Bestest Season Evah?

[ShoogarBear]

Okay, maybe not if you're one of the NY/LA/Chicago myopics. But I can't remember a time when THREE powerhouses were slugging it out like this down the stretch.

PISTONS
Pros:
-Best starting five
-Have the most mentally tough players and on a mission
-Have won it before
-Relatively injury-free

Cons:
-Questions about depth
-Flip Saunders unproven in playoffs (and yes, it's possible for coaching to screw it up)
-? slumping in second half of year
-Relatively injury-free = luck that may run out
-Rasheed likes to lose miracle games to Spurs

MAVERICKS
Pros:
-Maybe deepest team of three
-Youngest team of three
-Currently have the single best player (Dirk) of the three teams

Cons:
-Avery still learning on the job
-Current injuries (though probably not a factor by playoffs)
-Serious questions about Dirk's playoff game
-Still haven't ever proven they can ever do it
-Mark Cuban and Dallas fans proven idiots

SPURS
Pros:
-Defending champs
-Tim is the playoff MVP until proven otherwise
-If healthy, have best 1-2-3 punch of the three
-Pop only proven playoff coach of the three
-Robert in' Horry

Cons:
-Tim and Manu unlikely to ever be 100% this year
-Least likely team of three to play inspired
-Lack of athleticism on front line shown to be a problem

The next 2.5 months are going to be fun. LET'S DO THIS!

[SAGambler]

-Currently have the single best player (Dirk) of the three teams

I guess it depends on what your criteria for "best single player" is. Sure Dirk can put up a lot of points. He can also put up a lot of bricks. When Bowen was on Dirk, he looked average. Dirks defense may be a bit better this year, but still lacks what the Spurs have. Tony is shooting a higher percentage than Dirk. And unless things change this year, you can look for Dirk to start sliding downward come playoff time.

So again. What is the criteria for the "best single player"?

[genghisrex]

Here, let me help with that.

-Mark Cuban and Dallas fans proven idiots

[ShoogarBear]

-Currently have the single best player (Dirk) of the three teams

I guess it depends on what your criteria for "best single player" is. Sure Dirk can put up a lot of points. He can also put up a lot of bricks. When Bowen was on Dirk, he looked average. Dirks defense may be a bit better this year, but still lacks what the Spurs have. Tony is shooting a higher percentage than Dirk. And unless things change this year, you can look for Dirk to start sliding downward come playoff time.

So again. What is the criteria for the "best single player"?

This is easy. The ONLY player you might consider as even having just close to as good a year as Dirk is Billups. And Billups has a lot more support.

I'm not a big fan of his overall game, but he's the closest thing to a lock for 1st-Team All-NBA of anyone on those teams. Who do you think is better?

As for Dirk in the playoffs, read my post again.

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

It kind of reminds me of the Celtics/Pistons/Lakers of the mid to late 80s. But I was a youngen so maybe my memory is off...

[1Parker1]

On the flip side though, this season we have a lot of sub-par teams barely struggling at .500. There's a wide gap between the top 3 teams you listed and the rest of the NBA.

[cherylsteele]

On the flip side though, this season we have a lot of sub-par teams barely struggling at .500. There's a wide gap between the top 3 teams you listed and the rest of the NBA.

The Lakers and the once hated Jazz are in that field.

[Melmart1]

I think Shoogar makes some excellent points. However, the public perception of the NBA in general is still not great, so I think the parity at the very top will go unnoticed for the most part. Unless you are a rabid NBA fan or fan of a particular team, you won't appreciate just how exciting the last couple of playoff rounds could be. It just seems, in my opinion, that casual sports fans are not into the NBA. Bestest season evah? Possibly. Will it be remembered that way? Hardly.

[ShoogarBear]

On the flip side though, this season we have a lot of sub-par teams barely struggling at .500. There's a wide gap between the top 3 teams you listed and the rest of the NBA.

Yeah, it's a chicken-egg thing, but the usual measure of quality is not what's at the bottom but what's at the top.

If the NBA has three teams with 64-65 wins, which I don't think they've ever had, plus a couple of 55 wins teams in Phoenix and Miami, that's more than enough for an argument.

[ShoogarBear]

I think Shoogar makes some excellent points. However, the public perception of the NBA in general is still not great, so I think the parity at the very top will go unnoticed for the most part. Unless you are a rabid NBA fan or fan of a particular team, you won't appreciate just how exciting the last couple of playoff rounds could be. It just seems, in my opinion, that casual sports fans are not into the NBA. Bestest season evah? Possibly. Will it be remembered that way? Hardly.

You're right, but I was only trying to discuss the objective points.

If the teams in question were the Knicks, Celtics, and Lakers instead of the Spurs, Pistons, and Mavs, this thread wouldn't exist, because these points would have been shoved down our throats all year long.

[101A]

It kind of reminds me of the Celtics/Pistons/Lakers of the mid to late 80s. But I was a youngen so maybe my memory is off...

BIG difference: Each of those teams ultimately won a championship. Dallas won't during this era. Also, the Pistons gave the Celts fits the year PRIOR to getting over; they were right there. There is a larger gulf between SA/Detroit & Dallas. I think Barry's quote about Dallas playing an "easier" schedule than the other two is relevent.

[easjer]

The next 2.5 months are going to be fun. LET'S DO THIS!

Yeah!

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

Nice post, Shoogamasta!!

[JamStone]

ShoogarBear,

Interesting argument, and I agree that this could be the most compe ive the NBA has been AT THE TOP for a long time. There are a couple seasons that I would argue were better than this season (over the last 25 years, because I don't go back much further than the 1980s).

1998

Chicago: 62 wins
Utah: 62 wins
Seattle: 61 wins
LA Lakers: 61 wins

The Bulls were five time champs, so even though Utah had homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs, the Bulls were still heavily favored all season long. Utah was very strong that year, coming off of an NBA Finals appearnce. GP and the Rainman were big for Seattle that year. And, I think that was the season the Lakers sent four players to the all star game (Shaq, Kobe, Eddie, Van Exellent). I don't know if there had ever been FOUR 60 win teams in one season before that.


1985

Boston: 63 wins
LA Lakers: 62 wins
Philadelphia: 58 wins

Althouigh Philly didn't win 60 games, and ended up quite behind the Celtics and Lakers in terms of regular season wins, this season was probably the most special in one regard ...

All THREE of those top teams were FORMER NBA CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS. The Celtics, the Lakers, and the Sixers were the previous FIVE NBA championship teams. And, each team had gone to the NBA finals multiple times. Milwaukee also ended up with 59 wins that season, but there's no doubt that the three top teams included LA, Boston, and Philly.

Lakers: Magic, Kareem, Worthy
Celtics: Larry, Parish, DJ, McHale
Sixers: Dr. J, Moses, Andre Toney, Mo Cheeks, a young Sir Charles

Those were legendary line-ups.

I would say that was the "BESTEST" NBA season ever, in terms of compe ion at the very top of the league.

[whottt]

96-97 would be pretty close...

Heat won 61 games
Bulls won 69 games
Jazz won 64 games

I doubt we'll have 3 teams all win 65 games this year...

[alamo50]

Yes, I think this is Eva's best season.

[LilMissSPURfect]

Yes, I think this is Eva's best season.

she's into everything nowadays....

[LEONARD]

Good post...the next few months should be awesome...

I know a lot of people outside of Dallas don't like Cuban, but calling him an idiot is a bit off. He's extremely smart (all around, not specifically in an NBA sense)...

Maybe call him a jackass? He's certainly no idiot...

and he has calmed down a lot over the past few years...

BIG difference: Each of those teams ultimately won a championship. Dallas won't during this era.

Thanks for the tip...I'll stop watching them until the next era gets here...I didn't realize the future was already determined...

[ShoogarBear]

Yes, I think this is Eva's best season.

[ShoogarBear]

Maybe call him a jackass? He's certainly no idiot...

Point taken.

Good arguments on the other years suggested by JamStone and whottt (together again ).

1997 I believe was the record for most combined regular season wins by Finals opponents. This year should come in second.

[samikeyp]

Once again, Shoog proves that he is wise.

Great take brother. From here on out, it should be a lot of fun.

[ALVAREZ6]

-Mark Cuban and Dallas fans proven idiots

Very true

SPURS
Cons:

-Robert in' Horry

[Sportman]

-Tim and Manu unlikely to ever be 100% this year

I wouldnt be SO SURE about it. We just wait until the playoffs and then we look. Besides you never NEVER should underestimate the HEART of a CHAMPION.

[DET]

Please. Ginobili next to Jordan? What a joke.

[1Parker1]

Please. Ginobili next to Jordan? What a joke.