Has there been a more impressive championship run than the 2011 Mavs?

[SouBeachTalents]

Swept Kobe & the two time defending champion Lakers
Beat Durant, Westbrook and the Thunder in 5
Took down the Big 3 Heat, with LeBron & Wade in their primes, in the Finals in 6

In those series they defeated
1. 3 55+ win teams
2. 3 former/future MVP's
3. Arguably 4 of the top 7 players in the league
3. 6 players that made an All-NBA 1st or 2nd team

People frequently bring up the '89 Pistons, but they faced the Celtics without Bird, the Bulls minus Phil Jackson and Pippen not yet in his prime, and the Lakers with Magic missing half the series and an ancient, soon to be retired Kareem

[SCdac]

Definitely a great run, in which the desperation and hunger to win was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Dirk, Kidd, Chandler, Marion, etc. All wanted to win after long careers.

Having said that, I think their competition has been overrated some. Lakers and Mavs had the same regular season record, for instance, and LA was flailing and infighting all season. Blazers had a Brandon Roy who was an absolute shell of himself. Thunder had a team that was really really young (99% of championship teams are never that young, look it up). The Heat were the best team they faced but even they had Bibby starting, a bunch of about-to-be-retired players on the roster, and no Ray Allen or Shane Battier. Something to keep in mind is a team is not made up of 2 or 3 players, it's how great the entire team is that is relevant. But it was still a dominant run nonetheless.

I think propping up or criticizing their competition takes away from what they did as a team. I'm a Spurs fan and readily admit the competition they faced in championship years varied from awesome to not as awesome - but a championship is a championship! They're great in their own right and all the Mavs killed it that season.

[TheMarkMadsen]

01 Lakers >>>>>>

[SouBeachTalents]

Definitely a great run, in which the desperation and hunger to win was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Dirk, Kidd, Chandler, Marion, etc. All wanted to win after long careers.

Having said that, I think their competition has been overrated some. Lakers and Mavs had the same regular season record, for instance, and LA was flailing and infighting all season. Blazers had a Brandon Roy who was an absolute shell of himself. Thunder had a team that was really really young (99% of championship teams are never that young, look it up). The Heat were the best team they faced but even they had Bibby starting, a bunch of about-to-be-retired players on the roster, and no Ray Allen or Shane Battier. Something to keep in mind is a team is not made up of 2 or 3 players, it's how great the entire team is that is relevant. But it was still a dominant run nonetheless.

I think propping up or criticizing their competition takes away from what they did as a team. I'm a Spurs fan and readily admit the competition they faced in championship years varied from awesome to not as awesome - but a championship is a championship! They're great in their own right and all the Mavs killed it that season.

Who would you pick then?

[dubeta]

2012 Heat

Underdogs against Indy after Game 3

Underdogs to the Celtics after Game 5

Underdogs to the Thunder the entire series, and especially after Game 1

[SouBeachTalents]

2012 Heat

Underdogs against Indy after Game 3

Underdogs to the Celtics after Game 5

Underdogs to the Thunder the entire series, and especially after Game 1

I'm not sure you're familiar with what the term underdog means

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

Definitely a great run, in which the desperation and hunger to win was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Dirk, Kidd, Chandler, Marion, etc. All wanted to win after long careers.

Having said that, I think their competition has been overrated some. Lakers and Mavs had the same regular season record, for instance, and LA was flailing and infighting all season. Blazers had a Brandon Roy who was an absolute shell of himself. Thunder had a team that was really really young (99% of championship teams are never that young, look it up). The Heat were the best team they faced but even they had Bibby starting, a bunch of about-to-be-retired players on the roster, and no Ray Allen or Shane Battier. Something to keep in mind is a team is not made up of 2 or 3 players, it's how great the entire team is that is relevant. But it was still a dominant run nonetheless.

I think propping up or criticizing their competition takes away from what they did as a team. I'm a Spurs fan and readily admit the competition they faced in championship years varied from awesome to not as awesome - but a championship is a championship! They're great in their own right and all the Mavs killed it that season.
They faced tougher competition than any Spurs run thats for sure

[fpliii]

95 Rockets
01 Lakers

The Bad Boy Pistons took out Bird, Magic, and MJ in one season I think too.

[stalkerforlife]

95 Rockets
01 Lakers

The Bad Boy Pistons took out Bird, Magic, and MJ in one season I think too.

Hey dude, I want Riley Cooper. I sent you a trade request.

[Young X]

Only team I can think of is the 1995 Rockets.

60 win Malone/Stockton led Jazz team
60 win MVP David Robinson led team
59 win Barkley/KJ led team
57 win Shaq/Penny led team

Beat them all as the 6th seed. Without HCA in any series.

[fpliii]

Hey dude, I want Riley Cooper. I sent you a trade request.
Okay, accepted. I think it's a lateral trade, but I know you're a fan of his. :cheers:

BTW russ's thread was moved to the football board in case you were looking for it:

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=352479

[stalkerforlife]

Okay, accepted. I think it's a lateral trade, but I know you're a fan of his. :cheers:

BTW russ's thread was moved to the football board in case you were looking for it:

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=352479

:cheers:

Right on. Now I have Percy and Cooper holding it down, Gator style.

[SouBeachTalents]

95 Rockets
01 Lakers

The Bad Boy Pistons took out Bird, Magic, and MJ in one season I think too.

If only you read the OP.......

[masonanddixon]

The thing that always cracks me up is how many of the game would be close through the first 3 quarters, and then Dirk would just obliterate the opposition in the 4th of every game.

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

The thing that always cracks me up is how many of the game would be close through the first 3 quarters, and then Dirk would just obliterate the opposition in the 4th of every game.
http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=325755

[SamuraiSWISH]

Only team I can think of is the 1995 Rockets.

60 win Malone/Stockton led Jazz team
60 win MVP David Robinson led team
59 win Barkley/KJ led team
57 win Shaq/Penny led team

Beat them all as the 6th seed. Without HCA in any series.
Co-sign.

[BoutPractice]

Yeah, it's the 95 Rockets, but 11 Mavs are probably top 3.

It's true that the Blazers had less star power than later opponents, but Brandon Roy sure didn't look like "an absolute shell of himself" when he single-handedly won game 4 for his team.

[SexSymbol]

Swept Kobe & the two time defending champion Lakers
Beat Durant, Westbrook and the Thunder in 5
Took down the Big 3 Heat, with LeBron & Wade in their primes, in the Finals in 6

In those series they defeated
1. 3 55+ win teams
2. 3 former/future MVP's
3. Arguably 4 of the top 7 players in the league
3. 6 players that made an All-NBA 1st or 2nd team

People frequently bring up the '89 Pistons, but they faced the Celtics without Bird, the Bulls minus Phil Jackson and Pippen not yet in his prime, and the Lakers with Magic missing half the series and an ancient, soon to be retired Kareem
So why did you not talk about the context of 11 mavs run?

They played against Kobe with no knees and a sprained ankle, and against completely unmotivated Gasol.
Against still very young Durant and Westbrook who have the worst coach in the league, or at least a top 3 worst
played against the heat, where LeBron crapped his pants, obviously a mental fall down.

Greatest run ever, or greatest set of circumstances to win ever?

[Reggie43]

How could a fluke championship run be that impressive? Even their owner knew that it was not gonna be replicated so he decided not to sign Chandler and Barea.

[SouBeachTalents]

So why did you not talk about the context of 11 mavs run?

They played against Kobe with no knees and a sprained ankle, and against completely unmotivated Gasol.
Against still very young Durant and Westbrook who have the worst coach in the league, or at least a top 3 worst
played against the heat, where LeBron crapped his pants, obviously a mental fall down.

Greatest run ever, or greatest set of circumstances to win ever?

This was a post of complete horseshit

Regardless of injuries or "unmotivated" players, the Mavs still had to go up against Kobe & Gasol for the entire duration of their series. The Pistons avoided playing against Bird for the ENTIRE series.

And while young, Durant & Westbrook were already elite players in 2011, as they both made All-NBA teams that year, and Durant was in the running for MVP. None of these statements could be applied to Pippen, who was averaging 14 ppg in '89 and was still a couple of seasons away from reaching his prime.

And once again, just like Kobe & Gasol, the Mavs still had to go against the best player in the league for the entire duration of the Finals. The Pistons avoided playing a prime Magic for over HALF of their series against the Lakers.

[ninephive]

They faced tougher competition than any Spurs run thats for sure
This Spurs run wasn't too shabby, going through 3 54+ win teams, Lebron, KD/Westbrook, Dirk, and LMA/Lilliard. Took out guys who won 6 of the last 8 MVPs and the last 3 Championships, including every team who made those past 3 Finals. Had to go through the clear-cut best 2 players (and arguably 5 or 6 of the top 10) and the best 2 teams to finish the run.

But I give the edge to Dallas in '11. That was incredible.

[MiseryCityTexas]

Mavs were idiots for letting Tyson Chandler go.

[pauk]

I dont think so, sure they had all the puzzles & played like their lives depended on it but it was mostly Dirk who shocked me...... before or after that playoff run i think i have NEVER seen him play that good, nowhere close, he was consistently closing teams out in the clutch over and over and over.... just when you think he was finally coming back to planet earth he does it again...

I mean before that playoffs, that season he was not even considered a top 10 player.... then he went all Larry Bird on steroids in playoffs.... then next season he went back to being... simply himself.... you know... good, but not THAT good?

Have no idea what happened... its like he rented extra talent/skill for that span... :D

[Nowitness]

steroids

... its like he rented extra talent/skill for that span... :D

who knows. maybe he took a page out of LeBald's book.

[MiseryCityTexas]

How could a fluke championship run be that impressive? Even their owner knew that it was not gonna be replicated so he decided not to sign Chandler and Barea.


Chandler's defense made the difference in the finals. Dallas became a mediorce play-off team, and even missed the play-offs one season after Chandler,Terry and Barea was gone.

[tpols]

I dont think so, sure they had all the puzzles & played like their lives depended on it but it was mostly Dirk who shocked me...... before or after that playoff run i think i have NEVER seen him play that good, nowhere close, he was consistently closing teams out in the clutch over and over and over.... just when you think he was finally coming back to planet earth he does it again...

I mean before that playoffs, that season he was not even considered a top 10 player.... then he went all Larry Bird on steroids in playoffs.... then next season he went back to being... simply himself.... you know... good, but not THAT good?

Have no idea what happened... its like he rented extra talent/skill for that span... :D

Is that really something to criticize? I know youre a lebron fan and thus not accustomed to that but damn.. thats how every game should be played.


And if you check the stats, Dirk has always been extremely clutch.. no one notices though because hes extremely low key guy.. doesnt flash, little endorsements, or exposure, but he wasnt much different in many other prime years.

[fpliii]

If only you read the OP.......
Sorry, skipped over it. :(

[King Boozer]

I dont think so, sure they had all the puzzles & played like their lives depended on it but it was mostly Dirk who shocked me...... before or after that playoff run i think i have NEVER seen him play that good, nowhere close, he was consistently closing teams out in the clutch over and over and over.... just when you think he was finally coming back to planet earth he does it again...

I mean before that playoffs, that season he was not even considered a top 10 player.... then he went all Larry Bird on steroids in playoffs.... then next season he went back to being... simply himself.... you know... good, but not THAT good?

Have no idea what happened... its like he rented extra talent/skill for that span... :D


Not hard to believe at all. A lot of players in history have had fluke playoff runs. Not saying Dirk was a fluke, but it's not hard to believe he could play like a superstar for a series or two. That was a stacked team of shooters and they played good defense too. Dirk closing like an MVP while Chandler, Terry, Barea, Marion and even Peja playing lights out. Hell Stephenson as well played good. Just an incredible moment in NBA history where the whole team was on point. Did the whole team rent talent? Also have to give props to Carlisle.




Dirk the next year, i believe had come off of playing FIBA during the off-season and "took off" the following season because he had played so much the year before and had just/finally won a ring. It was a topic of discussion by media/hoops fans all season long iirc.

Definitely Top 3 all time for sure!