Eastern Conference Champions from 1999-2003, worst ever for a 5 year span?

[1987_Lakers]

1999 Knicks - 27-23, short season. Ewing was on his last legs here, supporting cast was Sprewell & A. Houston, good players but nothing special. It was basically a team with a couple of borderline All-Stars and average players.

2000 Pacers - Another team that was on its last legs, team filled with experienced players, but not much talent for a Finals team, their best players were a 34 year old Reggie Miller & Jalen Rose

2001 Sixers - Allen Iverson was at his peak, but not a strong supporting cast, Mutombo did his thing, but nobody else on that roster really grabs your attention.

2002 Nets - Jason Kidd, after that nothing to brag about. It was a team filled with role players after J-Kidd

2003 Nets - See above

Not saying these were bad teams, but man...to be the best team in the East in those days you sure didn't require to have alot of talent on your squad. Those teams wouldn't even come close reaching a finals if you put them in the 2012-current West.

[Fallen Angel]

Not saying these were bad teams
but they were

[Magic 32]

Any East champ outside of Heat, Pistons and Celtics have been dreadful.

[NBAplayoffs2001]

East started to get noticeably weak after Jordan came back in my opinion. Knicks got worse, Magic got worse, Celtics were nonexistent in the playoffs, etc.

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

http://i.imgur.com/bGJyGVP.jpg

[Sarcastic]

Knicks when healthy were the best of that group.
Marcus Camby was really good back then too.


The Hardaway/Mourning Heat were pretty tough as well. Probably better than the Sixers and Nets.

[ArbitraryWater]

By far.. just a weak era those years.

[DMV2]

Knicks when healthy were the best of that group.
Marcus Camby was really good back then too.


The Hardaway/Mourning Heat were pretty tough as well. Probably better than the Sixers and Nets.
Too bad they were the ultimate choke artists. Loss twice to a #7 and a #8 Knicks team.

[Kiddlovesnets]

Knicks when healthy were the best of that group.
Marcus Camby was really good back then too.


The Hardaway/Mourning Heat were pretty tough as well. Probably better than the Sixers and Nets.

Not really, the Nets in 02 and 03 can easily beat your Knicks team, I am serious.
:no:

[Legends66NBA7]

East started to get noticeably weak after Jordan came back in my opinion. Knicks got worse, Magic got worse, Celtics were nonexistent in the playoffs, etc.

The East got weaker after Jordan retired the 2nd time.

[WayOfWade]

Any East champ outside of Heat, Pistons and Celtics have been dreadful.
True this

[Hey Yo]

Too bad they were the ultimate choke artists. Loss twice to a #7 and a #8 Knicks team.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex-U50tT4aI

[Legends66NBA7]

Any East champ outside of Heat, Pistons and Celtics have been dreadful.

04 and 06 Heat are also pretty weak champions. 04 Pistons for their competition and 06 Heat, it was Wade playing amazing ball. I do think the 12 and 13 Heat were legit and better squads, though.

I've always felt the 05 and 06 Pistons, plus the 05 Heat were better teams. Pistons matured into better players and 06 had a far better offense. With the rule changes, they couldn't be the same defensive force they once were. But if you put those versions in 04, they probably still win it all in better fashion. 05 Heat, Shaq was better and Wade's injury most likely cost them a finals trip. They also had a better starting 5.

08 Celtics are the best team from the East group (debatable with the 12 and 13 Heat), but they even faced some questionable competition and ultimately only turned up when they felt like it. Similar to the Pistons, if KG doesn't go down, I think the 09 Celtics end up much better.

[Spurs5Rings2014]

Not really, the Nets in 02 and 03 can easily beat your Knicks team, I am serious.
:no:

:applause:

[Lebron23]

Any East champ outside of Heat, Pistons and Celtics have been dreadful.


First time you posted a good posts in this forum.

[Reggie43]

Pacers and Sixers were decent but those knicks and nets teams were pretty horrible records wise and the amount of depth and talent that they had.

[Magic 32]

First time you posted a good posts in this forum.

Funny thing is (outside the salt) this is the second time you have said that.

[DonDadda59]

The East has been an absolute dumpster fire since the Bulls dynasty was broken up. The only time the conference had a winning record as a whole was 2010, which by coincidence of course was the only time post '07 that a LeBron James led team failed to get out of the second round.

[sdot_thadon]

It really wasn't that much better during the bulls run. It's had its good years but it had a fair share of weak years too. A strong conference is one with multiple teams with realistic chances of coming out. Only really consistently happened in the 80s.

[Magic 32]

It really wasn't that much better during the bulls run.

Not the first 3-peat.

[DonDadda59]

It really wasn't that much better during the bulls run.

It really was though.

https://nbcprobasketballtalk.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/image3.png

'97 alone had 6 50-win teams, including 2 60-win teams. The #s don't lie.



It's had its good years but it had a fair share of weak years too. A strong conference is one with multiple teams with realistic chances of coming out. Only really consistently happened in the 80s.

80s West was hot garbage (but still stronger overall than the present Least). The East was murderer's row though. The 90s had the most parity league-wide, especially during the Bulls' first 3-peat.

Post '99 lockout, the bottom fell out of the conference and 15+ years later, it hasn't gotten any better. Only one winning season for the conference in a decade and a half, with most seasons being below 40 and even 35%.

https://shaqface.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/wpid-shaq-face.jpg?w=625

[Thesmallmamba]

It really was though.

https://nbcprobasketballtalk.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/image3.png

'97 alone had 6 50-win teams, including 2 60-win teams. The #s don't lie.




80s West was hot garbage (but still stronger overall than the present Least). The East was murderer's row though. The 90s had the most parity league-wide, especially during the Bulls' first 3-peat.

Post '99 lockout, the bottom fell out of the conference and 15+ years later, it hasn't gotten any better. Only one winning season for the conference in a decade and a half, with most seasons being below 40 and even 35%.

https://shaqface.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/wpid-shaq-face.jpg?w=625


LOL, East has more superstars than the West, so how does this graph make sense? :biggums:

[DonDadda59]

LOL, East has more superstars than the West, so how does this graph make sense? :biggums:

Crack is whack.

[Smoke117]

To be fair, 2001-2003 is because of Zo and his kidney ailment. After signing Brian Grant and trading for Eddie Jones and Anthony Mason they were expected to do no less than battle hard in the finals.

[kennethgriffin]

1999 Knicks - 27-23, short season. Ewing was on his last legs here, supporting cast was Sprewell & A. Houston, good players but nothing special. It was basically a team with a couple of borderline All-Stars and average players.

2000 Pacers - Another team that was on its last legs, team filled with experienced players, but not much talent for a Finals team, their best players were a 34 year old Reggie Miller & Jalen Rose

2001 Sixers - Allen Iverson was at his peak, but not a strong supporting cast, Mutombo did his thing, but nobody else on that roster really grabs your attention.

2002 Nets - Jason Kidd, after that nothing to brag about. It was a team filled with role players after J-Kidd

2003 Nets - See above

Not saying these were bad teams, but man...to be the best team in the East in those days you sure didn't require to have alot of talent on your squad. Those teams wouldn't even come close reaching a finals if you put them in the 2012-current West.



and thus... the reason why shaqs finals mvps and better averages in meaningless series after the title was already locked up mean absolutely **** all


i've said countless times that the real finals were the WCF

when kobe was dominating in 2001 and 2002 or saving the season in 2000



ofcourse in exibitions like the nba finals you wouldnt need kobe to save the day with huge 4th quarters or clutch free throws

[1987_Lakers]

06 Heat are also pretty weak champions, it was Wade playing amazing ball. I do think the 12 and 13 Heat were legit and better squads, though.

2006 NBA Finals had players...

Jason Williams, DeSagana Diop, Antoine Walker, & Devin Harris all starting for both teams, heck some guy named Adrian Griffin started 3 games for Dallas in that series..... Seriously, who here on this site has ever heard of Diop or Griffin?

Looking back it is cringe worthy the lack of talent both teams had in that Finals.

[SamuraiSWISH]

ECF since 1999

1) 2012 Heat
2) 2008 Celtics
3) 2013 Heat
4) 2011 Heat
5) 2004 Pistons

2010 Celtics
2005 Pistons
2000 Pacers
2006 Heat
2009 Magic
2007 Cavaliers
2001 Sixers
2003 Nets
2002 Nets
1999 Knicks

[Wally450]

By far.. just a weak era those years.

Wouldn't that discredit the Lakers 3peat?

Even coming out of the West, I've never heard anyone say anything about the Lakers beating inferior opponents in the Finals.

[Wade's Rings]

04 and 06 Heat are also pretty weak champions. 04 Pistons for their competition and 06 Heat, it was Wade playing amazing ball. I do think the 12 and 13 Heat were legit and better squads, though.

:applause:


I've always felt the 05 and 06 Pistons, plus the 05 Heat were better teams. Pistons matured into better players and 06 had a far better offense. With the rule changes, they couldn't be the same defensive force they once were. But if you put those versions in 04, they probably still win it all in better fashion. 05 Heat, Shaq was better and Wade's injury most likely cost them a finals trip. They also had a better starting 5.

08 Celtics are the best team from the East group (debatable with the 12 and 13 Heat), but they even faced some questionable competition and ultimately only turned up when they felt like it. Similar to the Pistons, if KG doesn't go down, I think the 09 Celtics end up much better.

Same here. The '05 Heat were easily > the '06 Heat and the '06 Pistons were a Top 5 Defense & Offense. East would've looked better if they had made it out and potentially won it both years.


2006 NBA Finals had players...

Jason Williams, DeSagana Diop, Antoine Walker, & Devin Harris all starting for both teams, heck some guy named Adrian Griffin started 3 games for Dallas in that series..... Seriously, who here on this site has ever heard of Diop or Griffin?

Looking back it is cringe worthy the lack of talent both teams had in that Finals.

I know who Diop is but Griffin doesn't ring a bell.

[jbryan1984]

ECF since 1999

1) 2012 Heat
2) 2008 Celtics
3) 2013 Heat
4) 2011 Heat
5) 2004 Pistons

2010 Celtics
2005 Pistons
2000 Pacers
2006 Heat
2009 Magic
2007 Cavaliers
2001 Sixers
2003 Nets
2002 Nets
1999 Knicks


I'll even say as a Cavs fan, 07 should be at the bottom. We sucked. LeBron was just thatamazing that year. The Pistons series. Wow. AFter that its the Sixer's for sure. Like LeBron, the Answer was simply that amazing. I'll always love that step over on our assistant coach, Mr. Lue