Fact Check: Has the 5th Seed Ever Won the NBA Championship?

With 50 wins and 32 losses, the  Dallas Mavericks finished the season as the fifth seed in the Western Conference. Then, in the 2024 playoffs, they carried their momentum and defeated three out of the top-four seeds to make the finals. And now, they have their one hand on the trophy. Since they will face the Boston Celtics, who had the best record in the league by a wide margin, there can be doubts about their chances.

A peek at the history of how the fifth-seeded squads have performed in the title round can give a brief picture of Luka Doncic and Co.’s chances. Has a 5th-seed team ever made it to the NBA Finals before?

In 2020, the Miami Heat became the first fifth-seeded squad to crack the finals code. So, both instances of a 5th seed making it to the championship round have come in the 2020s. But has a 5th seed ever won the NBA Championship?

No. In 2020, the Heat fell short in their quest for their fourth championship as the LeBron James-led Lakers squad overpowered them in six games. 

Thus, we are yet to witness a fifth-seeded team lift the championship trophy. It can bring a pertinent question, what is the lowest seed to win a title?

Can Luka Doncic and Co. replicate the heroics of 1995?

The Hakeem Olajuwon-led Houston Rockets were the sixth seed when they captured the 1995 NBA title and remain the lowest seed to win an NBA ring. During the 1994-95 season, the defending champions finished as the sixth seed with 47 wins and 35 losses. However, Clyde Drexler’s addition during the midseason trade deadline gave the team a much-needed backcourt boost.

After a hard-fought first-round battle against the #2 seed Jazz, the Dream-Glide duo had to face the Charles Barkley-led Suns in the second round as the series went to seven games. Then, the Rockets won six games against the Spurs to pave for a sweep against the Shaquille O’Neal-led Orlando Magic during the 1995 Finals.

Apart from that, only the top-four seeds have been able to clinch the NBA Finals trophy. If the Mavs capture the Larry O’Brien trophy, they will just be the second team below the fourth seed to win it all. They can take inspiration from Hakeem Olajuwon and Co. who defended their title despite finishing outside the top-five berths.