Last Time Each Team Made The NBA Finals

Each team will be trying to make a run at the NBA Finals. It doesn’t matter if you are rebuilding or contending, the goal is to be the final two teams at the end of the season. Some teams have a curse they are trying to break, while some teams are trying to run it back.

After the Milwaukee Bucks broke their 50-year championship drought, others are trying to make it back to the NBA Finals for an even longer period. Heading into the 2021-2022 season, which team will make a run to the very end. For some teams, it will be the first time in a very long time. These years are the last time each NBA franchise made the NBA Finals.

Atlanta Hawks – 1961 (1-4 vs. Boston Celtics)

 It’s been a long time since the glory days with Cliff Hagan and Bob Petitt when the Hawks were based in St. Louis. The Celtics were too powerful with Bill Russell leading the way with another old superstar in Bob Cousy. Boston won by double digits in three of the four games, as the Hawks could only win one game, a 124-120 nailbiter in Game 3.

Had the Hawks defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, it would have been the first time in 60 years that the Hawks had played for a championship. The Hawks have had their opportunities, including a Conference Finals trip in 2015 and 2021, but the team couldn’t get over the hump, losing to great players in LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo respectively.

Boston Celtics – 2010 (3-4 vs. Los Angeles Lakers)

The Celtics were toppled by the Los Angeles Lakers, who won their second straight NBA championship. Kobe Bryant led all scorers in six of the seven games played on route to winning Finals MVP. It was the second time that this core had made the NBA Finals and their last appearance since winning the title in 2008.

The Celtics have made three Conference Finals appearances in the last five years, but have come up short when trying to make the NBA Finals. Jayson Tatum is the new face of the franchise and will look to get the Celtics dancing for the first time since Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett’s championship years. In 2010, the team fell short in the NBA Finals to Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.

Brooklyn Nets – 2003 (2-4 vs. San Antonio Spurs)

The Nets and Spurs battled it out to a 2-2 tie in this series before the Spurs won two straight. That included a dazzling 20-20 game from Tim Duncan in Game 6 to lead the Spurs to a championship with 21 points and 20 rebounds.

This is shaping up to be the first time in nearly two decades the Nets will play in the NBA Finals. Realistically, the Nets were just half a toe’s length from making the NBA Finals this year. With that said, the combination of Kyrie Irving, James Harden, and Kevin Durant has the sports betting world buzzing. Brooklyn could not only play in a championship contest but win their first championship since joining the NBA.

Charlotte Hornets – Never

The Hornets’ best appearance in the playoffs came in 2001. The team swept the Heat in three games in the first round. The Hornets nearly made the Conference Finals and even led the Bucks 3-2 in the semifinals. However, the Bucks stormed back to claim the seven games series.

The Hornets haven’t made the second round of the playoffs since 2002. Even when the Hornets had all-time leading scorer Kemba Walker leading the team, the Hornets were no more than a first-round playoff exit. The Hornets need to make small goals like making the second round of the playoffs because the Hornets have also never made the Conference Finals.

Chicago Bulls – 1998 (4-2 vs. Utah Jazz)

The “Last Dance” was truly the last dance for the Bulls when it came to competing for championship hardware. The Bulls haven’t sniffed the NBA Finals since Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman’s playing days. In the NBA Finals, Jordan won his sixth NBA Finals trophy, completed his second three-peat, and tried to ride off into the sunset.

The Bulls made the Conference Finals with Derrick Rose but were defeated by Bulls killer LeBron James. Since then, the team has only flirted with playoff contention and hasn’t made the playoffs since 2018.

Cleveland Cavaliers – 2018 (0-4 vs. Golden State Warriors)

The last time the Cavaliers made the NBA Finals, it felt like Cleveland knew what was going to happen before it even started. Kevin Durant won his second NBA Finals and the Warriors swept the Cavaliers in the Finals.

When LeBron James left Cleveland, he took the team’s competitive spirit with him. From 2015-2018, the Cavaliers made the NBA Finals each season, winning the 2016 championship. It was the best run in franchise history, led by LeBron, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love. Until the Cavaliers get a player like LeBron in the future, it’s going to be a long time until we see Cleveland in a championship.

Dallas Mavericks – 2011 (4-2 vs. Miami Heat)

Dirk Nowitzki led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals in 2006 and then again in 2011 when the team won the title. The 2011 run was an improbable run by the Mavericks, who were seeded third overall. They upset the No. 2 seeded Los Angeles Lakers by sweeping and then took down a young Thunder squad. In the NBA Finals, the Mavericks defeated LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.

The franchise leader in nearly every stat category is the best to ever do it in Dallas. With Luka Doncic leading the way for the next five years, he hopes to win just like Nowitzki. Doncic will need to get out of the first round first, something he has yet to accomplish.

Denver Nuggets – Never

The Nuggets have made the Conference Finals two times in the last 15 years. Once was with Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups leading the way in 2009. The other was a year ago when Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray gave it their best shot. Both times the Nuggets lost was to the Lakers, one with Kobe Bryant leading the way and the other LeBron James.

If healthy, the Nuggets are a contender in the Western Conference. That is only if Murray can get back and get in some reps. The Nuggets could be waiting another year until everyone is 100%.

Detroit Pistons – 2005 (3-4 vs. San Antonio Spurs)

The 2005 NBA Finals was a fun one to watch as it stretched to seven games. After winning the first two games, led by Manu Ginobili’s scoring, the Pistons fired back to take the next two games. The Spurs won a dramatic 96-95 Game 5, while Detroit won Game 6 95-86. In Game 7, Tim Duncan scored 25 points to lead all scorers to capture Game 7.

The combination of Chauncey Billups, Rasheed Wallace, Ben Wallace, and Rip Hamilton was an Eastern Conference juggernaut. The team made back-to-back NBA Finals appearances in 2004 and 2005, which included winning the title. Since the dynasty ended, the Pistons have not been the same. With No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham in the future plans, maybe they can recreate the glory days.

Golden State Warriors – 2019 (2-4 vs. Toronto Raptors)

The last appearance for the Warriors left a sour taste in everyone’s mouth. Both Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson left with injuries and the Warriors didn’t have enough to win. Kawhi Leonard won Finals MVP and Toronto danced to their first franchise championship.

The Warriors made five straight NBA Finals appearances from 2015 to 2019. That included winning three titles in 2015, 2017, and 2018. The trio of Steph Curry, Thompson, and Draymond Green will forever be remembered. Now that Thompson is healthy for the first time in two years, there is talk the dynasty is back. Curry is coming off a scoring title. Maybe, the rumors are right.

Houston Rockets – 1995 (4-0 vs. Orlando Magic)

In their second grace year without Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon won his second straight Finals MVP by leading the Rockets to a sweep over the Magic. The run by Orlando was sensational with a young Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway. In the end, the Rockets were just too dominant.

The Rockets were close to making the NBA Finals on two occasions in recent years. In 2015, James Harden was close to leading the team before falling to the eventual champion Warriors. Then, the team was one injury away to Chris Paul to potentially take down the Warriors in seven games. Instead, the Warriors walked away with two titles, while the Rockets were sent home, keeping the streak of 26 years alive.

Indiana Pacers – 2000 (2-4 vs. Los Angeles Lakers)

The first of the three-peat saw one of the best overall seasons in history by a player by Shaq. The Lakers jumped out to a 2-0 series lead before the Pacers fought back to win one game. Then, the Lakers won two of the next three, including a 41-point effort by Shaq to close out the Pacers in Game 6.

The team nearly made the NBA Finals in 2013 and 2014 with Paul George and David West leading the charge. However, LeBron James and the Heat were too much in both tries.

Los Angeles Clippers – Never

The Clippers have been on the rise for the last decade. It all started with Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan. However, the team couldn’t make it out of the second round of the playoffs despite having standout teams.

The Clippers made the Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history in 2021. Had Kawhi Leonard not gotten hurt, the team might have made the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history too. Now, the team might be without Leonard for a full year, so the streak of never making the Finals might have to wait another year.

Los Angeles Lakers – 2020 (4-2 vs. Miami Heat)

The Lakers won the 2020 championship in the first year of LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Outside of a 40-point game by Jimmy Butler, LeBron controlled this game, leading all scorers in four of the six matchups. That included a 40-point effort in Game 5, a 111-108 victory.

Last year, the Lakers were hit with the injury bug. This year, the team brought in reinforcements with Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony, and brought back Rajon Rondo and Dwight Howard. The resumes on this team are stacked. Can the team live up to expectations?

Memphis Grizzlies – Never

The Grizzlies made their first Conference Finals in 2013 with Defensive Player of the Year Marc Gasol leading the way. The tandem of Gasol and Mike Conley Jr. surprised teams in the playoffs before getting outworked by the San Antonio Spurs.

A lot has changed since then as both Gasol and Conley are gone, while the youngster Ja Morant will take his best stab at leading the franchise. The Grizzlies could be the next version of the Clippers here soon as Memphis is looking to get out of the middle of the standings and vault to the top.

Miami Heat – 2020 (2-4 vs. Los Angeles Lakers)

In a surprising 2020 finish, the Heat made the NBA Finals by taking down Giannis and the Milwaukee Bucks and then the Boston Celtics in the Conference Finals. Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo were sensational. Tyler Herro became a star and then became subject to trade rumors for an entire year because of his ceiling. However, LeBron James and Anthony Davis had other plans by winning the series.

With Kyle Lowry in the mix, the Heat could let the defense do the talking and make a run back to the Finals. The Heat is going to be contenders in the East this year, so this could be a very quick turnaround.

Milwaukee Bucks – 2021 (4-2 vs. Phoenix Suns)

It was a battle of long droughts in 2021. The Bucks had gone without a title since 1971, while Phoenix was looking for its first championship in franchise history. Giannis Antetokounmpo competitively won Finals MVP, becoming the seventh player ever to record a 50-point game in the NBA Finals in Game 6 clincher.

Certainly, the NBA champions are going to try and run it back. Antetokounmpo is on record saying that one is not enough. The core of Giannis, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday is back and ready to make a run right away. Milwaukee doesn’t want to wait 50 years for the next title, especially with the bulk of the team returning.

Minnesota Timberwolves – Never

In 2004, MVP Kevin Garnett had the league talking about the Timberwolves. It’s been almost 20 years since that special season. Garnett couldn’t get the Lakers past Shaq and Kobe Bryant. Had the T-Wolves made the NBA Finals, a Detroit-Minnesota Finals would have had all of the midwest talking.

With just one playoff appearance since 2004, the outlook for the Timberwolves remains long for this to happen anytime soon. The T-Wolves have gone through multiple lotteries picks in Kevin Love, Andrew Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Anthony Edwards with little to show.

New Orleans Pelicans – Never

Once upon a time, Anthony Davis was seen as the savior. Before that, Chris Paul. Both never made the Conference Finals, maxing out in the second round. Both were eventually traded to different teams with Davis winning a championship his first season out of New Orleans.

With Zion Williamson entering his third year, and no playoff berths, could we see this replicated a third time? The Pelicans made moves to help the Pelicans win now, but we will have to see if Williamson can be the savior of the south.

New York Knicks – 1999 (1-4 vs. San Antonio Spurs)

The only way the Knicks could make the NBA Finals was when Michael Jordan wasn’t playing. The team lost to the Rockets in 1994 and then the Spurs in 1999, both seasons following Jordan’s retirement. In the 1999 Finals, the combination of David Robinson and Tim Duncan formed a twin tower that was too much for the single tower of Patrick Ewings.

The Knicks have not come close ever since, capping out in the second round of the playoffs in 2013. It took Carmelo Anthony leading the league in scoring to even make it that far.

Oklahoma City Thunder – 2012 (1-4 vs. Miami Heat)

A young trio of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden shocked the world by cruising through the playoff bracket to make the NBA Finals. All three were in their lower 20s in age. Taking down LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh was not going to be easy, which is why the Heat won in the end.

Now, all three-star OKC players are done. In 2016, Durant and Westbrook held a 3-1 lead on the 73-win Warriors but lost three straight. Then, Durant left and joined the team, won two Finals MVPs, and Thunder fans were bitter ever since.

Orlando Magic – 2009 (1-4 vs. Los Angeles Lakers)

The prime years of Dwight Howard were some must-watch basketball. Howard led a team that featured Hedo Turkoglu and Jameer Nelson as the team’s big three to the NBA Finals. The team was taken down by Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol in the Finals, but it put Orlando back on the map for the first time since Shaquille O’Neal left Orlando for Los Angeles.

In the Lakers’ four wins, Bryant scored over 30 points. The Magic fought back at times, including a 34-point effort from Rashard Lewis in a losing effort, but the Lakers were too much. Now, the Magic face a long rebuild. It’s going to take some time to get back to this point.

Philadelphia 76ers – 2001 (1-4 vs. Los Angeles Lakers)

Iverson won the MVP in 2001 when the 76ers went all the way but came up empty against Shaq and Kobe in the Finals. Iverson’s moment of stepping over Tyrone Lue will be played every year, but that is the only bit of fame the team got out of this Finals appearance. On his way to winning Finals MVP, Shaq averaged 33.8 points and 15.8 rebounds.

When the 76ers won the No. 1 seed in the regular season in 2021, fans believed this was the team’s first shot of making the NBA Finals in 20 years. Instead, Joel Embiid has a lot to prove until he dethrones Iverson as the most beloved athlete in Philadelphia.

Phoenix Suns – 2021 (2-4 vs. Milwaukee Bucks)

It was a long 28-year wait for fans in Phoenix until last season. Chris Paul and Devin Booker formed a formidable backcourt duo to lead the Suns to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993. It was the first time Paul qualified for the Finals, but he came up empty against the Bucks. Then again, it’s hard to stop

With the core intact, the Suns will look to try and qualify for a second straight season. Paul signed a four-year extension to try and get that first championship to Phoenix, as well as his first ring in his career.

Portland Trail Blazers – 1992 (2-4 vs. Chicago Bulls)

The Trail Blazers featured a young Clyde Drexler, the sharpshooting of Terry Porter, and a couple of strong towers in Jerome Kersey and Buck Williams. The team won 57 games and worked their way to the very end. In the end, it was the end of their season because the team had to take down Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. That just wasn’t going to happen as the Bulls won their second straight title.

Since then, the Trail Blazers have made the Conference Finals three times. Damian Lillard will go down as the greatest Trail Blazer in team history, but he owns just one appearance in the Conference Finals in 2018.

Sacramento Kings – 1951 (4-3 vs. New York Knicks)

Despite the Kings not making the NBA Finals in 70 years, the Kings do own a championship thanks to their seven-game series win over the New York Knicks. At the time, the Kings were the Rochester Royals, which was one of their final seasons before moving to Cincinnati and eventually Sacramento. The roster featured Hall of Famers Bob Davies, Red Holzman, Bobby Wanzer, and Arnie Risen. A

long with their 70-year drought, the Kings also own the longest active playoff drought, having not qualified for the playoffs since 2006. The Kings, like the T-Wolves, have gone through multiple lottery picks, including DeMarcus Cousins, De’Aaron Fox, and Marvin Bagley II with little to show.

San Antonio Spurs – 2014 (4-1 vs. Miami Heat)

It was the second straight appearance for the Spurs in the NBA Finals, having lost a seven-game thriller to the Miami Heat in 2013. This time around, the Spurs took down LeBron and Co. In a way, this win might have played a role in LeBron leaving the Heat. In these finals, a young Kawhi Leonard established himself as the game’s best two-way player on route to winning Finals MVP. It would also be the last Finals appearance, and championship, for Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili.

Beating the Heat in five games was somewhat of a surprise. It was the fourth straight appearance in the Finals for the Heat. With LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, this team was still special, but it goes to show how valiant the Spurs played.

Toronto Raptors – 2019 (4-2 vs. Golden State Warriors)

The last time the Raptors made the NBA Finals was the first time too. Before the season started, the Raptors made a bold move trading fan favorite, and all-time leading scorer, DeMar DeRozan to the Spurs for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green. In the end, it was worth it. Leonard’s game-winner in the second round of the playoffs will go down in Toronto sports history. Then, the team pulled off the unthinkable and defeated the Golden State Warriors dynasty. Leonard was named Finals MVP with his second team.

The Raptors were competitive the following year, but with the losses of Leonard and Green to Los Angeles, they were unable to defend their title. Now, with Kyle Lowry out the door, the Raptors could face a potential rebuild on the horizon.

Utah Jazz – 1998 (2-4 vs. Chicago Bulls)

From 1994 to 1998, the Jazz played in the Conference Finals four times, including back-to-back trips in 1997 and 1998. In the late 90s, Karl Malone and John Stockton were some of the best duos in the game. Unfortunately, neither could take down the great Chicago Bulls, giving Michael Jordan the last laugh as he averaged 33.5 points per game in the series.

Since then, the Jazz have made the Conference Finals once in 2007. After winning the No. 1 seed in the West last season, the Jazz look to break the 23-year old drought with Donovan Mitchell and three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.

Washington Wizards – 1979 (1-4 vs. Seattle SuperSonics)

To get to the NBA Finals, the Wpointizards, or Bullets at the time, had one of the most exciting playoffs runs in team history. First, the team won a seven-game series over the Hawks. Then, they won another seven-game series over the Spurs. Despite losing out on a championship to the SuperSonics, this was a special season led by Wes Unseld and Elvin Hayes.

Washington won Game 1 by a score of 99-97, but then lost four in a row. It was the last time that the city of Washington got to see Unseld in the Finals. Now, his son, head coach Wes Unseld Jr., will look to lead the Wizards back to their former glory.

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