Curated playlist
NBA teams
- San Antonio SpursWhen the San Antonio Spurs win an NBA title, the parade goes by boat along the San Antonio River Walk.
- Toronto RaptorsThe Toronto Raptors agreed to pay Ontario's lottery to stop taking bets on NBA games.
- Houston RocketsThe Houston Rockets began in San Diego and nearly folded in 1970. The owner told fans of an eviction notice.
- Philadelphia 76ersThe Philadelphia 76ers lost 73 games in 1972-73 and were nicknamed the "Nine and 73-ers."
- Cleveland CavaliersThe Cleveland Cavaliers won the 2016 NBA title after trailing the Finals 3-1. No Finals team had done that before.
- Indiana PacersPacers star Reggie Miller scored 25 points in one quarter in 1994 and flashed a choke sign at Spike Lee.
- Milwaukee BucksThe Milwaukee Bucks won a coin flip that landed them Lew Alcindor. They won a title in year three.
- Memphis GrizzliesThe Grizzlies were nearly the Vancouver Mounties until the Royal Canadian Mounted Police objected.
- Miami HeatThe Miami Heat won 27 games in a row in 2013. It is the third-longest winning streak in NBA history.
- Dallas MavericksAfter the Dallas Mavericks won the 2011 title, Dirk Nowitzki left the court before the game ended.
- Phoenix SunsIn the 1976 Finals, Suns guard Paul Westphal called a timeout his team did not have. It moved the ball to half-court.
- Boston CelticsRed Auerbach of the Boston Celtics reportedly offered the Ice Capades to Rochester to land Bill Russell.
- Detroit PistonsThe Detroit Pistons won only 14 games in 2023-24, then won 60 two seasons later. No NBA team had done that before.
- Minnesota TimberwolvesThe Minnesota Timberwolves got their name from a vote across the state. The name beat Polars by nearly 2-1.
- New Orleans PelicansThe Pelicans won the 2019 draft lottery despite only a six percent chance. They picked Zion Williamson.
- Oklahoma City ThunderThe Oklahoma City Thunder's 2025 title banner ignores a 1979 championship. The team says that banner belongs to Seattle.
- Utah JazzThe Utah Jazz took their name from New Orleans, then moved to a city with almost no jazz tradition.
- Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls made the playoffs in their very first season. No NBA expansion team had done that before.
- Brooklyn NetsThe Brooklyn Nets joined the NBA in 1976 by paying the Knicks a $4.8 million invasion fee.
- Denver NuggetsThe Denver Nuggets nearly lost their team before playing a game. In 1967, the ABA demanded a $100,000 bond.
- Portland Trail BlazersThe Portland Trail Blazers name was only the 172nd most popular suggestion in a public contest.
- Sacramento KingsThe Sacramento Kings won their only NBA title in 1951, when they played in Rochester as the Royals.
- Los Angeles ClippersTwo NBA owners once simply traded teams, and the Clippers were the result.
- Washington WizardsMichael Jordan ran the Washington Wizards, then came out of retirement at 38 to play for them.
- Golden State WarriorsIn the 2007 playoffs, the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors beat the top-seeded Dallas Mavericks.
- New York KnicksInjured Willis Reed limped onto the court for game 7 of the 1969-70 NBA Finals. New York won its first title.
- Los Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers began as a Detroit team that won just 4 of 44 games.
- Orlando MagicThe Orlando Magic were nearly named the Juice. Only eleven of 4,296 entries in 1986 said "Magic."
- Atlanta HawksThe Atlanta Hawks won their only NBA title in Missouri, not Georgia. It came in 1958, ten years before the move.
- Charlotte HornetsThe Charlotte Hornets traded away Kobe Bryant's draft rights before he played a game. Charlotte got Vlade Divac.