Who would have thought that the Boston Celtics would beat the Lakers in 2006? It turns out they did. And a few years later, the Miami Heat beat the Dallas Mavericks. Then there were the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics, who had the best records in the NBA. Of course, the Boston Celtics won the Finals. However, there are more surprising finals. The Chicago Bulls upset the New Jersey Nets in 2002.
Celtics beat Lakers in 2006 NBA Finals
The 2006 NBA Finals saw the Boston Celtics win their first title since the death of Bill Auerbach, a legendary coach. The Celtics, led by rookie guard Marcus Smart, denied the Lakers their 10th title and won their 17th overall. The rivalry between the Boston and Los Angeles teams is best known to young basketball fans as black-and-white footage from the 60s and 80s, when the Lakers wore short shorts. This year’s team figured out how to defend in late January and share the ball with each other, a key to a victory.
In Game 5, the Lakers blew their last chance to win the series. The Celtics ran them out of the gym, and Bryant finished with a season-high twenty-two points. Garnett and Allen, who were All-Stars in Seattle and Minnesota, stepped up with big-game performances in Game 4.
The 2006 NBA Finals was memorable because LeBron James defeated his former team in six games, and he became the fourth player in NBA history to win the championship with three different teams. In addition to the Finals, this series was notable for the NBA’s attempt to crack the zero-COVID bubble, as only a few team officials were at the championship celebration. That’s not to say the series was without its high points.
This series is an excellent example of a team’s mentality and preparation. Both teams played well in the regular season and during the playoffs, but the Lakers were simply not ready for the game. Boston showed heart in this game, outscoring the Lakers 34-19. After an improbable first half, House and Posey each made a 3-pointer to put the Celtics up by 12 points. In the final minutes, Garnett scored on a one-handed runner. The Celtics had a +19 rebounding margin, and Garnett also snatched six rebounds.
Miami Heat beat Dallas Mavericks in 2006 NBA Finals
The 2006 NBA Finals featured an exciting game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat. The Heat dominated in the paint and outrebounded Dallas in four of six games and shot better in one game. However, the Heat also shot fewer three-pointers, and that was the difference in five of six games. Dallas won when it shot more three-pointers. However, it did not happen in all of the six games, so it is still important to remember the defining moments in each team’s history.
The Mavericks finished second in the Southwest Division in 2006 and faced the Heat in the finals. Dirk Nowitzki was named MVP of the series, but the team was no match for the Heat. The Mavericks went on to finish second in the Western Conference, behind the San Antonio Spurs, who won the Western Conference with 63 games. In the Western Conference Semifinals, they beat the Phoenix Suns. In the Finals, they were faced by the Miami Heat and lost in six games.
The Mavericks, meanwhile, made a run to the finals and reached the 2006 NBA Finals twice. Both times, the Heat swept the middle games at home, but the Mavericks won in both instances. After a 125-110 loss to the Heat in Dallas on Nov. 2, the Mavericks are 17-6 since New Year’s Eve. On Saturday, they fell to the Los Angeles Clippers 99-97. In the first game, Luka Doncic scored a playoff-high 45 points with eight rebounds.
The final game of the 2006 NBA Finals was the biggest moment in the franchise’s history. After a long drought of losing in the Finals, the Heat finally found a way to win the series in the Finals. In Game five, Dwyane Wade scored 43 points to lead the Heat to victory. This game would prove to be the turning point in Miami’s history.
Detroit Pistons beat Toronto Raptors in 2016 NBA Finals
In a tense and dramatic Game 7 in San Antonio, the Detroit Pistons won Game 6 and took the series to a fifth game. The series was close throughout, with Game 6 ending in a tie, and Game 7 finishing with the San Antonio Spurs pulling away in the final minutes to claim the 2016 NBA Championship. It was the first championship for the Pistons in franchise history, and their third in four seasons.
After losing Game 2 of the series, the Detroit Pistons were able to regroup and take control of the series. In Game 3 they defeated the Lakers by eight points, and then won Game 4 to secure a three-game series lead. Game 5 ended with the Pistons leading by as many as nine points. This means the Pistons will face the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals.
After the Pistons’ first-round playoff sweep by the Milwaukee Bucks, they were in the finals of the Eastern Conference. Although the Pistons didn’t have Blake Griffin, and Andre Drummond ended the season as the league’s leading rebounder for the second straight season. In fact, this was the third straight season that Drummond led the league in rebounds. The Pistons are now headed to the NBA Finals for the first time since moving to Detroit.
After a poor season, the Pistons regrouped to make the playoffs. They had a record of 42-33 and topped 50 wins for the first time in franchise history. Dennis Rodman, who led the University of Indiana to the NCAA National Championship, was traded to the San Antonio Spurs. The Pistons’ rebuilding process included a number of retooling moves, and new coach Scotty Robertson was fired after a disastrous season. The new Pistons manager, Maurice Cheeks, was brought in.
Chicago Bulls sweep New Jersey Nets in 2002 NBA Finals
The 2002 NBA Finals was the first time that the Chicago Bulls swept the New Jersey Nets in a series. The Bulls had been to the Finals twice before, in 1998 and 2001. They had also swept the Lakers in Game 7 two years prior. In the 2002 Finals, the Bulls took down the Nets in six games after holding a 90-83 lead with less than three minutes remaining.
In the first round, the Bulls were swept by Boston, but the team was still in the playoffs. Jordan scored 63 points in Game 2 at the Boston Garden, setting a playoff record. The Boston Celtics ended up winning Game 3 in double overtime, but the Bulls’ stifling defense made the team unbeatable. After losing the first three games, the Bulls returned to form and were virtually unstoppable in the second half of the season.
The Bulls began the 2002-03 season with a high level of anticipation. In addition to signing Jay Williams with the second overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft, the Bulls had drafted Jalen Rose, who was expected to have a great year in his first full season. Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry also provided valuable experience and size to the squad. The Bulls went on to sweep the Nets, and the 2002-03 season was one of the best in their history.
Before the finals, the Bulls had won the Central Division with a thirteen-game victory over the Atlanta Hawks. After the Finals, Jordan retired, but his impact continued to be felt throughout the season. He dominated the All-Star Game, and he was named MVP of the 2002 NBA Finals. He was joined by a talented supporting cast, including Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen.
Chicago Bulls win first 10 straight NBA Finals
In 1992, the Chicago Bulls won their second consecutive title and reached the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. They beat the New York Knicks in the first round, the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round, and the Detroit Pistons in the third round to reach the Finals for the first time in franchise history. Michael Jordan led the league in scoring for the third straight season.
The Bulls were favored to win the first three rounds of the playoffs because of their stifling defense. They led the NBA in team defense in 1974-75, allowing 95.0 points per game. Once Love and Van Lier returned, the Bulls became virtually invincible. The Bulls won 12 consecutive games in Chicago. They were virtually unbeatable in the second half of the season.
The Bulls’ turnaround this season was remarkable. They started out 0-9 and finished with a 47-35 record. This was their highest record since Michael Jordan retired, and they made it to the playoffs for the first time since 1998. Unfortunately, the Bulls lost the next four games to the Miami Heat. Andre Iguodala and Korver were the only Chicago players to play in all five games.
The Bulls’ last championship came in the summer of 1998. The Wirtz family felt that the team was too old and lacked veteran leadership. The team decided to rebuild and cleared salary cap space to sign free agents. Then, the Bulls traded Scottie Pippen to the Indiana Pacers, and in exchange they received a conditional second-round draft pick. Despite this, the Bulls failed to win their first 10 straight NBA Finals.
