Could the Larry O'Brien trophy soon be coming to another of the NBA's titleless towns?
Last season, the Denver Nuggets became the third team over the last eight seasons to capture their first NBA championship, joining the 2015-2016 Cleveland Cavaliers and 2018-2019 Toronto Raptors.
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That reduced the number of current teams in the league without a title to 10.
That round number could reach single digits in a few weeks, with two of the teams on that unfortunate list competing in the conference finals: the Minnesota Timberwolves and Indiana Pacers.
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As the NBA Finals near, let's look at each of the titleless teams and see how close each has come to winning that elusive championship.
Which teams have never won an NBA championship?
There are 10 active NBA teams that have not yet won an NBA championship: Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Orleans Pelicans, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz.
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BROOKLYN NETS
Joined NBA: 1976
NBA Finals appearances: 2 (2002, 2003)
The Nets have not won a title since joining the NBA in 1976. But they did win two ABA titles!
CHARLOTTE HORNETS
Joined NBA: 1988
NBA Finals appearances: None
Neither the Hornets nor the Bobcats have won a title. In fact, they are one of two teams to have never advanced beyond the second round of the playoffs. Probably why Michael Jordan sold the team.
INDIANA PACERS
Joined NBA: 1976
NBA Finals appearances: 1 (2000)
The Pacers, a three-time ABA champion, pushed a Los Angeles Lakers team led by Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant to six games in the 2000 Finals.
The Pacers shot a record-breaking 67.1% to beat the New York Knicks 130-109 in Game 7 to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Indiana will face the Boston Celtics.
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Joined NBA: 1970
NBA Finals appearances: None
The Clippers' postseason history is well documented, as is the organization's past dysfunction. There's even a television series about it.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
Joined NBA: 1995
NBA Finals appearances: None
The Grizzlies have more international relocations than NBA championships, having shifted from Vancouver to Memphis in 2001.
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
Joined NBA: 1989
NBA Finals appearances: None
The Timberwolves currently have the best odds of being the next team to permanently remove itself from this list, with blossoming young star Anthony Edwards having led the team to the Western Conference Finals at 22 years old.
The Timberwolves stunned the Denver Nuggets to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the second time in franchise history. Minnesota will face the Dallas Mavericks.
NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
Joined NBA: 2002
NBA Finals appearances: None
The Pelicans, like the Hornets, are the only teams in the league that have never reached the conference finals. Perhaps one day we'll get the Pelicans-Hornets NBA Finals matchup we deserve.
ORLANDO MAGIC
Joined NBA: 1989
NBA Finals appearances: 2 (1995, 2009)
The Orlando Magic have made it to the Finals twice and lost both. But they will forever be the last team to eliminate Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls, so there's that.
PHOENIX SUNS
Joined NBA: 1968
NBA Finals appearances: 3 (1976, 1993, 2021)
The Suns have been two wins away from winning a title on three occasions, including in 2021 when they held a 2-0 series lead over the Bucks. They are the only current team in the league to have reached three NBA Finals without winning a championship.
UTAH JAZZ
Joined NBA: 1974
NBA Finals appearances: 2 (1997, 1998)
Thanks, Michael Jordan.
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Which teams have never appeared in the NBA Finals?
Five current NBA franchises have still yet to play in the Finals with one team in the midst of ahalf-century drought.
- Los Angeles Clippers – 54 seasons
- Minnesota Timberwolves – 35 seasons
- Charlotte Hornets – 34 seasons
- Memphis Grizzlies – 29 seasons
- New Orleans Pelicans – 22 seasons
