Toughest Road to NBA Finals Ever

[Remote]

I guess nobody gonna say 2002-2003 Spurs.

Because running thru prime Shaq and prime Kobe was easy work.

:umadduncan:

@duckbutta @Zyne @Da King @Cycloneon @malbaker86 @AlbertPullhoez @360dagod @BodieBroadus

 

[TYBG]

Edit - wrong thread

 

[AlbertPullhoez]

I guess nobody gonna say 2002-2003 Spurs.

Because running thru prime Shaq and prime Kobe was easy work.

:umadduncan:

@duckbutta @Zyne @Da King @Cycloneon @malbaker86 @AlbertPullhoez @360dagod @BodieBroadus

Beat the Mavs with Dirk/Nash/Finley too

 

[Mentch15]

I guess nobody gonna say 2002-2003 Spurs.

Because running thru prime Shaq and prime Kobe was easy work.

:umadduncan:

@duckbutta @Zyne @Da King @Cycloneon @malbaker86 @AlbertPullhoez @360dagod @BodieBroadus

That was clearly the weakest Laker team of the 2000-04 teams. They almost lost to the Wolves in the 1st round. And the Nets were kind of a joke of a Finals opponent

 

[Mantis Toboggan M.D.]

Beat the Mavs with Dirk/Nash/Finley too

Dirk missed half the series

I guess nobody gonna say 2002-2003 Spurs.

Because running thru prime Shaq and prime Kobe was easy work.

:umadduncan:

@duckbutta @Zyne @Da King @Cycloneon @malbaker86 @AlbertPullhoez @360dagod @BodieBroadus

That lakers team wasn’t anything memorable though. They won 50 games, were 19th in total defense, and were paper thin with their 3rd and 4th leading scorers on the season combining to average 17 points and 17 points in the semifinals against the spurs. I think they were projected based on their roster to go 48-34. Basically they had 2 good players on the team

 

[Da King]

I guess nobody gonna say 2002-2003 Spurs.

Because running thru prime Shaq and prime Kobe was easy work.

:umadduncan:

@duckbutta @Zyne @Da King @Cycloneon @malbaker86 @AlbertPullhoez @360dagod @BodieBroadus

 

[CarltonJunior]

Kobe was washed by now & struggled in the previous series against the Hornets.



KD & Russ were 22, Harden was 21.



Not part of the "road to the Finals" but

This series will always be remembered more for LeBron choking though.

Washed?

 

[Professor Emeritus]

I know the consensus seems to be the Rockets but was looking for that Coli feedback.

And I don't even necessarily mean which team faced the best competition but which team just had tough ass, drag em out, 6 & 7 game dogfight series all throughout the playoffs. Any ones come to mind for y'all?

As long as we're just talking dogfights, has no one mentioned the 1988 Lakers yet?

The Jazz went up 2-1 and took them to Game 7 in the West Semis, Bryon Scott and James Worthy combined for 52 in that one to bail them out.

Then the Mavs took them to Game 7 in the WCF, again Byron and Worthy combined for 50 in Game 7 to put it away.

Then the Pistons went up 3-2 on them in the Finals before the Lakers fought back 103-102 and 108-105 to win it all. Worthy had his ridiculous 36-16-10 game in Game 7 and Byron put in another 21.

I don't remember any other team needing three straight 7-game series to finish off a title.

 

[Remote]

That was clearly the weakest Laker team of the 2000-04 teams. They almost lost to the Wolves in the 1st round. And the Nets were kind of a joke of a Finals opponent

Dirk missed half the series


That lakers team wasn’t anything memorable though. They won 50 games, were 19th in total defense, and were paper thin with their 3rd and 4th leading scorers on the season combining to average 17 points and 17 points in the semifinals against the spurs. I think they were projected based on their roster to go 48-34. Basically they had 2 good players on the team

So prime Shaq and prime Kobe (two top ten players ever if you believe some of the stans on this site) couldn’t carry them over San Antonio?



Frankly I’m fine with both options


Either the Spurs beat a team with 2 all time greats or that Lakers dynasty was overrated

:umadduncan:

 

[MJ Truth]

95 rockets they had to win as the road underdog every series

Yeah, that's difficult and all, but they were also the defending champions, and it's not necessarily like they had a trash ass regular season because they had a lack of talent or something, plus they made a major in-season trade acquisition in Clyde Drexler.

 

[martin payne]

sp*rs

 

[BodieBroadus]

sp*rs

We been over this PJ asterisk shyt.

Can’t neg. Should report.

 

[The_Third_Man]

Same can be said for the 2011 mavs. Every team the mavs beat would beat every team the rockets beat. Can you imagine the thunder or the heat vs those squads

the Thunder were too young.

 

[Mantis Toboggan M.D.]

So prime Shaq and prime Kobe (two top ten players ever if you believe some of the stans on this site) couldn’t carry them over San Antonio?



Frankly I’m fine with both options


Either the Spurs beat a team with 2 all time greats or that Lakers dynasty was overrated

:umadduncan:

The 2002-03 lakers weren’t that good . They were a below average defense and had no depth beyond two players. It should have been either Dallas or Sacramento that year but both Dirk and Webber got injured during the playoffs.

 

[swyyyguy]

The 1995 Rockets also swept the Magic with Shaq/Penny who beat the Bulls with Jordan/Pippen.

95 Rockets were the 6th seed & a 47 win team yet they beat Malone/Stockton Jazz in the First Round, Chuck/KJ Suns in the Semis & the 62 Win Spurs led by the reigning MVP David Robinson.

Then they swept Shaq/Penny in the Finals.

They defeated 3 different 60 win teams during that run to the Finals with multiple HOFs in their prime.

The ‘95 Rockets.

They beat two 60-win teams, and a team that won 59 games to win the nba title. And they did all of that without having homecourt advantage.