Best team in a conference that didn't make Finals or win title that same season?

[spursistan]

2009 Celtics (KG knee)..2006 Spurs (Manu boneheaded foul/one of the worst officiated series in clutch)..

any other examples?

[resistanze]

2009 Celtics (KG knee)..2006 Spurs (Manu boneheaded foul/one of the worst officiated series in clutch)..

any other examples?
2002 Kings...

[Mel_13]

1971-72 Bucks.

[Thread]

2002 Kings...

...when you cast your lot with the officiating because you can't face your opponent you've nobody but yourselves to blame.

I've no sympathy for them.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

2002 Kings (refs)

2007 Mavs (ran into their ONE bad matchup team)

2007 Suns (also ran into their ONE bad matchup team)

2011 Spurs (injuries)

[UNT Eagles 2016]

2007 was the only year I can remember in league history that the championship team was objectively (and distantly) the 3rd best team in its own conference, AND neither of the 1st and 2nd best teams suffered any significant injuries to clear the way for said 3rd best team. Weird.

[spursistan]

2013 Thunder has case over Spurs, tbh..can't deny we lucked out with Westbrook knee ....They had better record and point differential (60-22)/9.6 to Spurs (58-24)/6.4 ..

[Robz4000]

2007 Mavs and 1972 Bucks are more than likely far and away the best to not win.

[Ghazi]

2007 Mavs getting overated. 67-15 but wasmt even the 2nd best point differential in the MBa that year

[Thread]

2002 Kings (refs)

That's what you get when you put yourself in (refs) hands. Utah tried the same tact in the mid-80's and suffered the exact same fate=the Lakers left both teams where they found 'em...dead in the ground.

[Clipper Nation]

2000 Blazers: refs, mental midgetry down the stretch.

2002 Kings: refs.

2004 Pacers: a great team that just ran into a historically great team in the ECF.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

2007 Mavs getting overated. 67-15 but wasmt even the 2nd best point differential in the MBa that year

Slow pace and a lot of isolations that other teams just couldn't defend. Suns won a ton of blowouts due to their pace and ability to blitz and demoralize teams early but the Mavs were objectively better and much better defensively.

Just ran into a buzzsaw trying to stop the Warriors' super smallball unit that featured an amazing star PG, very good SG, great defensive SF that played PF, good SG that played SF, good defensive stretch player at the 5 that was a true PF/SF... with a couple tall defensive centers when they needed them... not a lot else on the bench... Ring any bells?

[Thread]

2000 Blazers: refs, mental midgetry down the stretch.

My ass. Kobe came for 'em,,,and they ran away.

That was the start of the 5 in the decade, the triple & the double.

Kobe

[UNT Eagles 2016]

2000 Blazers: refs, mental midgetry down the stretch.

2002 Kings: refs.

2004 Pacers: a great team that just ran into a historically great team in the ECF.

Can't say the Blazers were the better team in 2000. Lakers went up 3–1 and Kobe fouled out on a couple questionable calls in game 5 to allow the Blazers to extend that series and even have a chance. Then they got ridiculously hot and just needed to make a few more shots and get some rebounds to close it out... So very close.

[Budkin]

Don't forget 1994 Sonics. Much like the 2007 Mavs they ran into the one team that had their number.

[DarrinS]

Don't forget 1994 Sonics. Much like the 2007 Mavs they ran into the one team that had their number.

That's the team that immediately came to mind.

I would also say 1995 Spurs. That season, we had beaten the Rockets 5-1 in RS meetings. Houston went on to win the WCF in 6 and then swept Orlando in the finals.


Spurs were 62-20 that season and the 1-seed.

[UNT Eagles 2016]

That's the team that immediately came to mind.

I would also say 1995 Spurs. That season, we had beaten the Rockets 5-1 in RS meetings. Houston went on to win the WCF in 6 and then swept Orlando in the finals.


Spurs were 62-20 that season and the 1-seed.
teams played division rivals 6 times back then? :lol

[DarrinS]

Also, 2006 Spurs. Fuckin Mavs! :bang

[UNT Eagles 2016]

Also, 2006 Spurs. Fuckin Mavs! :bang

Every year we have a close bitter loss we come back to win the championship the very next year... I think

[DMC]

...when you cast your lot with the officiating because you can't face your opponent you've nobody but yourselves to blame.

I've no sympathy for them.
I usually agree with that but Tim Donaghy put that one to rest. When a ref does prison time for illegal betting on NBA games, you have to raise an eyebrow at the entire fucking crew.

[spursistan]

Also, 2006 Spurs. Fuckin Mavs! :bang

that was easily best chance at repeat..Lakers were better in 2000 and Timmy had knee issue ..Detroit was too good defensively in 2004..2008; we were too old outside Big 3..2015; we were too banged up with plenty of mileage from previous deep runs and no HC..

[Mitch]

'75 bullets should have won, but got pissed on worse than the 01 spurs.

[DMC]

My ass. Kobe came for 'em,,,and they ran away.

That was the start of the 5 in the decade, the triple & the double.

Kobe
And the quadruple... 4 years of nary a playoff win up coming to close out his career

Kobe

[sprrs]

'07 Pistons. Lebron single-handedly willed that Cavs team past them, only to get swept in the finals.

[daslicer]

2000 Blazers they should have won it all. Despite the bad refs in that WCF I believe if Sheed was more mature back then they could have beaten the Lakers in 6.

[Thread]

2000 Blazers they should have won it all. Despite the bad refs in that WCF I believe if Sheed was more mature back then they could have beaten the Lakers in 6.

Only pussies & assholes blame the officiating.

Wallace learned nothing & never matured. 10 years later he showed his ass in Game 7 and had to be carried out of Staples by law enforcement.

[Kidd K]

2013 Thunder has case over Spurs, tbh..can't deny we lucked out with Westbrook knee ....They had better record and point differential (60-22)/9.6 to Spurs (58-24)/6.4 ..

Bullshit and blasphemy imo. Not only was 2013 Thunder worse than 2012 Thunder (that's when they traded Harden) but 2012 Thunder also had the "Hand of Stern" ensuring they got to the Finals over the superior team due to extremely lopsided officiating. It was arguably worse than 2002 Kings/Lakers. 2012 Spurs > Any Thunder team in any season. Probably > any Sonics team too.

[JoeTait75]

1971-72 Bucks (63-19: had the misfortune to be in the West w/the 69-13 Lake Show)

1972-73 Celtics (68-14: either Cowens or Havlicek got hurt which sunk them in the ECF against the Knicks)

2005-06 Pistons (64-18: Cavaliers had them on the ropes in the ECSF)

[baseline bum]

1971-72 Bucks (63-19: had the misfortune to be in the West w/the 69-13 Lake Show)

1972-73 Celtics (68-14: either Cowens or Havlicek got hurt which sunk them in the ECF against the Knicks)

2005-06 Pistons (64-18: Cavaliers had them on the ropes in the ECSF)

It was Havlicek who was injured in 73, and I think they still took the Knicks to 7.