As each NBA season unfolds and approaches playoff time, there are usually 2 or 3 teams who are clear-cut favorites to win it all. Most of the time, those teams come through and deliver on those expectations. However, throughout NBA history, there have been many exceptions to this rule. Other times, those teams fall flat on the big stage and let down an entire city in the process. Everyone loves an underdog story, and the list we have comprised today is full of them.
- 10. Golden State Warriors Defeat Milwaukee Bucks – 1973
- 9. Houston Rockets Defeat Los Angeles Lakers – 1981
- 8. Memphis Grizzlies Defeat San Antonio Spurs – 2011
- 7. Phoenix Suns Defeat Golden State Warriors – 1976
- 6. Philadelphia 76ers Defeat Chicago Bulls – 2012
- 5. Houston Rockets Defeat San Antonio Spurs – 1995
- 4. Seattle SuperSonics Over Dallas Mavericks- 1987
- 3. Denver Nuggets Over Seattle SuperSonics – 1994
- 2. Golden State Warriors Defeat Dallas Mavericks – 2007
- 1. Cleveland Cavaliers Defeat Golden State Warriors – 2016
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The underdog is someone an entire nation can rally behind. Most sports fans do not want to see the same team win over and over again unless they are their hometown team, of course. Parity in sports, and in the NBA in particular, is what makes the sport so great and amusing to watch. Sure, we revel in the late 2010s when the Cavaliers and Warriors met 4 years in a row in the NBA Finals, but after a while, it got boring for most of us. The teams and upsets listed below went against the grain of expectations and left us with memorable moments we can remember for a lifetime.
These are the 10 greatest upsets in NBA playoff history.
10. Golden State Warriors Defeat Milwaukee Bucks – 1973
During the 1973 season, the Milwaukee Bucks were 2 seasons removed from their first NBA championship. They were led by the trio of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, and Bob Dandridge to a 60-22 record, which was the 2nd best record in the NBA. Meanwhile, the Golden State Warriors, led by Rick Barry and Nate Thurmond, finished 47-35 in a pretty underwhelming season considering the talent they possessed. When they matched up in the first round of the NBA playoffs that season, no one thought that Golden State stood a chance.
The series began with a resounding win from Milwaukee behind 22 points and 24 rebounds from Kareem as they won 110-90. The Warriors would steal Game 2, and Milwaukee responded with another 20-point victory in Game 3 to take a 2-1 series lead. In Game 4, Rick Barry scored 38 points, and Clyde Lee grabbed 21 rebounds to even the series up for the Warriors. Lee would come through again in Game 5 with 21 points and 18 rebounds to tilt the series in favor of Golden State. The Warriors would wrap up the series in Game 6, finishing off one of the biggest upsets in NBA history behind 26 points from Jim Barnett and 18 points from Cazzie Russell off the bench.
9. Houston Rockets Defeat Los Angeles Lakers – 1981
In 1980, the Los Angeles Lakers were led by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to the NBA championship. They continued to dominate the competition in 1981 when they finished the season with a 54-28 record which was 2nd in the Western Conference. The Houston Rockets struggled for the most part in 1981, led by Moses Malone, and limped to a 40-42 record but still qualified for the NBA playoffs. The two teams would meet in the first round.
Back in 1981, the first round of the playoffs was decided in a best-of-3 series rather than the best-of-7 we are used to in today’s game. Houston came out in Game 1 on fire and shocked the world when they defeated the Lakers in Los Angeles behind 38 points and 23 rebounds from Moses Malone. The Lakers evened things up in Game 2 with a 111-106 win behind 27 points and 17 rebounds from Kareem. The two teams battled in the decisive Game 3, with the Rockets again upsetting the Lakers in LA. Moses Malone led the upset with 23 points and 15 rebounds as Houston would advance all the way to the NBA Finals that season. The Lakers were left with one of the most shocking failures in NBA history.
8. Memphis Grizzlies Defeat San Antonio Spurs – 2011
The San Antonio Spurs, during the 2000s and 2010s, were one of the most well-coached and put-together teams in the NBA. In 2011, they were led to a Western Conference-best 61-21 record by Tony Parker and Tim Duncan. The Memphis Grizzlies were at the height of their “Grit and Grind” days led by Mike Conley, Rudy Gay, and Zach Randolph. The Grizzlies would go 46-36 on the season and squeak into the NBA playoffs by the skin of their teeth to face San Antonio in the first round.
The Grizzlies struck first in Game 1 in San Antonio, but the Spurs were able to bounce back in Game 2. Memphis clawed their way to a Game 3 victory led by Randolph with 25 points and Marc Gasol with 17 points and 9 rebounds. All 5 of Memphis’ starters went for double-digit scoring in Game 4 for Memphis to take a 3-1 lead. San Antonio stole another game in Game 5 before their season ended in Game 6. Memphis stunned the Spurs to take the series in Game 6 behind Randolph’s 31 points and 11 rebounds.
7. Phoenix Suns Defeat Golden State Warriors – 1976
The 1975 Golden State Warriors had one of the greatest seasons ever after Rick Barry led them to an NBA championship. In 1976, Barry led them to a 59-23 record, which was the best in basketball that season. The Phoenix Suns, on the other hand, staggered their way to a 42-40 record led by Paul Westphal and Rookie of the Year Alvan Adams. The 2 teams would meet in the Western Conference Finals for a classic and historic showdown.
Rick Barry was unstoppable in the first 2 games of the series, recording 38 points in a Game 1 victory and 44 points in a Game 2 loss. The Warriors would also take Game 3 despite the game’s leading scorer being Paul Westphal from the Suns. The 2 teams split the next 2 games, with the Warriors holding a 3-2 lead through 5 games. In Game 5, Ricky Sobers led the starters with 21 points, while Keith Erickson had 24 points off the bench for the Suns as they forced a decisive Game 7. Rookie Alvan Adams stole the show in Game 7 as he recorded 18 points and 20 rebounds, and the Suns were off to the Finals by a score of 94-86. The Suns would lose the NBA Finals to Boston in 6 games.
6. Philadelphia 76ers Defeat Chicago Bulls – 2012
Coming off his MVP season in 2011, Derrick Rose entered 2012 with enormous expectations. In a lockout-shortened season, the Bulls would lead the NBA with 50 wins and earn themselves the No. 1 seed for the playoffs. The Philadelphia 76ers had an up-and-down year which saw them finish 4 games above .500 with a 35-31 record. What happened in the NBA playoffs between the 2 will go down in infamy for the rest of time.
Game 1 brought us one of the saddest moments in NBA history when late in the game, which the Bulls were controlling, Derrick Rose went down with a severe knee injury. It was determined he would not play again that season due to a torn ACL. The 76ers capitalized on Chicago’s misfortune. Jrue Holiday stepped up in a big way for the 76ers as he averaged 18.2 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.7 APG, and 1.3 SPG in the 6-game series win for the Sixers. Rose would never be the same again, and the Sixers would go down in 7 games to the Celtics in the second round.
5. Houston Rockets Defeat San Antonio Spurs – 1995
The 1995 Rockets is looked back on as one of the best single-season runs by a team in NBA history. However, it didn’t always look that way as the season progressed. The Rockets were faltering before they acquired Clyde Drexler mid-season, and they only won 45 games on the year. The Spurs were led by MVP David Robinson to 62 wins and the clear best record in the NBA. Hakeem felt slighted by the voters for the MVP award, and when these 2 teams met in the Western Conference Finals, Olajuwon let everyone know who the real MVP was.
Remember, this series was not supposed to be close. The Rockets took the first 2 games thanks to Olajuwon. This included an insane 41 points, 16 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 blocks in Game 2. The Spurs fought back to even the series at 2 games apiece after Robinson led them to wins in Games 3 and 4. Not to be denied, Olajuwon handed the Spurs a decisive loss in Game 5 and a close win in Game 6 to take the series. Hakeem finished the series averaging 35.3 PPG, 12.5 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, and 4.2 BPG. The Rockets would go on to win their second straight NBA title over the Orlando Magic.
4. Seattle SuperSonics Over Dallas Mavericks- 1987
In 1987, the Dallas Mavericks were still trying to establish themselves as legitimate as a fairly new franchise in the NBA. Led by Mark Aguirre and Rolando Blackman, the Mavericks had their best season yet, with a 55-27 record and the second-best record in the Western Conference. The Seattle SuperSonics were far removed from their 1979 title in 1987 and finished with an abysmal 39-43 record on the season. What happened next is nothing short of remarkable.
The SuperSonics and the Mavericks met in the first round of the 1987 playoffs, still a best-of-5 series at this time. The Mavericks would win Game 1 in a 151-129 shootout. Aguirre scored 28 points, and Roy Tarpley contributed 25 points off the bench. It would be the only game they won in the series, as Seattle would win 3 straight to upset the Mavericks in 4 games. Dale Ellis, Tom Chambers, and Xavier McDaniel would all go for over 20.0 PPG in the series, with Ellis averaging 29.5 PPG and McDaniel averaging 22.8 PPG and 9.5 RPG. Seattle would advance to the Western Conference Finals that season, only to be swept by the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers.
3. Denver Nuggets Over Seattle SuperSonics – 1994
The Seattle SuperSonics were one of the most exciting teams in the game during the 1990s. Led by Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp, they also became one of the most formidable opponents of the decade as well. The Denver Nuggets on the flip side of things, the Nuggets were still reeling from a rebuild following their explosive team of the 80s, all moving on in one form or another. In 1994, Seattle finished with an incredible 63-19 record, while the Nuggets barely finished above .500 at 42-40.
The two teams met in the first round of the playoffs, and right away, Seattle knew they were in for a dogfight. Seattle took the first 2 games of the series, and it looked like it could be a clean sweep despite the Nuggets’ best efforts to keep it close. However, not to be denied, the Nuggets would do the unthinkable and win the next 3 games of the series to knock off the potential favorite to win the NBA championship. The comeback was led by the likes of LaPhonso Ellis, Dikembe Mutombo, and Reggie Williams, who all averaged double figures in scoring and played suffocation defense to take the series. Denver would lose to the Jazz in the following round in 7 games.
2. Golden State Warriors Defeat Dallas Mavericks – 2007
This one really hurts to talk about. As most of my readers know, I am a Dallas Mavericks fan who, in 2007, was graduating high school and still reeling from the 2006 collapse in the NBA Finals. In 2007, the Mavericks had even more hope for that first NBA title as Dirk Nowitzki was named MVP, and the Mavericks won 67 games to take the No. 1 seed with ease. Things were looking up after our hearts were broken in 2006. That is until they met the Golden State Warriors in the first round.
The series got off to a rough start as Baron Davis led the Warriors to a Game 1 win to set the tone for the series. The Mavs would bounce back in Game 2 behind 28 points from Jason Terry. Then, the unthinkable happened. The entire Warriors team turned into Michael Jordan in his prime. Stephen Jackson and Jason Richardson each turned in 30-point games as well as Baron Davis captured the hearts of NBA fans everywhere to lift the Warriors to a 6-game massive upset. The Mavericks were left stunned while the Warriors moved on in one of the biggest upsets in NBA history.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers Defeat Golden State Warriors – 2016
It really doesn’t get any more shocking than this. The Golden State Warriors had the greatest season of all time during the 2016 regular season. The team won a record 73 games, Draymond Green was named Defensive Player of the Year, and Stephen Curry became the first unanimous MVP in NBA history. The Cleveland Cavaliers, led by LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, were seen as a threat to the rest of the league, but nothing the Warriors couldn’t handle. They were dead wrong about that.
The Warriors and Cavaliers were on a collision course for the NBA Finals for the 2nd year in a row. When they met in the Finals, it was seen as a decisive mismatch as the Warriors climbed to a 3-1 lead and looked poised to take home their second title. Not to be denied, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving went nuclear the rest of the series. The two combined for 82 points in Game 6 to force a Game 7, where history was made. LeBron led the comeback, while Irving put the dagger in the heart of Warriors fans forever. The comeback was complete as James was named Finals MVP with 29.7 PPG, 11.3 RPG, and 8.9 APG in the series. The Warriors went out and got Kevin Durant while James eventually left to play in LA, but no one will ever forget the 2016 NBA Finals.
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