10 Best NBA Finals Of The 21st Century

How will this year's climax match up with these modern classics?

The first round of the NBA Playoffs is rapidly coming to a close, with the big contenders flexing their muscles and eyeing a place in the NBA Finals. The Cavaliers and Warriors seem natural favourites to compete for the Larry O'Brien trophy come summer, but, as we've seen previously, the biggest stars don't always shine on the most pressurised stage of all. The climactic series represents an opportunity for every player to etch his name into folklore; it's best-of-seven format forces an entire squad to step up to the plate, unable to reply upon the same central figures for so many intense games in a row. Over the years there have been some classic series, particularly in modern times. While many feared that NBA basketball would die a slow death after the end of the Michael Jordan era, the action has - if anything - become even more exciting, an emphasis gradually shifting away from physical, slow individual clashes to fast ball movement and team-based brilliance. This new style has resulted in a collection of bonafide classics since the turn of the century, from titanic struggles between old historic foes to all-out wars between inexperienced young guns and fading veterans. More often than not, the NBA Finals provide drama and action unlike anything else in the world of sports. Hopefully this year's series can break this list - and with the current crop of outrageously talented superstars vying to propel their teams to a championship, it seems an increasingly likely prospect.
 
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Highly overrated 23 year old from the North East of England. Hanging off of your gangster car.