NBA: What if the playoffs were only best-of-five series?

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Sacramento Kings Mike Bibby (Photo credit should read LUCY NICHOLSON/AFP via Getty Images) /

2002 NBA Finals: Kings vs. Nets

The 2002 Sacramento Kings deserved better. A team with so much talent and depth was on the doorstep of a championship appearance with the Lakers standing in their way. The Western Conference Finals this year were marred by referee gambling and Los Angeles continued their quest for a three-peat.

However, with the Kings winning the fifth game of this series, we would have seen them take on the New Jersey Nets instead. Truth be told, they probably would have won handily too. Chris Webber now cements himself as a first-ballot Hall of Famer and Sacramento goes down as one of the best teams of all-time.

1994-1995 NBA Finals: No Houston Rockets

Michael Jordan dominated the NBA in the 1990s, no question about it. Hakeem Olajuwon was right behind him. When the Chicago Bulls were not winning championships, the Rockets took their place. However, Houston struggled way more than Chicago ever had to advance between rounds.

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In 1994, the Knicks took Olajuwon and the Rockets to seven games before losing in Houston. However, a Game 5 win would have brought an NBA title back to Madison Square Garden. The following year, the Rockets lost 3-1 to the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference Semifinals. If this is the case, does Charles Barkley finally win his only NBA title?