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Leading into the post-season, there was a large discussion about whether the Spurs needed to lose in order to win. That is, many thought they were too young, they didn’t have the playoff defeats to learn from, and therefore were not ready to win a championship.
San Antonio made a very deep playoff run, nevertheless, knocking off the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder, only to fall short and suffer defeat at the highest mountain top to the New York Knicks. Along with the scars suffered along the way, Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs have now very much bled their own blood. Now, will they bounce back?
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It’s certainly possible. History has plenty of examples of teams facing defeat in the Finals, often thanks to their own miscues, only to come back better and stronger the next year. Here are some of the most famous examples of redemption championship teams.
Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers 1980s
There is no greater rivalry in professional basketball than the Celtics and Lakers. The two teams have met in the finals 12 times. As far as bounce-back teams, there are plenty to choose from. The best example would be 1985. Magic Johnson, who already had two Finals MVPs at that point, arguably cost the Lakers the series. He had bad turnovers, missed free throws, and even forgot about the shot clock on a crucial possession at the end of game two, earning him the infamous nickname “Tragic Johnson.” But he and his teammates redeemed themselves, winning the 1985 championship over Boston.
Then, not to be discouraged, Boston bounced back themselves in 1986 with one of the best teams of all time, winning a championship over the Houston Rockets.
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Miami Heat 2011-2012
LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh had formed their triumvirate in Miami and were ready to take over the league as “The Heatles”. But it would take them until their second year together to realize that potential. In their first season together, they faced a tragic defeat at the hands of the Dallas Mavericks. James averaged only 17.8 points, a far cry from his 26.7 regular-season average, leading many to wonder if the…
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Publish date : 2026-06-20 16:43:00
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