Inventory: 10 most unexpected NBA Finals teams

The Indiana Pacers are eager to make the NBA Finals, and here are the 10 teams that are least likely to make the Finals.

With the hottest NBA playoff Western Conference Finals, all teams are trying their best on the court to strive to gain a place in the finals. The NBA Finals brings together two of the strongest teams this season, and they will compete for the final NBA championship.

Reserving tickets to the finals is not easy. However, in the past, some teams overcame many difficulties and eventually successfully advanced. Here are the 10 most surprising NBA Finals teams.

2022-23 season Miami Heat

Under Jimmy Butler, the Miami Heat almost entered the playoffs in the 2022-23 season. They lost to the Atlanta Hawks in the playoffs for the first time, and then finally won the eighth place in the East after defeating the Chicago Bulls. They defeated the top seeds of the Eastern Conference Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Knicks and their old rivals Boston Celtics.

Unfortunately, their Cinderella journey was ended by the Denver Nuggets in the 2023 NBA Finals. Despite this, the Heat are still tied for the lowest seed team in the East and reach the finals.

1998-99 New York Knicks

Before the Miami Heat in 2022-23, the first team to reach the finals as the eighth seed was the New York Knicks in the 1998-99 season. In the shortened NBA season, the Knicks achieved a record of 27 wins and 23 losses, and finally with a key goal from Alan Houston, the Knicks rebounded strongly after five tough games, eventually defeating the Miami Heat.

The New York Knicks entered the rest of the playoffs with strong momentum. They swept the Atlanta Hawks and then easily beat the Indiana Pacers led by Reggie Miller. Unfortunately, the San Antonio Spurs showed great strength in the NBA Finals under Tim Duncan and his teammates. The Houston Rockets had just won the championship in the 1994-95 season, but their path to defending the title was not ideal. In the end, they finished the season with a record of 44 wins and 38 losses and finished sixth. Before the trade deadline, Clyde Drexler reunited with college teammate Hakeem Olajuwon, perhaps keeping their hopes of defending their title.

These two players are the cornerstones of the team, defeating powerful teams such as the Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs respectively. The Rockets defeated the Orlando Magic in the 1995 NBA Finals to defend their title, becoming the team that ranked last in history but finally won the championship.

2019-20 In the Miami Heat, the NBA, like other parts of the world, was hit by the new crown epidemic. But thanks to Adam Silver's excellent leadership, the league successfully established a "bubble" league that saved the season. One of the most exciting moments was the Miami Heat’s had an exciting record in the playoffs, even though they finished fifth with a record of 44-29.

Unexpectedly, Jimmy Butler performed well, and with his tenacious struggle, he helped Miami defeat the Indiana Pacers, the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics successively. However, they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers, the top seed led by LeBron James in the 2020 NBA Finals. Four years later, another No. 5 seed team reached the finals all the way. In the 2024 NBA Finals, the Dallas Mavericks, led by Luca Doncic and Kyrie Irving, represented the Western Conference with a record of 50 wins and 32 losses. Doncic is the absolute main player of the team, averaging 33.9 points per game, leading all playoff teams.

Dallas also successfully eliminated the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves. But unfortunately, they lost to the Boston Celtics led by Jaylen Brown and Jason Tatum. The Celtics’ dangerous core beat the Mavericks in five games. The Cleveland Cavaliers in 2006-07, although LeBron James and his teammates eventually ranked second in the Central Division with a record of 50-32, the Cleveland Cavaliers remained a young and promising team in the playoffs against experienced Eastern Conference teams. Despite this, James' outstanding performance shocked the world.

In the 2007 playoffs, the Cavaliers averaged 27.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists. They defeated the Washington Wizards and the New Jersey Nets, and then staged a classic series with the Detroit Pistons. However, their playoff journey came to an abrupt end after being swept by the San Antonio Spurs. The Orlando Magic

2008-09 season

It is safe to say that the 2008-09 season was Dwight Howard's debut feast. He won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. But more importantly, he led the Orlando Magic to a record of 59 wins and 23 losses, ranking third in the Eastern Conference. The Magic continued their dominance in the playoffs, eliminating the Philadelphia 76ers and the Boston Celtics, and eventually defeating the top seed Cavaliers led by LeBron James. Everyone is looking forward to the Los Angeles Lakers and Cavaliers in the finals, but the arrival of Howard and Magic breaks that balance.

2020-21 season Phoenix Suns

Although the Phoenix Suns ended their playoff journey with a record of 51 wins and 21 losses in the 2020-21 season, no one expected them to reach the NBA Finals all the way. Led by Chris Paul, young players DeAndre Ayton and Devin Booker, they were not troubled by their lack of postseason experience. They first sent defending champion Lakers home, then defeated the Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers led by Nikola Jokic. This is the team's first finals since 1993. In the 2010-11 season, the competition in the Western Conference was extremely fierce. However, they ended up shocking the world due to the extraordinary performances that Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks have shown in the playoffs. The Mavericks, with 57 wins and 25 losses, experienced one of the most difficult times in the championship journey, eliminating the Portland Trail Blazers, the Lakers led by Kobe Bryant and the Oklahoma City Thunder led by Kevin Durant. What is even more gratifying is that they defeated the then-promised Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals, led by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

The Toronto Raptors have been suffering from LeBron James in the playoffs for many years. As James finally brought his talent to the Lakers, the door to the East also opened. The Raptors certainly took advantage of the opportunity, but it was not easy. Led by disgruntled Kawhi Leonard, Toronto narrowly beat the Orlando Magic in the first round series, and then narrowly beat the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round with Leonard's epic winning goal.

They then defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in six games and received their first finals ticket. Moreover, the Raptors miraculously prevented the Golden State Warriors from achieving three consecutive championships, winning the first championship flag in the team's history.