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With 50 wins and 32 losses, the Dallas Mavericks completed the season because the fifth seed within the Western Convention. Then, within the 2024 playoffs, they carried their momentum and defeated three out of the top-four seeds to make the finals. And now, they’ve their one hand on the trophy. Since they’ll face the Boston Celtics, who had one of the best document within the league by a large margin, there may be doubts about their possibilities.
A peek on the historical past of how the fifth-seeded squads have carried out within the title spherical may give a short image of Luka Doncic and Co.’s possibilities. Has a Fifth-seed group ever made it to the NBA Finals earlier than?
In 2020, the Miami Warmth grew to become the primary fifth-seeded squad to crack the finals code. So, each situations of a Fifth seed making it to the championship spherical have come within the 2020s. However has a Fifth seed ever received the NBA Championship?
No. In 2020, the Warmth fell quick of their quest for his or her fourth championship because the LeBron James-led Lakers squad overpowered them in six video games.
Thus, we’re but to witness a fifth-seeded group carry the championship trophy. It may possibly deliver a pertinent query, what’s the lowest seed to win a title?
Can Luka Doncic and Co. replicate the heroics of 1995?
The Hakeem Olajuwon-led Houston Rockets had been the sixth seed after they captured the 1995 NBA title and stay the bottom seed to win an NBA ring. Throughout the 1994-95 season, the defending champions completed because the sixth seed with 47 wins and 35 losses. Nevertheless, Clyde Drexler’s addition throughout the midseason commerce deadline gave the group a much-needed backcourt increase.
After a hard-fought first-round battle towards the #2 seed Jazz, the Dream-Glide duo needed to face the Charles Barkley-led Suns within the second spherical because the collection went to seven video games. Then, the Rockets received six video games towards the Spurs to pave for a sweep towards the Shaquille O’Neal-led Orlando Magic throughout the 1995 Finals.
Other than that, solely the top-four seeds have been in a position to clinch the NBA Finals trophy. If the Mavs seize the Larry O’Brien trophy, they’ll simply be the second group beneath the fourth seed to win all of it. They will take inspiration from Hakeem Olajuwon and Co. who defended their title regardless of ending exterior the top-five berths.
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