One of the toughest paths ever?

[skut_farkus]

Looking back from round 1 up to now it seems the mavs had one of the toughest roads to a championship that I can remember.

Jason terry says the blazers were the toughest opponent and that was in the first round. Very hard fought series by both teams.

The following round was against the defending champs were the mavs really locked down and from top to bottom gave it there all.

Wcf was against a up and comming athletic thunder team although they werent mentally ready they played the mavs pretty close and imo got them to where they needed to be to beat the heat.

In the finals they faced one of the most star studded trios in nba history, after walking through the east with relative ease you expected alot more in the finals, but the mavs once again prove the critics wrong and get the "upset"

they pretty much had to beat 3 other teams in the west that on any other year could of represented this conf. And a 1st round matchup against a portland team who if werent in there bracket could of made it to the wcf to face them.

[baseline bum]

It's definitely one of the toughest since the time of the brutal Eastern Conferences of the 80s. I'd say Houston's path in 1995 was the toughest in the post-Bird,Isiah era, but Dallas' is probably next.

[cheguevara]

At first glance I would agree. But let's take a closer look:

-Round 1: faced a team who's best player doesn't have knees
-Round 2: :lol lakers. Killer Bees :lol
-Round 3: They dismantled the good Thunder team. Good win.
-Round 4: their best player quit mid-series. But good win still.

Now I'm not so sure.

[mariners]

butthurt :depressed:depressed.

[TJastal]

At first glance I would agree. But let's take a closer look:

-Round 1: faced a team who's best player doesn't have knees
-Round 2: :lol lakers. Killer Bees :lol
-Round 3: They dismantled the good Thunder team. Good win.
-Round 4: their best player quit mid-series. But good win still.

Now I'm not so sure.

Brandon Roy is far from being the blazers' best player at this point. Highest paid, yes. Could become a good bench player in the future. But right now, Aldridge is their best player followed by Gerald Wallace. Very dangerous team esp if Oden returns to health.

[cheguevara]

IMO the best players are the ones who deliver in the clutch. Wake me up when Aldridge does that.

[stretch]

definitely an impressive run. im just damn happy they won it all, and beat that faggot Wade in the process.

[Otaku]

Could be. Yet, none of the series went to 7 games which kinda shows how good these Mavs really are.

[FromWayDowntown]

They didn't play a single team that won 60 games and beat a team that didn't win 50 games. But by average number of opponent wins, it's competitive among the champions since 2000:

55.00 -- 2002 LAL (PRT (49-33); SA (58-24); SAC (61-21); NJ (52-30))
54.75 -- 2001 LAL (PRT (50-32); SAC (55-27); SA (58-24); PHI (56-26))
54.50 -- 2011 DAL (PRT (48-34); LAL (57-25); OKC (55-27); MIA (58-24))
54.25 -- 2005 SAS (DEN (49-33); SEA (52-30); PNX (62-20); DET (54-28))
53.50 -- 2006 MIA (CHI (41-41); NJ (49-33); DET (64-18); DAL (60-22))
53.50 -- 2009 LAL (UTH (48-34); HOU (53-29); DEN (54-28); ORL (59-23))
53.00 -- 2000 LAL (SAC (44-38); PNX (53-29); PRT (59-23); IND (56-26))
51.75 -- 2007 SAS (DEN (45-37); PNX (61-21); UTH (51-31); CLE (50-32))
51.75 -- 2010 LAL (OKC (50-32); UTH (53-29); PNX (54-28); BOS (50-32))
51.25 -- 2004 DET (MIL (41-41); NJ (47-35); IND (61-21); LAL (56-26))
50.75 -- 2003 SAS (PNX (44-38); LAL (50-32); DAL (60-22); NJ (49-33))
49.50 -- 2008 BOS (ATL (37-45); CLE (45-37); DET (59-23); LAL (57-25))

By the way, all of these pale in comparison to the run of the 1995 Rockets, whose playoff opponents won between 57 and 62 regular season games and averaged 59.5 regular season wins. And, of course, they won all 4 series without home court advantage.

[Otaku]

They didn't play a single team that won 60 games and beat a team that didn't win 50 games.

That means nothing. Only tells that there were less dominant teams than the previous years or that talent is spread more even between teams in the league. If you put 30 Dallas Mavericks teams playing each other, you'll end with all teams ending around .500, but that doesn't mean the whole league strenght is lower, on the contrary.

[stretch]

yeah, the level of competition over the past couple years and this year, is about as high as its been in a loooooong time, definitely the highest of the 2000's

[Darrin]

I nominate the Pistons from 2004. They beat the 2-time Defending Conference Champion Nets in a seven-game series, the 61-win number-one seed Indiana Pacers in 6 games, and the 3-time NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers with 4 Hall-of-Famers in the Finals.

[dbestpro]

Don't think so. When you take a step back and look at how teams played in the playoffs it was all about isolations. Dallas simply played team ball. They were the only team to pass the ball to the open man.

I give credit to this team for winning it all this year, but I have to go back to the 70s to find a team that I think the Mavs could beat from a previous group of champions. I think maybe the Warriors of 70s.

[mariners]

I give credit to this team for winning it all this year, but I have to go back to the 70s to find a team that I think the Mavs could beat from a previous group of champions. I think maybe the Warriors of 70s.
:lmao:lmao:lmao

[dbestpro]

lmao right, somebody mad :lmao

Not even. I have no problem with Mavs beating the Heat and I am truly sorry if I am raining on your parade. I just think that when the euphoria subsides that most will agree with this highly logical assessment.

Enjoy your ring. Don't get mad by someone stating the obvious.

[dirk4mvp]

Not even. I have no problem with Mavs beating the Heat and I am truly sorry if I am raining on your parade. I just think that when the euphoria subsides that most will agree with this highly logical assessment.

Enjoy your ring. Don't get mad by someone stating the obvious.

Jason Terry is an nba champion.

[dbestpro]

Jason Terry is an nba champion.

Two to one odds his ring will be on e-bay within 5 years after he retires.

[Amaso]

Not really, could've made a case if the Lakers played their best game and still lost that series, but the fact of the matter is the Lakers played like ass against a team that was red-hot the entire series.

[cesare borgia]

Jason Terry is an nba champion.

They said Terry score the most points by a reserve in 25 yrs!

[Otaku]

Not really, could've made a case if the Lakers played their best game and still lost that series, but the fact of the matter is the Lakers played like ass against a team that was red-hot the entire series.

The Lakers played like ass or the Mavs made them look bad? :rolleyes


It's just regular season syndrome!!!

[endrity]

I nominate the Pistons from 2004. They beat the 2-time Defending Conference Champion Nets in a seven-game series, the 61-win number-one seed Indiana Pacers in 6 games, and the 3-time NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers with 4 Hall-of-Famers in the Finals.

One of the all time underrated runs and teams. Somehow the story has shifted to the Lakers just giving it away.

That's not true. The 2004 ECF was the true Final, and I kinda feel bad for Indiana that their core players quickly disintegrated after that. They had built a team that should have contended for 3-4 more years after that.

[Budkin]

definitely an impressive run. im just damn happy they won it all, and beat that faggot Wade in the process.

:tu Crushing the Lakers is still the most impressive feat of the run IMO.

[21_Blessings]

One of the all time underrated runs and teams. Somehow the story has shifted to the Lakers just giving it away.

The Lakers 3rd best player, 2nd best rebounder and best interior defender's knee was shredded and they had no bench whatsoever. lmao '4 hall of famers'. Payton was washed up to the extreme.

[Jacob1983]

How many superstars did the Mavs beat? Kobe, Durant, Westbrook, Wade, Bosh, and Lebron. How many good players did the Mavs beat? Aldridge, Gasol, Odom, Bynum, Harden, Ibaka, Chalmers(yes he was good), etc....

I'm sure some Spurs fans and Laker fans will disagree but their teams never faced teams in the 2000s like this Mavs team did. Well maybe, the Lakers last year against the Celtics in the Finals.

And let's not forget, the Mavs won without home court advantage in the Finals. The Spurs have never won a championship without having home court advantage. Kobe has also never won a championship when his team did not have home court advantage in the Finals.

[Axe Murderer]

How many superstars did the Mavs beat? Kobe, Durant, Westbrook, Wade, Bosh, and Lebron. How many good players did the Mavs beat? Aldridge, Gasol, Odom, Bynum, Harden, Ibaka, Chalmers(yes he was good), etc....

I'm sure some Spurs fans and Laker fans will disagree but their teams never faced teams in the 2000s like this Mavs team did. Well maybe, the Lakers last year against the Celtics in the Finals.

And let's not forget, the Mavs won without home court advantage in the Finals. The Spurs have never won a championship without having home court advantage. Kobe has also never won a championship when his team did not have home court advantage in the Finals.

The 2003/2005 Spurs played some good competition.

The 99 Spurs were just one of those teams who were great but never got to prove it against a great team.

The 07 Spurs were clearly one of the worst champions of the decade

[ezau]

How many superstars did the Mavs beat? Kobe, Durant, Westbrook, Wade, Bosh, and Lebron. How many good players did the Mavs beat? Aldridge, Gasol, Odom, Bynum, Harden, Ibaka, Chalmers(yes he was good), etc....

I'm sure some Spurs fans and Laker fans will disagree but their teams never faced teams in the 2000s like this Mavs team did. Well maybe, the Lakers last year against the Celtics in the Finals.

And let's not forget, the Mavs won without home court advantage in the Finals. The Spurs have never won a championship without having home court advantage. Kobe has also never won a championship when his team did not have home court advantage in the Finals.

Manu 3, Dirk 1

Wake me up when the Mavs win another ring:wakeup

[ohmwrecker]

The 07 Spurs were clearly one of the worst champions of the decade

Still bitter? Enjoy your championship. Let it go.

[tlongII]

The 77 Blazers probably had the most impressive list of opponents on their way to the title.

Artis Gilmore led Chicago Bulls.
Dan Issel led Denver Nuggets.
Abdul-Jabbar led L.A. Lakers.
Dr. J led Philly Sixers super-team.

[Axe Murderer]

Still bitter? Enjoy your championship. Let it go.

wtf?

there's tons of people who agree with me faggot

99 Spurs were one of the best teams ever

03/05 definitely went through some tough teams

07 Spurs had one of the easiest roads ever to a championship

how am i wrong?

[Jacob1983]

Mavs had the most doubters of any NBA championship team in the history of the NBA.
The Mavs definitely have a good case for having one of the toughest paths.

[sook]

They didn't play a single team that won 60 games and beat a team that didn't win 50 games. But by average number of opponent wins, it's competitive among the champions since 2000:

55.00 -- 2002 LAL (PRT (49-33); SA (58-24); SAC (61-21); NJ (52-30))
54.75 -- 2001 LAL (PRT (50-32); SAC (55-27); SA (58-24); PHI (56-26))
54.50 -- 2011 DAL (PRT (48-34); LAL (57-25); OKC (55-27); MIA (58-24))
54.25 -- 2005 SAS (DEN (49-33); SEA (52-30); PNX (62-20); DET (54-28))
53.50 -- 2006 MIA (CHI (41-41); NJ (49-33); DET (64-18); DAL (60-22))
53.50 -- 2009 LAL (UTH (48-34); HOU (53-29); DEN (54-28); ORL (59-23))
53.00 -- 2000 LAL (SAC (44-38); PNX (53-29); PRT (59-23); IND (56-26))
51.75 -- 2007 SAS (DEN (45-37); PNX (61-21); UTH (51-31); CLE (50-32))
51.75 -- 2010 LAL (OKC (50-32); UTH (53-29); PNX (54-28); BOS (50-32))
51.25 -- 2004 DET (MIL (41-41); NJ (47-35); IND (61-21); LAL (56-26))
50.75 -- 2003 SAS (PNX (44-38); LAL (50-32); DAL (60-22); NJ (49-33))
49.50 -- 2008 BOS (ATL (37-45); CLE (45-37); DET (59-23); LAL (57-25))

By the way, all of these pale in comparison to the run of the 1995 Rockets, whose playoff opponents won between 57 and 62 regular season games and averaged 59.5 regular season wins. And, of course, they won all 4 series without home court advantage.

i have to agree. and Im no fucking homer.

But dallas was just fucking sick this year no doubt.

[Pelicans78]

I like the 95 Rockets as well. Plus they won every series without having HCA.

This Mavs team was sick too. Unreal stuff.

[ohmwrecker]

07 Spurs had one of the easiest roads ever to a championship

how am i wrong?



The 07 Spurs were clearly one of the worst champions of the decade

[mencken]

wtf?

there's tons of people who agree with me faggot

99 Spurs were one of the best teams ever

03/05 definitely went through some tough teams

07 Spurs had one of the easiest roads ever to a championship

how am i wrong?

I agree that the '07 Spurs had a relatively easy road, with the only competition coming from Phoenix.

However, I'd argue that the '06 Heat was the worst championship team ever.

[Proxy]

wtf?

there's tons of people who agree with me faggot

99 Spurs were one of the best teams ever

03/05 definitely went through some tough teams

07 Spurs had one of the easiest roads ever to a championship

how am i wrong?

You can say they were untested.