Greg Popovich Agrees That NBA Champions Are Not The "World Champions"

[Euroleague]

http://mavsblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/01/why-spurs-popovich-says-mavs-are-not-wor.html

Why Spurs' Popovich says Mavs are not world champions


Just call them champs: Recall that a few days before the season, Mavericks forward Shawn Marion said that the national media wasn't showing the Mavericks proper respect in the wake of their first NBA title.

"I want y'all to address me like that from now on -- world champion," Marion said that day.

Well, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has a pet peeve about people interchanging "NBA" and "world" in front of "champion."

True world champions, Popovich points out, are teams that win the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) tournament played in non-Olympic years.

"Those guys are world champions, but the Dallas Mavericks and Spurs and Lakers and Miami, whatever, are NBA champions," Popovich said. Popovich, who has won four NBA championships, said before Thursday night's game that he was unaware of Marion's request to be addressed as world champion.

"I'll have to tell him tonight," Popovich said. "I sent him a note [this summer] to congratulate him, but he isn't a world champion."

[tpols]

The U.S. won the FIBA tournament anyways..

[AirTupac]

America SMASHED AND DESTROYED Spain.

So Mavs = Champs
America = Champs

[Eric Cartman]

The best player on the Mavs was German & Barea who was a key piece is puertorican so i have no problem to call them World Champions.

They would destroy ANY TEAM IN THE WORLD.

[Brujesino]

Do you bring anything else to this forum besides NBA vs Euroleague stuff?

[(e)]

NBA: Where the best players in the world play

[Euroleague]

The U.S. won the FIBA tournament anyways..

Since when is Team USA comprised of the current NBA championship team's roster? I'm pretty sure that the Dallas Mavericks didn't win that tournament.

[Euroleague]

The best player on the Mavs was German & Barea who was a key piece is puertorican so i have no problem to call them World Champions.

They would destroy ANY TEAM IN THE WORLD.


Yet, they only played against teams from USA and Canada. Since when did the USA/Canada = "the world"?

[Euroleague]

Do you bring anything else to this forum besides NBA vs Euroleague stuff?

This thread has absolutely nothing to do with the Euroleague.

[Xyph]

NBA has the best athletes from across the world. So when you have an NBA champion, its the best of the best from across the world. Euroleague would be like "City champions"

[9512]

Winning the NBA title = "League Champions" or "NBA Champions"

LOL @ "World Champions"

[Eric Cartman]

The best players in the world play in the NBA

FACT.

[Xyph]

Greg Popovich dipped from scrub Euroleague cause he knew it was awful.

[ikoiko]

The best players in the world play in the NBA

FACT.

that doesn't change anything.

the winner of the fiba world championship are the world champions.

the winner of the nba championship are the nba champions.

see the logic there?

[Sarcastic]

Why can't you just admit that the best basketball players in the world are from the US?

[Euroleague]

The best players in the world play in the NBA

FACT.

The NBA champions only play against teams from USA/Canada.

FACT.

[LEFT4DEAD]

I have to agree on this one. "World champions" is just silly. Imagine if winner of Champions League in soccer, the best league in the world, smt similiar as NBA in bball, is called the World champion. Maybe they should make small tournament for the best teams from each continent, and than it would be called like that. But now, naw, they are not "World champions".

[Timmy D for MVP]

I think it's a stupid semantic argument and anyone who really honestly gets offended or angered by it should check their priorities.

Glad we got that out of the way. :cheers:

[Fiba basketball]

Nba champion and Euroleague champion should play for the world champion title .

[Walker]

This thread has absolutely nothing to do with the Euroleague.
Yes it does.
It's yet another thinly veiled attempt by you to say the NBA is not the best league in the world.

Like another posted alluded to you bring nothing to this board other than trying to troll users about a league NO ONE CARES ABOUT.

This is a NBA forum, what exactly will it take to get that through your head?
If you hate the NBA so much explain why you're here other than trying to insite arguements?

[JGXEN]

Cut the crap and lets do this guys
http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/report.php?p=6706015

[BlackWhiteGreen]

Yeah.... you can't be the world champions of something that's only played in 2 countries. Yes they probably are the best club team in the world. But they haven't won a world championship. I don't like how American teams do that. MLB can though, cos no one else gives a shit about baseball.

[Jyap9675]

I think it's a stupid semantic argument and anyone who really honestly gets offended or angered by it should check their priorities.

Glad we got that out of the way. :cheers:

This

[niko]

Yeah.... you can't be the world champions of something that's only played in 2 countries. Yes they probably are the best club team in the world. But they haven't won a world championship. I don't like how American teams do that. MLB can though, cos no one else gives a shit about baseball.
Japan has a baseball league so no, that doesn't work. BTW, this is Popovich. You know he got a stupid question so he was being saracastic, right?

And Euroleague, when there was a lockout, and people might have been interested in European BBall, all you did was act like a ****ing idiot and explain to us how American players would suck. Well, we heard you, didn't care and now the NBA is back. So just go away. NO ONE CARES. Do you see me in EPL threads arguing how underrated the Russian League is?

[Blue&Orange]

There's a reason Popovich is a great coach, he is smart dude.

The "World Champions" thing makes me laugh, it' idiotic, even more when it's used in sports that only the US play. It kind of reminds me the fat kid that doesn't get picked and goes to his room and makes himself world champion of something. It seems to be a overcompensation for sucking real bad on the biggest sport on the planet, the one that really matters.

Everyone knows Barcelona FC is the best soccer team in world, people that follow many sports will even acknowledge that it's the best "sports" team in the world, but they were called world champions only after defeating the best teams from all continents... because it's what makes sense.

[GOBB]

Speaking for myself I dont care about the saying world champions. If a team uses it? So be it. Doesnt bother me.

This goes for any sport across the globe. A crickett team could call themselves world champions. I'm not going to see if it played enough teams internationally to qualify for the saying. Its really not that big of a deal at the end of the day.

Folks say its a silly saying? I guess, but I think its a silly argument. Does it bother you THAT much? Or are you just a smartass where you want someone to just acknowledge "You are right." but the one constant is neither side really cares.

[BlackWhiteGreen]

Japan has a baseball league so no, that doesn't work. BTW, this is Popovich. You know he got a stupid question so he was being saracastic, right?

And Euroleague, when there was a lockout, and people might have been interested in European BBall, all you did was act like a ****ing idiot and explain to us how American players would suck. Well, we heard you, didn't care and now the NBA is back. So just go away. NO ONE CARES. Do you see me in EPL threads arguing how underrated the Russian League is?

Well, if 3 countries play a sport professionally, it must be huge.

But he's right :confusedshrug: you aren't world champions if youve played teams from 2 countries. Premier League is the best football league in the world, are Manchester United World Champions? No, Barca (and Spain, I guess) are.

[themurph]

What is your problem?

[Rake2204]

I think it's a stupid semantic argument and anyone who really honestly gets offended or angered by it should check their priorities.

Glad we got that out of the way. :cheers:
I agree. I don't know of anyone who takes the term "World Champions" literally. Even as a child, I knew if the Detroit Pistons were "World Champions" it just meant they won the NBA championship, not some world-wide tournament.

We had a thread on this no more than a week ago. And I agree "World Champions" is totally inaccurate, but I don't think it birthed from some sort of collective elitist American viewpoint. Rather, I've always sort of assumed it was developed by some NBA representative in the 1950's who wanted to create an extra draw to the game. As I said in the other thread, to someone trying to sell the league, what sounds better: "Come watch the winners of last year's league tournament!" or "Come watch the World Champions!"

But to reiterate, again, I don't think anyone puts stock into the term "World Champion". It is indeed a matter of semantics in my opinion.

Here's a link to the original topic: http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=246108

[sodap]

football (soccer):
champions league is the biggest competition in football. whoever wins it, is probably the best team in the world, but its not the "world champions", its the "european club champions". world club championship is another competition between champions from every continent.


nba is restricted to the US so they cant be the world champions

[R.I.P.]

If Team USA didn

[triangleoffense]

It's clearly world champion. NBA is the preeminent premiere league of basketball in the world. The NBA champion would wipe the floor with every international FIBA there out there short of the American team so yes I would call them world champs.

[Cangri]

It's clearly world champion. NBA is the preeminent premiere league of basketball in the world. The NBA champion would wipe the floor with every international FIBA there out there short of the American team so yes I would call them world champs.
This, no team out there would beat the NBA champions in a 7 game series.

[ThemBombs]

we are the defending FIBA and Olympic champions, the champs can call themselves whatever the flying **** they want, dickwad

[Nash]

In order for them to be world champions, teams from all over the world should have the opportunity to participate.

[shadow]

I agree with Pop, It makes no sense to say world champion. Even if the NBA is the premiere league in the world, it's still not the same thing as if it were an actual international competition. It just reeks of arrogance to claim that.

I know a couple of people said that no team can beat the NBA champions...well consider that last year's champions would be without their best player who would be playing for Germany & the champs for two years before that would be lost without their second best player who'd be playing for the Spanish team. It's not that simple.

[Rameek]

Yeah.... you can't be the world champions of something that's only played in 2 countries. Yes they probably are the best club team in the world. But they haven't won a world championship. I don't like how American teams do that. MLB can though, cos no one else gives a shit about baseball.
Wrong on the baseball front. Baseball has the world baseball classic which is still in its infancy but each country brings a team in and that decides who the world champion is. Baseball isnt a World Series per se it should have been MLB or North America Series initally. Currently MLB is an international sport unlike basketball.

World wide no one gives a crap if an American basketball champion calls themselves world champions. Americans in general are xenophobes when it comes to sports and most things in general.

You definitely couldnt get away with it in Football because thats truly an international sport like baseball. Countries have been playing these sports longer than basketball, similar to American Football.

[niko]

Anyone who thinks this is some sort of "problem" that needs to be rectified is a moron. 100%.

[vinvin01]

Well Pop is right. This has nothing to do with NBA being the best league in the world (because NBA is the best league in the world there's no doubt about it).

It's just that the World Champion is the best national team in the world. I mean, the team that wins Euroleague is not Europe Champion, it's Euroleague champion (team that wins Eurobasket is Europe Champion) : Mavs might be better than the Spanish national team, but that doesn't make them world champion.

How can people argue that another team that the team winning the World Championship is "world champion" ?

[dunksby]

The title "World Champions" for winning a domestic league is so obnoxious it's not even funny. You wanna call someone the World Champion you address Kevin Durant as that.

[k0kakw0rld]

NBA: Where the best players in the world play
It might be not true

[ZenMaster]

It's clearly world champion. NBA is the preeminent premiere league of basketball in the world. The NBA champion would wipe the floor with every international FIBA there out there short of the American team so yes I would call them world champs.

Pure speculation on your part.

I doubt any NBA team can hang with the Spanish national team playing FIBA rules.

[GOBB]

Yeah if the rules are under FIBA you cant just assume the NBA champ would beat whatever champ team it is overseas.


It might be not true

No, its true. Kobe wouldnt go overseas to play but Dirk would come to America and play. As long as the NBA is up and running its the league most players want to play in. Otherwise Ricky Rubio would have stayed home. Unfortunately he is in America. Hey how'd he get here?

[ZenMaster]

Yeah if the rules are under FIBA you cant just assume the NBA champ would beat whatever champ team it is overseas.



No, its true. Kobe wouldnt go overseas to play but Dirk would come to America and play. As long as the NBA is up and running its the league most players want to play in. Otherwise Ricky Rubio would have stayed home. Unfortunately he is in America. Hey how'd he get here?


While the majority do, not all the worlds best players play in the NBA.

[dunksby]

List of the current World Champions for reference:

http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/Swagengen/6524e9c1.png

[DMV2]

In my opinion, if you compete internationally against various countries or if you're in the premiere/top league in the world then you can be known as World Champion.

NBA being the biggest and top basketball league in the world makes their championship worthy of a world championship status. Yes, America has the world's best professional sport leagues that's not soccer so every champion of the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL are world champions. United States >>>> the rest of the world.

FIBA, Olympics and NBA champions are world champions.

[Blue&Orange]

Folks say its a silly saying? I guess, but I think its a silly argument. Does it bother you THAT much? Or are you just a smartass where you want someone to just acknowledge "You are right." but the one constant is neither side really cares.
Believe me, outside of the comic aspect of it, nobody cares. If anything we're trying to be helpful, like someone telling you, you gotta pigeon shit on your shoulder. But hey if you don't have problems being portrayed like a redneck just like the idiot on the post above, good for you.

NBA ( National Basketball Association )

If calling World champions to a NATIONAL championship winner doesn't look retarded, i mean what does?

[R.I.P.]

Yeah if the rules are under FIBA you cant just assume the NBA champ would beat whatever champ team it is overseas.



No, its true. Kobe wouldnt go overseas to play but Dirk would come to America and play. As long as the NBA is up and running its the league most players want to play in. Otherwise Ricky Rubio would have stayed home. Unfortunately he is in America. Hey how'd he get here?

Of course they want to play in the NBA. Its the place where a scrub like Darko can make 5 million a year, even after he has proven that he sucks. So naturally every talented European player should/will at least give it a try. You can make so much more money in the NBA, if you are good.

[DMV2]

Believe me, outside of the comic aspect of it, nobody cares. If anything we're trying to be helpful, like someone telling you, you gotta pigeon shit on your shoulder. But hey if you don't have problems being portrayed like a redneck just like the idiot on the post above, good for you.

NBA ( National Basketball Association )

If calling World champions to a NATIONAL championship winner doesn't look retarded, i mean what does?
There's already a national championship and that's in the college level.

When your league is the biggest professional league in the world with players from around the world then you have all rights to call your championship a world championship. An NBA title is a world championship title.

You using a letter in a brand to make your argument is even more retarded.

[Blue&Orange]

There's already a national championship and that's in the college level.

When your league is the biggest professional league in the world with players from around the world then you have all rights to call your championship a world championship.

You using a letter in a brand to make your argument is even more retarded.
Well you are too dumb to even with the letter in a brand, realize that the league have NATIONAL on it's name!! And it's not an argument it's a fact, maybe you should go to school to learn the difference.


An NBA title is a world championship title.
For dumb people like you i'm sure it is.


But you're right Greg Popovich is a comunist. And is completely wrong to say that outside of talibans, US got the most brainwashed tools on the planet and you are not a prime example, so i was wrong, good day to you sir and to this thread.

[DMV2]

You go by value, an NBA championship is way more important than the Euroleague title or the FIBA World Championship.

An Olympic gold medal is equal to it because of it's rich history. But I'm sure if you ask any professional basketball player which championship they'd rather have, I bet ya all of them would want an NBA championship.

An NBA championship is the most prestige basketball championship in the world, how the hell can it not be a world champion status when every basketball player in the world want to be an NBA champion?

[DMV2]

Well you are too dumb to even with the letter in a brand, realize that the league have NATIONAL on it's name!! And it's not an argument it's a fact, maybe you should go to school to learn the difference.


For dumb people like you i'm sure it is.
Do you realized there's a Canadian team in the National Basketball Association?

There's even 7 Canadian teams in the National Hockey League.

Your argument sounds stupid, don't it now.

[GOBB]

Of course they want to play in the NBA. Its the place where a scrub like Darko can make 5 million a year, even after he has proven that he sucks. So naturally every talented European player should/will at least give it a try. You can make so much more money in the NBA, if you are good.

Dirk? Gasol? Manu? Wait what was your point again? That a teenage Darko left overseas to play in the NBA? Oh ok.


While the majority do, not all the worlds best players play in the NBA

Thats true.

[DStebb716]

Think of it this way: The World's best come to the US to play basketball. So the US is the basketball world. Therefore: Mavs are the world basketball champs.

[GOBB]

Believe me, outside of the comic aspect of it, nobody cares. If anything we're trying to be helpful, like someone telling you, you gotta pigeon shit on your shoulder. But hey if you don't have problems being portrayed like a redneck just like the idiot on the post above, good for you.

NBA ( National Basketball Association )

If calling World champions to a NATIONAL championship winner doesn't look retarded, i mean what does?

Arguing about something as silly as this. :confusedshrug:

If it makes foreigners feel happy to diss and laugh at the intelligence of Americans? Have at it I guess. I've said world champions, world series for years from a kid until now. The "world" part of it was never really something meant to be taken literally. Just a saying that is said and not much thought is given afterwards. Its probably more of a foreigner issue than anything else.

[Blue&Orange]

Arguing about something as silly as this. :confusedshrug:

If it makes foreigners feel happy to diss and laugh at the intelligence of Americans? Have at it I guess. I've said world champions, world series for years from a kid until now. The "world" part of it was never really something meant to be taken literally. Just a saying that is said and not much thought is given afterwards. Its probably more of a foreigner issue than anything else.
Is Popovich a foreigner?

[GOBB]

Is Popovich a foreigner?

Looks like a German General in WW2 to me. :confusedshrug:

[niko]

Arguing about something as silly as this. :confusedshrug:

If it makes foreigners feel happy to diss and laugh at the intelligence of Americans? Have at it I guess. I've said world champions, world series for years from a kid until now. The "world" part of it was never really something meant to be taken literally. Just a saying that is said and not much thought is given afterwards. Its probably more of a foreigner issue than anything else.
it's actually not a foreigner issue (and euroleague is no foreigner either). No japanese chafes at MLB calling their championship THE WORLD SERIES or WORLD CHAMPIONS. Chafing at things like this is just an **** liberal american trait, whining on behalf of people who couldn't give a shit.

[Blue&Orange]

Looks like a German General in WW2 to me. :confusedshrug:
That would explain a lot. :lol

[Euroleague]

You go by value, an NBA championship is way more important than the Euroleague title or the FIBA World Championship.

An Olympic gold medal is equal to it because of it's rich history. But I'm sure if you ask any professional basketball player which championship they'd rather have, I bet ya all of them would want an NBA championship.

An NBA championship is the most prestige basketball championship in the world, how the hell can it not be a world champion status when every basketball player in the world want to be an NBA champion?

False. That's only true in the United States, not in any other country.

[DMV2]

False. That's only true in the United States, not in any other country.
If you were to ask every professional basketball player which championship they would want if they can only have one, I'm willing to bet 99% would say the NBA Finals championship.

[skan72]

Yet, they only played against teams from USA and Canada. Since when did the USA/Canada = "the world"?

I'm not gonna read anymore of this thread than I have to, I'll stop at this.

Sure, the teams that play in the NBA are situated in Canada and the USA, but that does not make them American or Canadian teams. There are lots of international players in the NBA, and, if it wasn't the best league in the world, why do all players of the globe strive to play in it? It consists of the best players in the world, hence World Champions.

[Euroleague]

If you were to ask every professional basketball player which championship they would want if they can only have one, I'm willing to bet 99% would say the NBA Finals championship.

False. You are talking about AMERICAN players only.

[Euroleague]

I'm not gonna read anymore of this thread than I have to, I'll stop at this.

Sure, the teams that play in the NBA are situated in Canada and the USA, but that does not make them American or Canadian teams. There are lots of international players in the NBA, and, if it wasn't the best league in the world, why do all players of the globe strive to play in it? It consists of the best players in the world, hence World Champions.

The Euroleague has hundreds of players from all over the world in it. In fact, it has players in it from many more different countries than the NBA has. So then I guess it can claim to be the "world championship" also then.

Hell, most of the European domestic leagues do as well.

Your argument is totally invalid and wrong.

Just because you have foreign players in your league, does not mean you are a "world" league. There is absolutely NOTHING unusual or particular about the NBA having lots of foreign players in it. So does the Italian league, Greek League, Spanish League, Eurocup, Euroleague, etc. So, using your logic, those are also all "world" leagues also.

[skan72]

The Euroleague has hundreds of players from all over the world in it. In fact, it has players in it from many more different countries than the NBA has. So then I guess it can claim to be the "world championship" also then.

Hell, most of the European domestic leagues do as well.

Your argument is totally invalid and wrong.

Just because you have foreign players in your league, does not mean you are a "world" league. There is absolutely NOTHING unusual or particular about the NBA having lots of foreign players in it. So does the Italian league, Greek League, Spanish League, Eurocup, Euroleague, etc. So, using your logic, those are also all "world" leagues also.

Did I say anything about quantity? No. I mentioned quality. The BEST players, from around the world, play in the NBA. Sure, some countries haven't produced players good enough to be in the NBA, but a fair few have. I'm not arguing that the NBA has more foreign-born players in it than the EuroLeague, which isn't possible due to the size and span of the EuroLeague. I'm arguing that the best foreign-born players are in the NBA, making the NBA Champions de facto World Champions (aside from when countries play each other in the World Championships or the Olympics).

[RoseCity07]

I agree. The NBA has the best players but the rules at times make this league look like a joke. There is a reason NBA players can go over to Europe and look like trash. It's because they don't let stars get 20 free throws a game. You have to be a baller.

A average NBA in the olympics would get owned. That's why the USA sends a super team to play in FIBA olympic games.

[skan72]

I agree. The NBA has the best players but the rules at times make this league look like a joke. There is a reason NBA players can go over to Europe and look like trash. It's because they don't let stars get 20 free throws a game. You have to be a baller.

A average NBA in the olympics would get owned. That's why the USA sends a super team to play in FIBA olympic games.

Agreed with this. The amount of travels in one game, heck in one quarter, is insane. It allows players to not work as hard or focus on fundamental footwork as much.

[DrunkenDave]

I like america, but this thread shows once again that there are a lot of dumb, ignorant, narrow minded americans. Oh yeah, and these ones are full of themselves (americans) too.
Its not like I give a **** about the Mavs calling themselves World Champions, but its true, its not right to call them the WC. And as a german growing up with Dirk I'm a Mavs fan.

[Balla_Status]

Players the Mavericks beat that were on the 2008/2012 USA national teams:

Kobe
Lebron
Wade
Durant
Westbrook
Bosh
Lamar Odom

And I'll add Pau Gasol for shits and giggles.

Yeah, we da world champs bitch.

[Euroleague]

Players the Mavericks beat that were on the 2008/2012 USA national teams:

Kobe
Lebron
Wade
Durant
Westbrook
Bosh
Lamar Odom

And I'll add Pau Gasol for shits and giggles.

Yeah, we da world champs bitch.

The Mavs are the USA/Canada champs.

[Locked_Up_Tonight]

The Mavs are the USA/Canada champs.

So? The Mavericks are the 2011 NBA champions.

You seem like an idiot that just wants to argue. Find a mirror. It will save you some time from having to find other idiots on a message board to argue with.

[97 bulls]

I havnt read the whole thread so I don't know if this has been addressed, but how many times has the nba champ played the european champion?

[Mr. Jabbar]

This thread has absolutely nothing to do with the Euroleague.


:rolleyes:

[Euroleague]

I havnt read the whole thread so I don't know if this has been addressed, but how many times has the nba champ played the european champion?

They played 3 times, but only 2 times since FIBA was not involved.

In what is current Euroleague (not associated to FIBA) they played twice.

1 game was with NBA rules and NBA refs, played in USA, on the NBA team's home court.

1 game in FIBA (not modern era Euroleague, which FIBA does not relate to) with NBA refs and with mixed rules of 50/50 NBA/FIBA rules, played in Europe, on a neutral court.

1 game with 60/40 NBA/FIBA rules and 2/1 NBA/FIBA refs, played in Europe, on a neutral court that was in the European club's home city.

[Euroleague]

:rolleyes:

This thread is about the NBA champions being called world champions.

This is an NBA thread, PERIOD.

[97 bulls]

They played 3 times, but only 2 times since FIBA was not involved.

In what is current Euroleague (not associated to FIBA) they played twice.

1 game was with NBA rules and NBA refs, played in USA, on the NBA team's home court.

1 game in FIBA (not modern era Euroleague, which FIBA does not relate to) with NBA refs and with mixed rules of 50/50 NBA/FIBA rules, played in Europe, on a neutral court.

1 game with 60/40 NBA/FIBA rules and 2/1 NBA/FIBA refs, played in Europe, on a neutral court that was in the European club's home city.
Lol so who won? Who played? Were the games blowouts?

[josh99]

This is an NBA Forum, not a World Forum.

[Euroleague]

This is an NBA Forum, not a World Forum.

Mavs are NBA champions, not world champions. That's the whole point. Thanks for agreeing.

[Euroleague]

Lol so who won? Who played? Were the games blowouts?

Even though it never has happened, that the current season champs of each league played each other, if you want to, just for the sake of debate and discussion.............


1. 1978-79 season:

Summary:

Maccabi Tel Aviv (Maccabi did not win Euroleague in either 1977-78 or 1978-79)

beat the Washington Bullets (1977-78 NBA champions and 1978-79 NBA Finals runners-up).

Score: 98-97

Details: On Maccabi's home floor, playing under 50/50 NBA/FIBA rules and with NBA refs.


2. 1997-98 season

Summary:

Chicago Bulls (1996-97 NBA champions and 1997-98 NBA champions)

beat Olympiacos (1996-97 Euroleague champions) (but Olympiacos had a different roster than the previous season) .

Score: 104-78

Details: Game was played with 50/50 NBA/FIBA rules and with NBA refs. Played in Europe, at a neutral site.


3. 2007-08 season

Summary:

San Antonio Spurs (2006-07 NBA champions)

beat Panathinaikos (2006-07 Euroleague champions) .

Score: 113-91

Details: Game was played with NBA rules, with NBA refs, on the Spurs home court.


4. 2010-11 season

Summary:

Barcelona Basket (2009-10 Euroleague champions)

beat Los Angeles Lakers (2009-10 NBA champions).

Score: 92-88

Details: Game was played with 60/40 NBA/FIBA rules and with 2/1 NBA/FIBA refs. Played in Barcelona's home city, at a neutral court, but not with the club's typical fan base in attendance.

[Euroleague]

So, the NBA's record against the Euroleague in those examples, is 2-2 (.500).

[Derrick]

I agree. The NBA has the best players but the rules at times make this league look like a joke. There is a reason NBA players can go over to Europe and look like trash. It's because they don't let stars get 20 free throws a game. You have to be a baller.

A average NBA in the olympics would get owned. That's why the USA sends a super team to play in FIBA olympic games.
And other counties dont send there best players either?

[32MJ32]

Dallas defeated Miami to win the title, awarded to the best team from a 30-team North American league. Of course they should be called World Champions...

...if you're an idiot

[skan72]

I agree. The NBA has the best players but the rules at times make this league look like a joke. There is a reason NBA players can go over to Europe and look like trash. It's because they don't let stars get 20 free throws a game. You have to be a baller.

A average NBA in the olympics would get owned. That's why the USA sends a super team to play in FIBA olympic games.

Woops, didn't read this the first time I quoted you. I don't agree with this. Team USA might send a super team, but they're a TEAM now; in the past, when USA wasn't as dominant, it was due to just trying to throw a team together that never actually gelled or played as team. Now Team USA actually gets stars, but also selects role players for their team too, and gets a good combination of players.

I think an average NBA team would be able to do pretty solidly at the Olympics because they're an actual team, not just a bunch of superstars chucked together. They have role players, a star (generally), grinders, playmakers, etc.

[skan72]

Dallas defeated Miami to win the title, awarded to the best team from a 30-team North American league. Of course they should be called World Champions...

...if you're an idiot

I don't get why it's so hard for people to understand that the best players in the World strive to play in the NBA, and do, so in some sense the team that wins can definitely be referred to as a World Champion.

[Euroleague]

And other counties dont send there best players either?

The only countries that tend to send most of their top players are ones like China, Australia, Argentina. Even then, it's not normal for any team to have all its best players in a tournament. The European teams almost never send all of their best players, except if it happens once very rarely.

Like last summer I would say Spain sent their best players, but that's not normal. It's extremely rare to see a top level European national team send all of its best players to the Olympics. It just does not hardly ever happen.

In fact, the USA sends just as much of their best players as most of those European teams do. I'm not sure where this myth came from that all the teams "send all their best players" to the Olympics came from, whether it was from NBA marketing or just delusional imaginations of Americans, but it's not true in the least.

Believe it or not, other countries have tired players, players that are injured, players that don't want to play, players that quit their team, players that the coach does not like, players that hate the coach, players that get suspended, etc. too. Just like the USA.

It's quite bizarre that anyone would actually seriously believe that all the countries can just always "send all their best players". It's complete nonsense.

[Euroleague]

I don't get why it's so hard for people to understand that the best players in the World strive to play in the NBA, and do, so in some sense the team that wins can definitely be referred to as a World Champion.

How come the team that wins the Champions League is not called the world champion then?

[emaugust]

Being a world champion is lame. You are just hanging out with all the people that couldn't cut it in the NBA.

Being an NBA champion, however, is purely elite and is something much more awesome than being the world champion in a world filled with sub par teams who's best players would die to be in the NBA.

[97 bulls]

Even though it never has happened, that the current season champs of each league played each other, if you want to, just for the sake of debate and discussion.............


1. 1978-79 season:

Summary:

Maccabi Tel Aviv (Maccabi did not win Euroleague in either 1977-78 or 1978-79)

beat the Washington Bullets (1977-78 NBA champions and 1978-79 NBA Finals runners-up).

Score: 98-97

Details: On Maccabi's home floor, playing under 50/50 NBA/FIBA rules and with NBA refs.


2. 1997-98 season

Summary:

Chicago Bulls (1996-97 NBA champions and 1997-98 NBA champions)

beat Olympiacos (1996-97 Euroleague champions) (but Olympiacos had a different roster than the previous season) .

Score: 104-78

Details: Game was played with 50/50 NBA/FIBA rules and with NBA refs. Played in Europe, at a neutral site.


3. 2007-08 season

Summary:

San Antonio Spurs (2006-07 NBA champions)

beat Panathinaikos (2006-07 Euroleague champions) .

Score: 113-91

Details: Game was played with NBA rules, with NBA refs, on the Spurs home court.


4. 2010-11 season

Summary:

Barcelona Basket (2009-10 Euroleague champions)

beat Los Angeles Lakers (2009-10 NBA champions).

Score: 92-88

Details: Game was played with 60/40 NBA/FIBA rules and with 2/1 NBA/FIBA refs. Played in Barcelona's home city, at a neutral court, but not with the club's typical fan base in attendance.
In response to the game played vs the bulls and olympiakos, how much different was their roster? Even still now that I think about it, chicagos roster was different too. Pippen wasn't there, and brian williams signed with detroit. Those were two guys that played big roles in the 96-97 bulls title run.

And what do you mean when you say the lakers played in the opposing team on their homecourt, but without their fans? Did they not allow the home teams fans to watch the game?

[97 bulls]

How come the team that wins the Champions League is not called the world champion then?
I do believe that the nba champs aren't "world" champs. But the nba does have the best players. And based on your info, id say the only two teams that can call themselves legit world champs were the bulls and spurs.

I would even go so far to say that the team that beat the lakers in 10 can be considered the "world" champs.

But that lakers roster was different too. Using your reasoning

[Rooster]

Being a world champion is lame. You are just hanging out with all the people that couldn't cut it in the NBA.

Being an NBA champion, however, is purely elite and is something much more awesome than being the world champion in a world filled with sub par teams who's best players would die to be in the NBA.

That's the bottom line.

Dirk Nowitzki is getting more recognition as the man on NBA championship team than Pau Gasol world championship team.

No one gives a crap about those FIBA tourney. Most NBA players want to hang Olympic gold medal around their neck and don't bother to do it again.

But the ultimate goal for every NBA player is leading their team to NBA championship.

[Euroleague]

In response to the game played vs the bulls and olympiakos, how much different was their roster? Even still now that I think about it, chicagos roster was different too. Pippen wasn't there, and brian williams signed with detroit. Those were two guys that played big roles in the 96-97 bulls title run.

And what do you mean when you say the lakers played in the opposing team on their homecourt, but without their fans? Did they not allow the home teams fans to watch the game?

Olympiacos, after they won the 1997 Euroleague title, cut their budget by a lot and several of their best players left the team.

Here is the game report in French:

http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/sport/basket/199710/18/3448e6dd02887/

Yes, Pippen and Williams were not there, but Olympiacos' team was missing these players from the previous season's championship team:

Sigalas, Papanikolaou, Galakteros, Anderson, Gray, Fasoulas, Welp, Rivers... from the previous season's championship team. For example, Sigalas was the Greek League MVP, he was gone. Rivers was the Euroleague Final Four MVP, he was gone. Willie Anderson, who came from the NBA, was gone, etc.

So yeah, obviously not the same team. The best players of the previous season's championship were not even there.

I mean that Barcelona played at an arena in their city, that they have used in the past, but not in their home seat. This is European basketball, not the NBA. You don't have a home crowd by just being in your home city. You have to be in the arena where your fan base is concentrated. It was basically a neutral home court for them.

You are talking about casual observers going to see the Lakers play, versus what would be die hard Barca club supporters. It's a totally different comparison.

[Meticode]

I agree with Popovich. If you win a NBA title you're not a world champion. A NBA title means so much more than a World Title anyway because the talent in the NBA is far and above better than everywhere else.

NBA Champs > World Champs

[DMV2]

I agree with Popovich. If you win a NBA title you're not a world champion. A NBA title means so much more than a World Title anyway because the talent in the NBA is far and above better than everywhere else.

NBA Champs > World Champs
Yeah, but wouldn't that give the NBA championship a world championship status considering the fact that it is the most prestige of all basketball championships? Every player in the world wants to be an NBA champion.

Dirk said it was his dream to win an NBA title ever since he was a kid.

People keep using regional competition as the reason not to call an NBA title a world championship but do you honestly think it's possible to have the NBA have teams in Europe, Asia, Australia, South America and have an 82-game season? It's impossible. They would have to set everything up like the World Cup and play every 4 years. And we'd only gonna get 3 weeks to one month of world competition anyway, the rest of the season would be regional competition.

NBA championship being the top prize championship is enough to be a world championship status, in my opinion.

[97 bulls]

Olympiacos, after they won the 1997 Euroleague title, cut their budget by a lot and several of their best players left the team.

I mean that Barcelona played at an arena in their city, that they have used in the past, but not in their home seat. This is European basketball, not the NBA. You don't have a home crowd by just being in your home city. You have to be in the arena where your fan base is concentrated. It was basically a neutral home court for them.

It's not even possibly to compare it to a game played at their own home court. You are talking about casual observers going to see the Lakers play, versus what would be die hard club supporters. It's a totally different comparison.


Here is the game report in French:

http://www2.raisport.rai.it/news/sport/basket/199710/18/3448e6dd02887/

Yes, Pippen and Williams were not there, but Olympiacos' team was missing these players from the previous season's championship team:

Bakatsias, Sigalas, Papanikolaou, Galakteros, Anderson, Gray, Fasoulas, Welp, Rivers, Zourpenko... from the previous season's championship team. For example, Sigalas was the Greek League MVP, he was gone. Rivers was the Euroleague Final Four MVP, he was gone. Willie Anderson, who came from the NBA, was gone, etc.

So yeah, obviously not the same team.
Actually, Pippen, Williams, and Rodman weren't there. And the bulls still won by a blowout. That win was legit.

[Euroleague]

Yeah, but wouldn't that give the NBA championship a world championship status considering the fact that it is the most prestige of all basketball championships? Every player in the world wants to be an NBA champion.

Dirk said it was his dream to win an NBA title ever since he was a kid.

People keep using regional competition as the reason not to call an NBA title a world championship but do you honestly think it's possible to have the NBA have teams in Europe, Asia, Australia, South America and have an 82-game season? It's impossible. They would have to set everything up like the World Cup and play every 4 years. And we'd only gonna get 3 weeks to one month of world competition anyway, the rest of the season would be regional competition.

NBA championship being the top prize championship is enough to be a world championship status, in my opinion.

FIBA wanted to setup a world club championship every year, just like how UEFA has one for football (soccer). The NBA was the only league that refused to agree to it, so it never happened.

[Euroleague]

Actually, Pippen, Williams, and Rodman weren't there. And the bulls still won by a blowout. That win was legit.

OK, so like the 5 best players from the championship team of Olympiacos the previous season were also not there. The Bulls won the NBA title that same season of 97-98. Olympiacos did not win the Euroleague title that season.

I'm not sure what your point is. Of course the win was "legit". But it sure the hell was not against the team that won the Euroleague title. It seems you are having some problems grasping that.

Olympiacos, with that new roster, did not even come remotely close to winning the Euroleague title that year. Yes, it was a legit win...over just a decent Euroleague team.

That's the point. It looks like the NBA champ played the Euroleague champ, but they did not. Besides, I counted that as a win in the NBA's astonishing 2-2 record there anyway. In reality, it should not even be counted, and neither should the Spurs-Panathinaikos game, because it was all under NBA rules and refs.

Strangely enough, the only 2 times that NBA championship teams played with their core players against the Euroleague....they lost. Bullets to Maccabi and Lakers to Barca.

I was being generous and overly giving in gifting the NBA those other 2 wins. Because they are actually 0-2 when they played with the cores of title teams against good Euroleague teams. Maccabi did not win any titles those 2 years, but they did win something like 2 out of 5 within that general era, so I counted it.

[Rooster]

FIBA wanted to setup a world club championship ever year, just like how UEFA has won for soccer. The NBA was the only league that refused to agree to it, so it never happened.

the reason is sportsmanship. :oldlol: Why do NBA keep rubbing it in against hopeless scrubs from Europe. :facepalm

[Xover]

Dont let this euroleague guy get under your skin, your playing right into his troll hands. It's obvious every thread he makes has an agenda and he's not exactly stupid, he's aware of what he is doing and how people will interpret it ; it's his mission. So when you reply to his trolling, accusing him off being exactly what he is, it fuels his fire. He smiles for the fish he just reeled in.

Doesn't take a genius to see how biased he is, frankly he aint shy about it either because what he's doing is trying to #$@% with your head

[Euroleague]

the reason is sportsmanship. :oldlol: Why do NBA keep rubbing it in against hopeless scrubs from Europe. :facepalm

FIBA offered the NBA $10 million, as a prize to winning the tournament. $5 million for the NBA if they won, and $5 million to the winning NBA team. They still refused.

It's pretty obvious why the NBA refused.

http://www.nba.com/games/20101007/LALBAR/gameinfo.html#nbaGIboxscore

[Rooster]

OK, so like the 5 best players from the championship team of Olympiacos the previous season were also not there. The Bulls won the NBA title that same season of 97-98. Olympiacos did not win the Euroleague title that season.

I'm not sure what your point is. Of course the win was "legit". But it sure the hell was not against the team that won the Euroleague title. It seems you are having some problems grasping that.

Olympiacos, with that new roster, did not even come remotely close to winning the Euroleague title that year. Yes, it was a legit win...over just a decent Euroleague team.

That's the point. It looks like the NBA champ played the Euroleague champ, but they did not. Besides, I counted that as a win in the NBA's astonishing 2-2
record there anyway. In reality, it should not even be counted, and neither should the Spurs-Panathinaikos game, because it was all under NBA rules and refs.

Strangely enough, the only 2 times that NBA championship teams played with
their core players against the Euroleague....they lost. Bullets to Maccabi and Lakers to Barca.

I was being generous and overly giving in gifting the NBA those other 2 wins. Because they are actually 0-2 when they played with the cores of title teams
against good Euroleague teams. Maccabi did not win any titles those 2 years, but they did win something like 2 out of 5 within that general era, so I counted it.

You actually think Maccabi was so good on that era. :lol This like 8 years before the corpse of McAdoo dominated the Euroleague.:facepalm

[97 bulls]

OK, so like the 5 best players from the championship team of Olympiacos the previous season were also not there. The Bulls was on the NBA title that same season of 97-98. Olympiacos did not win the Euroleague title that season.

I'm not sure what your point is. Of course the win was "legit". But it sure the hell was not against the team that won the Euroleague title. It seems you are having some problems grasping that.

Olympiacos, with that new roster, did not even come remotely close to winning the Euroleague title that year. Yes, it was a legit win...over just a decent Euroleague team.

That's the point. It looks like the NBA champ played the Euroleague champ, but they did not. Besides, I counted that as a win in the NBA's astonishing 2-2 record there anyway. In reality, it should not even be counted, and neither should the Spurs-Panathinaikos game because it was all under NBA rules and refs.

Strangely enough, the only 2 times that NBA champ teams played with their core players against the Euroleague....they lost. Bullets to Maccabi and Lakers to Barca.

I was being generous and overly giving in gifting the NBA those other 2 wins. Because they are actually 0-2 when they played with cores of title teams against good Euroleague teams. Maccabi did not win any titles those 2 years, but they did win something like 2 out of 5 within that general era, so I counted it.
My point is in response to your implicaation that had that olympiakos team had their team totally intact, it mightve changed the outcome. I beg to differ. I'm not gonna sit here and say that I'm efficient on knowledge of the players you mentioned, but id be willing to bet they don't amount to pippen, rodman, and williams. And as I said before, chicago still blew that team out. Its not like that game was close.

[Rooster]

FIBA offered the NBA $10 million, as a prize to winning the tournament. $5 million for the NBA if they won, and $5 million to the winning NBA team. They still refused.

It's pretty obvious why the NBA refused.

http://www.nba.com/games/20101007/LALBAR/gameinfo.html#nbaGIboxscore

What the hell is 5million meant to NBA. Lakers are throwing Luke 5.8 mil and he ain't worth a crap. :facepalm

[Meticode]

Yeah, but wouldn't that give the NBA championship a world championship status considering the fact that it is the most prestige of all basketball championships? Every player in the world wants to be an NBA champion
No. A World Championship is totally different than a NBA Championship. A NBA Championship is far more greater. I think when people see "World Champion" they automatically want to put that in the notion that it's better to bigger, and it isn't.

[ThatsGame]

Anyone not trolling knows the NBA is the best league in the world AND Popovich is right in saying they aren't technically world champions. They still could beat anyone in the world however.

[Rooster]

No. A World Championship is totally different than a NBA Championship. A NBA Championship is far more greater. I think when people see "World Champion" they automatically want to put that in the notion that it's better to bigger, and it isn't.

Yes even the college version of Kenny Smith was a world champion and nobody gives a crap.

[Euroleague]

My point is in response to your implicaation that had that olympiakos team had their team totally intact, it mightve changed the outcome. I beg to differ. I'm not gonna sit here and say that I'm efficient on knowledge of the players you mentioned, but id be willing to bet they don't amount to pippen, rodman, and williams. And as I said before, chicago still blew that team out. Its not like that game was close.

I never mentioned anything about the outcome being different, about the win not being legit, or not being a blowout. I have no idea what you are arguing about.

And yes, the fact that Olympiacos lost the Greek League MVP, the Euroleague MVP and basically their entire 5 best players....

Sigalas for example, was the guy that was named Greek League MVP in the same season that Dominique Wilkins played in Greece. Wilkins was in the same league, yet Sigalas was the MVP, and not Wilkins.

So yeah, believe it or not, those were also very significant absences. How you could seem to imply that a team playing without 2 MVPs from the previous season would not be much of an absence is a bit strange. And again, I never said anything about it not being a legit win or whatever. You are arguing with yourself.

[Euroleague]

You actually think Maccabi was so good on that era. :lol This like 8 years before the corpse of McAdoo dominated the Euroleague.:facepalm

They were good enough to beat the same Washington Bullets team that went to the NBA Finals in back to back years and won an NBA championship.

So yeah, apparently if they were no good, then the NBA must have really been horrible crap in that time.

[97 bulls]

No. A World Championship is totally different than a NBA Championship. A NBA Championship is far more greater. I think when people see "World Champion" they automatically want to put that in the notion that it's better to bigger, and it isn't.
This is a strong point. The nba championship does hold more weight than the "world championship" tag.

Does Ali's heavyweight tilte hold less weight cyz he beat foreman and not some asian?

[Rooster]

I never mentioned anything about the outcome being different, about the win not being legit, or not being a blowout. I have no idea what you are arguing about.

And yes, the fact that Olympiacos lost the Greek League MVP, the Euroleague MVP and basically their entire 5 best players....

Sigalas for example, was the guy that was named Greek League MVP in the same season that Dominique Wilkins played in Greece. Wilkins was in the same league, yet Sigalas was the MVP, and not Wilkins.

So yeah, believe it or not those were also very significant absences. How you could seem to imply that a team playing without 2 MVPs from the previous season would not be much of an absence is a bit strange. And again, I never said anything about it not being a legit win or whatever. You are arguing with
yourself.

Who gives a crap about Greek crap.:facepalm Nique came to Europe and dominated. That was his corpse.:bowdown:

[Euroleague]

Who gives a crap about Greek crap.:facepalm Nique came to Europe and dominated. That was his corpse.:bowdown:

FYI, you just earned an ignore list. Trolling and derailing this thread will not be tolerated.

[Rooster]

They were good enough to beat the same Washington Bullets team that went to the NBA Finals in back to back years and won an NBA championship.

So yeah, apparently if they were no good, then the NBA must have really been horrible crap in that time.

Yes so horrible that the prime version of McAdoo can't even beat them. Give yourselves a break. The college boys were beating everyone during these days, you must forgot how Jordan beating those Euro softies left and right by 28 points.:roll:

[Rooster]

FYI, you just earned an ignore list. Trolling and derailing this thread will not be tolerated.

NBA champion > World Champion. :violin:

[97 bulls]

I never mentioned anything about the outcome being different, about the win not being legit, or not being a blowout. I have no idea what you are arguing about.

And yes, the fact that Olympiacos lost the Greek League MVP, the Euroleague MVP and basically their entire 5 best players....

Sigalas for example, was the guy that was named Greek League MVP in the same season that Dominique Wilkins played in Greece. Wilkins was in the same league, yet Sigalas was the MVP, and not Wilkins.

So yeah, believe it or not, those were also very significant absences. How you could seem to imply that a team playing without 2 MVPs from the previous season would not be much of an absence is a bit strange. And again, I never said anything about it not being a legit win or whatever. You are arguing with yourself.

I realize that that teams losses were significant. But so were the bulls not having three of their top players, (with 2 being hofers)

I think you're misunderstanding me. Allow me this question. Do you feel that with both teams at full strength, olympikos would win?

[97 bulls]

FYI, you just earned an ignore list. Trolling and derailing this thread will not be tolerated.
He does bring up a good point. Wasnt nique like 40?

[Euroleague]

He does bring up a good point. Wasnt nique like 40?

He was 36, and the NEXT year AFTER that, he averaged more than 18 points per game in the NBA.