5 Classic Basketball Games to Get You in the Mood for the NBA Finals 

The 2025/26 NBA Finals are about to get underway, pitting the San Antonio Spurs against the New York Knicks in one of the most fascinating matchups in years. It’s actually a rematch of the 1999 NBA Finals, which has led to a reflective, nostalgic mood among many fans. 

The Spurs are the favorites to win the Finals according to the latest NBA odds here, but it does look like it will be tight. Still, it got us thinking about some classic basketball video games that will appeal to fans as the series gets underway this week. 

While you can throw on NBA 2K26 if you want the most up-to-date experience, we thought we’d pick out five classics instead to get you in the mood for the Finals 

NBA 2K11

The best ever from the 2K series? Certainly, it might be the example of the series reaching its creative peak. It was talked about at the time because it brought Michael Jordan back to the center of basketball gaming with the brilliant “Jordan Challenge” mode, allowing you to recreate moments from the icon’s career. Overall, though, 2K11 just hit the sweet spot in gameplay and inventiveness. Hard to believe that this title is 16 years old. 

NBA Jam

Few basketball games have ever had the cultural punch of NBA Jam. Released in 1993 and the height of the arcade era, it stripped basketball down to a ridiculous contest, so don’t be expecting anything approaching realism. But it is – and remains – chaotic fun that charmed many 90s kids out of their quarters and then got a second life on console. The original version was actually the first to officially license the likeness of real NBA players, so there’s a little bit of history there, too. 

NBA Street Vol. 2

For many fans, NBA Street Vol. 2 is simply the coolest basketball game ever made. It wasn’t so much about the competition; rather, it was about showmanship, valuing style over results. It won several awards across 2003 and 2004, and it retains a high Metacritic score of 90% to this day. It also boasts one of the best basketball game soundtracks ever conceived. 

College Hoops 2K8

While the NBA Finals are all about the pro game, College Hoops 2K8 deserves a mention because it remains one of the most beloved basketball sims. Its legacy has only grown because college basketball games largely disappeared afterward, turning this into something of a cult classic. It’s got incredible depth and you can really see that it is a labor of love from developer Visual Concepts. 

NBA Live 95

Before 2K became the dominant name in basketball gaming, NBA Live 95 arguably helped define what a serious NBA video game could be. It was one of the first entries to really make the league feel properly represented on home consoles, with real teams, real players, and a broadcast-style approach that felt advanced for its time. By modern standards, it is obviously a bit limited in terms of graphics and overall gameplay, but its influence remains massive to this day.