Ranking each NBA Finals of the decade from worst to best
By Tony Pesta
The 2019 NBA Finals marked the end of a decade. Let’s reminisce on the best showdowns we have seen from the past 10 seasons.
It’s the best time of the year. The NBA Finals bring the best team from each conference to a winner-takes-all battle for the crown. We have seen some great series in the last decade, but which one was the best?
When it’s all said and done, the 2010s will be remembered for three things: LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard and the Golden State Warriors. James himself appeared in eight of 10 NBA Finals this decade, while the Warriors became the first team to appear in five consecutive Finals. In total, a combination of either James, Leonard, Kevin Durant or Stephen Curry competed in all but one of this decade’s championship rounds.
Of these star players, only Leonard, James and Durant accomplished the task of winning two (or more) Finals MVP awards. As for team victories, only the Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors managed to win more than one championship, while the Cleveland Cavaliers were the only other team to reach the Finals four times this decade.
With all of these great options, it will be difficult to rank each series. To make it easier, we will add a few categories upon which each series will be graded. Competitiveness, conclusion (final outcome of the series) and overall excitement will all be accounted for.