The NBA and the numbers 66, 49 and 8
The BAA (Basketball Association of America) was founded on June 6 (6/6), 1946 in New York. The BAA would later merge with the NBL to become the NBA in 1949.
Eight = 49
York = 69, 69 is an inverted 66
The Minneapolis Lakers became the first NBA team to three-peat eight years after the BAA was founded.
Lakers = 66
They would relocate to LA after 13 years in Minneapolis.
Thirteen = 99
The Boston Celtics started their run of 10 consecutive Finals in 1957 and 8 years after the merger. They would win their 8th consecutive title in 1966 against the Lakers.
"New England" = 99
A few months before the Celtics' 8th title, the Chicago Bulls were founded on January 16 (1/16, 11*6 = 66).
Bulls = 66
Chicago = 46
In 1969, Jerry West would lose for the 8th time in the Finals against the Celtics. This was the first time the Finals' MVP was awarded and the last time a player on the losing team won the award.
In the 80s, the Magic-Bird rivalry brought the NBA back from the 70s' "dark ages". 8+0 = 8. Notice how it's the two 66 teams that were chosen to do this?
"Race war" = 69
In the 90s, MJ and the Bulls would go 6 for 6 from '91-'98 or 8 seasons.
Chicago = 46, Eight = 49, NBA created in '49, MJ decides to play baseball in '94
In '99, MJ announced his retirement, and a few months later the 8th seeded NY Knicks made the Finals against the Spurs. Until 99, their most recent Finals appearance was in '94. As of 2020, the Knicks are the last 8th seed to make the Finals.
8 years later the Spurs win their 4th title in 9 seasons like the number 49 vs Lebron and the Cavaliers.
Lebron = 66
Lebron started his run of 8 Finals in his 8th season in the NBA and the first team he faced was the Dallas Mavericks.
Dallas = 49
In 2016, the Warriors broke the Bulls' 72 win record set in '96
Warriors' nickname is the "dubs", dubs = 46
The Warriors relocated from Philadelphia and the very first BAA Finals was played between the Warriors and the Chicago Stags.
Stags = 66, Bulls = 66
2016 was also the year the Warriors collapsed in the Finals to the Cavs. This was Cleveland's first championship since the Browns in 1964 and it occurred in the Cavaliers' 46th NBA season.
Two years later, Lebron advances to his 8th consecutive Finals in Boston and the Warriors go 6-4 in the Finals like the number 64 which is the mirror of 46 and the inversion of 49.
Warriors = 49
MJ left the Bulls for Washington a few years after going 6 for 6 in the Finals.
Washington = 49
W is the 23rd letter of the alphabet and 2^3 = 8. The number 23 is a pretty popular number in the NBA.
Lebron left Cleveland for LA after going 3-6 in the Finals, 6*6 = 36. This was prior to the Cavaliers' 49th NBA season.
Two years later Lebron goes 4-6, like the number 49, in the Finals against the Miami Heat. H is the 8th letter of the alphabet.
In 2021, it will be 49 years since the Lakers won 33 games in a row which is still, to this day, the longest winning streak in NBA history.
Note how the 33rd win came against an "H" team.
