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Is it harder to win the Super Bowl or the NBA title?
It’s usually the sort of question posed at a bar or BBQ over some drinks that starts a long and passionate argument between sports fans.
But on a recent episode of ESPN’s morning show ‘Get Up’, former NBA player Kendrick Perkins ignited the debate online by declaring live on air that:
“It’s way harder to win a championship in the NBA than the NFL.”
Former Steelers safety and Super Bowl winner Ryan Clark responded to Perkins on the show by saying:
“The best team always wins the NBA championship.”
So, who is right? is winning the Super Bowl more difficult? Or is the NBA Finals? Could they both be correct? Let’s take a deeper look at what it takes to win both championships.
The case for the Super Bowl
The NFL recently extended their regular season to 17 games. They also expanded the playoffs by adding another slot, meaning some teams would have to win one extra playoff game to make it to the Super Bowl.
If you are the number one seed in the AFC or NFC you would get a first-round bye but still have to win three postseason games to win the Super Bowl. So, to win it, a team would have to play in at least 20 games.
The NFL playoffs differ from the NBA playoffs. The NFL uses the knockout format while the NBA has the best-of-seven series format.
Baltimore Ravens defensive end Calais Campbell argued that the NFL's single-game knockout format leaves no room for error, thus making the Super Bowl more difficult to win than an NBA championship.
On ESPN's ‘Get Up’, Ryan Clark further explained that being the top seed doesn't guarantee progress in the NFL playoffs. He said:
“Wildcard teams, number 7 or 8 seeds don’t win the NBA championships, while they can in the NFL.”
NFL fans also pointed out that football is a contact sport that is harder on the body than basketball. Playing 20 games in the NFL in a five-month span causes significantly more wear and tear than playing an 82-game regular season, followed by at least 16 playoff games in the NBA.
The case for the NBA
While NFL fans and players have made the argument about the sudden death nature of the NFL playoffs, the NBA playoff series is tough in its own way.
A team can’t simply win one game and advance, or fluke a victory because the opposition is having a bad day. They have to beat the same team four times in a seven-game series.
So, coaches and players have to adjust and adapt to new matchups and tactics constantly. Some would say it’s harder to beat a team four times than in a one-off game.
Championship history comparison
One argument that NFL fans and players who believe the Super Bowl is tougher to win make is that the NBA championship is predictable.
They argue that the same few stars like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Steph Curry play in the NBA Finals. To assess this argument, let's take a look at the teams and the marquee matchups in the past ten NBA and NFL seasons.
NBA Finals
2011 - Dallas Mavericks vs Miami Heat
Star matchup: Dirk Nowitski vs LeBron James
2012 - Oklahoma City Thunder vs Miami Heat
Star matchup: Kevin Durant vs LeBron James
2013 - San Antonio Spurs vs Miami Heat
Star matchup: Tim Duncan vs LeBron James
2014 - San Antonio Spurs vs Miami Heat
Star matchup: Tim Duncan vs LeBron James
2015 - Golden State Warriors vs Cleveland Cavaliers
Star matchup: Steph Curry vs LeBron James
2016 - Golden State Warriors vs Cleveland Cavaliers
Star matchup: Steph Curry vs LeBron James
2017 - Golden State Warriors vs Cleveland Cavaliers
Star matchup: Steph Curry vs LeBron James
2018 - Golden State Warriors vs Cleveland Cavaliers
Star matchup: Steph Curry vs LeBron James
2019 - Golden State Warriors vs Toronto Raptors
Star matchup: Steph Curry vs Kawhi Leonard
2020 - LA Lakers vs Miami Heat
Star matchup: LeBron James vs Jimmy Butler
NFL players and fans have a point when they say the same players make the NBA Finals every year. LeBron James has featured in nine of the past 10 NBA Finals. But it is important to note that James is the second-greatest, if not the greatest, NBA player of all time.
NFL Super Bowls
2011 - Green Bay Packers vs Pittsburgh Steelers
QBs: Aaron Rodgers vs Ben Roethlisberger
2012 - New York Giants vs New England Patriots
QBs: Eli Manning vs Tom Brady
2013 - Baltimore Ravens vs San Francisco 49ers
QBs: Joe Flacco vs Colin Kaepernick
2014 - Seattle Seahawks vs Denver Broncos
QBs: Russell Wilson vs Payton Manning
2015 - New England Patriots vs Seattle Seahawks
QBs: Tom Brady vs Russell Wilson
2016 - Denver Broncos vs Carolina Panthers
QBs: Payton Manning vs Cam Newton
2017 - New England Patriots vs Atlanta Falcons
QBs: Tom Brady vs Matt Ryan
2018 - Philadelphia Eagles vs New England Patriots
QBs: Nick Foles vs Tom Brady
2019 - New England Patriots vs LA Rams
QBs: Tom Brady vs Jarred Goff
2020 - Kansas City Chiefs vs San Francisco 49ers
QBs: Patrick Mahomes vs Jimmy Garoppolo
2021 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs Kansas City Chiefs
QBs: Tom Brady vs Patrick Mahomes
When you look at the quarterbacks who have played in the last ten Super Bowls, one name stands out - Tom Brady.
While Brady doesn’t have the same record as LeBron James, he's not far off. The Tampa Bay star has appeared in six of the past ten Super Bowls. Additionally, Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes has played in each of the last two Super Bowls. So NBA players and fans could argue that the same quarterback always makes the Super Bowl.
Conclusion: Winning a Super Bowl is just as difficult as winning the NBA Finals
I know Americans hate ties or draws but when it comes to this specific question there really is no wrong answer. It sounds obvious and somewhat of a cop-out, but both the NFL Finals and Super Bowl are extremely hard to win.
The argument also gets clouded by the fact that two of the greatest ever players in both leagues, Brady and James, are still playing and winning. So, the next time you’re with your friends and this topic comes up, feel free to use this as an argument for either sport.
