ALL TIME BEST CHAMPIONSHIP LINEUP

[Air Zoom Kobe I]

OK there are too many good if not GREAT NBA linups that have made it to the finals or won the finals. We all Know about jordan's bulls, BUT is there any there any team that can match up to them? Now IM talkin about the team when RODMAN showed up.

The olny team I can think of behind the '04 Lakers is the '93-94 Rockets

Any other teams?[/b]

[Amphatoast]

the 60s celtics, 80s lakers, possibly 80s celtics also

[Air Zoom Kobe I]

'80's celtics had a pretty good team with bird and Mchale and Bill walton

They did pretty good

[Matthew]

OK there are too many good if not GREAT NBA linups that have made it to the finals or won the finals. We all Know about jordan's bulls, BUT is there any there any team that can match up to them? Now IM talkin about the team when RODMAN showed up.

The olny team I can think of behind the '04 Lakers is the '93-94 Rockets

Any other teams?[/b]

Two bad choices considering the Lakers were beaten quite badly in the finals by Detroit and the 93-94 rockets were one of the softest championship teams in the history of the nba. The 95 rockets would have posed a much stronger test to the 96 bulls.

[Air Zoom Kobe I]

Wait how were they soft
They had 8 strong players and despite Injuries made it to they palyoffs in great shape. Olajuwon took over in the playoffs. THat team is the real ClutchCity. They TRULY stepped up when they had to.

And the '04 lakers had the titile won but Malond hurt his ankle and wasn't the same

Sad story

[Christopherson]

Yeah, and I would have played in the NBA if I hadn't stopped growing. Equally sad story. We cant be basing things off of what could happened.

[Air Zoom Kobe I]

lol true. But at least they were in form in the regular season

[Matthew]

Wait how were they soft
They had 8 strong players and despite Injuries made it to they palyoffs in great shape. Olajuwon took over in the playoffs. THat team is the real ClutchCity. They TRULY stepped up when they had to.

And the '04 lakers had the titile won but Malond hurt his ankle and wasn't the same

Sad story

Malone did his knee in. But this isnt about coulda and shoulda's. The Bulls against an in-their-prime 2004 lakers would have been very interesting, but Malone was strictly a jumpshooter and passer. Payton was, well, not much and Shaq was already in decline. Also Kobe was never really in form due to his knee surgery and Colarado rape charge. I think either Bulls dynasty would have dismantled this team.

As for Houston, they didnt have enough on the offensive side of the ball. Kenny Smith and Vernon Maxell would have been shewed up and spat out by mj in the post. Pippen's help defense on Hakeem would have serverly limited his production and Rodman would have monstered the offensive boards. It wouldn't have been close. But against the 95 rockets, with Horry hitting big shots, Drexler playing well and Hakeem simply dominating, things would have been alot closer.

[benji]

Here's the biggest problem with comparing championship teams.

Not only was the game different (the 60s were focused on scoring more points, the 90s on choking the pace of the game to death for example) but we have to consider that many of these teams were designed with beating one team or another in mind. The Sixers of 1967, often considered one of the greatest teams of all time, were built with the intention of defeating the Celtics. While they were a really great team and would contend with almost any top ten team, they were designed with one goal. Which may not make them as effective against some teams.

I'm currently finishing up "The Show" by Roland Lazenby about the Lakers over the years. For much of the 60s they tried to find players to compete with the Celtics, which actually got them in trouble in the 70s, as the Celtics weren't the team to beat anymore, the Knicks and Bucks in the early 70s were different teams, not to mention the effects of the ABA. (Of course there were more personal issues involved in the breakup of the Lakers back then, especially with the banning of Wilt and the disrespecting of West, but that was only one factor.)

The Bulls in 1996 were the best offensive and defensive team in the league which makes them a really tough opponent. Could some teams have taken them? Yeah, of course. In a seven game series one could easily fathom the 60s Celtics, 80s Celtics and Lakers beating out the Bulls. Even the '83 Sixers, '72 Lakers, '67 Sixers, and early 90s Bulls would be teams that could take them. I'm not saying they would always beat the Bulls, but they'd take 45-55% of 100 seven game series.

A lot of people focus on the Bulls as "Jordan's Bulls" like you did, but the Bulls were great beyond just Jordan. Yeah, they had the best player in the league, and one of the two best players of all-time in Jordan. Yeah Pippen and Rodman were great at what they did. But they were also very well defined as a team, the players had their roles and they excelled at those roles. Whether it was efficient offense from a Kukoc or Kerr, or smart defense from a Harper, or just not getting in the way or screwing up too much from everyone else. The rest of that team delivered in spades. Jordan and Rodman put that team over the edge, but don't forget they were pretty much a 55 win team without those two the year before. Replacing B.J. Armstrong with Michael Jordan, and Will Perdue with Dennis Rodman, while bringing an all-star calibur player like Toni Kukoc off the bench instead of having to start him, along with a short term talent dilution with the expansion explains the Bulls 17 win improvement. Even without the expansion they still would've won 65-70 games and the title putting them in the "all-time" great teams.

To beat the '96 Bulls you'd have to have a great offense and defense like they had. Some teams like some of the 60s Celtics were only average at one, but phenominal at the other.

It would be tough taking down the Bulls, but it'd also be tough taking down any of the other "all-time" great teams.

[Air Zoom Kobe I]

Ok So what you're saying is that Olajuwon didnt dominate in his MVP year, Sam Casell, Mario Elie, Carl Herrera, and Scottie Brooks off the bench would have no Impact, and the Bulls would run over them? I dont think thats completely true.

MJ would have his Game in the post, that is true. But Mario Elie is A GRITTY Defender on the outside

Heh Maxwell is an underrated defender and Shooter and before his EGO got to him and Drexler came along he was doing fine. Kenny smith was the floor general and Sam Cassell, just like he is now, is and was stepping up and keeping them in games along with Elie and Herrera. If THose teams were ina 7 Game series, I wouldn't be ashamed of putting My money on the Rockets. If Olajuwon is double and Triple Teamed he has at the most 6 Consistent Shooters around Him.

As for Vernon, You can Leave Maxwell Open If you want to. Ask the Phoenix Suns. THey kno NOT to leave him open .

[bigh0rt]

Ok So what you're saying is that Olajuwon didnt dominate in his MVP year, Sam Casell, Mario Elie, Carl Herrera, and Scottie Brooks off the bench would have no Impact, and the Bulls would run over them? I dont think thats completely true.

MJ would have his Game in the post, that is true. But Mario Elie is A GRITTY Defender on the outside

Heh Maxwell is an underrated defender and Shooter and before his EGO got to him and Drexler came along he was doing fine. Kenny smith was the floor general and Sam Cassell, just like he is now, is and was stepping up and keeping them in games along with Elie and Herrera. If THose teams were ina 7 Game series, I wouldn't be ashamed of putting My money on the Rockets. If Olajuwon is double and Triple Teamed he has at the most 6 Consistent Shooters around Him.

As for Vernon, You can Leave Maxwell Open If you want to. Ask the Phoenix Suns. THey kno NOT to leave him open .

So were you looking for an answer to an open ended question, or for people to love on your hometown Rockets?

[Matthew]

The Bulls in 1996 were the best offensive and defensive team in the league which makes them a really tough opponent. Could some teams have taken them? Yeah, of course. In a seven game series one could easily fathom the 60s Celtics, 80s Celtics and Lakers beating out the Bulls. Even the '83 Lakers, '72 Lakers, '67 Sixers, and early 90s Bulls would be teams that could take them. I'm not saying they would always beat the Bulls, but they'd take 45-55% of 100 seven game series.

Interesting.. I wouldn't say its quite even money for those teams to beat the 96 bulls, but I agree it would be close.

Clutch, If you're using Scott Brooks as part of your main logic as to why the 93-94 rockets would beat the bulls, you are an idiot . The Rockets wouldn't have even made the conference finals in 96. Orlando, Chicago, Utah and Seattle were all better teams.

[Air Zoom Kobe I]

That is true. But Scott Brooks Did have his Occasional Game, If im not Mistaken.

The Clutch city rockets Split up by then. Herrera and Maxwell were traded, Thorpe was gone, Brooks was cut, and Cassell didnt really have the same Impact. That isnt really fair to compare them like that unles you are Talking about records.

O yea and bigH0rt yea I wanted a answer. I only Liked the clutch city Era of rockets and When steve francis was point guard. I watch the Rockets of now and I see inconsistency and dumb mistakes.

[KIG1]

No respect for this years Heat? I don't think that we are going to see a Shaq/DWade sort of team in a very long time.

Also, when you have Zo on the bench who might be a HOF'er, and Gary Payton (HOF), and other pieces such as Haslem, Posey, Williams, and Walker. They have to be mentioned.

[bigh0rt]

No respect for this years Heat? I don't think that we are going to see a Shaq/DWade sort of team in a very long time.

Also, when you have Zo on the bench who might be a HOF'er, and Gary Payton (HOF), and other pieces such as Haslem, Posey, Williams, and Walker. They have to be mentioned.

No they don't; nor should they.

[Air Zoom Kobe I]

Of course theyre a great Team hands down. T-Mac and Yao could be like that to an extent. Yea they do have good pieces to theyre squad. But DONT EVER FORGET about clutch city and DA HEART OF A CHAMPION. They're Always gonna b there. . But the Heat of this year is a team to be mentioned as a great team

[olajuwon34]

The Heat of this year are Not That Good to be ahnest with you

[ThaLiveKing]

No respect for this years Heat? I don't think that we are going to see a Shaq/DWade sort of team in a very long time.

Also, when you have Zo on the bench who might be a HOF'er, and Gary Payton (HOF), and other pieces such as Haslem, Posey, Williams, and Walker. They have to be mentioned.

Miami has a good team, I just don't like them!! Maybe it's egos and cockiness in the air. I do like D-Wade though,

The Bulls Era. Michael Jordan showed the world why is will be the best player EVER. D-Wade showed he can be the next Jordan the way he played in the finals. . .

[Air Zoom Kobe I]

D-Wade has Jordan potential but will he be able to fill it is a big question.

[Sauru]

i gotta agree with matthew here, both the 2 teams you picked were poor choices. the laker for obvious reasons (cant be great and lose) and the rockets only won cause jordan retired, so both of them cant be considered close to chicago. mentioning this years heat team is an insult to every bulls championship team. infact its just insulting to every team to ever win the ring.

overall i dont know if any team truely could have matched that bulls team in the finals. if anyone could have it would be the old celtics or lakers.

[Air Zoom Kobe I]

the celtics could have stood a chance

the Lakers I doubt

And even MJ himself said in a '96 interview with CNN that he wouldn't want to play the Rockets that won the championship

Sho that has to mean something

[olajuwon34]

I dont THink Jordan caried the Bulls by himself he had Scottie and KUKOC who shuld have beeeen an All-Star. Magic's Lakers n Hakeem's Rockets could have done some damege

[Indy]

Well, the team that gave the Bulls the most trouble were the 98 Pacers. Had the Pacers gotten HCA that year, we would have won the series.

Not to mention the 18 point lead we had at halftime in game 7. I still have nightmares about that game.

[kinokong]

well those bulls were great on both ends of the floor but like indy said, the pacers gave the bulls quite a bit of trouble over the years....

[Matthew]

Well, the team that gave the Bulls the most trouble were the 98 Pacers. Had the Pacers gotten HCA that year, we would have won the series.

Not to mention the 18 point lead we had at halftime in game 7. I still have nightmares about that game.

Ah the old excuses. Plenty of teams pushed the bulls further, like the 92 knicks, 93 suns and both 97 and 98 jazz.