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NBA Finals: Top 7 Upsets In NBA Finals History

By Phil Watson

A downcast Phil Chenier walks off the court as the Golden State Warriors celebrate the most surprising title in NBA history, a sweep in 1975. (US-PRESSWIRE)
A downcast Phil Chenier walks off the court as the Golden State Warriors celebrate the most surprising title in NBA history, a sweep in 1975. (US-PRESSWIRE) /
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Dwyane Wade carried the Miami Heat to the 2006 NBA title over the favored Dallas Mavericks. (USATSI)
Dwyane Wade carried the Miami Heat to the 2006 NBA title over the favored Dallas Mavericks. (USATSI) /

4. Miami Heat over Dallas Mavericks, 2006

Pat Riley was back in the NBA Finals, 12 years after a seven-game loss with the New York Knicks and 17 years removed from his last title with the Lakers. But after the Mavericks got past their nemesis, the defending champion Spurs, in the conference semifinals, it was Dallas that was favored to win its first title.

Nothing happened in the first two games to deter from that.

Jason Terry went off for 32 points in Game 1 as the Mavericks beat the Heat 90-80 and Dirk Nowitzki scored 26 points to go with 16 rebounds as the Mavs took Game 2 in Dallas 99-85.

Aging Shaquille O’Neal could manage only 22 points in the first two games and Dwyane Wade alone wasn’t enough for the Heat.

Then the series shifted to South Beach.

Wade erupted for 42 points in Game 3 and the Heat held on after Gary Payton hit a 21-footer with 9.3 seconds left to put Miami up for good. Dirk had 30 in the game, but it wasn’t enough for Dallas.

In Game 4, Wade poured in 36 points as the Heat blew out the Mavericks 98-74 to even the series.

Wade hit a floater from eight feet with 2.8 seconds left and Terry missed a 15-footer as time expired in regulation in Game 5 as the teams headed to overtime tied at 93-93.

With 1.9 seconds left, Wade drove the lane and Nowitzki was called for the foul with Dallas leading 100-99. Wade hit both free throws and all the Mavericks could get was a half-court prayer from Devin Harris that was unanswered and Miami took a 3-2 lead in the series with a 101-100 victory.

Wade lived at the foul line in Game 5, hitting 21-of-25 en route to 43 points. Terry had 35 for Dallas, Josh Howard added 25 and Nowitzki threw in 20, but was just 8-for-19.

Back in Dallas for Game 6, the Heat took the lead midway through the fourth quarter and held off the Mavericks down the stretch. Terry’s potential game-tying 3-pointer was off-target with 2.9 seconds left and Wade corraled the rebound, making the Heat a champion for the first time.

Wade had 36 points and 10 boards in the clincher to go with four steals and three blocks en route to winning Finals MVP honors. Nowitzki led the Mavs with 29 points, but Terry came up small in Game 6 with 16 points while going just 7-for-25.

Wade averaged 34.7 points per game and shot a whopping 97 free throws in the six-game series.