query: who won the game 2 nba finals 2017

pos: 2017 NBA Finals surpassed Cleveland's thirteen game win-streak, which dated back to Game 5 of the 2016 Finals. The Warriors also hit an NBA Finals record 18 three-pointers on 43 attempts, with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant hitting four threes apiece and Draymond Green connecting on three of his own from behind the arc. Warriors Coach Steve Kerr returned from illness to coach from the sideline for the first time since April 19, 2017. In what was a high scoring affair for both teams, the Warriors held a slim three-point lead (67–64) at halftime and a four-point lead (86–82) past the

pos: 2017 NBA Finals Kerr still being out due to illness. The Cavaliers became the first team in NBA Finals history to fail to record a steal in a game. With the loss, the Cavaliers' nine game road playoff winning streak (a streak that began when they won Game 5 of the 2016 NBA Finals) came to an end. James dropped to 1–7 in NBA Finals openers in his career. The Warriors won Game 2 over the Cavaliers, 132–113, to improve their best start in NBA playoff history to 14–0. Their fourteen-game win-streak is the longest postseason win streak in NBA history. Golden State

pos: NBA Finals season, while the Warriors largely remained intact. Neither Cleveland nor Golden State earned the top playoff seed in the 2017-18 season. Both teams fell to 3-2 deficits in their respective Conference Finals, before both winning game 7s to ensure the rematch for a fourth consecutive Finals in 2018. LeBron James appeared in his eighth consecutive NBA Finals since 2011, four each with the Heat and the Cavaliers. The Warriors went on to sweep the Cavaliers in four games, and Durant was again named Finals MVP. The statistics below refer to series wins and losses, not individual games won and lost.

pos: Monty McCutchen Celtics (103) @ Los Angeles Lakers (94) 2009 Finals, Game 2: Orlando Magic (96) @ Los Angeles Lakers (101) (OT) McCutchen is married with two children and resides near Asheville, North Carolina. In the offseason, he is an avid photographer who is also active in ranching. Monty McCutchen Monty McCutchen (born February 14, 1966) is a former professional basketball referee who has worked in the National Basketball Association (NBA) since the 1993-1994 season. 2017 Finals, Game 3 Golden State Warriors (118) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (113) 2016 Finals, Game 7 Cleveland Cavaliers (93) @ Golden State Warriors (89) 2016 Finals, Game

pos: 2015–16 Golden State Warriors season Cavaliers in a rematch of the 2015 NBA Finals. In Game 1 on June 2, Golden State beat Cleveland 104–89. The Warriors were led by their bench, with Shaun Livingston scoring a team-high 20 points. The 35-point bench advantage (45-10) the Warriors had over the Cavs is the largest by any team in the Finals in the last 50 years. The Warriors won Game 2 by a blowout 110–77, to go up 2–0 in the series. Golden State won the first 2 games by a combined 48 points, the largest point-differential through first 2 games in NBA Finals history. After

pos: 2016 NBA Finals in 2013 and 2014. Golden State, which earned home-court advantage with setting the NBA regular season wins record (73–9), jumped to a 2–0 lead in the series while recording the largest combined margin of victory (48) through two games in NBA Finals history. Cleveland returned home and responded with a 120–90 win in Game 3, but the Warriors won Game 4 to take a 3–1 series lead. The Cavaliers won the next three games to become the first team in Finals history to successfully overcome a 3–1 deficit. It also marked the first time since 1978 that Game 7 was

pos: Oracle Arena Warriors playoff games in 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1994, 2007, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. It hosted the 2015, 2016, 2017, and the 2018 NBA Finals, where the Warriors won in 2015, 2017, and 2018. The 2015 victory was the first time since 1975 the Warriors won the title; however, Games 2 and 3 of the 1975 NBA Finals were played in the Cow Palace as the Coliseum was unavailable. The 2017 victory was the first time that a San Francisco Bay Area team won a title in their home venue since the

pos: Big Three (San Antonio Spurs) take a 2–1 series lead. The Spurs defeated the Warriors in six games to advance to the Conference Finals. The Spurs swept the Memphis Grizzlies in the conference finals to advance to the 2013 NBA Finals where they faced the Miami Heat. In Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Tony Parker hit a layup with 5.2 seconds left to put the Spurs ahead 92–88. The Spurs won the game and took a 1–0 series lead. However, the Spurs ended up losing the seven-game series to the Miami Heat. During the 2013–14 NBA season, the "Big Three" and the Spurs finished

pos: 1960 NBA Playoffs Lakers: "Lakers win series 2-0" Last Playoff Meeting: 1959 NBA Western Division Semifinals (Minneapolis won 2-1) Division Finals (1) St. Louis Hawks vs. (3) Minneapolis Lakers: "Hawks win series 4-3" Last Playoff Meeting: 1959 NBA Western Division Finals (Minneapolis won 4-2) Champion: Boston Celtics Division Semifinals (1) Boston Celtics have division semifinals bye. (2) Philadelphia Warriors vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals: "Warriors win series 2-1" Last Playoff Meeting: 1958 NBA Eastern Division Semifinals (Philadelphia won 2-1) Division Finals (1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Philadelphia Warriors: "Celtics win series 4-2" Last Playoff Meeting: 1959 NBA Eastern Division Finals (Boston won 4-0) (1)

pos: 1987 NBA Playoffs in six games and in 2002 to the New Jersey Nets, also in 6 games. The Pistons appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals was the franchise's first (and their first Division/Conference Final appearance since 1962). It would be the first of five straight Conference Finals appearances for Detroit. They would make their first NBA Finals appearance since 1956 the following season, the first of 3 straight trips to the Finals (winning the last 2). The Warriors & Pacers made their first playoff appearances since 1977 and 1981 respectively. The Pacers also won their first NBA playoff game, in Game 3

pos: 2017 NBA Playoffs 2017 NBA Playoffs The 2017 NBA Playoffs began on April 15, 2017. It concluded with the Golden State Warriors defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals, their third consecutive meeting at the Finals. Kevin Durant was named the NBA Finals MVP in his first year on the team. The Warriors set the record for the longest playoff winning streak (15) and the best record (16-1) in NBA playoff history. The Golden State Warriors began the finals with a playoff record of 12–0. The first two finals' games were blowouts by Golden State, game three was

pos: Matthew Dellavedova In Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors, in the absence of the injured Kyrie Irving, Dellavedova held Stephen Curry to 0-of-8 shooting and four turnovers while guarding him. That night, "Dellavedova" started trending on Twitter. The Cavaliers won Game 2 in double-overtime, 95–93, for their first victory of an NBA Finals game in franchise history. In Game 3, Dellavedova scored a playoff career-high 20 points as the Cavaliers defeated the Warriors to take a 2–1 series lead. After the game, Dellavedova was so dehydrated that he needed an IV, and he was quickly taken to

pos: 2018 NBA Finals the Warriors got 26 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists from Kevin Durant, and 20 points from Klay Thompson. Smith struggled for Cleveland, shooting 2-for-9 (22.2%) with both baskets coming in the first quarter. The Warriors won 122–103 over the Cavaliers. Andre Iguodala of the Warriors, who missed the previous six games, including the first two games of the NBA Finals, due to a left leg injury, returned in Game 3. He injured his right leg early in the game, not returning until after halftime. The Cavaliers started the game with a 14–4 advantage and led for the entire first

pos: Richard Jefferson advantage in the series to 2–1 with a 120–90 win. Despite going down 3–1 in the series following a Game 4 loss, the Cavaliers won the series in seven games to become the first team in NBA history to win the championship after being down 3–1. After initially considering retirement following the championship win, Jefferson re-signed with the Cavaliers on July 28, 2016, reportedly on a two-year, $5 million contract. The Cavaliers returned to the NBA Finals in 2017, but fell short in their quest for back-to-back titles, losing in five games to the Warriors. On October 14, 2017, Jefferson

pos: NBA Finals Finals. The Cavaliers finished the season as the top seed in the Eastern Conference and won their first 10 straight playoff games, ultimately defeating the Toronto Raptors 4–2 in the Eastern Conference Finals to ensure the rematch of last year's Finals. In the 2016 NBA Finals, the Warriors got out to a 3-1 lead, but James and Irving led the Cavs to two straight victories to force a deciding Game 7. In a key sequence with two minutes remaining in Game 7, LeBron James made a memorable chase-down block on Iguodala to keep the game tied, while Irving hit a

pos: NBA Finals television ratings registered the network's highest rated and most watched NBA game with a 21.2 rating / 37 share. The 2015 NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers was the highest rated NBA Final series on ABC averaging an 11.6 rating / 21 share and 19.94 million viewers. The 2017 NBA Finals featuring the same two teams was the most watched NBA Final series on ABC averaging an 11.3 rating / 22 share and 20.38 million viewers. Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals registered the network's highest rated and most watched NBA game with an average 15.8 rating

pos: 1952 NBA Playoffs win series 3–1" Last Playoff Meeting: 1951 NBA Western Division Finals (Rochester won 3–1) Champion: New York Knicks Division Semifinals (1) Syracuse Nationals vs. (4) Philadelphia Warriors: "Nationals win series 2–1" Last Playoff Meeting: 1951 NBA Eastern Division Semifinals (Syracuse won 2–0) (2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) New York Knicks: "Knicks win series 2–1" Last Playoff Meeting: 1951 NBA Eastern Division Semifinals (New York won 2–0) Division Finals (1) Syracuse Nationals vs. (3) New York Knicks: "Knicks win series 3–1" Last Playoff Meeting: 1951 NBA Eastern Division Finals (New York won 3–2) (2) Minneapolis Lakers vs. (3) New York Knicks:

pos: 1974–75 Golden State Warriors season rallied to win Game 6 in Chicago and took the series with an 83–79 Game 7 triumph in Oakland. In the NBA Finals, the Warriors faced off against the Washington Bullets. The Warriors took the series in four straight games, including 1-point wins in Games 2 and 4. Rick Barry was named the series MVP. The Warriors wouldn't make another NBA Finals appearance again until 2015, where the franchise won its fourth league title. C – NBA Champions The Warriors had a first round bye. (1) Golden State Warriors vs. (4) Seattle SuperSonics: "Warriors win series 4–2" (1) Golden State

pos: Stephen Curry with a 115–86 victory over the Rockets. In Game 7, Curry recorded 27 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds, as the Warriors earned a fourth straight trip to the NBA Finals by beating the Rockets 101–92. In Game 2 of the NBA Finals, Curry hit a Finals-record nine 3-pointers and scored 33 points in a 122–103 win over the Cavaliers. In Game 4, Curry led all scorers with 37 points in a 108–85 win that helped the Warriors clinch their second straight championship with a series sweep over the Cavaliers. Many felt that he should have won Finals MVP. In

pos: 1996 NBA Finals in the previous Finals. The Warriors (with the addition of Kevin Durant, who had played for the Sonics in their final season in Seattle and for the Thunder until he became a free agent in 2016) and Cavaliers met for the third consecutive time in the 2017 NBA Finals, which the Warriors won in five games. 1996 NBA Finals The 1996 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 1995–96 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs. The Western Conference champion Seattle SuperSonics (64–18) played the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls (72–10), with the Bulls

pos: 2016 NBA Finals City Thunder, 96–88, becoming only the 10th team in NBA history to overcome a 3–1 series deficit, and advancing to a second straight NBA Finals for the first time since 1947 and 1948. The Warriors won the regular season series 2–0. The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers 104–89 in Game 1 to take a 1–0 series lead. The Cavaliers led 68–67 before the Warriors broke the game open with a 29–9 run spanning the third and fourth quarters to take a 96–76 lead. Cleveland got the deficit within eleven points at 98–87 after an 11–2 run, but Stephen Curry and Klay

pos: 2017 NBA Finals 2017 NBA Finals The 2017 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 2016–17 season and conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors defeated the defending NBA champion and Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers 4 games to 1. This Finals was the first time in NBA history the same two teams had met for a third consecutive year. The Cavaliers sought to repeat as champions after winning the championship in 2016, while the Warriors won the first meeting in 2015. Golden State earned home court advantage with a 2016–17 regular season

pos: 2017 NBA Finals game since 1970 where two opposing players each had a triple-double. Golden State took a 2–0 series lead heading into Cleveland for Game 3. The Warriors defeated the Cavaliers 118–113 to extend the longest winning streak in NBA playoff history to 15 games. Golden State became the first team in the four major sports leagues in North America to go 15–0 in the postseason. The Warriors got off to a torrid start, hitting an NBA Finals record 9 three-pointers in the first quarter, resulting in an early 39-32 lead. During the quarter, the Cavaliers got a scare when LeBron James

pos: 2017 NBA Finals bumped into his teammate Tristan Thompson trying to guard Klay Thompson, but James stayed in the game. The Warriors finished the first half with 12 made three-pointers, another NBA Finals record for most threes in a half, and led 67–61. However, the Cavaliers started to show some life to start the third quarter, going on a 10–2 run to lead 71–69. They led 94–89 after three quarters of play and 113–107 with 2:32 remaining in the fourth quarter, but the Warriors scored 11 unanswered points to steal the road win and take a commanding 3–0 series lead heading into Game

pos: 2017 NBA Finals beyond the arc, going 0-for-7. Despite stellar performances from both James and Irving, Cleveland finished the game a dismal 12-of-44 from three-point range, compared to the Warriors 16-of-33 performance on three point shots. The Cleveland Cavaliers led wire-to-wire as they avoided a Finals sweep by Golden State to rout the Warriors 137–116, ending Golden State's NBA postseason record winning streak at 15 games to start the 2017 playoffs. The game was notable for shattering a number of NBA Finals records. The Cavs scored 49 points in the first quarter, the most points of any period in a Finals game, en

pos: 2016 NBA Playoffs the Warriors held on to defeat the Thunder 120-111, cutting their series deficit to 3-2. Kevin Durant scored 40 points in the loss. Despite their game 5 loss, the Thunder were favored to advance to the NBA Finals in the comfort of their home court in Game 6, but the Warriors stunned the Thunder thanks to Klay Thompson, who scored a series-high 41 points, and a poor shooting night from Kevin Durant, as the Warriors won the game 108–101 and tied the series 3-3, forcing a game 7 in the Bay Area. In game 7, Oklahoma City built a 13-point

pos: Jamaal Wilkes – one with Golden State in 1975, the season he was named Rookie of the Year – and three with the Showtime Lakers (1980, 1982, 1985), though an injury prevented him from playing in the 1985 NBA finals against the Boston Celtics, yet the Lakers won the series in six games over the Celtics, 4–2. One of the most memorable games of his career was the series clinching Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers; Wilkes had 37 points and 10 rebounds, but was overshadowed by rookie teammate Magic Johnson, who started at center in place

pos: 2017 NBA Playoffs closer, but the Warriors still came out victors, going up 3–0 bringing them to 15–0 in the playoffs, the best ever start in NBA playoff history. The Cavs countered beating the Warriors 137–116 in Game four, with 86 points in the first half, setting an NBA Finals' record. On June twelfth, the Warriors bounced back and won game five at home 129-120, clinching the organization's fifth championship. Golden State's 16–1 record is an NBA playoff record since 03' for least games attempted to achieve an NBA championship. The title was all-star forward Kevin Durant's first and all-stars Stephen Curry's, Klay

pos: 2017 NBA Finals on February 25, 2017, two days earlier than last season when they clinched on February 27, 2016. They also became the first team in NBA playoff history to start 12–0, sweeping the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round, the Utah Jazz in the Western Conference semifinals, and the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. Entering the Finals, this twelve game win-streak tied third for the most consecutive wins in the postseason. The Warriors also entered the Finals with the largest playoff points differential in NBA history, with a +16.3 winning margin per game. This was the Cleveland

neg: 2017–18 Cleveland Cavaliers season the series, the Cavaliers battled back to tie the series at 2–2. The Celtics won Game 5 and the Cavaliers won Game 6, setting up a pivotal Game 7 at the TD Garden. Despite playing without Kevin Love – who suffered a concussion during Game 6 that prevented him from playing in the final game of the series – the Cavaliers won Game 7, 87–79, to win the conference finals and advance to the NBA Finals for the fourth consecutive season. Additionally, James made the NBA Finals for the eighth straight season. For the fourth straight year, the Cavaliers played

neg: 2009 NBA Finals the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 2 of the 2001 NBA Finals; and Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs in Game 6 of the 2003 NBA Finals. This is the seventh time in NBA Finals history that a team that lost the championship the previous season has won the Finals the very next year. It is the second time in Lakers history, after the 1984 and 1985 teams. This is also the first odd season since 2001 that the San Antonio Spurs did not win the NBA Finals; they won in 2003, 2005 and 2007. This was the last

neg: 2009 NBA Finals since 1984 to have two games go into overtime (Games 2 and 4); both were won by the Lakers. Dwight Howard set an NBA Finals single-game record with 9 blocked shots in Game 4. The previous record holders, all of whom had blocked eight shots in a Finals game, were: Bill Walton of the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 6 of the 1977 NBA Finals; Hakeem Olajuwon of the Houston Rockets in Game 5 of the 1986 NBA Finals; Howard's assistant coach Patrick Ewing of the New York Knicks in Game 5 of the 1994 NBA Finals; Shaquille O'Neal of

neg: 2009–10 Los Angeles Lakers season to the NBA Finals where they defeated the Boston Celtics in a rematch of the 2008 NBA Finals won by the Celtics 4 games to 2. This time, the Lakers won the series 4 games to 3 for their 16th NBA title and handed Boston its first Game 7 loss in an NBA Finals in team history. Kobe Bryant won his second consecutive NBA Finals MVP as well as his fifth and final NBA Championship. On July 14, 2010, Phil Jackson won the 2010 ESPY Awards for Best Coach/Manager while Kobe Bryant won for Best NBA Player. The Lakers came

neg: 2013 NBA Finals This marked the last NBA Finals played during the tenure of NBA commissioner David Stern. In addition, it also marked the last time the Finals used the 2–3–2 format, after which it reverted to the 2–2–1–1–1 format. The Spurs and Heat would both advance to the 2014 NBA Finals, where the Spurs won in five games. LeBron James and Tim Duncan previously faced off in the 2007 NBA Finals, when James was with the Cleveland Cavaliers, which saw the Spurs sweep the Cavaliers in four games, giving San Antonio their fourth NBA title. After the deciding game, Duncan sought out

neg: Danny Crawford a professional basketball player. On August 2, 2017, Crawford retired. Danny Crawford Danny Crawford (born November 23, 1953) is a retired American professional basketball referee in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Crawford, made his 23rd straight NBA Finals appearance in Game 1 of the 2017 Finals. Crawford has been an NBA referee since 1985 and has worked at least one NBA Finals game each season since 1995. Crawford grew up in East Garfield Park on the West Side of Chicago. He attended Ryerson Elementary School and was a basketball star at the now defunct Cregier High School. In 1976, Crawford

neg: Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals Bulls had won in 6 games. The Jazz swept the season series against the Bulls 2–0, giving them the tiebreaker for home-court advantage throughout the NBA Playoffs. In the finals series, the Jazz had won Game 1, while the Bulls had won Games 2-4. At the United Center in Game 5, Michael Jordan missed a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer, allowing the Jazz to stave off elimination with an 83-81 victory and return to Utah for Game 6, and a potential Game 7. None of the previous 5 Finals appearances for the Bulls had gone to a Game 7. Scottie

neg: Detroit Pistons games and advancing to the NBA Finals for the first time since the franchise moved to Detroit. The Pistons' first trip to the Finals in 32 years saw them face the Los Angeles Lakers, who were led by Magic Johnson, James Worthy, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. After taking a 3–2 series lead back to Los Angeles, Detroit appeared poised to win their first NBA title in Game 6. In that game, Isiah Thomas scored an NBA Finals record 25 points in the third quarter while playing on a severely sprained ankle. However, the Lakers won the game, 103–102, on a pair

neg: 1990 NBA Finals ankle, with two seconds left. Drexler made both foul shots to give the Blazers the 106–105 lead. The Pistons quickly passed the ball to Edwards, who tried a shot from the left of the paint, but rookie Clifford Robinson blocked it at the last second. With that, the Blazers won the game and took away the home-court advantage. Game 2 of the 1990 Finals marked the first time in six years that a Finals game went into overtime, the last being Game 4 of the 1984 NBA Finals. Joe Dumars' father, Joe Dumars II, died of congestive heart failure 1

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry defending champions, having beaten the Orlando Magic 4–1 in the 2009 NBA Finals. This was the first NBA Finals to go the full seven games since , and only the fourth since the NBA switched the Finals to a 2–3–2 format in . The Lakers won Game 1 102–89, led by Kobe Bryant's 30-point performance. However, Ray Allen would respond in Game 2 by scoring 32-points and sinking a record eight 3-pointers, leading the Celtics to a 103–94 victory. Game 3 returned to Boston, where the Lakers took a 2–1 series lead by winning 91–84, again led by Bryant but

neg: 1997 NBA Finals two teams met in the NBA Finals since 1989, when the Lakers and Pistons went up against each other. Only this time, the Jazz had home-court advantage even though both teams won 62 games, because they won the regular season series 2-0. However, the Bulls still won the series in 6 games, highlighted by Michael Jordan's last shot as a Bull in Game 6. 1997 NBA Finals The 1997 NBA Finals was the concluding series of the 1997 NBA Playoffs that determined the champion of the 1996–97 NBA season. The Western Conference champion Utah Jazz took on the Eastern Conference

neg: Dallas Mavericks Conference Finals and eventually became the back-to-back champions after winning the NBA Finals. In 2011, the Mavericks met the two-time defending champions Lakers in the semifinals and rejected their three-peat by sweeping them in four games and eventually won the NBA Finals. In Game 2 of the 2011 NBA Playoffs, Ron Artest was ejected for hitting J. J. Barea and suspended for Game 3. In Game 4, Lamar Odom was ejected for pushing Dirk Nowitzki and then Andrew Bynum was ejected for elbowing J. J. Barea. Both players received flagrant foul 2. After the 2011 NBA lockout, Lamar Odom was

neg: Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals 2001 Finals, when the Los Angeles Lakers won their second consecutive championship under former Bulls coach Phil Jackson, had the highest ratings of a championship-winning game on the network since Game 6 of the 1998 Finals. NBC's broadcast rights to NBA games expired after the 2002 NBA Finals, when the Lakers won their third consecutive championship under former Bulls coach Phil Jackson. The 2003 NBA Finals had even worse ratings (9.8 million), and only 11.5 million watched the 2005 Finals; the San Antonio Spurs won both years. Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals Game 6 of the 1998 NBA

neg: NBA Finals ever for a basketball game, with only the game between the two stars played five years earlier having a larger audience. It was the last NBA Finals played in the 2–2–1–1–1 format, until 2014. In the 1985 NBA Finals, the Lakers made amends for their previous eight losses to the Celtics by defeating them in six games. Even though the Lakers lost the first game by 34 points in the Memorial Day Massacre, they won 4 of the next 5 games, including Game 6 at the Boston Garden, to finally end the long years of frustration of failing to defeat

neg: 2004 NBA Finals Tinsley. Hamilton would make three free throws in the game's final 15 seconds to seal the victory and tie the series. The Pistons rode the momentum of Game 2 (including dominant wins in Games 3 and 5) to a 4-2 series victory, advancing to the NBA Finals for the first time in 14 years. The teams split the two meetings, each won by the home team: Note: teams in Bold won that game. The Finals were played using a 2–3–2 site format, where the first two and last two games are held at the team with home court advantage. This

neg: NBA Finals The Heat won Game 7, 95–88, to clinch the title. James was named Finals MVP for the second straight year. Looking for a three-peat, the Heat reached the 2014 NBA Finals and faced the Spurs in a rematch of the 2013 Finals. With James limited in Game 1 due to leg cramps, the Spurs ended the game on a 31–9 run, winning 110–95. The Heat bounced back in Game 2, but that was their only win of the series, as the Spurs won games 3 and 4 in Miami and game 5 at home to win the championship, their first

neg: 1976 NBA Playoffs 1976 NBA Playoffs The 1976 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1975–76 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. The series was highlighted by Game 5, a 3-OT victory by Boston. The Celtics won their 13th NBA title, second in the Dave Cowens era. Jo Jo White was named NBA Finals MVP. The Suns earned their first two playoff series victories in franchise history to advance to the NBA Finals; they won their second (and ,

neg: 1973 NBA Finals the Lakers took Game 5 and advanced to their fourth NBA Finals series in five seasons. One year after their NBA Finals loss, the Knicks were back in the playoffs. For some of the Knicks, including Jerry Lucas and Earl Monroe, this was probably their last shot at an NBA title. In the first round they paired against the Baltimore Bullets. The Knicks won Game's 1 and 2 in New York, but lost Game 3 at Baltimore (in that game, the Bullets used a strange lineup of two centers and three guards). New York would take Games 4 and 5

neg: NBA Finals by Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, Tyson Chandler, and Jason Kidd, won the series 4–2, with Nowitzki being named the Finals MVP. The Heat returned to the finals in the following year against an Oklahoma City Thunder team featuring future MVPs Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and 3-time NBA scoring leader Kevin Durant. After the Thunder won Game 1 at home, the Heat won four straight games to win the series 4–1, becoming the first team to win a championship after trailing in three playoff series. James won his first championship and was unanimously named NBA Finals MVP. The Heat repeated as

neg: 1977 NBA Finals to the finals for the first time since by ousting the Houston Rockets in six games. Both teams split the four-game series, each won by the home team. "Trail Blazers win series 4–2" Game 1 started with a Dr. J windmill slam dunk off the opening tip, and never got much better for the Blazers, who committed 34 turnovers. Erving scored 33 points and Doug Collins had 30, as the 76ers won 107–101. Walton finished with 28 points and 20 rebounds. Game 2 was an easy 107–89 win for the 76ers, who at one point scored 14 points in under

neg: History of the Oklahoma City Thunder They defeated the Lakers in five games and advanced to play the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. The Thunder lost the first two games against the Spurs but won the next three including a Game 5 road win, to take a commanding 3–2 game lead in the series. In Game 6, the Thunder defeated the Spurs 107–99 and advanced to the 2012 NBA Finals. Durant led the way with 34 points, playing all of regulation time in the game. In the 2012 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat, the Thunder won the first game at home but

neg: 2012 NBA Finals an NBA Finals record for most 3-pointers in a game with 14. With three minutes remaining in the game, both teams took their starters out of the game, with the Heat still leading by more than 20 points. With their Game 5 win, the Heat won their second NBA championship in team history, and the first for several Heat players, including James, who was named the NBA Finals MVP after averaging 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds and 7.4 assists in the finals, capping it all off with his first triple double of the season in the final game. For the Thunder,

neg: 1958 NBA Finals 1958 NBA Finals The 1958 NBA World Championship Series was the championship series for the 1957–58 National Basketball Association (NBA) season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. It pitted the Western Division champion St. Louis Hawks against the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics. The Hawks won the series in six games to win the club's first and so far only NBA championship title. "Hawks win series 4–2" After suffering a heartbreaking loss to the Celtics in Game 7 of the 1957 NBA Finals, St. Louis survived a sometimes difficult 1957-58 NBA season, returning to the NBA Finals to face

neg: Isaiah Thomas (basketball) to earn NBA All-Star nods in 2016 and 2017, as well as All-NBA Team honors in 2017 after leading the Celtics to the first seed in the Eastern Conference. In August 2017, he was dealt to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who traded him midseason to the Los Angeles Lakers. Thomas was named after former Detroit Pistons Hall of Fame point guard Isiah Thomas when his father, James, bet his friend that his favorite team, the Los Angeles Lakers, would defeat the Pistons in the 1989 NBA Finals (which the Pistons won in a four-game sweep). The younger Thomas ended up being

neg: 2004–05 San Antonio Spurs season The 2-0 lead proved a daunting challenge to Detroit, historically. In the history of the NBA, in the 153 times when a team with home court advantage was up 2-0 in a series, only seven times has the other team rebounded to win the series. Going into this game, the Pistons were looking to rebound from the deficit. In the past, only two teams in NBA history had ever won a Finals series after facing a 2-0 deficit — the Boston Celtics in the 1969 NBA Finals and the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1977 NBA Finals — however, the

neg: 1989 NBA Playoffs 1989 NBA Playoffs The 1989 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1988–89 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 0 in the NBA Finals. Joe Dumars was named NBA Finals MVP. The Pistons had one of the most dominant playoff runs in NBA history, finishing 15–2 with their only losses to the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Lakers won the Western Conference title without losing a game, and entered the NBA Finals as the heavy favorites. However,

neg: 1982–83 Portland Trail Blazers season four games to one, on the Lakers' way to the 1983 NBA Finals. Note: This is not a complete list; only the first two rounds are covered, as well as any other picks by the franchise who played at least one NBA game. (4) Seattle SuperSonics vs. (5) Portland Trail Blazers: "Blazers win series 2–0" Last playoff meeting: 1980 Western Conference First round (Seattle won 2-1) (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Portland Trail Blazers: "Lakers win series 4–1" Last playoff meeting: 1977 Western Conference Finals (Portland won 4-0) 1982–83 Portland Trail Blazers season The 1982–83 season was the 13th

neg: Toronto Raptors Miami Heat ensued, which Toronto also won. The Raptors, who were one of the four teams that never reached the NBA Conference Finals in their histories, appeared in the third round for the first time in their twenty-first season, facing the Cleveland Cavaliers, in which they ultimately lost the series 4–2. The Cavaliers advanced to the NBA Finals and became champions. In preparation for their title push, the Raptors conducted a series of trades, including on February 14, 2017, when Terrence Ross and a first-round pick were traded for Serge Ibaka from the Orlando Magic, and on February 23, 2017,

neg: 2014 NBA Finals "one of the most beautiful-to-watch teams in the NBA" by "USA Today". This was the San Antonio Spurs's sixth appearance in the NBA Finals, and they headed to the postseason with the best record in the NBA and a franchise record 19-game winning streak, ending with a 22–4 run their last games. In the first round, they faced their Texas rivals, the Dallas Mavericks, who surprised the Spurs by taking the series to seven games despite the Spurs sweeping the Mavericks in the regular season for 2 consecutive years. San Antonio won 4–3. In the Conference Semifinals, they eliminated the

neg: 2011 NBA Finals won in six games. Going into the series, the Heat were heavy favorites with their newly acquired superstars LeBron James and Chris Bosh along with returning superstar Dwyane Wade. The Dallas Mavericks became the first team in NBA history since the institution of the 2–3–2 format to enter Game 3 tied at one, lose Game 3 and still win the Finals. The previous 11 times this occurred, the Game 3 winner went on to win the series. The Mavericks also became just the 7th team, and the first since 19BC, to come back and win the Finals after being down

neg: Magic Johnson NBA championship of his career. In the 1988–89 NBA season, Johnson's 22.5 points, 12.8 assists, and 7.9 rebounds per game earned him his second MVP award, and the Lakers reached the 1989 NBA Finals, in which they again faced the Pistons. However, after Johnson went down with a hamstring injury in Game 2, the Lakers were no match for the Pistons, who swept them 4–0. Playing without Abdul-Jabbar for the first time, Johnson won his third MVP award after a strong 1989–90 NBA season in which he averaged 22.3 points, 11.5 assists, and 6.6 rebounds per game. However, the Lakers

neg: 1994–95 Houston Rockets season they faced the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs. Both teams lacked home court advantage in the series, only winning on the road until the Rockets won Game 6 at The Summit and advanced to the NBA Finals. In the Finals, they swept the Orlando Magic in four straight games, and won their second consecutive championship. Following the season, Vernon Maxwell signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia 76ers, and Tracy Murray left in the 1995 NBA Expansion Draft. (3) Utah Jazz vs. (6) Houston Rockets: "Rockets win series 3-2 Last Playoff Meeting: 1994 Western Conference Finals (Houston won 4-1) (2)

neg: 1990 NBA Finals in seven games in the conference finals. Both teams split the two meetings, each won by the home team: The Pistons became the first team in Finals history to win Games 3 through 5 in the 2–3–2 series format which was used between 1985 and 2013. "America the Beautiful" was sung by a then-unknown Mariah Carey, who would release her self-titled debut album on the day of Game 4. In response to Carey's performance, CBS Sports anchor Pat O'Brien quipped ""The Palace now has a queen!"" The key moment in Game 5 of the Finals was Vinnie Johnson's series-clinching shot

neg: 2005 NBA Playoffs rounds and make the NBA Finals as well as going 16-1 in the playoffs, the best winning percentage (.941) in NBA Playoff history. It was the Bulls' first post-Michael Jordan playoff appearance, as their last playoff game was Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. They consistently placed at or near the bottom of the Central Division in between, but their 47-35 season in 2005 was a 24-game improvement from 2004. For the 3rd straight year (5th overall) the Pacers met the Celtics in the first round. Boston won in 2003 4–2, while Indiana swept Boston in 2004. It would

neg: NBA Finals television ratings NBA Final game was Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals which averaged a 22.3 rating / 38 share and 35.89 million viewers on Sunday night. The lowest rated and least watched NBA Final game was Game 2 of the 2003 NBA Finals which averaged a 5.2 rating / 10 share and 8.06 million viewers on Friday night. The 1987 NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics was the highest rated and most watched NBA Final series on CBS averaging a 15.9 rating / 32 share and 24.12 million viewers. Game 7 of the 1988 NBA Finals

neg: Joel Anthony season second in the Eastern Conference behind the Chicago Bulls with a 58–24 record. The Heat cruised through the first three rounds of the playoffs before losing to the Dallas Mavericks 4–2 during the 2011 NBA Finals. Anthony averaged 1.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 20.5 minutes per game during the NBA Finals. The following season, Joel won his first NBA title with the Miami Heat against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Anthony won his second championship on June 20, 2013, when the Heat defeated the San Antonio Spurs in an intense seven game series. On January 15, 2014, a three-team trade

neg: Bob Cousy Finals series against the Lakers was especially dramatic, because Lakers guard Frank Selvy failed to make a last-second buzzer beater in Game 7 which would have won the title. Finally, in the 1962–63 NBA season, the last of his career, Cousy averaged 13.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 6.8 assists, and collected one last All-Star and All-NBA Second Team nomination. In the 1963 NBA Finals, the Celtics again won 4–2 against the Lakers, and Cousy finished his career on a high note: in the fourth quarter of Game 6, Cousy sprained an ankle and had to be helped to the bench.

neg: 1969 NBA Finals NBA history. This series is also notable in that West, with an average of nearly 38 points a game, won the Finals Most Valuable Player award, despite being on the losing team. This was the first year a Finals MVP award was given, and it remains the only time in NBA Finals history that the MVP was awarded to a player on the losing team. It also marks the first time ever in NBA Finals history that a Game 7 was won by the road team. The Los Angeles Lakers had won 55 games in the regular season (2nd best

neg: 2002 NBA Finals not earning the home-court advantage. Still, the Lakers took down the fourth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in six games. However, they were eliminated by the San Antonio Spurs, who finally earned revenge after their previous two defeats to the Lakers in the 2001 and 2002 NBA playoffs. In Game 5, Robert Horry, a perennial clutch threat in the playoffs, missed a game-winning three that would've given the Lakers a 3-2 lead. The miss eventually led to Horry's free-agent defection to the Spurs the following season. The Nets made it back to the Finals in 2003. They won 49 games and the Atlantic

neg: Richard Hamilton (basketball) to advance to the franchise's first NBA Finals since the "Bad Boys" Pistons team won the NBA title in 1990. The Pistons were viewed as a major underdog in the Finals, as they faced the star-studded Los Angeles Lakers, who were just one season removed from winning three straight championships. Adding a new chapter to the Lakers–Pistons rivalry of the late 1980s and early '90s, the Pistons dominated game 1 in Los Angeles and shocked the Lakers by double digits. The Lakers bounced back in game 2 with an overtime win to send the series to Detroit tied at 1–1.

neg: 1971–72 NBA season points in the third quarter. However, the Lakers led by assist champion Jerry West, leading scorer Gail Goodrich and veteran Wilt Chamberlain would win 4 of the next 5 games and beat Milwaukee in six games. In the Eastern Conference Finals, New York defeated the top-seed Celtics in five games. In the NBA Finals, New York won game 1 very easily, but Los Angeles won game 2 106–92 to even the series. In game 3, the Lakers jumped out to a 22-point lead and regained home-court advantage with a 107–96 win. In game 4, the Knicks forced overtime. At the

neg: NBA Finals as their premier target. On September 15, 1982, they traded for Malone, who was also the league's reigning MVP. With the new duo of Malone and Erving, the 76ers won the 1983 NBA Finals, losing only once in the entire playoffs, as well as sweeping the Lakers. However, the 1984 NBA Finals was conducted by the Celtics and Lakers, who faced each other for the first time since 1969. After an inspired performance from Bird, the Celtics toppled the Lakers 4–3. The final game of this series attracted the largest ever TV audience for an NBA game, and the second-largest

neg: 1986 NBA Finals In the conference finals, they were matched up against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers, and after losing Game 1, the Rockets stunned the Lakers by winning the final four games, highlighted by a series-clinching buzzer beater by Sampson in Game 5. The Boston Celtics won both games in the regular season series: The Larry Bird–led Celtics defeated the Rockets again 4 games to 2 in the 1986 NBA Finals. The Celtics won the first two games at the Boston Garden, where they had gone 40–1 during the regular season. The Rockets had been almost as good at home during

neg: 2009 NBA Finals Lakers, Los Angeles was able to take 4 out of 5 games in this series. Both regular-season games and three of the NBA Finals games were close contests, decided by six points or fewer or in overtime. The Lakers won Game 2 on June 7 101-96 in overtime. Then they won Game 4 on June 11 in overtime as well. Tyronn Lue, a backup point guard with Orlando, appeared with the Lakers during their initial championship run in the early 2000s and faced his former team in the finals. Lue and another backup point guard, Anthony Johnson were the only

neg: 1959 NBA Playoffs series 4-2" Last Playoff Meeting: 1957 NBA Western Division Finals (St. Louis won 3-0) Champion: Boston Celtics Division Semifinals (1) Boston Celtics have division semifinals bye. (2) New York Knicks vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals: "Nationals win series 2-0" Last Playoff Meeting: 1952 NBA Eastern Division Finals (New York won 3-1) Division Finals (1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals: "Celtics win series 4-3" Last Playoff Meeting: 1957 NBA Eastern Division Finals (Boston won 3-0) (1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Minneapolis Lakers: "Celtics win series 4-0" Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first meeting between the Celtics and Lakers. 1959 NBA

neg: History of the Dallas Mavericks a 48-point performance, with the Mavericks taking game 1 by a score of 121-112. The Thunder then responded with 106-100 victory in game 2. The Mavericks then won the next three games, including a 15-point comeback in game 4, to take the series in five games. The Mavericks claimed their second Western Conference Championship in franchise history, and met the team that defeated them in the 2006 NBA Finals, the Miami Heat. The Mavs entered the 2010–2011 NBA Finals as underdogs, due to Miami's "Big Three" coming together during the course of the 2010–11 NBA Playoffs. After dropping game one

neg: 2004–05 San Antonio Spurs season with 21 points each, neither was able to seriously threaten the strong Pistons defense enough to win the game. Detroit thus won its fifth consecutive game facing elimination. The Pistons became the first road team to force a Game 7 in the NBA Finals. For the first time in eleven years, the NBA Finals came down to a decisive game. Momentum was on Detroit's side, but the Spurs had home-court advantage. The Pistons were looking to become the first team to ever win the last 2 games on the road, after being down 3-2. The stats were, as expected, heavily

neg: 2014 NBA Finals Portland Trail Blazers and won 4–1. In their third consecutive Conference Finals, they eliminated the Oklahoma City Thunder and won the series 4–2, despite being swept by Oklahoma City in the regular season, and for the first time, they qualified for back-to-back Finals appearances. The regular season series was evened 1–1, each won at home: The Spurs rebounded from their seven-game loss to the Heat in the 2013 Finals to win the series, 4–1, for the franchise's fifth NBA championship. After winning their first four over nine seasons, this was their first since 2007. San Antonio blew out Miami in

neg: Michael Jordan to one, and compiled a 15–2 playoff record along the way. Perhaps the best known moment of the series came in Game 2 when, attempting a dunk, Jordan avoided a potential Sam Perkins block by switching the ball from his right hand to his left in mid-air to lay the shot into the basket. In his first Finals appearance, Jordan posted per game averages of 31.2 points on 56% shooting from the field, 11.4 assists, 6.6 rebounds, 2.8 steals, and 1.4 blocks. Jordan won his first NBA Finals MVP award, and he cried while holding the NBA Finals trophy. Jordan

neg: Trevor Ariza an inbound pass from Chauncey Billups in Game 1 to help Lakers beat the Nuggets. In Game 3, the Lakers led by two points with 37.1 seconds remaining when Ariza stole Kenyon Martin's pass to Carmelo Anthony near midcourt to help Lakers take a 2-1 lead. The Lakers eventually won the series 4–2, sending them to the NBA Finals against the Orlando Magic. In Game 4 of the Finals, Ariza, who was 0-for-6 in the first half, scored 13 in the third quarter to help the Lakers win in overtime and finished the game with nine rebounds and three 3-pointers.

neg: 1955 NBA Playoffs Pistons vs. (2) Minneapolis Lakers: "Pistons win series 3-1" Last Playoff Meeting: 1953 NBA Western Division Finals (Minneapolis won 3-2) Champion: Syracuse Nationals Division Semifinals (1) Syracuse Nationals have division semifinals bye. (2) New York Knicks vs. (3) Boston Celtics: "Celtics win series 2-1" Last Playoff Meeting: 1953 NBA Eastern Division Finals (New York won 3-1) Division Finals (1) Syracuse Nationals vs. (3) Boston Celtics: "Nationals win series 3-1" Last Playoff Meeting: 1954 NBA Eastern Division Finals (Syracuse won 2-0) (1) Syracuse Nationals vs. (1) Fort Wayne Pistons: "Nationals win series 4-3" Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first meeting

neg: 2006 NBA Finals 2006 NBA Finals The 2006 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2005–06 National Basketball Association season. The Miami Heat won the title in six games over the Dallas Mavericks, becoming the third team—after the 1969 Celtics and the 1977 Trail Blazers—to win a championship after trailing 0–2 in the series. Heat guard Dwyane Wade was named Most Valuable Player of the series. This series marked the first time since 1971 that the Finals featured two teams playing in their first NBA Finals series. It was the first occasion since 1978 that two teams who had never won an

neg: 1984 NBA Finals with high expectations. Bird, who was selected 6th in the 1978 NBA draft but committed back to Indiana State for his senior season, was named Rookie of the Year after leading the Celtics to a 32-game turnaround from the previous year, going from 29 to 61 wins. The expected Celtics–Lakers finals, however, never happened. The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Celtics in the conference finals before losing to the Lakers in the 1980 NBA Finals, with Johnson earning Finals MVP honors for his Game 6 performance. Since then Bird won a championship in 1981, then Magic led the Lakers to the

neg: 2004 NBA Playoffs Indiana Pacers made the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since their NBA Finals run in 2000, after which they significantly changed the makeup of their team (yet still made the playoffs every year). Game 2 of the series with the Pistons was pivotal, as Tayshaun Prince blocked a lay-up by Reggie Miller late in the game to preserve the victory; the Pistons won 4–2. The 2004 playoffs was the first appearance for the Memphis Grizzlies in their 9-year history which began in Vancouver. However, they failed to win a single game in their first 3 playoff appearances (2004,

neg: 1971 NBA Finals would also be the last time that both participants were playing in their first NBA Finals until the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat got together in the 2006 NBA Finals. The Bullets were forced to play Game 1 on a Wednesday night, just 48 hours after having defeated New York in Game 7 of the 1971 Eastern Conference Finals, then had to wait four days before playing Game 2. The series was the second (and last) time in NBA history that the teams alternated home games, the other being in . Most other series were held in the 2-2-1-1-1 or

neg: 2017 NBA draft 2017 NBA draft The 2017 NBA draft was held on June 22, 2017, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players. The draft lottery took place during the playoffs on May 16, 2017. The 53–29 Boston Celtics, who were also the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference and reached the Eastern Conference Finals at the time of the NBA draft lottery, won the #1 pick with pick swapping rights thanks to a previous trade with the Brooklyn Nets, who had the

neg: 1952–53 Minneapolis Lakers season Playoff Meeting: 1952 NBA Finals (Minneapolis won 4–3) 1952–53 Minneapolis Lakers season The 1952-53 Minneapolis Lakers season was the fifth season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Lakers continued to be the dominant force in the league as they won the Western Division with a 48–22 record. In the playoffs, the Lakers would sweep the Indianapolis Olympians in 2 straight. In the Western Finals, the Lakers would win the first 2 games at home. Against the Fort Wayne Pistons, the Lakers were pushed to a 5th game. The series returned to Minneapolis, where the Lakers won

neg: NBA Finals the Heat won their first championship in game six. The Lakers returned to the finals in 2008, against the Boston Celtics. Renewing the teams' rivalry, this marked the 11th time that these two teams met in the Finals, the last meeting happened in 1987. The Celtics, who defeated the Lakers 4–2, were led by their "Big Three" superstars of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce, who was also named Finals MVP. The Lakers bounced back from their 2008 loss and returned to the Finals in 2009, where they faced the Orlando Magic, led by Defensive Player of the Year

neg: 2006 NBA Finals a Dream." Game 2 of the Finals, which took place the same evening as the 60th Tony Awards, was the most-watched program of June 11, 2006. ABC won the night with 3.5 rating and 10 share, CBS came in fourth with a 1.5/4 for the Tonys. On June 20, Game 6 had a 4.4/13 among viewers aged 18–49. The finals were shown on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland. The Heat became the second team since 1985 to sweep the middle three games at home, the 2004 Detroit Pistons being the first. In 1985 the NBA switched the Finals

neg: 2010 NBA Finals only the fourth since the NBA Finals returned to a 2–3–2 format in . Los Angeles added its eleventh title in that city to go with its five in Minneapolis to move a step closer to the Celtics' league-leading seventeen championships and gain revenge for their defeat in 2008. The Lakers had won the previous season’s NBA Finals against the Orlando Magic for the franchise's 15th championship. The Celtics won their previous NBA Finals appearance against the Lakers in 2008. This was the 12th Finals played between the two rival teams. The Celtics won nine of their previous 11 Finals

neg: 1994 NBA Playoffs in Game 7 to the Rockets at The Summit in the NBA Finals, which meant New York was denied NBA and NHL titles. Game 4 of the Finals took place at the Garden a day after the New York Rangers won their first Stanley Cup in 54 years in Game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals. Knicks coach Pat Riley made history by becoming the first (and to this date, the only) person in NBA history to have coached a Game 7 in the NBA Finals for two teams, having been with the Lakers in and . However, he

neg: 1952–53 New York Knicks season win series 4–1" Last Playoff Meeting: 1952 NBA Finals (Minneapolis won 4–3) 1952–53 New York Knicks season The 1952–53 New York Knicks season was the seventh season for the team in the National Basketball Association (NBA). With a 47–23 record, the Knicks won the regular season Eastern Division title by a half-game over the Syracuse Nationals and made the NBA Playoffs for the seventh consecutive year. In the first round of the 1953 NBA Playoffs, the Knicks swept the Baltimore Bullets 2–0 in a best-of-three series to advance to the Eastern Division Finals. There, New York defeated the Boston Celtics

neg: 1950 NBA Finals idle while the Central and Western champions had played a best-of-three series mid-week. In Game 1, The Lakers won on a buzzer beating shot by sub Bob "Tiger" Harrison, the first known case of a buzzer beater in the Finals. 6'8" Dolph Schayes of Syracuse led his team out to the finals after a 16.8 ppg average during the regular season. George Mikan, however, averaged 27.4 ppg and led the league. Mikan would lead the Lakers past Syracuse in six games. "Lakers win series 4−2" 1950 NBA Finals The 1950 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the

neg: NBA Finals it is regarded as a rubber match between the two dynasties. The Lakers won the first two games, but Boston won Game 3. In Game 4, Johnson hit a three pointer with two seconds left to give the Lakers a 107–106 win and a 3–1 series lead. The Lakers lost Game 5, but eventually won Game 6 to clinch the series, and a 2-1 win against the Celtics. Johnson was named Finals MVP for the third time. In the following two seasons, the aging Celtics failed to reach the Finals, becoming overshadowed by the rise of the Detroit Pistons. The

neg: 2008–09 Orlando Magic season as Dwight Howard scored 40 points, a career high for him in a playoff game. The Magic won the series 4-2, the Eastern Conference championship, and the right to face the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2009 NBA Finals. After dropping the first two games in the series, the Magic finally won their first ever game in the finals in Game 3. With the franchise losing their first six finals games 1995 and 2009 combined, it was the second most games a team had lost in the finals before earning their first win. However, in Game 4 the Magic lost

neg: 2000 NBA Finals needed a clutch Travis Best three-pointer to dispatch the Milwaukee Bucks in five games. Indiana faced the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round and took the series in six games, earning a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals. The Pacers would face their rival Knicks, winning a memorable six game series in a reversal of fortunes from years past. With the victory, Indiana advanced to the first NBA Finals in franchise history, becoming the second former ABA team to do so. Both teams split the two meetings, each won by the home team: The Finals were played using a 2–3–2

neg: Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals was a professional basketball game that was played on June 14, 1998 between the visiting Chicago Bulls and the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center, now known as Vivint Smart Home Arena, in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Bulls won 87–86, winning their sixth NBA championship in eight years. Game 6 was the final game with the Bulls for Michael Jordan and coach Phil Jackson (both would retire from the National Basketball Association (NBA), then eventually return). This game earned, and still holds, the highest TV

neg: NBA on CBS Finals between the Detroit Pistons and Portland Trail Blazers. The Pistons won the game 92–90 to clinch their second consecutive World Championship. As the soundtrack for their goodbye montage, CBS used "The Last Waltz" by The Band and Marvin Gaye's rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" from the 1983 NBA All-Star Game, ending CBS Sports' relationship with the NBA after 17 years. While the network broadcast all five NBA Finals involving Larry Bird, all four NBA Finals involving Julius Erving, nine of the ten NBA Finals involving Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and eight of the nine NBA Finals involving Magic Johnson (with the

neg: Jerry West Game 2, Baltimore was unable to stop the Lakers guard, who scored 52 points, nearly half of L.A.'s total, in the 118–115 win. The Bullets took their two home games, despite West scoring 44 and 48 points respectively, but in the decisive Game 5 in L.A., the guard helped beat the Bullets with 42 points in a close 117–115 win. West averaged 46.3 points per game, a figure that is still an NBA record. However, in the 1965 NBA Finals, the Celtics easily beat the short-handed Lakers, 4–1. In Game 1, which Boston easily won, defensive Celtics guard K. C.

neg: 1986 NBA Playoffs with the Celtics winning the first three meetings. 1986 NBA Playoffs The 1986 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1985–86 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. Larry Bird was named NBA Finals MVP for the second time. This was the second NBA Finals meeting between the Celtics and Rockets; they met in the 1981 NBA Finals with the same result. It was the third of four straight Eastern Conference championships for Boston, who won 67

neg: 1986 NBA Playoffs 1986 NBA Playoffs The 1986 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1985–86 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. Larry Bird was named NBA Finals MVP for the second time. This was the second NBA Finals meeting between the Celtics and Rockets; they met in the 1981 NBA Finals with the same result. It was the third of four straight Eastern Conference championships for Boston, who won 67 games that year, and went 40–1 at home.

neg: 1973 NBA Finals Walt Frazier averaging 20 points per game in this series. In the Conference Finals, the Knicks faced none other than the 68-14 Boston Celtics, who had the league's best record. The Celtics won Game 1 at the Boston Garden, but the Knicks stunned the Celtics in Game 2 with a big 129-96 victory. The Knicks eventually held a 3-1 series lead before Boston came back with two critical wins. However, that had to be done without their star John Havlicek, who was nursing an elbow injury. The loss would come back to haunt the Celtics as they lost "again", in