The Two HOF'er Theory

[Killakobe81]

Not sure this will become legendary as DOK's PG theory ...but I have long held the belief that you need at least two HOF Caliber players to win a title. Here are the recent champions and their HOF candidates:

2012 Lebron & Wade
2011 Dirk & Kidd
2010 Kobe & Pau (but Pau's candidacy is no sure thing)
2009 Same
2008 KG, Pierce & Ray
2007 Duncan, Manu & Parker (Manu and Tony are not locks but strong candidates)
2006 Wade, Shaq, GP & Alonzo
2005 same as 2007
2004 Big Ben and Chauncey (Not sure both get in but they have good cases)
2003 Duncan & David
2002 Shaq & Kobe
2001 Shaq & Kobe
2000 Shaq & Kobe
1999 Duncan & David
1998 MJ, Pippen & Rodman
1997 MJ, Pippen & Rodman
1996 MJ, Pippen & Rodman
1995 Hakeem & Drexler
1994 Hakeem & *******?
1993 MJ & Pippen
1992 MJ & Pippen
1991 MJ & Pippen
1990 Isiah Dumars & Rodman
1989 Same
1988 Magic, Worthy and Kareem
1987 Same
1986 Bird, Parish, McHale, DJ and Walton
1985 Magic, Worthy, Kareem and McAdoo
1984 Bird, Parish, McHale and DJ
1983 Erving & Moses
1982 Kareem & Magic
1981 Bird & Tiny
1980 Kareem & Magic

In the last 32 years we have only one clear exception the 1994 Rockets. We have 5 other possible exceptions the 2009 and 2010 Lakers, the 1995 and 1997 Spurs and the 2004 Pistons. Bottom line it's hard to beat a team with two future HOF'ers when you only have one like this year's final bore out.

[Killakobe81]

By the way if Pau, Parker and Manu get in Hakeems first championship become even more impressive than it already was.

[Samuel Eto'o]

Vince wasn't on dem Mavs and JKidd wasn't close to HOF caliber the year they won but, k.

[Samuel Eto'o]

Also David didn't play in 03, correct?

[Killakobe81]

Vince wasn't on dem Mavs and JKidd wasn't close to HOF caliber the year they won but, k.

Good catch I will fix that. Kidd was past his prime but that doesnt matter. Not saying it's fact it's just an observation, that I have a theory about.

[HarlemHeat37]

2011 Mavs only had 1 HOF-level player at the time, same goes for 2003 Spurs, 1994 Rockets, 1989 and 1990 Pistons..the 2004 Pistons didn't have any HOF-level players, with the possible exception of Ben Wallace, depending who you ask..

[ElNono]

By the way if Pau, Parker and Manu get in Hakeems first championship become even more impressive than it already was.

Manu certainly a lock due to his international resume. Pau very likely too.

Parker has the weakest case, IMO.

[Jacob1983]

JET should be on the list. I know you Spurs fans hate him and wish him death but he is in the top 5 in 3 pointers and is one of the most clutch players in the 4th quater. The stats don't lie.

Ben Wallace is not a hall of famer. Splinter probably is.

[Samuel Eto'o]

Also David didn't play in 03, correct?

incorrect, apologies all around

[ElNono]

How come Nash & Amaré never won? :lol

[Samuel Eto'o]

JET should be on the list. I know you Spurs fans hate him and wish him death but he is in the top 5 in 3 pointers and is one of the most clutch players in the 4th quater. The stats don't lie.

Ben Wallace is not a hall of famer. Splinter probably is.

https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR3wgVx6WOQvtFt8uXdlwMmVYq624HyU bokQItXpOdvy9sTNHSM

[Venti Quattro]

1990 Isiah & Rodman
1989 Same

You forgot about Joe Dumars, buddy.

[Venti Quattro]

2004 is an anomaly. No one in the 2004 Pistons is going to the HOF. Kind of ironic, since they beat a team with 4 HOFers.

[Jacob1983]

Splinter will go to the Hall of Fame.

[Killakobe81]

2011 Mavs only had 1 HOF-level player at the time, same goes for 2003 Spurs, 1994 Rockets, 1989 and 1990 Pistons..the 2004 Pistons didn't have any HOF-level players, with the possible exception of Ben Wallace, depending who you ask..

Not saying that the player has to be HOF level at the time. how many teams outside of the 1980's has two HOF players in their primes? My theory adjusted should state that if you have 2 HOF'ers and at least one of them is in their prime your chances to win a title are great. if you have 2 HOF'ers in their primes chances of repeating are that much greater. (Kobe/Shaq ... Pippen/MJ)

1. Harlem, Rodman was on the bad Boy Pistons and was recently inducted (last year?)
2. Already mentioned the Spurs are a possible exception but Parker and Manu espeically have strong cases.
3. 1994 was the one clear case that wont have anyone inducted ...see OP.
4. Kidd was far past his prime last year but was a key starter and their second best perimter defender. He definitely counts and I never said they had to be in their prime. As long as they contribute like Walton in 1986 or McAdoo in 1985 that counts.

[Venti Quattro]

2. Already mentioned the Spurs are a possible exception but Parker and Manu espeically have strong cases.

Manu is at least going to the HOF. Winner of the Euroleague, Olympics and 3x in the NBA...you can take that to the bank.

[Killakobe81]

Now lets look at the times the theory failed:

1. Stockton & Malone. HOF'ers who played together in their primes and they never rang. Obviously MJ denied their two best chances, and Showtime blocked them before that.
2. David & Rodman - That has been di-sected here adnauseum but we know Hakeem and Chuck stopped them before Tim arrived
3. 2004 Lakers: Kobe Shaq Malone and GP - Failed because of chemistry issues (kobe and Shaq bitching), Kobe's rape trial and Karl Malone hitting on Kobe's wife. That year was 65% on Kobe, 20% on shaq and 15% on Phil' s ego.

Im sure there are more, but I still think if you want to ring you need 2 of those HOf'ers even if one is past his prime like Drexler in 1995. The one HOFer model failed: KG, Kobe, Nash, Lebron Dwight, Rose, Durant, Chuck, Ewing, GP, Kidd, Shaq.

[Jacob1983]

Kidd and Dirk are both locks for the Hall of Fame. Kidd's stats pretty much give him a ticket to the Hall of Fame.

[BoricuaCJA]

JET should be on the list. I know you Spurs fans hate him and wish him death but he is in the top 5 in 3 pointers and is one of the most clutch players in the 4th quater. The stats don't lie.

Ben Wallace is not a hall of famer. Splinter probably is.
LMAO, Benard King is not in and you think that guy will be in it? LMAO, your a dumbass!

[ViceCity86]

2004 is an anomaly. No one in the 2004 Pistons is going to the HOF. Kind of ironic, since they beat a team with 4 HOFers.

LOL.So much for the HOF theory.
I agree the 04 Pistons have no hall of famers.The Wallace boys and Billups don't cut it.

[tesseractive]

It's not so much a perfect theory as it is a good guideline of how to build a title team: a top 3 player in the league for the year (ideally, #1), one to three other elite players (bonus points for another top 5 player), and a set of solid role players that play well together.

Whether or not Chauncey makes the Hall, he wasn't a Top 3 player by anyone's reckoning. Garnett wasn't Top 3 when the Celtics won. Isiah and Dirk might have been considered a notch lower depending on who you ask, but they were up there. Not by coincidence, all those teams were stacked with really good players, had great chemistry, and played stifling defense. Because if you don't have one of the best players in the NBA, that's Plan B.

[Sean Cagney]

Tr
It's not so much a perfect theory as it is a good guideline of how to build a title team: a top 3 player in the league for the year (ideally, #1), one to three other elite players (bonus points for another top 5 player), and a set of solid role players that play well together.

Whether or not Chauncey makes the Hall, he wasn't a Top 3 player by anyone's reckoning. Garnett wasn't Top 3 when the Celtics won. Isiah and Dirk might have been considered a notch lower depending on who you ask, but they were up there. Not by coincidence, all those teams were stacked with really good players, had great chemistry, and played stifling defense. Because if you don't have one of the best players in the NBA, that's Plan B.True, this is why the Spurs did not make it this year IMO if you put the last part in bold.

[Spurtacus]

Not many of those teams had their multiple HOF players drafted in house. Spurs and Mavs only teams since the 90s Bulls.

[Monostradamus]

If you're going to say Chauncey Billups is HOF level, then so is Sam Cassell.