For the 14th time in NBA history, The Finals will be a rematch of the previous season with the Golden State Warriors playing the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The most recent Finals rematch came in 2014 when the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Miami Heat one season after losing in heartbreaking fashion.

The runner-up has won the rematch in seven out of the 13 rematches, but they've won six of the past seven. Bill Russell and the Celtics represent four of the six times the previous year's champ repeated. The most recent time the champ successfully defended a rematch was in 1998 when Michael Jordan and the Bulls won for the second straight season against the Jazz.

Year: Champ, Runner-Up, Result
2014: Miami, San Antonio, L
1998: Chicago, Utah, W
1989: LA Lakers, Detroit, L
1985: Boston, LA Lakers, L
1983: LA Lakers, Philadelphia, L
1979: Washington, Seattle, L
1973: New York, LA Lakers, L
1969: Boston, LA Lakers, W
1966: Boston, LA Lakers, W
1963: Boston, LA Lakers, W
1961: Boston, St. Louis, W
1958: Boston, St. Louis, L
1953: Minnesota, New York, W