What Teams Are Left in the NBA Playoffs?

The NBA playoffs are down to the final four teams. Who will make it to the championship?

Eastern Conference

The Eastern Conference playoffs are down to the last four teams: the Milwaukee Bucks, the Toronto Raptors, the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Boston Celtics. All four teams have a chance to make it to the NBA Finals, but only two will make it out of the conference. Who will make it to the Finals?

Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are an American professional basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of the league’s original eight teams, the team play their home games at TD Garden, which they share with the National Hockey League (NHL)’s Boston Bruins. The Celtics are one of the most successful teams in NBA history; they have won 21 league championships, more than any other NBA franchise, and own the record for the most recorded wins of any NBA team.

Toronto Raptors

The Toronto Raptors are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario. The Raptors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member club of the league’s Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. They play their home games at the Scotiabank Arena, which they share with the National Hockey League’s Toronto Maple Leafs. The team was established in 1995 as part of the NBA’s expansion into Canada, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies. Since their debut, the Raptors have finished as runners-up once (in 2001), won five division championships (in 2007, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2018), and have qualified for nine playoff appearances.

Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers (usually referred to as the Sixers) are an American professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 and originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest teams in the NBA, and one of only eight (out of 23) to survive from the league’s inaugural season.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Eastern Conference Central Division. The team began play as an expansion team in 1970, along with the Portland Trail Blazers and Buffalo Braves. Home games were first held at Cleveland Arena from 1970 to 1974, followed by the Richfield Coliseum from 1974 to 1994. Since 1994, the Cavs have played their home games at Quicken Loans Arena in downtown Cleveland, which is shared with the Cleveland Gladiators of the arena football league. Dan Gilbert has owned the team since March 2005.

The Cavaliers opened their inaugural season losing their first 15 games and struggled in their early years, placing no better than sixth in the Eastern Conference during their first five seasons. The team won their first Central Division title in 1976, which also marked their first playoff appearance in franchise history, where they advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals. The franchise was sold to Ted Stepien in 1980. Stepien’s tenure as owner was marked by six consecutive losing seasons from 1981–82 to 1986–87, culminating in a 16-66 record overall (.195 winning percentage), the worst regular season record ever recorded by an NBA team that played at least 70 games in a season for over 30 years until it was broken by the 2009–10 New Jersey Nets who posted an 18-64 (.220) record just one year earlier under owner Mikhail Prokhorov who owned them for only one year before he sold them two years later when they moved to Brooklyn where they now play as part of his business enterprise Onexim Sports & Entertainment group where he is also majority shareholder and Chairman of that company as well which includes other sports teams like Barclays Center home arena of NHL’s New York Islanders who are co-owned by Wang and Prokhorov who owns 80% controlling interest while Wang owns 20% minority stake, Grandstanding General Partner & Governor Steve Pagliuca & CEO wannabe Wyc Grousbeck own controlling interest (68%) of NBA Boston Celtics respectively., Bruce Cassidy is current head coach & Ron Hextall is current GM respectively of NHL’s Boston Bruins which are owned by Jeremy Jacobs’ Delaware North Companies., Jeff Vanderbeek currently owns NHL’s New Jersey Devils but may sell due largely to mounting debt and failing personal finances for nearly 3 years ever since he bought them from previous long time ownership group headed by John McMullen who owned them nearly 20 years up until 2004 just 2 years after Devils won there most recent Stanley Cup championship since 2003 before leaving Devils organization since being passed up twice for GM position being given 1st time around to Lou Lamoriello and 2nd time around not so much as current ownership group back then wanted Vanderbeek to be more hands on learning ropes before giving him proverbial keys to franchise rather they preferred someone with more experience like Lamoriello (who actually started out working under previous Devils ownership group handling scouting duties way back when they were still based out at Meadowlands Sports Complex sharing NJ home with then NBA Nets & NHL Flyers) but I digress., Josh Harris along with partner David Blitzer currently own controlling interest (80%) of NBA Philadelphia 76ers & NHL Philadelphia Flyers respectively., Ron Burkle currently owns NHL Pittsburgh Penguins., Glen Taylor currently owns NBA Minnesota Timberwolves respectively.

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Western Conference

There are only four teams left in the Western Conference of the NBA Playoffs. The Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, and Utah Jazz. All four teams have been playing amazing basketball and it has been a great Conference Finals.

Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets are a professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its home games at the Toyota Center, located in downtown Houston. The Rockets have won two NBA championships and four Western Conference titles. The team was established as the San Diego Rockets, an expansion team originally based in San Diego, in 1967. In 1971, the Rockets moved to Houston.

The Rockets won only 15 games in their debut season as a franchise in 1967. In the 1968 NBA draft, the Rockets, picking first overall, selected power forward Elvin Hayes, who would lead the team to its first playoff appearance in his rookie season. The Rockets did not finish a season with a winning record until the 1976–77 campaign when they traded for center Moses Malone. Malone went on to win the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award twice and led Houston to the conference finals in his first year with the team. He helped the Rockets get to the 1981 NBA Finals. In 1984, he was traded to Philadelphia where he won his second MVP award and led his new team to an appearance in the NBA Finals.

Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco, California. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league’s Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 1946 in Philadelphia, the Warriors relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area in 1962 and took the city’s name, before changing its geographic moniker to Golden State in 1971. They play their home games at the Chase Center.

The Warriors won the NBA Finals in 1947, 1956, 1975, 2015, 2017, and 2018. With the exceptions of 1974 and 1975, when they were based in San Diego but failed to make the playoffs after arriving back in Oakland at decade’s end despite strong showings (a 46–36 win–loss record in 1974–75), the franchise has only missed the playoffs four times while playing out of Oakland (1993–94 until 1996–97). These misses included a one-year drought from 1999 until 2000 when they returned to Oakland after playing several seasons at San Jose Arena (now SAP Center) in San Jose as well as a three-year absence from 2013 until 2016 before relocating to San Francisco following 45 seasons out of Oakland since returning from San Diego at decade’s end due to arena issues. Between 1959 and 1962, four such seasons were played out of Kezar Pavilion South; between 1963 and 1965 one season was played at Candlestick Park; and finally for two final seasons (1966–67 & 1967–68) between 1968 at Oakland Coliseum Arena where they would reside permanently upon returning home for good following their second stint as tenants of The Cow Palace prior to clinching their first NBA Finals appearance against eventual Eastern Conference winners Philadelphia 76ers following an impressive 48–34 regular season win-loss record that saw them qualify for post-season citing their then tied fourth place ranking standing with Chicago Bulls whom they already defeated four times out of six match-ups that campaign en route winning Game 7 ona come back buzzer beater by Jerry West..

The Warriors hold several NBA records. They are commonly known as one of three teams – along with two other teams located geographically close by – who have never missed a season since entrance into either NBA or BAA/NBA (the former having absorbed many NBL franchises since 1949), with all three teams having been founded during or shortly after World War II: this particular feat is collectively known as “The California Triumvirate”. They reached eight consecutive NBA Finals appearances – behind only Boston Celtics’ record run of ten – tied with Los Angeles Lakers (1947–1954); appeared a record five times consecutively on Christmas Day games; made 10 straight playoff appearances; won 11 consecutive 50+ win seasons – tied with Miami Heat for second behind only Celtics’ 13; became just seventh team ever to complete “three-peat”; posted best single regular season campaigns by winning percentage en route securing 16 NBA titles tops all other North American major league sports franchises including National Football League’s Green Bay Packers whom also have 13 NFL championships followed by Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees whom have 27 World Series titles; set best regular season campaign en route clinching 73 wins during 2015–16 campaign – a new league historical mark that currently remains unbroken.. Other notable achievements include winning their first 24 games en route starting off 38–4 during 2014–15 regular season which eventually lead them capturing their first championship title since 1975 by defeating Cleveland Cavaliers whom also set an NBA Finals record themselves that same post-season losing just two games throughout entire playoff run., As mentioned earlier..

Utah Jazz

The Utah Jazz are a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Western Conference Northwest Division. Since 1991, the team has played its home games at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The franchise began play as the New Orleans Buccaneers in the expansion season of 1967–68. In 1974, the franchise relocated to Salt Lake City due to significant financial difficulties. The Jazz were one of the least successful teams in the league in their early years, but things began to turn around after stockholder Larry Miller bought the team in 1985.

The Jazz went on to qualify for the NBA Playoffs eleven times under Miller’s ownership, including two trips to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998. However, since 2003, the team has struggled to find success on both the court and at the box office, with only six playoff appearances and four seasons with a winning record. In 2012, Forbes valued the Jazz at $356 million, making them the fifth least-valuable franchise in the NBA at that time. On June 7, 2016, Miller sold the majority interest in Huntsman Family Investments to Ryan Smith for $140 million; multiple reports indicated Smith would be taking over full operational control of management of business affairs for basketball decisions by August 10.

Oklahoma City Thunder

The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball team based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Thunder compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Western Conference Northwest Division. The team plays its home games at Chesapeake Energy Arena.

The Thunder were previously known as the Seattle SuperSonics, an expansion team that joined the NBA for the 1967–68 season. The SuperSonics relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008 after a dispute between owner Clay Bennett and lawmakers in Seattle, Washington.