The NBA Finals that would extend the most incredible streak in history
In the last 10 years, there have been 14 different finalists and we have had 8 consecutive different champions. Can this continue in 2027?
The NBA is going through one of the most competitive periods in its history. Eight consecutive seasons with different champions have turned the fight for the ring into a scenario without clear dominators, a trend that may extend into 2027. Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Detroit Pistons are among the franchises that could add a new chapter to this alternating stage, with projects aiming to conquer the title or at least reach a Finals they have been waiting for many years.
Eight different champions in eight seasons: the NBA has no owner
Parity has become one of the major hallmarks of the competition. Since the Toronto Raptors won the championship in 2019, no franchise has succeeded in repeating their title the following season. This sequence has allowed eight different teams to lift the Larry O'Brien trophy.
The Los Angeles Lakers took the baton in 2020, before the Milwaukee Bucks triumphed in 2021. Then came the Golden State Warriors (2022), the Denver Nuggets (2023), the Boston Celtics (2024), the Oklahoma City Thunder (2025), and the New York Knicks (2026).
The list reflects an NBA where success does not have a permanent owner. Major projects can reach the top, but maintaining dominance for several years is becoming increasingly difficult. The 2026-27 season offers another opportunity for another franchise to join this select group.
Houston Rockets and Philadelphia 76ers: an unprecedented Finals that would extend the streak
One of the most striking scenarios would be a title showdown between Houston Rockets and Philadelphia 76ers. They have never faced each other in an NBA Finals, and both represent projects with arguments to aspire to make the big jump this season.
Houston has not played in a Finals since 1995, when they won their second consecutive championship. More than three decades have passed since that golden era led by Hakeem Olajuwon, and the Texas franchise again has a talented and deep roster to aim high.
In Philadelphia, the wait is also considerable. The Sixers have not reached the Finals since 2001, when they fell to the Lakers led by Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. The franchise has been trying for years to find the formula to turn its potential into results and now presents itself again as a significant threat in the East.
A hypothetical final between the two would have added value: it would guarantee a new champion in this recent streak and allow one of these two organizations to end a long wait.
Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons want to break their historical ceiling
There are two other franchises whose presence in the Finals would represent a particularly significant event: Minnesota Timberwolves and Detroit Pistons.
The case of Minnesota is the most striking from a historical perspective. The Timberwolves have never played in a Finals since their inception in 1989. The franchise has gone through different stages of rebuilding and has had to wait a long time to consolidate a project capable of competing among the best. Now, with Anthony Edwards as its main reference, it has reasons to believe it can break that barrier.
In the East, the Detroit Pistons have also regained reasons for hope. Their last appearance in a Finals dates back to 2005, when they lost to the San Antonio Spurs. The Michigan franchise wants to reposition itself among the competition's major players, and its growth opens the door to regaining relevance that it has long been without.
A final featuring either of these two franchises would add another new name to the list of challengers that have reached the last round for the championship in recent years.
Four candidates and an increasingly unpredictable NBA
The start of the 2026-27 season reinforces expectations around these four teams. As of November 13, Philadelphia holds a record of 10-3 and Detroit 8-3, while Houston and Minnesota share a 9-3 record in the Western Conference.
These are numbers that still need to be consolidated but show that none of these projects are appearing in the conversation by chance. All four have started with arguments to think about an important season and can become real alternatives to the teams that have traditionally dominated their respective conferences.
Of course, there is still a long way to go until the playoffs and even further until the Finals. Injuries, trades, and the evolution of each roster can completely change the landscape. But the trend of recent years encourages not to dismiss almost any outcome.
The NBA has gone eight seasons without repeating a champion, and 2027 could expand that number to nine. Houston, Philadelphia, Minnesota, and Detroit represent four of the most attractive possibilities for prolonging an era in which a new contender appears willing to change history every year.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Las Finales NBA que prolongarían la racha más increíble de la historia