NBA 2015-‘16: 30 teams

Season Recap:

Another historical season has gone in archive. After bringing back the title 40 years later, Golden State opened the season with a record 24 straight wins, forcing many fans to care about the NBA a good two months early. As the season wore on, and the wins piled up, rumors of a record season grows up. Gradually all other NBA story lines receded. Kobe's final season stumbled along, Rookie Karl-Anthony Towns convincingly impersonated Tim Duncan, but few paid much mind, Russell Westbrook averaged a near triple double and may not receive a single MVP vote. Instead the Warriors became a black hole, sucking up all our attention. With 70 wins on the line, the Warriors won that game against the Spurs, just as they won two nights later in Memphis after being down 10 in the fourth quarter, and just as they won 92-86 in San Antonio on next Sunday in a game that Kerr later compared as a "playoff war". The win tied the Bulls for 72 wins, and their shot at 73 came in the season finale at home, against the Grizzlies three days later. But history was not ended.

Aside from the Warriors' historic campaign, other teams were making their mark on NBA annals as well. The San Antonio Spurs, behind new addition LaMarcus Aldridge and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Leonard, amassed a team-record 67 wins and the second-best record in the NBA. A healthy Kevin Durant returned to the lineup in Oklahoma City, allowing the Thunder to reclaim Northwest Division supremacy after a one-year absence and finish at No. 3 in the West, too. 

In the Eastern conf. the Cavs after firing coach Blatt, while had the East's best record of 30-11, finished overall and racked up 57 wins their most since 2009-10. Other teams in the conference had rebirths of success as well as the Detroit Pistons had a winning record for the first time in eight seasons and reached the playoffs for the first time since 2009 and the Charlotte Hornets bounced back as well after a subpar 2014-15 seasons, collecting their most wins since the 1999-2000 season.

As the playoffs began, the Warriors seemed primed to roll through the opposition en route to another Finals berth eliminating the Houston Rockets in five games. Only two series went to a Game 7 in the first round and both were in the East, the Miami Heat ousted the Charlotte Hornets and the Toronto Raptors defeated the Indiana Pacers. The Los Angeles Clippers, thought to be a darkhorse contender in the West, were a first-round casualty after Chris Paul and Blake Griffin suffered injuries in a series with the Portland Trail Blazers lost in six. 

As the conference semifinals got rolling, the Warriors ousted the Blazers and the East's top seed, the Cavs, swept away the involving Atlanta Hawks. The Raptors again took a series to the distance and held off the Heat to reach their first East finals. Out West, the Thunder scored a major upset by toppling their longtime rivals, the San Antonio Spurs, in six. Toronto gave Cleveland a tough series in the East finals, but the Raptors ultimately fell to the Cavs in six games, assuring Cleveland of a second straight Finals trip. Out West, an epic series took shape with the Thunder built a 3-1 series lead on the Warriors, but couldn't close the deal in Game 6. Golden State pulled away in Game 7 to win the series becoming the 10th team to win a postseason series after trailing 3-1 (and the third to do so in the conference finals).

The Warriors' ship seemed righted and momentum was on their side as they faced off in a Finals rematch with the Cavs. Golden State won three of the first four games in the series by an average of 19.6 points per game and held a 3-1 Finals edge. That margin had never been overcome in NBA history, yet the Cavs would not be deterred.

Former Finals MVP LeBron James channeled some of his past greatness over the final three games of The Finals, he averaged 36.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, 9.7 assists, 3.0 steals and 3.0 blocks. All of those games were Cavs wins, including a Game 7 in Golden State in which his late block on Andre Iguodala helped seal the championship.

By winning the title, Cleveland ended a 52-year championship drought in the city and provided one of the top achievements in James' storied career. As well, James was named Finals MVP after becoming the first player to lead a Finals-winning team in points, rebounds, assists, blocks and steals in a series.

(Source SR & NBA.com)

NBA 2014-‘15: 30 teams

Season Recap:

A season of big changes seen the Return of the king in Cleveland, with only a mission: bring a title to the city on the lake. The Cavs put some talents around the king, building a solid team but also trading along the season in a desperate try to repair to the various injuries that plagued their season. And the season was dominated by the surging Warriors with an unanimous MVP at the helm, Steph Curry and a rookie coach coming from the Popovich school, Steve Kerr. The Warriors wins 67 games with the first offense in the league. In the East the Hawks guided the conference with another Popovich adept on the bench, eventually coach of the year, Mike Budenholzer. With 60 wins Atlanta proposed itself as serious contender while the others Chicago, Toronto and Washington were only sparring partners in the East playoffs. But the Hawks fell short and were swept by the Cavs in the Eastern Finals, ending badly a memorable season.

In the West otherwise the playoff competition was furious soon in the first round: the Clippers survived in seven games to the defending champions Spurs after being down 3-2. Then they fell to the Rockets in seven after being up 3-1, in the West Semifinals, leaving the Harden's band to access the Western finals, after eliminating the Mavericks in the first. But the Warriors were too much for Harden and Howard and went straight to the Finals in five.

So the stage was set for the return of the king to the Finals where he find a fresh MVP Curry. Two cities were in battle to win it all, one never made and one after 40 years from the last. But the Finals, despite of the first two overtime games, was plagued by the Cavs injuries that lost Irving, added to the still lost Love and Varejao. A too much alone king James was not enough to contain the fresh power of the Splash bros and the Warriors small ball, that win it all in six and bring back the title to the Golden gate after 40 years.

(Source SR)

NBA 2012-‘13: 30 teams

Season Recap:

LeBron James finally confirmed beyond any reasonable doubt that he is not only the best player in the world, he's also one for the ages. He wins his fourth MVP, which put him in company with men like Russell, Wilt, Kareem and Jordan. Then he wins his second title and put the blocks for his legacy for the next years.

The season was dominated by the Heat that won 66 games with an impressive 27-game winning streak between February and March. In the East the Celtics falls soon after losing their young assistman Rondo (season leader with 11.1 apg) for injury while the Knicks surging with Anthony as scoring leader (28.7 ppg) and JR Smith as Sixth man of the year. But the Pacers were the best contenders for the Heat, forcing the defending champions to a seven-games series to access the Finals.

In the West the full-stars Lakers not work as expected, also because injuries and aging requested their toll, against Kobe and Nash, and the Howard experiment failed. OKC without Harden, migrated to the surging Rockets, was not capable of a comeback to the Finals, helped by a very resilient season by the Spurs, another time on the brink of make it all, in seven-game series, but this time it was the LeBron time and the Heat won their third title in a dramatic OT seventh-game, leaving no doubts on who is the reigning MVP of the league.

(Source SR)

NBA 2009-‘10: 30 teams

Season Recap:

Rivalry renewed. While LeBron James created suspance in writers, fans and teams throughout the season with his pending free agency, the Lakers marched straight all the season long on their quest for the Repeat. But the road was not so easy. Surviving a first-round scare against the upstart Oklahoma City Thunder, they trekked to the Finals to face another juggernaut.

After a slow regular-season finish, the Boston Celtics surprised the basketball world by waking up in the postseason. Though they finished with 50 wins, pundits hardly expected to Celtics to run through the Eastern Conference playoffs, ousting the LeBron-led Cavaliers and Dwight Howard-led Magic in consecutive rounds. Up 3-2 against the Lakers in the Finals, they could not close it out, losing two consecutive games (including a tight defensive battle in Game 7) and giving viewers a classic series in the process.

Afterward when asked about how much the fifth title meant to him, Kobe replied, "Just one more than Shaq. You can take that to the bank. You know how I am. I don't forget anything."

(Source NBA.com)