Looking back on it, was 2016 the peak of NBA basketball?

[1987_Lakers]

So many storylines that season.

Warriors chasing for 73 wins
Kobe's farewell tour and his historic final game vs Utah
Steph's historic regular season
LeBron doing his thing out in the East

Then the playoffs hit.

OKC blow a 3-1 lead vs 73 win Warriors
73 win Warrors blow a 3-1 lead vs LeBron and the Cavs

It straight up feels like a perfect movie script looking back. The best player of his generation and arguably the GOAT going up against the GOAT regular season team in the Finals and not only did the Cavs come back from 3-1, but LeBron ends up leading all Finals players in every major statistical category. I don't think I have ever experienced a season like that before or since.

This is a side note, but the Spurs were also having a historic regular season that year that got overshadowed by what the Warriors were doing, they won 67 games and were beating up on teams pretty much in similar fashion the Warriors were. KD destroyed them in the playoffs though. KD was pretty much the Spurs killer in that era.

[guy]

It’s up there, especially with the movie script like storylines that you mentioned. But it’s hard for me to pick against Jordan at the peak of his powers and the Bulls during the first three-peat. It’s like the original Star Wars trilogy. There’s been some very entertaining and awesome basketball/movies since then but nothing that has quite caught that.

[Wally450]

Probably the last fully enjoyable season.

[SouBeachTalents]

Probably the last fully enjoyable season.
I'd agree with this, KD to the Warriors really ruined the competitive balance in the league, then the 2020's have been filled with superstar injury & load management.

The playoffs can still be good, but 2016 was probably the last good regular season we'll ever have, teams just don't prioritize it anymore.

[guy]

I'd agree with this, KD to the Warriors really ruined the competitive balance in the league, then the 2020's have been filled with superstar injury & load management.

The playoffs can still be good, but 2016 was probably the last good regular season we'll ever have, teams just don't prioritize it anymore.

It’s been way longer then that since they stopped prioritizing the regular seasons. Shaq, the Spurs and the big 3 Celtics really started it. I agree though it got considerably worse after 2016..

[ArbitraryWater]

1 conference was absolute garbage which kind of hurts though.

[Full Court]

So many storylines that season.

Warriors chasing for 73 wins
Kobe's farewell tour and his historic final game vs Utah
Steph's historic regular season
LeBron doing his thing out in the East

Then the playoffs hit.

OKC blow a 3-1 lead vs 73 win Warriors
73 win Warrors blow a 3-1 lead vs LeBron and the Cavs

It straight up feels like a perfect movie script looking back. The best player of his generation and arguably the GOAT going up against the GOAT regular season team in the Finals and not only did the Cavs come back from 3-1, but LeBron ends up leading all Finals players in every major statistical category. I don't think I have ever experienced a season like that before or since.

This is a side note, but the Spurs were also having a historic regular season that year that got overshadowed by what the Warriors were doing, they won 67 games and were beating up on teams pretty much in similar fashion the Warriors were. KD destroyed them in the playoffs though. KD was pretty much the Spurs killer in that era.


:roll: In your dreams. You must be a Bronie fluffer.


:lebronamazed:

[Indian guy]

Nahhh

It definitely had its high points but the East outside of Cleveland was still pretty bad, leading to nothing memorable happening in the playoffs.

I actually think last season after the AS break was really, really good, thanks in large part to the league getting rid of freedom-of-movement crap they passed in 2019. Games became physical again and it led to a very entertaining playoffs.

[Carbine]

^What?

The east playoffs were awful. Amongst the least memorable and fun it has been in the last two decades at least.

The west was fine but nothing extraordinary.

[Phoenix]

I liked how the 2019 season ended. The Raptors improbable run to the championship, the Warriors juggernaut being tested by a scrappy, starless Clippers team and ultimately losing their crown( albeit with key injuries).

That actually may have been the last season I was really tuned into the league watching full games and most of the playoffs. It's been spotty since, the odd game, alot of 'eh, I'll just watch the 2nd half/4th quarter' or watching youtube highlights the next morning.

[Axe]

If other people claim that curry is the best player of the 2010s then wow. Lebron embarrassed him in the most epic way possible during the finals nine years ago, so much that calling both the 2016 warriors and ring 'overrated' is such a braindead take.

[sdot_thadon]

From a storyline perspective it was a really fun season to experience. From that angle it's pretty tough to beat in my book. And for me personally it was a season I managed to to get to a handful of games in person. I got to see Harden, Westbrook, KD, and Lebron live that year.

[RRR3]

Of all of LeBron's rings, that probably had the funniest meltdowns on ISH. Although 2020 was honestly pretty great as well.

[1987_Lakers]

From a storyline perspective it was a really fun season to experience. From that angle it's pretty tough to beat in my book. And for me personally it was a season I managed to to get to a handful of games in person. I got to see Harden, Westbrook, KD, and Lebron live that year.

The storylines that year were insane, forget the Finals, I don't think we will see a regular season finale like that again. Had the Warriors going for win #73 and Kobe's last ever game on the same night. Me and my friends went to buffalo wild wings that night and the place was packed. Even saw a former 49ers player there watching the games. :lol

[tpols]

The warriors pretty much carried that season ratings wise. I don't think we'll ever see a UMVP season like that again. The style Curry played with that year was one in a billion and he still doesn't play like that to this day.

[sd3035]

The Jordan era was the last time the general population talked about basketball

[Lebron23]

The Jordan era was the last time the general population talked about basketball

Only few have internet access in the 1990's. Thank God for the internet we knew MJ had a crappy competition.

[3ba11]

There's never been a player with 6 straight preseason favorites (11-16') or a sidekick outplay the league MVP, so Lebron had unprecedented help, along with 3 franchise players versus only 1 for the Warriors.. The media simply defrauded the public by pretending that Lebron's unprecedented help wasn't something that needed to be overcome with another unprecedented advantage (KD's)... Lebron also wet the bed for the first 4 games to need Game 7 and a teammate bailout just like the 13' Finals, so he chokes for the first half of the series and then needs closeout games and teammate bailouts

Lebron's clutch efficiency is another massive weakness and deficit to MJ, along with FT's, turnovers, offensive rebounds, SPG, BPG, while also having deficits to Jordan in plus/minus, raptor, PER, BPM, WS/48, VORP, possessions used (usage) and efficiency on those possessions (ORTG), ball movement/assisted rate, teammate development/chemistry, winning.. The only stats that Lebron leads are defensive rebounds (positional stat) and assists (ball-domination & lower team assists, and lower winning).

[sdot_thadon]

The storylines that year were insane, forget the Finals, I don't think we will see a regular season finale like that again. Had the Warriors going for win #73 and Kobe's last ever game on the same night. Me and my friends went to buffalo wild wings that night and the place was packed. Even saw a former 49ers player there watching the games. :lol

Yeah that was a cool day, I was flipping back and forth between both games until the 4th of Kobes last game. Still in my mind the most "Kobe" game ever what a send off. As a sports fan I've been blessed to have been watching live (on TV at least) for a ton of historic moments. MJ's jumper in 98 was always my favorite basketball moment ever until 2016's stretch of moments. I think 2016 was a bit more thrilling just because of the tension and how high stakes the series felt during the comeback. In 98 honestly it was ho hum the Bulls are going to beat the dirt bag Jazz and that particular season didn't have all the dramatics and alltime implications outside of Mjs 6th title.

[1987_Lakers]

How about 1988?

MJ, Bird, Magic, & Hakeem. 4 of the top 10 players ever arguably who were in their prime. Would add Kareem, but he obviously wasn't the same player by that point. Other legends like K. Malone, Barkley, Stockton, Isiah, Dominique, Drexler, McHale, & Ewing. Classic duel between Bird & Dominque in the playoffs. Classic Finals between Lakers & Pistons. All of the '84 class by this time hit their prime while Bird & Magic were still at the top of their game.

Alot of people forget this, but the West was a bloodbath that year, Lakers went through hell just to get to the Finals while in previous seasons it was a cake walk.

[1987_Lakers]

Draymond Green says Kevin Durant joining the Warriors made 2015-2019 the best era in NBA history

“From 2015 to 2019, in my opinion, that was the best era of NBA basketball. The best five-year stretch. You may say it was the Showtime Lakers, but at the very least, it’s in the top three. And you coming to the Warriors elevated it. That era of basketball wouldn’t have been the same if you hadn’t joined. Your presence forced teams to build to compete against you. It elevated the game.”

https://x.com/TheDunkCentral/status/1895141032435626307

Draymond said this a couple of days ago.

[90sgoat]

Nah, it peaked around 1992 with the Dream Team. Basketball will never have the cultural relevance it had back then, it was something everyone around the world followed because the Dream Team was also the symbol of american exceptionalism, they were like Rambo and Arnold, international superstars.

Then I would say Iverson unfortunately also was very big and the early 00s with Iverson, Shaq, Kobe, T-Mac, young Lebron, Duncan etc, that was also very popular.

[1987_Lakers]

Nah, it peaked around 1992 with the Dream Team. Basketball will never have the cultural relevance it had back then, it was something everyone around the world followed because the Dream Team was also the symbol of american exceptionalism, they were like Rambo and Arnold, international superstars.

Then I would say Iverson unfortunately also was very big and the early 00s with Iverson, Shaq, Kobe, T-Mac, young Lebron, Duncan etc, that was also very popular.

If Hakeem was an American citizen by the time he entered the league. Hypothetically, The '88 Dream Team would have smoked the '92 Dream Team. Magic & Bird were actually in their prime at the time while guys like MJ, Barkley, Malone, Drexler, & Stockton were entering theirs.

'92 was a big deal because it was the first time NBA players played the Olympics and it had peak MJ, it expanded the game, but Magic & Bird were not the same players, especially Bird.

[L.Kizzle]

So many storylines that season.

Warriors chasing for 73 wins
Kobe's farewell tour and his historic final game vs Utah
Steph's historic regular season
LeBron doing his thing out in the East

Then the playoffs hit.

OKC blow a 3-1 lead vs 73 win Warriors
73 win Warrors blow a 3-1 lead vs LeBron and the Cavs

It straight up feels like a perfect movie script looking back. The best player of his generation and arguably the GOAT going up against the GOAT regular season team in the Finals and not only did the Cavs come back from 3-1, but LeBron ends up leading all Finals players in every major statistical category. I don't think I have ever experienced a season like that before or since.

This is a side note, but the Spurs were also having a historic regular season that year that got overshadowed by what the Warriors were doing, they won 67 games and were beating up on teams pretty much in similar fashion the Warriors were. KD destroyed them in the playoffs though. KD was pretty much the Spurs killer in that era.

Just looked up that season and DeAndre Jordan being All-NBA First center disqualifies it from being the peak of anything, unfortunately.

Spurs avg 15 attempted 3s a game, the least.
Lamely avg 12 attempts by himself this season.

[90sgoat]

If Hakeem was an American citizen by the time he entered the league. Hypothetically, The '88 Dream Team would have smoked the '92 Dream Team. Magic & Bird were actually in their prime at the time while guys like MJ, Barkley, Malone, Drexler, & Stockton were entering theirs.

'92 was a big deal because it was the first time NBA players played the Olympics and it had peak MJ, it expanded the game, but Magic & Bird were not the same players, especially Bird.

True, but it's cultural impact was huge, but I agree that the NBA was probably the best talent wise in the late 80s.

[Phoenix]

If Hakeem was an American citizen by the time he entered the league. Hypothetically, The '88 Dream Team would have smoked the '92 Dream Team. Magic & Bird were actually in their prime at the time while guys like MJ, Barkley, Malone, Drexler, & Stockton were entering theirs.

'92 was a big deal because it was the first time NBA players played the Olympics and it had peak MJ, it expanded the game, but Magic & Bird were not the same players, especially Bird.

The 88 Dream Team might have had Isiah Thomas as well, I don't think there was beef with MJ at that stage like it was after 92, but I stand to be corrected. You'd take 88 Isiah over 88 Stockton, so in theory the US could have fielded something like:

Guards:

Magic
Jordan
Isiah
Drexler

Forwards:

Bird
Malone
Barkley
Nique

Centers:
Ewing
Moses
Kareem( ceremonial)

If they did the college player thing I imagine they'd take Danny Manning.

[red1]

2016 was an epic season. 2010s were epic overall.

lebron vs curry in the finals
warriors 73 wins
cavs finally get that championship


2010 was epic as well with kobe getting carried to his 5th ring in game 7
2011 epic dirk run
2013 epic heat spurs finals
2019 kawhi epic run


great decade for basketball and much stronger than 2020s so far

[1987_Lakers]

2016 was an epic season. 2010s were epic overall.

lebron vs curry in the finals
warriors 73 wins
cavs finally get that championship


2010 was epic as well with kobe getting carried to his 5th ring in game 7
2011 epic dirk run
2013 epic heat spurs finals
2019 kawhi epic run


great decade for basketball and much stronger than 2020s so far

2010's blow 2000's & 2020's out of the water.

[red1]

2010's blow 2000's & 2020's out of the water.

that ray allen three and that kyrie three are the two greatest moments in NBA history


haters still crying all these years later :oldlol::roll:


Im biased but I think the kawhi series-winning shot with the ball bouncing 3 times - thats a top 5 nba moment too