The NBA is arguably the best basketball league in the world, and the players in it are talented athletes. Basketball is also a competitive sport, and it is also necessary to decide the winner or loser by winning or losing. The most important thing in the NBA is the championship, if you want to win the championship, you need to win the game, but the strength of the individual is limited, so there will be people who choose to join the group as a shortcut to achieve the dream of the championship. But if you want to win the championship, strength and luck are indispensable, throughout the history of the NBA, there are many super teams that have failed to win the final championship. Recently, foreign media have sorted out the top ten best duos in the history of the NBA that have not won a championship, let's take a look at it together:
10. Hakim Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson (Rockets), 3 seasons (1984-1987)
Playoff results: 3 playoffs, 1985-1986 Finals
After Moses Malone left the Rockets, the Rockets were reduced to a fish-belly team, and in the 1982-1983 season, the Rockets only won 14 wins and 68 losses, but this also helped the Rockets win the next two consecutive years of signings, and the Rockets used these two champions to select Hakim Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson, which also gave them the capital to rise.
Led by Olajuwon and Sampson, the Rockets rose rapidly, making the Playoffs for the next three seasons, and in the 1985-1986 season, the Rockets easily reached the Finals under the leadership of the Twin Towers, but in the Finals, they again lost to the old hot Celtics. Then Sampson chose to leave the Rockets due to injury, and the rocket, which was originally young and talented, collapsed. Many have been assuming until now that if Sampson hadn't left the Rockets with injuries, his combination with Olajuwon would have brought the Rockets several championships.
9. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin (Clippers), 6 seasons (2011-2017)
Playoff results: 6 playoffs, including 3 in the second round of the playoffs
The Clippers became a powerhouse in the West during those years, and they were often able to play well in the regular season and rank, but once in the playoffs, they always had all kinds of inexplicable reversals, and they never made it to the divisional finals.
The combination of Paul and Griffin is definitely strong, they both gave the Clippers the title of "City of Empty Connections", and in those years, they were often selected for the Best Team together, and Paul was also a superstar at the MVP level, but they never succeeded in the playoffs.
8. Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire (Suns), 6 seasons (2004-2010)
Playoff results: 5 playoffs, including 3 in the Western Conference Finals
After winning Nash, the Suns became the best team in the NBA at that time, under the execution of D'Antoni's offensive tactics outside OfGanash, the Suns played the best offense at the time, and Nash also won mvp twice, and the team reached the Western Conference Finals 3 times, but unfortunately failed to go further into the Finals.
The combination of Nash and Xiaosi was definitely one of the best duo in the league at the time, they achieved each other, Nash became a two-time MVP, and Xiaosi became one of the best interior players at the time. However, although they reached the finals three times, they failed to reach the finals and win the championship, which may be because the Suns are always a team with strong attacks and weak defenses.
7. Patrick Ewing and John Stax (Knicks), 8 seasons (1990-1998)
Playoff results: 8 playoffs, 1993-1994 Eastern Conference Finals
Ewing was one of the best centers in the NBA at the time, and Stax was also the top guard at the time, and although they helped the Knicks achieve good results in the regular season, they repeatedly lost to Jordan and the Bulls in the playoffs, and Ewing was arguably the main victim of Jordan's rule in the 90s.
The Knicks and Ewing finally beat the Bulls to reach the Finals in 1993-1994 on the sidelines of Jordan's retirement, but were defeated by the Rockets 3:4 in the Finals, making Olajuwon the title. The Knicks and Ewing are undoubtedly a pity, they have always been ruled by Jordan and the Bulls to the point of not being able to break out of the East, and Ewing is also the most regrettable and easily forgotten super center in NBA history.
6. Clyde Drexler and Terry Porter (Trail Blazers), 9 seasons (1985-1994)
Playoff results: 9 playoffs, 1989–1990 and 1991–1992 finals
Led by the young Drexler and Terry Porter, the Blazers went from an off-season team to a Finals team, helping the team reach the Finals twice, and although they lost to the Pistons and bulls and failed to win the championship, they proved that the team was one of the best at the time.
Drexler and Terry Porter are arguably the best duo in the history of the Trail Blazers, Drexler is the team's all-time leading scorer, Terry Porter is the team's all-time assist king, they help the team enter the playoffs every year, although they failed to win the championship, they still took the team to an unprecedented height.
5. Gary Payton and Sean Kemp (Supersonics), 7 seasons (1990–1997)
Playoff results: 7 playoffs, 1995-1996 finals
The Supersonics, led by Gary Payton and Sean Kemp, slowly became the league's most powerful team at the time, during which time the Supersonics reached the Finals every year, and they also managed to reach the Finals in the 1995-1996 season, although they lost to Jordan and the Bulls, but it was good enough.
In these 7 seasons, the Supersonics have won the first place in the regular season, and they have also been black eights, with successes and failures, although they were ultimately unable to defeat the mighty Bulls, but in the season when they reached the Finals, Payton also won the dpoy, becoming the only point guard in the history of the NBA to defend the best defensive player.
4. Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway (Magic), 3 seasons (1993-1996)
Playoff results: 3 playoffs, 1994-1995 finals
The young O'Neill and Hardaway gave the league a glimpse of their power and potential, having achieved good results in the regular season over 3 seasons and also reaching the Finals, O'Neill and Hardaway made the Magic one of the most attractive teams of the time.
The Magic managed to make it to the playoffs in the 1994–1995 season, where they beat tough rivals such as the Celtics, Bulls and Pacers, but were swept by the Rockets in the Finals, and the young O'Neal was heavily educated by the old Olajuwon. But it was the talented O'Neill and Hardaway who gave people unlimited reverie, and then O'Neal left to join the Lakers to make these assumptions.
3. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook (Thunder), 8 seasons (2008-2016)
Playoff results: 6 playoffs, 2011-2012 season finals
The combination of Durant and Westbrook helped the Thunder become one of the best teams in the West at the time, and they also reached the Finals in the 2011-2012 season, although they were defeated by the Heat, but it was their core player who was only 22 years old, and the Thunder should have continued to move forward in the next few years, but due to some mistakes in management, the opportunity to become a dynasty was ruined.
Durant grew into one of the most feared scorers in the league in those years, Westbrook was still the turtle who could fly, plus Harden, who was still the best sixth man at the time (joined the Rockets after 2012), was full of talent and grew rapidly with the naked eye, but it was the Thunder who were so talented that they could not win the championship in the end, and Durant also joined the opponent to win his first championship.
2. Jerry West and Elgin Baylor (Lakers), 11 seasons (1960-1971)
Playoff results: 11 playoff appearances, including 7 in the Finals
After the Lakers won West in the 1960 draft, they had a duo of West and Baylor, who helped the Lakers never miss the playoffs throughout the 60s, although the team reached the Finals many times, but due to the presence of the Celtics, they repeatedly won in the Finals, but achieved the opponent's eight consecutive championships.
In the era when West and Baylor worked together, the Lakers reached the Finals a total of 7 times, but they failed to win the championship. Despite repeated defeats in the Finals, West won the FMVP in the 1968-1969 Finals and became the only loser in NBA history. In the 1971-1972 season, Baylor retired due to injury, but the Lakers won the championship that season, and it can only be said that Baylor is also the most unlucky superstar in the history of the NBA.
1. Carl Malone and John Stockton (Jazz), 18 seasons (1985–2003)
Playoff results: 18 playoff appearances, including 2 in the Finals
Malone and Stockton helped the Jazz become one of the best teams during that time, and in the 18 seasons they worked together, the Jazz made it to the playoffs, and people were amazed at the stability and longevity of their careers, although they failed to win championships, but they both became one of the best stars in NBA history.
Stockton is the NBA's all-time assist and steal king, and Malone is the second in the NBA's all-time scoring list, they have nothing to say in terms of personal honors, but they are close to that one championship, which may be blamed on Jordan, because it is the invincible Jordan that makes the Jazz's black and white double crownless for life, if they can win even a championship, their historical status will rise a lot.
Speaking of championships, that's really the honor that players want, because he's both a symbol of honor and a representation of strength. Especially those superstars, they all hope to complete their careers by winning the championship, but the championship is a combination of strength and luck, and it is indispensable. The ten groups that appealed failed to win the championship were either because they weren't strong enough or because of bad luck.
Which of the ten groups of people who appealed failed to win the championship, which group is the most regrettable? What other similar combinations do you have in mind that have failed to win? Welcome to leave a message to communicate.