True Anomaly said:

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MuckRaker96 said:

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94chem said:

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b) When Dirk won in '11, he actually did do it alone.

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I guess I'm not remembering Dirk averaging 100 points per game that year.

What I do remember is Jason Terry torching the Heat for 27 points in the series-winning Game 6 while Dirk was clanking away to the tune of 9 for 27 from the field.

Maybe you were being sarcastic, otherwise that's a pretty low basketball IQ statement to make.

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The Mavs 2011 championship team was an exemplary model of the concept of "TEAM". Dirk was the leader, but so many role players who assisted him during the playoffs. Dirk didn't do it alone

Was Jason Kidd a scrub?
Was Shawn Marion a scrub?
Was Tyson Chandler a scrub?

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I have tremendous love for all of those guys. It was definitely a blue collar team. None of those guys were scrubs, and all of those guys were essential and huge parts to why they won in 2011. But they were also all the reasons why Dallas went into that season +2000 to win the championship, compared to Miami (+175) and the Lakers (+250).

Looking at the last 20 years of winners, Kobe had Shaq and then Pau Gasol.
Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili ran the league, and then they had Kawhi.
Lebron created the first "super team" with Wade and Bosh.
Seth Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and then Durrant were unstoppable.
Detroit had peak Chauncy Billups, Ben Wallace, Richard Hamilton, and Rasheed Wallace.
Cleveland paired Lebron with Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving.
Even Toronto paired Kawhi with Ibaka, Lowry, and Siakam.


I think that 2011 Dallas team was full of guys you'd like to have as 4th or 5th guys on your roster, or maybe the best man coming off the bench for your championship team. I don't know that 2011 Dallas had anyone paired with Dirk that is in the same league as the other names on this list. Really, the only team that would be comparable would be the 2008 Celtics.

In addition to validation for Dirk, I love the 2011 Mavs because those guys did epitomize team basketball. It was incredible to watch. I also happen to think it was one of the most unlikely NBA championships in the modern game, and that's because Dallas did it without a #2.

Lots of quality veterans and an absolute maestro with Carlisle in 2011. But #2? JET was a very good player, but yeah, he's not what we think of as the traditional NBA championship #2. As already hashed upon, you'd take almost every other "#2" from the past 20 years before getting to JET.

94chem said:

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There wasn't a player on the 2011 Mavs that you would draft as a #2 player on a contender. They were consummate pros, not stars.

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Other than Dirk....

MW03 said:

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Lebron created the first "super team" with Wade and Bosh.

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I think the 2008 Celtics get credit for the first "super team" with Pierce, Garnett, and Allen.

Bob Loblaws Law Blog said:

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MW03 said:

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Lebron created the first "super team" with Wade and Bosh.

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I think the 2008 Celtics get credit for the first "super team" with Pierce, Garnett, and Allen.

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If its 3 stars to make a super team, the Spurs retirement party would like to have a word with you

In reality, there were 'super teams' in the 80's and 90's where teams had 3 or more guys who were annual All-Stars.

The Bird, McHale, Parish Celtics, the Magic, Worth, Scott Lakers, the Jordan, Pippen, Rodman Bulls, and so forth.

Both Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett were traded to Boston. Not a super team by 2010 Miami Heat standards. Ray Allen missed half of the previous year too, so it wasn't like they were all plotting to build something at the peak of their powers.

Teams with 3 or more HOFers are no longer a super team of it was done via player to player recruiting?[/head explodes

Yall are difficult

McDadeTXAggie said:

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Teams with 3 or more HOFers are no longer a super team of it was done via player to player recruiting?[/head explodes

Yall are difficult

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I think I'm just getting old and these manufactured Avengers teams get boring. I like guys wanting to beat the best. Guys coming up together wanting to win it all eventually. I don't want to see Magic meet Larry in a Miami nightclub after the 1984 finals to talk about teaming up and how many titles they can win together. I want them to hate each other and later become best friends.

Or maybe I just still think what KD did was seriously lame.

It's terrible. I hate it. They need to create a much bigger Bird rule type salary gap (and cap relief) to incent guys to stay where they are. It needs to put the existing franchise in position to make the type of offer where it will financially hurt the player like an absolute motherfo to walk. This super team crap is garbage

Bingo Bango Bongo said:

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It's terrible. I hate it. They need to create a much bigger Bird rule type salary gap (and cap relief) to incent guys to stay where they are. It needs to put the existing franchise in position to make the type of offer where it will financially hurt the player like an absolute motherfo to walk. This super team crap is garbage

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I dont mind it because the league is loaded with talent unlike we've ever seen. Its not like there's only 1 or 2 "super teams"

The Lakers look solid and they only have 2 guys that are amazing. Howard is old and Kuzma is inconsistent/young

Most of the playoff teams have 2 or 3 HOFers that are still in their prime

Not sure if MJ ever lost by 34 in the playoffs...he is probably more Harden than MJ....

Defense wins titles.

Edit: math fail...43, my bad...

Was gonna say, don't think leveraging what Jordan was doing in his age 21 year season is a great strategy considering it took him until he was 25 years old to get his second playoff win. Especially not after what happened in the last game.

Also, completely ignoring the fact that no one is saying Luka is MJ. Just that he's a great player already and more fun to watch than sleepy beard.

He lost by 43...he is the sleepy beard. I've lived with this for several years...y'all enjoy it, but until he learns how to play on both ends you can join me on the losers couch every year.

Misery loves company, but no one here's taking the bait.

The biggest WTF? On the Clipper's side this series had been Paul George playing like James Harden did in Game 6 vs the Kawhi-less Spurs in 2017.

Finally Paul George showed up last night.

Note: I am not a Mavs or Rockets fan specifically, just a huge hoops fan who loves watching compelling games and players, but couldn't help myself there with the above jab given some of the amusing back and forth on this thread.