- Utah Jazz
Despite having some of the brightest NBA stars like John Stockton or Carl Malone, the Utah Jazz has never got its NBA title. The team made it to back-to-back finals in 1997 and 1998 and if it weren’t for the final years of the Bull’s great dynasty, they could have won it all.
- Pheonix Suns
The Pheonix Suns first made it to the finals in 1976 but lost the championship to the Boston Celtics. They would reach the finals again in 1993 but finally they were yet another victim of the Bulls and Michael Jordan.
- New Orleans Pelicans
Established in New Orleans in 2002 as the New Orleans Hornets and then renamed the Pelicans in 2012, the team have won one division title and made it to the playoffs seven times but have never been to the finals.
- Los Angles Clippers
Founded as an expansion team under the name the Buffalo Braves in 1970 and later the Sandiego Clippers and then the Los Angles Clippers, they have had some nice teams in the last decade. However, they have never got past the Western Conference Semi-Finals.
- Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets made it to the ABA Championship in 1976 but lost to the New York Nets. However, this may have got them into the NBA. Led by Carmello Anthony and Chauncey Billups, they reached the 2009 Western Conference finals but couldn’t win the Lakers to reach the finals.
- Orlando Magic
Started in 1989, the Orlando Magic is an expansion team – the second only to the Miami Heat. They made the finals in 1995 but lost to the Houston Rockets. They made it back again in 2009 but lost to Kobe and the Lakers.
- Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves is another expansion team that was founded in 1989. With the acquisition of Kevin Garnette in 1995, they made it to the playoffs 8 years from 1997 to 2004. They made it to the 2004 Western Conference finals but were another victims of the Lakers.