The NBA's current postseason showcases four teams, each with a unique championship drought. The Indiana Pacers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Minnesota Timberwolves, and New York Knicks are all aiming for their first title in decades. With varying histories, including the Knicks' last championship in 1973 and the Timberwolves' absence from the Finals, this year's playoffs signify a break from previous dynasties. Coaches note the unprecedented openness of the competition, suggesting a heightened opportunistic spirit among teams as they vie for the championship.
"It's one of the most wide open years that we've seen," Indiana head coach Rick Carlisle said after the Pacers' series-clinching win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. "We've got to look at this thing as just being very opportunistic."
The NBA has long struggled with parity. Since the 1980s, one dynasty has often simply given way to another from the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers to the Chicago Bulls... But those numbers have plateaued since 2019, when the Toronto Raptors unseated the Golden State Warriors.
Oklahoma City hasn't tasted the title series since 2012 and if you count the achievements of the Seattle SuperSonics before the team moved to Oklahoma in 2008, then the Thunder are the most recent remaining franchise to win it all, with a title in 1979.
The New York Knicks have not taken the title since 1973, and it's been more than 25 years since they reached the Finals.
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