The Lowest Seed to Win The NBA Finals: Underdogs on Top!

• Year: 1995
• Finals MVP: Hakeem Olajuwon
• Head Coach: Rudy Tomjanovich
• Opponent Defeated: Orlando Magic

The Houston Rockets team was famously nicknamed 'Clutch City' in the 90's because of how often they found themselves coming up big in close games. When Michael Jordan retired in 1993 the Rockets knew their window was open to snag a few titles, and they did just that, winning it all in 1994 before trading for hall of fame guard Clyde Drexler.

However, Drexler was aging and the team struggled in the regular season. The Rockets found themselves as the sixth seed in the West despite having one of the most stacked rosters in the playoffs. Standing in their way off a championship out of the East was a young Shaquille O'Neal and the Orlando Magic, who the Rockets disposed of in four games. No seed lower than six has ever won an NBA championship.

• Year: 1969
• Finals MVP: Jerry West
• Head Coach: Bill Russell
• Opponent Defeated: Los Angeles Lakers

There is no greater dynasty in sports than the Bill Russell led Celtics. Russell helped take the Celtics to an incredible 11 championships as a player and coach. The lowest seed he won a title with was as a player/coach in the 1969 NBA Finals. The Celtics were severally undermanned against a stacked Los Angeles Lakers roster.

This was already a fierce rivalry and both teams were familiar with each other, having faced off in the finals before. The series ended up going to seven games and despite a 42-point performance from Lakers guard Jerry West, the Celtics emerged victorious. Seeing Bill Russell and John Havlicek embrace after the game is still one of the most inspiring moments to ever come from the NBA.

• Year: 2022
• Finals MVP: Stephen Curry
• Head Coach: Steve Kerr
• Opponent Defeated: Boston Celtics

The 2022 NBA finals gave us a multitude of incredible moments, including the third lowest seed to ever win in the Finals. The Warriors came back from basketball purgatory and nearly had their entire 2016 roster back and healthy. They coasted through the regular season and entered the postseason as the #3 seed.

They made light work of the West, taking out the Dallas Mavericks in five games in the Conference Finals. What stood in their way was a hungry Boston Celtics team poised to establish themselves as the NBA's next dynasty. Stephen Curry and the Warriors proved to be too much and they took out the Celtics in six games, securing Curry his first Finals MVP award.

• Year: 2011
• Finals MVP: Dirk Nowitzki
• Head Coach: Rick Carlisle
• Opponent Defeated: Miami Heat

The 2011 Dallas Mavericks NBA championship may be the single greatest run in the modern NBA's history. The Mavs took out the up-and-coming sixth-seeded Portland Trailblazers in round 1 before facing off against Kobe and the two-seeded Lakers, sweeping them aside with relative ease. In the conference finals, they beat a stacked Oklahoma City Thunder team in five games that featured a big three of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden.

What stood in the way in the finals was the 'Heatles', arguably the greatest big three ever assembled in LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. Miraculously the Mavericks emerged victorious in six games and Dirk Nowitzki won his first and only Finals MVP award.

• Year: 2007
• Finals MVP: Tony Parker
• Head Coach: Greg Popovich
• Opponent Defeated: Cleveland Cavaliers

Tony Parker cemented his career as a hall of fame point guard after his incredible performance throughout the 2007 NBA playoffs. The Spurs were already sitting on three championships entering the 2006-07 season and coasted their way through the regular season, finishing the year 58-25 and securing the third seed in the West.

After making their way through the Western Conference, the Spurs faced off against a young LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals. They proved to be no problem for the veteran Spurs, who swept the Cavs in four straight games. Tony Parker took home his first and only Finals MVP after averaging 24.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists.