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The 1997-98 Indiana Pacers, led by the sharp-shooter Reggie Miller, were one of the most dangerous teams in the Eastern Conference during the late 1990s. The team featured a balanced lineup that included Miller, a veteran leadership group headlined by Dale Davis and Jalen Rose, and defensive studs like Rick Smits. They finished that regular season with an impressive 58-24 record, which secured the top seed in the East.
Indiana won their first two playoff series before facing off against the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals. Despite pushing the Bulls to seven games, Indiana fell short in the decisive Game 7. Reggie Miller’s brilliance was not enough to overcome Michael Jordan and the Pacers’ dreams of a championship were sunk once again at the hands of Jordan’s Bulls. The 1997-98 season was the closest Miller’s Pacers would come to a title, but it ended in heartbreak against the greatest player the league had ever seen.
The 1994-95 Orlando Magic, featuring Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway, were one of the most promising young teams of the 1990s before they were broken up. Their combination of Shaq’s dominance in the paint and Hardaway’s emerging stardom as a versatile point guard made them a nightmare for opponents. In just their sixth season in the league, the Magic finished the regular season with a 57-25 record dominating the Eastern Conference.
In the Eastern Conference Finals, they even took down the Chicago Bulls, who dominated the 90s but were still adjusting to Michael Jordan’s return from retirement. However, in the NBA Finals Orlando ran into the defending champion Houston Rockets. The Magic couldn’t hold off Hakeem Olajuwon and the Rockets, losing the series 4-0. Orlando would never get closer to a title with Shaq, as O’Neal would leave for the Lakers just one year later, ending Orlando’s window for a championship.
In the 2005-06 NBA season, the Dallas Mavericks were one of the best teams in the league. Led by MVP Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavericks finished with a 60-22 record and entered the playoffs with high expectations. Nowitzki was a unique force at the time, a 7-foot shooter who could stretch the floor, making him a matchup nightmare for any opponent in the NBA.
The Mavericks cruised to the NBA Finals, where they faced the Miami Heat, led by Dwyane Wade. Despite holding a 2-0 series lead, the Mavericks were unable to secure the title. In what remains one of the most infamous comebacks in NBA history, the Heat, led by Wade’s incredible Finals performance, stormed back to win the series 4-2.
Dallas’ heartbreaking collapse in the Finals, coupled with Nowitzki’s struggles in the final three games, left the franchise and fans wondering what could have been. They did however go on to win their first NBA Championship later in 2011, getting revenge on Miami in the process.
The Utah Jazz, led by future Hall of Famers John Stockton and Karl Malone, were a dynamic duo during the 1996-97 NBA season and most of the 90s. Their terrific play in the regular season that led to a 64-18 record that had them poised to win it all, but they ran into the most dominant force of the era in the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls. The Jazz were a well-oiled machine, with Stockton’s court vision and Malone’s scoring and rebounding carrying the load. However, in the 1997 NBA Finals, the Jazz ultimately fell to the Bulls in a six-game series.
That series featured several close games, but the Jazz were unable to overcome Jordan, who was in the midst of his second three-peat. Despite Malone’s amazing play and Stockton’s clutch assists, the Jazz just didn’t have the firepower to beat the Bulls’ championship pedigree. They would come close again in 1998, but Jordan stood in their way once again.
The best team to never win a title was the 2001-02 Sacramento Kings. They were led by an incredibly well-rounded group that featured Chris Webber, Mike Bibby, Peja Stojaković and Vlade Divac. During the 2001-02 season, the Kings finished with a 61-21 record, which was the best in the NBA. The Kings’ offense was fast-paced and had terrific unselfish ball movement, epitomized by Divac’s exceptional passing out of the post and Bibby’s ability to run the offense.
However, their season ended brutally in the Western Conference Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. In what is widely regarded as one of the most controversial playoff series in NBA history, the Kings were eliminated in Game 7, despite holding a 3-2 series lead and home-court advantage. Numerous questionable officiating decisions and a heroic performance from Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant played a big role in the outcome. The Kings’ inability to finish the job after a historic regular season left fans contemplating what could have been.
Dylan has had a love for sports since he was a kid. Four years ago, he decided to dive into the sports content-creating industry specializing in Fantasy Football, NFL and NBA. He has since had his work published on sites that include Fantasy Alarm, Fansided, and Fantasy Six Pack.