Rare trilogy in NBA
It never happened between Magic Johnson’s Lakers and Larry Bird’s Celtics. Same for Michael Jordan and Karl Malone or Jerry West and Bill Russell.
While there have been 14 rematches in NBA Finals history, this year’s meeting between LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers and Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors will be the first trilogy in league history.
After the Warriors beat the Cavs for their first title in 40 years in 2015, Cleveland got revenge last season with a comeback from 3-1 down to give the city its first major championship since 1964. Now they meet for the rubber match starting June 1 in Oakland.
While this may be unprecedented in the NBA, it has happened once before in the NFL, NHL and Major League Baseball with matchups that included some of those sports’ biggest stars.
There was Babe Ruth vs. Frankie Frisch in the 1920s and then a pair of memorable three-peat matchups in the 1950s featuring Otto Graham against Bobby Layne in the NFL and Gordie Howe against Maurice Richard in the NHL.
Here is a look at other major pro sports championship trilogies:
New York Yankees vs. New York Giants 1921-23
In his second season in New York, Babe Ruth led the Yankees to their first World Series berth in 1921 against the Giants. The entire series was played at the Polo Grounds, home to both teams that season.
Cleveland Browns vs. Detroit Lions (1952-54)
These teams that have spent much of the post-merger days near the bottom of the standings were the cream of the crop in the 1950s.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Detroit Red Wings (1954-56)
The first matchup of this trilogy started with one of the most memorable in 1954.
In overtime in Game 7, Red Wings forward Tony Leswick got credit for the series-clinching goal.
