One of the best NBA playoff runs don’t simply pertain to groups dominating their opposition; it’s additionally a matter of which groups and gamers they beat.
In fact, this doesn’t take away the efforts and credibility of each championship staff within the NBA file books. It’s simply that different groups did it by way of a extra slim path.
Greatest NBA playoff runs
Each sports activities staff that received all of it confronted a mess of challenges alongside the way in which. Nonetheless, there are those that went by way of inconceivable hurdles and managed to dominate the opposition. Having mentioned that, let’s have a look at the groups with the best postseason runs in NBA historical past.
10. 1971 Milwaukee Bucks (15-3)
When the Bucks had been put in as an enlargement staff in 1968, no person set lofty expectations for them. That was significantly true of their first yr once they completed with a paltry 27-55 file. However then got here the 1969 NBA Draft, which modified the whole lot for the Bucks transferring ahead.
Holding the primary choose within the draft, the Bucks chosen UCLA’s Lew Alcindor, who would later be often known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Alcindor instantly made his presence felt throughout his rookie yr, averaging 28.8 factors and 14.5 rebounds and main the Bucks to the Jap Division Finals.
With a championship in sight, the Bucks made a transfer to amass all-around wing Oscar Robertson from the Cincinnati Royals. Robertson was a bit previous his prime already, however his do-it-all know-how complemented Alcindor’s dominating play fashion.
The 1971 Bucks finally received the title of their third yr of existence, beating the San Francisco Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, and Baltimore Bullets.
9. 1995 Houston Rockets (15-7)
This model of the Rockets championship staff doesn’t impress when it comes to mere playoff file, however their title run was crammed with tough hurdles. It’s very attention-grabbing, particularly contemplating the truth that they had been simply coming off a profitable title run the yr prior.
The Rockets didn’t have a very good yr, as they entered the playoffs ranked sixth within the Western Convention. A significant roster shakeup noticed them purchase former Portland Path Blazers star Clyde Drexler, a transfer that will pay dividends afterward.
They’d face the Utah Jazz within the first spherical of the playoffs, successful the collection by way of a do-or-die Sport 5. However the odds had been stacked towards them within the second spherical, as they misplaced the primary two video games to the Phoenix Suns, and finally discovered themselves in a 1-3 gap. However in typical championship kind, the Rockets got here alive and received the subsequent three video games.
They went on to beat the San Antonio Spurs in six video games, earlier than lastly sweeping the Orlando Magic en path to probably the greatest NBA playoff runs in historical past.
8. 1999 San Antonio Spurs (15-2)
The primary of the numerous for the Spurs dynasty was completely a candy one. It was a yr marred by the lockout, which triggered the common season to be shortened to 50 video games. That didn’t faze the Spurs, although. They went on an unimaginable 31-5 run within the latter a part of the season to build up homecourt benefit all through the postseason.
It was a dominant title run for the Spurs, as they misplaced two video games — one towards the Minnesota Timberwolves within the first spherical and one other by the hands of the New York Knicks within the Finals. Regardless of the almost-immaculate file, the Spurs confronted tons of the very best gamers in that span, together with Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Patrick Ewing, Arvydas Sabonis, and Rasheed Wallace.
7. 1989 Detroit Pistons (15-2)
There’s little question that this was a staff crammed with expertise on all fronts. This can be a squad that featured Isiah Thomas, Vinnie Johnson, Joe Dumars, Mark Aguirre, Dennis Rodman, Rick Mahorn, and Bill Laimbeer. A title run was actually within the making.
The Pistons solid a dominant postseason run, dropping solely twice to the Michael Jordan-led Bulls and successful the whole lot that got here earlier than and after. It’s an admirable feat, contemplating in addition they swept the Celtics and the Lakers in only one playoff run.
6. 1983 Philadelphia 76ers (12-1)
As one of many huge markets within the league, the Sixers all the time have this expectation to contend for titles. They did win two in 1955 and 1967, however previous to the 1982-83 season, they had been but to win one with the good Julius Erving on board.
The celebrities lastly aligned in 1983 as Erving joined forces with newly-acquired, two-time MVP Moses Malone. They stomped their class within the 1983 playoffs, going 12-1 and sweeping the Lakers on their method to the title.
5. 1996 Chicago Bulls (15-3)
Who would ever overlook the 72-9 Bulls squad?
They didn’t simply carve the competitors through the common season but additionally managed to win all of it come playoff time. The Bulls defeated the Warmth, Knicks, and Magic on their method to the Finals, the place they shook off the Seattle Supersonics in six video games.
4. 2017 Golden State Warriors (16-1)
Subsequent up on the record is probably the most dominant playoff staff in NBA historical past, at the very least by mere win-loss file. Having acquired one other prime famous person in Kevin Durant, the stacked Warriors squad went on to obliterate everybody that they confronted within the playoffs.
Holding homecourt benefit all through the playoffs, the Warriors wasted no time within the first three rounds. They went 12-0 in that span, scoring dominant sweeps of the Blazers, Jazz, and Spurs. They’d then go up towards LeBron James and the Cavaliers within the Finals, they usually took care of enterprise in simply 5 video games.
3. 1991 Chicago Bulls (15-2)
Generally known as MJ’s breakthrough yr, the Bulls lastly received their franchise’s first NBA championship in 1991. After a number of years of going by way of heartbreaks, most notably by the hands of the Pistons, the Bulls lastly broke by way of the Jap Convention.
Jordan and the Bulls made straightforward work of the Knicks and the Sixers within the first two rounds. Then they confronted their rivals Pistons within the Convention Finals and took revenge by way of a dominant sweep. Chicago would then defeat the Magic Johnson-led Lakers in 5 video games, clinching the town’s first NBA championship and first title below the Jordan period.
2. 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers (16-5)
The Cavaliers didn’t face a lot competitors within the first two rounds of the 2016 playoffs, sweeping the rug out of the Pistons and the Hawks. They’d get right into a 2-2 tug-of-war with the Raptors within the Convention Finals, however they managed to tug by way of by successful the subsequent two video games.
However the actual check got here towards the Warriors, who had been coming off a league-record 73-9 slate within the common season. Golden State received three of the primary 4 video games of arguably the most entertaining playoff series, and it appeared they had been able to win their second straight title. LeBron James and the Cavaliers had different plans although, as they received the subsequent three video games to offer Cleveland their first NBA title.
The seventh sport of this Cavaliers-Warriors Finals iteration ranks as one of many best games in NBA playoff history.
1. 2001 Los Angeles Lakers (15-1)
Arguably probably the most dominant playoff staff ever, the 2001 Lakers squad banked on their lethal duo to forge probably the greatest NBA playoff runs. Led by Kobe and Shaq, the Lakers swept their opponents within the West earlier than dropping Sport 1 of their Finals matchup with Allen Iverson and the Sixers.
However the Purple-and-Gold squad would rapidly regroup, and received the subsequent 4 video games to bag the 2001 NBA championship.
Source link
