The Stanley Cup finals are tied at two games apiece heading into Game 5, with the Las Vegas Knights and Carolina Hurricanes vying for their second championship in four years. Meanwhile, the NBA Finals see the New York Knicks holding a 3-1 lead, poised to break the city's pro sports title drought since 2011. San Antonio, on the other hand, is looking to end its own drought by rallying back against the Knicks.
As we await the outcome of these championship series, let's take a trip down memory lane and revisit when each city last won a pro sports championship.
The Seattle Seahawks brought home their second Super Bowl in franchise history with a 29-13 victory over New England in Super Bowl 60. The Los Angeles Dodgers won their third World Series title since 2020, defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in seven games.
In the NBA, Oklahoma City secured its first-ever championship by knocking off the Indiana Pacers in a thrilling seven-game series. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with an average of 27.6 points per game.
The Florida Panthers won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, closing out Edmonton for the second straight year. Sam Bennett earned MVP honors, and Matthew Tkachuk scored the game-winning goal in Game 6.
In the NFL, Philadelphia celebrated its second Super Bowl since 2017 with a convincing 40-22 victory over Kansas City in Super Bowl LIX. Jalen Hurts had a dominant performance, earning Super Bowl MVP honors.
The Boston Celtics won their 18th championship by knocking off the Mavericks in five games in the 2024 NBA Finals. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown led the way with averages of 22.2 and 20.8 points per game, respectively.
Kansas City brought home its third Super Bowl in five seasons with an overtime thriller against the 49ers. Patrick Mahomes II led a 25-22 victory with the game-winning touchdown drive in overtime. He earned his third Super Bowl MVP award.
The Texas Rangers won their first-ever World Series title by beating the Arizona Diamondbacks in five games. Corey Seager was named World Series MVP, and Bruce Bochy won his fourth World Series as a manager.
The Denver Nuggets won their first NBA championship by knocking off Miami in five games in the 2023 NBA Finals. Nikola Jokic led the way with an average of 25.8 points per game.
The Colorado Avalanche broke a 21-year drought by winning back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, beating Tampa Bay Lightning in six games in 2022. The Los Angeles Chargers and Clippers still await their first titles.
In the MLB, Houston celebrated its second World Series title since 2017 with a convincing 6-2 victory over Philadelphia in Game 6. Dusty Baker earned his first World Series championship as a manager.
The Golden State Warriors won their fourth NBA title under Steve Kerr in the 2022 NBA Finals, beating Boston in six games. Steph Curry earned his first NBA Finals MVP award, averaging 31.2 points per game.
In the NHL, Tampa Bay celebrated its second consecutive Stanley Cup title by knocking off Montreal in five games. Andrei Vasilevskiy won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs.
Washington D.C. celebrated its first baseball championship in 95 years after the Nationals defeated the Astros in a seven-game World Series. The city's other pro sports teams still await their titles.
Toronto ended a 26-year championship drought by defeating Golden State in the NBA Finals, with Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry leading the way.
The St. Louis Blues brought home their first Stanley Cup title since moving to Missouri, beating Boston in seven games in the final. The Chicago Cubs broke a 108-year drought by winning the World Series against Cleveland in seven games.
In the NFL, Baltimore celebrated its second Super Bowl title since 2000 with a convincing 34-31 victory over San Francisco in Super Bowl XLVII.
Eli Manning led the Giants past the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, giving the team its fourth Super Bowl title.
Drew Brees brought the Saints their first championship with a convincing 31-17 win over Indianapolis in Super Bowl XLIV.
In the NHL, Pittsburgh celebrated its fifth Stanley Cup title since 2006 by beating Ottawa in six games. Sidney Crosby earned the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs.
Written by: Swing Smilemore | The Citizen Edition
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