If OKC wins the title, is it the hardest path to a 'ship in NBA History?

[Kal El]

Dirk's Mavs were an appetizer in the first round.

But running through a 67 win Spurs team, a 73 win record setting Warriors team coming off a 'ship with the league MVP, and Bron's #1 seed Cavs at full strength is damn near impossible.

Name a team that's had a harder path to an O'Brien trophy. You can't.

 

[Amare's Right Hook]

Yes

 

[Surreal]

Mavs 2011

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

Mavs 2011

Nah, this OKC team most certainly has a harder path. It's not even close.

 

[Surreal]

Nah, this OKC team most certainly has a harder path. It's not even close.

2011 Mavs, 88 Lakers, 95 Rockets, 83 Sixers

 

[inndaskKy]

They facing some good teams, except for this bum ass Warriors squad of pretenders of course.

 

[an emissary from hell]

Up there with the 95 Rockets if they go all the way

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

2011 Mavs, 88 Lakers, 95 Rockets, 83 Sixers

OKC have to go through:

a 67-win Spurs team
a 73-win Warriors team (which had the most dominant regular season of all-time)
a prime Lebron-led team with two elite scoring options and one of the most talented squads of the modern era.

Era, style and matchup differences aside - NO team in the history of the league has had a more difficult path. I don't see how it's up for debate.

 

[Cladyclad]

It's not even close. OKC are facing 2 teams that avg 70 wins. That's crazy. And if they survived this. They get the best player in the world along with 2 other guys that are arguably top 5 at their positions.

 

[Surreal]

OKC have to go through:

a 67-win Spurs team
a 73-win Warriors team (which had the most dominant regular season of all-time)
a prime Lebron-led team with two elite scoring options and one of the most talented squads of the modern era.

Era, style and matchup differences aside - NO team in the history of the league has had a more difficult path. I don't see how it's up for debate.

Nope.

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

Nope.

Yeah that's what I thought.

 

[KnickstapeCity]

@Blackthoughts

 

[gluvnast]

Up there with the 95 Rockets if they go all the way

Came in to say this....

 

[Professor Emeritus]

OKC have to go through:

a 67-win Spurs team
a 73-win Warriors team (which had the most dominant regular season of all-time)
a prime Lebron-led team with two elite scoring options and one of the most talented squads of the modern era.

Era, style and matchup differences aside - NO team in the history of the league has had a more difficult path. I don't see how it's up for debate.

If we're only looking at pure strength of schedule, and no other factors.

I don't see how you argue anything else.

Would permanently change my impression of practically every player on the Thunder roster (except maybe Durant) if they pulled it off. It's like they suddenly changed into something different than they were before. Even Waiters has been a positive factor repeatedly!

 

[Damnshow]

OKC have to go through:

a 67-win Spurs team
a 73-win Warriors team (which had the most dominant regular season of all-time)
a prime Lebron-led team with two elite scoring options and one of the most talented squads of the modern era.

Era, style and matchup differences aside - NO team in the history of the league has had a more difficult path. I don't see how it's up for debate.

absolutely, lmao at anyone considering other team runs as the harder ones.

If they make it to the finals.....We are talking about beating a 65+ team coached by arguably the greatest coach of all time, and then beating a greatest regular season team of all time, this is a no brainer...all of this done with a rookie nba coach who had huge 4th quarter problems in the regular season.