Ranking the Past 5 NBA Finals

As the NBA Finals is set to tip off on Thursday night, the league will see its sixth different championship team in the last six years. During this span, we’ve seen storied franchises add to their trophy case, and franchises win their first-ever NBA title. NBA fans were also treated to intriguing NBA Finals matchups that made for fantastic storylines and defined some star players’ careers. Let’s examine which Finals matchups lived up to the hype, and which ones left much to be desired.

1. Milwaukee Bucks vs. Phoenix Suns: 2021 NBA Finals

The first NBA Finals since COVID was far and away both the most intriguing and best matchup over the last five Finals. The two main storylines surrounding this series were will Giannis Antetokounmpo make good on his promise for a championship to Bucks fans, and can Chris Paul establish himself as one of the greatest point guards of all time?

These two storylines underlined a series that saw incredibly close finishes and fantastic performances. While this Finals match-up didn’t have the same level of fanfare as other ones on this list, the 50-point masterpiece by Antetokounmpo in Game 6 to clinch the Bucks the championship remains the most memorable playoff performance in recent history.

2. Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics: 2022 NBA Finals

This Finals established the Warriors as one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history and firmly put Stephen Curry among the 10 greatest players of all time. There may not be a Finals matchup that had more implications attached to it since 2016, or one that had as much fanfare surrounding it as this one. The series also did not disappoint as both teams came into the series evenly matched, with a close and exciting Game 4 serving as one of the best Finals games in recent memory. The only downside to this series is that it wasn’t able to go to a Game 7.

3. Denver Nuggets vs. Miami Heat: 2023 NBA Finals

The Nuggets entered the series as the superior team on paper and showed that in dominating fashion in their five-game gentlemen’s sweep of the Heat. Aside from a close finish in Games 2 and 5, this series missed much of its potential overall. You would be hard-pressed to find many die-hard basketball fans who remember any key moments from this series. While it was nice to see Nikola Jokic lead the Nuggets to their first title in franchise history, this was one of the more forgettable Finals on this list.

4. Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks: 2024 NBA Finals

Perhaps one of the more lopsided NBA Finals of all time, the Celtics’ thorough demolition of the Luka Doncic-led Dallas Mavericks squad turned an exciting matchup on paper into an overall snooze fest. The final scores of some of last year’s Finals games can be a bit deceiving as the Celtics were in firm control throughout the series, winning by more than double digits in two of their four series wins.

While the Finals didn’t live up to any of the hype surrounding it, it did have a sort of ripple effect on the league. One of the main reasons behind the Mavericks trading franchise superstar Luka Doncic to the Lakers was due in part to his poor conditioning and lackluster defense which showed through in last year’s Finals. That is more than likely the most memorable part of this NBA Finals.

5. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Miami Heat: 2020 NBA Finals

The lowest rated finals in terms of TV ratings in NBA history and the weirdest Finals in terms of the circumstances surrounding it. The 2020 “bubble Finals” is far and away not only the worst Finals on this list, but also one of the worst of all time. Much of the failings can be attributed to key players for the Heat missing multiple games in the series which led to the Lakers winning the series easily.

As well as the atmosphere surrounding the Finals as there were no crowds, which resulted in almost no hype surrounding the Finals. While the bubble playoffs were filled with exciting moments and performances that should remain memorable, the grand finale will likely remain the most unmemorable Finals series of all time.