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Fans have witnessed some of the greatest rivalries in an NBA Finals matchup. However, there are a few NBA Finals series that stand out in the 21st century.
Although LeBron James and the Golden State Warriors have dominated the NBA Finals in recent years, a few other players and teams have made their mark in the competition. Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, and Dwayne Wade are some of the players worthy of honorable mention in the 21st century.
The Phoenix Suns versus the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2021 NBA Finals could easily rank as one of the top finals of the 21st century. From breaking records to inspiring comebacks, the series is producing more twists than many anticipated.
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The Bucks came back from a 2-0 deficit to lead the series 3-2. If the Suns can force a Game 7 in hostile territory, it will be an NBA Finals that will be talked about for years to come.
While the 2021 NBA Finals is yet to be decided, here are the top five finals from the 21st century.
#5 Los Angeles Lakers vs Boston Celtics, 2010
The LA Lakers and Boston Celtics are tied for the most NBA championships with 17. It is no surprise that they both made this list as both franchises have a lot of experience in the NBA Finals.
The Boston Celtics looked like the favorites as they had the experienced trio of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. Rajon Rondo was also a part of the roster, and his triple-double prevented the Lakers from going 2-0 up in the series.
Both teams went at each other, game after game, resulting in a Game 7 at the Staples Center. Given how poor Kobe's shooting was, the 2010 NBA Finals could have swung in any direction as it was contested until the final whistle.
In the end, Ron Artest was the hero of Game 7 as his three-point put the Lakers up by 6 with about a minute to go. The Boston Celtics recorded their first Game 7 loss in an NBA Finals in franchise history, while the Lakers won their 16th championship.
#4 Miami Heat vs Dallas Mavericks, 2006
All seemed to be going according to plan for the Dallas Mavericks in the 2006 NBA Finals as they led the Miami Heat 2-0 in the series. With under seven minutes to go in the fourth quarter of Game 3, the Heat were down by 13 and on the verge of recording another loss.
However, Dwayne Wade took over the game and led the Heat to a 98-96 victory. It was the start of an unstoppable run for the Miami Heat as they won the next three games to end the 2006 NBA Finals in Game 6.
Wade was the NBA Finals MVP despite having the legendary Shaquille O'Neal on the team. Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks could not do anything to stop the Heat's run in the series.
#3 Miami Heat vs San Antonio Spurs, 2013
The Miami Heat squared up against the San Antonio Spurs in what was a thrilling NBA Finals. The Heat were in search of a back-to-back, while Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs wanted a fifth championship.
Tony Parker got the Spurs off to a good start in the 2013 NBA Finals as his clutch shot guaranteed them a 92-88 win in Game 1. Three-point shooting gave the Miami Heat an edge in Game 2 as they evened the series.
It was a back-and-forth series as neither team failed to pull away. The Spurs were close to ending the series in Game 6, but Ray Allen had other plans as his corner three forced a Game 7.
With all to play for, LeBron James took over and recorded 37 points and 12 rebounds. His stellar performance was enough to lead the Heat to victory, while he won his second NBA Finals MVP award.
#2 Miami Heat vs Dallas Mavericks, 2011
The Dallas Mavericks had an opportunity to exact revenge against the Miami Heat, and they did so in fine fashion. The presence of LeBron James did not mean much to the determined Mavericks side that wanted payback for the devastating 2006 NBA Finals loss.
Led by Nowitzki, the Mavericks had to fight for every win against the star-studded Miami Heat team. Clutch shots ruled this series, with Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry excelling over James, Wade, and Chris Bosh. To date, it remains one of the most competitive NBA Finals of all time.
The Mavericks ended the series in Game 6, sparking a lot of narrative surrounding James not being clutch and how championships cannot be bought. Regardless, the Heat won back-to-back championships in their next two seasons.
#1 Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors, 2016
Of all the LeBron James versus Steph Curry battles, this is the most memorable one. The Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors met in the NBA Finals for four consecutive years from 2015.
Although the Warriors almost always had the better of the Cavs, James activated god mode in 2016 and single-handedly led the Cavaliers to their first championship. Kyrie Irving was also a crucial piece that helped the Cavs overcome the Warriors in the 2016 NBA Finals.
Down 3-1, the Cavs were ruled out of a comeback, especially against a formidable Warriors team. However, LeBron did the impossible by completely dominating the remaining three games.
Words cannot explain how intense the 2016 NBA Finals was. To put it in perspective, the Cavaliers overcame the Warriors, who had a record 73-9 run in the regular season.
