The 5 most surprising NBA Finals upsets
The NBA may be the home of basketball, but that doesn't mean it's a platform for the sport alone. Like every other sport, basketball can become very dramatic, especially in crucial moments like the NBA Finals. The best players have one thing in mind when entering the league, and that's to win a championship. As these athletes compete for the illustrious title, tension and emotions tend to get in the way.
Having that in mind, even the league's best players break down in the heat of battle. This typically results in the downfall of the elite teams and the rise of the hungrier squads. Being one of the top guys in the league, there's always that pressure that affects them mentally. Meanwhile, teams that struggle tend to give their best shot all the time without the thought of ruining their reputation.
This sometimes results in surprising moments in which the underdogs slay the giants. For example, when the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors (42-40) dethroned the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks (67-15) in the first round of the 2007 playoffs. This amazing moment turned into the birth of the "We Believe" Warriors era.
Let's take a look at five of the most surprising NBA Finals upsets in league history.
5 NBA Finals Upsets
#1, Dirk Nowitzki finally wins the big one
In 2011, Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks shocked the world when they beat the Miami Heat. This was LeBron James' first year with his new super team. Miami was the favorite to win the title: however, Nowitzki and his crew proved the basketball world wrong. The 2011 NBA Finals was undoubtedly a bittersweet moment in the league.
#2, The modern Bad Boy Pistons dethrone the Super Lakers
The 2003-04 season was supposed to be the comeback of the LA Lakers. The Purple and Gold missed out on the 2003 NBA Finals after winning a three-peat from 2000-2002. In everyone's mind, 2004 was supposed to be the year that the Lakers won again, especially with a newly formed super team consisting of Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, Shaquille O'Neal and Gary Payton.
However, having four superstars doesn't mean they have better chances of winning. In the end, basketball is a team sport, and the Detroit Pistons clearly proved why teamwork is better than having four ball-dominant players with no chemistry. Detroit had a more cohesive unit compared to LA, which is why they won the title in 2004.
#3, "Cleveland! This is for you!"
In 2016, LeBron James successfully fulfilled his promise to his hometown by bringing home Cleveland's first NBA title. However, nobody expected him to win the championship that year considering that the Golden State Warriors put up a historic season.
The 2015-16 Golden State Warriors made history by beating the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls' record for the best regular season in history. The Warriors went 73-9, making them the heavy favorites to win back-to-back titles.
The 2016 Finals was no cakewalk as both teams battled it out in seven games. However, after a chase-down block from LeBron James and a game-sealing 3-pointer by Kyrie Irving, the Cavs upset the Warriors by coming back from a 3-1 deficit.
#4, Portland beats Philly in '77
The 1976-77 Philadelphia 76ers were a skilled basketball team with six players who consistently scored in double figures. They had Julius Erving, Doug Collins, George McGinnis, Henry Bibby, World B. Free and Steve Mix.
The Portland Trail Blazers, on the other hand, relied on the abilities of Bill Walton and Maurice Lucas. Despite both teams having similar records, the 76ers had more talented players. However, their style of play focused more on individual scoring, while the Blazers emphasized teamwork and defense.
Similar to the 2003-04 Detroit Pistons, the 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers proved to the basketball world that teamwork can beat talent any day.
#5, An aging Bill Russell wins his last championship in '69
The 60s was the era when the Boston Celtics dominated the NBA. They won nearly every NBA championship during the decade, only missing out on the 1967 title. By the time Boston won the 1969 Finals, everyone in the squad, including Bill Russell, was already getting older. At that point, nobody really expected them to win, and the team also had nothing to prove.
However, when the LA Lakers decided to celebrate by putting up balloons before Game 7 even concluded, Russell and the Celtics became motivated to dethrone their cocky opponents.