Nba Teams That Have Bounced Back To Win It All

Leading into the post-season, there was a large discussion about whether the Spurs needed to lose in order to win. That is, many thought they were too young, they didn’t have the playoff defeats to learn from, and therefore were not ready to win a championship.

San Antonio made a very deep playoff run, nevertheless, knocking off the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, only to fall short and suffer defeat at the highest mountain top to the New York Knicks. Along with the scars suffered along the way, Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs have now very much bled their own blood. Now, will they bounce back?

It’s certainly possible. History has plenty of examples of teams facing defeat in the Finals, often thanks to their own miscues, only to come back better and stronger the next year. Here are some of the most famous examples of redemption championship teams.

Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers 1980s

There is no greater rivalry in professional basketball than the Celtics and Lakers. The two teams have met in the finals 12 times. As far as bounce-back teams, there are plenty to choose from. The best example would be 1985. Magic Johnson, who already had two Finals MVPs at that point, arguably cost the Lakers the series. He had bad turnovers, missed free throws, and even forgot about the shot clock on a crucial possession at the end of game two, earning him the infamous nickname “Tragic Johnson.” But he and his teammates redeemed themselves, winning the 1985 championship over Boston.

Then, not to be discouraged, Boston bounced back themselves in 1986 with one of the best teams of all time, winning a championship over the Houston Rockets.

Miami Heat 2011-2012

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh had formed their triumvirate in Miami and were ready to take over the league as “The Heatles”. But it would take them until their second year together to realize that potential. In their first season together, they faced a tragic defeat at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks. James averaged only 17.8 points, a far cry from his 26.7 regular-season average, leading many to wonder if the moment was just too big for him (and if karma had caught up to him for The Decision and their cocky declaration of “not two, not three, not four….” championships at their introduction parade). Ultimately, he and Miami would bounce back for a championship the following season, defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder, with James being crowned with his first Finals MVP.

The Beautiful Game Spurs 2013-2014

And of course, what is perhaps the best example of a bounce-back season is the 2014 San Antonio Spurs. San Antonio suffered a brutal defeat in 2013 at the hands of the Miami Heat, losing in seven games after snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in Game 6 thanks to series of late blunders and the “Ray Allen Shot”.

Then, as is well known, they came back with a vengeance the very next year. They finished first in the West with the best record in the league, Gregg Popovich won Coach of the Year, and they toppled the same Heat team in the Finals in only 5 games. It was not only a redemption, but perhaps the sweetest icing on top of the cake of several Hall of Fame careers.

These are just a few examples. Overall, it’s a question of perseverance. While it would be nice for Victor Wembanyama to have a perfect Finals record, comparable to a certain all-time great everyone thinks about, the fact is that just isn’t the case. But he shouldn’t be discouraged. Many, if not all, of the other all-time greats have fallen short. It’s a fact of basketball and a fact of life. Setbacks are going to happen; it’s a question of whether you bounce back or bounce backwards.