Miami Heat have been better franchise than Boston Celtics for decades; here's the proof

The Miami Heat play the Boston Celtics for the third time in the NBA Eastern Conference finals since the Heat's inception in 1988.

Both previous times — in 2012 and 2020 — the Heat have come out on top.

Obviously, the Boston Celtics are one of the NBA’s most storied franchises.

With 17 NBA titles, they are tied with the Los Angeles Lakers for most in league history.

But if you break down the NBA since 1990, the Celtics only would be tied for ninth as the NBA’s most prolific team in NBA Finals appearances.

During that 32-year time period, the Celtics have been to two NBA Finals — winning in 2008 and losing in 2010.

According to statista.com, the median age in the United States is 38.1, so that means roughly half the country’s population wasn’t alive for 14 of their 17 championships. And they were extremely young for two of them (Aside from 2008, they also won in 1984 and 1986, a mere 38 and 36 years ago).

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Based on NBA Finals appearances, eight teams have had more success than the Celtics, who are tied with the Mavericks at one title won and one title lost since 1990.

Both teams are still alive in their chase for an NBA title, as the Mavericks eliminated the Phoenix Suns on Sunday night and will play the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals.

Some of the teams ahead of the Celtics had clusters of titles while other franchises have maintained greatness across the decades.

Here are the franchises I consider to be the top 5 in the NBA over the past 32 years, taking into account finals appearances, sustained greatness and overall stability.

5. Golden State Warriors

The Warriors had some fun teams in the early 1990s, with Chris Mullen, Tim Hardaway and Mitch Richmond, but they failed to do anything meaningful. After the group known as "Run TMC" was disbanded, the team then went 12 years — from 1995-2006 — without a playoff appearance. In fact, after the 2007 playoff appearance they didn’t make it back to the playoffs until 2013.

Enter Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Through great drafting, the Warriors have been one of the best teams over the past decade. They won an NBA title in 2015, then picked up Kevin Durant and two more titles in 2017 and '18. If not for an amazing comeback by the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016, and some terrible injury luck in 2019, the Warriors could have won five straight.

With injuries to both Curry and Thompson, the team suffered a two-year setback, but are back in the NBA’s elite in 2022 as they play in the Western Conference Finals against the Mavericks in hopes of winning another NBA title.

4. The Chicago Bulls

Since 1990, the Bulls are tied for the most NBA titles won with the Los Angeles Lakers, at 6. However, their greatness essentially ended with Michael Jordan’s retirement in 1998.

They’ve made it to the playoffs 12 times in the 24 years since his Airness’ retirement, but lost in the first round eight of those 12 times. They did make it to the Conference Finals in 2011 thanks in large part to Derrick Rose, but they’re still seeking the greatness they haven’t had in more than 20 years. Even so, they deserve to be considered in the Top 5 since 1990.

3. The San Antonio Spurs

David Robinson didn’t play his first two years in the NBA because he was in the U.S. Navy. He finally debuted in 1989, and led the Spurs on a solid decade, making the playoffs seven straight years from 1990-96. However, during the 1996-97 season Robinson hurt his back, then broke his foot and missed most of the season, leaving the Spurs with the third-worst record in the league.

The curse ended up being a blessing. The Spurs won the Draft lottery that year and selected Tim Duncan of Wake Forest No. 1 overall. With Robinson and Duncan, the team went on to win two NBA titles, in 1999 and 2003. Robinson then retired, but with the emergence of Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, the Spurs went on to win three more titles, in 2005, 2007 and 2014. The Spurs have missed the playoffs the past three years, but it’s still a franchise you believe in at the start of every season because they still have their rock of a head coach — Gregg Popovich.

2. The Miami Heat

It was a tough choice between the Heat and Spurs for the second spot, but here’s why I did it: The Heat have maintained a high level for most of their existence, developing talent and making good deals to stay on top essentially in several different iterations.

The 1990s saw great teams with Tim Hardaway and Alonzo Mourning. They made the playoffs eight of 10 years in the decade of the 90s.

In 2004, they drafted Dwyane Wade, then signed Shaquille O’Neal the following season. In 2006, they won an NBA title together. Four years later, they assembled the most hyped super team in NBA history alongside Wade by signing James and Chris Bosh, while bringing in a host of veterans who also had been stars, such as Ray Allen, Gary Payton, Antoine Walker and more.

After making the finals all four years together — winning two and losing two — the super team broke up and eventually everyone left town. This would have crippled most franchises, but undaunted, Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra went to work quickly rebuilding.

Through good draft picks Bam Adebayo, Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro, and veteran signings such as Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry and P.J. Tucker, the team went to the Finals in 2020 and lost, and may be back again this year if the Heat can get past the Celtics. They’ve made it to six NBA Finals, tying the Bulls and Spurs for second most since 1990, and have won three times. For maintaining excellence across the decades, the Heat are No. 2.

1. The Los Angeles Lakers

Speaking of excellence across the decades, the Los Angeles Lakers embody that. They are tied with the Bulls for most titles since 1990 with six, and they’ve made the most appearances, with 9.

After Magic Johnson’s abrupt retirement in 1991 because of his HIV diagnosis, the Lakers could have been in big trouble. To some extent, they were, but they still made it to the playoffs every year in the 1990s except 1994. Their fortunes changed when the team signed free-agent Shaquille O’Neal in 1996. Shaq was then gifted the recently-drafted Kobe Bryant in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets.

The duo went on to win three consecutive titles from 2000-02. After Shaq left L.A., Kobe wanted to cement himself as an all-time great, but he needed his own titles to do that. He did so in 2009, then did it again in 2010. The Lakers hit a rough patch from 2014-19, missing the playoffs each year, but after bringing James aboard, won a title in the pandemic-shortened 2020. The Lakers struggled this year as an aging LeBron couldn’t get to the playoffs with the oft-injured Anthony Davis and the erratic Russell Westbrook. However, being the Lakers, you’d expect them to lure another big-named free agent soon and get back on their path of greatness.

Contact Walters at twalters@gannett.com

Here is a list of the Top 10 NBA teams based on NBA Finals appearances

Rank/Team/Finals Appearances/Finals Record

9. Mavericks: 2 (1-1)

9. Celtics: 2 (1-1)

8. Rockets: 2 (2-0)

7. Pistons: 3 (2-1)

6. Cavaliers: 5 (1-4)

5. Warriors: 5 (3-2)

4. Heat: 6 (3-3)

3. Bulls: 6 (6-0)

2. Spurs: 6 (5-1)

1. Lakers: 9 (6-3)

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Celtics must beat Heat in Eastern Conference Finals to elevate franchise