Daily Archives: April 16, 2011

Kevin Garnett, Kobe Byrant, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen. Will they meet again in 2011 NBA Finals? (Photo: Getty)

Sports List of the Day looked at consecutive Stanley Cup winners and losers yesterday.  Today, we’ll take a look at NBA Finals back-to-back winners and losers as we gear up for the playoffs, which start this afternoon with the Indiana Pacers taking on the Chicago Bulls in the Windy City.

Speaking of the Bulls, they’re on the list twice.  The NBA is rife with dynasties – both winning and losing.  Believe it or not, though, only five franchises have won it all back-to-back.

On the losers side, the Los Angeles Lakers were the only dynastic losers for the over two-decade period 1962-1984.  Don’t feel too bad for them, though, they won three championships during that time and then again in 1985. And Kobe, Phil and the gang are going for another three-peat in 2011.

Back-to-Back NBA Finals Winners

1. Minneapolis Lakers (now L.A.) 1949(BAA), 1950

2. Minneapolis Lakers 1952, 1953, 1954

3. Boston Celtics 8 in a row: 1959-1966

4. Boston Celtics 1968, 1969

5. Los Angeles Lakers 1987, 1988

6. Detroit Pistons 1989, 1990

7. Chicago Bulls 1991, 1992, 1993

8. Houston Rockets 1994, 1995

9. Chicago Bulls 1996, 1997, 1998

10. Los Angeles Lakers 2000, 2001, 2002

11. Los Angeles Lakers 2009, 2010

Video: 1962 NBA Finals: Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers. Game 7. OT. Thriller.

Back-to-Back NBA Finals Losers

1. New York Knicks 1951, 1952, 1953

2. Fort Wayne Pistons (now Detroit) 1955, 1956

3. St. Louis Hawks (now Atlanta) 1960, 1961

4. Los Angeles Lakers 1962, 1963

5. Los Angeles Lakers 1965, 1966

6. Los Angeles Lakers 1968, 1969, 1970

7. Los Angeles Lakers 1983, 1984

8. Utah Jazz 1997, 1998

9. New Jersey Nets 2002, 2003