Comments on: Missing Rings: 2000s Edition (Part I)

By: Todd

Todd — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:54:13 +0000

I would say the 2007 Suns were the best team of the D'Antoni Era. They won 33 of 35 during one stretch, Nash was playing at the peak of his powers, they had two All-NBA first team players, and they went eight-deep. Can't say that about 2005 Suns.

By: Evan

Evan — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:38:37 +0000

Zach: "#1 in all of our hearts has to be 2004 Lakers, for whom Karl Malone and Gary Payton sold their souls for a championship that never came." Zach, I'm a Lakers fan, but I have to admit that that team was a mess. The worst tendencies of "we'll turn it on in the playoffs," GP's ego, Shaq v. Kobe, etc. I felt guilty that they got past the Timberwolves that year, and I knew that they would lose to Detroit.

By: Art

Art — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 23:57:27 +0000

In the 2000s edition, again, as a Spurs fan, I'd have to say 2006 Spurs. Spurs weather a hail of calls in favor of Dirk (Mavs fans like to complain about Wade shooting 25 FTs in a game but fail to mention that Dirk shot 24 FTs in a game against the Spurs), a terrible 3-1 deficit, and Duncan battling plantar faciitis.

The Spurs took it to 7 games, fell behind by 20 come back, go to OT only to finally run out of gas. I had never been so disappointed and proud of my team at the same time. Duncan willed his team as far as they went, but could carry them any further. The Spurs went down with class, dignity and the heart of a champion.

All I know is, if the 2002 Kings aren't #1, then this list is bogus. The 2000 Blazers should be ranked higher though.

By: Steven Resnick

Steven Resnick — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 23:21:27 +0000

The Suns didn't miss out on rings they didn't deserve any. The Suns never played defense and that's one of the things that needs to be done when winning a championship. Mike D'Antoni is one of the most overrated coaches in NBA history and it's pathetic that he refused to even have his team practice defense and that is what lead to his departure because he was going to get fired if he hadn't resigned.

By: mr

mr — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 16:51:49 +0000

THE TITLE OF THE POST IS MISSING RINGS 2000S EDITION

By: Tim

Tim — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:36:01 +0000

I'm a Spurs fan, so I've seen both sides of this story. But for my money the best team not to win is the team that lost to the winningest team of all time: the '96 Sonics. I could be wrong, but I believe they still have the best record ever by a team that didn't win the title. They won 64 games, beat Utah in a seven-game WC Finals, and then took the 72-win Bulls to six games in the finals. Sonics fans like to argue that Nate McMillan's cost them the title. But if memory serves, Ron Harper was hurt too, so I never bought it. But it was a very tough series for a great Chicago team--they never did find an answer for Sean Kemp. Interesting that all of these entries are from the last ten years. Hello? '69 Lakers? '77 76ers? '84 Lakers? '85 Celtics? '88 Pistons? With every league expansion, there have been more and more very bad teams every year. So I think the statistical system may be skewed a bit by the recent dominant records of the better teams, which get to feast on hapless losers every year. (Personally, I'm still more impressed by the Lakers' 69 wins in '72 than by the Bulls' 72 wins in '96.)

By: Julia

Julia — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 02:12:03 +0000

I would say 2002 Kings.

That game 6 against the Lakers made a killer difference for the entire franchise.

By: EP

EP — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 01:00:34 +0000

What makes the 2000 WCF so epic was the way it seemed to determine the fate of the two teams for years afterwards. In all those other cases, they continued to compete for a title in the following years. The Suns continued to be in the running for several years after their 2005 debacle, before eventually declining due to natural causes. But for the Lakers and Blazers, the Lakers went on to win 3 titles, the Blazers semi-collapsed and got swept in the first round the next two years, and failed even to make the playoffs after that. They wouldn't recover until every player from 2000 was gone. I can't think of another single game that had such far-reaching consequences in this decade.

By: Wally

Wally — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:53:13 +0000

I literally cried at my desk and had to hide my shame from my co-workers just now while reading about the 2000 Blazers. That will forever go down as the worst moment of my life, sports or otherwise. Although it is closely rivaled by the complete destruction of my Oregon Ducks' national championship hopes on the snapping of Dennis Dixon's knee while we were ranked #2 with 3 weeks to go.

By: Art

Art — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:29:54 +0000

Easy for me to pick one as a Spurs fan- 95 Spurs.

Ran into the Houston Rockets and Hakeem. Great, great series by Hakeem humbling David Robinson.

I still remember it vividly to this day.