The third top seeded Laker team is right here - the 1987 Los Angeles Lakers.
1. 1987 NBA CHAMPION LA LAKERS v. 16. PLAY IN WINNER
(65-17)
-Pat Riley's Lakers won 65 and took out the Celtics in the Finals. They'll face the winners of the play in between the '98 Spurs and '68 Celtics. Kareem's 39, Magic 27, Worthy 25.
8. 1995 UTAH JAZZ v. 9. 2020 LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
(60-22) (49-23)
-The Jazz lost in the first round, Stockton's 32, Hornacek and Malone are 31. They face the quarrantine Clips who fell in the Semis. Kawhi's 28 and Paul George is 29.
5. 1982 ATL DIV CHAMP BOSTON CELTICS v. 12. 1972 ABA EAST DIV CHAMP KENTUCKY COLONELS
(63-19) (68-16)
-The Celts made the East Finals; Bird's 25, McHale 24, Parish 28. Kentucky from the ABA won 68 but lost in the East Semis. Gilmore's 22, Issel 23.
4. 2016 NBA CHAMPION CLEVELAND CAVALIERS v. 13. 1994 PHOENIX SUNS
(57-25) (56-26)
-It's LeBron's Cleveland title team; they beat the Warriors; the King is 31 Kyrie 23. Paul Westphal coaches the '94 Suns, they made the West Semis. Barkley's 30 and KJ is 27.
3. 2008 WEST CHAMP LA LAKERS v. 14. 2009 NW DIV CHAMP DENVER NUGGETS
(57-25) (54-28)
Phil Jackson took the Lakers to the Finals, where they fell to Boston. Kobe's 29, Pau 27. Just a season later, the Nuggets lost to LA in the West Finals; Carmelo's 24, Allen Iverson 33, Chauncey Billups 32.
6. 2009 EAST CHAMP ORLANDO MAGIC v. 11. 2000 SAN ANTONIO SPURS
(59-23) (53-29)
-Stan Van Gundy's Magic reached the finals, but lost to LA. Dwight Howard is 23. The Spurs lost in the first round; Duncan's 23 and Robinson's 34.
7. 1994 EAST CHAMP NY KNICKS v. 10. 1992 CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
(57-25) (57-25)
-This is Pat Riley's Knicks squad that reached the NBA Finals and lost to Houston, Ewing's 31. Cleveland reached the East Finals; Daugherty's 26, Price, 27.
2. 1967 NBA CHAMPION PHILLY 76ERS v. 15. 2017 HOUSTON ROCKETS
(68-13) (55-27)
-The Sixers beat the Warriors in the Finals; Wilt and Hal Greer are 30, Chet Walker's 26. Houston made the West Semis; James Harden's 27.
