Objectively speaking, is this the easiest path to a title in NBA history?

[Carbine]

These Suns have had to play:

Lakers first round AD gets hurt

No Murray second round

No Kawhi third round

Potentially no Giannis for the Finals

It doesn't feel like the Sun's are the best team, just the most healthy and fortunate

[iamgine]

If the Suns is stacked, it would be. Since they are not, it's really not an easy path. They are fortunate though. But then again, every NBA champion need some luck.

I'd say the easiest path was during GSW's two year dynasty. The difference between their team and everyone else was just so massive that it doesn't matter if everyone else was healthy or not.

[Kblaze8855]

The Warriors didn’t play a single heathy point in 2015 I don’t think and none of those teams are as hurt as the Cavs without Love and Kyrie.

That and this year are probably the worst in my life. Even some of those laker teams who played 3 42 or less wins in the west had all time great teams to play in the finals.

That said....it is what it is. One reason I’ve always thought “Can’t win a title with ____” was a stupid line of thinking. Once your team is like...top 5-6 in the league you can win a title off luck.

We are like 2 people getting coughed on by the wrong person from the Hawks winning it all.

[ArbitraryWater]

If they now play the Bucks without Giannis it'd just be insane lol.

[ArbitraryWater]

The Warriors didn’t play a single heathy point in 2015 I don’t think and none of those teams are as hurt as the Cavs without Love and Kyrie.

That and this year are probably the worst in my life. Even some of those laker teams who played 3 42 or less wins in the west had all time great teams to play in the finals.

That said....it is what it is. One reason I’ve always thought “Can’t win a title with ____” was a stupid line of thinking. Once your team is like...top 5-6 in the league you can win a title off luck.

We are like 2 people getting coughed on by the wrong person from the Hawks winning it all.

:oldlol:

probably just 1

[rawimpact]

The west has been off balance for a while now, but still better that the east.

I mean twenty years ago look at the path the lakers took in 2001

Lakers had to beat Portland (50-32) first round
Lakers had to beat Kings (55-27) second round
Lakers had to beat Spurs (58-24) conference finals
Lakers had to beat 76ers (56-26) finals

Portland as a first round opponent ranked 7th had a 0.610 record... that record in todays league earns them a 3-4 a seed in the playoffs.

[Phoenix]

Once Lebron, Kawhi, Harden/Kyrie, Freak, and whoever else( I've lost count) got hit with injuries it's basically even money. CP3 himself missed a week and the Suns could have folded but didnt. You'd have struck it rich if you bet on the Hawks pre-season winning it all. Most unlikely champion in history( at least in the time I been watching NBA ball anyway).

[Shogon]

:oldlol:

probably just 1

Deandre Ayton would probably be that guy. Probably he only single player the Suns can't afford to lose and eek out a series win.

That being said, the Bucks can still beat the Hawks even without Giannis. Trae Young is overrated af tho but the Hawks have been playing together extremely well.

[Norcaliblunt]

Staying healthy is hard not easy.

[StrongLurk]

2015 and this year are the ones that come to mind...could be others I'm forgetting in the 90's and 00's since they were so long ago.