Last season, the Denver Nuggets finally reached the mountaintop.
The team reached the NBA Finals for the first time and went on to win the championship after defeating the Miami Heat in five games.
The Finals had been uncharted territory for the franchise, which has been around since 1967. But Denver officially removed itself from the lonely group of teams that have never reached the league’s championship series.
Now, it's the Minnesota Timberwolves who are hoping to do the same.
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The Wolves, in their 35th season, upset the defending champion Nuggets in Game 7 on Sunday to advance to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 20 years. There they'll face the Dallas Mavericks as they look to bring the NBA Finals to Minnesota for the first time.
With the Wolves just four wins away from doing so, here's a look at how many teams have still yet to reach the NBA Finals.
Which teams have never appeared in the NBA Finals?
Five current NBA franchises have still yet to play in the Finals with one team in the midst of a half-century drought.
- Los Angeles Clippers – 54 seasons
- Minnesota Timberwolves – 35 seasons
- Charlotte Hornets – 34 seasons
- Memphis Grizzlies – 29 seasons
- New Orleans Pelicans – 22 seasons
Which NBA teams have never reached the conference finals?
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The Hornets and Pelicans are the only two active franchises that have never made it past the second round of the NBA playoffs.
The Clippers, Timberwolves and Grizzlies each have one Western Conference Finals appearance.
Which teams have made the NBA Finals but never won it?
Five teams have made it to the NBA Finals but have yet to lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
- Phoenix Suns – 3 Finals appearances
- Orlando Magic – 2 Finals appearances
- Brooklyn Nets – 2 Finals appearances
- Utah Jazz – 2 Finals appearances
- Indiana Pacers – 1 Finals appearance
