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NBA Finals: Back-to-Back Winners…and Losers
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
New York Knicks to Face Boston Celtics in Round 1 of Eastern Conference Playoffs: Knicks-Celtics Playoff History
Kevin Garnett and Amar'e Stoudemire (Getty Images)
With the Miami Heat’s back-to-back victories over the Boston Celtics and Atlanta Hawks Monday and Tuesday, and the Celtics loss to the Washington Wizards last night, the Heat have grabbed the number two playoff slot in the East. The Celtics drop to the number three seed.
Meanwhile, the New York Knicks locked up the six seed thanks to a Philadelphia 76ers loss Monday night (tiebreaker rules here).
This means arch-rival sports cities New York and Boston will meet up in Round 1 of the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Knicks and Celtics have met in the playoffs 13 times before. Twice the series went seven games, each team winning once. The Celtics lead the playoff series 7-6.
A look at the Knicks-Celtics playoff history is today’s list:
[update 14. 2010-11 Celtics 4 - Knicks 0 (Eastern Conf. First Round)]
13. 1989-90 Knicks 3 – Celtics 2 (Eastern Conference First Round)
12. 1987-88 Celtics 3 – Knicks 1 (Eastern Conference First Round)
11. 1983-84 Celtics 4 – Knicks 3 (Eastern Conference Semifinals)
10. 1973-74 Celtics 4 – Knicks 1 (Eastern Conference Finals)
9. 1972-73 Knicks 4 – Celtics 3 (Eastern Conference Finals)
8. 1971-72 Knicks 4 – Celtics 1 (Eastern Conference Finals)
7. 1968-69 Celtics 4 – Knicks 2 (Eastern Division Finals)
6. 1966-67 Celtics 3 – Knicks 1 (Eastern Division Semifinals)
5. 1954-55 Celtics 2 – Knicks 1 (Eastern Division Semifinals)
4. 1953-54 Celtics 2 – Knicks 0 (Eastern Round Robin)
3. 1952-53 Knicks 3 – Celtics 1 (Eastern Division Finals)
2. 1951-52 Knicks 2 – Celtics 1 (Eastern Division Semifinals)
1. 1950-51 Knicks 2 – Celtics 0 (Eastern Division Semifinals)
