Unfamiliar cast

For the past twenty years, only eight teams have won the NBA title – the LA Lakers (2000-2002, 2009-2010 and 2020), San Antonio Spurs (2003, 2005, 2007, 2014), Detroit Pistons (2004), Miami Heat (2006, 2012-13), Boston Celtics (2008), Dallas Mavericks (2011), Golden State Warriors (2015, 2017-18), Cleveland Cavaliers (2016) and the Toronto Raptors (2019).

From 2000 to 2010, the Lakers dominated, winning five championships.  Then came the Spurs with two titles, the Pistons, Heat and Celtics with one each.   GSW and Miami turned on the heat the following decade.

Miami went to the Finals for four consecutive seasons, losing to the Mavericks in 2011, did a back-to-back title in 2012 and 2013 and surrendered the title to the Spurs the following year. 

It’s the Warriors’ turn to dominate with five straight trips to the Finals from 2015 to 2019, winning three of them over the Cavaliers and losing one to them.  They lost to the Raptors in 2019.  The Lakers returned from hibernation and won over Miami last year.

This time, the above-mentioned teams are now on the outside looking in.  No matter who the final casts will be for this season’s NBA championship, it will be a different scenario.  

Atlanta, Milwaukee, Brooklyn and Philadelphia had all been to the Finals at some point, with the Nets, then based in New Jersey and led by point guard Jason Kidd, appearing in two consecutive title chases in 2002 and 2003 (losing to the Lakers and the Spurs).

The Sixers had their first NBA title in 1967 and they came back to the scene 10 years later but lost to Bill Walton and Portland.  Starring Julius Erving and Moses Malone, they faced LAL for the league title in 1980, 1982 and then went 4-0 in 1983 over the Pat Riley coached Lakers, for their second franchise title.

Starring Lew Alcindor, who later became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Milwaukee won their first and only title in 1971.  They last appeared in the Finals in 1974.  This year could be their third trip to the Finals but despite the injury to James Harden, the Nets are still the favorites to win the EC crown.

Atlanta qualified for the Finals in 1957, 1958, 1960 and 1961 and had Bosotn as their opponent in all four title matches.  They had their only NBA title in 1958 and were then known as the St. Louis Hawks.

Phoenix first trip to the Finals was in 1976, losing to Boston.   Led by Charles Barkley, Kevin Johnson and Dan Majerle, they came back to the limelight in 1993 but lost to Michael Jordan and his Bulls.  This could be Suns’ year to rise again with a hot shooting Devin Booker.

Utah had two consecutive Finals appearances (1997 and 1998) both times losing to Chicago.  They face the LA Clippers who have yet to feel what a championship series really is.  Denver likewise had never been to the NBA’s main stage.

This year’s NBA Finals will be different with an unfamiliar cast.