 of 3 games at home and narrowly missed their chance to close out the Lakers in Game 6, despite an all-time Finals performance from Thomas. The original Baby-Faced Assassin was already on a one-man run with 14 consecutive points in the third quarter to shave a Laker lead, but then he sprained his right ankle on an ensuing possession.

In an inspiring display of will, Zeke refused to sit and piled on 11 more points in the quarter to set an Finals record with 25 on 11-13 shooting. The game went back and forth over the final minutes until a questionable foul call on Bill Laimbeer sent Kareem to the line for the game winning free throws. Isiah would finish the game with 43 points. He'd play sparsely in Game 7 and the Lakers took full advantage, building a substantial lead late in the 4th quarter. The Pistons would not go down without a fight though, cutting the lead to just one point with seconds remaining. But it wasn't enough to overcome a majestic showing from James Worthy, who recorded the first triple double in a Finals Game 7 with 36, 16, and 10.

Winner: Celtics, 4-3
Magic Johnson and Larry Bird revived the league, a rivalry, and captivated a nation with their play, but had yet to face each other for a championship. The 1984 Finals was a physical affair, with the Lakers and Celtics trading wins over the first four games, including two crushing overtime victories by Boston and a 33-point beating for L.A. that prompted Bird to say his teammates played like sissies.

This of course set the tone for Kevin McHale's memorable takedown of Kurt Rambis that cleared both benches in Game 4 and the Celtics literally turned up the heat in Game 5. With the air conditioning broken in Boston Garden, the C's would sweat out another win for a 3-2 lead in the series. Destined for a seventh game, the Lakers whittled a 14 point deficit down to just three with a minute remaining, but Magic Johnson would commit his last error in a series of miscues, as he was stripped by Cedric Maxwell. L.A. lost the game and the series, Bird was named Finals MVP, Magic was dubbed "Tragic Johnson," vowed revenge and the storyline for the next half-decade-not to mention the birth of the NBA as we know it-was laid before us. Without these two men leading these two teams in this series, we might still be watching the Finals on tape delay.