Has a Team Ever Been Swept in the NBA Finals?
Contents
It’s hard to believe, but it’s possible that a team could get swept in the NBA Finals. Here’s a look at some of the previous Finals series where one team dominated the other.
Introduction
In order to understand how often a team has been swept in the NBA Finals, it is important to first understand what a sweep is. A sweep occurs when one team wins all four games in a best-of-seven series. This can happen in the first four games, known as a four-game sweep, or in the first five games, known as a five-game sweep.
It is exceedingly rare for a team to be swept in the NBA Finals. In fact, it has only happened twice in the history of the NBA: once in 2007 when the San Antonio Spurs swept the Cleveland Cavaliers, and again in 2017 when the Golden State Warriors swept the Cavs.
Given that there have only been two sweeps in nearly 70 years of NBA Finals action, it’s safe to say that it is unlikely we will see another one anytime soon.
What is a Sweep in the NBA Finals?
In the NBA Finals, a sweep is when one team wins all four games in the series. This has only happened five times in NBA history. The last time it happened was in 2007, when the San Antonio Spurs swept the Cleveland Cavaliers.
What Happens When a Team is Swept in the NBA Finals?
When one team wins all four games in the NBA Finals, it is known as a sweep. This has only happened 11 times in the history of the NBA, with the most recent occurrence being in 2018 when the Golden State Warriors swept the Cleveland Cavaliers. If a team is swept in the Finals, they are not only eliminated from the playoffs but also do not receive a single win for their efforts.
Has There Ever Been a Sweep in the NBA Finals?
In an NBA Finals Sweep, one team wins all four games. It has only happened four times in NBA history. The last time it happened was in 2007, when the San Antonio Spurs swept the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Most Recent Sweep in the NBA Finals
In 2007, the San Antonio Spurs swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. The Spurs won the first game by a score of 85-76, and then went on to win games two and three by scores of 103-92 and 96-95, respectively. This was the first sweep in the NBA Finals since 1999, when the Spurs swept the New York Knicks.
Why There Hasn’t Been a Sweep in the NBA Finals
An NBA Finals sweep is when one team wins all four games in the series. It has happened 11 times in NBA history, but not since 2007. The last time a team was swept in the Finals was when the San Antonio Spurs swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2007.
Since then, there have been a number of close calls. In 2012, the Miami Heat took a 3-0 lead against the Oklahoma City Thunder, but lost Game 4. The Thunder would go on to win Game 5 and make it a series again. In 2016, the Cavaliers were down 3-1 to the Golden State Warriors, but came back to win Games 5-7 and take the title.
It’s been close, but no team has been able to finish off a sweep in the NBA Finals since 2007.
Conclusion
The answer to this question is a resounding yes. In fact, it has happened quite often. In the history of the NBA, there have been 35 instances where a team has been swept in the Finals. That means that out of a possible 70 Finals appearances, nearly 50% of them have ended in a sweep. The most recent example came just last year, when the Golden State Warriors swept the Cleveland Cavaliers.
