NBA Time Capsule: Ranking every NBA Finals series since 1990

27. 2018 – Golden State Warriors over Cleveland Cavaliers (4-0)

I don’t care that this was a sweep, the 2018 playoffs are the best version of LeBron James that we’ve ever seen, with Game 1 of 2018 being not only his best game but the best Finals game that anyone has played in any of the 31 series that I watched.

So watch Game 1 for LeBron’s 51-8-8 on nearly 60 percent shooting, stay till the end to see J.R. Smith forget the score and start running around like a Jackie Moon imposter in an NBA Finals game, and then promptly turn off the rest of the series because Games 2-4 are not worth watching.

26. 1995 – Houston Rockets over Orlando Magic (4-0)

I can’t put it any higher on the list, but I never thought I’d have fun watching a sweep and this was actually a fun series, making the Magic the most interesting team to get swept in an NBA Finals since 1990. Congratulations.

Games 1 and 3 really are worth watching though. Both games lay the groundwork for Robert Horry’s career as a big-shot maker, but if you’re going to watch one game from this series it has to be Game 1.

It’s a fun matchup of Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler vs. a really young but talented duo of Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway. The fourth quarter of Game 1 feels more like a game in the 2010s than it does like a game in 1995 – the pace really gets going and makes for a fast-paced finish.

The iconic moment of this game is Nick Anderson missing four straight free throws for Orlando while they were up by three with 10 seconds left. TNT’s own Kenny Smith, who was on fire in the fourth quarter, sends it to OT with a 3, and Hakeem tips in a miss at the buzzer to win in the extra period.

A sweep is a sweep, but one that includes two games that go down to the wire and four all-pro players at or near their prime is worth a viewing.