The 1990 New York Knicks Throw A Sweet Garden Party
The 1990 New York Knicks were a team that seemed on the verge of humiliation before coming up with an under-the-radar signature moment in a franchise history that has been long short of them.
NBA History Articles
The 1988 Los Angeles Lakers: Backing Up A Guarantee
The 1988 Los Angeles Lakers were playing basketball under a self-imposed burden as the regular season wound down. The previous June they had won their fourth championship since Magic Johnson was drafted in 1980. In the aftermath of beating the Celtics, Coach Pat Riley made a public guarantee—they would win it again in 1988 and become the first NBA team in 19 years to capture back-to-back titles.
The 1980 Philadelphia 76ers: Done In By A Magic Trick
The Philadelphia 76ers were a franchise that was now established as a consistent contender. The Sixers were led by Julius (“Dr. J”) Erving, a spectacular small forward, and they reached the NBA Finals in 1977 and were in the mix each of the next two seasons. But Philadelphia never got over the hump—whether it was Bill Walton and the Portland Trail Blazers or the Washington Bullets, the Sixers didn’t reach the throne room. The 1980 Philadelphia 76ers got themselves close to doing that, but were dispatched with a dose of Magic.
The 1983 Philadephia 76ers: Bridesmaids No More
The 1983 Philadelphia 76ers were hungry for a championship. The Sixers had reached the Finals in 1977, 1980 and 1982 and come up short in six games each time, the last two at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers. 1981 was perhaps even more agonizing, because Philly blew a 3-1 series lead to Boston and cost themselves a Finals trip against a mediocre Houston Rockets team and an almost sure championship. That Rockets team had only center Moses Malone. The 76ers had vulnerabilities down low that were consistently exposed each spring. Malone was who the Sixers coveted as the 1982-83 season approached and they swung a deal to get him north.
The 1998 Utah Jazz: One Shot Short
Malone and Stockton may have had Hall of Fame resumes and Finals experience, but one thing they did not have was a supporting cast. Jeff Hornacek, Stockton’s running mate in the backcourt was good for a 14 a night, and a good three-point shooter, but no one else averaged in double-digits, nor made an impact with rebounding or assists. It was the coaching of longtime mastermind Jerry Sloan, combined with his two stars, that kept this team afloat in a competitive Western Conference.
1991 Chicago Bulls: Michael Trumps Magic For His First Title
The 1991 Chicago Bulls were a team of great expectations. The Bulls had been gradually growing in strength in the Michael Jordan era and the previous year they’d come within one game of the Finals before losing a road Game 7 to the Detroit Pistons, who were on their way to a second straight NBA title. Chicago’s time had to be coming.
The 1985 Los Angeles Lakers Make A Boston Breakthrough
Los Angeles and Boston spent all year on a collision course. The Celtics won 63 games, while the Lakers won 62. Larry Bird won this third MVP award with a 29 points/10 rebounds/7 assists per-game average. Magic Johnson averaged 18/6/13 in pacing the Lakers. They split their two regular season meetings. It looked dead even.
The 2008 Boston Celtics Bring Basketball Back To The Hub
The Boston Celtics had fallen on hard times since their last NBA title in 1986. They lost in the Finals in 1987, the conference finals in 1988 and then fell off the face of the earth, with only a 2002 Eastern Conference Finals appearance to show for themselves. The 2008 Boston Celtics put the franchise back on the map, after big offseason moves and then a run to a championship.
The 2004 Detroit Pistons: Champions Without A Star
You normally don’t think of a team that enters the postseason as a #2 seed in its bracket as a real dark horse. But in the NBA, when you lack a marquee superstar and have to follow a path that leads you through the two-time defending conference champions and two series without homecourt advantage, a dark horse is exactly what you are. That’s the path the 2004 Detroit Pistons rode to a championship.
2001 NBA Playoffs: Game 7 Drama & Controversy In The Eastern Conference
If you wanted excitement, you had to look to the Eastern Conference and the race for at least a berth in the NBA Finals. Fortunately, four teams in the East delivered. The conference semi-finals and finals each went the full seven games and were marked by extraordinary individual play, thrilling finishes and no shortage of controversy.
The 2001 Los Angeles Lakers Achieve Historic Dominance
The 2001 Los Angeles Lakers were the middle rung of a dynasty that won three straight championships from 2000-02. The ’00 version was a young champion, pushed to the edge a few times before finally closing it out. The ’02 crown deserves the biggest asterisk in NBA history, coming due to some hotwired officiating in a series against the Sacramento Kings. But the 2001 team was different.
1997 NBA Finals: How Michael Jordan Willed The Chicago Bulls Past The Utah Jazz
The series went back to Chicago and it was going to be very tough, if not impossible, for Utah to win two straight on the road. They still gave Game 6 everything they had, leading by six after three quarters. Rodman finally resurfaced, getting 16 rebounds and keying a big Chicago advantage, and the game was tied in the closing seconds.