Which team is #2 in the past 15 years?

[canza]

Pretty sure we all agree 2001 Lakers are considered the best championship team for the past 15 years, but who do you think is #2?

2000 Los Angeles Lakers
2002 Los Angeles Lakers
2003 San Antonio Spurs
2004 Detroit Pistons
2005 San Antonio Spurs
2006 Miami Heat
2007 San Antonio Spurs
2008 Boston Celtics
2009 Los Angeles Lakers
2010 Los Angeles Lakers
2011 Dallas Mavericks
2012 Miami Heat
2013 Miami Heat
2014 San Antonio Spurs
2015 Golden State Warriors

[Lebron23]

2012 Heat. They beat some quality teams in the playoffs. Knicks, Celtics, Pacers, and OKC Thunder. Celtics and Pacers were a top 3 defensive teams.

[Fire Colangelo]

2012 Cavaliers. They beat some quality teams in the playoffs. Nuggets, Celtics, Pacers, and OKC Thunder. Celtics and Pacers were a top 3 defensive teams.

what? lol

[Uncle Drew]

2014 Spurs. Won 62 games without playing anyone over 30 minutes in the regular season, and, a part from that Mavs series, dominated everyone in the playoffs. Including the MVP, and the best player in the world.

[LoneyROY7]

2012 Cavaliers. They beat some quality teams in the playoffs. Nuggets, Celtics, Pacers, and OKC Thunder. Celtics and Pacers were a top 3 defensive teams.

Oh totally agree, bro. The 2012 Cavs were SICK. Rookie Kyrie, Alonzo Gee, Jeremy Pargo, Chris Quinn, Boobie Gibson, etc.

SHIT SON. DEM BOYS WAS STACKED.

[Straight_Ballin]

2011 heat

Good job
Good effort

[Lebron23]

what? lol


I edited my posts. 2012 Heat is just a better version of the 2013 Heat who beat the 2013 Spurs= 2014 Spurs. Spurs beat the Heat because of the massive declined in the performance of Wade and Bosh. Neither of these 2 guys even averaged over 18 ppg in the Finals.

[Gileraracer]

For the past 15 years?

Easily SPURS

[Straight_Ballin]

I edited my posts. 2012 Heat is just a better version of the 2013 Heat who beat the 2013 Spurs= 2014 Spurs. Spurs beat the Heat because of the massive declined in the performance of Wade and Bosh. Neither of these 2 guys even averaged over 18 ppg in the Finals.

That's because Bron doesn't play smart ball and regulates players like Bosh to be spot up shooters. How many times does 3ball have to tell you this?

[Fire Colangelo]

I edited my posts. 2012 Heat is just a better version of the 2013 Heat who beat the 2013 Spurs= 2014 Spurs. Spurs beat the Heat because of the massive declined in the performance of Wade and Bosh. Neither of these 2 guys even averaged over 18 ppg in the Finals.

Keep in mind Bosh was injured for a good chunk of the playoffs in 2012 though.

I think 2015 Warriors were pretty dominating...

[canza]

For the past 15 years?

Easily SPURS

I was asking which specific team and year

[WayOfWade]

I think it's between the 08' Celtics and either the 12'/13' Heat. You could put up a good argument for the Warriors, but they took down a completed Cavs team in the finals. In fact, their entire finals run was littered with teams who have never even had a shot at winning the finals; the Pelicans, Grizzlies, and Rockets have between them two conference finals appearances in the past 20 years. Had they gone up against the one of those Heat Championship teams, I think they would've been taken down more times than not. Those Celtics were also pretty dang good, they took down the EC champ Cavs in the second round and took down the (then) ever-contending Pistons and then took down the MVP Kobe and revamped Lakers.
My pick personally though is the 13' Heat

[Spurs m8]

LMAO 2014 Spurs would smash 2001 Lakers tbh

Spurs also the better franchise of the 15 years.

[Prime_Shaq]

2008 Celtics

[Gileraracer]

I was asking which specific team and year

2014 Spurs. The way they raped Miami was pure cruelty

[DMV2]

1. 2001 Lakers
2. 2014 Spurs
3. 2013 Heat
4. 2008 Celtics
5. 2004 Pistons

[Legends66NBA7]

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=385477

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=385478


Some good answers from my threads I did a few weeks back. Hope it helps answer some questions here.

[lil jahlil]

2014 Spurs. Most polished team in a long long time.

[r15mohd]

Keep in mind Bosh was injured for a good chunk of the playoffs in 2012 though.

I think 2015 Warriors were pretty dominating...

they dominated the reg season, that's for sure...the playoff's tested them and they had every bit of luck too with the other team suffering major setbacks on their rosters.

they still get the nod tho, Curry was lights-out the whole year

[Levity]

spurs get my vote

I think it was maybe their 2nd or 3rd year that the spurs were really using that type of offense, but it was only after that championship run that the NBA and it's fans took notice. Now most of the teams are trying to emulate what the Spurs were doing offensively that year.

[T_L_P]

15 Warriors or 14 Spurs, followed by the 00 Lakers.

[JEFFERSON MONEY]

08 Celtics SHOULD have done a lot better than they did. Pierce should have trashed Odom.

[Sakkreth]

Pretty sure we all agree 2001 Lakers are considered the best championship team for the past 15 years, but who do you think is #2?

2000 Los Angeles Lakers
2002 Los Angeles Lakers
2003 San Antonio Spurs
2004 Detroit Pistons
2005 San Antonio Spurs
2006 Miami Heat
2007 San Antonio Spurs
2008 Boston Celtics
2009 Los Angeles Lakers
2010 Los Angeles Lakers
2011 Dallas Mavericks
2012 Miami Heat
2013 Miami Heat
2014 San Antonio Spurs
2015 Golden State Warriors

Doesn't even count as championships imo.

[PacerRaptor]

2015-2016 Spurs will be the best

[I<3NBA]

it's hard to pick between 14 Spurs or 13 Heat. both were really very good. 13 Heat almost broke the win streak record while 14 Spurs pretty much steamrolled everyone in the playoffs.

15 Warriors weren't really that impressive. while they dominated in some games, they clearly showed vulnerability in some others. especially vs Memphis and Cavs where i think they really lucked out with both teams having injured players. they had games vs both teams where they really looked vulnerable, esp vs Memphis.

[Gotterdammerung]

I posted this a few weeks back, (http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showpost.php?p=11659314&postcount=31) comparing the consensus #2 team of the past 15 years in the 2014 San Antonio Spurs to recent past champs:


The 2014 Spurs were a great team, but their greatness is predicated on matchups more than straight dominance. They did not dominate the playoffs the same way they did in the regular season, and only in the Finals did they absolutely demonstrate greatness - in a 3 game demolition of the back to back titlist. That alone puts the hypothetical ranking in doubt.
:hammerhead:
Instead of comparing the Spurs to the teams of the 80s or the 90s, which involved a different brand of basketball, and it would depend on which team imposed their will on the game first, and which adjusted best, it would behoove comparing them to the championship teams of the same era.

2013 Miami Heat: They were not as good as the 2012 edition (Battier and Wade were worse, and Bosh turned into a three point specialist) although they added Ray Allen and the Birdman. Plus Mike Miller could still hit from outside. The 2014 Spurs were deeper than the 2013 version (Patty Mills and Bellinelli), and give Diaw more minutes than he got in the 2013 Finals (16 minutes per) by starting him over Splitter, and Manu Ginobili was healthier as well. Pop will outcoach Spoelstra as a result.
Spurs in 6

2012 Miami Heat: Without Ray Allen or Birdman, the Heat still had a red-hot Shane Battier and Mike Miller. The 2012 edition was the thinnest of all the 4 versions of the Superfriends, given that Bosh was injured. The difference between '12 LBJ and '14 LBJ, besides from coasting during the regular season? LBJ looked even better but he got tired quicker. The '14 Spurs would force Spoelstra to bench Haslem because he would neither guard Duncan straight up or stay with Diaw on the perimeter.
Spurs in 6

2011 Dallas Mavericks: Naturally you might be thinking the obvious - "hey if the 2014 Dallas Mavericks took them to 7, wouldn't the 2011 version wipe the floor with 'em?" Obviously, the '11 Mavericks weren't the same team besides Dirk and Shawn Marion. After all they had a superior backcourt in Jason Kidd, Lance Stevenson, and Jason Terry over Devin Harris, Jose Calderon, and Monta Ellis. They had trouble with ultraquick guards like Wade. Yes, Parker isn't as good as Wade was in 2011, but if Tyson Chandler got in foul trouble, it'll be a clinic. If Tiago Splitter guarded Dirk as well as he did in 2014 (staying home, be physical without fouling, not buying all those fakes), then the Spurs will beat the 2011 Mavericks.
Spurs in 7

2010/2009 LA Lakers: It would be a dead heat between the '14 Spurs and the '09 Lakers, but the '10 Lakers would lose. It all comes down to the basic question: the Lakers' perimeter defense. The Lakers could stick Derek Fisher on Danny Green, just like how he guarded Ray Allen in the 2010 Finals. Kobe on Kawhii Leonard. Odom on Diaw. Gasol on Duncan. Bynum on Splitter.

Sure, Leonard would force Kobe to work for every bucket, but once Leonard got into foul trouble, it would tip into the Lakers' favor. Green had the height and length, but not the strength to guard Kobe on post-ups. Lakers were younger (most of their guys could go 40 minutes a game) and while Duncan and Manu Ginobili could for a game or two, they couldn't maintain for 7 games.

The '10 Lakers would have more problems because Ron Artest and Derek Fisher weren't quick enough to guard point guards. No, you can't stick Kobe on them for 40 minutes. Thus Parker would run amok like opposing point guards did in the 2010 Playoffs. Moreover, the '10 Lakers were older, losing that elasticity and stamina edge from the previous year.
Spurs over 2010 Lakers in 6
Spurs/2009 Lakers: PICK
:kobe:

2008 Boston Celtics: This would be the all-time finals matchup if it happened. Elite offense versus Elite defense. 60 plus win teams. Probably another Mexican Standoff. Both teams were deep, loaded with veterans with top notch coaches. Rondo vs Parker. Allen vs Green. Leonard vs Pierce. Duncan vs KG.
The Spurs had far more chemistry on their side than the 08 Celtics had at this time, because they had been playing together for 3 years. However the Celtics were slightly more talented and younger.
PICK

The best way to stop the Spurs?

Stay on their shooters, force their veterans to beat you one on one, expand more energy. You must have an athletic rim defender to stop Tony Parker's Layup Machine act.

A championship caliber team that could defend the three point shooters and stop point guard penetration has the best shot at beating those Spurs. :cheers:

[Cold soul]

08 Celtics
14 Spurs
13 Heat
09 Lakers

All these are great choices.