This is Region 12 - and here's Chicago's 5th top seed; the 1998 Bulls.
1. 1998 NBA CHAMPION CHICAGO BULLS v. 16. PLAY IN WINNER
(62-20)
-The Last Dance Bulls; they beat Utah in the Finals. Jordan's 34, Pippen's 32. The '94 Pacers/'95 Knicks winner awaits.
8. 1990 PAC DIV CHAMP LA LAKERS v. 9. 2010 CEN DIV CHAMP CLEVE CAVALIERS
(63-19) (61-21)
-The Lakers went down in the West Semis, Magic's 30, Worthy's 28. And they play a 25 year old LeBron James and his Cavs team that lost in the East Semis. A 37 year old Shaq is on this team. That's a star laden round one matchup.
5. 1985 EAST CHAMP BOSTON CELTICS v. 12. 2005 EAST CHAMP DETROIT PISTONS
(63-19) (54-28)
-Speaking of stars, here's the Celtics team that lost to LA in the Finals. Bird's 28, McHale's 27, Parish is 31. The Pistons lost the NBA Finals to the Spurs; Hamilton's 26, Billups 28, the Wallaces, Rasheed and Ben are 30.
4. 2019 NBA CHAMPION TORONTO RAPTORS v. 13. 2000 PHOENIX SUNS
(58-24) (53-29)
-The Raptors ended the Warriors dynasty in the NBA Finals; Lowry is 32 and Kawhi 27. The Suns went down in the West Finals; Jason Kidd's 26, Penny Hardaway 28.
3. 1994 PAC DIV CHAMP SEATTLE SONICS v. 14. 2015 SW DIV CHAMP HOU ROCKETS
(63-19) (56-26)
-The Sonics won 63 and then went out in round one of the playoffs; Kemp's 24, Payton 25, Detlef Schrempf is 31. Kevin McHale's Rockets fell in the West Finals. Harden's 25, Dwight Howard's 29.
6. 2007 DALLAS MAVERICKS v. 11. 2011 PAC DIV CHAMP LA LAKERS
(67-15) (57-25)
-The Mavs won 67 and then went out in round one of the playoffs. Dirk's 28. 4 years later, Dirk and the Mavs eliminated the Lakers in the Semis. Kobe's 32, Pau Gasol 30.
7. 2020 BOSTON CELTICS v. 10. 1985 CEN DIV CHAMP MILWAUKEE BUCKS
(48-24) (59-23)
-Another Corona Team, Boston lost in the East Finals. Jason Tatum is 21, Jaylen Brown 23, Kemba Walker 29. Don Nelson's Bucks went out in the East Semis. Sidney Moncrief is 27, Terry Cummings is 23.
2. 2005 NBA CHAMPION SAN ANTONIO SPURS v. 1975 ABA NEW JERSEY NETS
(59-23)
-And here's another Spurs team; this one beat the Pistons who are also in this Region. Duncan's 28, Ginobli 27, Parker 22. The Nets lost in the ABA East semis, Erving is 24.
