What is the best rivalry in the NBA today?

[layupdrill]

Watching NBA TV a couple days ago, I overheard one of the analysts talking about the Cavs vs. Celtics game tonight, saying this is now "the best rivalry" in the NBA. I don't truly agree, because like the Suns vs. Spurs, a rivalry isn't a rivalry if one team is dominating.

What do you guys think is the best rivalry in the league today?

[sonic21]

celtics-lakers
Spurs-Mavs

[Kai]

Celtics-lakers
Spurs-Suns

[Lakers_55]

Tim Duncan vs. Joey Crawford
Ron Artest vs. Detroit fans
David Stern vs. Howard Stern
Spurs Mascot vs. Suns Mascot
Jack Nicholson vs. Matt Damon
Laker Girls vs. Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders
Kevin Garnett vs. any small player

[m33p0]

SpursDynasty vs Rockets fanbase


cavs vs wiz especially with the crab dribble coming into play.

[timtonymanu]

Spurs/Suns
Cavs/Wizards (before the Wizards sucked)
Spurs/Mavs
Celtics/Hawks
Celtics/Cavs
Jazz/Rockets

[endrity]

In terms of game quality nothing matches Mavs-Spurs. For some reason they always seem to play their best against each other. Unfortunately it's not as important as it was 2 seasons ago.

[Chieflion]

Vince Carter against the Raptors.

[NBA Junkie]

Bobcats-Celtics
Spurs-Mavs

[Brazil]

no particular order

Spurs - Suns
Celtics - Cavs
Jazz - Rockets
Lakers - Celtics

[I. Hustle]

Clippers - Thunder

[ForeignFan]

Boston - Lakers
Spurs - Mavs
Boston - Cleveland
Spurs - Suns

in the future : Spurs - Hornets maybe ... if we meet them again the PO

[Armando]

Boston - Lakers
Spurs - Mavs
Boston - Cleveland
Spurs - Suns

in the future : Spurs - Hornets maybe ... if we meet them again the PO



The only rivalry there is Spurs/Mavs. Is no rivalry until the Suns,Lakers and Cavs beat Boston or Spurs in the playoffs.

[MarHill]

In terms of game quality nothing matches Mavs-Spurs. For some reason they always seem to play their best against each other. Unfortunately it's not as important as it was 2 seasons ago.


I agree! The Spurs-Mavs have played each other well over the last few years. This year's 2OT game in Dallas was an example of that!!

Also, I have put to the Spurs-Lakers rivalry (since the 2000's) on this list. They don't play each other every year....but when they do the stakes are always high when the play!!!

:flag:

[pauls931]

I think it's not really defined. It used to be the Suns/Spurs, but I think this time it's going to involve the Lakers and someone else.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

The Suns just aren't good anymore, it's not really a rivalry like it was in 2005 or 2007.


The better rivalry is Spurs/Hornets. They defend the Hornets just like they defended the 2005 and 2007 Suns. The point guard (Paul) and overrated power forward (West) get tons of points, and everyone else doesn't do shit. Watching that series last year was just like 2005 where Bowen locked Marion up (only it was Peja), and the Hornets were completely taken out of rhythm in the 4th quarter when it had been a 2 man show the entire game.

Anyone else see the similarity?

[JoeTait75]

Cavs-Pistons ahead of Cavs-C's, because of the natural rivalry between Cleveland and Detroit, the fact that they're in the same division, and they've each knocked the other out of the playoffs in the last few years.

Spurs-Lake Show is the best overall rivalry.

[tonylongoriafan]

spurs vs themselves

[ploto]

In terms of game quality nothing matches Mavs-Spurs. For some reason they always seem to play their best against each other. Unfortunately it's not as important as it was 2 seasons ago.

Totally agree.

[sribb43]

Mavs Spurs

[CavsSuperFan]

Shaq vs. Kobe
Kobe vs. Lakers

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Lakers-Celtics is the best rivalry in basketball, not even a question. Only problem with the rivalry is it has been relatively one sided. Lakers-Spurs is a close 2nd.

[xtremesteven33]

Lakers-Celtics is the best rivalry in basketball, not even a question. Only problem with the rivalry is it has been relatively one sided. Lakers-Spurs is a close 2nd.

:tu

[j-money24]

The only rivalry there is Spurs/Mavs. Is no rivalry until the Suns,Lakers and Cavs beat Boston or Spurs in the playoffs.
the lakers own the spurs in the playoffs in this decade

[Allanon]

SpursDynasty vs Rockets
SpursDynasty vs Leonard

[layupdrill]

Spurs/Suns
Cavs/Wizards (before the Wizards sucked)
Spurs/Mavs
Celtics/Hawks
Celtics/Cavs
Jazz/Rockets

I agree with some of these, but the Wizards never beat the Cavs when it counted, so how is that really a rivalry?

The Wizards remind me of an annoying little brother that keeps trying to play with the big boys, but never quite makes the cut.

[IronMexican]

I still hat the Kings a lot more than I ever hated the Spurs.

[BlackBellamy]

I still hat the Kings a lot more than I ever hated the Spurs.

Believe me, the Kings still hate you too.
Classic rivalries:
Lakers/Celtics
Lakers/Kings
Detroit/Chicago
Spurs/Mavs
I also loved our (Spurs') games against the Blazers in the 90's.

This Year:
Spurs/Lakers
Celtics/Cavs

At least those are the two that seem to matter. Seems (thus far) to set the finals up which ever team gets which out of the play-offs.

[SpursDynasty]

Watching NBA TV a couple days ago, I overheard one of the analysts talking about the Cavs vs. Celtics game tonight, saying this is now "the best rivalry" in the NBA. I don't truly agree, because like the Suns vs. Spurs, a rivalry isn't a rivalry if one team is dominating.

What do you guys think is the best rivalry in the league today?

Spurs vs. Mavericks, hands down....We beat them in the playoffs in 2001 and 2003, they beat us in 2006, and every game since then has been a down-to-the-wire intense match up. Cavs vs. Celtics is barely a rivalry. Celtics have barely become a real basketball team in the last year...this hasn't had a chance to develop into anything other than Boston beating Cleveland in 7 games last year. Doesn't make it a rivalry. As stated, a rivalry isn't a rivalry if one team is dominating. Boston dominates Cleveland and LeBron isn't on the level of the defending champs. The fact that Dallas is a third-tier West team while S.A. is still a West superpower as usual kind of takes away from this rivalry though.

[endrity]

Spurs vs. Mavericks, hands down....We beat them in the playoffs in 2001 and 2003, they beat us in 2006, and every game since then has been a down-to-the-wire intense match up. Cavs vs. Celtics is barely a rivalry. Celtics have barely become a real basketball team in the last year...this hasn't had a chance to develop into anything other than Boston beating Cleveland in 7 games last year. Doesn't make it a rivalry. As stated, a rivalry isn't a rivalry if one team is dominating. Boston dominates Cleveland and LeBron isn't on the level of the defending champs. The fact that Dallas is a third-tier West team while S.A. is still a West superpower as usual kind of takes away from this rivalry though.

See, when you try you can make 1/2 of an argument that actually makes sense!

[JamStone]

Officials v. Crabs

[BlackBellamy]

Spurs vs. Mavericks, hands down....We beat them in the playoffs in 2001 and 2003, they beat us in 2006, and every game since then has been a down-to-the-wire intense match up. Cavs vs. Celtics is barely a rivalry. Celtics have barely become a real basketball team in the last year...this hasn't had a chance to develop into anything other than Boston beating Cleveland in 7 games last year. Doesn't make it a rivalry. As stated, a rivalry isn't a rivalry if one team is dominating. Boston dominates Cleveland and LeBron isn't on the level of the defending champs. The fact that Dallas is a third-tier West team while S.A. is still a West superpower as usual kind of takes away from this rivalry though.

I think the intensity that needs to be showcased in order for a team to win is what creates rivalry (along with fan's hatred (fear) of one another's team/city/fans) not the final stat of winning percentage. The Kings didn't have much luck against the Lakeshow, Detroit didn't have much luck against MJ's Bulls, Suns don't show up in the W's against us (Spurs) but they are all pretty classic rivalries. My point is, it doesn't always take winning for rivalry to exist, sometimes it's about bringing the fear to the other team and just closely competing.

[DrHouse]

To me Spurs vs. Mavs never disappoints.

But you just can't top Lakers vs. Celtics. The history behind that one is what makes it great.

[td4mvp21]

I always like to watch Suns-Lakers games, although I'm not sure if that is a rivalry or even the best one in the league.

[JamStone]

In the history of the game, that's true. Thing is the question was about "today's" NBA, not franchise rivalries over the entire history of the NBA.