Where would you rank the 2000-2001 Lakers?

[baseline bum]

I started watching in 1996. I pretty much stopped watching the Finals from 2006 until 2011.
The 96 team was impressive defensively, and MJ's duel with Sean Kemp was so memorable. But that Bulls team hardly stuck me as a GOAT contender. They won a lot of games, but they did not feel domineering enough in the playoffs...

That 2001 Laker team had a fairly easy path to the Finals, and while they were the undisputed best team that season, I think it spoke more to the less than stellar compe ion that year. I actually felt that the 02 Laker team was far more complete.

It is hard for me to say. I wish I could have seen some earlier Finals to get a better sense of the different styles.

I think the only player on the 02 team who was better than the 01 version was Bryant. Fox especially seemed to nosedive and get old that year.

[baseline bum]

1. 1986 Celtics
2. 1972 Lakers
3. 2001 Lakers
4. 1996 Bulls
5. 1983 Sixers

Top 5 IMO. The 1992 bulls were dominant in the reg season, but they looked fairly beatable in the post season.

I just can't see the 83 Sixers as low as 5. They probably had the greatest starting lineup in NBA history with Malone, Erving, Toney, and Cheeks even with Iavaroni sucking at PF, and Bobby Jones was a really solid glue guy off the bench who played top-notch defense. They won 65 games despite playing in a tough eastern conference with Boston and Milwaukee and then destroyed the playoffs. I know Worthy was out for the Finals, but that 83 Lakers team they swept was still a juggernaut with Abdul-Jabbar, Magic, Wilkes, McAdoo, Nixon, and Cooper.

[DeadlyDynasty]

Lemme preface this by saying I'm biased and my opinion won't be swayed, but that 01 Laker team went through the playoffs like through a goose. Portland and San Antonio, and Philly got annihilated. Sacto kept it close for 3 games in the semis (due to their fastbreak tempo), but they got crushed in the most important game of that series (Game 3). Those lakers would just stomp a mudhole in opponents.

, the only game they lost they were 9 days rusty and Philly needed 48 points from AI and fluke shots from Raja Bell and Eric Snow to escape in overtime.

[baseline bum]

Lemme preface this by saying I'm biased and my opinion won't be swayed

Here you were trying to change godvine and it changed you instead

[DeadlyDynasty]

btw, I've still yet to see anything more stylishly dominant than Kobe against Santo and Sacto in those playoffs. Goddamn that was fun to watch. Poetry in motion.

[DeadlyDynasty]

Also, in those days Kobe really was the best perimeter defender in the game and it wasn't close.

[Amaso]

I'd rank that 01 team in the top 5 somewhere. Like others have said, their regular season wasn't that impressive but you'd expect that coming from a team like the Lakers and with a veteran group that had already won a championship.

That was an amazing balance and collection of superstars + role players I've seen from any team ever assembled. The Lakers seemed like they weren't trying that entire playoffs and still only lost 1 game.

[Fabbs]

Their only legit le in the past 25 years. Congrats.

[DeadlyDynasty]

I'm a scared and bitter spurfan!

There, there, Fabbs...

[baseline bum]

Also, in those days Kobe really was the best perimeter defender in the game and it wasn't close.

Fox was better.

[Fabbs]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fotoERrBAjw

[Fabbs]

Kome defense.

[scanry]

Also, in those days Kobe really was the best perimeter defender in the game and it wasn't close.

You're really overrating Kobe on this one. It wasn't really perimeter defense that made them so dominant in 2001. I think Shaq's eyes lit up when Kobe got injured and everyone on that team pretty much started kissing his a$$ including Phil and do you em. When Kobe came back, he was joining a team that was a well oiled machine.

He was that unstoppable force that year. More importantly after Kobe got injured, Shaq started defended the paint. Shaq started acting like a big baby that year and it cascaded the following year.

[whitemamba]

Kome defense.

12-time All-Defensive Team selection:
First team: 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011[26][27]
Second team: 2001, 2002, 2012

[Amaso]

12-time All-Defensive Team selection:
First team: 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011[26][27]
Second team: 2001, 2002, 2012

Kobe should've gotten 1st team in 2001 and 2002... Gary Payton and Jason Kidd had the guard spots over him. I guess you could say he hasn't really deserved 1st team the past 2 years hes gotten it.

[scanry]

12-time All-Defensive Team selection:
First team: 2000, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011[26][27]
Second team: 2001, 2002, 2012

You really think Kobe has played a lick of defense since 2009? He was clearly exposed in 2010 and the less we bring up the 2011 & 2012 playoffs, the better.

[scanry]

never thought I would see a fo fo fo fo . Lakers were one mistake away from pulling it.
this probably will offend spurs fans but I wonder how many les would Duncan have if Kobe and shaq liked each other?

You forget the fact that Duncan was pretty dominant in his prime as well. I don't think the Lakers beat us in 2003 even if those two got along. Duncan pretty much beat the Lakers by himself that year.

2005 could've gone either way, but considering Kobe's new contract and the supporting cast, i may have to go with the Spurs.

2006: Pretty sure Shaq would've been out of shape.

2007: The back gives in and Shaq gets more out of shape.

2008-2010: The Lakers don't win a championship with Shaq on board.

I guess the Lakers benefited from all of this.

[irishock]

Not even as good as the 1999 Spurs.

[LkrFan]

Not even as good as the 1999 Spurs.