Most Intense and Well Played Conference Finals or NBA Finals

[JordansBulls]

What would be the Most Intense and Well Played Conference Finals or NBA Finals series you have seen or know about?

Example: Philly vs Boston 1981 ECF.

[Tim_Hardawayy]

Well I'm biased but I'd say the 2013 Finals has to be up there. Both teams took huge shots in the first few games (trading blowouts), then games 6 and 7 were tight the whole way through when the teams had figured each other out.

[Quotatious]

Series that I can remember as they happened live:

1996 Jazz vs Sonics
1998 Bulls v Pacers
2000 Blazers vs Lakers
2002 Kings vs Lakers
2004 Pacers vs Pistons
2005 Heat vs Pistons
2005 Pistons vs Spurs

1998 ECF was definitely the closest the Bulls came to losing a series during their six championship seasons. That Pacers team was the epitome of teamwork, hustle and being better than the sum of its parts.

That 2004 Pacers/Pistons series is the ugliest series I've ever seen, both teams struggled to score 80 points, but defense, toughness and competitiveness on both sides was incredible.

[Jim Naismith]

1987 Pistons-Celtics
1988 Lakers-Pistons
1993 Bulls-Suns

[BullBearBidness]

05 Finals made me fall in love with watching the NBA. I always loved to play.

[JulesWinnfield]

I've been watching since the 80s and I have to go with the 2013 finals. Even the blowouts in the 2013 finals were toss up games at some point during the second half until one team hit the other with a haymaker run to close it out. Three terrific games that went down to the wire, a classic all timer in game 6 which might be the GOAT game. Game 7 was close throughout with the biggest margin all night being the 7 point lead the Heat ended the game with.

At least 8 hall of famers took part in that series not even counting McGrady who wasn't in the rotation (I'm projecting some with Kawhi, but he's on his way for sure). Series obliterated the record for threes made in a finals. Hall of famers everywhere but role players stepping up huge as well. Danny green was out of his mind in the first 5 games and set a record for threes made in a finals. Gary Neal had a monster game for them. Mario Chalmers had a huge night for the Heat. Battier had a big night from downtown. Mike Miller draining big shots shoeless in game 7. Awesome drama, awesome series. Iconic plays throughout. Parkers shot in game 1. Lebrons block on splitter. Wade having the throwback game 4 when people were throwing dirt on him. Manu answering and doing the same in game 5. Duncan with a 25 point first half in game 6, Allens shot and Lebrons Heroics that night to lead he comeback in that thriller. Lebrons elbow jumper to seal it in game 7 and tie the record for point scored in a game 7 finals win. Just an epic series with a legend that is going to grow over time

[dreamshake]

2013 Finals would probably get my vote for the reasons outlined above ^.

Another one that I wasn't around for but have watched tape of was the 1970 Finals - great series that more people should check out. So many great storylines in that one - back to back overtime games in G3 and G4 including a Jerry West 60+ footer to tie it. And of course the Willis Reed down-the-tunnel game 7 that kind of overshadowed one of the all-time great performances in Walt Frazier's 37pt 19ast 7reb masterpiece.

[oldschooled]

I'll always remember that 04 Pistons/Pacers series. What a series that was. That was Reggie's last season also, no?

[Quotatious]

I'll always remember that 04 Pistons/Pacers series. What a series that was.

Yeah, I've never seen anything like that, before or after. I believe that series contributed to the subsequent rule changes before the '04-'05 season. NBA probably just didn't want the game to be as defense-oriented as it was in '03-'04, because they thought it wasn't fun for people to watch (2003-04 was likely the most defense-oriented season in NBA history since the introduction of the shot clock in 1954-55).

That was Reggie's last season also, no?

No, he played one more season after that. If not for the Malice at the Palace, that Pacers team would've been a very strong contender. They were coming off a 61-win (best record in the league), ECF season, and Artest looked like he was hitting his peak in '05, prior to that suspension. JO was just as good if not better in '05 as he was in '04, too. They acquired Stephen Jackson, he proved to be an absolutely key player, and if Artest didn't get suspended, they seemed to be every bit as good as Detroit or Miami.

Man, what a retirement it would've been for Reggie, if he won a title in his last season, at age 40...I kinda wish he won it all that year - dude was a seriously great playoff performer, it would be very fitting for him to win at least one title.

[G35]

2005 finals was very intense but it is not respected because it did not display "beautiful" basketball. The Spurs were very dependent on either Tim Duncan or Manu in isolation and the Pistons pretty much ran Rip Hamilton off a million screens and they played off that.

2007 WCF's was intense between Suns-Spurs but the hip check ruined it.

2002 WCF's between Lakers-Kings was good but the referee calls took precedent

1993 Suns vs Bulls finals was the pinnacle of offensive firepower imo.

It is difficult to be intense and well played at the time. Intense defense generally makes offenses not play well.......

[penbeast0]

. . .

That 2004 Pacers/Pistons series is the ugliest series I've ever seen, both teams struggled to score 80 points, but defense, toughness and competitiveness on both sides was incredible.

Uglier than the Knicks/Heat series with Pat Riley in his mafia suits orchestrating the nastiness on the sidelines?

[Quotatious]

Uglier than the Knicks/Heat series with Pat Riley in his mafia suits orchestrating the nastiness on the sidelines?

Yes, I would say that Pacers/Pistons series was even uglier (at least the scores of Heat/Knicks series were a bit higher - in the Pacers/Pistons series, teams scored below 70 points FIVE TIMES - Pacers scored 67 in game 2, Pistons scored 68 in game 4, Pacers 65 in game 5, and game 6 was a real bloodbath - 69-65 in favor of the Pistons).

Those Heat/Knicks series were very similar to the Pacers/Pistons series, though.

[Jim Naismith]

Uglier than the Knicks/Heat series with Pat Riley in his mafia suits orchestrating the nastiness on the sidelines?

Yes, I would say that Pacers/Pistons series was even uglier (at least the scores of Heat/Knicks series were a bit higher - in the Pacers/Pistons series, teams scored below 70 points FIVE TIMES - Pacers scored 67 in game 2, Pistons scored 68 in game 4, Pacers 65 in game 5, and game 6 was a real bloodbath - 69-65 in favor of the Pistons).

Those Heat/Knicks series were very similar to the Pacers/Pistons series, though.

Prequel to the Malice at the Palace

[chrismikayla]

For me the 2002 Kings/Lakers conference finals tops the list. That series had a little bit of everything with two evenly matched teams. To top it off, game 7 went into overtime.

[Jim Naismith]

For me the 2002 Kings/Lakers conference finals tops the list. That series had a little bit of everything with two evenly matched teams. To top it off, game 7 went into overtime.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WY-qzf5F8B0[/youtube]

[ElGee]

2007 WCF's was intense between Suns-Spurs but the hip check ruined it.

That was a Conference Semi, but a great series. I did a list like this about 10 years ago. Off the top of my head, I'd say:

1981 ECF PHI v BOS. Amazing series. Unbelievable intensity.
1984 Finals BOS v LAL. Can't believe this hasn't been mentioned. This series was on another level at the time.
1988 Finals DET v LAL. Not a huge fan of watching those Pistons but these were good.
1993 Finals CHI v PHO. Pretty awesome series all around.
1995 ECF ORL v IND. Overlooked series -- last second shots, offensive bananza.
2002 WCF LAL v SAC. Epic series.
2010 WCF LAL v PHO. An overlooked offensive series -- EACH team had an ORTG over 119.
2013 Finals MIA v SAS. Looking at this list, this series stands out. One of the great series ever.

[colts18]

How about the 2013 Heat vs Pacers series. Very intense.