Top NBA Champions since 2000

Ok, I’ll group together dynasties for ease.

2000-2 Lakers.  Prime Shaq dominating.  Kobe also in his early athletic years

2003,5,7 Spurs.  Prime Duncan, Ginobili, Parker.

2014 Spus.  Great movement, team ball.

2012-13 Heat.  LBJ at his most efficient.  Wade and Bosh great complimentary pieces.

2008 Celtics.  KG, Pierce, Allen all near their peaks.  2009 was a better side, but the KG injury…

2015 Warriors.  Here only for their regular season, rather than their finals performace.  Still, showed they could adapt to any lineup thrown at them.

2004 Pistons.  Great team effort, especially on the defensive side.

2011 Mavericks.  Dirk.  That is all.

2009-10 Lakers.  Basically got Lucky with KG injury.  Still, back to back was impressive.

2006 Heat. Wade was a beast, but Shaq was on the slide

Ok, I’ll group together dynasties for ease.

2000-2 Lakers.  Prime Shaq dominating.  Kobe also in his early athletic years

2003,5,7 Spurs.  Prime Duncan, Ginobili, Parker.

2014 Spus.  Great movement, team ball.

2012-13 Heat.  LBJ at his most efficient.  Wade and Bosh great complimentary pieces.

2008 Celtics.  KG, Pierce, Allen all near their peaks.  2009 was a better side, but the KG injury…

2015 Warriors.  Here only for their regular season, rather than their finals performace.  Still, showed they could adapt to any lineup thrown at them.

2004 Pistons.  Great team effort, especially on the defensive side.

2011 Mavericks.  Dirk.  That is all.

2009-10 Lakers.  Basically got Lucky with KG injury.  Still, back to back was impressive.

2006 Heat. Wade was a beast, but Shaq was on the slide

played ugly 1 on 1 ball.  all it takes i a system and depth to beat the Heat teams.  

They barely escaped the Spurs, if Manu could hit a FT and Pop put Duncan in the game, that was the Spurs title. They also beat a really young and immature OKC Thunder team, coached by Scott Brooks, and their team still has many of the same holes they had back then.

I’d go 

1.  00 – 02 Lakers – Horry, Fox, Harper, was just too solid a veteran cast to go along Shaq and Kobe.  C-Webb always gushes at that team.  Even though they beat the scrappy Sixers and overrated Nets for two of those chips, its tough to beatKobe and Shaq with that cast.

2. 3,5,7 Spurs – if they repeated i might put them above the Lakers.

3.  14 Spurs – the way they played offensively, splashing 3s, they probably could beat any of these teams.  Just no answer for Shaq downlow.

4.  I’d put a tie for Warriors, Pistons, Mavericks here – all played savvy ball within a system.  As we all know, that is 1 on 1 ball-Heat Kryptonite.

7.  Heat – Bron, Wade, Bosh – barely beat Spurs, and beat young OKC Thunder.  Not really an accomplishment.

8.  2006 Heat 

played ugly 1 on 1 ball.  all it takes i a system and depth to beat the Heat teams.  

They barely escaped the Spurs, if Manu could hit a FT and Pop put Duncan in the game, that was the Spurs title. They also beat a really young and immature OKC Thunder team, coached by Scott Brooks, and their team still has many of the same holes they had back then.

I’d go 

1.  00 – 02 Lakers – Horry, Fox, Harper, was just too solid a veteran cast to go along Shaq and Kobe.  C-Webb always gushes at that team.  Even though they beat the scrappy Sixers and overrated Nets for two of those chips, its tough to beatKobe and Shaq with that cast.

2. 3,5,7 Spurs – if they repeated i might put them above the Lakers.

3.  14 Spurs – the way they played offensively, splashing 3s, they probably could beat any of these teams.  Just no answer for Shaq downlow.

4.  I’d put a tie for Warriors, Pistons, Mavericks here – all played savvy ball within a system.  As we all know, that is 1 on 1 ball-Heat Kryptonite.

7.  Heat – Bron, Wade, Bosh – barely beat Spurs, and beat young OKC Thunder.  Not really an accomplishment.

8.  2006 Heat 

 1. 2000-01 Lakers: absolutely dominant team, prime shaq and young Kobe with great role players, 15-1 in playoffs including sweeps of very talented spurs, blazers and kings teams.

2. 2013-14 spurs: best passing and deepest team since 2000. Survived a loaded western conference and pummeled Miami in finals

3. 2008-09 Lakers: built around skilled front court players and a still in his prime Kobe, I think that years team with ariza was stronger than the 2010 team which also won the title.

4. 2006-07 spurs: this team doesn’t get enough credit imo because they faced such an easy road in the playoffs but they were an absolute juggernaut. Featured Duncan, ginobilli and Parker all in their primes and a top-level defense 

5. 2007-08 Celtics: gave them the slight edge over 2004 pistons and 2012 heat. First season of big 3 era and probably Garnett’s last season as a truly elite player. Didn’t make things easy on themselves in the playoffs but ultimately found a way to get it done

 1. 2000-01 Lakers: absolutely dominant team, prime shaq and young Kobe with great role players, 15-1 in playoffs including sweeps of very talented spurs, blazers and kings teams.

2. 2013-14 spurs: best passing and deepest team since 2000. Survived a loaded western conference and pummeled Miami in finals

3. 2008-09 Lakers: built around skilled front court players and a still in his prime Kobe, I think that years team with ariza was stronger than the 2010 team which also won the title.

4. 2006-07 spurs: this team doesn’t get enough credit imo because they faced such an easy road in the playoffs but they were an absolute juggernaut. Featured Duncan, ginobilli and Parker all in their primes and a top-level defense 

5. 2007-08 Celtics: gave them the slight edge over 2004 pistons and 2012 heat. First season of big 3 era and probably Garnett’s last season as a truly elite player. Didn’t make things easy on themselves in the playoffs but ultimately found a way to get it done

 The Warriors won the 3rd most games all time regular and post season combined, ran through the west easily, 2nd best home team of all time, 8th best point differential ever, the MVP, two all star guards, two guys who got votes for DPOY, votes for 6th man of the year and  votes for MIP, runner up coach of the year, most versatile defensive team in the NBA, 58-0 when they got up by 15, 1st in nearly every major statistical category… And some of you think they are as good as the Dallas team? Barely better than Detroit? Numbers don’t lie. The only teams since 2000 that could play with them are the 2001 Lakers and the 2007 Spurs and possibly the 2008 Celtics and if they were to play them I doubt they could guard their lineups. Keep in mind this was their first deep run ever and most of their core is either just hitting their prime (Curry) or hasn’t even entered it yet (Green, Ezeli, Barnes, Thompson)

 The Warriors won the 3rd most games all time regular and post season combined, ran through the west easily, 2nd best home team of all time, 8th best point differential ever, the MVP, two all star guards, two guys who got votes for DPOY, votes for 6th man of the year and  votes for MIP, runner up coach of the year, most versatile defensive team in the NBA, 58-0 when they got up by 15, 1st in nearly every major statistical category… And some of you think they are as good as the Dallas team? Barely better than Detroit? Numbers don’t lie. The only teams since 2000 that could play with them are the 2001 Lakers and the 2007 Spurs and possibly the 2008 Celtics and if they were to play them I doubt they could guard their lineups. Keep in mind this was their first deep run ever and most of their core is either just hitting their prime (Curry) or hasn’t even entered it yet (Green, Ezeli, Barnes, Thompson)

 Hard to rank different teams, could GSW have pulled that smallball system against a lot of those other champions I wonder? 

Any team containing Shaq I doubt it, Coach Poppovich would have found a system to counter it somehow I think, likewise with Larry Brown . 

This is a good GSW Team but I want to see what they can do next year but to win the title after a 67 game regular season certainly deserves to be ranked highly.

 Hard to rank different teams, could GSW have pulled that smallball system against a lot of those other champions I wonder? 

Any team containing Shaq I doubt it, Coach Poppovich would have found a system to counter it somehow I think, likewise with Larry Brown . 

This is a good GSW Team but I want to see what they can do next year but to win the title after a 67 game regular season certainly deserves to be ranked highly.

Of the 5 lakers titles teams I’ve watched, the 2001 title teams was the best. They went 15-1 in the playoffs and that one loss was game one of the finals after a 10 day layoff and it went to overtime. That was the best as a tandem that Kobe and show ever were together and fisher played great that year and horry near his prime and the lakers went through 3 different starting pf’s those titles. Ac green in 2000, Horace grant in 01 and samaki walker in 2002. But Horace was the best so that was the year they were strongest at pf. I don’t think I’ve seen a title since I’ve been watching this game that would have taken that lakers team in a 7 game series. I mean sweeping the west as good as the west was at the time is super impressive

Of the 5 lakers titles teams I’ve watched, the 2001 title teams was the best. They went 15-1 in the playoffs and that one loss was game one of the finals after a 10 day layoff and it went to overtime. That was the best as a tandem that Kobe and show ever were together and fisher played great that year and horry near his prime and the lakers went through 3 different starting pf’s those titles. Ac green in 2000, Horace grant in 01 and samaki walker in 2002. But Horace was the best so that was the year they were strongest at pf. I don’t think I’ve seen a title since I’ve been watching this game that would have taken that lakers team in a 7 game series. I mean sweeping the west as good as the west was at the time is super impressive

 Hmm obviously stuff like this gets talked about all the time, but it’s hard to acually rank great teams. But it’s def. fun to try! One thing we have to take into account though is that the game has changed ALOT sense 2000. For example, defensive rulings are completely different, and the game is forced into a faster paced. So while a team like the older Spurs and Pistons might seem like a better defensive team than the Celtics, are they really? 

Also my criterior when ranking would be how your team played at their peak, depth, and how the team help shape the NBA. I focus more on that last part, because sure you can win, but if you win and leave your mark than you’re team is legendary. There are a ton of teams like this throught the NBA’s history, and some of them have been in the last 15 years. So heres my top 5:

1. 2001 Los Angelos Lakers- 15-1 in the playoffs, prime Shaq and Kobe at the Zenith of both their careers, and most of their role-players were money as well. The team that won the year prior was easily the better team, but the Lakers in 01 just clicked at exactly the right time. Sweeping Blazers, Kings, Spurs is literraly mind numbing to even think about. Shaq was also so dominant, the NBA was forced to give guys like Scott Pollard a job just to save fouls and contain him. Not many stiffs in the NBA getting a roster spot wihtout Shaq Daddy there. 

2. 2008 Boston Celtics- Best defensive team I’ve ever seen, revolutionized the NBA with the overload D. People are the first to point out the starting 5, but no one brings up how incredible that bench was. Posey, Tony Allen, PJ Brown, Sam Cassel, Loen Poew, Eddie House. They were money all year. Team was hungry, and had so much heart. 3 fading stars coming together and doing anything they could to win a ring. This team also revolutionized the NBA in another way besides its overload D, as it singlehandedly started the Big Three craze.

3. 2014 San Antonio Spurs- Greatest display of dominance that i’ve ever seen, and like the Celtics, this team changed the NBA. Elite shooting, elite defenders, nasty bench, best display of heart I’ve ever seen from a team in my entire life. I don’t think I even need to get into detail on why I have them top 5

4. 2003 San Antonio Spurs- Great defensive team that was build for the playoffs. They had a grind it out defense which wore people down, but also had an effective offense. The reason I chose this Spurs team is because of the depth. Duncan, Robertson, Manu, Bowen, and Parker are all fine and good, but when you have Kevin Willis, Steve Smith, Steve Kerr, Stephen Jackson, and Malik Rose all playing off of those guys it’s a wrap. That has got to be one of the greatest teams ever in terms of raw BBIQ. The way this team and the Pistons played D forced the NBA to change the defensive rules in hopes of speeding the game up. 

5. 2012 Miami Heat- I would put the 2011 Heat, because technically they were better, but I think the 2012 is more credible because they beat a real contender in the Spurs, and didn’t do it in a lock out year (Which I do hold against teams). I also think at this stage the Big Three knew how to play together, understood that they had to go small, and perfected their trapping defense,

 Hmm obviously stuff like this gets talked about all the time, but it’s hard to acually rank great teams. But it’s def. fun to try! One thing we have to take into account though is that the game has changed ALOT sense 2000. For example, defensive rulings are completely different, and the game is forced into a faster paced. So while a team like the older Spurs and Pistons might seem like a better defensive team than the Celtics, are they really? 

Also my criterior when ranking would be how your team played at their peak, depth, and how the team help shape the NBA. I focus more on that last part, because sure you can win, but if you win and leave your mark than you’re team is legendary. There are a ton of teams like this throught the NBA’s history, and some of them have been in the last 15 years. So heres my top 5:

1. 2001 Los Angelos Lakers- 15-1 in the playoffs, prime Shaq and Kobe at the Zenith of both their careers, and most of their role-players were money as well. The team that won the year prior was easily the better team, but the Lakers in 01 just clicked at exactly the right time. Sweeping Blazers, Kings, Spurs is literraly mind numbing to even think about. Shaq was also so dominant, the NBA was forced to give guys like Scott Pollard a job just to save fouls and contain him. Not many stiffs in the NBA getting a roster spot wihtout Shaq Daddy there. 

2. 2008 Boston Celtics- Best defensive team I’ve ever seen, revolutionized the NBA with the overload D. People are the first to point out the starting 5, but no one brings up how incredible that bench was. Posey, Tony Allen, PJ Brown, Sam Cassel, Loen Poew, Eddie House. They were money all year. Team was hungry, and had so much heart. 3 fading stars coming together and doing anything they could to win a ring. This team also revolutionized the NBA in another way besides its overload D, as it singlehandedly started the Big Three craze.

3. 2014 San Antonio Spurs- Greatest display of dominance that i’ve ever seen, and like the Celtics, this team changed the NBA. Elite shooting, elite defenders, nasty bench, best display of heart I’ve ever seen from a team in my entire life. I don’t think I even need to get into detail on why I have them top 5

4. 2003 San Antonio Spurs- Great defensive team that was build for the playoffs. They had a grind it out defense which wore people down, but also had an effective offense. The reason I chose this Spurs team is because of the depth. Duncan, Robertson, Manu, Bowen, and Parker are all fine and good, but when you have Kevin Willis, Steve Smith, Steve Kerr, Stephen Jackson, and Malik Rose all playing off of those guys it’s a wrap. That has got to be one of the greatest teams ever in terms of raw BBIQ. The way this team and the Pistons played D forced the NBA to change the defensive rules in hopes of speeding the game up. 

5. 2012 Miami Heat- I would put the 2011 Heat, because technically they were better, but I think the 2012 is more credible because they beat a real contender in the Spurs, and didn’t do it in a lock out year (Which I do hold against teams). I also think at this stage the Big Three knew how to play together, understood that they had to go small, and perfected their trapping defense,