Forget dynasties and superteams. Since 2000, some true underdogs have fought tooth and nail to make the NBA Finals. Now, the 2025 matchup features two non-taxpaying teams, Indiana and Oklahoma City, with the former being one of the biggest surprises in history. The latter? The best team in the NBA with the league’s MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The Pacers are a 50‑win team with zero Finals pedigree, riding Tyrese Haliburton’s heroics and Rick Carlisle’s craft, but are they the least talented team to ever reach the big stage? That is very debatable.
A host of NBA teams have made fairytale runs to the NBA Finals without having the talent of most other teams that have reached the highest stage possible. We have collected the 10 least talented NBA teams to make the Finals since the 2000 season, and over the last 25 years, there were certainly some major underdogs. Let’s dive into it.
1. 2017‑18 Cleveland Cavaliers
Starting Lineup: George Hill, J.R. Smith, LeBron James, Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson
Key Bench Players: Rodney Hood, Kyle Korver, Jeff Green, Larry Nance Jr.
Ranking Overall Talent: 3/10
Regular Season Record: 50‑32
NBA Finals Result: Los 0‑4 vs. Golden State Warriors
Strip away LeBron James, and this team’s Finals resume would be laughed out of the room. George Hill and J.R. Smith in the backcourt, a declining Kevin Love, and Tristan Thompson starting in 2018? Not ideal.
The supporting cast was a revolving door after a midseason overhaul that dumped Isaiah Thomas, Derrick Rose, and Jae Crowder. Rodney Hood and Jordan Clarkson were mostly unplayable in the playoffs. Kyle Korver could still shoot, but couldn’t guard a chair. It was LeBron or bust every single night, and somehow, LeBron dragged them to the Finals.
This was arguably LeBron’s greatest postseason feat. He averaged 34.8-8.5-10.0 on 52.7% shooting and played 44.8 minutes in the series. His 51-point masterpiece in Game 1 of the Finals was wasted by J.R. Smith’s legendary brain fart.
The Cavaliers were swept by the superteam Warriors, and no one was shocked. LeBron carried the heaviest load of any superstar this century, and this roster, with a talent ranking of 3/10, was nowhere near championship caliber.
2. 2000‑01 Philadelphia 76ers
Starting Lineup: Eric Snow, Allen Iverson, Aaron McKie, Tyrone Hill, Dikembe Mutombo
Key Bench Players: Raja Bell, George Lynch, Kevin Ollie, Todd MacCulloch
Ranking Overall Talent: 3/10
Regular Season Record: 56‑26
NBA Finals Result: Lost 1‑4 vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Allen Iverson was a superhero in sneakers, but he was carrying a team that looked like it was built in the 1990s and somehow stumbled into 2001. Eric Snow and Aaron McKie were smart, tough guards, but neither could create offense.
Tyrone Hill was a walking foul, and Dikembe Mutombo, though still a defensive beast, was 34 and limited offensively. The Philadelphia 76ers won 56 games thanks to AI’s scoring title (31.1 PPG) and league MVP, plus a suffocating defense led by Mutombo. But when it came to talent? This was Iverson and a pack of role players.
The East was weak, but Philly made the most of it, surviving a grueling seven-game series against the Raptors (and a prime Vince Carter), then outlasting the Bucks in another Game 7. Once they ran into Shaq and Kobe’s Lakers, reality hit fast.
Iverson famously stole Game 1 with a 48-point masterclass, but the Sixers dropped the next four. AI had to work harder than anyone just to keep them competitive. This team’s Finals appearance was a testament to Iverson’s greatness because the miniature guard was otherworldly.
3. 2006‑07 Cleveland Cavaliers
Starting Lineup: Daniel Gibson, Aleksander Pavlovic, LeBron James, Drew Gooden, Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Key Bench Players: Eric Snow, Donyell Marshall, Anderson Varejao
Ranking Overall Talent: 3/10
Regular Season Record: 50‑32
NBA Finals Result: Lost 0-4 vs. San Antonio Spurs
You want to talk about dragging a team to the Finals? This might be the clearest example in NBA history. LeBron James, still just 22 years old, had the Cavaliers on his back all season and all postseason.
The rest of the starting lineup wasn’t exactly the greatest, Daniel “Boobie” Gibson, Sasha Pavlovic, Drew Gooden, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Ilgauskas was steady but slow, and Gibson hit some big shots in the Conference Finals but was otherwise a niche role player.
They beat the Pistons in six thanks to LeBron’s iconic 48-point performance in Game 5, one of the greatest playoff games ever. In the Finals, the Cavs were absolutely dismantled by the Spurs’ defense and experience.
They couldn’t score, couldn’t defend Tony Parker, and looked utterly outclassed. LeBron shot just 35.6% in the series as San Antonio clogged the paint and dared his teammates to beat them. They didn’t. Their 3/10 talent rating might be generous, it was LeBron and a bunch of guys who’d be ninth men on a contending roster.
4. 2022‑23 Miami Heat
Starting Lineup: Gabe Vincent, Max Strus, Jimmy Butler, Kevin Love, Bam Adebayo
Key Bench Players: Kyle Lowry, Caleb Martin, Duncan Robinson, Haywood Highsmith
Ranking Overall Talent: 4/10
Regular Season Record: 44‑38
NBA Finals Result: Lost 1-4 vs. Denver Nuggets
The Miami Heat pulled off another improbable run, this time as an 8-seed that lost in the Play-In before catching fire in the playoffs. Their starting backcourt, Gabe Vincent and Max Strus, were undrafted. Kevin Love was a buyout pickup.
Bam Adebayo was steady, and Jimmy Butler’s early playoff run (especially vs. Milwaukee) was superhuman. But the rest? Caleb Martin had a Conference Finals series for the ages, but he’s still a role player. Kyle Lowry was running on fumes.
Duncan Robinson rediscovered his shot briefly, but overall, the Heat were a collection of specialists and scrapheap guys punching way above their weight. They knocked out Giannis and the Bucks, outlasted the Knicks, and stunned Boston in a Game 7 at TD Garden.
But against Denver, the Cinderella run ended. They had no answer for Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray’s two-man game. Miami couldn’t shoot well enough to keep up and didn’t have the bodies to slow Denver’s offense. Quite frankly, only two players (Jimmy and Bam) were starter-level on a Finals team.
5. 2002‑03 New Jersey Nets
Starting Lineup: Jason Kidd, Kerry Kittles, Richard Jefferson, Kenyon Martin, Jason Collins
Key Bench Players: Lucious Harris, Rodney Rogers, Brian Scalabrine, Aaron Williams
Ranking Overall Talent: 4/10
Regular Season Record: 49‑33
NBA Finals Result: Lost 2‑4 vs. San Antonio Spurs
Jason Kidd returned as the undisputed leader, and the Nets once again represented the East after making it a season prior. But the roster? Still underwhelming.
Richard Jefferson took a step forward in his sophomore season, and Kenyon Martin was replaced by the more offensively limited Jason Collins. Kerry Kittles remained a capable shooter, but not a shot creator. Keith Van Horn was gone, leaving Kidd as the only true playmaker.
Their regular-season win total (49) dipped, and while they reached the Finals again, they didn’t exactly power through elite competition to get there. The Spurs handled them in six games. Kidd was brilliant (19.7 PPG, 7.8 APG) but ran out of help.
Collins couldn’t score (3.7 PPG), Kittles was streaky (37.7% FG), and Jefferson wasn’t ready to be a second option (13.2 PPG). The Nets had a defensive identity and decent chemistry, but no real firepower beyond Kidd. They averaged just 82.0 points per game in the Finals, and their half-court offense was borderline prehistoric.
This team had less talent than their 2002 version, and they were fortunate the East was still in a post-Jordan power vacuum. They weren’t built to beat a balanced, prime Duncan-led Spurs squad and they didn’t.
6. 2001‑02 New Jersey Nets
Starting Lineup: Jason Kidd, Kerry Kittles, Keith Van Horn, Kenyon Martin, Todd MacCulloch
Key Bench Players: Richard Jefferson, Aaron Williams, Lucious Harris
Ranking Overall Talent: 5/10
Regular Season Record: 52‑30
NBA Finals Result: Lost 0‑4 vs. Los Angeles Lakers
This Nets team had one undeniable superstar, Jason Kidd, and a whole lot of “good-not-great” guys riding the wave of his brilliance. Kidd was the engine, the fuel, and the frame of the car.
He finished second in assists (9.9 APG), finished second in MVP voting behind Tim Duncan, and instantly transformed a 26-win roster from the previous season into a 52-win Finals team. But make no mistake, this roster was top-heavy in terms of role players.
Kenyon Martin was still more potential than polish, Keith Van Horn had size and touch but lacked toughness, and Todd MacCulloch was a barely passable starting center by Finals standards. Kerry Kittles was solid, but no one feared him in a playoff series.
The Nets’ postseason run benefited heavily from a watered-down East. They beat an aging Celtics team in the Conference Finals, and then got obliterated by Shaq and Kobe’s Lakers in the Finals, swept without ever seriously threatening. Outside of Kidd’s brilliance and Richard Jefferson’s flashes off the bench, this was arguably one of the weakest Finals rosters of the modern era.
They couldn’t shoot (second-to-last in 3PT% (0.285) among playoff teams), lacked offensive versatility, and had no answer for elite interior size. A Finals team, yes, but one mostly propped up by a dominant floor general navigating through a soft conference.
7. 2019‑20 Miami Heat
Starting Lineup: Tyler Herro, Jimmy Butler, Duncan Robinson, Jae Crowder, Bam Adebayo
Key Bench Players: Kendrick Nunn, Andre Iguodala, Goran Dragic, Kelly Olynyk
Ranking Overall Talent: 5/10
Regular Season Record: 44‑29
NBA Finals Result: Lost 2‑4 vs. Los Angeles Lakers
This Heat team was more grit than glamor. Jimmy Butler was the heart and soul, a two-way leader who took his game to another level in the bubble. But he wasn’t viewed as a top-10 player entering that season, and no one expected Miami to storm through the East as a No. 5 seed.
They did it with toughness, coaching, and shooting. Bam Adebayo became a breakout star, Tyler Herro had a fearless rookie postseason, and Duncan Robinson’s movement shooting was elite. Still, outside of Butler and Bam, there were no true stars. Goran Dragic was injured in the Finals, and Iguodala was far removed from his peak Warriors form.
Their Finals loss to the Lakers wasn’t surprising; what was remarkable was how they got there. They bulldozed MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Bucks and out-executed the Celtics in the Conference Finals.
Miami played with a chip on their shoulder, and Erik Spoelstra maximized every ounce of talent from a cast of unheralded role players. If talent alone dictated outcomes, they wouldn’t have sniffed the Finals. But culture, toughness, and Jimmy’s iconic 40-point triple-double in Game 3 got them to within two wins of a title.
8. 2024‑25 Indiana Pacers
Starting Lineup: Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Aaron Nesmith, Pascal Siakam, Tyrese Haliburton
Key Bench Players: T.J. McConnell, Bennedict Mathurin, Obi Toppin, Thomas Bryant
Ranking Overall Talent: 5/10
Regular Season Record: 50‑32
NBA Finals Result: TBD
Indiana shocked the league by surging past a shaky start to finish 50‑32, powered by Haliburton’s elite 18.6 PPG, 9.2 APG playoff run, and a balanced attack where seven players averaged double figures. Rick Carlisle’s system prioritized ball movement and efficiency, making them the top offensive unit in the postseason.
The Finals opener against a Thunder team with an all-time 68‑14 record saw Haliburton hit a dagger at 0.3 seconds, securing a stunning 111‑110 road win. This team’s chemistry and resilience highlight a gritty, modern formula that transcends star power.
Even if the Pacers fell in Game 2, they are showing heart, and that goes a long way when it comes to competing against a far more talented opponent. We will see if the Pacers end up doing the unthinkable and becoming one of the least talented teams to win an NBA title.
9. 2003‑04 Detroit Pistons
Starting Lineup: Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Rasheed Wallace, Ben Wallace
Key Bench Players: Lindsey Hunter, Corliss Williamson, Darko Milicic
Ranking Overall Talent: 5/10
Regular Season Record: 54‑28
NBA Finals Result: Won 4‑1 vs. Los Angeles Lakers
On paper, this team looks like the least likely champion of the modern NBA, since they had no MVP candidate and had a lottery bust (Darko Milicic) taken No. 2 overall. But what they lacked in conventional star power, they made up for with historic chemistry and an elite defense.
The Detroit Pistons held opponents to just 84.3 points per game, the second-best defense in the league, and boasted a trio of elite defenders in Ben Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, and Rasheed Wallace. Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton didn’t put up gaudy numbers, but they controlled the pace, made big shots, and rarely turned the ball over. They were a 5/10 on talent, but a 10/10 on cohesion, execution, and identity.
What cements their place on this list is how they dismantled a Laker team loaded with Hall of Famers. They essentially humiliated the 2004 Lakers, who featured Shaq, Kobe, Gary Payton, and Karl Malone. Detroit’s game plan was airtight, their effort unmatched, and they never blinked under pressure.
Billups ended up winning Finals MVP by posting 21.0 PPG and 5.2 APG while Hamilton (21.4 PPG), Rasheed (13.0 PPG, 17.8 RPG), and Ben Wallace (10.8 PPG, 13.6 RPG) were perfect supporting players. Out of all the unexpected winners in NBA history, these Pistons have to rank at the top.
10. 2010‑11 Dallas Mavericks
Starting Lineup: Jason Kidd, J.J. Barea, Shawn Marion, Dirk Nowitzki, Tyson Chandler
Key Bench Players: Jason Terry, Peja Stojakovic, Caron Butler
Ranking Overall Talent: 5/10
Regular Season Record: 57‑25
NBA Finals Result: Won 4‑2 vs. Miami Heat
This Mavericks team had no business beating the Miami Heat. They had one superstar, Dirk Nowitzki, surrounded by a mix of vets, specialists, and aging former stars. Jason Kidd was 38, Peja Stojakovic was hanging on by a thread, and 5’10” J.J. Barea was their key creator in crunch time.
Their playoff run was nothing short of legendary. They swept the two-time defending champion Lakers, came back from 15 points down in the fourth quarter to stun OKC in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, and then out-executed Miami’s Big Three in the clutch. Dirk posted 26.0 PPG, 9.0 RPG, and 2.0 APG in the Finals while Jason Terry added 18.0 PPG and 3.2 APG while remaining clutch against a demoralized Heat side.
Dirk, averaging 27.7 PPG on one of the most efficient playoff runs ever (48.5/46.0/94.1 shooting splits), was on a mission. But make no mistake, this team was not stacked by any means. They just happened to have the perfect storm of health, matchup advantages, and one all-time great playing the best ball of his life.
