His flurry of baskets stopped a Jazz rally. RealGM Trade Checker™ Step 1: Select the Teams Choose at least two teams from the menus below to start your trade. Utah endured a cold spell on offense during the first quarter. nba. They are also the only team in NBA history to have won their first 15 postseason games—before LeBron and the Cavs took Game 4 by 21 points. "It's just streaming live the entire time. The Lakers dynasty nearly faced a breaking point early in the 1981-82 season. The NBA doesn't want the Super Bowl to turn into a superspreader. ", Duncan followed his stellar rookie season with a sensational playoff run that saw him play more than 43 minutes per game in. Their 15-1 record (.938) and average scoring margin (13) would have placed them second in our group in each category. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. After Detroit dispatched the Bucks and Bulls in 10 games, it was up to the Lakers to stop Thomas' club. "It's just streaming live the entire time. Of course, the Warriors had a lot to do with that. Still, the Lakers deserve serious consideration for defeating a Celtics squad coming off the greatest season in franchise history. The 1986 Boston Celtics are thought in some circles to be the greatest assemblage of talent and dominance in NBA history. That's utter dominance. Of course, several NBA players have been directly affected by COVID-19, including Jazz players Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, both of whom had it and then beat it. Had they focused their energy in the same direction and won five, six, or seven titles, would we be talking about the best dynasty ever? But which both faced a murderer's row of opponents and crushed them in dominating fashion? , scoring 23.2 points with 11.5 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game while earning Finals MVP. The Jazz won their ninth consecutive match when they swept aside the New York Knicks 108-94 on Tuesday despite a quiet night from Donovan Mitchell. To find out, we'll need a variety of mechanisms: Win-loss percentage, average scoring margin, opponent win-loss percentage and Hall of Famers faced are equally ranked. After Patrick Beverley's recent comments, we delve into whether or not LeBron James really runs the show. And, from what we understand, the league execs and owners are meeting Thursday morning to figure out a … The 2017 Warriors are first on our list in win/loss percentage and average scoring margin. The Pistons took what was in front of them and dominated. The 76ers have an argument for climbing as high as fourth because of their strength of schedule, win-loss percentage and the array of Hall of Famers they had to fight past, but the fact remains that they only needed 12 wins to blaze through the NBA playoffs. O'Neale punctuated the run with three straight baskets, giving Utah a 100-84 lead with 5:19 remaining. Each of the squads below won the title—because it don't mean a thing if you ain't got that ring—and each inarguably rests among the greatest groups of all time. OPP: MIN (25-25), LAL (31-19), POR (35-15), NYK (27-23), HOF: Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal (ninth). Preston Ellis covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Conley and Bojan Bogdanovic rallied the Jazz, combining for 22 points during the third quarter. The NBA has now postponed 23 games this season, 22 since Jan. 10. LeBron James and his Cleveland Cavaliers squad faced the most exceptional regular-season team ever in the NBA Finals. 53.9m Followers, 991 Following, 38.8k Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from NBA (@nba) Mitchell finished with nine points on 3-for-15 shooting as Boomer Ingles had two rebounds, six assists and seven points during his 27 minutes on court. Splitting hairs between eras while drizzling on apparent subjectivity can create a lovely house for debate but doesn't definitively provide answers. Had they focused their energy in the same direction and won five, six, or seven titles, would we be talking about the best dynasty ever? "I have gone to a hotel to visit a professional athlete before. They formed a dynasty; that much is true. Following trial run last season, NBA decides to keep coach’s challenge in place. Ingles had a season-high 21 points - all from three-pointers - and eight assists as the Jazz won their 10th straight game to move to 14-4 after a slow start to the season. The Warriors were so upset about their 3-1 collapse in 2016 that they hired the league's second-best player, Kevin Durant, to reinforce their 73-win roster. After Patrick Beverley's recent comments, we delve into whether or not LeBron James really runs the show. consecutive playoffs—making Chicago's conference finals sweep of the '91 Bad Boys that much sweeter. FILE - Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) and guards J.J. Barea (5) and Deron Williams (8) react to scoring a basket during the second quarter of a … That, plus only needing 12 wins, kept them from cracking the top 10. All but three of their wins came by 12 points or more. OPP: MIA (42-40), NYK (47-35), ORL (60-22), SEA (64-18), HOF: Alonzo Mourning, Patrick Ewing, Shaquille O'Neal, Gary Payton (tied-sixth). Defeating the Warriors and overcoming the odds gives the Cavaliers credence, but their win-loss percentage and average scoring margin hold significant weight. The Jazz trailed by as many 15 points in the first half, but they grabbed the lead for good when they opened the fourth quarter with a 20-3 run. Indiana also … 99.8k Likes, 4,664 Comments - Gilbert Arenas (@no.chill.gil) on Instagram: “@dbook from a killer to the future...if u wanna be an all star then ur complaint is correct BUT if…” However, the Lakers couldn't meet the challenge without Byron Scott, who missed the series because of a hamstring injury, and Magic, who played just five minutes in the final two games of the series sweep. Joe Ingles has played a key role as the red-hot Utah Jazz downed Dallas 116-104 to move above the Los Angeles Lakers into top spot on the NBA's western conference standings. The … Despite dropping just two games in their playoff run, the Spurs lost one early to Kevin Garnett and his .500 Minnesota Timberwolves in a nine-point loss. FILE - Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) and guards J.J. Barea (5) and Deron Williams (8) react to scoring a basket during the second quarter of a … OPP: POR (50-32), SAC (55-27), SAS (58-24), PHI (56-26), HOF: Scottie Pippen, Arvydas Sabonis, Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Allen Iverson, Dikembe Mutombo (tied-third). NBA Playoff Bracket - RealGM. OPP: DET (44-38), ATL (48-34), TOR (56-26), GSW (73-9), HOF: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Kyle Lowry (tied-sixth). in the 1993 Finals against Jordan's Bulls. The NBA is planning to play a 72-game season followed by playoffs that would run through mid-July, which could put the league on pace to return to its … This Kobe-Shaq L.A. squad was the only one of our group to face four 50-win teams, and it did so without losing a game in regulation. SB Nation's Tim Cato laid out all of the evidence, and it's pretty convincing. Still, they wrapped up the series on Father's Day with a 12-point victory. He's … Boston. Noah played with the Chicago Bulls from 2007-2016 before signing with the New York Knicks . I want to be traded.". Stats via NBA.com, Basketball Reference, Cleaning the Glass and ESPN unless otherwise noted. Julius Randle had 18 points and 10 rebounds and RJ Barrett scored 17 in the Knicks' third straight loss. The Atlanta Hawks scored a 108-99 win over the Los Angeles Clippers with Trae Young (38 points) and De'Andre Hunter (22 points) leading the way. The Jazz trailed by as many 15 points in the first half, but they grabbed the lead for good when they opened the fourth quarter with a 20-3 run. The Bulls followed that with an equally dominant playoff run before taking their proverbial foot off the gas at the last moment. But unlike those Suns, the '91 Bulls came back to win the series. They made only six baskets in the first 12 minutes. Aug 28, 2020 - 78.6k Likes, 2,764 Comments - NBA 2K (@nba2k) on Instagram: “Run in the park at 2K Beach and ball from HS to college to the NBA We're 7 days away from…” Indiana also … OPP: DEN (37-45), GSW (42-40), SEA (39-43), BOS (59-23), HOF: Alex English, Chris Mullin, Larry Bird, Dennis Johnson, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish (tied-third). postseason games—before LeBron and the Cavs took Game 4 by 21 points. I want to be traded. A 12-point loss at the hands of Dominique Wilkins in the Eastern Conference Semifinals also affected Boston's placement, as did the team's, The Celtics didn't finish inside the top five in any categories of difficulty or scoring margin. OPP: PHX (46-36), SAS (48-34), PHI (58-24), HOF: Dennis Johnson, George Gervin, Julius Erving, Bobby Jones. Of course, the Warriors did benefit from a depleted Spurs squad that got just 24 minutes from Kawhi Leonard—which was the main reason he was not included in the Hall of Fame list—and was without Tony Parker and Duncan (retired). Still, they wrapped up the series on Father's Day with a 12-point victory. Then-third-year player Magic Johnson publicly demanded out of Los Angeles because of tensions with head coach Paul Westhead in November 1981. Quando Rondo, Young Thug How would their legacies have been impacted? This Kobe-Shaq L.A. squad was the only one of our group to face four 50-win teams, and it did so without losing a game in regulation. The definitiveness of the 2001 Lakers' postseason run is inarguable. To the dismay of Celtics fans, this team's ranking is significantly impacted by the record of Michael Jordan's Bulls, who managed just 30 regular-season wins. In fact, it took a. overtime performance from Allen Iverson in 53 minutes for the Lakers to fall in just one contest. That's utter dominance. The Pistons started their playoff run with a three-game sweep of the Celtics (without Bird). That simply isn't enough to qualify them ahead of the remaining nine. OPP: NYK (39-43), PHI (44-38), DET (50-32), LAL (58-24), HOF: Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, Joe Dumars, Dennis Rodman, Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, James Worthy (second). Despite dropping just two games in their playoff run, the Spurs, early to Kevin Garnett and his .500 Minnesota Timberwolves in a nine-point loss. After breezing past two first-ballot Hall of Famers in Patrick Ewing and Charles Barkley in just eight games, Jordan faced his nemesis in the 50-win Detroit Pistons. Bogdanovic hit a pair of 3-pointers. The four totals are tallied together to rank each of the 10 teams in our discussion. Compelling new book by The West Australian’s Tim Clarke. "I want to leave. Despite that, the Bucks also faced one of the softest schedules. Bradley Beal, the league's leading scorer, tallied 33 points on 12-of-28 shooting, while Russell Westbrook, traded for Wall in the offseason, added 19 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. Dictating a hierarchy in NBA history can be an exercise in futility. After San Antonio took a 2-0 lead against the eighth-seeded Knicks, Allan Houston exploded for 34 points to steal Game 3 and keep the Spurs from rising higher in our rankings. We're talking about the greatest playoff runs ever. The 1995-96 Bulls boasted the greatest player of all time at the peak of his powers. Playoff teams from before the 1984 expansion can not be placed higher than 10th. After Utah cut the deficit to 36-32 on back-to-back layups from Ingles and Gobert, Rivers made three 3-pointers to fuel a 12-2 run that extended the Knicks' lead to 48-34 midway through the quarter. The truth is that these Pistons were one of the best teams ever, equipped with versatility, playmaking and a legendary defense that saw them win 63 regular-season games while dropping just two postseason contests to Jordan's Bulls in 1989 by a combined eight points. After a 14-1 performance that saw just one loss to the New York Knicks in the semifinals, these Bulls went up 3-0 against the Sonics to nearly solidify the best postseason run ever. The second-seeded 55-win Dallas Mavericks appeared to be on a collision course with the Lakers, only to be surprised in the first round by the, Seattle SuperSonics in four games (best of five series). The Spurs followed that letdown by winning 12 consecutive games, including sweeps of the Kobe Bryant-Shaquille O'Neal Lakers, and the Rasheed Wallace-Damon Stoudamire-Jermaine O'Neal Blazers. Cotton calls in federal help for Olympic dream, NBA guard to serve 120-days for gun threat, Gleeson closes in on two records in one day, Ball on target from arc in Hornets NBA win. 2017 Golden State Warriors. NBA Playoff History - RealGM. Dame time running out g George did lead the Pacers to Game 7 of the 2013 Eastern Conference finals, losing to the eventual-champion Heat. OPP: SFW (41-41), LAL (48-34), BAL (42-40), HOF: Jerry Lucas, Nate Thurmond, Wilt Chamberlain, Gail Goodrich, Gus Johnson, Earl Monroe, Wes Unseld. 10 of 11. The Celtics didn't finish inside the top five in any categories of difficulty or scoring margin. Their 15-1 record (.938) and average scoring margin (. ) Their 82 collective victories were the most in history then too. 469k Likes, 911 Comments - • #WholeNewGame • (@nba) on Instagram: “@bolbol runs the @nuggets break to set up @nvonleh! Led by LeBron James and Anthony Davis, this Lakers team embraced the "Mamba Mentality," honoring the unstoppable drive of the late Kobe Bryant in their pursuit of a championship. The Lakers failed to earn a spot in our top 10 because of their soft strength of schedule, average scoring margin and abridged playoff format. , breathing new life into the Sonics and forcing the Bulls from second on our list to fifth. In fact, it took a 48-point overtime performance from Allen Iverson in 53 minutes for the Lakers to fall in just one contest. While playing in a diluted 30-team league that had just added two franchises (Raptors and Grizzlies), Jordan capitalized with 72 regular-season wins, an NBA record that held for 20 years. Duncan followed his stellar rookie season with a sensational playoff run that saw him play more than 43 minutes per game in 17 contests, scoring 23.2 points with 11.5 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game while earning Finals MVP. O'Neale punctuated the run with three straight baskets, giving Utah a 100-84 lead with 5:19 remaining. deserves a seat at the table but doesn't crack the top eight. Over time Instagram has grown from a trendy teen hangout to a marketing heavyweight and is by now the second most used platform after Facebook by total time spent on there. © West Australian Newspapers Limited 2020. The Bucks, armed with greats Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and Oscar Robertson, obliterated opponents by an average scoring margin that surpassed every other contender on our list. Our question is simple, if unoriginal: Which teams had the best playoff runs ever? Would the Pistons sit this high on our list without injuries to two top-five all-time players? NBA News: The Bulls hit a home run with the hire of former Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Bill Donovan. Conley made four baskets, assisted on a pair, and hit four free throws during the quarter. Isiah Thomas, Dennis Rodman and Joe Dumars had previously expelled these Bulls in three consecutive playoffs—making Chicago's conference finals sweep of the '91 Bad Boys that much sweeter. OPP: CHI (30-51), ATL (50-32), MIL (57-25), HOU (51-31), HOF: Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Sidney Moncrief, Hakeem Olajuwon, Ralph Sampson (fifth). Fast-forward to 1982, and the Lakers put together 57 wins and eight straight playoff victories en route to the NBA Finals. With splashy moves, the Brooklyn Nets are poised for a run at the 2021 NBA title The Nets are the team to watch this offseason. The dog's on a leash! That Kobe and Shaq won just three championships in eight years should speak to the divide between the two. Differences aside, the two came together in 2001 to make the best playoff run of all time. The 1998-99 NBA champions popularly associated with the dreaded asterisk—thanks to a lockout-shortened season—boasted first-ballot Hall of Famers at power forward and center in David Robinson and Tim Duncan. Preston Ellis covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Ingles had a season-high 21 points - all from three-pointers - and eight assists as the Jazz won their 10th straight game to move to 14-4 after a slow start to the season. Fate and perhaps a bit of good luck (Draymond Green suspension) intervened, and the Cavaliers prevented the Warriors from pulling off what arguably could have become the greatest single season. How would their legacies have been impacted? They formed a dynasty; that much is true. They're wearing masks! Legacy: The Los Angeles Lakers’ Unforgettable Run to the 2020 NBA Title takes fans through the unpredictable and remarkable 2019-2020 season which put them rightfully back on top. @nba: “@jaytatum0 runs the floor to catch the oop in GAME 7 on TNT! We just can't compare three rounds of excellence with four. Still, that two-point blemish plus a two-point loss to the 76ers pushes the Bulls to third in our group. Portland Trail Blazers are involved in a dog-fight to bag the eighth seed in the west with Grizzlies, Spurs, Suns and the Pelicans.