4 stories · about 23 minutes
Finals: Dynasties and Comebacks
The NBA Finals reward two very different kinds of greatness. Some teams win year after year until winning feels routine; others win once, against the odds, in a series they should have lost. This journey moves between both: the Celtics dynasty that set the standard, Michael Jordan closing out a second three-peat, a Spurs team turning heartbreak into one of the best Finals performances ever, and the first comeback from 3–1 down.
Covers: NBA Finals from the 1950s to 2016. It does not cover every champion — the full list is in the history section.
0 of 4 steps done on this device · next: Eleven Rings: Bill Russell and the Art of Winning
- 1Eleven Rings: Bill Russell and the Art of Winning
Start with the benchmark: eleven titles in thirteen seasons and what a dynasty actually looks like.
4 min read
- 2The Last Shot: Michael Jordan's Final Act in Chicago
A dynasty's final night: how the Bulls closed out their sixth title in eight years.
3 min read
- 3From Heartbreak to the Beautiful Game: The Spurs, the Heat and Two Finals
Two Finals, one year apart — losing in seconds, then answering with near-perfect team basketball.
4 min read
- 4Down 3–1: How the 2016 Cavaliers Pulled Off the Greatest Finals Comeback
The other kind of champion: down 3–1 against a 73-win team, and still winning.
4 min read