{"id":773736,"date":"2026-06-29T15:42:13","date_gmt":"2026-06-29T15:42:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/773736\/"},"modified":"2026-06-29T15:42:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T15:42:13","slug":"where-does-knicks-spurs-land-ranking-the-last-10-nba-finals-the-lead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/773736\/","title":{"rendered":"Where Does Knicks-Spurs Land? \u2014 Ranking the Last 10 NBA Finals \u2013 The Lead"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s been 16 days since Jalen Brunson<\/a> and the New York Knicks won the NBA Finals, defeating<\/a> the San Antonio Spurs in five games.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Knicks won<\/a> their first title in 53 years, doing so in surprising fashion. Last year, NBA experts predicted<\/a> that the reigning No. 1 seed Cleveland Cavaliers would emerge from the East, and the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder would represent the West. <\/p>\n

The Knicks and Spurs weren\u2019t even in the picture until they made food out of their respective conferences.<\/p>\n

What would follow was the most-watched<\/a> NBA Finals of the century.<\/p>\n

So, now that there\u2019s been time to digest what was a record-breaking series, where does it rank in recent history? More importantly, what makes a Finals truly great?<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the criteria:<\/p>\n


\nCompetitiveness: Everyone enjoys a good battle. A series where both teams keep throwing punches is what keeps a fan on the edge of their seat to see who lands the final blow.
\nNarrative: The stakes, journeys, and legacies play a crucial role in building a Finals series. The greatest Finals aren\u2019t just games; they\u2019re stories.
\nStar Power: People want to see the biggest names on the biggest stage. Putting athletes in moments that define careers is part of the magic. <\/p>\n

#10: 2018 Golden State Warriors vs. Cleveland Cavaliers<\/p>\n

This was the fourth and final installment of the iconic Warriors-Cavs saga. LeBron James<\/a> against Stephen Curry<\/a>. The chapter in NBA history that many consider the golden age.<\/p>\n

But by 2018, the rivalry had shifted. The already-loaded Warriors added Kevin Durant<\/a> two years earlier and had easily won their first ring of the KD era over Cleveland. But it wasn\u2019t against this same Cavs team. This time around, it was against a one-man squad of LeBron.<\/p>\n

It was an unsurprising cakewalk for the heavy favorites<\/a>. The series ended in four games, of which only one was a single-digit game. It did, however, deliver an unforgettable Game 1 in which LeBron stormed into Oracle Arena and dropped 51 points, only\u00a0for JR Smith to commit an all-time blunder<\/a>.<\/p>\n

These Finals had undeniable star power, but the narrative was tired, and the competitiveness just wasn\u2019t there. This one lacked all of the uncertainty that makes a series memorable.<\/p>\n

#9: 2023 Denver Nuggets vs. Miami Heat<\/p>\n

This series saw two foes from opposite sides of the spectrum. Denver, tooled with two-time MVP Nikola Jokic<\/a>, was the typical dominant No. 1 seed. Miami, meanwhile, clawed its way out of the Play-In Tournament and became just the second<\/a> No. 8 seed to make the Finals.<\/p>\n

A proper Cinderella story.<\/p>\n

Their run ended, as most suspected. Despite an overall easy series win, though games two<\/a> and five<\/a> deserve some credit, there were still storylines worth following. Jokic adds a ring to his legacy, Jimmy Butler\u2019s<\/a> second chance, and the Nuggets\u2019 first-ever Finals appearance.<\/p>\n

The issue was that the story never reached the next level. The Nuggets weren\u2019t this villain coming to end Miami\u2019s fun. They were an exciting team led by one of the NBA\u2019s most likable stars. So when they extinguished Miami\u2019s flame, it didn\u2019t carry the same hype that so many NBA Finals wins do.<\/p>\n

The players captured eyes, but the lack of tension didn\u2019t keep them there.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

#8: 2017 Golden State Warriors vs Cleveland Cavaliers<\/p>\n

The 2017 NBA Finals followed what is known as one of the greatest Finals in league history. After LeBron and the Cavs came back down 3-1 to beat the greatest team in NBA history, fans wondered if the rivalry could produce another classic.<\/p>\n

The Warriors made sure that didn\u2019t happen. In Game 1<\/a> of this series, Durant came out with guns blazing. Recording<\/a> 38 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists on 53 percent shooting, he delivered a superstar performance.<\/p>\n

Kyrie Irving<\/a> had himself a similar outing with 40 points<\/a> in Game 4, keeping The Land alive in a blowout win. But there lies the problem. The bulk of this fight was uninspiring blowouts that fell short of any feeling of friction. The average margin of victory for this series was 13.2 points. Only Game 3 delivered.<\/p>\n

Still, the matchup mattered. These two teams duking it out felt like a tale as old as time, and adding Durant into the mix was fascinating. The 2017 Warriors are enshrined as greats for their 16-1 record and deafening Roaracle playoff atmosphere.<\/p>\n

This series won\u2019t be remembered with the same level of honor, though.<\/p>\n

#7: 2024 Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks<\/p>\n

These NBA Finals were built on star narratives. Can Jayson Tatum<\/a> and Jaylen Brown<\/a> finally get one? Is this Luka Doncic\u2019s<\/a> first of many? Can Irving put his regretful Boston days behind him? In theory, this matchup was well-built. But like the series above it, it faltered due to competitiveness.<\/p>\n

It was clear that the loaded Celtics were going to outmatch the Mavs. While Dallas went on an inspiring journey through a tight Western Conference, blood was in the water, and the outcome felt inevitable.<\/p>\n

Drama was hard to come by. Games 2<\/a> and 3<\/a> offered some, but after Boston went up 3-0, it was wraps. The Celtics closed it out at home in a gentleman\u2019s sweep, but the confetti falling and the crowd\u2019s celebration created a moment every Finals should have.<\/p>\n

Ironically, it was also never the big Finals performance we\u2019d expect from the headliners. That was supposed to be one of this series\u2019 strong points. But still, history was made as the Celtics regained the lead<\/a> in franchise titles.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

#6: 2020 Los Angeles Lakers vs. Miami Heat<\/p>\n

The forever-debated \u201cbubble ring.\u201d This championship was unlike any other in NBA history as games were played in empty arenas due to the chaotic health circumstances.<\/p>\n

While some discount this postseason due to a lack of home-court advantage, it was still basketball at its purest. LeBron and Anthony Davis<\/a> spearheaded the No. 1 seed Lakers convincingly through the West while Butler and Bam Adebayo<\/a> made a surprise appearance as the No. 5 seed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Competitively, this series told a familiar story: the higher seed was in the driver\u2019s seat. It still went to six games, making for a memorable Games 4<\/a> and 5<\/a>. The latter produced a Playoff Jimmy 35-point<\/a> triple-double, and his iconic photo.<\/a><\/p>\n

But as expected, the big story was LeBron. Back in the Finals after not even making the playoffs the year before, he brought a ring to LA in just his second year there. He averaged<\/a> a remarkable 29.8 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 8.5 assists per game at the age of 35.<\/p>\n

The stars were shining, and legacies were built, but the games themselves didn\u2019t deliver that NBA Finals flair.<\/p>\n

#5: 2022 Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics<\/p>\n

This is where the list takes a real step up.<\/p>\n

Narratively, throwing these two at each other was like writing out of a book. There are remnants of what was a dynasty, as the Warriors spent years fighting to get back on the map. Then there\u2019s the newcomer Celtics, with young superstars waiting to etch their names in history.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Anytime Curry is in the Finals, he demands attention. But this was different. The No. 3 seed Warriors were coming off a play-in exit<\/a>. A 34-year-old Curry turned the clock back to put on a show.<\/p>\n

He averaged<\/a> 31.2 points per game and shot 43.7% from three-point range \u2014 his best mark ever in a Finals series. He led the game in scoring in all but one contest, and went ballistic in an iconic Game 4<\/a> that saw Curry silence a shocked TD Garden crowd with 43 points. Meanwhile, Tatum and Brown tallied numbers they\u2019d rather forget.<\/p>\n

The only thing holding back this series is that it didn\u2019t have much of an edge. Not one game ended within single digits. All in all, though, the end result was still six hard-fought games.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This year, the Warriors proved they weren\u2019t finished, and Curry threw on his shiny fourth ring.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

#4: 2026 New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs<\/p>\n

These next four are so incredible that they could be interchangeable. But one of them has to go first.<\/p>\n

This series encapsulated what the Finals should be. San Antonio, competing in the playoffs for the first time since 2019, steamrolled Portland and caught a few surprise bruises against Minnesota (as did Naz Reid<\/a>). Then came the long-anticipated conference finals matchup against OKC.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Spurs, 4-1 against the Thunder<\/a> in the regular season, brought down the champions in seven games. On their way to the Finals, Victor Wembanyama<\/a> and the Spurs appeared to be the future.<\/p>\n

Jalen Brunson<\/a> and the Knicks were a story of dominance. After a first-round scare from Atlanta, New York fired off 11 straight wins to plow its way to the Finals. This made for a battle of the titans: The Alien vs. the Brunson Burner.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It delivered immediately. Brunson hit a game-winning free throw in Game 2, and the Spurs responded in Game 3 before tragedy struck two days later. San Antonio blew a 29-point lead (largest in Finals history<\/a>) after OG Anunoby<\/a> flew in for the now-infamous game-winning<\/a> tip.<\/p>\n

Brunson\u2019s title-clinching 45 points in Game 5<\/a> made one thing clear: New York was for real. This series hosted five incredible games, accounting for a wild average point margin of just four. It would rank higher if it were longer, but the Knicks ended it in a gentleman\u2019s sweep.<\/p>\n

#3: 2025 Oklahoma City Thunder vs Indiana Pacers<\/p>\n

The 2025 Finals were the first to reach seven games in nine years.<\/p>\n

The dynamic No. 1 seed Thunder looked like they\u2019d be the ones to end the No. 4 seed Pacers\u2019 fairytale run. Then came Tyrese Haliburton<\/a> in Game 1 with his fourth game-winner of the playoffs. At that moment, it felt like there was no athlete more beloved than Hali. How does he keep doing it?<\/p>\n

Indiana played fun, random, and fast. Oklahoma City played gritty defense and thrived through Shai Gilgeous-Alexander\u2019s<\/a> offensive mastery. Many of the games weren\u2019t close, but they didn\u2019t feel like blowouts. The winning team\u2019s momentum and energy at home made the series enjoyable even without suspense.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Then Indiana forced Game 7, setting up a chance for the impossible. Heartbreak followed in Game 7 when Haliburton tore<\/a> his Achilles tendon seven minutes into the biggest game of his career. Couldn\u2019t make up drama like that.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Indy played its heart out, but OKC was just better. This series was a thrilling back-and-forth between two incredible teams, and a full seven games. It\u2019s just a sour ending.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

#2: 2019 Toronto Raptors vs. Golden State Warriors<\/p>\n

This series may be the most historically impactful of the decade.<\/p>\n

That year, Kawhi Leonard<\/a> played his lone season in Toronto and led the Raptors to the No. 2 seed. Leonard was a bigger deal than Drake for a couple of months. He produced an elite regular season and a heart-stopping buzzer-beater<\/a> in the second round to keep Toronto\u2019s run going.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Warriors were still rolling. As usual, they were the favorite<\/a>, even with an injured Durant. Curry and Klay Thompson<\/a> couldn\u2019t be counted out. But this matchup is so renowned because it ended a dynasty.<\/p>\n

The Raps won in six. While not every game was neck-and-neck, there were still insane endings in Games 2<\/a>, 5<\/a>, and 6<\/a>. Not to mention the fun emergence of Fred VanVleet<\/a>, Pascal Siakam<\/a>, and Quinn Cook<\/a>. Part of the drama, though, is actually what brings this series down a notch: injuries. Durant played just one game and tore<\/a> his Achilles, and Thompson tore<\/a> his ACL.<\/p>\n

Regardless, Toronto earned it and won the final game played in Oracle Arena. More than anything, this series brought an entertaining NBA Finals back after two years of uncontested wins. 2019 was a perfect mix of all three criteria.<\/p>\n

#1 NBA Finals: 2021 Milwaukee Bucks vs. Phoenix Suns<\/p>\n

Giannis Antetokounmpo<\/a> and the Bucks had been searching for this moment for years. After a second-round bounce in 2020, some were even saying Giannis should leave<\/a>. All it took was one more year of trust.\u00a0<\/p>\n

After years of irrelevance, the Suns catapulted to the No. 2 seed with Chris Paul<\/a>, who had been searching for a ring for far too long. When the favorites<\/a> went up 2-0, with star Devin Booker<\/a> and DeAndre Ayton<\/a>, it seemed CP3 would finally win one. But the Bucks turned it on.\u00a0<\/p>\n

They blew out Game 3<\/a>, then won thrillers in the next two, including the iconic Jrue Holiday<\/a> steal to Giannis\u2019 alley-oop<\/a> sealing Game 5<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Game 6<\/a> would become a storybook ending. Milwaukee won its fourth game in a row off an all-time performance from Giannis. He dropped<\/a> a Finals closeout game record<\/a> 50 points and added five blocks.<\/p>\n

With the Finals MVP in tears, the confetti dropped, and Milwaukee won its first ring in 50 years. Paul blew his chance. Booker had an incredible series spoiled. The games were jaw-dropping, the stars were bright, and the story was perfect.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The 2021 NBA Finals had it all to close the list of the best Finals from the last ten years.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It\u2019s been 16 days since Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks won the NBA Finals, defeating the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":773737,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[67672,7,103,306,46,144,304,300,6,1220,11,302,534,604,255],"class_list":["post-773736","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba-playoffs","tag-2026-nba-finals","tag-basketball","tag-bucks","tag-cavaliers","tag-celtics","tag-heat","tag-knicks","tag-lakers","tag-nba","tag-nba-finals","tag-nba-playoffs","tag-nuggets","tag-spurs","tag-suns","tag-warriors"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/116834162674889710","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/773736","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=773736"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/773736\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/773737"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=773736"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=773736"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=773736"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}