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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) /
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Philadelphia 76ers
NBA (Photo by JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images) /

2. 2001 Philadelphia 76ers

Another legacy hampered by the Lakers, this time the 2001 Philadelphia 76ers were the victims. As talent goes, this is the weakest roster on this list. What they lack in that area they more than make up for in terms of popularity and perhaps not for how close they came to winning the series, but certainly how much they were willed on by casual and diehards alike.

The legend of Allen Iverson was at its peak by this point. He was the biggest icon in the league since Jordan left. Iverson had ushered in a new style, a new attitude, and solidified the perceived bond between hip-hop and basketball. To do all that at a height of 6’0″ was incredible, the way he threw himself into the paint with reckless abandon against giants inspiring.

That team was a bit more than just Iverson though, with former defensive standout Dikembe Mutombo added to the roster before the deadline that year. He was 34 at that point, although given that he was an All-Star and would play until he was 42, he was probably closer to his prime years than we all remember.

In terms of iconic moments that the series gave us, that Iverson step over Tyronn Lue is among the most famous in the history of the league. The disrespect, the pure cheek, was the very embodiment of what Iverson represented in a single moment.

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It may seem ridiculous to put it this way, but even winning a game against that Lakers team was an achievement in itself. The fact it was Game 1 in Los Angeles made us all believe for a minute that perhaps the impossible might just happen. It ultimately didn’t happen of course, with three of the next four Lakers wins being decided by 10 points or more.

Of every player to never win a title, Iverson is perhaps the saddest. He meant so much to the city of Philadelphia, and the league, as we didn’t realize in 2001 that he would never get to that stage again when it seemed a formality. They also place so highly here because, despite not winning, they are talked about just as much as the victors, a rarity in the NBA.