[valentine]

Ranking not just based on talent alone. Would like to know what teams stand out and why. If you have the time would like to see the rankings as well.

 

’86 Celtics
C – Robert Parish
PF – Kevin McHale
SF – Larry Bird
SG – Danny Ainge

PG – Dennis Johnson

’87 Lakers

Magic
Scott
Green
Worthy
Kareem

96 bulls:

longely
rodman
pippen
jordan
harper

 

82 Sixers

Moses Malone
Maurice Cheeks
Andrew Toney
Julius Erving
Bobby Jones

 

 

1995 Houston Rockets
PG Kenny Smith
SG Mario Elie
SF Clyde Drexler
PF Robert Horry
C Hakeem Olajuwon

 

90s trial blazers

 

PG Terry Porter
SG Clyde Drexler
SF Jerome Kersey
PF Buck Williams
C Kevin Duckworth

 

1999 Spurs

Robinson

Duncan

Elliot

Ellie

Johnson

 

2000 Lakers

Shaq

Horry

Fox

Bryant

Harper

 2000 Pacers

Smits

Davis

Rose

Miller

Jackson

2004 Pistons

Chauncey
Richard
Tayshaun
Rasheed
Ben Wallace

 

Even though they didn’t win

2004 Nets

 Alonzo
 Kenyon
 Richard
 Kerry

 Jason Kidd

 

2008 Celtics

Perkins

KG

Pierce

Allen

Rondo

 

2012 Heat

Bosh

Lebron

Wade

Allen

Mario

 

2012 Lakers

Howard

Gasol

Artest

Bryant

Nash

 

2012 Thunder

Perkins

Ibaka

Durant

Harden – Even though he doesn’t start

Westbrook-

[meirmeir13]

These are not how I rank these teams. This is just the list

[IndianaBasketballParticipant]

Hmmm…

#1. 1985-1986 Celtics – This team was absolutely loaded with a prime Larry Bird and great teammates in Robert Parish and Kevin McHale… Bill Walton coming off of the bench. They beat a great Houston team in the Final.

#2. 1986-1987 Lakers – Similar to the Celtics the year before, they were loaded, led by a prime Magic with Worthy, Kareem, Scott, Cooper, etc. Tough team right here. Beat the Celtics in the Final. You could put them at #1 because it’s that close.

#3. 1995-1996 Bulls – 72-10 speaks for itself. Coached by Phil Jackson and led by a still in his prime MJ and Pippen with Rodman getting every rebound… They were a tough team at both ends, but I don’t think the competition was as tough as it was during that time period in the mid to late 80’s.

#4. 1999-2000 Lakers – They went 67-15 and beat the Pacers in the Finals. I have to put them here because Shaq was in his absolute prime and teams had no answer for him. Then throw in the fact you had a young Kobe on the team who was one of the top perimeter two way players in the NBA.

#5. 1982-1983 76ers – Moses was a monster and Dr. J was past his prime, but still getting it done. Swept Lakers for the title. Mo Cheeks, Bobby Jones and Andrew Toney were great role players.

#6. 2007-2008 Celtics – KG and Allen joined Pierce and formed instant chemistry. I couldn’t remember a team that played so physical at the defensive end and just dominated you at the end so badly. They dismantled a great Lakers team in the Final.

#7. 1994-1995 Rockets – You should’ve used the 1993-1994 Rockets since they were the better team, but Hakeem Olajuwon was at his absolute best both seasons. I guess the 1994-1995 team had Drexler, so that’s why you picked them.

#8. 1990’s Blazers – You just put 90’s, but I think the Blazers from 1989-1990, 1990-1991 and 1991-1992 were the best teams. They were very good teams led by Drexler, with some very good role players and depth on the roster.

#9. 1998-1999 Spurs – They were this season’s lockout champ, but the Twin Towers dominated. 37 points, 21 rebounds and 5 blocks between the two of them.

10. 2003-2004 Pistons – The team lacked a real star, but they did it collectively at both ends. Billups, Hamilton, Prince and the Wallace brothers was a great starting five.

#11. 1999-2000 Pacers – They took the Lakers (my #4 ranked team) to 6 games, which says a lot about them.

#12. 2003-2004 Nets – I don’t know why you added them. They weren’t even better than the Pacers that season. I believe the Pacers would’ve won the title that year had Artest not gotten stupid. The 2003-2004 Pacers team was better than 1999-2000.

—

These teams haven’t played yet…

2012-2013 Heat ???

2012-2013 Lakers ???

2012-2013 Thunder ???

[ItsVictorOladipoParticipant]

Interesting discussion, I’ll come back to rank them all when I have more time but here are just a few thoughts about some of those teams.

1996 Bulls: Its interesting to note that the Bulls have arguably the greatest defenders in NBA history at the positions of SG, SF, and PF. Defense wins championships, especially when that defense is paired up with the GOAT on offense.

1983 76ers: Possibly the most perfectly put together team in NBA history. A dominant center inside in MVP Moses Malone, a terrific swingman and focal point for the offense in Julius Erving at SF, an excellent 3rd scoring option in the clutch Toney (who knew when to defer to Dr J and Moses), a floor general who was a very good passer and defender in Maurice Cheeks and a shutdown defender in Bobby Jones. Every piece complimented each other perfectly.

2000 Lakers; Not sure why you didn’t include Glen Rice in the starting lineup, he started the whole year and was the Lakers very dangerous 3rd option. I realize that in some cases you used 6th men instead of actual starters for teams but usually only when the 6th man had a bigger role than the incumbent starter. Rice should definitly be in the starting lineup instead of Fox. With a prime Shaq inside, a young phenom in Kobe at SG, a terrific third option in the veteran Rice at SF, a canny veteran in Harper running the point and a clutch forward in Horry that could stretch the floor, this team had terrific balance.

[ItsVictorOladipoParticipant]

Alright. First of all I’m going to add one more team to the mix. The 1989 Detroit Pistons, went 63-19 in the regular season and swept the Celtics in 4 games, beat the Jordan led Bulls in 6 games and then swept the Lakers in 4 games in the finals, they had a very impressive lineup.

PG Isiah Thomas: The franchise player of this team, Thomas was still in his prime at the age of 27 and averaged 18.2 PPG and 8.3 APG in the regular season (and actually duplicated those exact same stats in the playoffs).

SG Joe Dumars: Just 25 years old and starting to come into his own, Dumars could score, pass and defend, he averaged 17.2 PPG, 5.7 APG and made the All-Defensive 1st team in 89.

SF Mark Aguirre: One of the most underrated players in NBA history, Aguirre averaged 25.5 PPG over his previous six seasons in Dallas before being traded to the Pistons mid season for Adrian Dantley. His numbers dipped in Detroit because he became the third banana but he was still a valuable third scorer.

PF Dennis Rodman (not technically the starter but played starter like minutes): defensive specialist was not quite the dominant rebounder he would later become but he was still good enough to be an All-Defensive 1st team selection.

C Bill Laimbeer: The enforcer of the team was more than just a thug. A rugged rebounder and defender he was also a good shooter that excelled off the pick and pop, despite being 31 and just past his prime averaged 13.7 PPG and 9.6 RPG in the 1989 season.

Now how I would rank a top 10:

1 1983 76ers: The competition in the early 80s was fierce and they steamrolled everyone in the playoffs. That starting lineup is ideal, every piece fits together like a puzzle. No weakness in that starting lineup at all.

2 1986 Celtics: Best frontcourt ever and 4 future hall of famers all playing at a high level.

3 1996 Bulls: The GOAT surrounded by two of the greatest defenders ever in Rodman and Pippin. Having Luc Longly in that starting lineup takes them down just a peg.

4 2000 Lakers: Having a prime Shaq, a young Kobe and Glen Rice is pretty unstoppable. The Showtime Lakers were more explosive offensively but not as good defensively as this group.

5 1987 Lakers: A terrific offensive group, but Kareem while still effective was over the hill at 39 years old, and they weren’t as tough defensively or as well rounded as the teams ahead of them. Still with 4 starters averaging at least 17 PPG, averaging 117.8 PPG and being led by a prime Magic Johnson this lineup deserves to be mentioned among the best ever.

6 1989 Pistons: See above.

7 2008 Celtics: Garnett, Pierce and Allen played off each other perfectly and the two youngsters provided toughness and defense.

8. 1999 Spurs: The best center/PF combo ever and Elliot and Avery Johnson were the ideal glue guys. To be honest though I feel that the 2005 Spurs lineup is better even though it didn’t have Robinson. Tony Parker, Ginobli and Duncan all in their primes. Bruce playing lockdown defense at SF and Rasho Nesterovic holding it down at center.

9 2004 Pistons: No stand out superstars but a very balanced and dominant team especially defensively. Billups was a very good defender who could also score, Rip Hamilton was their go to scorer, Prince was their perimeter defensive specialist, Rasheed could score, stretch the floor and defend and Big Ben was the best defender in the league.

10 1995 Rockets: Drexler and Olajuwon make for a terrific duo but the supporting players around them weren’t quite as good as some of the other teams on this list.

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