16) Trail Blazers over Lakers, 1977 

There was no shortage of hyperbole when former UCLA stars Bill Walton and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar faced off in the 1977 Western Conference Finals, with Sports Illustrated hyping it as a re-incarnation of Wilt Chamberlain vs. Bill Russell. The ’76-’77 Lakers were the first real title contenders after Kareem had been traded there in 1975, with Lucius Allen, Cazzie Russell, and Kermit Washington leading a solid veteran supporting cast. They cruised to 53 wins and the #1 seed in the West, then held off a feisty Warriors team in the Conference Semifinals. Portland was making its first playoff appearance in franchise history (dating back to ’70-’71) and, as the #3 seed, pulled off a minor upset of the Nuggets in the second round. While the Lakers were beat up heading into the Conference Finals series, with Washington sidelined and Allen hobbling, they had a 45-4 record (including the playoffs) at the Forum that year and few thought Walton could outclass Abdul-Jabbar. But the Blazers were the more well-balanced team, with Walton, Maurice Lucas, Lionel Hollins, and Johnny Davis all scoring 20+ points in a game one upset in Los Angeles. Abdul-Jabbar dominated game two with 40 points, but missed a short jumper at the buzzer that would have sent the game to overtime. Game three featured a posterizing dunk by Walton over Abdul-Jabbar, and in game four Kareem struggled with foul trouble as the Blazers finished a sweep. Portland would pull one more upset in that postseason, defeating the 76ers in the NBA Finals for the first, and only, championship in franchise history. After the Conference Finals, Lakers coach Jerry West admitted that the franchise was hampering Abdul-Jabbar by surrounding him with second-rate talent, while Portland had more wisely built around Walton from the ground up.

15) Rockets over Spurs, 1995

There’s been some (rightful) criticism of the NBA’s recent decision to start awarding league MVP in a ceremony after the NBA Finals have been completed, but one advantage is that it does prevent the previous potential awkwardness of giving out the award before a playoff game. Case in point was game five of this series. League MVP was awarded to David Robinson, and deservedly so. The Admiral had been terrific in the regular season, averaging 27.6 points and 10.8 rebounds per game in leading the Spurs to 62 wins and the West’s top seed. Plenty of hype coming into this series was also being lavished on San Antonio’s Dennis Rodman, who had just been highlighted in a controversial Sports Illustrated cover story, and Rockets star Clyde Drexler, who had been acquired at the trade deadline and was attempting to finally win an NBA title. Everyone seemed to be forgetting about the ’93-’94 league MVP and Finals MVP, Hakeem Olajuwon. So he gave them something to remember him by. After the teams split the first four games, Olajuwon watched sullenly as Robinson accepted his MVP trophy before game five in San Antonio, then came out and pulverized his rival, with 42 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, five blocks, and lockdown defense in a 111-90 win. Houston put away the series in game six en route to a second straight NBA title. One could argue that Robinson’s career never fully recovered from the night of game five. Though he finished second in MVP voting the next season (to Michael Jordan) and eventually won two titles with the Spurs, the hindsight perception (fair or not) is that he had been exposed as someone who couldn’t lead a team to a championship as its best player. 

14) Knicks over Celtics, 1972
13) Knicks over Celtics, 1973

Just three years removed from the end of the Bill Russell dynasty, the Celtics seemed primed to ascend back to the Eastern Conference’s catbird seat in 1972, and renew their longstanding Finals rivalry with Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, and the Lakers. They had a new dominant center in Dave Cowens, mixed with still-effective holdout veterans from the Russell era in John Havlicek, Satch Sanders, and Don Nelson. The Knicks’ brief window seemed to be closing, after capturing the NBA title in 1970, then falling short in the Eastern Conference Finals to Baltimore in 1971. They entered the 1972 Conference Finals with their star and catalyst Willis Reed on the bench with tendinitis in his knee, his future uncertain, both short term and long term. He had been replaced by an undersized and aging Jerry Lucas, who displayed a few tricks left up his sleeve, outplaying Cowens in a stunning game one Knicks upset. Overall, this series was a testament to New York’s depth and chemistry, as four different players – Walt Frazier, Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley, Earl Monroe – were the leading scorer in individual games and the Knicks advanced in five to reach the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Lakers. New York was healthier in 1973 but the Celtics were the top seed with 68 wins, held home court advantage, and Cowens was the reigning MVP. The Knicks jumped out to a 3-1 series lead until the Celtics battled back to force a game seven, spurred by Havlicek’s return from a dislocated shoulder. The winner-take-all decider was at the Boston Garden, where the Celtics had a franchise record of 9-0 in playoff game sevens. Thanks to Havlicek’s injury, New York was able to concentrate on locking down Cowens and Jo Jo White, and rode their defensive intensity to a comfortable 94-78 win. They got their revenge next on the Lakers, winning their second NBA title in four years. The next season Boston was again the top seed, and in this instance held off the Knicks in five games in the Conference Finals en route to their first post-Russell title.

12) Magic over Cavaliers, 2009

A 2009 NBA Finals match-up between LeBron James and Kobe Bryant seemed like destiny but was ultimately too good to be true. While Bryant’s Lakers managed to hold off challenges from the Rockets and Nuggets to advance to the championship series, James’ top-seeded Cavaliers found their title dreams ended too soon. Their rival Pistons were aging and no longer contenders, while the Celtics were hampered by an injury to Kevin Garnett. This seemed to open up the runway for Cleveland but the Magic swooped in and stole the show in the Conference Finals. Dwight Howard, then at the peak of his powers, was dominant in this series but the dynamic forward combo of Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis were the difference makers. Lewis had a winning three-pointer in game one after Howard fouled out. An incredible buzzer beater from James in game two evened up the series but Orlando dominated from there to win in six games, with the Cavaliers failing to adjust defensively to stop Turkoglu or Lewis. James finished the series averaging 38.5 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 8.0 assists per game but it just wasn’t enough. In retrospect, this was the beginning of the end of his first reign in Cleveland, as the failures of his supporting cast and coaching staff were an obvious impediment to James’ championship ambitions.

11) 76ers over Celtics, 1980 
10) 76ers over Celtics, 1982 

Though their rivalry with the Lakers is what ultimately defined the NBA in the ’80s, Boston had trouble even reaching the NBA Finals early in the decade thanks to the 76ers. The Celtics and Sixers met in three straight Conference Finals, starting in 1980. In each contest the Celtics were the East’s top seed and the 76ers were the #3 seed, but two of them ended with a Philly upset. It was a renewal of a ’60s rivalry, when Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain anchored the sides in four straight Conference Finals match-ups between 1965 and 1968. Rookie Larry Bird engineered the rivalry restoration in ’79-’80, leading the Celtics to 61 wins and a narrow Atlantic Division title over Philadelphia. But the Sixers had a pair of defensive specialists in Bobby Jones and Caldwell Jones, who hampered Bird in the Conference Finals. Julius Erving scored 29 points in game one, a shocking, mystique-busting Philadelphia win in the Boston Garden, and averaged 25.0 points per game in a five-game series victory. In the 1981 rematch the Celtics, now buoyed on the frontline by the additions of Kevin McHale and Robert Parish, won in seven thrilling games, eliminating a 3-1 series deficit. Boston was the heavy favorites in the 1982 rubber match, especially after an emphatic 121-81 win at home in game one. However, the Sixers had a new X-factor in Andrew Toney, who truly earned his “Boston Strangler” nickname in this series. Toney scored a game-high 30 points in a game two Philly win in the Garden, dominated game four with 39 points, then almost single-handedly put the series away in game seven, with 34 points and six assists. Slowing down opposing guards like Toney was a major weakness of the early ’80s Celtics, one which they would soon address by trading for Dennis Johnson. The two teams met once more in the 1985 Conference Finals, which the heavily favored Celtics took in five games over the rapidly aging Sixers.

9) SuperSonics over Nuggets, 1978

Seattle certainly didn’t look like a title contender early in the ’77-’78 season, starting off with a 5-17 record, leading to the firing of coach Bob Hopkins. His replacement, Lenny Wilkens, led the team to wins in 42 of their next 60 games to sneak into the playoffs as the #4 seed (only six teams per conference made the playoffs). Rookie Jack Sikma came up big in the first round as the Sonics held off Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Lakers, while an injury to Bill Walton helped them upend the Blazers in round two. Waiting in the Conference Finals was the Nuggets, led by coach Larry Brown and featuring a one-two scoring punch of David Thompson and Dan Issel. Just two years removed from transitioning from the ABA, the Nuggets had secured the West’s second seed despite heavy rumors that the franchise was in financial straits and in danger of relocating. They had averaged over seven points per game more than the Sonics that season, but rather than slow things down into knock-down-drag-out mode, Seattle engaged Denver at their level. The guard rotation of Dennis Johnson, Fred Brown, and Gus Williams picked up the pace to breakneck speed in game two, securing a 121-111 upset. Then, with a 3-2 series lead, Brown and Williams combined for 50 points as the Sonics closed out the series at home in game six, running Denver off the floor 123-108. Interesting footnote: since the NBA played its first Conference Finals (then called Division Finals) in 1951, this series marked the first, and still only time that the two teams playing each other were both making their first Conference Finals appearance. Seattle lost in the NBA Finals in 1978 to the Bullets, but returned in 1979 to win the first title in franchise history.

“Something clicked in the postseason though, where the Knicks became just the second #8 seed to win a playoff series, upsetting the rival Heat, then the first to ever reach the Conference Finals after stunning the Hawks in round two.”

8) Bullets over Knicks, 1971

Following Bill Russell’s retirement in 1969, the Knicks had a mini dynasty in the early ’70s, almost reaching four consecutive NBA Finals. Their one trip-up was here, in 1971, when they were stunned in the Conference Finals by the Bullets. Led by ’68-’69 league MVP Wes Unseld, plus veteran stars Gus Johnson and Kevin Loughery, the Bullets (then based in Baltimore) upset the Knicks to make their NBA Finals debut. New York had defeated Baltimore in the Conference Semifinals in 1969 and 1970 but the tables turned here. As happened often for New York, the difference maker in this series was the health of Willis Reed. The MVP center was suffering tendinitis in his knee and struggled against the burly Unseld, who averaged 19.3 rebounds per game. Earl Monroe was the real MVP of the series though, averaging 24.4 points per game, while Fred Carter had the clinching basket in game seven, setting off a Bullets celebration in enemy territory at Madison Square Garden. Bloodied and bruised, Baltimore limped into the NBA Finals and were summarily swept by Milwaukee. Monroe would then flip sides in the rivalry, getting traded to the Knicks early in the ’71-’72 season and helping New York defeat the Bullets in the Conference Semifinals in 1972, 1973, and 1974.

7) Cavaliers over Pistons, 2007

Allusions to the “Bad Boys” Pistons vs. Michael Jordan Bulls rivalry were inevitable when LeBron James and the Cavaliers clashed with Detroit in back-to-back postseasons in 2006 and 2007. Though the Pistons prevailed in the 2006 Conference Semifinals match-up, James got quick revenge in the 2007 Conference Finals. At age 22, he arguably ensconced himself as the league’s best player with his “48 Special” performance in game five of this one. With the series tied 2-2, game five in Detroit came down to double overtime, with James scoring 48 points, including 29 of Cleveland’s final 30, to spearhead a shocking 109-107 win. Rookie Daniel Gibson was then the unlikely hero in game six, scoring 31 points off the bench as the Cavaliers finished the series in a blowout. While this seemed to signal a shift of power in the Eastern Conference, James and the Cavaliers failed to win another conference title in the next three years, precipitating his free agency departure for Miami.

6) Bullets over 76ers, 1978

After getting upset by Bill Walton’s Trail Blazers in the 1977 NBA Finals, Philadelphia figured ’77-’78 was their time. Walton was out indefinitely with the foot injury that would come to define his career and no one else in the disparate Western Conference looked like a serious title threat. Washington was considered the second-best team in the East but their two biggest stars, Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes, both had giant question marks. Unseld was dealing with the effects of a sprained ankle, while Hayes was fighting an uphill battle against his reputation as a big-game choker. The latter removed any doubts in game one in this series, finishing with 28 points, 18 rebounds, and six blocks in a stunning Bullets overtime upset. Even with Unseld forced to sit out games two, three, and four, Washington got huge performances from Mitch Kupchak filling in as an undersized center, plus Bobby Dandridge and Kevin Grevey to win the series in six games. Prior to defeating the 76ers, the third-seeded Bullets had also upset the Spurs in the Conference Semifinals, in a series that featured San Antonio TV announcer Dan Cook supposedly coining the phrase “the opera ain’t over until the fat lady sings” to describe never counting out this Bullets team. Sure enough, they persevered in the NBA Finals, defeating the Sonics in seven games to secure the only title in franchise history.

5) Knicks over Pacers, 1999

Though they had been a powerhouse of the NBA throughout the preceding decade, no one took the ’98-’99 Knicks seriously as a title contender. They had to win their final two regular season games just to eke out a #8 seed and Patrick Ewing and Latrell Sprewell were both struggling with injuries. Something clicked in the postseason though, where the Knicks became just the second #8 seed to win a playoff series, upsetting the rival Heat, then the first to ever reach the Conference Finals after stunning the Hawks in round two. Another old nemesis awaited in Reggie Miller and Indiana in the Conference Finals. This was a fifth playoff match-up in a seven year stretch for the Knicks and Pacers and another exciting chapter in their rivalry. Ewing tore his tendon in game two, which seemed to seal New York’s fate but Marcus Camby took over and played admirably, averaging 14.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. Larry Johnson stole game three with an improbable four-point play, while Allan Houston was the hero of game six, finishing with 32 points as the Knicks clinched the series. Short-handed and emotionally drained, the Knicks couldn’t muster much of a fight in the ensuing NBA Finals, losing in five games to the Spurs.

4) Rockets over Lakers, 1986

Unlike their 1981 counterparts, who reached the NBA Finals with a losing regular season record, these Rockets didn’t come out of nowhere. They were the #2 seed in the West in ’85-’86, led by the “Twin Towers” Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson. But the Lakers, right in the heart of the “Showtime” era were still heavy favorites here, considered a near lock to reach their fifth straight NBA Finals to take on the rival Celtics. Things started as expected, with Magic Johnson leading the way in a blowout Lakers win in game one but Olajuwon and Sampson combined for 46 points, 29 rebounds, 11 assists, and 11 blocks in a game two Rockets upset. Houston then dominated games three and four at home, with speedy guards Lewis Lloyd and Robert Reid giving the Lakers defense fits. When Olajuwon was ejected in game five for fighting Mitch Kupchak, the Lakers looked to shift momentum and spur a series comeback but Sampson shut the door with a buzzer beating jumper. The Rockets advanced to the NBA Finals but this would turn out to be the zenith of this era for the franchise, as the next few seasons were defined by injuries, contract disputes, and drug suspensions. Los Angeles summarily resumed their dominance of the West, winning the conference title in four of the next five seasons.

3) Royals over Lakers, 1951

Spilling over from their days in the National Basketball League (NBL), the Lakers-Royals rivalry defined the NBA in the late ’40s and early ’50s. Minneapolis, led by superstar center George Mikan, was typically the victor, defeating Rochester first in the 1948 NBL Finals, then in the 1949 and 1950 NBA playoffs. This trend seemed likely to continue in ’50-’51, when the Lakers entered the playoffs as the top seed and held home court advantage over the Royals in the best-of-five Conference Finals. While the Lakers won the game one battle, they took a major hit in the overall war, as Mikan suffered a fractured leg. The big man gutted it out, staying on the floor for the remainder of the series, hobbling around with a metal plate taped to his leg. He still managed to lead all scorers in the series with 23.8 points per game but the Royals neutralized him with their deep front court and were buoyed by offensive outbursts from their own star center, Arnie Risen. Rochester finished off the series in four games, advancing to the NBA Finals for the first and still only time in franchise history (they’re now the Sacramento Kings). This Conference Finals went down as the only playoff series loss of Mikan’s career.

2) Lakers over Hawks, 1959

Dead last in the NBA in ’57-’58 and in danger of financial insolvency, the Lakers were a disaster in the wake of George Mikan’s retirement until Elgin Baylor came along. They didn’t exactly turn things around completely in Baylor’s rookie season, finishing 33-39 in ’58-’59 and reaching the postseason only because the Pistons and Royals were in complete shambles. Their Western Conference Finals opponents were the defending NBA champion Hawks, led by reigning MVP Bob Pettit. Likely looking ahead to a third consecutive NBA Finals match-up with the Celtics, St. Louis underestimated Minneapolis, especially after winning game one by 34 points. They did so at their own peril however, as Baylor made a major impact on both ends, averaging 28.3 points per game while providing shutdown defense on both Pettit and All-Star small forward Cliff Hagan. It was one of the greatest playoff performances ever by a rookie and led the Lakers to a stunning six game series victory. The Lakers became the first team ever to reach the NBA Finals with a losing record and have been joined on that list since only by the ’80-’81 Rockets. The Hawks made it back to the NBA Finals in 1960 and 1961 but Baylor then teamed up with Jerry West and the Lakers dominated the conference for over a decade, winning nine titles in 12 years.

1) Suns over Warriors, 1976

While the Warriors were surprise NBA champs in ’74-’75, they seemed primed to dominate a weak Western Conference for the remainder of the decade. Star Rick Barry was surrounded by a killer supporting cast, highlighted by Jamaal Wilkes and Phil Smith, plus an elite coach in Al Attles. They finished 16 games ahead of the competition in the West regular season standings in ’75-’76, cruising to the top seed, but had their hands full come playoffs time. After surviving a surprising threat from the Pistons in the Conference Semifinals, the Warriors couldn’t escape an upset bid from Phoenix in the Conference Finals. The Suns had barely qualified for the playoffs, just their second in franchise history, but they neutralized Barry’s singular brilliance with a balanced attack. Six Suns players averaged double-digit scoring in the series, led by Paul Westphal, while three averaged four-plus assists per game and three averaged nine-plus rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Barry was brilliant but also frustrated, sniping at Attles through the press about inconsistent rotations, seeding a narrative that the Warriors were cracking under the pressure. When Alvan Adams hit the winning shot to clinch a thrilling game six for the Suns, Barry responded in game seven by seemingly refusing to take over offensively, playing “hot potato” with the ball and allowing the Suns to steal a 94-86 victory. Despite all the strife, this wasn’t the end for this Warriors team, who returned basically intact to the playoffs in 1977, losing that time in the Conference Semifinals to the Lakers.