The Miami Heat are threatening to eliminate the New York Knicks from the NBA playoffs, taking a 3-1 series lead into Wednesday’s Game 5.
One more win would vault the Heat into their third Eastern Conference Finals appearance in four seasons.
Given where Miami is seeded in this year’s playoffs, though, this run would carry some extra historical significance.
Last Time a No. 8 Seed was in the Conference Finals
A No. 8 seed has not reached the conference finals since 1999, when the Knicks swept the Atlanta Hawks in the second round to reach the Eastern Conference Finals.
While there have been a handful of No. 8 seeds to make it out of the first round in the past 25 years – including the 2011 Grizzlies and the 2012 Sixers in back-to-back seasons – none made it beyond the second round.
Last Time a No. 8 Seed was in the NBA Finals
The 1999 New York Knicks beat the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, 4-2, becoming the first and only No. 8 seed to ever advance to the NBA Finals.
The No. 8 Knicks lost to the No. 1 Spurs in the NBA Finals, which served as the odd conclusion to a strange, lockout-shortened season of professional basketball.
Read More: Last Time a No. 7 Seed Was In the Conference & NBA Finals
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