Five of the Biggest NBA Rivalries

By Blake Roberts Founder & Editor in Chief Updated: 19 June 2023

Blake Roberts Founder & Editor in Chief

Blake Roberts is the founder of Betting.US and is currently heading the creative team as Editor in Chief. Born and raised in Morgantown, West Virginia, Blake is a great sports fan, with football and basketball being his favorite. He’s our trusted voice for all betting-related matters.

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• Biggest Rivalries in the NBA
• The Best NBA Rivalries: The Pistons and Bulls
• Celtics vs. Lakers
• Bulls vs. Knicks
• Warriors vs. Cavaliers
• Rockets vs. Spurs
• Intensity of Rivalries
• Frequently Asked Questions

In the world of basketball, few things are as exciting as watching two teams with a long history face off on the court. Thanks to the biggest NBA rivalries, these matches have gained something of a legendary status, and they’ve become must-see events for fans for decades. In this post, we’ll look at some of the most iconic rivalries in NBA history and why and when they started.

Biggest Rivalries in the NBA

Over the years, the NBA has seen its fair share of rivalries, and for many, it’s these rivalries that have helped to shape the league’s landscape. Not only do they provide unforgettable moments for fans, but they can also act as the foundation for motivating a team to perform exceptionally well.

From classic rivalries like the Celtics and Lakers, to modern feuds, like the Warriors/Cavaliers showdown in the 2010s, today’s post is going to give you an in-depth insight into the best NBA rivalries, and how they were formed.

The Best NBA Rivalries: The Pistons and Bulls

When it comes to the best NBA rivalries, you don’t have to look any further than the one between the Pistons and the Bulls. One of the most famous NBA team rivalries of all time, it all started in the late 1980s and early 1990s when both teams were at the top of their game.

The Detroit Pistons, known as the “Bad Boys,” were a dominating force in the NBA. They were led by some of the game’s best, like Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer, and Rick Mahorn. The Chicago Bulls, on the other hand, were an up-and-coming team who had the benefit of Michael Jordan’s lead.

The rivalry between the Pistons and Bulls was always intense, and both teams found themselves playing each other several times in high-pressure games. The Pistons’ aggressive style of play made it incredibly difficult for the Bulls, and the former often surrounded Michael Jordan to prevent him from being able to get the ball. Sometimes this led to physical confrontations and heated on-court exchanges.

The Pistons managed to hold off the Bulls for a while, winning back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990. However, the Bulls eventually managed to overcome their rival, beating the Pistons in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals. This was on their way to the first of their six championships in the 1990s.

The Pistons-Bulls rivalry showed fans how two teams could have vastly different styles of play. The gritty, hard-nosed defense of the Pistons versus the finesse and skill of the Bulls, led by the legendary Michael Jordan, was amazing to watch, and for many, these were the golden days of the NBA.

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Celtics vs. Lakers

The Celtics vs Lakers rivalry is an absolute classic in the world of basketball. It’s been going on for decades and is one of the most heated rivalries in the NBA. Many consider it to be the same as a sibling rivalry, but there’s a surprisingly large amount of history (and drama) thrown into the mix, too.

Back in the 1960s, the Celtics and Lakers played each other in the NBA Finals for the first time. The Celtics won and continued to out-perform the Lakers in most games that followed.

It’s important to remember that the Celtics and Lakers are, essentially, polar opposites. Boston is known for its hard-working, blue-collar workers, while Los Angeles is all about money, glitz, and glamor. This led to two teams’ fan bases clashing, although it was never a real rivalry until the 1980s.

When Larry Bird and Kevin McHale joined the Celtics, and Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar joined the Lakers, the two teams started to face-off once again, and over the years, the rivalry has produced some of the most unforgettable moments in basketball history.

One of the most memorable was Larry Bird’s legendary steal in the closing seconds of game five of the 1987 NBA Finals. Another was Magic’s “junior skyhook” in game four of the same series. And we doubt there’s many people reading who can forget Kobe Bryant’s incredible 81-point game against the Celtics in 2006. It’s a fantastic rivalry, and one that continues to produce great action to this day.

Bulls vs. Knicks

The Bulls vs Knicks rivalry was one of the best NBA rivalries, and it was insanely intense. In fact, some say that this rivalry alone drove up viewership figures in the 1990s, and the rivalry all stemmed from different ways both teams played. The Bulls relied on the scoring abilities of Michael Jordan, while the Knicks played tough, physical defense, choosing their offensive moments carefully.

The rivalry is generally considered to have peaked in the early 1990s. This is when the Bulls and Knicks faced off in several intense playoff series, and there’s no denying the fact that these games were insanely intense. There was tons of physical confrontation on the court, a lot of trash-talking, and, of course, some incredible basketball performances.

Interestingly, the rivalry was not even solely focused on the actual games, as the personality styles of different players came into it, too. Jordan, with his incredible scoring ability and competitive fire, was a player who was above pretty much anyone else in the sport at the time. Some felt threatened by this, and while NBA player rivalries are nothing new, Johnson certainly started a few of his own simply because of his abilities.

While this rivalry isn’t as active as it once was, many fans look back at this “golden era” with fond memories. The Bulls vs Knicks matchups were always intense and filled with drama, and they will be remembered as some of the greatest moments in NBA history. Johnson certainly produced some of them single-handedly.

Warriors vs. Cavaliers

The Warriors and Cavaliers rivalry was one of the biggest rivalries in the NBA for a few years, and it all started in the mid-2010s. Like most rivalries in the NBA this specific one was fueled by multiple factors. However, the team’s star players, intense playoff matches, and shared championship aspirations put the two in each other’s paths quite a lot.

Back in 2015, in the NBA Finals, the Warriors, led by Stephen Curry, and the Cavaliers, led by LeBron James, put on an incredible performance. This marked the beginning of the rivalry between the two teams, although the best was yet to come.

During the 2016 NBA Finals, the Cavaliers pulled off a stunning upset, coming back from a 3-1 series deficit to win the Championship. This was a huge upset at the time, although the high didn’t last for long. The following year, the Warriors got their revenge, defeating the Cavaliers in five games to win their second championship in three years.

The rivalry between the Warriors and Cavaliers was not just about the games on the court, but also about the personalities and players associated with both teams. LeBron James, one of the greatest players in NBA history, led the Cavaliers to three straight NBA Finals appearances, while the Warriors, with their “Splash Brothers” duo – Curry and Thompson – were a true delight to watch.

While the rivalry has cooled off in recent years, it’s fondly remembered by many NBA fans. The matches between the two teams were incredible, and the intensity of the games was unrivaled. Below, you can see how both teams did in their head-to-head matchups in NBA Finals:

Rockets vs. Spurs

The Rockets and Spurs have one of the biggest rivalries in the NBA, and it came about because both teams come from Texas. Their close proximity to one another leads to a competitive nature among both teams, and their fans. They always fight incredibly hard when playing, with each team desperate to come out victorious over their rival opponent.

This rivalry was at its highest in the mid-90s, when the Rockets, with Hakeem Olajuwon, played against the Spurs, with David Robinson. Both teams battled it out on the court, and in 1995, when they played in the Western Conference Finals, they produced what many claim to be one of the best NBA series in history. The Rockets won it in six games, putting an end, for many, to the question of which team was the best.

However, even today, the Rockets and Spurs still battle it out together on the court. Although Olajuwon and Robinson have retired, like most of the biggest NBA rivalries, the two teams continue to experience tension.

Intensity of Rivalries

NBA player rivalries and NBA team rivalries are really important for basketball, as they are with pretty much any sport in the US. These rivalries make games more fun to watch and create a special atmosphere. In the NBA, rivalries become intense for various reasons. When teams have a long history of playing each other, the rivalry grows stronger over time and fans often get incredibly attached to their teams.

This often happens with teams that are close geographically as they often develop intense rivalries. Fans from nearby cities feel a sense of pride for their team and want to see them beat the other team, making games livelier and more emotional.

Sometimes, rivalries get intense because of specific players, too. If two star players have a personal rivalry, it adds fuel to the fire, and in a lot of cases, the whole team gets involved, leading to some very entertaining on-court action. Rivalries are great for the game, and most players wouldn’t do away with them for anything.