NBA Playoffs: Top 10 First-Round Series of the Last 10 Years

Last night, I was out with some friends, fortunate enough to catch the fourth quarter and OT of the OKC-Utah game. It was the best game I've seen this season—played at a high level, constant drama, and an exciting, controversial finish.

Utah's win bumped their record to 51-27, good for second in the West. OKC's loss dropped them to 48-29, seventh in the West.

But let's play the hypothetical game and reverse the outcome. Had a foul been called on Kevin Durant's shot and OKC won, they'd be at 49-28, only one game behind Dallas, Denver, and Phoenix for second. Utah would be 50-28 and would be sitting at fifth place instead of second.

The result got us thinking: The first round in the West this year is going to be the most exciting first round ever. No doubt about it. There are juicy, savory matchups galore; we could get an enthralling Lakers-Spurs matchup.

Or Lakers-Thunder.

Or a rematch of the Jazz-Thunder.

Or Mavs-Spurs.

Or Suns-Thunder.

Or Nuggets-Blazers.

Or Spurs-Suns.

Seriously, how could you not be pumped for any of these series? Any one of them could potentially become the most entertaining first-round matchup in recent memory.

But before the matchups are set and the playoffs commence, let's take a look back at some of the most memorable, exciting first-round series that we've had since the turn of the new millennium.

(And I promise, I'm not trying to steal this idea from B/R writer Jose Salviati, who wrote a great slideshow about the NBA's 10 best playoff series of the last 10 years. You'll just have to take my word.)

Let's start the show...

10. 2002: (1) New Jersey vs. (8) Indiana - Nets win 3-2

In 2002, the Nets used the acquisition of Jason Kidd to sprint out to the best record and No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

But the playoffs got off to a rocky start for New Jersey, as they dropped Game One at home to the Pacers.

They responded by routing the Pacers in the next game, and eked out a one-point victory, 85-84, in Conseco Fieldhouse in Game Three. Indiana won Game Four to set up an unforgettable final game.

In of the best finales to a playoff series in recent memory, Reggie Miller refused to let his team succumb to defeat.

After Richard Jefferson missed a potential game-clinching free throw with just over four seconds to play, Miller banked in a remarkable turn-around 35-footer to send the game into OT.

And down by two in OT, Miller faked a three and threw down one of the best dunks of his career over two New Jersey defenders to tie the game at 107 and send it to another overtime.

The Pacers ran out of steam, scoring just two points in the second OT and the Nets prevailed, 120-109. It wound up being their toughest series in the East, as they advanced to face the Lakers in the NBA Finals.

However, Miller's performance will forever live in playoff lore (even if he might not have gotten off the game-tying three-pointer in time).

9. 2008: (1) Boston vs. (8) Atlanta - Celtics win 4-3

It was a classic old guard vs. up-and-comers playoff matchup.

The Celtics had a 42-win turnaround from the previous season, thanks in large part to the additions of future Hall-of-Famers Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen.

A 66-win team playing a team that barely finished above .500, the Celtics were on pace to coast through the first round.

After winning the first two games handily, nothing the Hawks were doing seemed to dispute Boston's claim as the beasts of the East.

But like many young, inconsistent teams, Atlanta found their niche at home.

After surprising Boston with a 102-93 win in Game Three, the Hawks erased a 10-point second half deficit to stun the Celtics with a 97-92 victory (where Joe Johnson and Josh Smith scored 32 of Atlanta's final 34 points), capped by Smith's thunderous breakaway dunk that sent Boston a message: the Hawks were here to play.

Unfortunately for Atlanta, they couldn't translate that enthusiasm and vigor into success at the TD Banknorth Garden—they lost Games Five and Seven by a combined 59 points.

But still, while the deciding game was never in doubt, Atlanta showed their potential moxie. They won their playoff series in 2009 thanks to a dominating Game Seven performance, and are on pace to nab the No. 3 seed in the East this year over the veteran Celtics.

This series had all the drama you could possibly ask for. A group of veterans coming together to try to restore pride in one of the nation's most tradition-laced basketball cities.

A youthful, athletic team that gave problems to a 66-win team, nearly pulling off one of the most memorable first-round upsets in NBA history.

And my personal favorite, a little chippiness between the two sides. Mike Bibby called Celtic fans bandwagon jumpers after Game One and was booed relentlessly for the rest of the series.

Kevin Garnett and Zaza Pachulia were at each other's throats by the end of Game Four.

And in Game Seven, Marvin Williams was ejected for a hard foul on Rajon Rondo, and Garnett and Pachulia got at it again.

High drama, high stakes between two teams at the opposite end of the spectrum...sounds like high-quality playoffs to me.

8. 2006: (4) Cleveland vs. (5) Washington - Cavs win 4-2

One might look back at this series and say, "come on man, Cleveland won 4-2, there was no deciding game...there's no way this is one of the best first-round series of the 2000s."

As someone who intently watched every single minute of this series, believe me, this was the closest six-game series in the last decade.

It was the first matchup between two teams that would meet in the first-round for three straight seasons.

It was the young, exciting trio of Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison, and Caron Butler, looking to establish themselves as one of the East's elite.

And it was LeBron James' first playoff series.

James came out in style, notching a triple-double in Game One. Washington responded with a grind-it-out win in Game Two, when their big three combined for 72 points and eight three-pointers.

Then the drama began.

Cleveland won Game Three 97-96 behind James' game-winning lay-up with 5.1 seconds remaining (Washington fans, and most NBA fans, will argue that James traveled before his lay-up...even as a Cavs fan, I can't really disagree).

Washington won Game Four to set up a dramatic fifth contest.

In the NBA, the team that wins Game Five in a 2-2 series goes on to win about 80 percent of the time. Both the Cavs and Wizards played like the series was on the line.

James hit two free throws with just over a minute to go to give Cleveland a 107-100 lead, but the Wizards wouldn't go away. Caron Butler hit two lay-ups in the final 35 seconds to send the game into overtime.

There were nine (yes, nine) different lead changes in the overtime session, including four in the final minute. Arenas' two free throws with 3.1 seconds left gave Washington a 120-119 lead.

But James made the biggest play in his young career, beating Jamison baseline for a scoop lay-up that gave the Cavs a 121-120 win.

Game Six didn't lack in drama either. In another OT affair, the Wizards led by one with under 20 seconds to go when Arenas stepped to the line for two free throws.

In a legendary trash-talking display, James whispered something to Arenas after Gilbert missed the first. He proceeded to clank the second FT as well, leaving the door open for Cleveland.

James then found Damon Jones (that's right, Damon Jones!) for a corner jumper that gave the Cavs a 114-113 win to close out the series.

Three high-scoring games decided by one point between two teams that don't like each other. It was old-school basketball at its finest.

7. 2005: (3) Boston vs. (6) Indiana - Pacers win 4-3

Pick a story, any story.

Reggie Miller's last run at a championship?

The Pacers trying to bounce back from having Ron Artest suspended for the season?

The Celtics looking to return to the Finals for the first time in nearly two decades?

Or how about the fact that the home team only won two times in a series that went seven games?

Boston won Game One before Indiana stole Game Two with a three-point victory. After splitting the next two games, they returned to the Garden for Game Five.

Indiana held Boston to 45-percent shooting and won 90-85, thanks to a big game from Jermaine O'Neal and clutch shooting from Stephen Jackson. Boston returned the favor by winning in Indiana in Game Six, a 92-89 OT thriller.

In Game Seven, Indiana used a big second-half to rout the Celtics 97-70. They became just the sixth team in NBA history to win three games on the opposing team's court, and extended Reggie Miller's career by a few more games.

6. 2001: (4) Utah vs. (5) Dallas - Mavericks win 3-2

No, I didn't include this series just so we could see a picture of Dirk from 2001...though it doesn't hurt its case.

This was another classic "old dogs vs. young pups" series. You had Stockton, Malone, Byron Russell, and Danny Manning on one side, with Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, and Michael Finley on the other.

Stockton vs. Nash.

Malone vs. Nowitzki.

Three games decided by three points or less.

The two split the regular-season series and Game One was down to the wire. Stockton hit two free-throws with 25.8 seconds left to give Utah an 88-86 win. The Jazz won Game Two, 109-98.

With their playoff lives on the line, down by one with under 30 seconds left, Steve Nash hit a turn-around jumper that led the Mavs to a nailbiting 94-91 win. Dallas blew out Utah in Game Four to set up an enticing finale.

Utah, the veteran team playing at home, led for virtually the entire game until Calvin Booth (yup, Calvin Booth...remember him?) put the Mavs up 84-83 with 9.8 seconds to go.

The Jazz set up a play for Russell, who missed a three-pointer with under five seconds left. Stockton grabbed the loose ball and found Malone, who missed an open jump shot as time expired, giving Dallas the series win.

It was the ultimate changing of the guard; Dallas has won 50+ games every season since, while the aging trio of Stockton, Malone, and Russell eventually faded to a new wave of youth in Utah.

5. 2007: (4) Utah vs. (5) Houston - Jazz win 4-3

Ardent supporters of Tracy McGrady might want to skip through the next few slides.

If you break down each individual game of this series, they weren't that close. Only three games were decided by single-digits, and the home team won the first six games.

But this was more of a series with compelling storylines.

Tracy McGrady was trying to shed the label "Best Player Yet to Win a Playoff Series" (which is the ultimate backhanded compliment).

Yao Ming was looking to use the NBA's biggest stage to solidify his status as one of the premier centers in the league.

The Jazz were trying to restore their prominent legacy with a new crop of players.

And Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer were slowly mastering a pick-and-roll game perfected by two Utah legends (and their coach).

Game Seven more than made up for a perceived lack of dramatics in the first six affairs. Deron Williams had 20 points and 14 assists, while McGrady countered with 29 points and 13 assists.

But Carlos Boozer was the beast in the middle, putting up a dominant 35 points and 14 rebounds. He grabbed two key offensive rebounds in the final minute that prevented Houston from getting the ball with a chance to tie the game, and buried two free throws to seal the deal.

Perhaps the most famous moment of the series came after the game, when a tearful McGrady sat in front of the press lamenting about what seemingly was never meant to be.

Regardless of how you feel about McGrady as a player (and I'm certainly not his biggest fan), it was impossible to not feel sorry for him.

You always see teams and players celebrating on the court after a hard-fought series win. This was the perfect example of the heartbreak that falls on the other side.

4. 2005: (4) Dallas vs. (5) Houston - Mavericks win 4-3

We all know the story of Tracy McGrady's playoff struggles. But this Houston team was the best one he'd been a part of at that point in his career.

They showed their fortitude in Game One, controlling the game from the opening tip and winning 98-86.

After squeaking out another win in Dallas, the Rockets returned home up 2-0 and in fantastic position to finally get McGrady his first-ever playoff series win.

And heading into the fourth quarter, Houston looked to have the series under control. A lay-up from Mike James gave the Rockets an 88-80 lead with just over nine minutes remaining.

But Dallas responded with a 20-0 run over a six-minute stretch to put themselves up double-digits, going on to win 107-103.

The Mavs again trailed in the fourth quarter of Game Four, but Dallas used Jason Terry's 24 second-half points to even the score at two games apiece.

Dallas squeezed out a three-point victory in Game Five, but Houston responded by getting its first home win of the series two nights later to force a deciding game.

For a series that was ultra-competitive and had three games go down to the final minute, Game Seven was hardly climactic. Dallas crushed Houston 116-76, the most lopsided Game Seven in NBA history.

Dallas became just the third team ever to win a series after losing the first two games at home.

3. 2006: (2) Phoenix vs. (7) L.A. Lakers - Suns win 4-3

You want superstars? How about Kobe Bryant and MVP Steve Nash?

You want conflicting styles? How about "seven seconds or less" inventor Mike D'Antoni against the psychological mastermind, 10-time NBA champion Phil Jackson?

You want intriguing matchups? How about Nash potentially squaring off against his former team (Dallas) in the WCF or a possible Lakers vs. Clippers second-round series?

You want competitive games? How about five games decided by eight points or less, two OT thrillers, and one buzzer-beater?

You want quality role players? How about Shawn Marion, Boris Diaw, Leandro Barbosa, and Raja Bell going against Kwame Brown, Brian Cook, Devean George, Chris Mihm, and Smush Parker?

OK, scratch the last one. But this series had everything else you could possibly want.

The Suns during the mid-2000s were the most exciting team in the league to watch. Their up-and-down style was capable of pushing scores into the 110s and 120s, and they were orchestrated by one of the best offensive point guards in the league, if not of all time.

But Kobe Bryant and the Lakers did a phenomenal job of controlling the pace of the game and exploiting the holes in Phoenix's defense. Even with the Lakers up 2-1, most of the country expected the Suns to be too much for L.A. to put away.

But when Kobe Bryant made two of the most clutch plays of his playoff career in Game Four (a lay-up to send the game to OT and a pull-up jumper to win it), the Lakers were ready to put the Suns out.

In Game Five, Phoenix exploded for 114 points and cruised to victory. And in all playoff series, you need a bounce or two to go your way.

That came in Game Six for the Suns.

Trailing by three with under 30 seconds to go, Shawn Marion pulled down an offensive rebound after a Steve Nash miss.

That set up a game-tying three from Tim Thomas (yes, the same Tim Thomas that coasts through games like a pontoon boat). Phoenix went on to win 126-118 in overtime.

Finally, in Game Seven, Bryant famously rebelled (somewhat) by playing incredibly passive in the second half when Phoenix got out on the break and torched the Lakers, winning by 31.

It was an anticlimactic finish to a fantastic series. But still, Bryant's shot and the Lakers performance for six-and-a-half games was something worth remembering.

2. 2009: (2) Boston vs. (7) Chicago - Celtics win 4-3

Four games that went to overtime—a total of seven OT periods.

Five games decided by three points or less.

Another classic "veterans vs. youth" matchup.

This was, without a doubt in my mind, the most competitive first-round matchup I've ever seen. The defending champion Celtics were taking on the wide-eyed, youthful Bulls.

Derrick Rose set the stage in Game One, scoring 36 points and dishing out 11 assists as Chicago stunned Boston 105-103 in OT.

Game Two was no less entertaining. Ben Gordon and Ray Allen traded buckets twice in the final minute, with Allen getting the last shot, a three-pointer with two seconds left that saved Boston from an 0-2 deficit.

After the Celtics routed the Bulls in Game Three, it looked like normalcy had been restored.

But in Game Four, the dramatics reemerged. Ray Allen buried a three to send the game to OT. Ben Gordon returned the favor at the end of the first OT, and Chicago escaped with a 121-108 2OT win.

Boston's two-point win in Game Five was matched by the closest game of the series, a 128-127 3OT win for Chicago in Game Six.

And the performance of the series went to Ray Allen in Game Six, who exploded for 51 points on 18-for-32 shooting, including a mind-boggling nine three pointers. It was the ultimate, "holy s**t, I forgot how good Ray Allen is!" game.

With so many close games, and with such high quality play from both teams, there's no way Game Seven could have lived up to expectations. And it didn't. Boston won by 10, and Chicago couldn't get closer than five down the stretch.

But it didn't take away from how each game captured and enthralled us to no end.

I could break down each game even more. But if you watched any of this series last year, I'll bet you're just silently nodding and fondly reminiscing.

That's the making of an unforgettable series.

1. 2007: (1) Dallas vs. (8) Golden State - Warriors win 4-2

Maybe 2009 Celtics-Bulls was more competitive.

Maybe 2007 Houston-Utah or 2002 New Jersey-Indiana had more thrilling conclusions.

But for two weeks, the Warriors captured America's attention unlike anything I can remember. And the atmosphere at Oracle Arena was the best home court advantage that any NBA team could ask for.

The tone was set in the opening game. Dallas coach Avery Johnson adjusted his lineup so they were better fit to match the more athletic Warriors.

Let the lesson be learned: Any time you win 67 games in a season, you shouldn't adjust to an eighth seed's lineup. You make them adjust to you.

Whether that psychologically made a difference in Dallas' play, no one will know. But the Warriors frantic style of play threw the Mavs off, and they stole Game One in Dallas, 97-85.

When the series moved to Oakland, you had to just be blown away by the Warriors fans. In front of one of the rowdiest crowds I've ever seen, the Warriors ripped Dallas in Game Three and held on late to win Game Four.

Dirk Nowitzki rescued Dallas from an embarrassing defeat at home in the fifth game, but an 18-0 Golden State run in the second half of Game Six sealed their fate. The Warriors became the first (and as of today, only) No. 8 seed to win a best-of-seven first-round series.

Like it or not, our nation is intrigued by compelling and riveting storylines, sometimes more than quality basketball.

This series had both, and the frenetic pace the Warriors played at, coupled with their unbelievably supportive home court, made their first-round story the best of the 2000s.