Favorites in the NBA Finals odds are not always guaranteed to win the championship, despite oddsmakers giving them an edge and bettors placing their bets on them. Sometimes, underdogs are defying the odds against them to score an upset to the favored team.
The perfect example was the 2021 NBA Finals, where the Phoenix Suns were the ideal choice in the NBA odds against the Eastern Conference Champions Milwaukee Bucks. Phoenix, led by Chris Paul and Devin Booker, even raced to a 2-0 series lead, but Giannis Antetokounmpo and co. have managed to win four straight wins to capture the franchise’s second title.
Besides the Bucks’ come-from-behind upset of the higher-seeded Suns team, we listed the top five NBA Finals upsets of all-time.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Miami Heat – 2011
Miami’s first year with the “Heatles” of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh has expected them to bring a title immediately to South Beach. They managed to grab second place in the Eastern Conference and only lost three games in the playoffs on the way to the NBA Finals.