[steviechillzParticipant]

Something a lot of NBA Owners don’t appreciate is how hard it is to win a championship in the NBA. There are injuries, things that happen off the court, super teams, dynasties, chemistry issues, etc…and with 30 NBA franchises there is not much room for error.

That being said, there are a multitude of squads that probably should have won it all, but didn’t. List out some of your favs:

– 2001 – 2002 Sacramento Kings: Probably one of the most prolific offenses in the regular season ever, the Sac-Town Kings clinched the top seed after a 61-21 season in a stacked western conference. Unfortunately they ran into a Lakers squad that ended up three-peating thanks to some questionable officiating.

– 2009 – 2010 Boston Celtics: The Celtics just fell short due to a series turning injury to Kendrick Perkins(pre-bum life). But this squad could have beaten the best of em – Rondo in his prime combined with an awesome seven game series against Kobe and his Lakers made it one of the more interesting postseasons to date for me.

[Dazzling Dunks and Basketball BloopersParticipant]

The 2016 warriors would have to be at the top of the list I think as far as the best teams to not win the championship. I wouldn’t necessarily they were my favorite because I’m a Lakers fan, but anytime you win 73 games and don’t win the championship you are pretty much in a class by yourself.

The best Lakers team I remember watching that didn’t win the championship was in 97-98. That team was absolutely loaded with 4 all-stars in shaq, Kobe (albeit very young Kobe) Eddie Jones and van exel and also quality role players like Fisher, horry, fox and elden Campbell. The pieces didn’t necessarily fit together perfectly but they probably had more overall talent than any of the Lakers teams that won championships later on. They just could never seem to figure out how to stop that Utah pick and roll though.

[dazeoneParticipant]

They messed up when they traded Theo Ratliff. They had no chance of beating Shaq and Kobe but that was the team that got them there before they inserted Mutumbo. Vintage AI.

[BeastMode716Participant]

 jumped into my mind. Larry Brown in maybe one of the best coaching jobs in recent memory builds a defensive anaconda around scoring machine Allen Iverson.

I don;t think people understand what a scoring machine Iverson was & how much of a Cultural icon Iverson was. A.I. was Global & the Sixers under Brown built a team of team first players who could ALl run the floor in transition & who were All lock down defenders.

Teams would play that 2000’/01′ Sixers team & just Quit by halftime b/c they were Not going to get their shots that night. It was right before Zone defenses were allowed & the Sixers did not shoot from outside but that was a Small Ball team that was so much fun to watch. If you watch an entire 2001 Sixers game you really get an idea of what a true weapon Great defense is.

But Larry Brown – the guy who you could Never build for the long term with b/c he would Never stay – figures it’s going to be the Lakers in the Finals so he goes out & gets Dikembe Mutombo & it turned that Sixers team into a "one Shot & Done built for the Lakers in the 2001 Playoffs & Nothing else 

 

 

 

[Jr. ROXASParticipant]

Hmm. 2008 New Orleans Hornets Chris Paul almost MVP season. Their roster was just so… cool. Prime Chandler, Prime D-West, Peja, MoPete and CP3. Were up 2-0 to the Spurs but lost 4-3. Series couldve definitely gone either way. I also believed they couldve beat either the Lakers or the Celtics at the next rounds then.

 

 

[steviechillzParticipant]

oh yeah that was such a fun team to watch! CP3 running P&R with Chandler, Peja running thru screens for fall-away three’s(And New Orleans awesome Peja heads in the crowds), D-West being a BEAST in the post, and Mo-Pete being that 3 and D guy before that became all the rage! A definite favorite of mine too!

[MorseWillParticipant]

 The Thunder in the loss to the Heat… Such a young core in KD, Russ, Harden and Ibaka. At that time Ibaka looked too promising to pass on, but if they could go back I would’ve resigned harden and gotten a cheaper defensive big. That core may still be together competing for championships today… Maybe 3 of the top 5 scorers in the league

[ChoppyParticipant]

 One missed Rasheed Wallace defensive rotation out to Robert Horry was the difference. Detroit would’ve gone back to back. Still keeps me up at nights…

[ropeParticipant]

 I would say the mid-1980’s Milwaukee Bucks with guys like Sidney Moncrief, Marques Johnson, Bob Lanier and Paul Pressey.  They won 59 games one year with Terry Cummings as the leading scorer. They were a rival of my Pistons, but I always liked to watch them play.  

[llperez]

As for best teams I’ve seen that didn’t win it all

’94 sonics…so deep. 10 guys that could lead the team any given night. First 1 seed that ever lost to an 8 though will be their legacy. Nate McMillan, Ricky pierce, Eddie Johnson, Dana barros, Derrick Mickey, Shawn kemp, Gary Payton and I’m sure at least 1-2 other ballers I’m forgetting off the top of my head

’98 jazz…. I honestly think this was the Bulls toughest finals test of their 6 rings. I remember shanden Andersen really struggling. Also Stockton had a huge turnover late in a game that might have swung that series.

‘2000 Blazers….deep and talented. Not a single weakness on this team. The coach had to almost treat it like an all star team dividing up minutes. They had the lakers figured out. They were dropping off the perimeter guys and swarming shaq causing turnovers. I remember with 10 minutes to go in 4th quarter lakers were down 15 and playing ugly. Then all the sudden all the wings just said phuck it and started letting threes fly and the Blazers didn’t know who to go to on offense and that was a lopsided final 10 minutes.

2002 kings….I’m sure as hell not gonna act like the officials gave the Lakers this series when you consider those same officials gave the Kings game 5. Plus kings blew a 24 point lead in game 4 and shot multiple air balls down the stretch and shot 50% from the ft line in game 7 on their home court. They have no one to blame but themselves. With that said, they should have won that series. They were a fantastic team. While the lakers had the 2 best players in the series, the Kings were loaded everywhere and I have never and will never argue with anyone who says they were better then the lakers that year.

2005 suns…the year am are pulled a boneheaded move and decided to get on the court after horry fouled Nash. It wasn’t even a crazy hard foul, just take your ft’s and move on. The rule about leaving your bench was well known by then and it baffles me more Suns fans don’t point the blame at amare for costing them. But as for the team, QRich in his prime and joe Johnson starting to ascend into a star were why I feel like this was the best Suns team of the Nash era.

2010 Celtics….choked away series averaging like 70ppg in games 6 and 7 blowing a 3-2 lead and playing some of the ugliest offense ever, somehow even worse then the lakers played which was hard to do.

2016 warriors….flat out blew it. If it wasn’t for the fact they won the previous year and then signed Durant to take some of the pain away, I might say this was the biggest blown championship I’ve ever seen.

[Dazzling Dunks and Basketball BloopersParticipant]

 That horry foul on Nash that ended up getting amare suspended happened in 2007 actually. That was a really good Phoenix team. They didn’t have Joe Johnson or q rich anymore by then but were much deeper than the 2005 team that won 61 games. 

[TarHeelRavenParticipant]

 2004 Timberwolves-Trenton Hassell, The Mayor Fred Hoiberg, Spree, Sam Cassell and KG.  KG won MVP that year and was basically unstoppable that year in the prime of his career.  Wolves lost to the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.  The Lakers with GP and the Mailman were prohibitive favorites to win the title, but got trounced 4-1 in the finals to the younger and more athletic Pistons.  

[HitsterParticipant]

As a Suns fan the Nash-STAT era team is one that jumps out at me. As a neutral the George Karl era Sonics with Shawn Kemp are another of my favourites.

[Mr. JewboyParticipant]

 You guys got it dead on. Great topic!! I love me some nostalgia

[BeastMode716Participant]

 but I noticed a few people took the 2016 Golden State Warriors & I realize on the face of it that is a good choice – especially when we consider the way they lost a 3-1 series lead w/ 2 home games

However, I really look at a different way. Until a team actually wins an NBA championship they don’t "Know How to win a Ring" & that’s a BIG reason why all the teams we listed above never got over the hump & the Warriors caught a Lot of breaks last year on their 2015 Title run.

Think about who the 2015 Warriors played in the playoffs – really nobody. I remember how Excited Everyone was that we were going to see a Clippers vs Warriors Western Conference Finals when the Clippers took a 3-1 series lead over the Rockets.

And remember the Warriors won 50+ games in 2014 & the Clippers beat the in the 1st round AND that 2015 Clippers team knocked out Defending NBA Champion Spurs in an Epic 7 game 1st round series where Chris Paul hit a game winning buzzer beater over Tim Duncan on the road. 

& then suddenly, w/ a 20 point 2nd half lead over a Rockets team that appeared to have packed it in for the year, the Clippers just went cold & could not hit a shot the entire 4th qtr of game 5 — The Rockets had to be the Least likely team to overcome a 3-1 playoff deficit in NBA history. It just felt like the Clippers hit the Wall & the Rockets were the Beneficiary.

When the Rockets showed up for game 1 of the Western Conference Finals at Golden State even they seemed to have this look on their faces like "What are we doing here" & they promptly rolled over. And then the Warriors get to the FInals & they get to play Lebron James & couple ex Knicks in the Finals & w/ Lebron’s two side kick scoring options of Matthew Dellavadova & Timofy Mozgov, the Cavs came within one game 1 OT of jumping out to a 3 – 0 Lead in that Series!

The NBA playoffs Barely resemble the same sport as the NBA regular season & Golden State’s First fully healthy, tough playoff match up in 2 years did not occur until they met OKC in the 2016 WCF & the Warriors were on the Ropes. If Kevin Durant does not crack under the pressure, the Warriors probably fail to even make the NBA Finals. I know this is not a popular view but the Warriors are a team built to dominate in the Regular season and I believe that adding Durant was a Very big deal for them. Before Durant signed, I could Def see that Warriors team beginning to break down physically & I would not have been surprised if the Clippers, Spurs or OKC had knocked them out of next seasons playoffs. I don’t believe it was a lock that the Warriors were going to be a Multi-Year NBA Champions 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[circumlocution75Participant]

 That Orlando team was the Only team to ever knock Jordan’s Bulls out of the Playoffs in the 90’s & they made the Bulls & especially Jordan look old in that series.

And Orlando was better than that Houston tema they lost too. Nick Young missing those 4 free throws pschologically wrecked the Magic & they Never recovered.

And if Orlando wins that Ring in 1995, how much Different would the NBA be today? The Bulls still get Rodman & maybe they come back & beat the Magic in 1996 – but is there a 2nd 3 peat???

Magic, Isaiah, Bird, Dr J – None of those old time greats won NBA Titles in their mid 30’s — there was Always a Great team knocking on the door & Pushing the Champion in front of them. Maybe Jordan & the Bulls have an epic 3 or 4 year Battle where both teams win a Ring or even two each between 95′ – 98′ 

But that would give Jordan 4 or 5 Rings – but if Shaq stays in Orlando & Never goes to Orlando, an Epic Spurs vs Orlando Rivalry begins & I doubt the Spurs win in 99′ but there NEVER is the Lakers 3 peat in 2000′, 01′ & 02’……. The Spurs won in 2003′ & the Only reason the Pistons won in 2004 was b/c the Shaq & Kobe fued was tearing the tema apart. Shaq Was Dominant up to 2006′ when he led Miami to the NBA Finals.

So let’s say Orlando & San Antonio battle from 1999 – 2006  – that’s 8 more seasons! If Shaq never goes to L.A. & stays w/ Penny – I think it’s reasonable to speculate that between 1995 – 1998′ the Bulls & Magic split 4 Championships & then the Spurs & Magic split the next 8 & I am being Generous b/c an in his Prime Penny Hardaway was an All Time great & Better than a young Kobe….. But there is a strong possibility that Jordan & the Bulls win 5 Rings – Tops; The Magic win 6 or 7 Rings w/ Shaq & Penny

& without Shaq the Lakers are Nowhere near Championship level w/ just a young Kobe in those years. So Kobe would have his back to back Rings in 2009 & 2010 but that’s it. – Crazy to think about that but it came VERY close to happening

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ZouldiersParticipant]

 I believe it was Nick Anderson not Nick Young who missed those freethrows for the Magic.

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