Everything has a history. Whether it's a mom & pop shop, a style of music, or a biological wonder, all things have a timeline based on a starting point. Sports leagues are no different. With the NBA's conference finals underway, a pretty intriguing storyline are the teams involved in the proceedings. On the surface, most of the franchises still alive aren't going to catch the casual fan's eye. However, if you dig a little bit into the remaining participants, you'll discover a through line that encompasses the nearly 80-year history of the continent's most famous professional hoops league.
There hasn't been a whole lot of success in the history of the Minnesota Timberwolves. An organization created during the "modern" expansion era of the Association, an eventual growth during the prime of Kevin Garnett's career turned into a malaise that lasted a decade-and-a-half. I lived here around a decade before the team finally returned to the postseason. Now, there's a buzz in the Land of 10,000 Lakes that has nothing to do with summer mosquitoes. With new franchise player Anthony Edwards leading the way, the Wolves are poised to reach heights the franchise ... and the state ... have never witnessed.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have been in this position not just recently, but in a past life. This is the fifth conference finals for OKC since 2008. That was the summer where the Thunder emerged and the former Seattle SuperSonics faded into memory. The Sonics entered the league in 1968, during the early stages of a mass expansion period where the number of teams ultimately doubled. The results bore early fruit, with a playoff appearance in year eight, a Finals bid in year 11, and a title in year 12. After 40 years in the Pacific Northwest, ownership changes eventually led to relocation on the Southern Plains.
A little over 45 years after raising the trophy, the Thunder seem poised to compete for the Association's next superpower. They're very young, they're very hungry, and their efficiencies are ready to sustain themselves over a long stretch of time.
The Indiana Pacers began their basketball journey the same year as Seattle. However, it was in another league entirely. During their time in the American Basketball Association, the organization had immeasurable success. The squad made five championship series and won three titles. After the initial ABA folded (a new league formed in 2000), the Pacers were "elevated" to the NBA (along with Denver, San Antonio, and the Nets). Since the 1990 postseason, the Hoosier hoopers have likely been most consistent organization to not win the Larry O'Brien Trophy. The team has earned 27 playoff bids. This marks their 11th conference final appearance during that stretch.
But for all of that winning, this may be the most underachieving franchise over that same period. Reggie Miller couldn't get the organization over the hump. Stephen Jackson and Metta World Peace couldn't break through the wall. Paul George and Roy Hibbert couldn't strike gold. Now, in Rick Carlisle's second stint as head coach, he hopes Tyrese Haliburton can finally lead the path to glory.
When looking for the bearers of the old guard, the Knicks are your choice. Sure, New York doesn't have the most illustrious body of work among the Association's franchises. But they took care of Kelly green of the Celtics ... and the Lakers' light was vanquished early ... and they were there at the beginning of it all. The Knicks are a founding member of the league and play in the most famed arena in the sports. Hall of Fame names called Manhattan "home" over the nearly eight decades of hoop. From the double-title rosters in the early 1970s to the Patrick Ewing era to Carmelo Anthony returning to the East Coast, the historical connections run deep.
In its current form, Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and the rest of the 'Nova Knicks are attempting to restore an amount of pride that the largest city in the nation believes is 50 years overdue. The pressure will continue to mount with each game that passes.
Some history is about to be made. A fanbase will either experience title euphoria for the first time or for the first time in generations. The parity of the last seven seasons (now knowing that a seventh different franchise will win the title over that span) is historic in itself. It just seems appropriate that the various eras of the NBA's lifespan are battling to figure out which one will rule supreme this time around.
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