In what years do you feel the "best" team didn't win the title?

[Young X]

I'm not a believer in the best team always winning every time. Most of the time it happens but not always. Matchups and circumstances can change the result of a series.

Some people say the 2002 Kings were the real best team but got f*cked by the referees. They were statistically the best team in 2002 and it took a close loss in a game 7 OT for them to be knocked out. They even outscored the Lakers in the series. I'm not saying I agree or disagree but it's interesting.

Some people say the very next year that the Mavericks were the best team. Just like the Kings they were better than everybody else statistically. They lose Nowitzki in game 3 of the WCF against the Spurs and they lose in 6.

Were the Lakers really better than the Pistons in 1988?

Were the Warriors really better than the Cavaliers in 2015?

Were the Cavaliers really better than the Warriors this year?

Were the SUNS really the best team in 2007?

[ClipperRevival]

First team that came to mind - 2000 Blazers.

In that game 7 scenario, with the Lakers down 15 points in the 4th, the Blazers would win about 98 out of 100 times. They simply CHOKED. That was one of the most stacked teams ever.

[ClipperRevival]

You could make a case for the 2002 Kings.

Lakers shouldn't have won game 4. Heading into that game, Lakers were down 2-1 and were down most of the game 4, many times by 20. And Horry it that 3. That stuff isn't supposed to happen like that. If Kings go up 3-1, it's a wrap.

[Nilocon165]

The 2002 Kings should've been NBA Champions.

[Young X]

First team that came to mind - 2000 Blazers.

In that game 7 scenario, with the Lakers down 15 points in the 4th, the Blazers would win about 98 out of 100 times. They simply CHOKED. That was one of the most stacked teams ever.You could argue that them choking is a flaw that kept them from being better than the Lakers.

Like it was a part of their "DNA" as a team (as corny as that sounds) that kept them from being the best.

[SilkkTheShocker]

2016 Cavaliers. They didn't have the best team. In fact, GS was arguably the most stacked team of all-time. Cleveland just had the best player to ever play the game.

[tpols]

2011 Heat and 2016 Warriors are the only teams i can really think of.. where it took unbelievable cascade of events to turn the tide

[ClipperRevival]

You could argue that them choking is a flaw that kept them from being better than the Lakers.

Like it was a part of their "DNA" as a team (as corny as that sounds) that kept them from being the best.

They didn't close the deal and should've. Good indicators of choking is when teams settle and clank jumpers, which is what they did.

[ClipperRevival]

2011 Heat and 2016 Warriors are the only teams i can really think of.. where it took unbelievable cascade of events to turn the tide

Obvious for both. Funny things is, it was LeBron that decided both series. His choking cost them in 2011 but his GOAT level performance got them the W in 2016. That's why true superstars must he held accountable because they affect the outcome so much.

[feyki]

2006 and 2007 Mavs/Suns , 2013 Spurs , 2016 Warriors .

For a historian basketball perspective ; 72 Knicks , 74 Bucks , 84 LA , 88 Pistons , 98 Jazz .

[Young X]

^ Come on man, the Jazz weren't better than the Bulls dude.

The better team doesn't get killed the way they did in game 3 of that series. Then they lose the next game to go down 1-3.

[Papaya Petee]

2011 Heat easily.

[feyki]

^ Come on man, the Jazz weren't better than the Bulls dude.

The better team doesn't get killed the way they did in game 3 of that series. Then they lose the next game to go down 1-3.

A game doesn't determine the which team was better . I watched last two games of that finals , directly 2006 finals came my mind when i saw the protection from refs .

And last game was most selfish game i've ever seen from any player in basketball history . And saved by refs with ignoring clear foul .

Jazz should have won that game w/out sided refs , and then who knows for game 7 . But i'm sure Jazz would won , which is parallel to my opinion as thinking Jazz was a better team .

[scuzzy]

96 Sonics- Glove, Reign Man, Schremph, McMillan, etc loaded

89-91 Cavs- Price, hot rod, nance, brad, ehlo, loaded

Both came up short to Pip

[FKAri]

This happens virtually all the time in the NFL and soccer. But basketball has 82 game seasons and bo7 series. Still I think there are some rare times where the "better" team didn't win.

I don't think the 02 Kings choked so much as miss shots that they usually would make. Peja was notoriously streaky anyway tho. When he's off he's airballing. When he's on, he looks like a robot that can't miss.

[Mr Feeny]

^ Come on man, the Jazz weren't better than the Bulls dude.

The better team doesn't get killed the way they did in game 3 of that series. Then they lose the next game to go down 1-3.

They were favored and expected to best the Bulls before the series. The fact that the Bulls rushed them and went up 3-1 in no time shocked EVERYONE at the time. It was similar to how okc went up 3-1 against GS this year with analysts confused.

The Bulls were beaten, old, tired, had just gone the distance and we're considered underdogs for the first time in their title runs.

[NBAGOAT]

03 mavs deserve a mention. dirk getting injured really hurt.

[Mr Feeny]

A game doesn't determine the which team was better . I watched last two games of that finals , directly 2006 finals came my mind when i saw the protection from refs .

And last game was most selfish game i've ever seen from any player in basketball history . And saved by refs with ignoring clear foul .

Jazz should have won that game w/out sided refs , and then who knows for game 7 . But i'm sure Jazz would won , which is parallel to my opinion as thinking Jazz was a better team .

Is this idiot for real?

[ArbitraryWater]

2011 Heat? Lol, Bron's fault he still had choking/weak post game tendencies... fact is, what OP is asking, only ever really occurs for major injuries, injuries, that were one time things, outliers... not to guys who were routinely injured. Everything else has REASONS. You dont fluke yourself to 4 wins over 48 mins each.... of course officiating would be the other valid reason.

With that in mind, '02 Kings, '03 Mavericks, possibly '09 Celtics, '15 Cavaliers

[Overdrive]

They were favored and expected to best the Bulls before the series. The fact that the Bulls rushed them and went up 3-1 in no time shocked EVERYONE at the time. It was similar to how okc went up 3-1 against GS this year with analysts confused.

The Bulls were beaten, old, tired, had just gone the distance and we're considered underdogs for the first time in their title runs.


Jazz were favoured and kinda the better team up to the finals, but they had no real recipe for the Bulls.

[Mr Feeny]

Jazz were favoured and kinda the better team up to the finals, but they had no real recipe for the Bulls.

Completely agree but isn't that the discussion here? The favored teams?

Edit: just read the title properly. You're correct.

[GrapeApe]

This may be a homer pick, but I think the 2005 Heat were the best team. Shaq was still a top 5 player and he finished 2nd in MVP voting. Wade emerged into a first tier superstar and was arguably a top 5 player in his own right. 2nd team All-NBA, 2nd team All-defense, and 27/7/6/2/1 on 48% in the playoffs. They also had good shooters and role players. Damon Jones (43% 3's), Eddie Jones, Rasual Butler, a relentless young Haslem, and Zo returned late in the season to provide quality minutes behind Shaq.

Imo, that team was better than their '06 championship team. If not for Wade's injury in the ECF they would have reached the finals and possibly won the title. The Pistons pushed the Spurs to 7 and I think the Heat when healthy were a better team than the Pistons.

[Young X]

^ Good choice. Dwyane got injured in game 6 I think of that series. That team probably was better than the 2006 team because of how much better Shaq was that year. I'm not sure they beat the Spurs but it was definitely possible had they gotten past the Pistons first.