Basketball is shooting up in popularity around the world. More international players continue to venture to the United States. When they arrive, they’re dominating. Loads of sports fanatics would testify that the five most wizarding players in the NBA weren’t even technically born and bred on American soil. Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic have been labeled the faces of the league in 2024. The popularity of the league has been spreading like scattered sugar facing an ant attack. That’s because there are great games constantly being played.
The events are taking place at the college and professional levels. One of the most riveting wins in basketball came in 2016. The Los Angeles Lakers metaphorically slaughtered the Utah Jazz. It was the culminating game of Kobe Bryant’s extraordinary Hall of Fame career. He gave fans a final performance that NBA fans still talk about today. His 60 points are the most in a final regular season game.
Another monumental win in basketball came in the college ranks. Prior to 1966, no NCAA team had started five African-American players in the championship game. The Texas Western Miners shattered stereotypes against the heavily favored Kentucky Wildcats. The Miners came out of nowhere to snatch the title. There are endless basketball historians who profess the Texas Western Miners’ win over Kentucky was the most important win in basketball history. For more basketball content, click here to read about the 18 things you didn’t know about the NBA.
To compile this list of the biggest wins in the history of basketball, 24/7 Tempo consulted basketball-related sources. These include NBA.com, ESPN, and Basketball-Reference.
2016 Cleveland Cavaliers over Golden State Warriors Game 7
The 2016 NBA season was full of wild spectacles. Most fans assumed the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors would bump heads in the Finals. After a long road where both teams faced heart-pumping challenges during the playoffs, the two groups finally faced off. The Warriors metaphorically extinguished three of the first four games. They took a 3-1 series lead over the Cavaliers. Prior to that, no team in NBA history had the fortitude to make such a hefty comeback.
The Cavaliers won the next two games and forced a game seven. Plenty of basketball fans consider game seven of the 2016 Finals as one of the greatest games they’ve ever witnessed. Draymond Green played an outstanding game. However, the match is most remembered for LeBron James’s block against Andre Iguodala. Kyrie Irving then hit a three-pointer to give the Cavs the lead late in the game. The title was the first for any professional sports team in Cleveland since the Browns in 1964.
2016 Los Angeles Lakers over Utah Jazz
The last night of the NBA season in 2016 was sparked with debate. Some fans wanted to watch the Golden State Warriors attempt to break the Chicago Bulls record for regular season wins. Others wanted to watch Kobe Bryant’s final game with the Los Angeles Lakers. Both games were noteworthy, but to this day, fans have more to say about Bryant’s final game. Still, the Warriors’ record-shattering matchup was a spectacle. In an alternate universe where Bryant didn’t die and the Warriors won the 2016 title, things might be different.
Basketball fans are well aware of how seriously Bryant took preparation. His workout routine has become fabled among basketball enthusiasts. After a slow start, Bryant picked up the scoring. He gave fans everything he could in his final game. The Jazz were beating the Lakers late in the game. However, Bryant had one last act that Hollywood couldn’t have written. He finished the game with 60 points and brought the Lakers back to win. There hasn’t been a final game as memorable as Bryant’s in history.
2013 Miami Heat over San Antonio Spurs Game 6
When LeBron James joined the Miami Heat, he claimed the franchise was going to win multiple titles. The team had beaten the Oklahoma City Thunder the year prior. However, they were struggling with the San Antonio Spurs in 2013. All seemed over in the final minute of game six. There were rumblings that James might leave the Heat and that his tenure would be a failure. However, missed free throws down the stretch gave the Heat life.
In the final moments, the Heat were down by three points. They had the ball and James took a three-pointer with the hopes of tying the game. He missed, but Chris Bosh was there to snag the rebound. He kicked it out to Ray Allen who sunk one of the biggest shots in NBA history. The score was tied and the Heat went on to win Games 6 and 7 to secure another title. There are plenty of videos of fans desperately attempting to get back into the stadium to watch the rest of the game after the shot.
1966 Texas Western Miners over Kentucky Wildcats
Before the 1966 Texas Western Miners, college basketball teams featured few African-American players on their rosters. The Civil Rights Movement was still marching forward. Coach Don Haskins brought players that he felt several coaches had overlooked in the recruiting process. Throughout the 1966 season in particular, the team faced plenty of tension whenever they played road games. It was also common to face demeaning threats during their home games.
The group stuck together and marched forward into the NCAA tournament. After a memorable game against Kansas that took two overtimes, the Miners found themselves in the title game against the Kentucky Wildcats. The Miners started an all-African-American lineup, which is something that had never been done before. The team beat the Wildcats and secured the school’s first title. Plenty of historians consider the 1966 Texas Western Miners one of the most pivotal teams in history.
2012 Miami Heat over Oklahoma City Thunder Game 5
When he was still in high school, people were already telling LeBron James he would eventually be the best NBA star ever. By 2012, nine years into the league, James accomplished everything a player could – everything except winning a championship. The Heat folded to the Dallas Mavericks in the Finals the year before and narrowly escaped the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Heat entered the NBA Finals as beloved fan-favorites over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Thunder stuck around in every game except game five. Fans could see the sense of relief James felt when the final moments ran off the clock. Nobody could take away the accomplishment of winning a championship from James. It was the first of his four titles, as of the end of the 2024 season. James began loading up more accolades to stack up against Michael Jordan. NBA fans will always debate who the better player between James and Jordan was.
1998 Chicago Bulls over Utah Jazz Game 6
CHARLOTTE, NC - NOVEMBER 03: Owner of the Charlotte Hornets, Michael Jordan, watches on during their game against the Chicago Bulls at Time Warner Cable Arena on November 3, 2015 in Charlotte, North Carolina. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
There aren’t many NBA players with five rings. However, there are enough that it was important for Michael Jordan to reach his sixth title. He spent the majority of his playing career with the Chicago Bulls. Prior to Jordan’s arrival, the Bulls didn’t experience much success. Fans and players knew the Bulls were likely going to be broken up following the 1998 season. That was the final time fans would see the group together.
Jordan had won five titles as leader of the Bulls before then. Many thought he was the greatest player ever, but getting the sixth title cemented it for tons of fans. Jordan hit the game winning shot to close out the Jazz in game six. It also meant that Jordan was a perfect 6-0 in the Finals during his career. That’s a stat that folks bring up during the LeBron James and Jordan debates. Jordan also passed Magic Johnson for total amount of rings when he got his sixth.
1990 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels over Duke Blue Devils
In the 90’s, basketball teams typically only played fast when it was beneficial. The 1990 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels played fast every possession. Their goal was to score as many points as possible during their games. Like the Texas Western Miners, coach Jerry Tarkanian recruited players who were largely ignored and overlooked by other programs. The Rebels cruised through the season and matched up against the Duke Blue Devils in the title game.
The Rebels entered the game as slight favorites against Duke. They quickly proved how superior of a team they were. The Blue Devils had no answer for the speed the Runnin’ Rebels threw their way. When all was said and done, UNLV metaphorically nuked Duke – by 30 points. As of 2024, that margin of victory is still the largest between two teams in championship history. Duke went on to win their first title the following year.
2016 Villanova Wildcats over North Carolina Tar Heels
The Villanova Wildcats were once considered a fabulous team. Sadly, they always came up short when it mattered most. They decided to prove all of their doubters wrong during the 2016 tournament, though. After navigating their way to the title game, they matched up against the powerhouse of North Carolina. Coming into the game, Villanova was a slight underdog to the Tar Heels. Fans thought they’d fold under the pressure.
As the game progressed, neither team fully pulled away. Then, in the final minute, Marcus Paige hit a miraculous three-pointer to tie the game. Fans thought that would become the signature moment of the tournament. Moments later, Kris Jenkins hit a shot that’s still shown in highlight reels. Jenkins lived out the dream of millions of players and hit a game-winning three-pointer as time expired. Villanova coach Jay Wright famously said “Bang” when the shot went up and had no reaction.
2001 Los Angeles Lakers over Philadelphia 76ers Game 5
Few teams in NBA history have had a postseason as dominant as the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers. The franchise was in the middle of another dynasty that featured arguably the greatest two players on one team. Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal were an unstoppable force. Coming into the Finals, the team hadn’t lost a game in the postseason at all! They were the two seed in the Western Conference. The squad saved their energy for the playoffs.
There was little doubt over who would win the Finals in 2001, even after the 76ers took game one. The Lakers went on to win four straight games in dominating fashion. Game 5 is important to the context of basketball history because it cemented the Lakers only losing once in the playoffs. That team is arguably the greatest ever put together. The Lakers went on to win the title in 2002, completing the three-peat.
1990 Detroit Pistons over Portland Trail Blazers Game 5
Some basketball fans forget how dominant the Detroit Pistons were in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Rather than play like the Showtime Lakers, the Pistons became known as the Bad Boys. Players were afraid to drive into the lane. They knew they were going to get hit hard by someone like Bill Laimbeer. There were constant brawls taking place during Pistons games. The strategy worked.
While the team lost in the 1988 Finals, they came back and won the 1989 and 1990 NBA titles. Game five was pivotal for the Pistons because it proved they weren’t a fluke and had talent to go along with their hardcore way of playing. It took the Pistons 14 years to win another championship. However, game five against the Blazers was a gigantic win for the franchise.
1988 Lost Angeles Lakers over Detroit Pistons Game 7
The 1980s Los Angeles Lakers redefined what sports were. The Lakers were flashy and entertained fans who came to watch them play. It helped that the team was located in Hollywood where countless stars showed up. Throughout the 1980s, the Lakers won five championships. The teams were led by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabar.
As mentioned before, fans preferred watching the Lakers over the Bad Boys Detroit Pistons teams. The Finals proved to be a challenge for the Lakers. They managed to overcome the play of the Pistons and take home their fifth title of the decade. This marked the end of the Showtime Lakers era. Michael Jordan and the Bulls came to take the throne in the 1990s.
1986 Boston Celtics over Houston Rockets Game 6
It’s rare to have two dynasties in one decade. The Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics fought long and hard to see who the team of the decade would be. While the Lakers won more titles, nobody can argue with the Celtics being a dynasty. They won three championships within seven years. That’s the common barometer for declaring a dynasty.
The 1986 Finals were when the team completed the job against the Houston Rockets. At the time of the win, the Celtics with the Lakers for titles during the ’80s. Larry Bird also cemented himself as an all time player. For more sports content, click here to read about Americans’ favorite athletes of all time.