The 40 Greatest NBA Finals of All Time, Ranked

It was a mismatch from the jump. LeBron James, 22 years old and carrying the entire state of Ohio on his shoulders, met a seasoned, machine-like Spurs team that barely blinked. Duncan, Parker, Ginóbili—each executed like silent assassins. The Cavs tried, but LeBron had no help.

Every Spurs possession felt clinical; every Cavs possession felt like swimming through molasses. A sweep, yes—but an important one. It exposed the gap between “great talent” and “great team.” And it foreshadowed what LeBron would soon become, forged by failure. The Finals were dull. The lesson? Profound.