The NBA He has managed again to leave us a historic season. In the midst of a pandemic, with a thousand obstacles and against adversity, the best league in the world surprises again. Eight teams remain alive in the fight for the ring and Whoever wins, it will be historic.
For the first time in 15 years we will see Finals without Kobe, Curry or LeBron. For the first time since 1998, we will not have Lakers, Spurs, Warriors or Heat fighting for the title. If this is not historical enough wait, there is more.
The generational handover has come to the NBA and the historically winning franchises have fallen by the wayside this year. Eight teams remain alive and five of them have never achieved a championship title.
That’s right, the four franchises that are contesting the Western Conference semifinals, in addition to the Brooklyn
NetsThey don’t know what it’s like to win an NBA ring. This includes Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz, Denver Nuggets y Phoenix Suns.
The case of the Angelenos is more understandable. Historically they have been the poor neighbor of the city, living in the shadow of the Lakers. The Nuggets have never been a great market and now they just got their first MVP in their history, at the hands of Nikola Jokic.
The story of Phoenix it is quite different. It’s probably the best franchise ever without rings. Great players have passed through their ranks and the Suns have stayed close to glory on more than one occasion.
If it ain’t the Suns then the prize goes to him Utah. They stayed with the honey on their lips up to two times in the nineties. In both, Michael Jordan crossed his path, preventing them from lifting their first championship title.
And what about the three remaining teams in the East? They do know success, although surely many do not even remember it. The Sixers are, of the three, the most recent champions, although it may not be the most appropriate term.
Philadelphia’s last title is dated 1983, almost 40 years ago. Since then, nothing. Something similar happens to Bucks, who have not won the ring since 1971. A lot has happened since Wisconsin managed to prevail over everyone in the NBA.
The last case is that of Atlanta
Hawks. One of the revelations of the current season, McMillan’s Hawks have proven to have enough resources to give more than one surprise. Your latest title? More than 60 years ago, in 1958. To put it in context, the franchise had not yet moved in and was playing in St. Louis.
So, whoever wins the title will be historic. It will be due to the absence of the great colossi of the league, the presence of a first-time team or because, year after year, the NBA has lived up to the narrative.
