National Basketball Association rivalries

Raptors

Celtics

Nets

Knicks

76ers

Bulls

Cavaliers

Pistons

Pacers

Bucks

Hawks

Bobcats

Heat

Magic

Wizards

Mavericks

Rockets

Grizzlies

Hornets

Spurs

Nuggets

Timberwolves

Trail Blazers

Thunder

Jazz

Warriors

Kings

Suns

Clippers

Lakers

Throughout nearly 60 seasons of history, the National Basketball Association (NBA) has had several intense rivalries. What follows is a summary of just some of the high-profile rivalries in the NBA. Rivalries can be classified into three primary groups; intradivisional, interdivisional, and interconference.

Interconference rivalries comprise games between opponents in different conferences. A team plays each opponent from the other conference in one home game and one away game.

Intradivisional rivalries comprise games between opponents in the same NBA division. Since the 2004–05 NBA season, there are 30 teams in six divisions of five teams each. Each team plays each division opponent four times during the regular season (twice at home, twice away) for a total of sixteen games out of 82 total regular season games.

Interdivisional rivalries comprise games between opponents in different divisions but within the same conference. A team plays against each team from the other two divisions in its conference either three or four times. The total interdivisional games an NBA team plays is 36. Conference games are often important, as a team's record in common games, as well as its overall record against its conference, are sometimes used as tiebreakers for playoff seeding at the end of the regular season. Also, many regular season opponents have met again in the playoffs, and the result of a regular season game can affect where the playoff game will be played.

Interconference rivalries

Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Main article: Celtics–Lakers rivalry

The rivalry between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers involves the two most storied franchises in NBA history. It has been called the best rivalry in the NBA.^[1] The two teams have met a record twelve times in the NBA Finals, starting with their first Finals meeting in 1959. They would go on to dominate the league in the 1960s and the 1980s, facing each other six times in the 60s and three times in the 80s.

The rivalry had been less intense since the retirements of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird in the early 1990s, but in 2008 it was renewed as the Celtics and Lakers met in the Finals for the first time since 1987, with the Celtics winning the series 4-2. They faced off once again in the 2010 NBA Finals which the Lakers won in 7 games. The two teams have won the two highest numbers of championships, the Celtics 17, the Lakers 16; together, the 33 championships account for more than half of the 64 championships in NBA history.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Detroit Pistons

Main article: Lakers–Pistons rivalry

The Lakers–Pistons rivalry was a rivalry between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Detroit Pistons of the NBA.^[2] This rivalry, which was showcased 3 times in the NBA Finals (1988, 1989, 2004), pitted the high-flying, All-Star filled Lakers teams against the blue collar, team-first oriented Pistons squads. Despite playing the role of underdog in all 3 of their final round meetings with Los Angeles, Detroit enjoyed significant success against the Lakers, claiming the NBA title against them twice.

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division

Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers

Main article: Celtics–76ers rivalry

The Celtics-76ers rivalry is a rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers. The teams have met the most times in the NBA playoffs, playing each other 18 times with the Celtics winning 11 of those series.^[3] It is considered by some to be the second greatest rivalry in the NBA next to the Celtics–Lakers rivalry.

Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks

These are two of the only remaining teams from the original 1946 NBA (the other is the Golden State Warriors, who, while in Philadelphia, were also great rivals with both teams; both rivalries died down once the Warriors moved west).^[4]

This rivalry attributes and stems from the rivalry between New York City and Boston, as well as the bigger Yankees – Red Sox rivalry in Major League Baseball. The fact that Boston and New York City are only three and a half hours away also contributes to the Knicks–Celtics rivalry, which is also seen between the New York Jets and the New England Patriots in the National Football League.^[4][5][6]

New Jersey Nets vs. New York Knicks

The Nets were a charter member of the American Basketball Association, which formed in 1967. The team played on Long Island from 1968 to 1977 as the New York Nets. With the ABA-NBA merger in 1976, the Nets were one of four teams absorbed into the NBA. The Knicks forced the Nets to pay $4.8 million for "invading" the Knicks' territory, in addition to the $3 million the Nets paid for moving into the NBA. This forced the Nets to renege on a promised raise to star player Julius Erving, and were forced to trade him to the 76ers. As a result, the Nets went from defending ABA champion to an also-ran almost overnight. The teams have since met three times in the playoffs, with the Knicks winning twice in 1983 and 1994, and the Nets winning the most recent series, in 2004. The Nets plan on moving back to New York in 2012 with the construction of the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers

The rivalry started when the Warriors were in Philadelphia and is mainly due to the major rivalries with teams in different sports from the same two cities, which are two hours apart by car, as seen in the rivalries between the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies in Major League Baseball, the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Eagles in the National Football League, and the New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers in the National Hockey League.^[7][8]

Central Division

Chicago Bulls vs. Milwaukee Bucks

The "Bucks-Bulls" rivalry was started in 1974 when the Bucks were the only team that was stopping the Bulls from winning their division and conference. This was highlighted in the 1974 NBA Playoffs, where the Bulls were swept by the Bucks in the Conference Finals. This rivalry was at its highest in the late 80's and early 90's, where both became frequent playoff contenders. The Bucks were the first team to defeat the Michael Jordan led Bulls in his playoffs debut, three to one. The other meeting between the two of them was in the 1990 NBA Playoffs, where the Bulls won in the first round, three games to one. The rivalry between the two currently is mainly due to the major rivalries with teams in different sports but the same two cities, such as the rivalries between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers (the Packers are in Green Bay, not Milwaukee but they are in the same state) in the National Football League, and the Chicago Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers in Major League Baseball. However, this rivalry is still fierce due to the proximity of the two cities, this rivalry is also strengthened due to the young squads both teams have put together, with Derrick Rose leading the Bulls and Brandon Jennings leading the Bucks, both getting drafted before either turned twenty and both Point Guards. There are also several people currently with the Bucks who went there after lackluster careers in Chicago but found success in Milwaukee, such as their current head coach Scott Skiles who had previously been fired by the Bulls due to a lackluster start and John Salmons, who after being traded to the Bucks became their leading scorer and since going to Milwaukee had increased most of his stats compared to his last year in Chicago including career highs in Points per Game and Free Throw Percentage. The Bulls ended up winning their division with a 62-20 win-loss record, and Milwaukee didn't make it into the playoffs, as they were the 10th overall seed in the Eastern Conference.

Chicago Bulls vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

In the 1988 Eastern Conference First Round, the Cavaliers met MVP and Defensive Player of the Year Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. No one expected the Cavs to push Jordan and the Bulls as hard as they did as they forced a deciding 5th game. Though the Cavs lost that 5th game, a new rivalry was born between two teams eager to be next in line as one of the best teams in the East.

Bolstered by their performance, the talented Cavs worked their routine for the '89 season to attain the second best record (57–25) in the East. And with the fracturing of the talented but selfish team ethic of the Bulls, the Cavs seemed poised to avenge their defeat, as they went into the rematch with Chicago in the First Round. The Cavaliers swept the 1988–89 season series against the Bulls 6–0,^[9] outscoring the Bulls 635-561. True to form, the series went to a deciding 5th game. But with 3 seconds left on the clock Jordan scored one of the most famous game winning shots in basketball history. Dubbed "The Shot" by Cleveland fans, Jordan shot over the outstretched arm of Craig Ehlo to score a buzzer-beater. While the Cavs would rebuild and recover over the next 3 years, the Bulls would go on to championship status before their next meeting.

In 1992 the second seeded Cavs met the top seeded champion Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals. Though putting on another tough effort, the Bulls beat the Cavs 4–2, but not before Cavs reserve Danny Ferry attacked Michael Jordan with a flurry of seemingly unprovoked punches in one game. The Bulls went on to win their second straight NBA title.

The two teams met again in the 1993 Eastern Conference Semifinals, but the underdog Cavs were swept by Jordan and the Bulls on the way to their third NBA title. Jordan's game winning shot in Game 4 only went further to prove that the Cavs seemed cursed never to defeat #23.

With Jordan's unexpected retirement prior to the '94 season, the Cavs readied themselves to finally end the Chicago curse. Meeting once again in the first round of the playoffs, the Cavs would once again face defeat. Though Jordan was gone, Scottie Pippen led Chicago to a 3–0 sweep over Cleveland, and prove that it was the team, not Jordan, who beat the Cavs. The Cavs remained an unremarkable team throughout the rest of the decade while the Bulls went go on to win three more championships.

The two teams didn't meet each other in the playoffs until the first round of the 2010 NBA Playoffs. The Cavaliers, along with their superstar and the reigning MVP, LeBron James, were the strong top seeded, and the Bulls with their young star Derrick Rose, were the #8 seeded underdog. LeBron James took over this series, scoring 31.8 ppg in the series, and the Cavs went on to beat the Bulls for the first time in their history, 4 games to 1. But in the next round, the Cavs were eliminated by the Boston Celtics, and this Cleveland franchise remained with no titles in their case.

Chicago Bulls vs. Detroit Pistons

Main article: Bulls–Pistons rivalry

The Bulls-Pistons rivalry originated in the late 1980s and was one of the most intense rivalries in NBA history for a couple of years, when the Chicago Bulls superstar, Michael Jordan, was evolving into one of the league's best players and when the Detroit Pistons were becoming a major playoff contender. This rivalry was one of the fiercest during its early period, mostly due to the dynamics between Michael Jordan and the "Bad Boys" of Detroit, led mostly by Isiah Thomas and Bill Laimbeer.

The rivalry started in the 1988 Eastern Conference Semifinals. The aggressive "Bad Boys", as the Pistons became known, were a team on the rise. Michael Jordan was the league MVP and Defensive Player of the Year and the ultimate challenge for Detroit's rugged, top-notch defense. Despite Jordan's individual talents (or perhaps because of them) the Bulls lacked the talent and physical and mental toughness to beat the Pistons who ravaged the Bulls in only five games. The Pistons would go on to upset the Boston Celtics and win their first conference title since they moved from Fort Wayne.

In 1989, the Pistons were stronger than ever, posting the league's best record of 63–19. The sixth seeded Bulls (47–35) had surprising success in the playoffs by beating the superior Cleveland Cavaliers (57–25 won-loss record) 3–2 with "The Shot." The Bulls upset the Atlantic Division Champs, the New York Knicks, coached by Rick Pitino, 4–2. The Bulls then squared off to meet the team that was to become their greatest rival, the Detroit Pistons, in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bulls miraculous success seemed to continue as they took an early 2–1 lead over the Pistons. But the Pistons clamped down and employed the supposed "Jordan Rules" (which consisted of solely targeting Jordan) which worked so well for them the year prior. The Pistons took a stand and won three straight and would go on to win their first NBA title in the next round.

For the following 1989–90 season under new coach Phil Jackson the Bulls sought to subvert the "Jordan Rules" by focusing on the triangle offense or triple post offense refined by assistant coach Tex Winter. By sharing responsibility rather than shouldering it, Jordan led the Bulls to the second best record in the East at 55–27...behind the ever-tough defending champion Pistons who finished 59–23. In a pre-destined Eastern Conference Finals rematch, the Bulls pushed the Pistons like never before by forcing the series to seven games. But the Pistons showed their dominance by winning a brutal Game Seven at home by a score of 93–74. It was in this pivotal Game Seven that Scottie Pippen would suffer a migraine headache, leading many to speculate that with a healthy Pippen the Bulls may have been ready to supplant the Pistons as the best team in the East. The Pistons would go on to win their second consecutive NBA title the following round against the Portland Trail Blazers.

These growing pains resulted in a stronger than ever Bulls the following season in 1990–91. With a greater concentration on teamwork, the Bulls posted the best record in the Eastern Conference with a 61–21 win–loss record and Jordan regained the MVP award after years of being accused of being a selfish player. At the same time the Piston's armor was starting to crack by old age and injury. After their upset of the Atlantic Division champ Boston Celtics 4–2 in the Conference semifinals, it was now the Pistons with something to prove as they met a title poised Chicago. Still, some doubted the Bulls and maintained that the Pistons psychological edge and bench strength would loom over the series. But three years of aches and bruises allotted the Bulls a drive that not only inspired the greatness necessary to defeat the Pistons, but the greatness necessary to conquer a decade. Proving their growth, the Bulls swept the Pistons 4–0 and ended the rivalry on a triumphant note. Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer and Mark Aguirre of the Pistons, in their last show of defiance, walked off the court with 7.9 seconds left in the game so as not to congratulate the new Eastern Conference Champions. In the next round the Bulls defeated Magic Johnson and the Lakers to capture their first NBA crown. The Pistons incidentally continued to deteriorate over the years while the Bulls were just beginning their dominance of the decade.

The rivalry was restored in the 2006 offseason when free agent Ben Wallace, the cornerstone of the Pistons' defense, stunned the league when he signed with the Pistons' rivals of old, the Chicago Bulls.

The following season, the two teams met again in the 2007 NBA Playoffs. Detroit dominated Chicago in the first two games, and then went up 3-0. The Bulls then made a comeback attempt by winning the next two games. However, the Pistons would eventually emerge victorious, beating their rivals in game six.

Detroit Pistons vs. Indiana Pacers

Main article: Pacers–Pistons brawl

This rivalry began brewing during the 2003–2004 season. The Pacers, finished with a league best 61 wins, and were not shy about reminding others, especially the Pistons, of that feat. The Pacers were led by Jermaine O'Neal, Ron Artest, and Reggie Miller, and were coached by Rick Carlisle, who'd been fired by Detroit at the end of the previous season. Detroit was led by Chauncey Billups, Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, and Richard Hamilton. Their Coach at the time was Larry Brown. Indiana won the first three matchups between the two teams during the regular season, before being defeated by the Pistons in the final regular-season meeting at the Palace. That was also the first time the two teams met after Rasheed Wallace was traded to Detroit.

The two teams met in the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals. Indiana narrowly won Game One thanks to some late heroics from Miller. Rasheed Wallace, unimpressed by the Pacers, boldly stated "They Will Not Win Game Two" during an interview before the second game (locally known as the "Guaran-Sheed" victory). Late in Game Two, with Detroit holding a two-point lead, Billups turned over the ball, and Reggie Miller appeared to have an uncontested lay-up that would've tied the game. However, before Miller could score, he was chased down by Detroit forward Tayshaun Prince, who leapt from behind and swatted away Miller's shot in a spectacular play. Detroit went on to win four of the next five games and took the series 4–2. The Pistons went on to win the NBA title, while the Pacers bitterly stewed. During Game Six of the Conference Finals, with Detroit clinging to a slight lead, Artest committed a flagrant foul on Hamilton, nearly causing tempers to boil over near the end of the game.

The following season, on November 19, 2004, at the Palace of Auburn Hills, with less than a minute left in the game, Indiana led 97–82. As Pistons center Ben Wallace went up for a layup, Indiana's Ron Artest hit Wallace with a hard foul from behind. Wallace took exception and attacked Artest, shoving him. Wallace than engaged in a verbal spat with Artest and a timeout was called to cool down the players. Artest tried to keep his cool so he went to the scorer's table and laid down. As he lay on the table, Artest was suddenly hit in the chest by a cup of beer thrown by a fan. Artest shockingly went into the crowd and tried to find the person who threw the beer at him. Four other Pacers, Jermaine O'Neal, Stephen Jackson, David Harrison, and Anthony Johnson also fought with fans. All were suspended for varying lengths (Jackson: 30 games, O'Neal: 15 games, Harrison and Johnson: six games, Reggie Miller: one game for leaving the bench to restrain Artest), with Artest carrying the longest penalty: the entire season. From the Pistons, Chauncey Billups, Derrick Coleman, Elden Campbell were suspended one game a piece, and Ben Wallace was suspended for six games.

The Pacers battled through the suspensions, while the Pistons fought off an early season malaise that they attributed to their winning the NBA title the previous year. The teams split the four regular season meetings. Again, the two teams met in the playoffs, this time in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. After Detroit handily took Game One at The Palace, Indiana scored a stunning upset win in Game Two. The Pacers, although blowing an 18-point lead, won Game Three in Indianapolis. However, just as he did a year ago, Rasheed Wallace promised a Pistons win for Game Four by saying, "When we return [to Detroit], we will be tied at 2–2." The Pistons rebounded with blow out wins in Games Four and Five, leading to Game Six in Indianapolis. The Pacers, knowing a loss would lead to the retirement of Miller, fought hard, but fell to the Pistons. It was the second consecutive year the Pistons won a series over Indiana in six games.

Interdivisional

Boston Celtics vs. Miami Heat

Prior to their rivalry, the Boston Celtics seemed to have their way with the Miami Heat for the last few years beating them 12 out of 13 times they played, including a first round match up in the 2010 NBA Playoffs where the Celtics beat the Heat in 5 games.In the offseason the Miami Heat formed their own big three of Dwyane Wade, Lebron James, and Chris Bosh which quickly made both teams rivals.

In the 2010–11 NBA season The Celtics continued to have the Heat's number beating them 3 straight times all three games went down to the final minute. However in Miami's Home finale for the regular season, and a game which both teams were fighting for a 2nd seed for the 2011 NBA Playoffs the Heat dominated the Celtics beating them by 23 points. Both teams ended up meeting in the NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Heat won the first 2 games, The Celtics went on to win Game 3 at home after a courageous effort by Rajon Rondo after dislocating his elbow in the 3rd Quarter. However the Heat bounced back by winning Game 4, thanks to a strong effort by Lebron James in the 4th quarter and OT. Then in Game 5, LeBron James closed the series by scoring the final 10 points for the Heat against the same team who elminated him the year prior

Boston Celtics vs. Detroit Pistons

Main article: Celtics–Pistons rivalry

The Pistons-Celtics rivalry or Celtics–Pistons rivalry refers to the rivalry between the Detroit Pistons and the Boston Celtics. The rivalry peaked in the late 1980s, featuring players such as Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Isiah Thomas, and Joe Dumars. These teams met in the NBA Playoffs five times in seven seasons from 1985–1991, with the Celtics winning in 1985 and 1987, and the Pistons coming out on top en route to back-to-back Finals appearances in 1988 and their championship season of 1989 and 1991.

Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat

Main article: Bulls–Heat rivalry

The Bulls–Heat rivalry began once the Miami Heat became playoff contenders during the 1990s, a decade dominated by the Chicago Bulls. During that period, the Heat were eliminated 4 times by the Bulls, who would win the NBA championship each time.

The rivalry has returned due to the return of the Bulls to the playoffs in the post-Michael Jordan era and the emergence of rising superstars Dwyane Wade and Derrick Rose. This rekindled rivalry has been very physical, involving rough plays and hard fouls between players, most notably the actions of former Heat player James Posey. The Bulls beat the Heat in the first round in 2007, and the Heat beat the Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2011.

Chicago Bulls vs. New York Knicks

Main article: Bulls–Knicks rivalry

The Bulls–Knicks rivalry was a rivalry between the Chicago Bulls and the New York Knicks over a roughly six year period from 1989 to 1996. The intensity of the rivalry was unique due to a number of factors. These included the frequency with which the teams competed against one another in high-stakes contests, the reputations of the team's respective cities, and personnel changes and conflicts between the teams.

Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks

Main article: Knicks–Pacers rivalry

During the 1990s, both the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers were perennial playoff teams. The Knicks, led by super star center Patrick Ewing, met with the Reggie Miller-led Pacers in the playoffs six times from 1993 to 2000, fueling a rivalry epitomized by the enmity between Miller and prominent Knicks fan Spike Lee. The bitter rivalry was likened by Miller to the Hatfield–McCoy feud,^[10] and described by The New York Times, in 1998 as being "as combustible as any in the league".^[11]

The rivalry has given Miller the nickname "The Knick Killer."^[12][13] Miller's clutch performances were frequently followed by jabs at Lee, adding fuel to the greater team rivalry.

Miami Heat vs. New York Knicks

Main article: Heat–Knicks rivalry

The Heat-Knicks rivalry was a rivalry between the New York Knicks and the Miami Heat.

Known as one of the fiercest rivalries in recent history, the Heat-Knicks rivalry was derived from their frequent, and frequently long, playoff series. Prior to their rivalry, there had never been an occasion in the NBA wherein two teams had met in postseason play four consecutive seasons and had seen each series extend to the maximum number of games in each of the four series. The Knicks and Heat thus made history by meeting in the playoffs for the maximum number of games every year from 1997 to 2000. The aggressive nature of these games—defensive struggles marked by numerous foul calls and intense physical play—can be traced to the highly defensive style of Pat Riley, former coach of both teams and the central figure of the rivalry.

Western Conference

Pacific Division

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Los Angeles Clippers

These two teams first became rivals in the 1979-80 NBA season when the Buffalo Braves moved from upstate New York to the west coast in San Diego. In their very first game, which happened to be the first game of the 1979 season as well as Magic Johnson's, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar hit a game-winning Sky Hook to defeat the Clippers lead by Bill Walton. Magic memorably jumped to Kareem's arms in excitement. In 1984 the rivalry grew intense as the Clippers moved to Los Angeles and would make the playoffs in the early 1990s as the Lakers were starting to dry up. Prior to the 1999 season when they both moved into the Staples Center. However the two have many differences, most notably the Lakers successful history and the Clippers terrible history (at least after they moved from Buffalo). For the first time, the Clippers did better than the Lakers during the 2005-06 season when they achieved a 2-game better record than the Lakers and made it to the Western Conference Semi-Finals when the Lakers were eliminated in the Quarter-Finals. The two even met on the Lakers ring night at the beginning of the 2009 season. They both won 2 games against each other over the course of the season.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Phoenix Suns

The two rivals met for the first time in the 1970 NBA Playoffs. The Suns blew a 3-1 series lead over the Lakers and lost the series in seven games. The rivals met again ten years later as the Lakers easily dispatched the Suns 4-1. In their next four meetings in 1982, 1984, 1985, and 1989, the Lakers won all those series in scores of 4–0, 4–2, 3–0, and 4-0. In the Western Conference Semifinals of 1990, the Suns finally got their monkey off as they blazed past the Lakers 4-1 in their run to the Western Conference Finals.

The rivals would meet again in 1993 in which Phoenix won 62 games in the regular season and were the first seed in the Western Conference. However, led by Lakers veteran James Worthy the Lakers won the first two games in America West Arena, (now US Airways Center). Down 0-2 in the best of five series, then Suns head coach Paul Westphal guaranteed that the Suns would come back and win the series. Phoenix led by that year's league MVP Charles Barkley, won the next two games in the Great Western Forum (the Lakers' home court). In the deciding Game Five, Phoenix won and escaped a tough series. Phoenix eventually made the NBA Finals, losing to the Chicago Bulls. The teams did not meet again until the 2000 NBA Playoffs, in which the Lakers, led by Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, rolled over the Suns 4-1 on their route to the NBA title.

They met again in the first round of the 2006 NBA Playoffs. The Suns were the second-seeded team in the Western Conference and Pacific Division winner, thanks in part to back-to-back NBA MVP Steve Nash and Shawn Marion, and improvements by Leandro Barbosa and Boris Diaw, beneficiaries of the Suns' "run-n-gun" style of offense. Leading the seventh-seeded Lakers were the scoring champion, Kobe Bryant, and head coach Phil Jackson, who led their team to the playoffs despite missing it the year before. Phoenix won Game One at the US Airways Center, but lost Games Two, Three, and Four. Game Four ended in dramatic fashion as Bryant hit the game-tying layup to send the game into overtime. Before Bryant's game-tying basket, two Lakers cornered Steve Nash at the sideline, forcing a turnover. The turnover allowed Bryant to tie the game and force the extra period. In the final seconds of overtime, a jump ball was won by the Lakers and Bryant was given the ball, allowing him to hit the game-winning shot at the buzzer. Phoenix won Game Five in a game where Raja Bell clotheslined Kobe Bryant. After the game, Bell was suspended for Game Six. The two teams then continued their rivalry as they exchanged words during practices. In response to the flagrant foul, Bryant, after the game, stated that he "didn't know the kid". He then suggested that Bell was not hugged enough during his childhood, in response to Bell's shots at Bryant's perceived "arrogance" and "special treatment" from the referees. Game Six was a hard-fought game that went to the final seconds in regular play until Tim Thomas shot the game-tying three-pointer to send it to overtime, which was later won by the Suns, who forced a Game Seven in the US Airways Center. Game Seven was a blowout win for the Suns, completing a 3–1 series comeback.

A year later they met again. It looked like the Lakers would win Game 1 behind Kobe Bryant's 39 points, but Phoenix came back in the second half to win 95–87. Game 2 was a blowout win as the Suns won 126–98. Kobe Bryant only had 15 points on 5-of-13 shooting. He erupted in Game 3 though as he led the Lakers to a 95–89 victory behind his 45 points. The Suns took Game 4 113–100 behind Nash's career-high 23 assists. He fell one assist shy of the NBA postseason record. The Lakers were down 3–1 like the Suns had been a year earlier. The Lakers could not pull off an upset as they fell 119–110, losing the series 4 games to 1.

The Los Angeles Lakers and the Phoenix Suns met again in the 2010 NBA Playoffs in the Western Conference Finals. Both teams entered the conference finals series having swept their conference semi-finals opponents 4-0, (the Lakers swept the Utah Jazz and the Suns swept the San Antonio Spurs). The Lakers had the home court advantage and won games 1 and 2 in dominating fashion. After falling behind 0-2, Suns head coach Alvin Gentry decided to implement the zone defense to slow down the Lakers offense. Many in the sports media credited the zone defense for slowing down the Lakers offense, helping the Suns hold their home court by winning games 3 and 4 and tying the series at 2-2. The series would return to the Staples Center in Los Angeles for game 5. The Lakers held a comfortable lead for most of game 5 until the Suns went on a run in the fourth quarter and tied the game after a Jason Richardson three pointer. With just 3.7 seconds left on the clock, Kobe Bryant shot a long jump shot that missed the rim but was caught by Lakers forward Ron Artest. Artest (who just moments earlier had missed two wide open jump shots before the Suns tied the game), made the game winning layup after rebounding Bryant's missed jump shot. The Lakers went on to win game 6 in Phoenix despite another late run by the Suns in the fourth quarter, 111 to 103. The Lakers won the series 4-2 and went on to face the Boston Celtics in the 2010 NBA Finals.

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Sacramento Kings

In 2000 the Lakers were the best team in the league and poised for a triumphant franchise return to the Finals. But the eighth seeded Sacramento Kings surprised everyone by pushing the Lakers to the brink of elimination in the first round. Though the Kings would lose Game Five and the Lakers would go on to win the championship, a rivalry had begun. A better equipped Kings met the still-superior Lakers in the semifinals the next year in 2001 but were swept by the confident champs who would go on to defend their title. The two teams met once more the following year for the 2002 Western Finals. This time the Kings were the favored team, having posted an impressive 61-21 league best record. After being up 3-2 after 5 games, The Kings lost on what many call the most controversial NBA Playoff Game of all time, Game 6 in Los Angeles. NBA expert, Roland Beech analyzed the calls and stated that he found that the questionable, or to his eyes, flat out incorrect, calls favored the Lakers not in huge numbers (nine total calls), but a very lopsided (7-2) rate team seemingly designed to overthrow the champs came up short after losing Game Seven in overtime on their home court, something that had not been done in over 20 years. The Lakers went on to win their third straight title.

Southwest Division

Houston Rockets vs. San Antonio Spurs

Main article: Rockets–Spurs rivalry

The Rockets-Spurs rivalry or Spurs-Rockets rivalry was mostly a story of the Rockets being more successful in the playoffs againtst each other, while the Spurs were more successful in the regular season. The Rockets won the first Division title (1977 Central); Spurs in 1978-79, Conference title (1981 Western); Spurs in 1999, and NBA title (1994-95); Spurs in 1999, while the Spurs have won more titles since then as well as games in the regular season vs. the Rockets in their history. The rivalry started in 1976 as the Spurs along with 3 other teams moved from the ABA, and met in the playoffs in 1980 when the Rockets led by Moses Malone and Calvin Murphy beat the Spurs led by George Gervin and James Silas 2-1. The rivalry grew intense as both teams moved from the Eastern Conference to the Western Conference the following season. That year the Rockets, at 40-42, and the Spurs, winning the Midwest title at 52-30, fought to the bitter end before the Rockets pulled away and upset the Spurs in the 7th and decisive game of the Western Conference Semi-Finals capped off by Murphy's 42 points. The rivalry sparkled in 1995 when the defending champions yet sixth-seeded Rockets at 47-35 led by Hakeem Olajuwon beat the top-seeded Spurs led by MVP David Robinson. It is one of the three rivalries in the Texas Triangle of the NBA. It is also known as the I-10 Rivalry since both San Antonio and Houston lie on Interstate 10. In 2004, Tracy McGrady led the Rockets to a comeback win against the Spurs who were up by 10 points in the final minute of the game, scoring 13 points in the last 35 seconds.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks-Spurs rivalry is relatively new but very fierce. It features two teams with Dallas roots—the Spurs began their life in the ABA as the Dallas Chaparrals and did not move to San Antonio until 1973. The Spurs defeated the Mavericks in 2001, 2003, and 2010; while the Mavericks defeated the Spurs in 2006 and 2009. The Spurs have won four championships and four conference titles, while the Mavericks have won one championship and two conference titles. The Spurs have won 15 division titles, while the Mavericks have won 3. Both the Spurs and the Mavericks have 3 60-win seasons.

The two teams met in the playoffs during the 2000–2001 season with the Spurs winning in five games. Little was made during this series, as the Spurs won their first NBA championship since their ABA days only two years before. The Mavericks, run by a trio of Steve Nash, Michael Finley, and Dirk Nowitzki, had just defeated the Utah Jazz despite not having home court advantage and were only starting to meld into a title contender.

The two teams met again in 2003 in the Western Conference Finals. Both the Spurs and the Mavericks had 60-win seasons and reached the Western Conference Finals after defeating the Los Angeles Lakers and the Sacramento Kings, respectively. Despite having the best season of their history, the Mavericks fell in six games to the Spurs.

The rivalry took on a new meaning in 2005 when, near the end of the regular season, Don Nelson would resign as head coach of the Mavericks, apparently satisfied with the state of the team, and hand the coaching reins to former Spur Avery Johnson, the point guard of the 1999 world champion Spurs team who hit the game-winning shot against the New York Knicks. Since Johnson was coached under Spurs' Head Coach Gregg Popovich, he would be familiar with most, if not all, of Popovich's coaching style and philosophy. During the 2005 offseason, Michael Finley, waived by the Mavericks under the amnesty clause, joined the Spurs in search for the elusive title.

During the 2006 playoffs the two rivals met again. San Antonio won the first game at home 87-85. The Mavericks got revenge the next game winning 113-91 evening the series up at 1–1. The Mavericks won a dramatic Game 3 by one point 104-103. Though Manu Ginobili could have made the basket with five seconds remaining, he committed an error allowing the ball to bounce away from him with one second remaining. Dallas won a tightly-contested Game 4 123-118 in overtime. Game Five was won by one point with the Spurs taking the victory. In the final seconds of that game, Jason Terry was seen punching former teammate Michael Finley under the belt. This would lead to his suspension in Game 6. He was sourly missed in Game 6 as the Spurs took the series back home for a Game 7. In the crucial Game 7, with 2.6 ticks to go, Nowitzki converted a three-point play to force overtime. Manu Ginóbili, the one who fouled Dirk was the same person who gave San Antonio their first lead one possession earlier. Tim Duncan, who had played in all 48 minutes of regulation was too fatigued to carry his team in overtime. The Mavericks, meanwhile, were set to take control of the game and they did just that winning the game 119-111. The Mavericks went on to the Conference Finals where they defeated the Suns in six games, but succumbing to the champion Heat in the NBA Finals.

Despite much anticipation of a renewed meeting in the 2007 Western Conference finals, the Mavericks lost to the Golden State Warriors in one of the greatest upsets in NBA history.^[14] The eighth seed Warriors, who made the playoffs on the last game of the NBA season, defeated the 67-win, first-seed Mavericks in six games.^[15] Meanwhile, the Spurs would ultimately go on to win the 2007 NBA Championship.^[16][17] The season also gave longtime former Maverick Michael Finley his first championship. Many Spurs teammates claimed that the drive to win this season was partially to give Finley his first championship, especially since Finley had lost a bitter-fought series to his longtime team the year previous.

Worth noting in a regular season meeting between the two rivals in April 2007, a game which the Mavs won 91–86, Tim Duncan suffered his first career ejection for supposedly laughing while sitting on the bench. Joey Crawford, the referee who ejected Duncan, allegedly asked Duncan to a fight which led to the longtime ref's season-ending suspension. As Duncan was heading into the locker room, American Airlines Center erupted into a huge cheer, applauding Duncan's ejection.

In the 2009 NBA Playoffs, the Mavericks and Spurs squared off again in the first round. San Antonio finished with a better record than Dallas, but were noticeably struggling due to Manu Ginobili suffering a season-ending injury. The Spurs and Mavericks split the first 2 games in San Antonio, but Dallas defeated the Spurs in games 3 and 4, both in Dallas. The Mavericks then went on to close out the series and eliminated the short-handed Spurs at the AT&T Center in San Antonio.

The following years NBA Playoffs in 2010 they met again in the first round. This time the Mavs were the 2 seed and Spurs the 7 seed. The San Antonio Spurs were the first team in NBA history in the 7th seed to move on to the second round. In one of the games, Dirk Nowitzki broke Manu Ginobili's nose. Ginobili was out of action for five minutes before he came back and rallied the spurs to victory. In the next game, Edward Najera was ejected for a foul where he threw Ginobili onto the ground in the middle of a layup.

Dallas Mavericks vs. Houston Rockets

The Mavericks-Rockets rivalry is an NBA interstate fierce rivaliry. The Mavericks defeated the Rockets in 1988, and 2005 playoffs and the Rockets swept several season series with the Mavericks during the 1990s during the Rockets' Championship years, as well as they're both in Texas linked by I-45. The rivalry started in the 1980 season when the Mavericks joined the NBA as the last Texas team to join after the Rockets in 1971 and Spurs in 1976. The Rockets hold the franchise record for wins, the Rockets leading 80-85 as well as winning more division titles (Rockets with 5, Mavericks 3), Conference Titles (Rockets 4, Mavericks 2) and Championships (Rockes 2, Mavericks 1).

Interdivisional

Houston Rockets vs. Utah Jazz

Houston Rockets and Utah Jazz playing at EnergySolutions Arena in 2008

Main article: Jazz–Rockets rivalry

The Rockets-Jazz rivalry or Jazz-Rockets rivalry is a rivalry between the Houston Rockets and Utah Jazz. The rivalry is one of the famous interdivisional rivalries in the NBA. The rivalry began in the 1990s when the Houston Rockets, led by dominant center Hakeem Olajuwon, and the Utah Jazz led by the pick and roll duo of Karl Malone and John Stockton, were playoff powers in the Midwest Division. The teams faced each other four times in the NBA Playoffs during the decade. In all four of those instances, the winner was the eventual Western Conference Champion and finalist in the NBA Finals. In 2007 the rivalry was restored as the two teams met again in the playoffs and a showdown of two of the best 1-2 combos of Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming of the Rockets and Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer of the Jazz.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Main article: Lakers–Spurs rivalry

The San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Lakers have played each other since the 1970s. In the late 1990s and early 2000s an intense rivalry developed between the two clubs. Since 1999, the teams have met in the NBA Playoffs five times, with the clubs combining to appear in seven consecutive NBA Finals (1999–2005). Additionally, the teams combined to win each NBA Championship from 1999–2003. The Spurs won the NBA championship in 1999, 2003, 2005 and 2007, while the Lakers won the championship in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2009 and 2010. From 1999 to 2004 the clubs' rivalry was often considered the premier rivalry in the NBA,^[18] and each time the clubs faced each other in the playoffs the winner advanced to the NBA Finals. The rivalry fell off in 2005 to 2007, with the Lakers missing the playoffs in 2005 and losing in the first round to the Phoenix Suns in 2006 and 2007, but intensified again in 2008 when they met in the Western Conference Finals. It is considered one of the greatest rivalries of the 2000s with the two teams combining to win a total of six titles in eight seasons.

San Antonio Spurs vs. Phoenix Suns

Main article: Spurs–Suns rivalry

The Spurs–Suns rivalry is the rivalry between the San Antonio Spurs and the Phoenix Suns. It began in the 1990s when the San Antonio Spurs were led by "The Admiral", David Robinson, and the Phoenix Suns were propelled by a number of players including "Thunder" Dan Majerle, Kevin Johnson, and Tom Chambers. The rivalry continued into the next decade with Tim Duncan leading the Spurs and with the Suns headed by Steve Nash. The rivalry has also allegedly prevented Spurs coach Gregg Popovich from coaching the USA Basketball team in the 2008 Summer Olympics.^[19]

Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Main article: Lakers-Rockets rivalry

The Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers rivalry began in the 1980s during the Lakers' "Showtime" era (though it had roots in 1967, when the Rockets began play in San Diego, over 100 miles to the south of Los Angeles; poor performance and low attendance led the Rockets to move to Houston in 1971). The two teams have met seven times in the postseason. In the 1980s the Rockets or the Lakers represented the Western Conference in the NBA Finals. Since 1980 the Lakers have won 8 NBA championships appearing in 14 NBA Finals, while the Rockets have won 2 NBA championships appearing in 4 NBA Finals. Starting in 1981, the champion Lakers faced the 40-42 Rockets but were upset 2-1 in the first round, in which the Rockets would eventually make the NBA Fianls (the second time in NBA history a team with a losing record made an NBA Finals). Then five years later, the two teams met again, however this time the stakes were higher as this was the Western Conference Finals, with the Lakers taking the first game but the Rockets sweeping the next 4 straight capped by Ralph Sampson's famous game winner. In 1990 and 1991, both times in the first round, the Lakers would defeat the Rockets 3-1 and 3-0 respectively, and the Rockets taking the 1996 first round 3-1 with the Lakers led by a returned Magic Johnson. The two teams met a few more times since then, the Lakers winning all, most recently in 2009 with the Rockets pushing the eventual champions to 7 games in the semi-finals.

References

1. ^ "NBA;s Best Rivalries". Sports Illustrated. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/1003/nba.best.rivalries/content.1.html. Retrieved June 3, 2011. 
2. ^ "Celtics-Pistons rivalry: Top 10 games". ESPN. May 30, 2008. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/news/story?page=CelticsPistonsRivalry-080528. Retrieved 2011-01-10. "The Celtics and Pistons are rivals ... again. These two storied franchises have quite a history with some great and memorable plays/fights/games/finishes throughout the rivalry." 
3. ^ "NBA: Most frequent playoff matchups". McCubed.net. http://mcubed.net/nba/mfpm.shtml. 
4. ^ ^{a b} Ryan, Bob (December 15, 2010). "Another link in the chain". Boston Globe: p. C1. "The Knicks...take on the Boston Celtics—a rival in one form or another for the entirety of the league's existence." 
5. ^ Steinberg, Dan (February 2, 2008). "Baseball's Fault Lines Show Stress In Arizona". The Washington Post: p. E11. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/01/AR2008020103259_pf.html. 
6. ^ Walker, Ben (January 27, 2008). "Super Bowl highlights super rivalry: Beantown vs. Big Apple". NFL.com. Associated Press (National Football League). http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/story?id=09000d5d806488ad&template=with-video&confirm=true. "With New York Yankees-Red Sox, that's just the way New York-Boston sports are...Be it on the field, court, diamond or ice, that's how it is between Beantown and the Big Apple." 
7. ^ Mucha, Peter (January 5, 2001). "A City's Hopes Fly High on the Wings of Eagles". Philadelphia Inquirer: p. A1. "New York teams—the Mets, Rangers, Giants and Knicks—rank among Philadelphia's most loathed rivals." 
8. ^ Kimelman, Adam (March 4, 2011). "Garden memories special for van Riemsdyk". NHL.com. National Hockey League. http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=555008. Retrieved March 5, 2011. "You have that feeling when you come into Philly and you know when they come into New York the fans are going to be pumped up." 
9. ^ Databasebasketball.com: "Cleveland's '88 Season"
10. ^ Brown, Clifton (January 24, 1997). "Give Miller a Hand? Not in This Rivalry". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B06E4DB143AF937A15752C0A961958260&scp=2&sq=knicks+pacers+rivalry&st=nyt&pagewanted=print. Retrieved January 27, 2008. "Reggie Miller compares the Knicks–Indiana Pacers rivalry to the Hatfields vs. the McCoys." 
11. ^ Wise, Mike (May 5, 1998). "THE N.B.A. PLAYOFFS; For Combustibility, It's Knicks–Pacers". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E04E5DD1631F936A35756C0A96E958260&scp=1&sq=knicks+pacers+rivalry&st=nyt&pagewanted=print. Retrieved January 27, 2008. "From head-butts to hideous trash talk, from Miller versus John Starks, the Pacers–Knicks rivalry has been as combustible as any in the league." 
12. ^ Rhoden, William C. (June 3, 2000). "Sports of The Times; Miller Leaves Calling Card For Knicks". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9906E4DA1E3CF930A35755C0A9669C8B63&scp=1&sq=miller+%22knick+killer%22&st=nyt&pagewanted=print. Retrieved January 28, 2008. "His three fourth-quarter 3-pointers accomplished something that no other team—no other player—had accomplished during this year's playoffs. Those shots took the Knicks' will. Miller revived his imprimatur as the Knick-killer. He ended a season and may well have ended a Knicks era." 
13. ^ Brown, Clifton (May 18, 1995). "1995 NBA PLAYOFFS; Knicks Sweat It Out Until End but Force Game 6". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE0D6143EF93BA25756C0A963958260&pagewanted=print. Retrieved January 28, 2008. "And Reggie Miller, the Knick-killer, still had one more scare for New York, even after what turned out to be Ewing's game-winning shot." 
14. ^ Chadwick, Alex; Goldman, Tom (May 4, 2007). "Dallas Mavericks Upset by Oakland Upstarts". NPR. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=10005744. 
15. ^ Associated Press (May 3, 2007). "Jackson keys third-quarter run in Warriors' rout of Mavs". ESPN. http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=270503009. 
16. ^ Associated Press (June 15, 2007). "Spurs an unappreciated, forgotten dynasty". MSNBC. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19253744/. 
17. ^ Sheridan, Chris (September 12, 2007). "MVP Parker joins Spurs' elite". ESPN Insider. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-070615. 
18. ^ Aparicio, Ricardo (April 23, 2004). "Glamour vs. Grit: The perfect NBA rivalry". InsideHoops.com. http://www.insidehoops.com/rivalry-042304.shtml. Retrieved April 14, 2007. 
19. ^ Wojnarowski, Adrian (October 31, 2007). "Popovich has become NBA's Bill Belichick". Yahoo! Sports. http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-popovich103107&prov=yhoo&type=lgns. Retrieved 2008-12-13.