NBA Playoffs: 5 most unexpected Conference Finals runs by teams in recent history

#3 Portland Trail Blazers - 2019 NBA Playoffs

Golden State Warriors vs Portland Trail Blazers - Game Four of the 2019 WCF.

Damian Lillard guided the Portland Trail Blazers to a 53-29 record and the third seed in the West during the 2018-19 NBA regular season. Lillard's effort in the regular round should have earned him a better place in the MVP voting than sixth, but that is a discussion for another day.

In the 2019 NBA Playoffs, the Blazers took down the OKC Thunder, with Lillard having one of the greatest performances in Game 5 of the series. He scored 50 points in that game and hit the game-winner three at the buzzer to seal the series.

In the second round, the Denver Nuggets put up a great fight, but Lillard and company eventually prevailed with a four-point win in Game 7, thanks to CJ McCollum's 37 points.

The Blazers' dream postseason run ended against the Golden State Warriors, who were without Kevin Durant. Stephen Curry was fabulous in the series as the Warriors swept the Blazers.

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#2 Atlanta Hawks - 2021 NBA Playoffs

Trae Young (#11) of the Atlanta Hawks.

The Atlanta Hawks will play in the Division/ Conference Finals for the first time since 2015 and the second time since 1970.

As the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, the Atlanta Hawks have put up an inspired postseason run. They took down the New York Knicks and the top-placed Philadelphia 76ers without home-court advantage.

In fact, Trae Young and the Hawks closed both series with road wins. They took down the Knicks in five games with a win at Madison Square Garden in the first round. The Philadelphia 76ers then failed to live up to their expectations of being the first seed, as they succumbed at Philly in seven games.

Young has been stellar for the Hawks, averaging 29 points and ten assists in the 2021 Playoffs, registering only 3.3 turnovers. Moreover, John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Danilo Gallinari, Kevin Huerter and Clint Capela have also been impressive performers for the Hawks so far.

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#1 Boston Celtics - 2018 NBA Playoffs

Jayson Tatum (#0) of the Boston Celtics talks with LeBron James (#23) of the Cleveland Cavaliers after Game Seven of the 2018 NBA Eastern Conference Finals.

The 2017-18 Boston Celtics finished the regular season with a 55-27 record and were the second seed in the Eastern Conference Finals. Considering their high seeing, they were expected to reach the Eastern Conference Finals without any fuss.

However, the Celtics were only one win away from the NBA Finals despite being led by Al Horford, rookie Jayson Tatum, second-year player Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier, the backup point guard.

Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward were tipped to be the leaders of the Celtics in the 2017-18 NBA season. But injuries hindered both players, and they could not participate in the NBA Playoffs.

Nevertheless, the Celtics beat the Milwaukee Bucks in a seven-game first-round matchup. Then, the Celtics took down Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers in five games in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.

As the Boston Celtics headed to the Eastern Conference Finals, an old rival was waiting. LeBron James was coming off his 'LeBronto' series against the Toronto Raptors and ready to play against Boston in the ECF.

The Celtics jumped to a 2-0 lead in the series and then led 3-2 before James and the Cleveland Cavaliers forced a Game 7. In the seventh game in Boston, the young Celtics fought hard, but LeBron James' 35 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists proved too much to handle for Brad Stevens' team on the night.

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