How many 8 seeds have made the NBA Finals? Reflecting on Miami Heat's insane playoff run
The Miami Heat are now one win away from making the NBA Finals after demolishing the Boston Celtics in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals. It would be the second finals appearance for Miami since 2020.
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Miami will be the second-ever No. 8 seed to make the NBA Finals if they close out Boston. The first were the 1999 New York Knicks. It was a shortened season due to a player lockout over collective bargaining negotiations. Teams only played 50 regular-season games.
Those Knicks took out the No. 1 seed Miami Heat to advance to the second round. The Knicks eventually lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the finals in five games.
The Heat were just the sixth No. 8 seed to take out a No. 1 seed and advance past the first round of the NBA playoffs. Miami handled the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks in five games, led by Jimmy Butler’s heroic performances.
The other four No. 8 seeds to win their first-round series spans across decades. The Denver Nuggets were the first No. 8 seed to win a series when they beat the Seattle SuperSonics in 1994. The “We Believe” Warriors took down the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks in 2007.
In 2011, the “grit and grind” Grizzlies upset the mighty Spurs. In 2012, the Chicago Bulls lost star Derrick Rose, and No. 8 seed Philadelphia 76ers made it to the second round.
The Heat are also the first No. 8 seed since the 1999 Knicks to make it to the Eastern Conference finals. Miami beat the No. 4 seed New York Knicks in the second round to make it to the final four.
How did Miami Heat make it this far, who did they beat?
The Miami Heat began their postseason run in the play-in tournament. They lost to the Atlanta Hawks at home in the first game for the seventh seed. They then needed a fourth-quarter comeback to beat the Chicago Bulls to earn the eighth seed in the playoffs. Miami became the first team from the play-in tournament to win a playoff series when it beat the Bucks.
Miami Heat
- Two play-in games
- No. 8 seed
- Defeats No. 1 seed Bucks in 5 games
- Defeats No. 5 seed Knicks in 6 games
- Up 3-0 vs. No. 2 seed Celtics
- 1 win away for the NBA Finals
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Miami has not only pulled off multiple upsets but it has been dominant in its run. The Heat have looked like the better and deeper team on the floor in almost every game. They took out the Bucks in five games. The Heat then beat the Knicks in six games although both losses came on the road. Their Game 2 loss came without Butler, who was out with an injured ankle,
Miami has now pulled off three straight upsets as the Celtics were favored in every game of the series so far. If the Heat make it to the finals, they will be an underdog again against the Nuggets or Lakers. The Miami Heat were listed at 300/1 to win the championship before the postseason began.