View Full Version : Teams that lost in a playoffs series but you felt like was the better team
Micku
09-07-2020, 07:03 PM
There are a few instances where I felt that even though the opponent beat a team, that team was still better. It was just a few mistakes or circumstances why they lost. Like if they do do a rematch of a best of seven, and if healthy, the team that lost originally would win. Like for me, there were a few teams.
19 Warriors vs 19 Raptors. I feel like this is obvious. 19 Warriors if healthy would've wipe the floor with anybody in the league.
16 Warriors vs 16 Cavs. It's probably the most popular and legendary upset. I think Bogut was out a couple of games. Green of course. But Warriors also choked too. And Kyrie was playing out of his mind, LeBron was LeBron. But despite all that, I think the Cavs got lucky here.
15 Warriors vs 15 Cavs. It's like the exact opposite. With back to back years, I felt both 15 and 16 Warriors were overrated. But the Warriors was better in 16 than they were in 15. And the Cavs 15 had a bunch of injuries. Full healthy squad? I think the Cavs take this.
05 Heat vs 05 Pistons. I always feel like the 05 Heat was better than the 06 Heat. And the only reason why the Pistons won in 05 was cuz Wade got hurt.
02 Kings vs 02 Lakers. I still feel like the 02 Kings were the better team to this day. The 02 Lakers got lucky with some calls in game 6.
84 Lakers vs 84 Celts. Magic and James Worthy made some really bad plays down the stretch of a couple games. I don't remember which atm. Worthy made a boneheaded pass. Magic dribbled out the clock. The Lakers seemed like the better team. The Celts got lucky.
Those are the series that came to my mind. I know there are few series that I missed that were upsets. Like the 07 Mavs vs 07 Warriors and the 94 Sonics vs Nuggets. I was never interested in watching those games, so I can't really say if it was just a bad matchup or what happened in the series. I guess you can say the 18 Rockets vs Warriors too with CP3 getting hurt, but I always felt the Warriors was the better team. I haven't seen a lot of the 70s series to say either. Only a couple. There are teams that I thought that had more talent, but weren't the better team. Like the 98 and 99 Lakers losing to the Jazz and Spurs. Magic losing to Rockets in 95. Thunder losing to the Spurs in...13. 04 Lakers losing to 04 Pistons. The 80s Lakers losing to the Rockets. The Celts losing to the Bucks in 83, but I think I read they were doing a legit strike against their coach haha. I dunno if that is true. I never watched the series.
Anyway, what about you? What do you think?
Nike D'Antoni
09-07-2020, 07:13 PM
2019 nba finals : Wariors vs Raptors last year, Raptors won because Klay - Durant were injured
2015 nba finals: Cavs vs Warriors, Warriors won because Love - Kyrie were injured
NBAGOAT
09-07-2020, 07:14 PM
you could say multiple teams who lost to the cavs in 18 felt better. the cavs outside lebron werent scrubs but playing pretty bad besides the tor series. spurs vs lakers in 04 maybe. spurs better than their title team and malone/payton werent playing very well but fisher made the shot. maybe reverse in 03, spurs werent as good as 04 team but got lucky horry missed.
2002 kings vs lakers
Kings were the better team. The lakers had shaq, kobe and refs.
Marchesk
09-07-2020, 07:17 PM
2011 Heat were better than the Mavs, and if Lebron plays like normal, they win that finals.
DMAVS41
09-07-2020, 07:17 PM
The 06 Spurs were probably slightly better than the 06 Mavs.
They likely win the title if that series goes their way...and just one bounce of the ball differently and it could have.
2010 celtics would have gotten their 18th title if perkins wasn't unfortunate in game 5 of that year's finals
Nike D'Antoni
09-07-2020, 07:18 PM
2007 Mavs vs Warriors in round 1, Dirk Nowitzki decided to choke
HBK_Kliq_2
09-07-2020, 07:19 PM
2000 blazers, 2002 kings, 2003 mavs, 2006 spurs, 2011 heat, 2018 rockets, 2019 76ers
Nike D'Antoni
09-07-2020, 07:21 PM
2013 Spurs, but Kawhi decided to choke free throws and Ray Allen hit biggest shot ever
2011 bulls also had the opportunity. In fact, they even swept them in the rs meetings but the triumvirate of south beach was just too much for the young mvp rose.
Micku
09-07-2020, 07:27 PM
2011 Heat were better than the Mavs, and if Lebron plays like normal, they win that finals.
I can't believe I forgot to put that. Hahah. Yeah, I agree with that.
SouBeachTalents
09-07-2020, 07:56 PM
'02 Kings
'07 Pistons
'11 Heat
Nike D'Antoni
09-07-2020, 08:57 PM
2004 Pistons.
Lakers had kobe, shaq, payton, malone. oh my god.
Gohan
09-07-2020, 09:02 PM
2016?warriors
elementally morale
09-07-2020, 09:04 PM
When Horry pushed Nash off the court. The Suns were the better team.
Reggie43
09-07-2020, 09:15 PM
Bulls vs Pacers 1998
A relieved Jordan, recorded in the locker room following the game, said, "That's the hardest we've worked in 13 years." And Scottie Pippen put it succinctly in his postgame press conference.
"I can't say that the best team won," he said.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nba.com/amp/pacers/1998-or-2000-what-best-pacers-team-nba-franchise-history
2004 Pistons.
Lakers had kobe, shaq, payton, malone. oh my god.
What do you mean
The pistons actually won the finals that year
BigtimeNBAFan
09-07-2020, 09:38 PM
What do you mean
The pistons actually won the finals that year
I guess he is saying the Lakers were actually the better team. I disagree completely after watching that series. It was basically a 5 game sweep. The Pistons looked better throughout the series other than 6 minutes in game 2 (Pistons were up 89-83 with a minute left, Shaq hit a shot and the free throw and Kobe hit the 3 right before the buzzer and then the Lakers were much better in OT).
Gary Payton was awful in the playoffs for the Lakers and Karl Malone was injured. Kobe had a pretty bad finals as well shooting the ball.
Gougou
09-07-2020, 09:52 PM
05 Pistons is the better team than that 05 Spurs. Spurs won because pop is a god coach and Robert Horry came in clutch.
2015 Cavs also better than 15 Warriors, Kyrie and Love injured cost them the series.
BigtimeNBAFan
09-07-2020, 11:53 PM
05 Pistons is the better team than that 05 Spurs. Spurs won because pop is a god coach and Robert Horry came in clutch.
2015 Cavs also better than 15 Warriors, Kyrie and Love injured cost them the series.
Robert Horry's game 5 in the 2005 finals should get talked about more. His shot to win the game gets talked about, but his overall game was one of the most clutch performances in NBA history. He absolutely carried the Spurs down the stretch. He was the MVP of that game, not just a guy who hit a big shot.
r0drig0lac
09-08-2020, 12:47 AM
2002 kings vs lakers
Kings were the better team. The lakers had shaq, kobe and refs.:applause:
I guess he is saying the Lakers were actually the better team. I disagree completely after watching that series. It was basically a 5 game sweep. The Pistons looked better throughout the series other than 6 minutes in game 2 (Pistons were up 89-83 with a minute left, Shaq hit a shot and the free throw and Kobe hit the 3 right before the buzzer and then the Lakers were much better in OT).
Gary Payton was awful in the playoffs for the Lakers and Karl Malone was injured. Kobe had a pretty bad finals as well shooting the ball.
Distractions took its toll on the lakers during that year and they never recovered from it. Then surely the loss in the finals just had to exacerbate that even further, which led to a dramatic makeover for the team.
GimmeThat
09-08-2020, 01:23 AM
When Horry pushed Nash off the court. The Suns were the better team.
it's similar to the Elton Brand/Baron Davis fiasco. who, both got a bag of weed, and one got a bong, and one turned it into a blunt.
:pimp:
fsvr54
09-08-2020, 01:24 AM
Robert Horry's game 5 in the 2005 finals should get talked about more. His shot to win the game gets talked about, but his overall game was one of the most clutch performances in NBA history. He absolutely carried the Spurs down the stretch. He was the MVP of that game, not just a guy who hit a big shot.
Rasheed should have never left Horry!!
BigShotBob
09-08-2020, 02:28 AM
The 1994 Supersonics lost to the Nuggets. Shouldn't have happened.
BigtimeNBAFan
09-08-2020, 09:38 AM
Rasheed should have never left Horry!!
Yeah that was horrible end of game defense by a great defensive team. It isn't just that Horry is known for clutch shots, he had been dominant in the 4th quarter and OT. To leave him wide open when he had the hot hand was insane.
Real14
09-08-2020, 09:42 AM
1994 knicks
1997 knicks
2000 knicks
2001 knicks
2013 knicks
BigtimeNBAFan
09-08-2020, 09:48 AM
The 1994 Supersonics lost to the Nuggets. Shouldn't have happened.
Yeah that was a bad loss. The title was theirs for the taking. They were a great 63 win team during the year. Definitely up there with the biggest playoff upsets of all time. It is either that one or 2007 Warriors over Mavs.
ArbitraryWater
09-08-2020, 10:18 AM
There are a few instances where I felt that even though the opponent beat a team, that team was still better. It was just a few mistakes or circumstances why they lost. Like if they do do a rematch of a best of seven, and if healthy, the team that lost originally would win. Like for me, there were a few teams.
19 Warriors vs 19 Raptors. I feel like this is obvious. 19 Warriors if healthy would've wipe the floor with anybody in the league.
16 Warriors vs 16 Cavs. It's probably the most popular and legendary upset. I think Bogut was out a couple of games. Green of course. But Warriors also choked too. And Kyrie was playing out of his mind, LeBron was LeBron. But despite all that, I think the Cavs got lucky here.
15 Warriors vs 15 Cavs. It's like the exact opposite. With back to back years, I felt both 15 and 16 Warriors were overrated. But the Warriors was better in 16 than they were in 15. And the Cavs 15 had a bunch of injuries. Full healthy squad? I think the Cavs take this.
05 Heat vs 05 Pistons. I always feel like the 05 Heat was better than the 06 Heat. And the only reason why the Pistons won in 05 was cuz Wade got hurt.
02 Kings vs 02 Lakers. I still feel like the 02 Kings were the better team to this day. The 02 Lakers got lucky with some calls in game 6.
84 Lakers vs 84 Celts. Magic and James Worthy made some really bad plays down the stretch of a couple games. I don't remember which atm. Worthy made a boneheaded pass. Magic dribbled out the clock. The Lakers seemed like the better team. The Celts got lucky.
Those are the series that came to my mind. I know there are few series that I missed that were upsets. Like the 07 Mavs vs 07 Warriors and the 94 Sonics vs Nuggets. I was never interested in watching those games, so I can't really say if it was just a bad matchup or what happened in the series. I guess you can say the 18 Rockets vs Warriors too with CP3 getting hurt, but I always felt the Warriors was the better team. I haven't seen a lot of the 70s series to say either. Only a couple. There are teams that I thought that had more talent, but weren't the better team. Like the 98 and 99 Lakers losing to the Jazz and Spurs. Magic losing to Rockets in 95. Thunder losing to the Spurs in...13. 04 Lakers losing to 04 Pistons. The 80s Lakers losing to the Rockets. The Celts losing to the Bucks in 83, but I think I read they were doing a legit strike against their coach haha. I dunno if that is true. I never watched the series.
Anyway, what about you? What do you think?
you just made this about if healthy...
a lot of teams would have won if healthy.
health and bad officiating are the only things that apply here imo.
youre just not better otherwise if you fail to show across a BO7 kind of format.
you could say multiple teams who lost to the cavs in 18 felt better. the cavs outside lebron werent scrubs but playing pretty bad besides the tor series. spurs vs lakers in 04 maybe. spurs better than their title team and malone/payton werent playing very well but fisher made the shot. maybe reverse in 03, spurs werent as good as 04 team but got lucky horry missed.
I could be wrong but i remember George Hill and Kevin Love being responsible for a game 7 win when lebron went to the locker room, felt llke he gave up again for a minute. Which series was that?
ArbitraryWater
09-08-2020, 10:25 AM
I could be wrong but i remember George Hill and Kevin Love being responsible for a game 7 win when lebron went to the locker room, felt llke he gave up again for a minute. Which series was that?
yea, you're remembering very wrong.
https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/155/834/plz-stop-post.jpg
Manny98
09-08-2020, 10:44 AM
09 Cavs
That should have been the year where LeBron and Kobe met in the finals
Overdrive
09-08-2020, 10:47 AM
you just made this about if healthy...
a lot of teams would have won if healthy.
health and bad officiating are the only things that apply here imo.
youre just not better otherwise if you fail to show across a BO7 kind of format.
I think there are series if you play them out again 10 times the losing team wins 8 or 9 times.
Not even accounting for injuries. I don't think the 07 first round is one of those series. The Mavs weren't that deep and talks before the series starte if Nelson could upset his former team since he basically knew them inside out.
I think the Spurs in '13 are one of those teams and they even had the chance to prove it.
The Heat wouldn't lose a 2nd time against the '11 Mavs.
I think the '09 Cavs would find a way to win against Orlando.
Not sure about '16. Teams can get into Curry's head to easily.
'16 OKC is 50/50.
The Bucks in '01 were better than the Sixers. I don't think they'd lose a another series.
BigtimeNBAFan
09-08-2020, 11:34 AM
I could be wrong but i remember George Hill and Kevin Love being responsible for a game 7 win when lebron went to the locker room, felt llke he gave up again for a minute. Which series was that?
Which series was that? Lol, it was the series in your head because it didn't exist. And could be wrong? Lol, like everything else you post related to lebron, you are completely wrong. Lebron was great against the Pacers and Celtics in game 7s in 2018 carrying the cavs to a victory. Against Boston, Kevin Love didn't even play in game 7 and George Hill was bad with only 6 points. They weren't much better against the Pacers.
There is a strong case that Lebron is the best game 7 player in NBA history. Bill Russell has an argument. No other player really does. To be fair Jordan was only in 3 game 7's in his career.
If you want a superstar that was mediocre to bad in game 7s during his career look at Kobe. He was downright awful in some game 7's; look at Houston in 2009 or Boston in the finals in 2010. He was the definition of folding and needing to be carried by his teammates in game 7s. Comparing Lebron to Kobe in game 7's, it is like an elephant next to a mouse with how much better lebron has been.
If you want to be an anti-Lebron troll you actually are going to have to do a tiny bit of research. I know it is hard since most Lebron haters don't actually watch the games.
BigtimeNBAFan
09-08-2020, 11:34 AM
09 Cavs
That should have been the year where LeBron and Kobe met in the finals
Lebron was incredible against the Magic, but Cleveland's team was exposed. Orlando had a much better roster overall.
pandiani17
09-08-2020, 02:46 PM
I could be wrong but i remember George Hill and Kevin Love being responsible for a game 7 win when lebron went to the locker room, felt llke he gave up again for a minute. Which series was that?
LeBron's 2018 playoffs run was very impressive, especially considering he was in his 15th season and his roster was quite bad, as reflected in the Cavs' results in the last two seasons. About the locker room, yeah, I think everybody goest to the locker room at half-time. Stop making stuff up, please.
Turbo Slayer
09-08-2020, 02:48 PM
2015 Cavs.
pandiani17
09-08-2020, 02:51 PM
Lebron was incredible against the Magic, but Cleveland's team was exposed. Orlando had a much better roster overall.
I don't remember very well those series, but in his first stint in the Cavs Lebron was sorrounded by players who were good regular season performers, but didn't step up in the playoffs, like Delonte West, Sczerbiack, Maurice Williams, Ilgauskas, etc. Also, I think they didn't match up very well against those Magic teams, who made too many 3 pointers (Rashard Lewis, Turkoglu, Rafer Alston) when having shooters was not that fashionable yet. Finally, yes, I honestly think Lebron was not mauture enough yet and hadn't developed his game totally to carry teams to the championship yet.
getting_old
09-08-2020, 02:55 PM
70 and 73 Lakers were better than the Knicks (thanks Wilt both times)
73 Celtics got to game 7 with Havlicek playing with one arm against the Knicks
getting_old
09-08-2020, 02:55 PM
2004 Pistons.
Lakers had kobe, shaq, payton, malone. oh my god.
Kobe and Shaq were screaming EFF YOU!!!! at each other for an hour before game one
they didn't care at all the rest of that series...
Which series was that? Lol, it was the series in your head because it didn't exist. And could be wrong? Lol, like everything else you post related to lebron, you are completely wrong. Lebron was great against the Pacers and Celtics in game 7s in 2018 carrying the cavs to a victory. Against Boston, Kevin Love didn't even play in game 7 and George Hill was bad with only 6 points. They weren't much better against the Pacers.
There is a strong case that Lebron is the best game 7 player in NBA history. Bill Russell has an argument. No other player really does. To be fair Jordan was only in 3 game 7's in his career.
If you want a superstar that was mediocre to bad in game 7s during his career look at Kobe. He was downright awful in some game 7's; look at Houston in 2009 or Boston in the finals in 2010. He was the definition of folding and needing to be carried by his teammates in game 7s. Comparing Lebron to Kobe in game 7's, it is like an elephant next to a mouse with how much better lebron has been.
If you want to be an anti-Lebron troll you actually are going to have to do a tiny bit of research. I know it is hard since most Lebron haters don't actually watch the games.
When LeBron went to the locker room in Game 7, all seemed lost for Cleveland's chances at advancing to the next round. But the Cavs' role players stepped up in The King's absence to help seal a narrow win.
CLEVELAND—In the heat of Game 7, LeBron James disappeared. He vanished down the tunnel with a trainer in tow, and his team’s lead—once as large as 14 points— was all but gone. This was the first time that James had exited the game since it began. And if the larger trends of the series offered any indication, the whole thing—and Cleveland’s season—could be effectively over by the time he returned.
At one point, James was stationed at the scorer's table, ready to return—until a three-pointer from Love encouraged him to ride out the run from the bench. “We was able to get stops, too," James said. "That helped. That helped out a lot.” In almost five minutes of action, those supporting Cavs—fairly maligned through what had been a trying series—increased the lead from two to eight. Cleveland would go on to win by four, 105-101, to stave off the Pacers and save its season.
https://www.si.com/nba/2018/04/29/lebron-james-cavs-pacers-game-7-kevin-love-george-hill-nba-playoffs
LeBron's 2018 playoffs run was very impressive, especially considering he was in his 15th season and his roster was quite bad, as reflected in the Cavs' results in the last two seasons. About the locker room, yeah, I think everybody goest to the locker room at half-time. Stop making stuff up, please.
Your apologies too please.
ArbitraryWater
09-08-2020, 05:06 PM
https://www.si.com/nba/2018/04/29/lebron-james-cavs-pacers-game-7-kevin-love-george-hill-nba-playoffs
Are you retarded?
LeBron played the whole game up to that point, took his only breather, and in the end dropped 45 points on 25 shots shooting 64%.
ArbitraryWater
09-08-2020, 05:07 PM
I think there are series if you play them out again 10 times the losing team wins 8 or 9 times.
Not even accounting for injuries. I don't think the 07 first round is one of those series. The Mavs weren't that deep and talks before the series starte if Nelson could upset his former team since he basically knew them inside out.
I think the Spurs in '13 are one of those teams and they even had the chance to prove it.
The Heat wouldn't lose a 2nd time against the '11 Mavs.
I think the '09 Cavs would find a way to win against Orlando.
Not sure about '16. Teams can get into Curry's head to easily.
'16 OKC is 50/50.
The Bucks in '01 were better than the Sixers. I don't think they'd lose a another series.
Okay, sure, some of those teams rode hot streaks.. like the ‚09 Magic.
‚01 Bucks is also a little officiating related probably.
Are you retarded?
LeBron played the whole game up to that point, took his only breather, and in the end dropped 45 points on 25 shots shooting 64%.
:oldlol:
You and the other bronsexuals said i was making stuff up
With a minute to go in the third quarter and the Cavaliers up on the Pacers in Game 7 by two, LeBron James exited the game and went straight to the locker room with an athletic trainer. He had played every minute of the game up to that point, and the dreaded word associated with his playoff past had resurfaced.
Cramps.
LeBron was cramping in his leg and missed almost five minutes of game action. Thankfully, George Hill, Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love were enough to give the Cavaliers an eight-point lead when The King returned
I know, great stats. Apologize bitch, you reek of desperation.
Can't believe you bronsexuals forgot about this game, i need apologies or i'll make a topic about this game.
I think i'm gonna name it 'The hidden game7 cramp game'.. Y'all were hiding that shit lol
JBSptfn
09-08-2020, 11:57 PM
01 Bucks is also a little officiating related probably.
Yes. I was just going to bring them up.
Also, the 91 Blazers qualify. They had LA on the ropes in Game 1, and didn't put the dagger in the heart. That set the tone for the series.
Micku
09-09-2020, 12:12 AM
Okay, sure, some of those teams rode hot streaks.. like the ‚09 Magic.
‚01 Bucks is also a little officiating related probably.
There are more. Like I don't think that the 84 Celts was better than the 84 Lakers. I think if they played again, the Lakers would've won. The Lakers made some boneheaded plays. I know it's part of the game, but it was really really bad. I don't know if the Bucks 83 was better than the 83 Celts.
And I don't think the 02 Lakers were better than the 02 Kings.
I'm not too sure on the 09 Magic tho. They did expose the Cavs, but maybe. LeBron played amazing in that series tho.
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