Rivalries of the NBA
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The National Basketball Association (NBA) has several fierce rivalries. What follows is a summary of just some of the high-profile rivalries in the NBA.
Rivalries can be classified in 3 main groups:
- Intradivisional: Games between opponents in the same NBA division. Ever since the 2004-2005 season, there are 30 teams in six divisions of five teams each. Each team plays each division opponent four times during the regular season (twice at home, twice away) for a total of sixteen games out of 82 total regular season games.
- Interdivisional: Games between opponents in different divisions but within the same conference. A team plays against each team from the other two divisions in its conference either three or four times. The total interdivisional games an NBA team plays is 36. Conference games are often important, as a team's record in common games, as well as its overall record against its conference, are sometimes used as tiebreakers for playoff seeding at the end of the regular season. Also, many regular season opponents have met again in the playoffs, and the result of a regular season game can affect where the playoff game will be played.
- Interconference: Games between opponents in different conferences. A team plays each opponent from the other conference in one home game and one away game.
Contents |
[edit] Intradivisional Rivalries: Eastern Conference
[edit] Atlantic Division
[edit] Central Division
[edit] Chicago Bulls vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers met MVP and Defensive Player of the Year Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the 1988 first round playoffs. No one expected the Cavs to push Jordan and the Bulls as hard as they did as they forced a deciding fifth game. Though the Cavs lost that fifth game, a new rivalry was born between two teams eager to be next in line as one of the best teams in the East.
Bolstered by their performance, the talented Cavs worked their routine for the '89 season to attain the second best record (57-25) in the east. And with the fracturing of the talented but selfish team ethic of the Bulls, the Cavs seemed poised to avenge their re-match with Chicago in the first round. The Cavaliers swept the 1988-89 season series against the Bulls [6-0] [1], outscoring the Bulls 635 to 561. True to form, the series went to a deciding fifth game. But with three seconds left on the clock Jordan scored one of the most famous game winning shots in basketball history. Dubbed "The Shot" by Cleveland fans, Jordan shot over the outstretched arm of Craig Ehlo to score a buzzer-beater. While the Cavs would rebuild and recover over the next 3 years, the Bulls would go on to championship status before their next meeting.
In 1992 the 2nd seeded Cavs met the top seeded champion Bulls in the Eastern Finals. Though putting on another tough effort, the Bulls beat the Cavs 4-2, but not before Cavs reserve Danny Ferry attacked Michael Jordan with a flurry of seemingly unprovoked punches in one game. The Bulls went on to win their second NBA title.
The two teams met again in the 1993 semi-finals but the underdog Cavs were swept by Jordan and the Bulls on the way to their third NBA title. Jordan's game winning shot in Game 4 only went further to prove that the Cavs seemed cursed never to defeat number 23.
With Jordan's unexpected retirement prior to the '94 season, the Cavs readied themselves to finally end the Chicago curse. Meeting once again in the first round play-offs, the Cavs would once again face defeat. Though Jordan was gone, Scottie Pippen would lead Chicago to a 3-0 sweep over Cleveland, and prove that it was the team, not Jordan, who beat the Cavs. The Cavs would remain an unremarkable team throughout the rest of the decade while the Bulls would go on to win three more championships.
[edit] Chicago Bulls vs. Detroit Pistons
The rivalry started in the 1988 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. The aggressive Bad Boy Pistons were a team on the rise. Michael Jordan was the league MVP and Defensive Player of the Year and the ultimate challenge for Detroit's rugged, top-notch defense. Despite Jordan's individual talents (or perhaps because of them) the Bulls lacked the talent and physical and mental toughness to beat the Pistons who ravaged the Bulls in only five games. The Pistons would go on to upset the Boston Celtics and win their first conference title since they moved from Fort Wayne.
In 1989, the Pistons were stronger than ever, posting the league's best record of 63-19. The sixth seeded Bulls (47-35) had surprising success in the playoffs by beating the superior Cleveland Cavaliers (57-25 won-loss record) 3 games to 2 with "the Shot". The Bulls upset the Atlantic Division Champs, the New York Knicks, coached by the incomparable Rick Pitino, 4 games to 2. The Bulls then squared off to meet the team that was to become their greatest rival, the Detroit Pistons, in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bulls miraculous success seemed to continue as they took an early 2-1 lead over the Pistons. But the Pistons clamped down and employed the supposed "Jordan Rules" which worked so well for them the year prior. The rules? Target Jordan. The Pistons took a stand and won three straight and would go on to win their first NBA title in the next round.
For the following 1989-90 season under new coach Phil Jackson the Bulls sought to subvert the "Jordan Rules" by focusing on the triangle offense or triple post offense refined by assistant coach Tex Winter. By sharing responsibility rather than shouldering it, Jordan led the Bulls to the second best record in the East at 55-27...behind the ever-tough defending champion Pistons who finished 59-23. In a pre-destined Eastern Conference Finals rematch, the Bulls pushed the Pistons like never before by forcing the series to seven games. But the Pistons showed their dominance by winning a brutal game 7 at home by a score of 93-74. It was in this pivitol game 7 that Scottie Pippen would suffer a migraine headache, leading many to speculate that with a healthy Pippen the Bulls may have been ready to supplant the Pistons as the best team in the East. The Pistons would go on to win their second consecutive NBA title the following round against the Portland trail Blazers.
These growing pains resulted in a stronger than ever Bulls the following season in 1990-91. With a greater concentration on teamwork, the Bulls posted the best record in the Eastern Conference with a 61-21 win-loss record and Jordan regained the MVP award after years of being accused of being a selfish player. At the same time the Piston's armor was starting to crack by old age and injury. After their upset of the Atlantic Division champ Boston Celtics 4 games to 2 in the Conference semi-finals, it was now the Pistons with something to prove as they met a title poised Chicago. Still, some doubted the Bulls and maintained that the Pistons psychological edge and bench strength would loom over the series. But three years of aches and bruises allotted the Bulls a drive that not only inspired the greatness necessary to defeat the Pistons, but the greatness necessary to conquer a decade. Proving their growth, the Bulls swept the Pistons 4 games to none and ended the rivalry on a triumphant note. Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer and Mark Aguirre of the Pistons, in their last show of defiance, walked off the court with :04 left on the clock so as not to congratulate the new Eastern Conference Champions. In the next round the Bulls defeated Magic Johnson and the Lakers to capture their first NBA crown. The Pistons incidentally continued to deteriorate over the years while the Bulls were just beginning their dominance of the decade.
After winning six titles in eight years, the Chicago Bulls would miss the playoffs for six straight years after the departures of Jordan, Pippen, and Jackson. The Bulls would return the playoffs in both 2005 and 2006, only to be ousted in the first round by the Washington Wizards and Miami Heat, respectively. The Detroit Pistons would not become a major title contender until 2003. The Pistons would return to championship glory in 2004 with a strong starting lineup based around teamwork and defense. The Pistons would return to the Finals in 2005 and to the Conference Finals in 2006. The rivalry was restored in the 2006 offseason when free agent Ben Wallace, the cornerstone of the Pistons' defense, stunned the league when he signed with the Pistons' rivals of old, the Chicago Bulls.
[edit] Detroit Pistons vs. Indiana Pacers
This rivalry began brewing during the 2003-2004 season. The Pacers, finished with a league best 61 wins, and were not shy about reminding others, especially the Pistons, of that feat. The Pacers were led by Jermaine O'Neal, Ron Artest, and Reggie Miller, and were coached by Rick Carlisle, who'd been fired by Detroit at the end of the previous season. Detroit was led by Chauncey Billups, Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, and Richard Hamilton. Their Coach at the time was Larry Brown. Indiana won the first three matchups between the two teams during the regular season, before being defeated by the Pistons in the final regular-season meeting at the Palace. That was also the first time the two teams met after Rasheed Wallace was traded to Detroit.
The two teams met in the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals. Indiana narrowly won Game 1 thanks to some late heroics from Miller. Rasheed Wallace, unimpressed by the Pacers, boldly stated "They Will Not Win Game 2" during an interview before the second game (locally known as the "Guaran-Sheed" victory). Late in Game 2, with Detroit holding a two-point lead, Billups turned over the ball, and Reggie Miller appeared to have an uncontested lay-up that would've tied the game. However, before Miller could score, he was chased down by Detroit forward Tayshaun Prince, who leapt from behind and swatted away Miller's shot in one of the most spectacular plays in NBA history. Detroit went on to win 4 of the next 5 games and took the series 4-2. The Pistons went on to win the NBA Title, while the Pacers bitterly stewed. During Game 6 of the Conference Finals, with Detroit clinging to a slight lead, Artest committed a flagrant foul on Hamilton, nearly causing tempers to boil over near the end of the game.
The following season, on November 19, 2004, at the Palace of Auburn Hills, with less than a minute left in the game, Indiana led 97-82. As Pistons center Ben Wallace went up for a layup, Indiana's Ron Artest hit Wallace with a hard foul from behind. Wallace took exception and attacked Artest, shoving him in the face. Wallace than engaged in a verbal spat with Artest and a timeout was called to cool down the players. Artest tried to keep his cool so he went to the scorer's table and laid down. As he lay on the table, Artest was suddenly hit in the chest by a cup of beer thrown by a fan. Artest shockingly went into the crowd and tried to find the person who threw the beer at him. Four other Pacers, Jermaine O'Neal, Stephen Jackson, David Harrison, and Anthony Johnson also fought with fans. All were suspended for varying lengths (Jackson: 30 Games, O'Neal: 15 Games, Harrison and Johnson: 6 Games, Reggie Miller: 1 Game for Leaving The Bench to Restrain Artest), with Artest carrying the longest penalty: the entire season. From the Pistons, Chauncey Billups, Derrick Coleman, Elden Campbell were suspended one game a piece, and Ben Wallace was suspended for 6 games.
The Pacers battled through the suspensions, while the Pistons fought off an early season malaise that they attributed to their winning the NBA title the previous year. The teams split the 4 regular season meetings. Again, the two teams met in the playoffs, this time in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. After Detroit handily took Game 1 at The Palace, Indiana scored a stunning upset win in Game two. The Pacers, although blowing an 18-point lead, won Game 3 in Indianapolis. However, just as he did a year ago, Rasheed Wallace promised a Pistons win for Game 4 by saying, "When we return [to Detroit], we will be tied at 2-2." The Pistons rebounded with blow out wins in Games 4 and 5, leading to Game 6 in Indianapolis. The Pacers, knowing a loss would lead to the retirement of Miller, fought hard, but fell to the Pistons. It was the second consecutive year the Pistons won a series over Indiana in six games.
[edit] Southeast Division
[edit] Intradivisional Rivalries: Western Conference
[edit] Northwest Division
[edit] Pacific Division
[edit] Los Angeles Lakers vs. Sacramento Kings
In 2000 the Lakers were the best team in the league and poised for a triumphant franchise return to the Finals. But the eighth seeded Sacramento Kings surprised everyone by pushing the Lakers to the brink of elimination in the first round. Though the Kings would lose game 5 and the Lakers would go on to win the championship, a rivalry had begun. A better equipped Kings met the still-superior Lakers in the semi-finals the next year in 2001 but were swept by the confident champs who would go on to defend their title. The two teams met once more the following year for the 2002 Western Finals. This time the Kings were the favored team, having posted an unstoppable 61-21 league best record. A team seemingly designed to overthrow the champs came up short after losing game 7 on their home court, something that had not been done in over 20 years. Once again the Lakers triumphed and went on to win their third straight title.
[edit] Phoenix Suns vs. Los Angeles Lakers
The two rivals met for the first time in the 1970 NBA Playoffs. The Suns blew a 3-1 series lead over the Lakers and lost the series in 7. The rivals met again ten year later as the Lakers easily dispatched the Suns 4-1. In their next four meetings in 1982, 1984, 1985, and in 1989, the Lakers won all those series in scores of 4-0, 4-2, 3-0, and 4-0. In the Western Conference Semi-Finals of 1990, the Suns finally got their monkey off as they blazed past the Lakers 4-1 in their run to the Western Conference Finals.
The rivals didn't meet until the season in which Phoenix won 60 games and were the 1st seed in the Western Conference. However, the Lakers took the first two games in the then called America West Arena, (now US Airways Center) until then Suns coach Paul Westphal guaranteed that the Suns will comeback and win the series. Phoenix then took the two games in the Great Western Forum (the Laker's home court). In the deciding Game 5, Los Angeles had a chance to win the game and the series, but they didn't as Phoenix won Game 5 and escaped a tough series. Phoenix eventually made the NBA Finals losing to the Chicago Bulls. The teams didn't meet again until the 2000 NBA Playoffs, in which the Lakers rolled over the Suns, led by Jason Kidd and Anfernee Hardaway, 4-1 in their route to the NBA title.
Their next and most recent playoff meeting was in the 1st round of the 2006 NBA Playoffs. The Suns were the second seeded team in the Western Conference and Pacific Division winner, thanks in part to back-to-back NBA MVP Steve Nash and Shawn Marion, and improvements by Leandro Barbosa and Boris Diaw, beneficiaries of the Sun's "run-n-gun" style of offense. Leading the seventh-seeded Lakers was the scoring champion, Kobe Bryant, and one of the greatest head coaches, Phil Jackson, who led their teams to the playoffs despite missing it the year before. Phoenix won Game 1 at the US Airways Center, but lost games 2, 3 and 4. Game 4 ended in dramatic fashion as Bryant hit the game-tying shot to send the game into overtime. In the last seconds of overtime, two Lakers cornered Steve Nash at the sideline, forcing a turnover. Given the physical defense, the absence of a call was somewhat controversial to Suns fans. Conversely, many players and pundits commonly recognize in the waning moments of the game, officials will force players to win the game rather than protect them. The turnover allowed Bryant to hit the game winning shot. Phoenix won Game 5 in a game many remembered for Raja Bell's clothesline on Kobe Bryant. After the game, Raja was suspended for Game 6. The two then continued their rivalry as they exchanged words during practices. In response to the flagrant foul, Bryant, after the game, stated that he "didn't know the kid". He then suggested that Bell was not hugged enough during his childhood, in response to Bell's shots at Bryant's perceived "arrogance" and "special treatment" from the referees. Game 6 was a hard-fought game that went to the final seconds in regular play until Tim Thomas shot the game-tying 3 pointer to send it overtime, which was later won by the Suns, who forced a Game 7 in the US Airways Center. Game 7 was a blowout win for the Suns, completing a big comeback. After the Lakers' Game 7 loss, Bell's mother approached Bryant asked him if he wanted a hug. He declined. According to Bell, Bryant was very polite when he declined and didn't show any resentment toward Bell's mother.
[edit] Southwest Division
[edit] Dallas Mavericks vs. San Antonio Spurs
The Mavericks-Spurs rivalry is a particularly new rivalry, but a very fierce one. The Spurs defeated the Mavericks in 2001 and 2003, while the Mavericks defeated the Spurs in 2006. The Spurs have won three championships, while the Mavericks have won none. The Spurs have won three conference titles, while the Mavericks are the defending Western Conference title holders. The Spurs have won 15 division titles, while the Mavericks have won a measly one. The Spurs have 3 60-win seasons, while the Mavericks have a close 2 60-win seasons.
The two teams met in the playoffs during the 2000-2001 season with the Spurs winning in 5 games. Then the Mavericks surge to victory started in 2003. The two teams each had a 60-win season, and they met in the Western Conference Finals. Despite having the best season of their history, the Mavericks fell in six games to the Spurs. During the 2005 offseason, Michael Finley left the Mavericks to join the Spurs. This troubled Jason Terry so much to the extent of him punching in the groin later in the playoffs.
The two teams, at present, met for the last time in 2006. San Antonio won the first game at home 87-85. The Mavericks got their revenge the next game winning 113-91 evening the series up at 1-1. The Mavericks won a dramatic Game 3 by one point 104-103. Though Manu Ginobili could have made the basket with 5 seconds remaining, he commited an error allowing the ball to bounce away from him with one second remaining. Dallas won for the third straight time in a 123-118 overtime victory. Tim Duncan commited an error while attempting to dunk the ball which could've given San Antonio the lead with 3 seconds remaining. Game 5 was won by one point with the Spurs taking the victory. Jason Terry was ejected for punching Michael Finley in the groin with 3 seconds remaining. He was later given a one-game suspension and he fulfilled it in Game 6. His absence in Game 6 caused the Mavericks to lose 91-86. The Spurs took it home in Game 7 and this game was one of the most memorable games in basketball. With 2.6 seconds to go, Nowitzki was fouled by Tony Parker while making the shot. Nowitzki made the free throw and the game had to go to overtime. Dallas won it in overtime 119-111 advancing to the Western Conference Finals. Tim Duncan congratulated Dirk Nowitzki and they won the Western Conference Finals, but they lost in the NBA Finals to the Heat 4-2.
[edit] Interdivisional Rivalries
[edit] Eastern Conference
[edit] Boston Celtics vs. Detroit Pistons
When the Detroit Pistons drafted guard Isiah Thomas in 1981, it was in hopes that he would turn the team around and grow to be a threat to Boston's dominance in the East. It took three years but finally in 1985, Thomas led the Pistons to the semi-finals against the defending champion Celtics. After immediately falling behind 0-2 in the series, Thomas and the Pistons rallied back in Detroit to knot the series 2-2. Though Larry Bird led the Celtics to a 4-2 victory and eventually on to another Eastern Conference title, another historic rivalry was developing.
Knowing that no team could contend with the Celtics grasp on fundamentally perfect play, coach Chuck Daly allowed his team to experiment with a more aggressive type of play. Nicknamed the "Bad Boys" for their rough and aggressive style of play, the Pistons aimed to take this style to the Celtics...and break them. By upsetting the athletic 2nd place Atlanta Hawks 4-1, the Pistons took their style to the 1987 Eastern Finals. Again meeting the defending champion Celtics, this time the Pistons pushed Bird and his team even harder. If not for a game winning steal and assist by Bird in Game 5, the Pistons may very well have won the series, but after 7 tense games, the Celtics proved they were still the better team. And while the Celtics would celebrate their fourth straight conference title, the Pistons would re-calibrate and come back more aggressive the next year.
The two teams were on a practical date with destiny as they met for the Eastern Finals. Once again the Pistons were the underdogs to the Celtics. Detroit set the tone early and proved that they were done being a mere team on the rise. They upset the aging Celtics 4-2. This marked the Pistons first conference title since their days in Fort Wayne, IN. This started the beginning of the Piston's reign in the East as well as the fall of the Celtics dynasty.
With Larry Bird injured and sidelined for the season, the Celtics limped into the eighth seed to face the Pistons, who now had the best record in the league. The Pistons swept the Celtics three games to none, showing just how badly they had broken this team. The Pistons would win their first title that year against the other NBA superpower, the Los Angeles Lakers and would go on to win another the following year against a more talented Portland Trailblazer team. Meanwhile the Celtics would rebuild and invest in some younger more atheltic starters like Reggie Lewis and Dee Brown.
By the 1991 season, the two-time champion Pistons were a team starting to show their age. Earning a 3rd seed in the Eastern conference, they went into the semi-finals against a recharged Celtics, who now held the 2nd best record in the East. Eager to show that they were still the dominant team come playoffs time, the Pistons contested Boston, overcoming a 2-1 series deficit and defeating the banged up Celtics 4-2. Having secured their fifth straight trip to the Conference Finals, the Pistons had ended the Boston rivalry in their own favor. After this series, both teams would soon suffer the pains of Bird and Thomas's retirement, the pre-mature death of Reggie Lewis, and the general withering away that eventually befalls all great teams.
This rivalry was hallmarked by Thomas's off hand comments following the 1987 NBA Eastern Conference finals game 5 loss. Thomas and team mate Dennis Rodman intimated that Larry Bird would not receive as much accolades as he does if Bird were not white. These words had for a long time lit the competitive spirit in Bird and sparked a bitter grudge between the two men that continues to this day. Years later the Indiana Pacers would hire Bird as the President of Basketball Operations and he would use this station to fire Thomas who was the then-coach of the team.
[edit] Chicago Bulls vs. New York Knicks
The rivalry actually started in the 1981 NBA Playoffs, when a red-hot Chicago Bulls team led by Artis Gilmore and Reggie Theus swept the favored New York Knicks, led by Michael Ray Richardson and future Bull Bill Cartwright, 2-0 in their first round series. This though, would be an aberration for both teams throughout the decade, until this rivalry started to take off in the 1989 Eastern Semi-finals when the Atlantic division champion Knicks were upset by the talented Michael Jordan and his Bulls in six games. Bolstered by their win, Chicago improved over the years. Degraded by their loss, the Knicks went on a downward spiral until Pat Riley, the 1990 NBA coach of the year, was hired away from the NBA on NBC to coach the Knicks back into contention.
A rematch in 1991 proved embarrassing for the Knicks, who as the eighth seed were swept by the top seeded Bulls 3-0 in the first round. The Bulls would go on to win their first title that year.
Under the leadership of coach Pat Riley, the Knicks got tough and scored the fourth best record in the east for the 1992 season. Meeting the Bulls for the semi-finals, the Knicks aimed to upset the champs just as they had been upset in '89. Things looked good when the Knicks shocked the Bulls with a game one victory, 94-89. Despite a Bulls turnaround, the Knicks showed they were serious and took a cue from the Bulls old rival, the Detroit Pistons by implementing aggressive play to break Chicago. But after a surprisingly tough seven game series, the Bulls survived and went on to win their second straight NBA title.
The Knicks honed their act and returned for the 1993 season by besting the aging Bulls for the best record in the East, 60-22. On a collision course for one another in the Eastern Finals, the Knicks showed their dominance by beating the Bulls in the first two games in New York. But in one of the greatest comebacks in NBA history, Michael Jordan led the Bulls to four straight wins to once again defeat the New York Knicks. The Bulls would go on to win their third straight title while the Knicks would spend their summer wondering how they would beat Michael Jordan.
As it turned out they wouldn't have to. With Jordan's unexpected retirement prior to the '94 season, the Bulls started to weaken. Seizing the opportunity, the Knicks tied the Atlanta Hawks for best record (57-25) in the East and another fated rematch with Chicago in the semi-finals. But the Scottie Pippen led Bulls aimed to prove that it was the team, not Jordan that continually beat the Knicks. Nearly proving their point by forcing a game 7, the Knicks nevertheless finally overpowered the Bulls and brought their dynasty to a seeming end. The Knicks would go on to win their first conference title since 1973.
A nostalgic rematch occurred in the 1996 semi-finals when the rejuvenated Michael Jordan returned for his first full season back with the Bulls. By this time the Knicks had weakened into a moderately tough team tied with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the 4th best record (47-35) in the East. They were no match for the Jordan led Bulls who had not only the best record in the league, but the best record of all-time (72-10). The Bulls avenged their '94 loss and beat the Knicks 4-1, and go on to reclaim the NBA title. Over the next couple of years the Knicks would wallow in mediocrity while the Bulls continued their championship run.
[edit] New York Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers
During the 1990s, both the Knicks and the Pacers were perennial playoff teams. The Knicks, led by All-Star center Patrick Ewing, met with the Reggie Miller-led Pacers in the playoffs six times from 1993 to 2000, fueling a rivalry epitomized by the enmity between Miller and prominent Knicks fan Spike Lee. Miller's clutch performances were frequently followed by jabs at Lee, adding fuel to the greater team rivalry. However, neither team was able to win the NBA championship, with the Knicks reaching the NBA Finals after the Chicago Bulls Michael Jordan's first and second retirements in 1994 and 1999, respectively, the Knicks were defeated in a grueling seven game series to Houston and an uneventful five game series to San Antonio, respectively. The playoff battles between these two franchises led to some of the greatest moments in NBA playoff history, such as Larry Johnson's 4-point play in the waning seconds of Game 3 of 1999 Eastern Conference Finals, Miller's 25 points in the 4th quarter of Game 5 of 1994 Eastern Conference Finals, and Miller's 8 points in the last 16 seconds to win Game 1 of the 1995 Eastern Conference Semifinals.
[edit] New York Knicks vs. Miami Heat
The rivalry between the New York Knickerbockers and the expansion Miami Heat was a result of their history-making brutally physical four consecutive playoff series from 1997 to 2000. Each series went to the maximum number of games. The rivalry was heightened by a feud sparking between Pat Riley initially the coach of the Knicks from 1991 to 1995, and head coach of the Miami Heat from 1996-2003,2005-Present and Riley's successor Knick's head coach Jeff Van Gundy, a faithful servant of Riley's in New York. Jeff's brother Stan Van Gundy was an assistant for the legendary Pat Riley in Miami. The first two years were marked by physical violence during the series, with suspensions to players that ultimately determined the outcome.
In recent years, this once bitter rivalry has greatly softened, with the recent struggles of the Knicks franchise and the turnover of the Miami Heat to a new crop of players. Ever since the re-allignment of divisions with the addition of the expansion Charlotte Bobcats, the Miami Heat have been moved to the newly created Southeast Division, in which they have dominated due to the addition of Shaquille O'Neal (from a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2004 offseason) and the emergence of Dwyane Wade. However, in its prime this rivalry was bitter and marked by players on both teams giving their best efforts in every game. Although the more talented Knicks won most of the contests between these teams, both teams were almost evenly matched.
[edit] Western Conference
[edit] Houston Rockets vs. Utah Jazz
During the 1990s, the Houston Rockets, led by dominant center Hakeem Olajuwon, and the Utah Jazz, led by the pick and roll duo of Karl Malone and John Stockton, were playoff powers in the Midwest Division. Both teams faced each other four times in the NBA Playoffs during the decade: the 1994 NBA Western Conference Finals, the first round of the 1995 NBA Playoffs, the 1997 NBA Western Conference Finals, and the first round of the 1998 NBA Playoffs. The Rockets defeated the Jazz the first two of these four meetings, while the Jazz won the other two years. In all four of those instances, the winner was the eventual Western Conference Champion and finalist in the NBA Finals.
[edit] San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Especially in recent years, these two giants of the Western Conference have had many reasons to hate one another. The Spurs won the NBA championship in 1999, and the Lakers won the championship the following year in 2000. Since that time, the Lakers and Spurs have faced one another in the playoffs many times, often deciding who would go to the Finals. The Lakers made Spurs fans very angry when they knocked the Spurs out of the playoffs in both 2001 and 2002, and going on to win the championship both years. In 2003 the Spurs and Lakers faced each other once again in the playoffs. By this time the Lakers had won three straight championships. Most Spurs fans had gotten to the point where they would cheer for anyone over the Lakers, no matter who it was. The Lakers had experienced an intense inter-state rivalry with the Sacramento Kings during the previous year [2002 NBA playoffs], but it was the Spurs who ended the Lakers' dynasty in 2003 and went on to beat the New Jersey Nets in the 2003 NBA Finals. This caused Laker fans to harbor a special bitterness against the Spurs. In 2004, the teams met again in the playoffs and the Lakers beat the Spurs. As the Lakers went on to face the Detroit Pistons in the 2004 NBA Finals, many Spurs fans across the state of Texas gathered in groups to cheer for the Pistons. Through all these things rose one of the most intense rivalries in the NBA between these two teams. To this day, although the Lakers no longer have much of the caste of players who won them their championships from 2000-2002, many Spurs fans still hate the Lakers even over their inter-state rivals the Dallas Mavericks.
[edit] Dallas Mavericks vs. Phoenix Suns
During the 2004 off-season, former Dallas Mavericks point guard signed a free-agent deal with the 29-53 Phoenix Suns to help out their offense. The addition of Nash helped as Phoenix rolled to a 62-20 record and the no.1 seed in the NBA. The teams met in the Western Conference Semi-Finals with Phoenix having the home-court advantage.
Phoenix won Game 1 127-102 with a 40-point game by Amare Stoudemire. Steve Nash was also given his NBA MVP award during that game, a game in which he terrorised his former team. However, Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki hit a turn-around jumper to beat Phoenix 108-106 to send the series back to Dallas tied 1 games to 1. Phoenix and Dallas split the two games in Dallas which saw both winners of games score 119 points. The series went back Phoenix then took care of Dallas 114-108 in the America West Arena (now US Airways Center). Then, in Game 6, with Dallas facing elimination, Phoenix beat Dallas in a thriller which saw Steve Nash with a 39-point game, to go along with 12 assists. Phoenix then made it to the Western Conference Finals, where they eventually lost to the San Antonio Spurs who then won the NBA Tittle that season
The following year, a Suns team without Stoudemire (who was injured), Joe Johnson, and Quentin Richardson, but with a core of new players led by Raja Bell (who clotheslined Lakers star Kobe Bryant in a first-round series game), Boris Diaw and Tim Thomas to go along with Nash and another All-Star Shawn Marion. Phoenix had to play seven game series against the two Los Angeles teams, the Los Angeles Lakers (who had a 3-1 lead against Phoenix) and the resurgent Los Angeles Clippers. They faced a Mavericks team who won 60-win, but were forced to be the 4th seed since the division winners got the top-three seeds. On their way to the WCF, Dallas swept the Memphis Grizzlies, and beat in-state rival San Antonio Spurs in seven tense games. Phoenix won Game 1 121-118 after Diaw hit a game-winning shot at the dying seconds of the 4th quarter. Bell, though was injured in Game 1, missing Games 2 and 3. After that, Dallas took control of the series, winning Games 2 and 3 by the scores of 105-98 and 95-88. Bell came back for Game 4 and led Phoenix to a 106-86 blowout win. Dallas however, beat Phoenix 117-101 in Game 5, and eliminated the Suns in Phoenix 102-93 in Game 6. Dallas would later on loose to the Miami Heat in six games, despite winning the first two games.
[edit] Interconference Rivalries
[edit] Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers
Perhaps the highest-profile rivalry in NBA history, this rivalry hit its peak in the 1980s with superstars Magic Johnson of the Lakers and Larry Bird of the Celtics led their teams to win a combined eight NBA titles in the decade, with the Lakers winning five and the Celtics winning three. Moreover, the two teams met each other in the NBA Finals on three separate occasions (1984, 1985, and 1987).
[edit] Los Angeles Lakers vs. Detroit Pistons
During the late 1980s, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Detroit Pistons met twice in the NBA Finals. The defending champion Lakers met the underdog darkhorse Pistons in the 1988 Finals. It was the Hollywood Showtime style of L.A. against the blue collar brute force tactics of the Bad Boys from Detroit. The Pistons were not expected to perform well in this seemingly mismatched series. In fact, most basketball experts expected the Lakers to sweep the Finals and become the first team since Bill Russell led the 1968-69 Boston Celtics to successfully defend their championship. Though the series started out with a customary kiss between close friends and future Hall of Famers Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas, the resilient Pistons quickly set the tone of the series with a game one shocker in which they grounded the high flying champs with a stunning 105-93 victory at The Forum in Los Angeles. The series battled back and forth and featured a heroic Game 6 effort by Isiah Thomas, who with a badly sprained ankle exploded for 22 points in the 3rd quarter. The Lakers were pushed to the brink by the surprising Pistons, but managed to avoid elimination by winning game 6 (103-102) and game 7 (108-105) of the series in L.A. It should be noted that game 6 ended with a controversial foul call of Bill Laimbeer on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with about two seconds left in the bitterly fought contest, with the Pistons leading 102-101. The legend calmly sunk both free throws to provide the final score.
The Pistons dedicated themselves the following season to meeting their new rivals in the 1989 Finals and beating them. The Pistons honed their craft and became the most unstoppable team in the league, posting a league-best 63-19. Despite the first signs of aging and the impending retirement of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the Lakers remained the best team in the Western Conference with a 57-25 record. The Lakers swept through the Western Conference with an astonishing 11-0 playoff record, with sweeps of the Portland Trailblazers (3-0) in the first round; the Seattle Supersonics (4-0) in the Conference semi-finals and capped off with a sweep of the up and rising Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Finals (4-0). Predictably the Lakers and the Pistons met in the finals. Once again the Lakers were favored to win this series based on their outstanding unprecedented performance in the Western Conference playoffs; however, the Lakers ran into a buzzsaw and were absolutely no match for the determined Pistons. Handicapped by the absence of starting shooting guard Byron Scott as well as the game 2 injury of point guard and future Hall of Famer Earvin "Magic" Johnson, the Lakers dynasty finally came to a crashing finale with the four game sweep concluding in L.A. Initially, the Lakers looked like they were going to win game 4 of this series and stave off elimination by racing out to a 35-23 first quarter lead; however, the Pistons clawed back methodically and won 105-97 in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's final game in the NBA. The Pistons found redemption and sent the legendary Abdul-Jabbar into retirement.
A whole new generation of Pistons and Lakers met in the 2004 NBA Finals. The Lakers were considered well experienced. The Lakers were coached by the Zen master Phil Jackson, who possessed an undefeated 9-0 record in previous NBA Finals series. The Pistons were coached by Larry Brown, a coach known for getting the best effort out of the players on his teams. The all-star complexion of the Laker team, which included Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, former Seattle Supersonics' point guard Gary Payton, and former Utah Jazz legend Karl Malone (the latter two who joined the Lakers in the 2003 offseason for the elusive ring) and the seemingly immortal Phil Jackson made them an early favorite to win, possibly even sweep, the series. Both teams fought uphill battles to make it to the championship as the Pistons faced the Milwaukee Bucks, the New Jersey Nets (who had eliminated the Pistons in the Conference Finals the year before), and divisional rival Indiana Pacers. The Lakers' Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal were feuding during the regular season over who was the most valuable player to the Lakers; however, their feud was put on hold during their playoff run against the Houston Rockets, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Minnesota Timberwolves. Incidentally, Phil Jackson was the coach of the Lakers when the Lakers defeated Larry Brown's old team the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2001 NBA Finals. But as it was in the late 1980's, this new 2004 Pistons team's commitment to defense and its deeper bench proved surprisingly insurmountable.
Both teams split the first two games in LA, the Pistons winning the first game and the Lakers taking the second thanks to an end-of-regulation shot by Kobe Bryant that forced overtime and an eventual win. However, Karl Malone reinjured his knee (which he injured earlier in the regular season and had surgery on, sidelining him for 40 games) during the series and was unable to play in the fifth and deciding game. The Pistons won all of the next three games in Detroit.
[edit] Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz
The two greatest duos in the NBA met in back to back Finals in 1997 and 1998. Throughout the decade, the Utah Jazz led by John Stockton and Karl Malone had struggled unsuccessfully to win a conference title while the Chicago Bulls led by Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen had already won 4. In '97, despite a widespread belief that Jordan should have won the MVP title, Malone was heralded as the league's Most Valuable Player. Though Malone led his Jazz to the best record in the West with a 64-18 record, second best record in the league (behind Chicago's 69-13), and to a conference championship, Utah's appearance in the finals against the defending champion Bulls was considered little more than a formality. After dropping the first two games to Chicago, the Jazz made a strong comeback in games 3 and 4. With Jordan suffering a stomach virus in game 5, the Jazz seemed poised to take a series lead, but instead were treated to a legendary Jordan performance as he fought the flu and the Jazz to regain the series lead with a 38 point performance. A game winning shot from Steve Kerr in game 6 gave the Bulls their much-expected 5th title. Jordan redeemed his MVP loss with the Finals MVP trophy.
The Jazz energized themselves to square off against the Bulls for the following finals. The Jazz now matched the Bulls for the best record in the 1998 season with a record of 62-20, but showed their improvement by beating Chicago in both of their regular season match-ups. In the second game of their regular season matchup, the Jazz overcame an early 41-17 deficit and beat the Bulls in Salt Lake City. In a year where Malone was the more obviously deserving of the MVP award, he lost it to Jordan. A complete reversal of the MVP situation of a year prior, the Jazz looked forward to a reversal of the results in the Finals as the series got underway. With the homecourt advantage, the Jazz immediately made a dramatic statement by beating the Bulls 88-85 in overtime in game one.
Yet that was the best the series would look for the Jazz as the Bulls surged back by winning the next three games and taking a commanding 3-1 series lead. Game two will always be remembered by "the Rebound" in Chicago lore as Steve Kerr rebounded his own missed jumper and fed a streaking Jordan on a layup late in the fourth quarter. Michael was fouled on the play, converted the three point play to give the Bulls a two point lead that they never relinquished in stealing this pivotal game by the score of 93-88. This surge included an embarrassing game 3 for the Jazz in which after 4 quarters, Utah scored only 54 points (including only a then-Finals' low 9 points in the fourth quarter) in a 42 point loss, suffering the worst beating in a NBA Finals game, 96-54. The Jazz made a stand at the United Center in game 5 to avoid elimination 83-81. Karl Malone scored a game high 38 points, helping the Jazz overcome a 36-30 halftime deficit. In the end, it would be Jordan who would bring the rivalry, Utah's title hopes, and the Bulls dynasty to an end in Game 6. The incomparable Jordan made a play on the defensive end, making the game winning steal from Malone and then, after what many fans contend was an obvious push-off, making the game winning 17-foot jumper over Bryon Russell at the other end with 5.1 seconds left in the game. Stockton could not leave Steve Kerr to double MJ as he remembered when Kerr made a straight-on 18 foot game winning jumper in game 6 in the 1997 NBA Finals. This play quieted one of the loudest arenas in the NBA at that time. When John Stockton's three point jumper was partially grazed by Ron Harper and bounced off the front of the rim, MJ held aloft the five fingers of his right hand and the forefinger of his left hand signifying the sixth title the Bulls had secured.
