Who is the lowest-seeded team to make it to the NBA Finals? History explored
NBA regular season games are unpredictable but not when it comes to playoffs. Tenacity, desire and overall skill set are crucial in the postseason. This is one of the reasons the Miami Heat has continued to dominate the league for a long time.
Last season, the Heat finished seventh in the East and advanced to the NBA Finals. They were one of the lowest-ranked teams in league history to go to the Finals. Nevertheless, the Heat are not the lowest-ranked to make the Finals.
The record is held by the New York Knicks during the 1998-99 season. The Knicks were ranked eighth in the Eastern Conference with a 27-23 record. There were only 50 games played during the 1998-99 season due to a lockout. Moreover, as much as the Knicks rode their luck, they also were victims of bad luck during that season.
The New York Knicks, behind Patrick Ewing, beat the top-seed Miami Heat (3-2) in the first round of the playoff. They eliminated the Atlanta Hawks (4-0) in the second round of the playoffs and eventually took out the Indiana Pacers (4-2) in the Conference Finals.
Unfortunately, during Game 2 Conference Finals, Patrick Ewing tore his Achilles, and the Knicks had to go to the finals without their star player. Eventually, the San Antonio Spurs took down the short-handed Knicks 4-1 to win the finals.
In league history, only 10 teams who have been No. 4 or lower in the conference seeding, have made the Finals. Interestingly, two of these teams have also won the title despite being a low seed in the conference.
NBA teams with the highest chance to win the NBA Finals this season
The Boston Celtics and the Denver Nuggets have the highest chance to win the NBA Finals this season.
This season, the Celtics emerged as one of the most successful teams in league history. The Celtics won 78% of their games this season, winning almost 20% more games than the team with the second-best record in the league.
Moreover, in terms of defense and offense, the Celtics are also inarguably the most balanced team in the league. They are ranked No. 1 in the offensive ranking and No. 2 in defensive ranking this season.
Defending champions Denver Nuggets are the other team with a legitimate chance to win the title this year. At the end of the regular season, the Nuggets were ranked the No. 2 team in the Western Conference. They were ranked No. 5 in the offensive ranking and No. 8 in defensive ranking.
Moreover, the Nuggets are also coming off winning the title last season, which could give them an edge over the Celtics, which lack championship experience. However, the young Celtics team made the NBA Finals once, in 2022, and with the kind of depth they have, it could be difficult for any team to win four of seven games against them.
Other teams like the OKC Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves have also performed at a championship level this season but lack the playoff experience to get out of their own conference.