Almost always, there is some consistency year-to-year in the NBA finals — the Lakers have been there three straight, Boston two of the last three. Even when it’s new teams, it’s not uncommon for a player (a Robert Horry, a James Posey) to be role players on a different team to make the finals.
Not this year, according to Jessica Camerato of CSN New England.
Both the Lakers and the Celtics had relatively stable rosters year-over-year and both of them got eliminated in the second round by the team eventually making it to the finals. That eliminates most of the guys.
But Brian Scalabrine went to Chicago with Tom Thibodeau and he made it to the conference finals (in street clothes, but he made it). Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson were with the Thunder, but they also made it to the conference finals before falling. Tony Allen was with the surprising Memphis Grizzlies but they lost to the Thunder.
What about Eddie House with the Heat you say? House was with the Celtics last season, but was traded near the deadline to the Knicks, he was not with Boston in the finals.