The best ever underdog tales in the NBA

Everyone loves an underdog story. It has been the basis of many Hollywood movies, from The Mighty Ducks to Rocky to The Karate Kid. Each one has been a critical and commercial success and is beloved by kids and adults alike. That is why when it happens in real life it is so much sweeter and more satisfying, unless it happens against your team of course.

So, which are the best underdog stories to ever come out of the NBA? With the best of five or best of seven setup of the playoffs, it is heavily in favor of the bigger teams. Sometimes though an underdog team just will not quit and that creates some of the best stories you are ever likely to hear. These are ourpersonal favorites.

Phoenix Suns beat the LA Lakers in 1990

The Lakers finished top of the Western Conference in 1990. The Suns had a fifth placed finish. Even with the merchandise machine Kareem Abdul-Jabbar having retired in the off season, the Lakers still had Magic Johnson to rely upon. With a record of 63-19 they had a win percentage of almost 77%, they were still a formidable and dangerous team. The Suns took no notice of that though in this Western Conference semifinal. They played completely without fear and took the game to the Lakers.

They swept the Lakers aside with a 4 – 1 series win that completely shocked the basketball world. It also shocked the betting world too as the Lakers were red hot favorites with odds of -700. The Suns would have offered +500, which if you indulged in PA Sports Betting Online today would be a very healthy return. Of course, those odds were just for them to win the series, the odds for the Suns to win by three clear games would have been even more impressive!

The Philadelphia 76ers shock the Chicago Bulls in 2012

The Bulls today are a shadow of their former great team. However, this 2012 Bulls team was very close to being seen almost on a par with the great modern era Bulls team from the 1990s. The huge turning point for the Bulls in this series happened in the final quarter of the first game of the series. With the Bulls leading 99 – 87, it looked like they would be taking a healthy lead into the second game. That was when disaster struck. The MVP from the previous season dropped to the floor in incredible pain. Derrick Rose, without a doubt the Bull’s figurehead, had torn his ACL and would be out until the next season. The 76ers had no mercy.

They won game two to tie the series. They then dominated their three remaining home games to take the series 4 – 2 overall. When you consider that the Bulls had won the Eastern that year and the 76ers had snuck into the playoffs in eighth, it is huge achievement. Especially with the Bulls having odds of -1400 and the 76ers having odds of +900. Would they have done it without Rose getting injured? No-one will ever know.