Hoops Habit
Fansided

The 5 best NBA Finals losers since 2000

By Luke Duffy

Allen Iverson (L) of the Philadelphia 76ers and Kobe Bryant (R) of the Los Angeles Lakers (R) exchange words at the end of game two of the NBA Finals 08 June 2001 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Lakers won 98-89 to tie the seven-game series 1-1. AFP PHOTO/Jeff HAYNES (Photo by JEFF HAYNES / AFP) (Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images)
Allen Iverson (L) of the Philadelphia 76ers and Kobe Bryant (R) of the Los Angeles Lakers (R) exchange words at the end of game two of the NBA Finals 08 June 2001 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Lakers won 98-89 to tie the seven-game series 1-1. AFP PHOTO/Jeff HAYNES (Photo by JEFF HAYNES / AFP) (Photo credit should read JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 6
Next
Indiana Pacers
NBA (Photo credit should read STAN HONDA/AFP via Getty Images) /

NBA champions are easily remembered, but some pretty great teams fell just one step short of the ultimate goal between 2000-2019.

When you think of the words NBA Finals, what comes to mind? The winners obviously, and after that probably trying to remember who the Finals MVP was. After that, well it is the individual moments that are unique to each season, and to each fan.

LeBron James getting that first title automatically brings us back to 2012, while what the Toronto Raptors accomplished in 2019 will not be forgotten quickly. Indeed, through the quirk of a forced stoppage to this season, they are currently the reigning champs. Then it is onto the little things. Those goggles people wear so they don’t get champagne in their eyes, that kind of stuff.

More from NBA

What about the losers though? The organizations that came really close to winning it all. Some of these finals series are closer than others, but either way whichever team finishes second is cast aside as one that couldn’t get over the top, despite the fact that up to that point they clearly had an excellent season.

Why don’t we shine more of a light on these teams? Obviously, because they didn’t win, but in some ways, their stories are more interesting because of the near misses the represent. We know the Los Angeles Lakers won a three-peat from 2000-2002, but who did they beat in the NBA Finals in the process?

Well now is their chance to get a bit of love. To look back with fondness on these franchises for getting to the final round of the highest level of basketball competition. In fact, we’re going to look at the top five teams from the last two decades, ranking them on how good they were, popularity at the time and how close they actually came to winning that series.