We all have some or are personally favorite playoff series, this might be Boston vs Chicago in the 2008-09 season. Today will be all about the finals. There have been plenty of great series in the playoffs, but the finals are on a didn’t level.
Today we will look at 1984, 1994, and 2016 finals. There have been many more greats like 1966 (Celtics vs Lakers., or when the Celtics beat Kobe in 2007-08. However, those four are my favorite finals, and all are great.
Another honorable mention is the 1998 (Jordan’s last ring) and the Pistons vs Lakers in 88. Or the 2010 finals, when Kobe got his revenge on the Celtics. There have been many finals, so it’s hard to name all the greats.
Bird Gets One
Before this point, the Celtics and Lakers have played many times in the finals. However this was the first matchup of Bird and Magic in the finals. Magic already won one, and are getting close to becoming a dynasty.
The Celtics were underdogs going into the series, and looked to be runner ups, after a six point loss in game one. Magic and Kareem were fantastic, and the Celtics had to battle to get back in the game.
Bird Gets One: Part 2
Game 2 was an instant classic, a game that went to overtime, and Bird had a Bird performance. The Celtics pushed past the Lakers that had three players to score 20 or more points. Game 3 was a LA blow out (137 to the Celtics 104 points).
Boston once again pushed the Lakers to overtime, where they one a four point nail bitter. Game four they blew out the Lakers and in game 6 the Lakers tied up the series. Game 7 was close for the early parts, but the Celtics pulled away after the half.
Larry Bird was the final MVP, with a double double. Kareem and Magic were also great. This is a legendary series, just for how close the games were, and that it showed the NBA the Celtics were back (we also have McHale hard foul on Kurt Rambis).
The Sixth Seed
A year after Jordan’s first retirement, who was going to become the next king. Many thought it would be the Knick that had Ewing, but hardly no one thought it would be the Rockets. They were seen as a team that had chances in the 80’s, but blew them.
Hakeem and company proved it definitely, when they beat the Knicks in seven. Also the Rockets were not dominant, they were just the sixth seed. Houston was the more clutch team winning four close games.
Game six was an instant classic with the Rockets winning the game by two (Starks missing the game winner). Starks was the true Rockets hero, by having one the worst game seven chokes ever.
Ewing never won a title, and finished his NBA career on the same boat as Charles Barkley. The Rockets would do the same thing next year, with another dominant performer by Hakeem. Just shows you how hard it is to win a ring.
Down 3-1
The Warriors and Stephen Curry are the NBA sweethearts. Curry is the MVP and the Warriors are 73-9, and just came back against the Thunder (also 3-1). There is no way that a Cavs team can win.
Cleveland has Lebron, but it is still Cleveland and that city is multiple decades from their last professional sports championship. The first four games went according to plan, 3-1 Warriors. At this point, the Cavs are dead water.
What happened next was beyond legendary, the Cavs tied up the series. Lebron and Kyrie are playing great (Lebron out of this world). Game seven, the chance for Golden State to stop the embarrassment.
They could not stop it, the Cavs will win this game and become NBA champions. Game 7 was the icing that made the cake sweet. Lebron blocked, then Kyrie’s three to put the Cavs up by four, just legendary.
Both teams meet again multiple times and Golden State will win all the rematches (four straight). This will be one of the most boring times in NBA history, and this will end when Lebron goes to the Lakers.
