Winning an NBA championship is arguably the biggest goal in the sport of basketball. However, given that it’s the most coveted trophy in the sport, there’s no question that the difficulty of winning a championship is immeasurable. In fact, winning a Larry O'Brien not only requires the best players of the game, but it also requires other ingredients including team chemistry, the right system, and great front-office decision-making. For this piece, let’s rank the most difficult championship runs in NBA history.
10. 2019-2020 Los Angeles Lakers
With the COVID-19 pandemic hitting the entire world, there wasn’t a lot more distracting off the court than dealing with a virus that has taken the lives of millions. Nevertheless, that didn’t stop LeBron James and the Lakers from getting business done in the NBA Bubble.
The top-seeded 52-19 Lakers finished the Damien Lillard-led Blazers in five games, before dispatching the Rockets who were led by James Harden and Russell Westbrook. They also ran past Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets before winning it all at the expense of Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat.
9. 2020-2021 Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks hadn't won an NBA championship in 50 years. However, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the team weren't letting fans wait any longer. In the first round, the Bucks easily swept the defending Eastern Conference champs in the Miami Heat.
Afterward, the Bucks faced a loaded Nets team led by Kevin Durant and James Harden. Nevertheless, Giannis and the Bucks weathered KD’s hot shooting and dispatched them in seven games. They would go on to finish the Hawks in six games.
In the NBA Finals, The Greek Freak proved to be too much for the Suns as he exploded for 50 points in the championship-clinching game. It’s worth noting that he did this despite suffering a knee injury in the postseason.
8. 2004-2005 San Antonio Spurs
After missing the Finals during the previous year, the Spurs wanted to improve their finish. They defeated the Nuggets in five games, the Supersonics in six, and the Suns in five. The Spurs would go on to face the defending champions in the Detroit Pistons. But despite the series going for a grueling seven games, the Spurs would prevail with Tim Duncan named as the Finals MVP.
7. 1992-1993 Chicago Bulls
Anytime you’re closing in on a three-peat, there’s a huge target behind your back. Nevertheless, Michael Jordan and the Bulls didn’t mind. They swept the Hawks in three games before taking care of business against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
And despite facing a 60-22 Knicks squad led by Patrick Ewing, the Bulls fended them off in six games. Although the Charles Barkley-led Suns were a formidable squad, the Bulls won the NBA championship at their expense after six grueling games.
6. 2001-2002 Los Angeles Lakers
Winning a three-peat of your own is a challenge, but that’s what Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal were up for. After securing the titles in 2000 and 2001, the Lakers faced the cream of the crop in the wild Western Conference. They swept a gritty Blazers squad before sending Vlade Divac and Chris Webber home with the Kings with another sweep. The Lakers continued their sweeping duties against the formidable San Antonio Spurs which had David Robinson and Tim Duncan.
Although they finally suffered a loss in the NBA Finals against Allen Iverson and the Sixers, the duo of Shaq and Kobe would give L.A. a three-peat to enjoy.
5. 1994-1995 Houston Rockets
With Michael Jordan out of the NBA, the championship was finally up for grabs. But despite every team wanting to take the window of opportunity, it was Hakeem Olajuwon and the Rockets that emerged victorious. The Rockets took out the best in the West by eliminating Karl Malone and the Jazz in the first round. Furthermore, they followed it up with a victory over Charles Barkley and the Suns before wrapping up the Western Conference with a victory over David Robinson’s Spurs.
Afterward in a goliath Finals matchup against Shaquille O’Neal, the Rockets would sweep the Magic to become one of only two franchises to win an NBA title during the decade.
4. 1997-1998 Chicago Bulls
Winning a three-peat is already a major accomplishment. However, Jordan’s return saw the Bulls going for another. After Jordan’s return, the Bulls returned to their three-peat form, winning titles in 1996 and 1997. With the Bulls giving it all in their Last Dance, they took care of business. In the East, the Bulls dispatched the Nets and the Hornets pretty easily. Although they struggled against Reggie Miller and the Pacers, Jordan, and the Bulls did enough to escape the Pacers in seven games.
Moreover, the NBA Finals saw Michael Jordan hit the iconic game-winning jumper to seal the three-peat for the Bulls at the expense of the Utah Jazz in six games.
3. 2003-2004 Detroit Pistons
The Pistons were pretty much formidable on defense. As a result, they easily got past the Bucks, Nets, and Pacers in the Eastern Conference. But upon arriving at the NBA Finals, the Pistons faced a star-studded Lakers that featured Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Karl Malone, and Gary Payton.
But despite the talent differential, the Pistons found a way to finish them in five games. With team-oriented defense and superb ball movement, the Pistons emerged victorious as the underdogs of the series.
2. 2010-2011 Dallas Mavericks
Beating a superteam in a seven-game series is difficult, but facing other championship contenders before the series is unimaginable. However, it was made possible by Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks in 2011. The Mavs took care of business in the first round by beating LaMarcus Aldridge and the Blazers in six. Afterward, the Mavs swept the defending champs in the Lakers, led by Kobe Bryant.
After two formidable matchups, the Mavs weren’t done as they dispatched Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook’s Thunder in five games. The Mavs would go on to make history by winning the franchise’s first NBA championship at the expense of The Big Three in Miami which was spearheaded by LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh.
1. 2015-2016 Cleveland Cavaliers
During this time, LeBron James was the King of the Eastern Conference. In the 2016 playoffs, James and the Cavs only suffered two losses in the Eastern Conference. However, what made their playoff hunt the most difficult in history was the magnitude of their NBA Finals journey. Down 1-3 in the NBA Finals against a historic 73-win Warriors squad, James and the Cavs did the impossible by climbing out of the hole to become the first NBA team to do so in the grandest stage of them all. Furthermore, the Cavs finally earned their first NBA championship at the expense of the heavily favored Warriors dynasty.
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