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10 Biggest MMA Upsets Of All-Time – Best Fights Where The Underdog Won

#10 – BJ Penn vs. Frankie Edgar I

The first fight between BJ Penn and Frankie Edgar was the first upset on this list of the top 10 underdog wins in MMA. This lightweight title fight happened in 2010 at the UFC 112 event, and the favorite to win was BJ Penn, who was in his prime at that moment. He was undefeated for eight years and beat fighters like Diego Sanchez, Renzo Gracie, and Matt Hughes.

On the other hand, Edgar won 6 out of his 7 fights before this title shot, but he was a much less accomplished fighter than “The Prodigy,” and nobody expected him to become the next lightweight UFC champion.

Surprisingly, Frankie Edgar won after a five-round fight. Even though he won, many fans thought Penn was robbed of the win.

#9 – Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Rose Namajunas

The next upset was when the reigning UFC strawweight champion, Joanna Jedrzejczyk, faced the underdog Rose Namajunas at UFC 217 in 2017. Before this bout, Joanna defended her title 5 times and beat the likes of notable names in the women’s MMA world, such as Jessica Andrade, Claudia Gadelha, and Karolina Kowalkiewicz. Meanwhile, Rose was the young challenger, and not many people gave her much of a chance to win the belt.

However, Rose pulled a sensational upset when she TKO’d Joanna with a flurry of punches, winning the UFC strawweight title. A year later, “Thug” Rose beat Jedrzejczyk once again, this time via unanimous decision, proving that the first win wasn’t a fluke.

#8 – Rameau Thierry Soukodjou vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

One of the biggest MMA upsets ever happened when Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Rameau Thierry Soukodjou collided at PRIDE 33 in 2007. Out of these two 205lbers, Nogueira was the favorite who beat famous fighters such as Alistair Overeem and Dan Henderson as well. Soukodjou was the underdog with only three pro fights, and this was his first PRIDE event.

When the fight started, nobody expected Soukodjou to knock out the legendary Nogueira with a clean left hook only 23 seconds into the fight. Everyone in the arena was stunned. It’s safe to say that Soukodjou pulled off one of the most incredible upsets in MMA history.

#7 – Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz

Image taken from YouTube.

This upset was one of the most memorable in the history of the UFC. It was the first matchup between the reigning featherweight champion Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz. The fight was a part of the UFC 196 event, and it happened in March 2016.

Before this fight, McGregor knocked out Jose Aldo in 13 seconds and stripped him of his belt. Meanwhile, Nate Diaz was brought in as a last-minute replacement since Rafael dos Anjos pulled out of that scheduled bout.

The fight began, and Diaz endured all of Conor’s strikes in the first round. Then, in the second round, Diaz rocked McGregor and pulled off a rear-naked choke submission on the Irishman, securing one of the greatest underdog wins ever.

#6 – Fabricio Werdum vs. Fedor Emelianenko

Fabricio Werdum and Fedor Emelianenko collided in the 2010 Strikeforce fight promotion, and nobody knew that this fight would be one of the biggest MMA upsets of all time.

On one side, there was Fedor, who was on a phenomenal 27-fight winning streak at the time, beating combat sports legends such as Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, Mark Hunt, Mark Coleman, Kevin Randleman, and so on. On the other side, Werdum was a superb heavyweight fighter, but he wasn’t on Fedor’s level.

However, Werdum rose to the occasion and beat Fedor in spectacular fashion. The Russian sent Werdum to the floor with strikes, but Fedor made a huge mistake and entered the Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist’s guard. Werdum got a triangle choke on Fedor and submitted him, thus ending his 9-year winning streak.

#5 – Luke Rockhold vs. Michael Bisping II

The first matchup between Rockhold and Bisping was in 2014, and it was a pretty highly anticipated fight between these two middleweights. The winner was Rockhold, who first head-kicked Bisping, sending him to the floor and ending the bout with a guillotine choke.

Almost two years later, Rockhold and Bisping collided at UFC 199, and the fans didn’t give the Englishman much of a chance since he took the fight on short notice and was on a movie set at the time of accepting the bout.

Nevertheless, Bisping proved everyone wrong. He knocked out the reigning middleweight champion with left and right hooks and won the belt. It’s safe to say that Bisping winning the middleweight title against the seemingly invincible Rockhold was one of the most shocking moments in MMA history.

#4 – Anderson Silva vs. Chris Weidman

Image taken from YouTube.

The main event of UFC 162 in 2013 was the middleweight title bout between Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman. Even though Weidman had a 9-0 record prior to this fight, he was the underdog. Regarded as one of the best MMA fighters ever, Silva was the favorite of this title bout since he was on a 17-fight winning streak, beating MMA legends like Vitor Belfort, Demian Maia, Dan Henderson, Forrest Griffin, etc.

The initial round of this fight went into Weidman’s favor since he kept Silva on the ground for a couple of minutes. Then, heading into the second round, Silva proved once again that he had an incredible stand-up game, and it looked like he was taking over that fight.

However, “The Spider” began to showboat and was quite disrespectful to Weidman. Then, Chris did the unexpected. He knocked out Silva with a nice combination and won the UFC middleweight championship title, putting an end to Silva’s sensational winning streak.

#3 – Julianna Pena vs. Amanda Nunes

The No. 3 on the list of the top 10 biggest MMA upsets in history goes to the matchup between Amanda Nunes and Julianna Pena at UFC 269 in 2021. At that time, Amanda “Lioness” Nunes was the bantamweight and featherweight UFC champion on a 12-fight winning streak, beating the likes of Ronda Rousey, Holly Holm, Valentina Shevchenko, Miesha Tate, etc.

Pena only won three of her last five fights, and not many fans believed she could win the women’s bantamweight title. However, Pena believed she could.

Pena started applying pressure on Nunes from the beginning of the fight, eventually wearing her down and pulling off one of the most shocking wins ever via rear naked choke submission.

#2 – Ronda Rousey vs. Holly Holm

Ronda Rousey was the most recognizable name in women’s MMA when she collided with Holly Holm at UFC 193 back in 2015. Rousey had a 12-0 record at the time, and she has beaten numerous superb fighters such as Cat Zingano, Bethe Correia, and Miesha Tate.

Holly Holm was also undefeated with a 10-0 record, and since she was a kickboxer, stylistically, she was a bad matchup for Rousey, who was primarily a grappler. Nevertheless, everyone expected that Rousey would win the fight due to her incredible dominance in the previous 12 fights.

Holm was incredible throughout the fight, stuffing Ronda’s takedown attempts and keeping the fight on the feet. Then, in the 2nd round, Holm threw a head kick at Ronda and knocked her out, winning the bantamweight title in one of the biggest MMA upsets ever. Still, despite this defeat, Rousey remains one of the best female MMA fighters of all time.

#1 – Matt Serra vs. Georges St-Pierre I

Without a doubt, the greatest upset in the history of MMA happened at UFC 69 in 2007, when St-Pierre and Serra collided. It’s interesting that Matt Serra didn’t earn the title shot in a conventional way, meaning that he beat all the top contenders in the division. Instead, he earned a shot at the title by being the winner of the welterweight division at “The Ultimate Fighter” season 4 TV show.

Meanwhile, St-Pierre was the reigning champ who was incredibly dominant at the time, winning fights against notable names in the MMA world like BJ Penn, Matt Hughes, and Sean Sherk. Georges was already touted as a potential GOAT, and not many fans gave Serra much of a chance.

However, already in the first round, Serra defied the odds and TKO’d St Pierre, winning the UFC welterweight championship title. Thanks to this one iconic win, Serra became a UFC Hall of Famer back in 2018, despite the fact he ended his career with 11-7 record.

Featured image taken from YouTube.

The 10 Best Football Stadiums in The World – Ranked

#10 – Estadio Azteca

Location: Mexico City, Mexico

The list of the top 10 best football stadiums in the world starts with the biggest stadium in Mexico—Estadio Azteca. This legendary home ground of the Mexican national football team is located in Mexico City. Besides the team of Mexico, this team is also the home ground of Cruz Azul and Club America. Estadio Azteca was opened in 1966 and has a capacity of 83,264 seats.

Many matches were played at the Estadio Azteca, but the most memorable was undoubtedly the 1986 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals between Argentina and England. In that same match, Maradona scored the controversial “Hand of God” goal as well as the “Goal of the century” when he dribbled past five English footballers and scored.

That same year, Estadio Azteca hosted the 1986 FIFA World Cup final between Argentina and West Germany. In addition, the 1970 FIFA World Cup final was played there too.

#9 – Signal Iduna Park

Location: Dortmund, Germany

When you combine the rich history of incredible matches and the electrifying atmosphere, you get one of the best football stadiums in the world—Signal Iduna Park. It was first opened in 1974, and it can hold 81,335 fans.

Signal Iduna Park is situated in Dortmund, Germany, and it’s the home stadium of one of the greatest soccer teams in Germany—Borussia Dortmund. Every time Borussia plays, the fans eclipse the majority of the stadium with the legendary “Yellow Wall.” Moreover, the atmosphere made by the supporters of this club is a sight to behold.

Besides Borussia Dortmund, Germany’s national team also plays their international matches in Signal Iduna Park.

This stadium, also known as Westfalenstadion, was purposefully built to host FIFA World Cup games in 1974. Brazil, Scotland, Zaire, and the Netherlands played opening games in this stadium.

#8 – Anfield

Location: Liverpool, UK

One of the greatest football stadiums of all time is the home ground of Liverpool FC—Anfield. This stadium isn’t the biggest on the list since it has 54,000 available eats.

Anfield was first opened in 1884, and the rest is history.

Many historic matches and numerous trophies have been lifted inside it. Some of the biggest superstars in football have also played inside this stadium, such as Steven Gerrard, Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush, John Barnes, and Mohamed Salah.

The enthusiastic Liverpool fans who sit in the stands of Anfield are capable of instilling fear into even the best football teams in the world. When the opposition walks through Anfield’s tunnel and hears the renowned “You’ll Never Walk Alone” Liverpool FC hymn, they know the match will be tough.

#7 – San Siro

Location: Milan, Italy

The San Siro stadium is among the most iconic football home grounds of all time. Both Inter Milan as well as AC Milan play their matches in this beautiful stadium. This stadium is known as San Siro for AC Milan, while for Inter Milan supporters, it’s known as Giuseppe Meazza. The stadium has seen some incredible matches between the fierce rivals from the city of Milan, one of the biggest football rivalries in the world.

San Siro was first opened in 1986, and it has a capacity of 75,817 seats.

What’s interesting about this stadium is its design. It ensures that every fan in the stands has the best possible view, no matter where they sit. The fact that the stadium’s architects had this in mind shows how much they cared about making a stadium that would improve the fans’ experience.

The San Siro has hosted numerous games of the 1934 and 1990 FIFA World Cups.

Many football legends have played in this sensational stadium, including Paolo Maldini, Franco Baresi, Marco van Basten, Ronaldo, Javier Zanetti, and others.

#6 – Maracana Stadium

Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The Maracana stadium is one of the most remarkable modern-day football coliseums, having witnessed a fair share of historic matches and exceptional players. It is the home ground of the Brazilian national soccer team and is situated in Rio de Janeiro. The gates of the Maracana stadium first opened in 1950, and the seating capacity of this stadium is 78,838.

The Maracana has hosted many matches, but the most legendary was the 1950 FIFA World Cup final between Brazil and Uruguay. That day, 199,854 supporters were inside the stadium to watch the game. The number wasn’t officially verified, but to this day, that game is possibly the highest-attended match ever in football. Brazil unfortunately lost the game 2-1.

Besides Brazil’s national team, Flamengo and Fluminense also play their home games at the Maracana stadium.

#5 – Allianz Arena

Location: Munich, Germany

The Allianz Arena is one of the newest stadiums on this list since it was first opened in 2005. Moreover, its beautiful and curved design is so ahead of time that it even surpasses the design of the newest ones. The Allianz Arena is stunning in the evening and is no less remarkable during the day. This stadium is in Munich, Germany, and it has a capacity of 75,024 available seats.

The Allianz Arena is the home ground of the greatest football team in Germany—Bayern Munich. More than a couple of football icons have played in this legendary stadium, such as Oliver Kahn, Manuel Neuer, Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, and Miroslav Klose.

The Allianz Arena has hosted many football games. Still, the most important were the FIFA 2006 World Cup matches and the 2012 UEFA Champions League final when Bayern lost 3-4 against Chelsea in a penalty shootout after extra time.

#4 – Old Trafford

Location: Manchester, UK

Old Trafford is one of the most iconic soccer stadiums in the world, and it’s also called “The Theatre of Dreams” with a reason. Many incredible matches and legendary footballers played in this stadium. Old Trafford is the home team of Manchester United, one of the best teams in England. Manchester’s home ground opened its gates in 1910, and the stadium can hold 74,310 supporters.

Old Trafford was the host of the famous 1966 FIFA World Cup when England won the tournament. Besides this World Cup, this stadium has hosted an endless list of legendary UEFA Champions League and Premier League matches.

Numerous iconic players played in this stadium, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, Bobby Charlton, Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs, Eric Cantona, George Best, and many others.

#3 – Camp Nou

Location: Barcelona, Spain

The biggest soccer stadium in the entire Europe is Camp Nou, and it’s the home ground of one of the greatest and most successful football clubs ever—FC Barcelona. The well-known motto of this Spanish club, “mes que un club”, is embroiled on every seat, and it’s also a big part of Barca’s identity. Camp Nou was first opened in 1957, and it has a remarkable capacity of 99,354 available seats.

One time, the capacity of this stadium surpassed 120,000 seats for the 1982 FIFA World Cup, but the number was later decreased due to certain law changes. Camp Nou hosted many notable fixtures like the 1989 European Champion Clubs’ Cup final as well as the 1999 UEFA Champions League final.

Many iconic names in football have played at Camp Nou, like Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona, Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Romario, Xavi, Iniesta, Ronaldinho, and so many others.

Camp Nou is one of those stadiums that will always be dear to not just the fans of Barca, but to every football fan on the planet.

#2 – Santiago Bernabeu

Location: Madrid, Spain

The Santiago Bernabeu is the home to one of the most decorated football clubs ever—Real Madrid. With 14 European Cup/Champions League titles, this team from Madrid is highly successful, and the Santiago Bernabeu can’t be a better stadium to play at. It was opened back in 1947, and it has a capacity of 81,044 seats. This stadium was renovated a couple of times in history, and its reported costs were more than $1 billion.

Santiago Bernabeu has always been one of the best stadiums for hosting football events. For instance, it hosted the European Champion Clubs’ Cup finals in 1957, 1969, and 1980, and the UEFA Champions League final back in 2010.

Over the years, many soccer superstars have played in this stadium, such as Zinedine Zidane, Alfredo Di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas, Cristiano Ronaldo, and so on.

#1 – Wembley Stadium

Location: London, UK

Undoubtedly, the best soccer stadium in the world is the Wembley Stadium. It was reopened back in 2007 at the exact place where the previous one from 1923 stood. Renowned for having one of the most electrifying atmospheres of all stadiums, the famous Wembley Arch is a sight to behold.

Wembley Stadium is the home ground of the national football team of England, with an impressive capacity of over 90,000 available seats. It is situated in London, and every club in England dreams that Wembley will someday be their home ground.

This London stadium held numerous prestigious football events, such as the UEFA Champions League finals in 2011 and 2013. Also, the old Wembley hosted the 1966 FIFA World Cup final when England beat West Germany 4-2 in the final.

Besides being home to the country’s national team, many events that aren’t related to this sport, like pop concerts, are held in Wembley Stadium.

Ranking The Top 10 Teams That Never Won NBA Championship – Which Teams Nearly Won the Ring?

#10 – Cleveland Cavaliers (2008/09)

Regular season record: 66-16

Points per game: 100.3

Opponent points per game: 91.4

The list starts with one of the greatest NBA teams that didn’t win a championship—2008/09 Cleveland Cavaliers. Lebron James led the Cavaliers throughout the season, finishing it with 66 wins.

In general, the team wasn’t good since it was more like a one-man show performed by James. Cavaliers had a solid supporting cast consisting of Mo Williams, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Delonte West, and Anderson Varejao.

In the first round of the playoffs, the Cavaliers swept the Detroit Pistons. Then, in the second round, they also swept the Atlanta Hawks. It looked like the young superstar James would win his first championship.

However, they faced the Orlando Magic and Dwight Howard in the Eastern Conference Finals. Even 38.5 PPG, 8.3 RPG, and 8.0 APG from James in those finals wasn’t enough since they lost 2-4.

#9 – Milwaukee Bucks (1971/72)

Regular season record: 63-19

Points per game: 114.6

Opponent points per game: 103.5

In 1972, Milwaukee Bucks were real title contenders, and their amazing regular season record of 63 wins and only 19 losses was an indicator that they might win the championship. Only the LA Lakers have had a better record in that season (69-13).

This team’s defense was phenomenal, thanks to one of the best players in the game’s history—Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Also, Lucius Allen and Bob Dandridge were top-tier defenders. Jabbar was also a threat on the offense, mostly because of his skyhooks, while Oscar Robertson was the team’s playmaker and a prolific scorer.

Bucks started off the playoffs quite well. They played against the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference semi-finals and easily won the series 4-1. Then, in the Western Conference Finals, Kareem and the Bucks were up against the LA Lakers.

Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain were an unstoppable duo, and the Bucks didn’t know how to beat them. Ultimately, they lost the series 2-4. The Bucks would’ve easily lifted the NBA trophy if it weren’t for that Lakers team.

#8 – San Antonio Spurs (2015/16)

Regular season record: 67-15

Points per game: 103.5

Opponent points per game: 92.9

If you look at the statistics for 2015/16, you would’ve thought that the Spurs won the title, but unfortunately, they didn’t. They finished the season with 67 wins, and their opponents scored only 92.9 points per game against them.

The roster of the Spurs was deep and star-studded. The superstar star of the team was the young Kawhi Leonard, who averaged 21.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 2.6 APG during the regular season. Other notable Spurs players in that season were the veterans Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili. Moreover, LaMarcus Aldridge, Patty Mills, and Danny Green were excellent throughout the season.

San Antonio beat the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs. After that, in the Western Conference semi-finals, Kawhi and the Spurs went toe-to-toe with OKC and one of the best duos in the game—Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Oklahoma City Thunder won the series 4-2, even though the Spurs took a 3-1 lead in the series.

#7 – Phoenix Suns (2004/05)

Regular season record: 62-20

Points per game: 110.4

Opponent points per game: 103.3

In 2004, Steve Nash joined the Phoenix Suns, and no one expected what would happen. The team from Phoenix won 62 games in that season, and Nash was the league MVP, averaging 15.5 PPG, 11.5 APG, and 3.3 RPG.

He was the offense orchestrator, who was dishing assists left and right. Besides Nash, other stars on the team were the center, Amar’e Stoudemire, and the best shooters on the team, Shawn Marion and Joe Johnson.

The Suns played in the “Seven Seconds or Less” style, revolutionizing how basketball is played today.

After the sensational regular season was over for the Suns, they advanced to the first round of playoffs, where they swept the Memphis Grizzlies. In the second round, they went up against the Dallas Mavericks and beat them in six games. Everything was going smoothly for the Suns until they faced the Spurs.

The Stoudemire-Nash duo was amazing since they averaged more than 60 points per game. However, even those stellar performances weren’t enough for the Suns to win. Duncan and the Spurs were stronger and better throughout the series and beat the Suns 4-1.

#6 – Sacramento Kings (2001/02)

Regular season record: 61-21

Points per game: 104.6

Opponent points per game: 97.0

One of the greatest teams that never lifted the NBA trophy was the 2001/02 Sacramento Kings. They were phenomenal throughout the season and finished it with 61 wins. This team was a sight to behold. The Kings’ offense was based on moving the ball and feeding the ball to whoever was open.

This team was led by Chris Webber, who averaged 24.5 PPG and 10.1 RPG. The Kings also had a fantastic supporting cast consisting of Stojakovic, Divac, Bibby, Christie, and Turkoglu. They had seven players who averaged more than 10 points per game.

In the very first round of the Western Conference playoffs, the Kings defeated the Utah Jazz 3-1. Then, in the semi-finals, they almost swept the Dallas Mavericks, beating them 4-1.

In the 2002 Western Conference Finals, the Sacramento Kings were up against the LA Lakers, whom Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant led. The Kings were up 3-2 in the series but ultimately lost the finals in a seven-game thriller. These finals were quite controversial because a few years after the finals, former NBA referee Tim Donaghy stated that the officials decided game 6 of the finals in favor of the Lakers.

#5 – Phoenix Suns (1992/93)

Regular season record: 62-20

Points per game: 113.4

Opponent points per game: 106.7

One of the best teams that didn’t win a championship was the Phoenix Suns in the 1992/93 season. They won a franchise record-breaking 62 games and only lost 20 in that regular season.

The leader of that team was Charles Barkley, who was the MVP of the 1992/93 season, averaging 25.6 PPG, 12.2 RPG, and 5.1 APG. The Suns’ roster was filled with elite players like Dan Majerle, Kevin Johnson, Richard Dumas, and Danny Ainge. That team was highly experienced, versatile, and basically invincible.

Their first opponents in the playoffs were the LA Lakers, and they beat them 3-2 in the series. They played against the Spurs in the second round and won the series 4-2. In the Western Conference Finals, they were up against the Supersonics and the Payton-Kemp duo, narrowly beating them in game 7.

In the Finals, the Bulls stopped the Suns after six games. Barkley and the rest of the team from Phoenix were powerless against Pippen, Jordan, and the supporting cast of the Chicago Bulls.

#4 – Utah Jazz (1996/97)

Regular season record: 64-18

Points per game: 103.1

Opponent points per game: 94.3

The 1996/97 Utah Jazz were a force to be reckoned with, finishing the regular season with 64 wins and only 18 losses.

John Stockton and Karl Malone were a nightmare for opposing defenders while running their impeccable pick-and-roll. The opposition didn’t know whether to attack Stockton to stop him from doing a jump shot or move away from him to prevent a pass to Malone. Together, they score more than 40 points per game throughout the season. Besides the duo, the Jazz had the amazing Jeff Hornacek, Greg Ostertag, and Bryon Russell.

Utah had a great postseason up until the Finals. They beat the LA Clippers 3-0 in the first round, then the Lakers 4-1 in the second round, and the Rockets 4-2 in the Western Conference Finals.

In the Finals, the Jazz lost the series in 6 games against the Bulls, mainly because of the greatest player of all time—Michael Jordan. He averaged 32.3 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 6.0 APG, and no one could stop him. Even though the Jazz team was one of the greatest ever, the Bulls were on another level.

#3 – Houston Rockets (2017/18)

Regular season record: 65-17

Points per game: 112.4

Opponent points per game: 103.9

One of the best teams that never won the NBA championship was the 2017/18 Houston Rockets. Despite the fact that the stars of the team, Paul and Harden, missed 34 games combined, the Houston Rockets still managed to win 65 games throughout the season.

James Harden won the MVP award, averaging 30.4 PPG, 8.8 APG, and 5.4 RPG. Apart from Paul and Harden, other notable players for the Houston Rockets were Clint Capela, Trevor Ariza, Gerald Green as well as Eric Gordon.

In the first round of the playoffs, the Rockets went toe-to-toe against the Minnesota Timberwolves and won the series 4-1. In the next round, the Rockets almost swept the Utah Jazz, beating them 4-1.

Then, they went up against the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals. Paul and Harden carried the team and took a 3-2 lead in the series. Unfortunately, Paul missed Game 7, and the Rockets also missed 27 triples in a row in that game. The Warriors ultimately won the series and became the champions that year.

#2 – Boston Celtics (1972/73)

Regular season record: 68-14

Points per game: 112.7

Opponent points per game: 104.5

The post-Russell era was challenging for the Celtics for a couple of years, but in the 1972/73 season, they became title contenders once again. They won 68 games that season, which is the record for the franchise.

The leading three players in this Celtics team were John Havlicek, Jo Jo White, and Dave Cowens. Each of those three players averaged almost 20 points per game throughout the season. Besides the trio, other key players were Paul Silas and Don Chaney.

In the Eastern Conference semi-finals, the Celtics faced the Atlanta Hawks and beat them 4-2 in the series. Then, they went up against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. The series was tied after the initial two games, but in Game 3, Havlicek suffered a shoulder injury. Although he continued to play in the next four games, he wasn’t the same player, and the Knicks beat them 4-3.

#1 – Golden State Warriors (2015/16)

Regular season record: 73-9

Points per game: 114.9

Opponent points per game: 104.1

The greatest team in NBA history that didn’t win a championship was the Golden State Warriors in the 2015/16 season. The team from San Francisco broke the previous record for the most wins (72) set by the 1995/96 Chicago Bulls.

They managed to win 73 games and only lost nine during the entire season. Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green were the three best players, and they carried the team in the 2015/16 season. Curry won the MVP award, averaging 30.1 PPG, 6.7 APG, 5.4 RPG, and 2.1 SPG.

The Warriors won 4-1 against the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs. Then, in the semi-finals of the Western Conference, they faced the Portland Trail Blazers and beat them after five games. In the Finals of the Western Conference, the Warriors beat Durant, Westbrook, and the rest of the OKC in a 7-game thriller.

Curry and the Warriors played against the James-led Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals. Golden State took a 3-1 lead, but the Cavaliers were relentless and won the NBA title in Game 7. If they won this championship, this Golden State team could’ve been the greatest team in basketball history. Instead, they let the trophy slip away from their hands.