By the end of the NBA Playoffs each year, all that anybody can talk about is what happened in the NBA Finals or the conference finals. But there are so many series in the first round of the playoffs that were just as compelling and provided just as many amazing moments as the NBA Finals. Of course, sometimes these series are easy to forget about in the grand scheme of things. That’s why we wanted to take a look back at the best First Round series the NBA Playoffs have ever given us.
Warriors vs Mavericks, 2007
Often, the best series are the biggest surprises, which is why this series is so memorable. The Mavericks won 67 games during the regular season and had MVP Dirk Nowitzki, but they became the first no. 1 seed to lose to a no. 8 seed in a seven-game series.
In fact, the Warriors won the series in six games with three of their four wins coming by at least 12 points behind the likes of Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson.
Knicks vs Heat, 1999
This was the second straight year the Knicks knocked off Miami in the first round, but this year hurt even more because the Heat was the top seed. The series went back and forth and was defined by low-scoring games.
Oddly enough, the first four games of the series were all decided by at least 10 points. But Game 5 was the exception, which was close from start to finish with Allan Houston making a shot with .8 seconds left to eliminate the Heat.
Bulls vs Cavaliers, 1989
Naturally, this series is best remembered for Michael Jordan’s buzzer-beater in Game 5 that ended the series. It was so good that it has become known as simply “The Shot.” But the rest of the series was good too, as all five games were decided by single digits. Also, the Cavs nearly lost the series in Game 4 but prevailed in overtime despite Jordan scoring 50 points.
One could also think of this series as Jordan’s postseason coming out party, as he scored at least 30 points in each game, averaging 39.8 points per game over the five games.
Celtics vs Bulls, 2009
This series was downright wild and quite competitive with four of the seven games going to overtime, including one double-overtime game and one triple-overtime game. The Bulls were the no. 7 seed, although they were feisty behind Derrick Rose and Ben Gordon.
However, the Celtics got 30 points from Ray Allen in Game 2 and 51 points from Allen in a triple-overtime loss in Game 6. Ultimately, Allen and Rajon Rondo did just enough to avoid the upset.
Nuggets vs Supersonics, 1994
It doesn’t get any better than the first time a no. 8 seed beat a no. 1 seed in the first round. The Sonics won the first two games at home and looked poised for the easy sweep. But the Nuggets won Game 3 at home and then survived Game 4 in overtime.
In Game 5, it was the Sonics who needed a buzzer-beater to force overtime. However, the upstart Nuggets shocked the world by winning the decisive game in overtime, giving us the unforgettable image of Dikembe Mutombo clutching the ball tightly when the final buzzer sounded.