The NBA Finals records of every NBA franchise are available to analyze

If Finals records of teams are reversed, NBA all-time rankings are forever changed

The Celtics and Lakers won the most titles, but their records are incredible if reversed

Throughout the storied history of the NBA, numerous iconic moments have shaped the league’s legacy, creating a tapestry of triumphs and heartbreaks etched into the memories of basketball fans worldwide. The NBA Finals, in particular, serve as the grand stage where the league’s elite teams clash, vying for the ultimate prize – the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.

But what if the outcome of some of the most epic NBA Finals was reversed? What if the heroes turned into the vanquished, and the underdogs rose to claim the throne? In this alternate reality, dynasties would crumble, Cinderella stories would flourish, and the course of NBA history would be dramatically altered.

In this speculative exploration, we embark on a journey to reimagine the annals of NBA lore, painting vivid pictures of how some of the most legendary Finals series might have unfolded differently. From the unforgettable duels between basketball legends to the rise of unexpected contenders, we dare to question the outcomes of championship battles that once defined eras.

We have already seen what every NBA franchise’s Finals record looks like, but how would the NBA record books and standing among NBA lore change if those records were reversed? It is time to find out.

NBA Teams Without Rings

Charlotte Hornets (0-0), Chicago Bulls (0-6), Denver Nuggets (0-1), Los Angeles Clippers (0-0), Memphis Grizzlies (0-0), Minnesota Timberwolves (0-0), New Orleans Pelicans (0-0), Sacramento Kings (0-1), Toronto Raptors (0-1)

There is a situation in which teams without a title still end up without a ring due to the fact that they never made the NBA Finals. The Charlotte Hornets, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, New Orleans Pelicans, and Minnesota Timberwolves will not be affected at all by a reversal of Finals results as they are still searching for their first Finals appearance.

Meanwhile, the Denver Nuggets, Sacramento Kings, and Toronto Raptors all end up without a ring in their single Finals appearance. The Nuggets lose the 2023 Finals and Nikola Jokic doesn’t capture the Finals MVP. The same goes for the Raptors, where Kawhi Leonard doesn’t win the 2019 title, and his legacy as a talent would be greatly affected. The Kings, known as the Royals in 1951, would have also not had a title in this scenario.

No doubt, the biggest change in NBA history would be if Michael Jordan retired without a single championship. The GOAT went 6-0 in the Finals, but in a reversal, the Chicago Bulls would not have won a single championship. If Jordan doesn’t capture six rings with a perfect 6-0 record, there is no way he would be considered the greatest player ever. Instead, LeBron James would be the one with six rings, and he would be the undisputed GOAT alongside Jerry West.

NBA Teams With One Championship

Dallas Mavericks (1-1), Indiana Pacers (1-0), Milwaukee Bucks (1-2), San Antonio Spurs (1-5)

The reversed NBA Finals record for the Dallas Mavericks leaves them with one championship, which they earned in the memorable 2010-2011 season. Led by Dirk Nowitzki’s phenomenal performance and a supporting cast of talented players, the Mavericks defied the odds to defeat the star-studded Miami Heat, led by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. On the flip side, the Mavericks’ additional NBA Finals loss would have occurred in the 2005-2006 season when they faced the Miami Heat again, but this time they couldn’t find the extra edge to overcome the dynamic duo of Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal. That means in a reversed sense, Dirk defeats Wade and the Heat in 2007 and loses in the 2011 Finals, which doesn’t affect the record in reality.

The hypothetical reversed NBA Finals record for the Indiana Pacers retains their appearance in the 1999-2000 NBA Finals. In this alternate scenario, the Pacers would have faced the Los Angeles Lakers, who were led by the unstoppable duo of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. The Pacers, powered by the leadership of Reggie Miller and strong defensive play, pushed the Lakers to the brink, taking the series to seven games. Instead of losing, Miller would not have retired as one of the best players ever without a single championship.

In this alternate reality, the Milwaukee Bucks’ NBA Finals fortunes are reversed. The Bucks, led by their generational superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, secure their second NBA championship in the 2020-2021 season. In a reversed world, Giannis does not have a title and is not a contender for being a top-30 player ever. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar also ends up with a 1-1 record in Milwaukee, losing in the 1971 Finals and winning in the 1974 Finals. That does not affect Kareem’s legacy, although it probably pushes Giannis away from being the greatest in franchise history.

In this hypothetical scenario, the San Antonio Spurs lose their five NBA championships but add a single championship. Instead of defeating the New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets, Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Miami Heat, the Spurs would lose each of their series. The only win would come in 2013 against LeBron James and the Miami Heat. That means Tim Duncan, the greatest power forward ever, ends up with one title and there would be a conversation if he would even be a top-10 player ever. No doubt, Duncan’s rings are critical to his legacy and a reversed Finals record proves that.

NBA Teams With Two Championships

Brooklyn Nets (2-0), Houston Rockets (2-2), Orlando Magic (2-0), Portland Trail Blazers (2-1), Utah Jazz (2-0)

The New Jersey Nets lost two Finals appearances to the dominant San Antonio Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers. Despite having superstar point guard Jason Kidd leading the way, the Nets were undermanned and had to face two of the iconic teams of their eras. If Finals results are reversed, Jason Kidd wins two titles in New Jersey and becomes the greatest player in franchise history without a shadow of a doubt.

The Houston Rockets went 2-2 in the Finals, with Moses Malone leading the way in 1981 and Hakeem Olajuwon showing his greatness in 1986, 1994, and 1995. Obviously, Malone wins a ring in 1981 and Olajuwon wins in 1986 before losing in 1994 and 1995. Hakeem is the greatest player in Houston Rockets history, and if he only wins one, he would be tied with Malone in championship success.

Orlando lost two Finals appearances, with Shaquille O’Neal and Dwight Howard leading the team in respective eras. Shaq lost to Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets in 1995, and if O’Neal would have won, he would have made history in Orlando. Instead, Shaq was outplayed by Hakeem due to purely experience. Meanwhile, Howard would have won the 2009 Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers and he would have joined O’Neal as the greatest player in Magic history in terms of success.

The Portland Trail Blazers only won a single NBA title thanks to the dominant Bill Walton in the 1977 season but lost in 1990 and 1992 and with Clyde Drexler leading the way. In a reversed situation, Drexler ends up with two titles and ends up winning more rings in a career than his 1990s competitor Michael Jordan. No doubt, Drexler would have benefited most from this change in the situation because not winning in Portland affected his legacy greatly.

NBA Teams With Three Championships

Atlanta Hawks (3-1), Oklahoma City Thunder (3-1), Phoenix Suns (3-0), Washington Wizards (3-1)

What a difference a reversal of Finals results would have made for these four NBA franchises. The Atlanta Hawks won a single championship in the 1958 Finals but would instead have captured the titles in 1957, 1960, and 1961 which means the great Bob Pettit wins three titles and is in the conversation for being a top-20 player ever.

The Oklahoma City Thunder lost three Finals appearances in their history, with the latest one coming in 2012. Instead, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook win a title in Oklahoma City and their legacies take a major u-turn instead of being the most criticized players in the NBA. Of course, the Seattle SuperSonics with Gary Payton would have won a championship as well. What a difference this would have made with the stars in Oklahoma City and Seattle with regard to legacy.

Charles Barkley also ends up with a championship and his legacy takes a massive boost instead of being one of the greatest players ever without a ring. The Suns also win the 2021 title with Chris Paul finally getting over the hump as a champion as well. The 1976 Suns also win a title with Alvan Adams and Paul Westphal capturing the title at the expense of Jo Jo White and the Boston Celtics. The Suns are easily one of the top franchises that benefit most from the Finals record reversal.

Finally, the Washington Bullets end up with three titles in four appearances instead of winning their only one in 1978. That means the Bullets finished with three NBA championships in the 1970s decade instead of only one. That means superstar center Wes Unseld ends up with three rings and won’t be one of the most underrated players of all time like he is now. It is also interesting to note how long it has been since the Wizards have been in the Finals, since changing the name from the Bullets.

NBA Teams With Four Championships

Cleveland Cavaliers (4-1), Detroit Pistons (4-3), Miami Heat (4-3)

In this alternate reality, the Cleveland Cavaliers experienced a remarkable turnaround in their NBA Finals fortunes. Instead of winning their first NBA championship in the 2015-2016 season, led by LeBron James, who delivers a historic performance and brings the long-awaited title to Cleveland, the Cavs end up with four rings total. LeBron leads the Cavs to victory in 2007 and wins championships in 2015, 2017, and 2018. What a difference this would make in LeBron’s legacy, who would end up becoming the greatest player of all-time while also adding his two championships from his Heat days. No doubt, six rings means far more than only four in a sub-.500 record in the Finals.

The Detroit Pistons’ legacy in this hypothetical scenario is further embellished by an additional NBA championship. Isiah Thomas led the Pistons to championships in 1989 and 1990 but instead lost both in an alternate reality. That means Thomas only wins the 1988 title at the expense of the Los Angeles Lakers and that is a major change. Not to mention, the Pistons in 2004 lost to the Lakers as they probably should, considering the talent of the opposition.

Meanwhile, the Miami Heat won one more championship as they would benefit from this situation. Miami defeated the Dallas Mavericks in 2011, the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2012, and the San Antonio Spurs in 2013. Of course, Miami also defeats the Denver Nuggets in 2023. That means LeBron James still gets his two rings in Miami and Dwyane Wade ends up with two rings instead of three. While LeBron’s legacy doesn’t get altered per se, Wade would have won one less title and that might have affected his legacy as the greatest player in Miami Heat history.

NBA Teams With Five Championships

Boston Celtics (5-17), Golden State Warriors (5-7)

Two teams have managed five losses in NBA history and they are two of the most renowned and successful franchises: Boston Celtics and Golden State Warriors. The Celtics have an incredible 17-5 record in reality, thanks to the superstar presences of Bill Russell, Larry Bird, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett among others. Their five losses came at separate points, once in the Bill Russell era, once in the Paul Pierce era, twice in the Larry Bird era, and once in the Jayson Tatum era. The Celtics have had some incredible talents, but if their Finals records are reversed, the Celtics end up with an incredible 17 losses in the Finals.

That means Bill Russell is nowhere near a top-10 player of all time, finishing with a 1-11 record with a single championship. Legends such as John Havlicek end up with zero rings in eight appearances, and Jayson Tatum claims the 2022-23 title as the most recent successful season. It is truly amazing how much changes in NBA lore with a change in Finals records.

The Warriors also have a sub.500 Finals record, losing seven in 12 appearances. That means Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Steve Kerr have a combined 2-4 Finals record which also alters the Warriors’ dynasty. Curry having two rings instead of four is also a fascinating situation to consider. Kevin Durant, the superstar with two titles in three appearances, would also have a losing record.

If Finals records are reversed, both the Celtics and Warriors have their elite stars completely falling out of the top-20 players of all-time list with a change in how these franchises are considered among the NBA community.

NBA Teams With Six Championships

New York Knicks (6-2), Philadelphia 76ers (6-3)

Two teams have managed six losses in the NBA Finals exactly: the New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers. Amazingly, that would have meant history would have been altered. For the Knicks, Patrick Ewing would be regarded as a top-10 center of all time with an NBA title and Finals MVP award. Ewing lost the 1994 NBA Finals to the Houston Rockets led by Hakeem Olajuwon in reality, a heart-breaking loss.

Even icons such as Latrell Sprewell and Allan Houston would be regarded differently with the 1999 Finals win, instead of being somewhat forgotten All-Stars. Meanwhile, Willis Reed doesn’t retire with two NBA titles and instead goes 0-2 which greatly affects his legacy instead of being arguably New York’s greatest winner.

For the 76ers, all eyes turn to Allen Iverson who would have defeated the legendary Los Angeles Lakers team in the 2001 Finals. If Iverson had a championship, it would be hard to place him out of any top-20 player all-time list based on skills, impact, and dominance. Also, Julius Erving, possibly the only player to usurp Iverson as the greatest player in 76ers history, would have had a 1-3 Finals record.

Erving, in reality, won a single championship in the 1982-83 season alongside Moses Malone but had three other losses. If Dr. J, one of the greatest showmen of all time, had three championships, he would be a serious contender for being a top-10 player ever. No doubt, both Iverson and Erving would do anything to get their Finals records reversed.

NBA Team With 15 Championships

Los Angeles Lakers (15-17)

The Los Angeles Lakers have a remarkable Finals record as one of the most successful franchises in NBA history. Since their establishment in 1947, the Lakers have made a staggering 32 appearances in the NBA Finals, winning the championship on 17 occasions in reality. At the same time, however, the Lakers have lost the most NBA Finals with 15 losses.

If results were reversed, the Lakers hold a sub .500 record with 17 losses instead of 17 wins. Of course, the man that holds most of the losses for the Lakers is The Logo himself, Jerry West. West lost eight Finals out of nine total appearances, and he is the player who would want the Finals record to be reversed. Mr. Clutch would have greatly benefited from an alternate universe with reversed Finals records, with eight championships instead of one. No doubt, he would be thrust into the GOAT conversation with eight rings as he would have even more than LeBron James.

Otherwise, the Lakers lost seven other Finals appearances, two of them coming in the Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant era. Amazingly, if the records are reversed, legends such as Bryant (2-5), O’Neal (1-3), and Magic Johnson (4-5) would all have losing Finals records, and the entire top-ten player of the all-time list would be altered as these three players would be regarded far differently.

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The Orlando Magic have experienced some rough times throughout their history, which makes picking a worst in-game miss of all time quite hard.

If you’re an Orlando Magic fan, you have lived through some tough moments in your fandom. Most revolve around star players leaving for bigger markets or potential stars seeing their careers ruined by injury before they ever had a chance to reach their full potential.

Nestled in between these difficult times are the occasions when the franchise has been good, which for a team only in existence since 1989 is more frequent than you would think. Yes, they’ve never won a championship, making it to the NBA Finals twice is as close as they’ve gotten, but there’s been plenty to enjoy as well.

Yet even in those periods of contention, sadness and disappointment have never been too far away. Even though it is only just over a year since this happened, the Magic are more well known for shots that didn’t go in than ones that ended up going through the basket. Which begs the question. What is the worst miss in franchise history?

If you’ve been a fan since the beginning, then you’ll know that there are only two possible answers here, and depending on your age you will feel more strongly about one miss over the other. We’ll start with the outsider that is going for the unwanted crown here, and that is Courtney Lee’s missed layup in Game 2 of the 2009 NBA Finals.

For a lot of people, particularly of other fanbases, this miss often gets overlooked. This is because one look at the 2009 finals, with the Los Angeles Lakers winning the series 4-1, and many think that the matchup wasn’t a particularly close one. Including those who lived through it, with time appearing to have eroded their memory.

Really though this miss was devastating because the Magic were in Los Angeles for that game. Back then, the chance to nick a road game in the Finals had potentially huge implications. Up until 2014, the format for the Finals was 2-3-2, which would have given the Lakers homecourt advantage in a hypothetical Game 6 or Game 7.

If Lee had made that layup, the Magic would have been going back to Orlando tied 1-1 with the next three games taking place on their home court. This would have given them a chance to win it all while at home. Would this have happened though? No, that Lakers team was too good to drop three-in-a-row, no matter where they played.

But it would have made the series a lot more interesting because you can bet the Magic would have won at least one game at home (as they did anyway) which would have seen the series go at least six games (assuming the Lakers won a road game as well). What makes this even more difficult to swallow is how, watching it back, Lee seems to hang in the air perfectly to be able to lay the ball into the basket.

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He was wearing a face mask at the time which may not have helped, but given how well he did to catch the inbounds pass and position himself in such a way as to have a good chance of scoring, it becomes even more disappointing to watch the play unfold.

Yet the Magic’s history is tinged with sadness so much that this isn’t even the clear cut option for the worst miss in franchise history. That would be because Nick Anderson, a real fan favorite in Orlando, only went and had four of them in Game 1 of the 1995 NBA Finals. Again, you look at how that series finished, a 4-0 sweep by the Houston Rockets and you think it wasn’t close.

In truth, it probably wasn’t as close as 2009, as that young Magic team, spearheaded by Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway, was coming up against the most skilled offensive big man of his generation (and perhaps ever) in Hakeem Olajuwon. But how this game was thrown away hurts to even type, never mind watch back.

As explained in great detail here, the Magic had a three-point lead with less than 10 seconds remaining in Game 1. Anderson was at the free-throw line and had been a 70.4 percent free-throw shooter that year (68.3 percent in the playoffs). Statistically, he was more than likely to make one of the two free-throws required to essentially ice the game. Anderson missed both of them.

Anderson miraculously rebounded his own miss and was fouled again. Another chance to sink just one of two free-throws was graciously made available. Even Shaq himself, perhaps the most infamous poor free-throw shooter, would have statistically made two out of the four attempts as a career 52.7 percent shooter. Certainly, Anderson could’ve gotten one.

Instead, Anderson missed them both, again. The game went to overtime, with the Rockets squeezing out a 120-118 win. The Magic wouldn’t win a game the entire series, and Anderson would never be the same again. The sheer dramatics of what happened, as well as the fact that it even happened at all, make this the worst miss in Magic history.

However, with the argument that the 2009 version of the Magic would have been a step closer to a hypothetical championship if Lee’s layup went in, it’s closer than you would think. If Anderson had made even one free-throw and the Magic took a 1-0 lead, there are zero guarantees this would have resulted in winning it all.

This was a home game too, but rather than take care of business as expected, all the miss served to do was deflate their roster and fans. With Lee at least, had he scored the layup, the Magic would have been closer to a championship than ever before. Given the sheer gut punch that it was, we’ll still give this unwanted title to Anderson though.

Michael Visenberg

USA TODAY Sports

With Game 6 of the NBA Finals set to take place in Oakland Thursday night after a down-to-the-wire Game 5 in Toronto, we wanted to take a look into the history of brilliant series and marquee performances of NBA rookies in the Finals.

While there are not many recent rookie performances of note, this list still includes some all-timers who contributed to championships or fought hard in Finals appearances. Here are some of the best performances of first-year NBA players on the league’s biggest stage:

Magic Johnson – Los Angeles Lakers, 1979-1980

While he is currently best known for his incredible success in business, stepping down as the Los Angeles Lakers president of basketball operations and, of course, his tweets, Earvin “Magic” Johnson is also likely the consensus greatest point guard of all-time.

Of course, many will argue for current NBA Finals participant Stephen Curry’s individual dominance, shooting and gravity re-defining basketball, let’s not forget that Magic won five titles and made it to the Finals nine times in his 12 NBA seasons before his first retirement. Magic changed the game in many ways and his rookie season was about as close to a storybook as one could get, with twists and turns and a title.

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The draft tends to be the luck of the draw, with Magic lucking out big time going to a team that had made the second round of the playoffs the previous season and had all-time great center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar already in the fold. Abdul-Jabbar would win the MVP in Magic’s rookie season and would have likely gone on to do so in the Finals had he not had to sit out Game 6 with an ankle injury. His injury was severe enough where he was not allowed to travel with the team to Philadelphia. With the Lakers up on the 76ers 3-2 in the series, Magic filled in at center and was part of one of the great individual performances in the NBA Finals history in a series-clinching game.

Magic went on to score 42 points, along with 15 rebounds and seven assists, coming up big in the clutch for the Lakers in their 123-107 Game 6 victory. Magic won Finals MVP, with series averages of 21.5 points, 11.2 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 2.7 steals. Despite winning Finals MVP, Johnson did not win Rookie of the Year that season, it went to this other guy named Larry Bird, who had led his team to a 32-game improvement over the previous season and would win his first championship that next season.

The way Magic ended the season, however, is absolutely legendary and it is tough to think of a better way to close out ones first season in the NBA.

Bill Russell/Tom Heinsohn – Boston Celtics, 1956-1957

The consummate winner in major pro sports, Russell won 11 titles in his 13-year career. Even taking into account how different the NBA landscape was during Russell’s playing days, his name is still synonymous with leadership, defense and victory. What makes his title win his rookie year even sweeter? He won against the team that had traded his draft rights to the Celtics.

Red Auerbach had coveted Russell for his defense and rebounding, having to part with future Hall of Famers Ed Macauley and Cliff Hagan to obtain Russell’s services. Having led the San Francisco Dons to back-to-back titles, Russell was actually the second pick in the draft, which likely would have made hypothetical Draft Twitter’s head explode.

Joining a few perennial MVP candidates in pioneering point guard Bob Cousy and Hall of Fame shooting guard Bill Sharman, Russell and fellow rookie/current Celtics announcing legend Tom Heinsohn took the Celtics from good to dynasty.

Going up against the two players they had traded for Russell and the original NBA career points leader, Bob Pettit, the Celtics won Game 7 by two points in a game most of us wish we were alive to see. Russell averaged 13.3 points and 22.9 rebounds while Heinsohn could have been given MVP consideration as well averaging 24 points and 12.6 rebounds.

Unfortunately, there was no Finals MVP until Russell’s last season. We will never really know how many Finals MVP’s Russell would have won. What we do know is that since 2009, the MVP of the Finals wins an award named after Bill Russell.

Julius Erving – Philadelphia 76ers, 1976-1977

This is definitely cheating at least a tad. Dr. J had already won two titles and 3 consecutive ABA MVP awards. He was not considered an NBA rookie, yet Blake Griffin and Ben Simmons were. Times really have changed. Kidding aside, it was Erving’s first year in the NBA and it was not easy to compile this list, so let’s have a look at it.

With Dr. J taking a winding path from the Nets’ draft rights, past New York, and to Philadelphia after the NBA-ABA merger, he quickly became a star in the new NBA as well. Teaming up with fellow “technical rookie” George McGinnis, the 1977 76ers had a 50-32 record, squeaking by Houston in the Eastern Conference Finals (they were in the East). Working their way to a 2-0 lead at home over the Portland Trail Blazers, the 76ers, unfortunately, garnered an NBA first.

Up until 1977, no team had come back from a 2-0 deficit to win the NBA Finals, not until the upstart Blazers did with Bill Walton leading the way. Even so, Dr. J had himself an incredible individual series. Doc averaged 30.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, five assists with 2.7 steals and going for 40 in the 76ers’ Game 6 two-point loss. He would go on to win an NBA championship in 1983 with the famous Moses Malone “fo-five-fo” 76ers squad. Not to mention being Michael Jordan for the generation before we had Michael Jordan in terms of being your favorite player’s favorite player.

Elgin Baylor – Minneapolis Lakers, 1958-1959

Still holding the third-highest scoring average in NBA history, Baylor was the O.G. of high-flying wings. He actually led a team that finished with a 33-39 record to an upset over the 49-33 St. Louis Hawks before getting swept by what would be the first of eight consecutive titles for the Boston Celtics. In fact, Baylor would lose in the Finals eight times, seven to the Celtics and one to the Knicks. His 1971-72 squad technically left Baylor with a ring, though he had only played nine games during the season and none in the playoffs.

Baylor still led the 1959 playoffs in points and averaged 22.8 points and 11.8 rebounds in the finals. He was the Rookie of the Year, All-NBA First Team and had a 55-point game, which was the third-most scored in a single game by a player at the time. Baylor’s 1961-62 season was fascinating, as he averaged 38.3 points and 18.6 rebounds while missing 32 games fulfilling his duty in the army reserve. He still managed to push the Celtics to the brink that season, averaging 40.6 points and 17.9 rebounds in the 4-3 Finals loss, finishing with a still NBA Finals record 61 points in a Game 5 win.

He was the general manager during a pretty forgettable time in L.A. Clippers history, even with him landing the 2006 NBA Executive of the Year. It still seems like he may have had to deal with ownership that could not have been easy, as all he knew there was Donald Sterling. Baylor still seems to have a career that is slept on, as he was really one of the first high-flying, scoring players that took the league by storm, inspiring a good number who likely still take aspects of his game.

Jamaal Wilkes – Golden State Warriors, 1974-75

In a time before “3-and-D” was a thing, it seems like Jamaal Wilkes fit into the versatile, combo forward who one could see as an excellent complementary piece for a winning team. Luckily, the two-time NCAA champion and UCLA alumnus “Silk” was drafted to a team where he fit next to star player Rick Barry. Barry, one of three players to average 30 points and win an NBA championship in the same season (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Michael Jordan), needed a new sidekick with Nate Thurmond being traded to the Chicago Bulls. Wilkes stepped in, with the Warriors winning four more games and making a great Western Conference playoff run.

Narrowly defeating his old teammate’s Bulls team, Barry led the Warriors to a Finals showdown with the Washington Bullets. The Warriors won four very close games to win the title and give Barry his lone ring. Wilkes averaged 11.5 points and 9.8 rebounds in the Finals, going on to win three more rings as a Laker in 1980, 1982 and 1985. In fact, Wilkes had 37 points in Magic Johnson’s famed Finals-clinching Game 6 against the 76ers.

Wilkes was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2012, averaging 17.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists for his career. There may have been some rookies with gaudier Finals numbers than Wilkes his rookie season, it just is incredibly impressive that the 11th pick in the 1974 draft brought home a championship to Golden State as their second-leading playoff scorer. It certainly took the Warriors a while to get another ring, though winning three titles and making five NBA finals certainly seems to be worth the wait.

Other notable rookie Finals Performers:

Kobe Bryant and LeBron James…these are the two names that NBA experts and casual fans have discussed more than anything else over the last decade, yet not matter how many ways you measure up the rings, All-Star appearances, and MVPs, there will never be that one deciding factor to truly cement which player is better. Kobe Bryant has five championship rings, so for many, the discussion is closed. But LeBron’s got the lead (and will probably overtake Kobe) on a number of other meaningful categories, so the argument for King James is plenty valid. The sad truth is that the Kobe vs. LeBron debate will never be decided because the two never faced off against one another when it actually mattered.

An unstoppable Kobe vs. an MVP LeBron in the NBA Finals would have been among the greatest showdowns in league history and it almost came true were it not for the Orlando Magic. Dwight Howard, who weirdly peaked at age 24, played out of his mind that series and took down the Cavs in six. It would’ve been a mere five had LeBron not hit that buzzer-beating three in Game 2. The Magic went on to the Finals, poised and confident, but all the only weapon in their arsenal of tricks was a disappearing act that resulted in a dominant five-game win by the Lakers. So what if LeBron managed to lead the Cavs over the Magic and set up a dream match-up? Let’s explore.

Before we get into the Playoffs, let’s take a look at the regular season. Kobe Bryant was crowned the MVP the season before and led Team USA to an Olympic Gold, so momentum, confidence, and favor were all on his side. He actually played the least minutes per game since becoming a full-time starter, but was still in prime form as he led the Lakers to 65 wins, good enough for second best in the league. The best overall, of course, was produced by the Cleveland Cavs – 66 decisive wins led by LeBron James, who was awarded his first ever NBA MVP trophy. Kobe was right behind him as the runner-up, so there is no question that the two players were at the top of the league. The two seemed headed for a collision on the biggest stage, and it was going to be a real treat.

The Playoffs arrived and the Cavaliers were absolutely dominant; they tallied eight straight against the Pistons and Hawks and appeared to be the team to beat. The Lakers had a tougher road to travel and were brought to the brink in their own second-round match-up against the Rockets. The Conference Finals featured Carmelo Anthony and the Nuggets, a team that would’ve easily taken down the Magic in the Finals as well. With the purple and gold prevailing, all Cleveland had to do was defeat Orlando, but the mighty force of Dwight Howard and a superior supporting cast put an end to that notion.

But even if Cleveland made it to the Finals, our prediction is that the outcome would be no different. The Lakers crushed the Cavs twice during regular season play and Kobe didn’t even need to be at his best because LeBron had his two worst games of the season against the defending Western Conference Champs in the regular season. The Finals are far more competitive, but even as an All-Defensive 1st Team member, LeBron wouldn’t have been able to do much against Kobe. The real difference-maker was the depth of both teams, and while the Lakers had a second Finals MVP-caliber threat in Pau Gasol who played exceptionally well (and based on +/- ratings, was more useful to the Lakers than Kobe was on some games), Cleveland’s biggest weakness, their lack of depth, would’ve been exposed just as easily in the Finals as it was against Orlando.

Regardless of the outcome or if the series went the full 7 or a quick 4, seeing (the other) 23 and 24 go head to head would be must-see-TV, and that’s what we’ve truly been deprived of – 1a and 1b going all out against one another for something perhaps bigger than an NBA Championship. So, if Kobe did defeat LeBron in the Finals in 2009, would that put an end to the “LeBron vs. Kobe” discussion for good, with the obvious edge going to the Black Mamba? Championships speak louder than anything in the NBA and Kobe would have had nothing else to prove – an no future outcomes would’ve changed that.

A subplot of an epic Kobe vs. LeBron match-up is, of course, the shoes. The two mega-stars were without question the most valuable assets of Nike Basketball since Michael Jordan, and although both athletes were well into their signature series of footwear, neither tasted championship glory while wearing them. Not surprisingly, the battle of the shoes has the same result of our hypothetical Lakers vs. Cavs NBA Finals: The Kobe IV, designed by Eric Avar, was an absolute ground-breaker, while the LeBron VI, designed by Ken Link, was actually Plan B because LeBron hated the original design so much.

The Kobe IV is considered by many to be one of the best Nike Kobe signature shoes ever for its design and ground-breaking effect on basketball shoes (the low-cut mainstream craze). The Nike LeBron series took a swift turn for the better thanks to a change in design command, and with Jason Petrie at the helm, Nike LeBrons have since become the best seller among Nike Basketball signature athletes.