What Are The Worst NBA Teams To Make It To The NBA Finals?

What are the worst NBA Finals teams ever?

The 2017-18 Cavaliers had one of the league’s worst defenses in the regular season. Their offseason acquisitions feuded with vets. Their starting shooting guard threw soup at an assistant coach. And their opening-day starter at point guard abandoned the team in the middle of the year. Teammates accused their star big man of faking sick. And they had to give up draft assets to unload malcontents. All that is to say, the Cavaliers were an utter mess in 2017-18. But all that still couldn’t stop LeBron James from reaching his eighth consecutive NBA Finals. So where does this Cavs team rank on the list of the all-time worst NBA Finals teams? Let’s break down the “top” 15.  

15. 1999-00 Indiana Pacers

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Here’s how untalented the Pacers were in relation to the rest of history’s NBA Finals teams: Jalen Rose was arguably their best offensive player, leading the way with 18.2 points per game.

But they still managed to lead the league in offensive rating thanks to their precocious style: They were first in the league in threes made per game, and fourth-to-last in two-pointers per game.

14. 2001-02 New Jersey Nets

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The Nets had the NBA’s best defensive rating, saving them from a mediocre offense. No player averaged more than 15 points per game and only four managed more than 10 per contest.

After losing just five times in the Eastern Conference playoffs, they got swept by the Lakers in the Finals.

13. 2002-03 New Jersey Nets

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The Nets once again had the league’s best defense, but got worse on offense with the loss of Keith Van Horn, finishing 18th in offensive rating.

Following a 49-win season, they at least managed to win a pair of games in the Finals this time before falling to the Spurs.

12. 2017-18 Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavs were truly atrocious on the defensive end this season, finishing 29th out of 30 teams in defensive rating, finishing just ahead of the Phoenix Suns, a team that wasn’t even trying to win and owners of the NBA’s worst record.

Thankfully for them, LeBron’s presence basically guarantees at least 50 wins at this point.