It was hard to limit this to 14 options* (but I included an other). You only get to pick one, but feel free to say what your second or third choice would have been.

*Seriously, this is an insane man's task.

2000 ECSF: #3 Knicks - 4, #2 Heat - 3
The 4th straight year these two teams met in the playoffs. Riley set up two of the most physical defenses in NBA history. Ewing vs. Mourning is the marquee matchup, but there were lots of guys to fuel the rivalry on both teams. Hardaway put the Heat up 82-81, but Mourning gambled on a steal giving Ewing the game-winning dunk on the other end. The Knicks won the game and the rivalry.

Leading Scorer: Alonzo Mourning

2000 WCF: Lakers - 4, Blazers - 3
The game that almost ended the Lakers' dynasty before it began. The Blazers were stacked, but the Lakers had the best player on the planet and Kobe freaking Bryant as the 2nd best player (and Glen Rice as a role player). Portland was up 15 in the 4th before the Lakers went on a 31-13 run to start an era as one of the most dominant teams of all time.

Leading Scorer: Shaquille O'Neal

2001 ECSF: Sixers - 4, Raptors - 3

This series really came down to Allen Iverson vs. Vince Carter. Game 1 started conventional enough with the Raptors winning as Carter scored 35 and Iverson 36 (on 34 shots). And the stars took over. Iverson scored 54 to win Game 2. Carter scored 50 (including nine 3's) as the Raptors destroyed the Sixers in Game 3. The Sixers went up 3-2 on Iverson's 52 in Game 5. In Game 7, Allen Iverson shot an abysmal 8-27, but dished out a career high 16 assists. Vince Carter, who controversially attended his UNC class's graduation earlier that day, clanked the game-winning shot off the back iron as the Sixers won 88-87.

Leading Scorer: Allen Iverson

2002 WCF: Lakers - 4, Kings - 3

The last four games came down to the finals seconds. This might be the most controversial series in NBA history, as many allege the refs fixed the game to get the Lakers back to their third finals in a row. The Kings arguably out-played the Lakers in the series, but the Lakers got all the bounces (and maybe the calls). Robert Horry drained the game-winner in Game 4 when Divac tipped out the rebound right to him. Bibby hit the game winner in Game 5. The refs won Game 6 in a nail-biter. Game 7 went to OT in which Bibby was clutch and Chris Webber tried hiding. Peja airballed a free throw. Still, the Kings should have won. [/editorializing]

Leading Scorer: Shaquille O'Neal

2004 WCSF: Lakers - 4, Spurs - 2

2004 WCSF: Wolves - 4, Kings - 3

It was the first time in Kevin Garnett's career he had been out of the first round of the playoffs and Minnesota was up 3-2 before Webber and the Kings forced a Game 7. KG decided to shut up all his critics by dropping 32 points and pulling down 21 rebounds. This game is also notable for denying the Kings a chance at their rematch with the Lakers.

Leading Scorer: Kevin Garnett

2005 ECF: Pistons - 4, Heat - 3

Every player needs a moment to announce to the world they are a great player. For Dwyane Wade, it was Game 2 when he dropped 40 against the stifling Pistons defense. In this series, he was the second coming of Kobe. Shaq was still Shaq, scoring over 20 ppg and shooting almost 60% from the field (and almost 45% from the line). But the Pistons were still a great defense and they won the last two, including a nail-biting 88-82 Game 7. At times, the Pistons played four guys on Shaq and the Heat almost pulled it off.

Leading Scorer: Dwyane Wade

2006 ECSF: Detroit - 4, Cleveland - 3

This year was the playoff debut of LeBron James. He announced to the world he was a star and the Pistons told him to go home and try again when he was older. The Pistons went up 2-0 in the series and James (essentially single-handedly) won the next two in Cleveland. LeBron was getting 9, 10 assists a game with Eric Snow as the 2nd leading scorer. The craziest game was Game 6 in which LeBron intentionally missed a free throw down two and Detroit's Chauncey Billups almost tipped it in his own basket while going for the rebound. In Game 7, the Pistons held LeBron to six points in the second half and the Cavs to 61 over all to win.

Leading Scorer: LeBron James

2006 WCSF: Mavs - 4, Spurs - 3
2007 WCSF: Spurs - 4, Suns - 2
2008 ECSF: Celtics - 4, Cavs - 3
2009 EC 1st: Celtics - 4, Bulls - 3
2013 ECF: Heat - 4, Pacers - 3
2014 WC 1st: Thunder - 4, Grlizzlies - 3
2015 WC 1st: Clippers - 4, Spurs - 3

Mavs-Spurs 2006 and it's not particularly close

Kings vs Lakers was my thought when i clicked here.


then i remembered that Celtics/Bulls series. that thing was ungodly amazing.

yeah it's bulls-celtics no doubt. never forget noah's breakaway and 1 dunk. pistons-cavs and spurs-suns after. /not marking for Lakers.

wait, why is 2006 Detroit vs Cavs here instead of 2007 LeBron vs Detroit? that 2007 ECF series was one of the greatest things ever. when i think of "excitement level" as a fan, that series is top tier for me. i didn't even know Detroit and the Cavs played each other in 2006 to be honest.

Probably because of the insanity of Game 6 combined with all the extra factors such as the Pistons being two-time ECF Champions and it being LeBron's first playoff series. Plus the '06 series went to 7, so when I was cutting things, I mostly cut series that didn't go to 7. I kind of remember 2007 being so crazy because it was a rematch of 2006.

Oh, and I looked at other lists to help me out and this was on there and '07 wasn't. I could have included 25 series in 15 years. I could have had a poll of about five series from the first round and considering it would be this year's Spurs-Clippers vs. '09 Bulls-Celtics, it wouldn't have been that easy.

Dirk's and-1 dunk in the waning seconds for the Mavs in game 7 in 2006 tops it. That's why that series is the top because in 2006 both of those teams were the two best regular season teams (and both were legit 60 win teams; yes Detroit won more games but Southwest Division was a bear that year). As much carping as occurs about San Antonio and the Clippers meeting neither of those teams was as good as either of those two teams. And they played a close and fantastic series. Game 7 featured Duncan scoring something like 37 points and pulling down 15 rebounds in a losing effort.

The key point to me about that series being the best is it is the only series of these series that has an argument for pairing the two best teams and the teams already had rivalry history. And it was amazingly played

I just don't remember watching that series :/ my loss as a fan I know.

Also pgm nailed it re:cavs-pistons.

Also x2, OKC-Memphis in 2011 was pretty tight if I remember correctly.

Lakers/Kings is the most wrapped up I've ever been in a non Blazers series. It gets my pick for most entertaining even though it was fixed.

Yeah I have vivid as fuck memories watching Lakers/Kings, back when I was a little basketball obsessed kid.

'02 Kings were 61-21 (1-seed) and '02 Lakers were 58-24 (3-seed), while '06 Spurs were 63-19 (1-seed) and '06 Mavs were 60-22 (4-seed). There's hardly any difference. Do you think '06 Mavs > '02 Lakers?

I think the 06 Mavs would probably have lost to the 02 Lakers. I don't love that series as much because it wasn't as well played but fair point on quality.

I have to say that this second round has been dulllllllll. I'm really happy that the messed up seeding gave us Spurs-Clippers. I looked at true seeding and none of those matchups would have been exciting as what we watched and neither would have any of the second round matchups (and it's a stretch to think the Conference Finals would have been). That was an all-time series comparable to most of the ones up there. I guess we can cry that the Spurs didn't get some playoff bonuses, but that's about it.

And again seriously fuck Houston for still being around. Both games against the Clippers have been atrocities for everything other than unintentional comedy