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The decade belonged to the Lakers and Spurs. 9 finals appearances, 7 championships, and 5 all-time greats between the two franchises
Decade belonged to Western Conference
Mike Monroe
When the 21st century began, nobody, not even NBA commissioner David Stern, could have foreseen all that would happen in the league in the first decade of the new millennium.
The Commissioner likely anticipated the expansion of the league's popularity, worldwide, because he was on a personal crusade to make it happen. Yet, for all his effort to become the world's oldest techno-geek, it is hard to believe The Commissioner expected he would be fining players for sending electronic messages to friends and followers before, during and after games.
The big question for the league 10 years ago was, how to maintain popularity in a post-Michael Jordan world?
Ten years later, it is no outrage to wonder if L.A.'s Kobe Bryant has surpassed Jordan as the best player of the past 25 years or to ponder whether Cleveland's LeBron James ultimately will surpass both as the greatest ever.
The decade about to end brought us:
Three franchise shifts. The Charlotte Hornets moved to New Orleans; the Vancouver Grizzlies to Memphis, Tenn.; and the Seattle SuperSonics to Oklahoma City. Or, in the words of my travel agent: Are you kidding me?
A 30th team. Charlotte became the first city ever to lose an NBA team and be awarded a second expansion team.
New divisions. Someone please explain the logic of two teams located East of the Mississippi being in the Southwest Division and a team in the desert a member of the Pacific.
The league's first African-American owner. Robert L. Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television, owns the Bobcats. Jordan now has an ownership stake in the team, as well.
Mark Cuban. The Internet billionaire bought the Mavericks from H. Ross Perot Jr. in 2000. The league hasn't been quite the same since, and the view here is that Cuban has been good for the league and great for the Mavs.
A referee scandal. The league insists Tim Donaghy went rogue long before Sarah Palin.
The end of the jump from high school. A change in the league's collective bargaining agreement with its players association raised the age limit for players, ins uting what college coaches call the era of one and done for the most prized recruits.
The Development League. This is a worthy notion that offers apprenticeship for future players, coaches, referees and execs. The Spurs were among the first to recognize the value of owning, and controlling, a D-League team.
Spurs fans, of course, like to think of the decade as the era of silver and black. Yet it was the Lakers who won six Western les and four championships. It's more accurate to think of it as an era of Western dominance.
Besides, the Spurs enjoyed having the Lakers as a purple menace. When the Shaquille O'Neal-Kobe Bryant feud led to separation of the superstars after the 2004 Finals, Gregg Popovich so rued the loss of a great foe, he likened it to the breakup of the Soviet Union.
Who knew then that the Pau Gasol trade would recons ute the Lakers' oligarchy?
The decade belonged to the Lakers and Spurs. 9 finals appearances, 7 championships, and 5 all-time greats between the two franchises
That's for sure.
5 alltime greats?
Spurs - Duncan, Robinson
Lakers - Shaq, Kobe
??
Gasol/Ginobili?
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