The Top Five NBA Rivals

The Top Five NBA Rivals of All Time
1. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics
2. Chicago Bulls vs. Detroit Pistons
3. Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks
4. Houston Rockets vs. San Antonio Spurs
5. Golden State Warriors vs. Los Angeles Clippers

The Top Five NBA Rivalries

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional men’s Basketball League in North America composed of 30 teams. It is one of the four major North American professional sports leagues, the other three being Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Football League (NFL), and the National Hockey League (NHL). The NBA is widely considered to be the premier men’s Professional Basketball league in the world.

The NBA rivalries are some of the most intense in all of professional sports The league has seen rivalries form between players, coaches, and even entire fanbases. Here are the top five NBA rivalries of all time.

1. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics

This rivalry is arguably the greatest in all of professional sports The Lakers and Celtics have met a record 12 times in the NBA Finals with each team winning six championships apiece. The two teams have also dominated the regular season over the years, with each team winning over 60 percent of their games against each other. The Lakers-Celtics rivalry is one that has stood the test of time and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

2. Chicago Bulls vs. Detroit Pistons

This rivalry was born out of intense physicality and bad blood between the two teams during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The Pistons were known for their “physical” style of play, which often resulted in them fouling opponents hard and causing injuries. The Bulls were led by superstar Michael Jordan who was often the target of these fouls. This led to a heated rivalry between the two teams that culminated in several heated playoff battles during those years, with each team winning two championships apiece during that time period.

3. New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers

This is a newer rivalry that has developed over the past few seasons between these two teams. The Knicks and Pacers have met in the playoffs three times since 2013, with each team winning one series apiece. However, it is their off-court confrontations that have really captured headlines and made this atrue rivalry. In 2014, Knicks star Carmelo Anthony got into a fight with Pacers player Lance Stephenson, which led to a mediation meeting between Anthony and Stephenson’s mother! In 2017, Knicks player Enes Kanter got into an on-court altercation with Pacers player Domantas Sabonis after Kanter fouled him hard on a layup attempt; Kanter then proceeded to call Sabonis’ mother “a dictators [sic] whore” on Twitter! This is clearly a heated rivalry that is only going to get more intense as these two teams continue to meet in high-stakes matchups both on and off the court.

The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers

The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers are two of the most successful teams in NBA history They have met in the Finals a total of 12 times, with the Celtics winning nine of those series. The Lakers have won the last three meetings, however, including the most recent one in 2010.

These two teams have a long-standing rivalry that dates back to the 1960s, when they were the two dominant teams of that era. The rivalry was intensified in the 1980s when they met in the Finals four times, with the Lakers winning three of those series.

more recently, the two teams have not been as successful as they once were. The Celtics have not made it to the Finals since 2010, while the Lakers have not made it since 2013. However, both teams are currently rebuildin g and there is a possibility that they could meet in the Finals again in the near future.

The Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons

The Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls are two of the most successful teams in NBA history They have met in the playoffs eight times, with the Pistons winning six of those series. The rivalry began in the late 1980s when the Pistons were the dominant team in the Eastern Conference and the Bulls were a young up-and-coming team. The two teams met in the playoffs four times between 1988 and 1991, with the Pistons winning three of those series. The rivalry was renewed in the late 1990s when both teams were among the best in the NBA. They met in the playoffs three times between 1998 and 2002, with each team winning one series.

The Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks

The Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks have been divisional rivals since the 1970s, and the two teams have met each other in the playoffs numerous times. The Pacers and Knicks have also had some of the biggest stars in NBA history on their respective rosters, which has only added to the intensity of their rivalry. In recent years though, the Pacers have struggled to compete with the Knicks, who have won three division titles in a row.

The Miami Heat and New York Knicks

The Miami Heat and New York Knicks rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Miami Heat and the New York Knicks The two teams have met four times in the NBA playoffs with the Heat winning in 1997 and 2012, and the Knicks winning in 1999 and 2000. They also met in the 2006 Eastern Conference First Round, which was won by the Heat. Their most recent playoff meeting was in the 2012 Eastern Conference Semifinals, which the Heat won in 5 games.

The Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers

The Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers have a long-standing rivalry that dates back to the 1970s. The two teams have met in the playoffs 11 times, with the Sixers winning eight of those series.

The most recent playoff meeting between the two teams came in 2001, when Allen Iverson and the Sixers took down Ray Allen and the Bucks in seven games.

The rivalry cooled off in the early 2000s as both teams struggled, but it was rekindled in 2007 when then-Bucks star Michael Redd called out then-Sixers star Andre Iguodala for not being tough enough.

The Bucks and Sixers have been two of the best teams in the NBA over the past few seasons, so there is a good chance we will see them face off in the playoffs again soon. And with young stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid leading the way, this rivalry is only going to get more heated in the years to come.

The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs

The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs have developed a rivalry over the past few years that has been punctuated by some memorable moments. The two teams have met in the playoffs four times since 2012, with the Spurs winning three of those series.

The most recent playoff meeting between these two teams came in 2016, when the Thunder edged out the Spurs in a thrilling seven-game series. That victory helped propel the Thunder to the NBA Finals where they ultimately lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers

Each team has won a championship since this rivalry began, with the Thunder taking home the title in 2012 and the Spurs winning it all in 2014. With both teams currently near the top of the Western Conference standings, it seems likely that we will see these two squads square off again in this year’s playoffs.

The Phoenix Suns and Seattle SuperSonics

The Seattle SuperSonics and the Phoenix Suns have a long-standing rivalry that began in the 1970s. The two teams have met in the playoffs five times, with the Suns winning three of those series. The animosity between the two fanbases was at its peak in the 1993 NBA Finals when the Suns defeated the Sonics in six games.

The Suns and Sonics were two of the most successful teams in the NBA during the 1980s and early 1990s. They were both led by star players with the Suns featuring Hall of Fame guard Paul Westphal and forward Walter Davis, and the Sonics boasting All-Star center Shawn Kemp and guard Gary Payton

The rivalry was put on hold when the Sonics relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008, but it was resurrected when the Suns faced off against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2010 Western Conference Finals. The Thunder, which inherited the SuperSonics’ history, beat the Suns in six games en route to their first NBA Finals appearance.

The Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz

The rivalry between the Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz is one of the most heated in the NBA. The two teams have been division rivals since 1974, and the competition between them has only intensified over the years.

One of the biggest reasons for the intensity of this rivalry is the fact that the two teams are often fighting for supremacy in the Western Conference In recent years both teams have been among the top contenders for a spot in the NBA Finals and they have frequently met in playoff matchups.

The Blazers and Jazz also share a intense history, as some of the most iconic moments in Portland’s franchise history have come at the expense of Utah. For example, in 1992, Portland’s Clyde Drexler hit a crucial buzzer-beater to eliminate the Jazz from the playoffs. In 2001, Portland’s Damon Stoudamire hit a game-winning three-pointer to give his team a victory over Utah in Game 7 of their playoff series.

In recent years though, it has been Utah who has had more success against Portland. The Jazz have won four straight games against the Blazers dating back to 2016, and they have also won four of their last five playoff matchups against Portland.

With both teams currently near the top of the Western Conference standings, it seems likely that this rivalry will continue to heat up in the coming years.

The Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers

The intense rivalry between the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers exists for many reasons. Firstly, the Kings are situated only hours away from LA, meaning that the fan bases are often in close proximity to one another. Secondly, the teams have been involved in some memorable games and encounters over the years – from on-court fights to dramatic playoff battles. Lastly, the Lakers have historically been one of the most successful teams in the NBA, while the Kings have often been viewed as underdogs – another factor that has added fuel to the fire.