The goal for every team every season is to make the NBA Finals by all means necessary. It certainly isn’t easy to do so because only one franchise gets the chance to compete for the coveted NBA title. That is why it takes a mix of factors for a team to even get a chance to sniff the Finals, let alone win the award. Perhaps the most important factor is talent because a mix of stars and exceptional role players are needed to make plays on the court. Of course, having one of the best coaches in the league normally means title contention is in the cards. Most times, health and a bit of luck (external or internal) can make or break a team’s season.
Once a player gets to the Finals, he might never return there. That is why it is very difficult for a player to make the Finals consistently and even more difficult to have a flawless NBA record. Even the most elite superstars have lost at least one Finals series in their careers when thinking of superstars such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Shaquille O’Neal, among others. Even these dominant players have lost Finals appearances which shows how rare it is for any player to be undefeated in the Finals.
We have collected the only NBA players to have flawless Finals records, with the minimum requirement of at least three NBA Finals appearances. There have been quite a handful of players who never lost a single series in three appearances, but that number goes as high as eight flawless wins in the biggest stage of them all. By once again focusing on the players that have a minimum of three Finals victories in three appearances, here are the only NBA competitors who never lost in the NBA Finals.
3-0 Record In The NBA Finals:
– Toni Kukoc (Chicago Bulls)
– Bruce Bowen (San Antonio Spurs)
– B.J. Armstrong (Chicago Bulls)
– Sam Cassell (Houston Rockets and Boston Celtics)
– Mario Elie (Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs)
– Luc Longley (Chicago Bulls)
– Bill Cartwright (Chicago Bulls)
– John Paxson (Chicago Bulls)
– Stacey King (Chicago Bulls)
– Scott Williams (Chicago Bulls)
– Randy Brown (Chicago Bulls)
– Jud Buechler (Chicago Bulls)
– Gerald Henderson (Boston Celtics and Detroit Pistons)
– Gene Conley (Boston Celtics)
– JaVale McGee (Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers)
– Patrick McCaw (Golden State Warriors and Toronto Raptors)
A host of Chicago Bulls players finished with a 3-0 Finals record, including the elite of Toni Kukoc to the role players of Luc Longley, Bill Cartwright, and John Paxson among others. The Chicago Bulls teams of the 1990s were spearheaded by the greatest player of all time in, Michael Jordan, and his superstar teammate Scottie Pippen under the leadership of Phil Jackson. With so much talent at the top, the Bulls needed specialists, including bench scorers (Kukoc), big men (Cartwright, Longley), and shooters (Paxson and Armstrong). With MJ and Pippen leading the way, the Bulls won six NBA titles through two different three-peats. With so much Finals success, is there any surprise to see so many Bulls players?
Toni Kukoc is perhaps the player that stands out most because he was a part of the second Bulls three-peat side that won titles between 1996 and 1998. The 6’10” forward was a sharpshooter, rebounder, and clutch performer who was pivotal in helping Jordan, Pippen, and Jackson win in those years. Kukoc averaged a career 12.1 PPG, 4.2 RPG, and 2.9 APG over 18 Finals games in his career. Because of his success as a multiple-time NBA champion, Kukoc made the Hall of Fame.
Bruce Bowen is another high-profile player that appears on this list behind Toni Kukoc because he is one of the NBA’s best wing defenders of his generation. Bowen pulled every trick in the book to win games, and he often did whatever it took for the San Antonio Spurs to win championships. Bowen won three titles with the Spurs, and along with his whopping eight All-Defensive Team selections, the wingman was incredibly impactful as a role player over his career.
Two Houston Rockets players also appear on this list (Mario Elie, Sam Cassell) as both guards were important rotation pieces for the Rockets sides led by Hakeem Olajuwon. Thanks to their toughness and high-IQ styles of play, Elie and Cassell are iconic Rockets role players, and fans are grateful for their performance in the Finals. Both players also ended up winning another ring with different teams, as Elie won with the Spurs at 35 years old, and Cassell won with the Celtics in 2008 at 38 years old.
No surprise, we have some Boston Celtics players as Gerland Henderson won two titles with Larry Bird’s Celtics of the 1980s (and one with the 1990 Detroit Pistons), while Gene Conley won with the dominant Celtics teams in 1959, 1960, and 1961. Anytime Finals records come into play, it is not usual to see Celtics players there. Amazingly, JaVale McGee also went 3-0 in the Finals in his career as a member of the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers. The center was often ridiculed for his boneheaded plays as a youngster with the Denver Nuggets and Washington Wizards but found a role as he matured as a 7-footer with solid rebounding and shot-blocking skills.
Finally, Patrick McCaw has been a bench player for his entire career but was a shooter and perimeter defender for the Kevin Durant-led Golden State Warriors and also the Kawhi Leonard-led Toronto Raptors. With three straight titles to his name, Patrick McCaw will certainly be happy with his championship rings.
4-0 Record In The NBA Finals:
– Pep Saul (Rochester Royals and Minneapolis Lakers)
– Jim Pollard (Minneapolis Lakers)
– Will Perdue (Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs)
Pep Saul, a 6’2” shooting guard that competed in the 1950s, is one of three players in NBA history to go 4-0 in the NBA Finals. Saul was part of the 1951 Rochester Royals squad led by Arnie Risen, who led the team in PPG and RPG. Saul was perhaps the least impactful player in the Royals team, as he only posted 0.8 PPG, 0.6 RPG, and 0.8 APG over 7 games. Saul also added three more titles in 1952, 1953, and 1954 for the Minneapolis Lakers teams that were led by superstar center George Mikan. Saul was lucky to play alongside two all-time great centers in the 1950s, and his career Finals average of 6.6 PPG was enough to make the guard a 4-time champion at his retirement.
Jim Pollard was a part of the dominant Minneapolis Lakers sides of the 1950s led by George Mikan. A 6’4” small forward, Pollard averaged 13.4 PPG in 29 games in the NBA Finals and was a solid contributor on both ends of the floor. Because of his championship success with four NBA titles (and one BAA title) along with four All-Star Team selections, Pollard made the Hall of Fame upon his retirement.
Will Perdue also won four NBA titles, three with the Chicago Bulls and one with the San Antonio Spurs. The 7’0” center was a bench player because he lacked offensive skill and was mainly an enforcer and rebounder, but his presence for both championship teams (1991-1993 Bulls, 1999 Spurs) made him a valuable backup. Perdue’s four rings are his greatest achievements.
5-0 Record In The NBA Finals:
– George Mikan (Minneapolis Lakers)
– Ron Harper (Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers)
– Steve Kerr (Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs)
– Larry Siegfried (Boston Celtics)
With an incredible 5-0 Finals record, George Mikan is regarded as the NBA’s first true dominant superstar player. The 6’10” big man was unstoppable during the 1950s, which is why he won five championships over his short seven-year career. Mikan was bigger, more skilled, and simply more dominant than his peers, and his Finals averages of 23.9 PPG are proof of that. No doubt, Mikan is the best player to ever go 5-0 in the Finals among the pool of six players.
Ron Harper has to be another big name in this category because the 6’6” combo guard was exceptional at playmaking, scoring, and especially defense. Harper was a part of the second three-peat side of the Bulls led by Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, as he was one of the best defenders on the team. Even after he won three straight titles between 1996 and 1998, he added two more in 2000 and 2001 with the Los Angeles Lakers teams that had Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.
Steve Kerr, the all-time greatest three-point shooter in terms of 3-PT FG percentage (45.4%), was also fortunate to play with Michael Jordan and Scotie Pippen. Kerr won five championships thanks to being a deep-range shooter with Chicago and also added a title in 2003 as a member of the San Antonio Spurs led by Tim Duncan. Kerr was not a star player, but his efficiency from three and chemistry-building habits made him an iconic role player.
Larry Siegfried of the Boston Celtics won five NBA championships and averaged 11.7 PPG, 2.2 RPG, and 2.8 APG over 28 games in the NBA Finals. The 6’3” combo guard was on a very talented squad led by superstar center Bill Russell, who had his own superior Finals record of 11-1 over 12 appearances. Siegfried did miss out on the Hall of Fame, however, as his five championships weren’t enough to get him in.
6-0 Record In The NBA Finals:
– Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls)
– Scottie Pippen (Chicago Bulls)
No surprise, the dominant duo and the greatest partnership ever in Michael Jordan and Scotie Pippen went 6-0 in the Finals, and no other player shares that particular record. The GOAT, Michael Jordan, went 6-0 in the Finals and captured six titles with six Finals MVPs. It is hard to find a player more accomplished than the shooting guard outside of Bill Russell, and only four players are ahead of him with more flawless Finals appearances and wins. With Jordan’s ability to score anytime, he wanted to and also lock up opposing guards; the Bulls had a dynasty that was almost incomparable (besides the Bill Russell-led Boston Celtics). Jordan averaged a ridiculous 33.6 PPG with 6.0 RPG, 6.0 APG, and 1.8 SPG and did his job on both ends. Perhaps there wasn’t a better finisher than MJ in the Finals as well, as seen from his iconic game-winning plays in Game 6 of the 1998 Finals.
Scottie Pippen does not get enough credit for being one of the most impactful two-way wings in NBA history, and that was because he happened to play alongside The GOAT in Michael Jordan. Pippen won 6 NBA titles alongside Jordan, and it wasn’t until he became a superstar that the Bulls started dominating the East and eventually the Finals. In fact, Pippen never lost a single Final, going 6-0 alongside Jordan. Scottie Pippen’s Finals averages stand at 19.0 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 5.9 APG, 1.9 SPG, and 1.1 BPG, showcasing his elite two-way dominance. There isn’t a Chicago Bulls dynasty without Pippen acting as Michael Jordan’s greatest teammate, which is why the two players have a flawless 6-0 record.
7-0 Record In The NBA Finals:
– Robert Horry (Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, San Antonio Spurs)
– Jim Loscutoff (Boston Celtics)
Thanks to the fact that “Big Shot Rob” played on three excellent Finals teams, Robert Horry is the most recognizable player in NBA history to have a perfect 7-0 Finals record. His first two titles came in back-to-back fashion with the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995, as Hakeem Olajuwon led that squad to victory both times. Horry was also part of the dominant Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant teams that had a three-peat between 2000-2002. Horry was also fortunate to win two titles with the San Antonio Spurs in 2005 and 2007, as Tim Duncan and Tony Parker won Finals MVPs in those years, respectively.
Horry was always on dominant teams, and while that is down to some luck, it also shows how critical the role player could be on title contenders due to his size (6’10”), shooting (34.1% 3-PT FG), defense, and clutch shot-making. To begin to understand how clutch Horry was over his career and why title-contenders needed a role player like him to step up, here is a video of the player’s incredible clutch highlights.
In nine NBA seasons, from 1955–56 to 1963–64, Loscutoff was a member of seven championship teams as part of the legendary Boston Celtics franchise of the 1960s. A 6’5” small forward, Loscutoff was sometimes described as the Celtics’ physical enforcer. His defense and strength were part of the defensive greatness of the 1960s Celtics, alongside Hall-of-Famer Bill Russell. As expected, Loscutoff made the Hall of Fame upon his retirement.
8-0 Record In The NBA Finals:
– John Havlicek (Boston Celtics)
– Tom Sanders (Boston Celtics)
– K.C. Jones (Boston Celtics)
Going 8-0 in the NBA Finals is extraordinary, and it will never happen again. No surprise, the only three players that managed this incredible record all played for the dominant Boston Celtics team that ran riot in the NBA in the 1960s. Hendo also won two titles during the 1970s, winning the 1974 Finals MVP award with the franchise. With eight NBA championships in eight years, John Havlicek was the greatest player to ever go 8-0. The superstar forward is one of the all-time great players and had Finals stats of 21.7 PPG, 7.4 RPG, and 4.1 APG over 47 games in the Finals.
Another iconically successful Boston Celtic, Tom Sanders, was a 6’6” forward with averages of 10.5 PPG, 6.4 RPG, and 1.2 APG over 43 games played in the Finals. Sanders was on the same teams that Havlicek was on between 1963 and 1969 but was actually on two more title teams before Havlicek came into the league in 1961 and 1962. Sanders was mainly a role player, with only an All-Defensive Team Selection as his only individual accolade, but eight rings mean Sanders was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
K.C. Jones is another role player for the legendary Celtics teams that dominated the 1960s. Amazingly, Jones was a 6’1” point guard that was on the team as early as 1959 and won a title almost every year of his career until the final season (1967). That meant Jones won eight straight titles from his rookie season until his eighth year in the league. With Finals stats of 6.5 PPG and 2.5 RPG over 44 games, Jones’ success as a winning point guard earned him a Hall of Fame induction.
Source: fadeawayworld
