The NBA playoffs have a rich history of extraordinary series matchups that produce phenomenal basketball. From Bill Russell to Steph Curry and LeBron James -- and all the iconic superstars in between – the NBA timeline is filled with unforgettable playoff series showdowns.

How does one choose the top 10 -- and ultimately name just one the best -- NBA playoff series of all time? There are at least 30 playoff series that could have made it into our final top 10, but we narrowed it down eventually, and here are the results.

How many games in an NBA playoff series?

There can be up to seven games in an NBA playoff series, whose format sees back-to-back home games for each team over the first four games, followed by alternating arenas for Games 5, 6, and 7 if neither team sweeps the best-of-7. The higher-seeded team has home-court advantage for Games 1, 2, 5, and 7, while the lower seed hosts Games 3, 4, and 6.

The NBA playoffs’ opening round used to be a best-of-5 series. In 2003, that format was extended to a best-of-7 to match the length of subsequent playoff rounds.

How many rounds in the NBA playoffs?

There are four rounds in the NBA playoffs, and teams need to win four games in each round in order to advance.

The playoff bracket only involves matchups within Eastern and Western Conferences until the winners of each conference meet in the NBA Finals.

Ranking the Top 10 Greatest NBA Playoff series of all time

10. 1969 NBA Finals: Boston Celtics vs Los Angeles Lakers

Series Result: 4-3 Celtics

This series between Bill Russell’s Celtics and the star-studded Lakers was one of the greatest upsets in NBA history. The Lakers went into the series as a heavy favorite, even though the Celtics’ playoff history proved that Boston knew how to win. However, Russell was in the twilight of his sensational career and the Celtics roster was getting older. Meanwhile, the Lakers had Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, and Wilt Chamberlain in their starting five.

Jerry West was on fire in the series, dropped 53 points in Game 1 to give the Lakers an early lead. Russell, serving as the Celtics player-coach at the time, refused to double-team West until Game 3. By then, the Celtics trailed the series 2-0, but they rallied to win Games 3 and 4 at home. The series was suddenly tied after Sam Jones hit a Game 4 buzzer-beater that seemed to take forever to drop.

It all came down to Game 7, where the Lakers made an embarrassing mistake. Assuming his team would win the championship, Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke had arranged to have a net filled with “World Champion Lakers” balloons suspended in the rafters above the court. The team had also placed fliers about its post-game celebration plans on every seat. When news of these plans made it to the Celtics locker room, Boston had all the motivation it needed.

West was furious about his owner’s premature decision. For his part, Russell calmly said “those f-ing balloons are staying up there.” Russell wasn’t kidding. The Celtics won to complete one of the very best playoff series in NBA history. West was named the Finals MVP despite his team’s loss.

9. 2009 Eastern Conference Round 1: Chicago Bulls vs Boston Celtics

Series Result: 4-3 Celtics

The Chicago Bulls made it to the 2009 NBA playoffs as a No. 7 seed, forcing them to open the postseason on the defending champion Boston Celtics’ home court.

The Celtics were heavily favored after dominating the regular season, but they had lost superstar Kevin Garnett to a freak knee injury that kept him out of the playoffs. Chicago, led by 20-year-old rookie Derrick Rose, was not expected to put up much of a fight.

Chicago’s roster was far from star-studded, but legends were made in this series against the Celtics. In stunning fashion, Chicago went into TD Garden and won Game 1 in overtime, stunning the rest of the NBA. In Game 2, Bulls guard Ben Gordon scored 42 points, hitting multiple clutch shots, but the powerful Celtics won on one of Ray Allen’s trademark clutch threes.

The Celtics took Game 3 on the road with a 107-86 rout at Chicago. That made it seem as if the series was over, but Chicago fought back once again in Game 4 to win in double-overtime.

Overtime became standard in this series, which set an NBA playoffs single-series record for most OT games and most total OT periods. Both Games 5 and 6 went to overtime, and it took triple-OT to decide Game 6 in the Bulls’ favor. Despite Boston’s Ray Allen scoring 51 points in that 3OT game, Chicago survived with a 128-127 victory that forced a return to Boston for the decisive Game 7.

Boston would eventually win the series, but Chicago’s overall effort, the emergence of  rookie guard Derrick Rose, and astonishing performances by Ben Gordon and Ray Allen made this series one of the most entertaining in NBA history.

8. 2016 Western Conference Finals: Oklahoma City Thunder vs Golden State Warriors

Series Result: 4-3 Warriors

The Golden State Warriors’ 2016 NBA playoff run included back-to-back series that featured stunning basketball. Golden State had run through the NBA in the 2015-16 regular season as if they were playing against high-schoolers. The defending champion Warriors won 73 games to complete the most successful regular season in NBA history and their sights were set on repeating as champions.

In the Western Conference Finals, Golden State ran into a star-studded Thunder roster led by Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. OKC had just beaten Kawhi Leonard and the San Antonio Spurs 4-2 in the previous round before heading to California for Game 1 against the Warriors.

In surprising style, the Thunder took a 3-1 series lead after claiming Game 1 on the road and winning their two home games with blowouts. The NBA world was stunned with the seemingly untouchable Warriors on the verge of a playoff exit. Golden State, however, held on and fought its way back into the series.

The Warriors won Games 5 and 6 with Klay Thompson dropping 11 threes in the latter game to level the series. Steph Curry completed the comeback with a sensational 36-point performance in a brilliant Game 7.

7. 1993 NBA Finals: Phoenix Suns vs Chicago Bulls

Series Result: 4-2 Bulls

Phoenix Suns star Charles Barkley scored 44 points and grabbed 24 rebounds in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals against Seattle to send the Suns into the NBA Finals against Michael Jordan and the defending champion Chicago Bulls.

Having won championships in 1991 and 1992, the Bulls were looking for a three-peat against Barkley’s Suns. Many fans were eager to see another team dethrone Chicago, and Barkley appeared to be the man who would end Chicago’s historic run.

The Bulls won the first two games before a strong performance from Barkley got the Suns back in it in Game 3. Jordan answered the bell in Game 4 -- scoring 55 points to give the Bulls a 3-1 lead with one of the greatest NBA Finals performances in history. Phoenix players could do nothing to stop him.

While Jordan had 33 points in Game 6, it was John Paxson who emerged as the hero. Trailing by two points, Chicago got the ball back with seconds left on the clock. The Suns came out of a timeout so concerned with preventing MJ from driving inside that they left Paxson wide open at the perimeter. After some nice ball movement, the Bulls found him, and Paxson drained a 3-pointer to win the game and complete the first of the Jordan-era Bulls’ two three-peats

6. 1995 Eastern Conference Semifinals: Indiana Pacers vs New York Knicks

Series Result: 4-3 Pacers

Game 1 of the 1995 series between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks set the tone for what became a phenomenal series.

Reggie Miller scored eight points in nine seconds at the end of Game 1 to help upset the Knicks at Madison Square Garden and silence the entire arena when the final buzzer sounded.

It was a stubborn effort defensively from both teams, but the Pacers eventually found their way to a 3-1 series lead that included a Game 3 overtime win in Indianapolis. They seemed to be headed for the Eastern Conference Finals until Knicks legend Patrick Ewing stepped up in Games 5 and 6 to send the series back to MSG for a highly anticipated Game 7.

The seventh and final game of the series was the third that came down to the very last possession. Unfortunately for the Knicks, Ewing’s finger-roll layup attempt at the buzzer missed by inches to end the series and send the Pacers into the next round.

5. 1980 NBA Finals: Philadelphia 76ers vs Los Angeles Lakers

Series Result: 4-2 Lakers

The 1980 NBA Finals featured some of the very best athletes to ever play in the league. The Lakers were led by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, while the Sixers had a superstar in Julius Erving.

Kareem led the Lakers in scoring in the first three games, giving Los Angeles a 2-1 series lead. In Game 4, Erving leaped from one side of the baseline with the ball in one hand, under the rim and dropped it in from the other side with perhaps the most famous reverse layup in NBA history. The series was tied 2-2 heading back to The Forum in California.

Late in Game 5, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar suffered an ankle injury that would keep him out of Game 6. Without hesitating, 20-year-old rookie Magic Johnson stepped in to play center. Johnson played all five positions during the game and almost single-handedly won the championship for the Lakers.

In what could be the greatest Finals performance of all time, Johnson dropped 42 points with 15 rebounds despite playing out of position during the most crucial game of his young career. It truly was magic.

4. 2016 NBA Finals: Cleveland Cavaliers vs Golden State Warriors

Closing NBA Betting Lines: Golden State to win the series -220, Cleveland +180
Series Result: 4-3 Cavs

After completing a monumental comeback from a 3-1 series deficit against Oklahoma City in the Western Conference Finals, the Golden State Warriors were looking to repeat as NBA champions in 2016.

The Warriors had defeated LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the previous year’s championship round, and the two teams were meeting again as part of a brilliant rivalry that lasted several years.

Although each team was a top seed in its respective conference, the Warriors jumped out to a commanding 3-1 series lead. The Cavs lost Games 1 and 2 with little resistance, including an ugly 110-77 loss in Game 2. Entering Game 5, many had written the series off, assuming the Cavs would lose again. Those doubters would soon be proven wrong.

By the time Cleveland headed to Oracle Arena in California for Game 5, the series was all but wrapped up. The Warriors, who had gone 73-9 during the regular season, were nearly invincible at home and led the Cavs 3-1.

The mood changed in a hurry. LeBron and Kyrie dropped 41 points apiece when it mattered most and sent the series back to Cleveland. In Game 6, LeBron would score another 41 points, and the series was suddenly tied  3-3.

In the all-important Game 7, a clutch 3-pointer by Kyrie Irving gave the Cavs the lead. Irving’s team went on to win a long-awaited championship for the city of Cleveland by delivering some of the best playoff performances in franchise history.

3. 1998 NBA Finals: Utah Jazz vs Chicago Bulls

Series Result: 4-2 Bulls

Michael Jordan had already completed a three-peat, retired, pursued a career in baseball, and returned to the NBA for another two championships before making it back to the 1998 NBA Finals.

When the Bulls lined up against Karl Malone, John Stockton, and the Utah Jazz in the 1998 NBA Finals, the Chicago dynasty featuring Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Co., was incredibly going for a second three-peat.

The 1998 Finals would mark the end of that dynasty. Chicago couldn’t keep the band together forever, and it was understood that no matter how the season ended, management would break up the team over the summer.

Chicago lost Game 1 at Utah in overtime, but quickly flipped the series around with three straight wins, including the most one-sided victory in an NBA Finals game -- a 96-54 beating at the United Center in Chicago.

Utah claimed Game 5, setting the stage for Michael Jordan to wave goodbye to the city of Chicago in the only way he knew how.

The Bulls lost Pippen early in Game 6 due to a back injury, and their fans feared the worst. But Jordan switched it on like never before, scoring 45 of the Bulls’ 87 points and hitting the game-winner that put Chicago ahead with five seconds to play. The image of Jordan pulling up for that winning shot is one of the most iconic photos in NBA history. It was also the last shot MJ ever took in a Bulls uniform.

2. 1981 Eastern Conference Finals: Philadelphia 76ers vs. Boston Celtics

Series Result: 4-3 Celtics

In perhaps one of the most star-studded series in NBA history, the No. 3 seed Philadelphia 76ers met the top-seeded Boston Celtics for a trip to the NBA Finals. The Sixers were led by Julius Erving and Maurice Cheeks, while the 1980-81 Celtics roster boasted Kevin McHale, Larry Bird and Robert Parish.

The series would go on for seven intense games. Five of the seven were decided by two points or fewer, making this one of the most closely contested conference finals series in NBA history. Larry Bird scored 33 and 34 points in the first two games, and the series was tied 1-1 before the Sixers took a runaway lead by winning Games 3 and 4 to go up 3-1.

What came next was a showing of sheer grit and determination from the Celtics, who avoided losing the series in three straight games despite trailing Philadelphia by double-digit margins in each. Each time they looked like they were down and out, the Celtics fought their way back into the series. Eventually, Bird hit the winning jump shot in Game 7 to send the Celtics to the NBA Finals, where they would go on to beat Houston in six games.

1. 1984 NBA Finals: L.A. Lakers vs Boston Celtics

Series Result: 4-3 Celtics

Larry Bird and Magic Johnson had faced each other in the 1979 NCAA championship game five years before meeting in the 1984 NBA Finals. With a rivalry between the two already established -- and both quickly becoming two of the league’s greatest stars -- the 1984 Finals was the subject of great anticipation, and the series didn’t disappoint.

Two of the NBA’s greatest franchises in the Lakers and the Celtics game together to play a seven-game series for the ages. It had everything. The Celtics had won 62 games that season, and Bird had just claimed his first MVP title, while the Lakers were trying to reclaim the title after losing to the 76ers in the previous year’s NBA Finals.

Each team was a top seed in its conference, and they split the first two games at Boston Garden. In Game 2, the Celtics faltered. Bird spoke out after the game, famously saying his teammates “played like sissies.”

Game 4 was in the Lakers’ hands before a couple of late errors opened the door to the Celtics, who would eventually win to tie the series 2-2. Bird’s remarks after Game 3 had clearly sparked something inside the Celtics, because the fourth encounter became a physical battle in which Kevin McHale clotheslined Kurt Rambis as Rambis drove to the basket. That caused Lakers players to lose their cool, and the benches emptied before matters settled down.

The fifth game was known as the “Heat Game” because the Boston Garden air-conditioning system was broken. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had an oxygen tank on hand, and the referee fainted during the first half. Larry Bird’s 34 points would lead the Celtics to the win and a 3-2 series lead before Game 6 went the Lakers’ way in yet another physical test.

By the time Game 7 finally rolled around, both teams had exhausted each other in a series that was labeled “all-out-war.” The Lakers rallied late to cut a hefty deficit down to just three points before Cedric Maxwell poked the ball away from Magic Johnson with just a minute left on the clock. The Celtics went on to win, and Larry Bird was named the Finals MVP in what was  arguably the greatest NBA playoff series of all time.

Parameters for Ranking

Ranking the best NBA playoff series of all time is a challenge. So many factors make these series great, and there are so many more playoff matchups that could have made this list. The top 10 were ranked based on iconic moments in their sport’s great history, the intensity of the rivalry involved, and the number of close scores and buzzer-beaters that decided games and series along the way.

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