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. Sports Illustrated in particular hyped it as a re-incarnation of Wilt Chamberlain vs. Bill Russell. Los Angeles came into the series as slight favorites but hobbled, with Kermit Washington sidelined and Lucius Allen playing through injury. The Lakers x-factor was their 45-4 record at home that season, making it all the more shocking when the Blazers won games one and two in The Forum. Game two was especially demoralizing, as Abdul-Jabbar dominated with 40 points and 17 rebounds but missed a short jumper at the buzzer that would have forced overtime. Portland kept their boot on the Lakers’ neck from there, winning a game three highlighted by a posterizing dunk by Walton on Abdul-Jabbar, and then finishing the series in a sweep. Portland, who had already upset the Nuggets in the Conference Semifinals, made it three consecutive stunners with an NBA Finals victory over the favored 76ers.

15) Rockets over Spurs, 1995

After limping their way to a 47-35 record, the defending champion Rockets entered the 1995 playoffs with long odds to repeat as the #6 seed. Challenge accepted. Houston became the only NBA team to win four consecutive series as the underdog, including this Conference Finals victory over the top seeded Spurs. The narrative for this series was the clash between ’93-’94 MVP Hakeem Olajuwon and ’94-’95 MVP David Robinson. With the series tied 2-2, Robinson accepted his award in a pregame ceremony ahead of game five and the jilted Olajuwon had all the motivation he needed. The Rockets center pulverized his opponent, finishing with 42 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, and five blocks in a 111-90 win. He followed that up with 39 points, 17 rebounds, and five blocks as the Rockets put the series away in game six at home. By contrast, Robinson struggled in the two losses, averaging 20.5 points per game on 13-of-32 shooting (40.6%). The Rockets went on to upset the Magic in the NBA Finals while Robinson arguably never fully recovered from this series.

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

As Rudy Tomjanovich stated about his ’94-’95 Rockets underdogs, “never underestimate the heart of a champion.” After winning the first title in franchise history in 1970, the Knicks looked dead in the water by the 1972 playoffs. They had been stunned by the upstart Bullets in the 1971 Conference Finals and entered the 1972 edition without star center Willis Reed, who was sidelined with knee tendinitis. But his replacement, the undersized veteran Jerry Lucas, spurred the Knicks to an upset victory in game one, arguably outplaying his Celtics counterpart Dave Cowens. Thanks to additional huge performances from the balanced attack of Walt Frazier, Dave DeBusschere, and Earl Monroe, the Knicks advanced in five games to the NBA Finals. Reed was back healthy in 1973 but his aging Knicks were a year older and this latest Celtics team was looking unstoppable, winning 68 games and cruising to the #1 seed. No matter. With John Havlicek nursing a dislocated shoulder, the Knicks jumped out to a 3-1 series lead and then held on to win it in seven games. Not only was this a series upset for New York, they also became the first team ever to win a game seven on the road in Boston Garden, a situation in which the Celtics previously were 9-0. They also did so in decisive fashion, with a comfortable 94-78 win.

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. The Lakers held up their end of the bargain but James’ Cavaliers were stunned just short of the Finals, losing this series to the Magic. The result seemingly came out of nowhere, as Orlando had barely survived their Conference Semifinals matchup against the Celtics despite Kevin Garnett being sidelined. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers had finished the ’08-’09 season with 66 wins, then easily swept the Pistons and Hawks in their first two playoff series. Dwight Howard was the Magic’s star and played brilliantly in this series, but the dynamic forward combo of Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis were the difference makers. It started with Lewis hitting a game-winning three pointer in game one and only compounded from there, as the Cavs failed to adjust defensively to the unexpected development. In retrospect, this was the beginning of the end of James’ first reign in Cleveland, as the failures of his supporting cast and coaching staff were proving to be obvious impediments.

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

Three times the 76ers and Celtics faced off in the Conference Finals in the early ’80s, and all three were instant classics. The Celtics entered each series as the #1 seed and Philly as the #3 seed, but the Sixers pulled off upsets anyway in 1980 and 1982. It started with a shocking, mystique-busting win for the 76ers at the Boston Garden in game one of the 1980 series. Seemingly exorcising the demons of their ’60s rivalry that the Celtics had dominated, the Sixers went on to clinch the series in five games. They reinforced the notion in 1982, in an even more dramatic manner. Philadelphia opened up a 3-1 series led but Boston came back to force game seven at the Garden. That’s where Andrew Toney took over, earning his “Boston Strangler” stripes with 34 points and six assists in an emphatic 120-106 win. An inability to slow down Toney in this series inspired the Celtics to upgrade in the offseason 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

They may have reached the NBA Finals, but Seattle had few of the markings of a title contender in ’77-78. They started the season with a 5-17 record, turning it around only after Bob Hopkins was fired as coach and replaced by Lenny Wilkens. Sneaking into the playoffs as a #4 seed (out of six teams), the Sonics held off an underhanded Lakers team in the first round and a Blazers team without Bill Walton in the Conference Semifinals. Waiting in the Conference Finals was the heavily favored Nuggets, with their high scoring duo of David Thompson and Dan Issel. Rather than grinding things out to slow their offensive juggernaut opponent, the Sonics opted to beat Denver at their own game. Guards Dennis Johnson, Fred Brown, and Gus Williams picked up Seattle’s pace considerably to a breakneck speed. After averaging just 104.5 points per game during the regular season (18th out of 22 teams), the Sonics averaged 111.6 per game in this series. This culminated in the clinching game six, when the Sonics run the Nuggets off the floor in a 123-108 victory.

“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

In the wake of Bill Russell’s 1969 retirement, the Knicks had a mini dynasty, reaching the NBA Finals three times in four years. Their one trip-up was here, stunned in the Conference Finals by the Bullets. It was a direct turning of tables, as the Knicks had eliminated the Bullets (based at the time in Baltimore) in the 1969 and 1970 Conference Semifinals. As was often the case for New York in this era, their success hinged on the health of Willis Reed. Their star center was hobbled in this series by knee tendinitis and struggled against his stout Bullets counterpart Wes Unseld, who averaged 19.3 rebounds per game. But Earl Monroe was Baltimore’s MVP of the series, averaging 24.4 points per game, and Fred Carter was the unlikely hero, hitting the series clincher in game seven. The Bullets celebrated their unlikely victory in enemy territory at Madison Square Garden but their elation was short lived. Bloodied and bruised, Baltimore limped into the NBA Finals and were swept by the Bucks. A few months later, the power balance shifted when Monroe flipped sides in the rivalry, getting traded to the Knicks.

7) Cavaliers over Pistons, 2007

It was always a matter of “when” not “if” LeBron James would break through and lead his Cavaliers over the rival Pistons. History didn’t repeat for James with the exploits of Michael Jordan but it did rhyme. In similar circumstances to the Bulls’ 1991 Conference Finals defeat of the “Bad Boys” Pistons, James got his moment of revenge in Detroit in 2007. At age 22, he arguably ensconced himself as the league’s best player with his “48 Special” performance that swung the momentum of a series erstwhile tied at 2-2. James scored 48 points in game five, including 29 of Cleveland’s final 30, to spearhead a shocking 109-107 road win in double overtime. Rookie Daniel Gibson was then the unlikely hero in game six, scoring 31 points off the bench as the Cavaliers put the series away. This turnaround seemed to signal a shift of power in the Eastern Conference, but James and the Cavaliers failed to win another conference title in the next three years, precipitating his free agency departure for Miami. In fact, they returned just one more time, getting upset by the Magic in 2009, as detailed above.

6) Bullets over 76ers, 1978

If you’ve ever heard or used the phrase “the opera ain’t over until the fat lady sings,” you can thank these Bullets. They were the inspiration for that memorable quip, uttered by Spurs television announcer Dan Cook while witnessing Washington upset San Antonio in the Conference Semifinals. It was a great summation of this Bullets team that didn’t look dominant or even elite, but could never be counted out. This was true even when star center Wes Unseld missed three games of this series with a sprained ankle. On the other side, this was a massive disappointment for a 76ers team that figured ’77-’78 was their year. They entered the playoffs as title favorites and exited with nothing but question marks. Mitch Kupchak filled in valiantly as an undersized center for Unseld, Bobby Dandridge had maybe the best stretch of his career, and Elvin Hayes shed his “big game choker” label with some huge performances. Sure enough, Washington persevered in the NBA Finals, defeating the Sonics in seven games to secure the only title in franchise history.

5) Knicks over Pacers, 1999

,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 by 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 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 regular season losing 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. The Lakers were still heavy favorites here, considered a near lock to reach their fifth straight NBA Finals. Things started as expected, with 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, 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. 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. Led by superstar center George Mikan, Minneapolis was typically the victor, defeating Rochester in the 1948 NBL Finals, then in the 1949 and 1950 NBA playoffs. This trend seemed likely to continue in 1951, when the Lakers entered the playoffs as the top seed and held home court advantage over the Royals in the Conference Finals. But everything shifted after Mikan suffered a fractured leg in a game one Lakers win. 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 led all scorers 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 series went down as the only playoff loss of Mikan’s career.

2) Lakers over Hawks, 1959

Dead last in the NBA standings and in danger of financial insolvency, the Lakers were a disaster in the wake of George Mikan’s retirement and subsequent coaching attempt. Then Elgin Baylor came along. The rookie sensation could only do so much in the ’58-’59 regular season, leading the Lakers to a 33-39 record. But that was good enough to reach the postseason and that’s where Baylor truly made his mark. Meanwhile, the Hawks were led by reigning league MVP Bob Pettit and were likely underestimating Minneapolis while looking ahead to a third consecutive NBA Finals matchup with the Celtics. They did so at their own peril. Baylor averaged 28.3 points per game while simultaneously providing shutdown defense on both superstar Hawks forward, Pettit and Cliff Hagan. Despite blowout losses in games one and three, the Lakers rallied each time and ultimately won the series in six. The Lakers became the first team ever to reach the NBA Finals with a losing record (joined on that list since only by the ’80-’81 Rockets) and this kickstarted their domination of the West in the ’60s.

1) Suns over Warriors, 1976

Rick Barry and the Warriors showed no sign of a championship hangover in ’75-’76, cruising to the top seed in the Western Conference with a 59-23 record, a full 16 games ahead of second place Seattle. But the playoffs were an entirely different story. Golden State survived an upset bid from the Pistons in the Conference Semifinals but weren’t so lucky in the next round against Phoenix. The Suns had barely finished above .500 and were making just the second playoff appearance in franchise history. They also had just one prior All-Star on the roster and it was the aging Dick van Arsdale. It was an impressive team effort that took down the favored Warriors, with six Suns players averaging double-digit scoring in the series. Barry was brilliant but also frustrated, sniping at coach Al Attles through the press about inconsistent rotations, seeding a narrative that the Warriors were cracking under the pressure. When rookie sensation Alvan Adams hit the winning shot to clinch a thrilling game six for the Suns, Barry responded petulantly in game seven, playing “hot potato” with the ball and allowing the Suns to steal a 94-86 victory to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.