The Best NBA Rivalries of All Time

From the storied history of the Celtics and Lakers, to the more modern day beefs between the Warriors and Rockets, here are the best NBA rivalries of all time.

The Boston Celtics vs. The Los Angeles Lakers

The Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers have been two of the most successful NBA teams of all time. They have won a combined 33 championships, and their rivalry is one of the most iconic in all of sports.

The two teams first met in the NBA Finals in 1959, with the Celtics coming out on top. The two teams would meet again in the Finals in 1962, 1965, 1968, and 1969, with the Celtics winning each time. In 1972, the Lakers finally broke through and won their first championship against the Celtics.

The two teams would meet again in the Finals in 1980, with the Lakers winning in six games. The rivalry reached its peak in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when they met in the Finals three times consecutively from 1984 to 1988, with the Lakers winning twice and the Celtics once.

Since then, the two teams have only met once in the Finals, in 2008, with the Celtics winning in six games. Even though they have not met recently in the Finals, their rivalry is still considered to be one of best of all time.

The Chicago Bulls vs. The Detroit Pistons

The Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons have been bitter rivals since the 1980s, when they dominated the NBA together. The Pistons were known for their “Bad Boys” style of play, which was physical and often resulted in flagrant fouls The Bulls, on the other hand, were led by superstars Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen The two teams met in the playoffs several times, with the Pistons usually coming out on top. However, the Bulls finally got revenge in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals, when they beat the Pistons in a thrilling seven-game series.

The Indiana Pacers vs. The New York Knicks

The Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks have a long-standing rivalry that has been dubbed the “Cornrows vs. Hip Hop” rivalry. The two teams have met in the playoffs six times, with the Knicks winning five of those series.

The most recent meeting between the two teams was in the 1999 Eastern Conference Finals which the Knicks won in six games. That series is best remembered for the infamous “Malice at the Palace” fight, which resulted in numerous suspensions and heavy fines for both teams.

The Pacers and the Knicks have not met in the playoffs since then, but their rivalry is still considered to be one of the best in the NBA.

The Miami Heat vs. The New York Knicks

The Miami Heat and the New York Knicks are no strangers to each other. The two teams have met a total of 4 times in the NBA Finals with the Heat winning 3 of those meetings. The most recent Finals meeting between these two teams was in 1997, when the Heat won in 5 games.

This rivalry started back in the 1987-88 season, when Patrick Ewing made his debut for the Knicks. Ewing quickly became one of the best players in the league, and led the Knicks to many successful seasons. The Knicks and the Heat would often meet in the playoffs during this time period, with neither team able to gain a decisive advantage over the other.

The rivalry intensified in 1996, when Pat Riley left his position as Head Coach of the Knicks to become head coach of the Heat. Riley had been extremely successful with the Knicks, leading them to 6 straight playoff appearances. He was replaced by Jeff Van Gundy who would go on to have success with the team as well.

In 1997, Van Gundy’s first year as Head Coach the Knicks finally broke through and defeated the Heat in 5 games to win their first NBA title since 1973. The two teams met again in 1998, with Miami exacting revenge by winning in 5 games.

The rivalry cooled off after that, but was reinvigorated in 2012 when Lebron James decided to leave Miami and join forces with Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire on the New York Knicks James had been one of Miami’s most hated rivals during his time with Cleveland, so his decision to join New York only added fuel to the fire.

The two teams have not met in the playoffs since 2012, but there is still a lot of bad blood between them. The next time they meet will be sure to be a heated battle.

The Miami Heat vs. The Oklahoma City Thunder

The Miami Heat and the Oklahoma City Thunder have been two of the most dominant teams in the NBA over the past decade. They have met in the finals twice, with the Heat winning in 2012 and the Thunder winning in 2014. The rivalry between these two teams is intense, and each matchup is highly anticipated by fans and analysts alike.

The San Antonio Spurs vs. The Dallas Mavericks

The San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks have been two of the most dominant teams in the NBA over the past two decades. The Spurs have won 5 championships since 1999, while the Mavericks have won 2 championships since 2011. Both teams have been perennial playoff contenders, and they have met each other in the playoffs multiple times.

The Spurs and Mavericks have a intense rivalry, that has often been described as a “brotherly rivalry”. Both teams are located in Texas, which makes the rivalry even more intense. The fans of both teams are very passionate about their team, and the games between these two teams are always must-see TV.

The Toronto Raptors vs. The Brooklyn Nets

The Toronto Raptors and the Brooklyn Nets have been two of the best teams in the NBA over the past few years. They have met in the playoffs multiple times, and the rivalry between them is only getting stronger.

The Raptors are one of the most successful teams in NBA history and they have always had a strong rivalry with the Nets. The two teams first met in the playoffs in 2014, when the Raptors won in seven games. The Nets Won the next meeting in 2015, but the Raptors got revenge in 2016, winning in six games.

The two teams met again in the playoffs in 2018, and this time, it was the Nets who came out on top, winning in seven games. The most recent meeting between these two teams was in 2019, when the Raptors won again, this time in five games.

There is no doubt that these two teams dislike each other, and they are sure to meet again in the playoffs soon.

The Utah Jazz vs. The Houston Rockets

The Utah Jazz and the Houston Rockets have been fierce rivals since the early days of their franchises. The two teams have met in the playoffs 11 times, with the Jazz winning nine of those series. The most recent playoff meeting came in 2018, when the Jazz swept the Rockets in the first round.

The Jazz and the Rockets have played each other twice in the NBA Finals with the Jazz winning both times. The first meeting came in 1997, when the Jazz defeated the Rockets 4-2 to win their first NBA Championship The second Finals meeting came in 1998, when the Jazz again defeated the Rockets 4-2 to win their second consecutive NBA Championship

The rivalry between the Jazz and the Rockets is one of the most heated in all of sports. It’s a rivalry that is sure to continue for many years to come.

The Washington Wizards vs. The Indiana Pacers

The Washington Wizards and Indiana Pacers have had some epic battles over the years. From playoff series to heated regular season matchups, these two teams have always brought out the best in each other. Here are some of the highlights of this great NBA rivalry:

-The Wizards and Pacers have met in the playoffs four times, with the Pacers winning three of those series.
-In 2014, the two teams had a heated seven-game series that saw five technical fouls and two Flagrant fouls
-In 2017, tempers flared again when Pacers player Lance Stephenson blew in Wizards player Otto Porter’s ear during a game.
-The 2018 season saw the two teams square off three times, with each team winning once. The most memorable moment from those games was when Pacers player Victor Oladipo hit a game-winning buzzer beater to beat the Wizards.

The Golden State Warriors vs. The Cleveland Cavaliers

There is no denying that the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers have had one of the Greatest NBA rivalries of all time.

This rivalry started in 2015 when the Warriors beat the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals The Cavaliers came back strong the following year and won the championship, but the Warriors got their revenge in 2017 by winning again.

The two teams met in the Finals for a third straight year in 2018, with the Warriors winning once again. This time, it was especially sweet for Warriors fans, as they capped off an incredible season by sweeping the Cavs.

It’s safe to say that these two teams will continue to be rivals for years to come.