The four teams currently competing in the NBA Conference Finals have not reached the NBA Finals in the past decade.
The Oklahoma City Thunder last appeared in 2012, but the Western Conference opponent, the Minnesota Timberwolves, have never reached the NBA Finals in franchise history.
At the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks have not made their finals since 1999, but the lonely appearance of the Indiana Pacers appeared in 2000.
Despite this obvious lack of championship DNA at the organizational level, each remaining playoff team features at least one player who has previously won an NBA title. These veterans offer a critical championship experience as they pursue a different ring with their current team.
Oklahoma City’s Alex Caruso stands out as the sole champion of the Thunder’s youthful roster. Caruso won the championship with the Los Angeles Lakers within the NBA bubble in 2020.
During the final series with the Miami Heat, Caruso played a key role on the bench, averaging 24.8 minutes with 6.3 points and 2.3 assists per game. His defensiveness and basketball IQ made him an invaluable complementary piece alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Minnesota will rebuttal with its own champion at Don Tedi Vincenzo, who won the Milwaukee Bucks title in 2021. However, Divincento’s championship experience comes with an asterisk.
The Eastern Conference Finals feature a double former champion, with both the Knicks and Pacer each boasting two title winners.
New York relies on the championship pedigree of OG Anunoby and PJ Tucker. Anunoby won with the Toronto Raptors in 2019, but missed an entire playoff run due to injury.
Tucker brings a more substantial championship experience that has played a key defensive role in Milwaukee’s 2021 title run. He averaged 31.3 minutes overall and was frequently assigned while contributing 4.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game, while defending Phoenix’s highest offensive threat.
Indiana features Pascal Siakam and Thomas Bryant as the original champions. Siakam was more than a role player during Toronto’s 2019 championship and was a legitimate star alongside Kawi Leonard.
In these finals, Siakam averaged 19.8 points and 7.5 rebounds against the Golden State Warriors, while still posting heavy portions (40.1 per game).
Bryant’s championship experience is not so important, though recently. He won the Denver Nuggets in 2023 and has played a limited role throughout his playoff journey.
As these four teams fight for conference advantage, these six former champions hope that their previous title experience will provide a winning advantage in securing their second championship ring.