1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 1: The volume. All right, well, good to hoops tonight here 2 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:19,000 Speaker 1: at the volume. Happy Tuesday, everybody, Oh Bob, you guys 3 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:20,480 Speaker 1: are having a great start to your week. We are 4 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:24,279 Speaker 1: continuing our top ten week today with our top ten 5 00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:28,120 Speaker 1: championship teams of the last twenty five years. You guys 6 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: know the joke before we get started to subscribe to 7 00:00:29,560 --> 00:00:31,120 Speaker 1: the loops and not YouTube channels. You don't miss any 8 00:00:31,120 --> 00:00:33,599 Speaker 1: more of our videos. Follow me on Twitter, underscore JCNLT 9 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 1: so you guys don't miss show announcements. 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All right, 20 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:00,680 Speaker 1: let's talk some basketball. So only there's one rule that 21 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 1: I have here on the list if there's a repeat 22 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:06,759 Speaker 1: or a three peat champ, I can only pick one 23 00:01:06,800 --> 00:01:10,560 Speaker 1: of those teams. However, if you did repeat, it's obviously 24 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:12,399 Speaker 1: going to be something that works in your favor on 25 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 1: a list like this. So the team that missed the 26 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: cut for me, the team that landed at eleventh was 27 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:20,679 Speaker 1: the two thousand and eight Boston Celtics. They were a 28 00:01:20,720 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 1: truly dominant regular season team. They won sixty six regular 29 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:27,600 Speaker 1: season games in two thousand and eight, and they started 30 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 1: the following season twenty six and two. But they got 31 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:33,760 Speaker 1: cut here because they suffered ten playoff losses, which was 32 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:35,760 Speaker 1: the most out of any team in the last twenty 33 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:38,200 Speaker 1: five years, fueled by the fact that they really struggled 34 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 1: on the road. They were just three and nine on 35 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:43,200 Speaker 1: road playoff games during that playoff run. So they ended 36 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: up being the team that just barely missed the cut. 37 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 1: Now I have three tiers on this list. There are 38 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:52,040 Speaker 1: two teams that are in the third tier. These are 39 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 1: teams that didn't really separate from the pack and the 40 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 1: regular season in any sort of substantial way, like as 41 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:00,800 Speaker 1: a dominant regular season team, but these they were amazing 42 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:05,279 Speaker 1: playoff teams. This starts with number ten, the twenty twenty 43 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 1: three Denver Nuggets. They were one of only two teams 44 00:02:08,000 --> 00:02:11,919 Speaker 1: to make this list that failed to win sixty games. 45 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:14,320 Speaker 1: The other team, though, is in the very top tier 46 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:16,919 Speaker 1: as one of our repeat champions. Those of you guys 47 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:20,240 Speaker 1: who are into predicting, it's a little bit of foreshadowing there. 48 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,359 Speaker 1: But they only won fifty three regular season games, mostly 49 00:02:23,360 --> 00:02:25,120 Speaker 1: because they let their foot off the gas after a 50 00:02:25,120 --> 00:02:27,880 Speaker 1: hot start. They were forty six to nineteen on March sixth, 51 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:30,520 Speaker 1: which was a fifty eight win pace, and they were 52 00:02:30,560 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: only a half game back of the best record in 53 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:35,959 Speaker 1: the league, Milwaukee Bucks at that point. And they finished 54 00:02:35,960 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 1: the year kind of poorly, which hurt them in the 55 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 1: regular season standings, but they were a dominant playoff team. 56 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:43,600 Speaker 1: Jamal Murray played the best basketball of his career in 57 00:02:43,639 --> 00:02:46,640 Speaker 1: that secondary scoring role off of Nikolay Jokic, and this, 58 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 1: in my opinion to this point, was the absolute apex 59 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 1: of Jokic as a playoff basketball player. He put together 60 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:56,960 Speaker 1: the best short range scoring season that I had ever seen. 61 00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:00,320 Speaker 1: He made two thirds of his hooks and floaters, almost 62 00:03:00,360 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 1: seventy four percent of his jump shots inside of seventeen feet. 63 00:03:03,280 --> 00:03:05,799 Speaker 1: Amy shot forty six percent from three on pretty high 64 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:09,280 Speaker 1: volume in the postseason. Just ripped through the playoffs. They 65 00:03:09,360 --> 00:03:11,720 Speaker 1: ripped through Anthony Edwards and Karl Anthony Towns in the 66 00:03:11,720 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 1: first round, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker in the second round, 67 00:03:14,080 --> 00:03:16,639 Speaker 1: Lebron and Ad they swept him. And then they beat 68 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 1: Jimmy and Bam in five games in the finals. Just 69 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:22,480 Speaker 1: a thorough ass kicking all the way through the playoffs. 70 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:26,920 Speaker 1: A truly impressive championship run from a team that had 71 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: somewhat of a mediocre regular season. Also interesting stat here, 72 00:03:30,560 --> 00:03:33,160 Speaker 1: the Denver Nuggets in twenty twenty three posted a one 73 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: point eighteen point two offensive rating in the playoff run. 74 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 1: That is tied for the highest offensive rating ever put 75 00:03:41,400 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 1: up by a champion in a playoff run with the 76 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 1: twenty seventeen Golden State Warriors. Now we're obviously going to 77 00:03:47,440 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 1: give the nod to the twenty seventeen Warriors. Is the 78 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:53,000 Speaker 1: greatest playoff offense ever just simply because at least champion, 79 00:03:53,040 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 1: I should say, just simply because of the fact that 80 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 1: they were from nearly a decade prior, when the league 81 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 1: wasn't scoring as a as efficiently, in playing it as 82 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 1: fast a pace as they are now, but still worth mentioning. 83 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 1: The tied for the best offense in the history of 84 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:12,920 Speaker 1: NBA Champion playoff runs, the twenty twenty three Denver Nuggets, 85 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 1: number nine the twenty sixteen Caps. This was not a 86 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 1: team that you would have ranked very high on this 87 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:23,680 Speaker 1: list until the final three games of the season. They 88 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:27,400 Speaker 1: won just fifty seven games in a relatively weak Eastern Conference. 89 00:04:27,520 --> 00:04:29,400 Speaker 1: Part of that was because Kyrie missed the start of 90 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:32,120 Speaker 1: the year with his knee injury. They fired their coach 91 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:34,920 Speaker 1: in the middle of the season. They dropped two games 92 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:37,440 Speaker 1: they probably shouldn't have dropped to the Toronto Raptors and 93 00:04:37,480 --> 00:04:40,240 Speaker 1: the conference finals, and they trailed three to one in 94 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:43,800 Speaker 1: the NBA Finals to the Warriors. But at that point, 95 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:47,360 Speaker 1: Lebron James played the greatest three game stretch of basketball 96 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:50,159 Speaker 1: that anyone has ever played, notching back to back forty 97 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:53,279 Speaker 1: point games. Kyrie Irving pitched in a forty point game 98 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:56,680 Speaker 1: in Game five, and then in an absolutely epic Game seven, 99 00:04:56,680 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 1: a game, by the way, that we're gonna be rewatching 100 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:00,840 Speaker 1: on playback next week week on Monday. I hope you 101 00:05:00,839 --> 00:05:03,200 Speaker 1: guys will come join us for that. But Lebron in 102 00:05:03,240 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 1: the fourth quarter, runs a masterful half court offense, picking 103 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:10,880 Speaker 1: on different warriors and switches, and he gets the highlight 104 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:13,599 Speaker 1: of his career with the chase down block of Andre 105 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 1: Gudala leading to Kyrie Irving tying things off with a 106 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 1: game winning step back jump shot over Steph Curry, and 107 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:23,200 Speaker 1: the Cavs are champs. So yeah, not much to point 108 00:05:23,279 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 1: two in terms of a truly great champion in the 109 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 1: big picture, But if you defeat the greatest regular season 110 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:32,600 Speaker 1: team ever in the finals, you absolutely have to make 111 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:36,600 Speaker 1: this list. Number eight the twenty twenty Lakers. I think 112 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:38,760 Speaker 1: this is one of the more underrated teams in recent 113 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:41,359 Speaker 1: NBA history. The reason why is just because it was 114 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:44,159 Speaker 1: the COVID season, right the season was cut short. There's 115 00:05:44,200 --> 00:05:47,360 Speaker 1: a group of detractors. Lebron has a very polarizing kind 116 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:49,120 Speaker 1: of presence in the NBA fan base. A lot of 117 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:52,680 Speaker 1: people don't like him. They talk about the bubble, all 118 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 1: that kind of stuff. This was also for me. The 119 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:56,560 Speaker 1: reason why I have them ranked lower is just they 120 00:05:56,560 --> 00:05:58,240 Speaker 1: didn't get a chance to play much in the form 121 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 1: of great competition. This was a phase in the NBA 122 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:03,719 Speaker 1: where there weren't that many great teams. So the Lakers 123 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:07,159 Speaker 1: had a relatively easy playoff path, like the Clippers were 124 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: basically frauds. The Warriors were down with injuries, the Celtics 125 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:13,919 Speaker 1: were too young. The Bucks were frauds because Giannis at 126 00:06:13,960 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 1: that point really didn't know how to be an effective 127 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:18,840 Speaker 1: offensive player in the half court and the playoffs. Yet, 128 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:21,080 Speaker 1: the Nuggets were still a touch too young, and they 129 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 1: hadn't made that Jeremy Grant swap for Aaron Gordon yet. 130 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:27,480 Speaker 1: So the Lakers basically just kicked everyone's ass. But they 131 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:30,360 Speaker 1: were a truly dominant team. They started the season twenty 132 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:33,600 Speaker 1: four and three. When the COVID shutdown happened, they were 133 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 1: forty nine and fourteen, which is a sixty four win pace. 134 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:39,320 Speaker 1: They had really separated from the rest of the West. 135 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:41,440 Speaker 1: At that point. They were five and a half games 136 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:44,159 Speaker 1: up on the second seeded Clippers, and they just ran 137 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:46,280 Speaker 1: over every one. In the playoffs. They beat the Dame 138 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:49,000 Speaker 1: CJ Blazers in five, they beat the hard in Westbrook 139 00:06:49,080 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 1: Rockets in five, they beat that same Nuggets team that 140 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:54,840 Speaker 1: eliminated the Clippers in five games, and they beat the 141 00:06:54,920 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 1: Jimmy Butler led Heat in six in the finals. Again, like, 142 00:06:58,120 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 1: I don't think you put a much higher on this 143 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:02,680 Speaker 1: list because of the weird circumstances and the lack of 144 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:05,400 Speaker 1: great teams in the league that really tested them. But 145 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:07,159 Speaker 1: in a vacuum, I think this was an awesome team. 146 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:09,240 Speaker 1: Lebron James. This is the last year that he was 147 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 1: the best player in the world. Honestly, It's the one 148 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 1: year in Lebron's career I can think of where I 149 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 1: thought he legitimately got robbed of MVP. He was just 150 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 1: a flat out better basketball player than Yannis and was 151 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 1: having a better season, but the voters just couldn't understand 152 00:07:22,240 --> 00:07:25,720 Speaker 1: how the weak Eastern Conference was influencing the metrics that 153 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:29,120 Speaker 1: Giannis was putting up. It was the best season of 154 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:31,800 Speaker 1: Anthony Davis's career. He turned into a monster three level score. 155 00:07:31,840 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 1: I thought he was a top five player in that season. 156 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:36,400 Speaker 1: And they had a deep roster of big, physical, ass 157 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:41,320 Speaker 1: kicking defenders like Danny Green, like Alex Caruso, like Contavious Colwell, 158 00:07:41,360 --> 00:07:43,560 Speaker 1: Pope just one of the great defenses of this era. 159 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:47,920 Speaker 1: A truly great Lakers team that was wrongfully maligned by 160 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:51,280 Speaker 1: Lebron haters retroactively, because that's just what Lebron haters do. 161 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 1: Number seven the twenty twenty four Boston Celtics. They won 162 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:59,080 Speaker 1: sixty four games. That was seven games more than anyone 163 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:02,200 Speaker 1: else in the NBA that year, fourteen games better than 164 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:04,120 Speaker 1: the two seed in the Eastern Conference that year, the 165 00:08:04,160 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 1: New York Knicks. Similarly to the twenty twenty Lakers, they 166 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:09,800 Speaker 1: didn't really face a great team in the playoffs. They 167 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:12,480 Speaker 1: beat the Heat without Jimmy Butler, they beat the Calves 168 00:08:12,520 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 1: without Jared Allen, and the Cavs backcourt was pretty banged 169 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:17,040 Speaker 1: up in that series. They swept the Pacers that was 170 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:19,520 Speaker 1: a hobbled version of Tyree Saliburton. But then I thought 171 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 1: they played a very good Dallas Mavericks team in the 172 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:25,280 Speaker 1: finals and handled them in five games, jumping up three 173 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 1: to zero in that series. The reason why I'm giving 174 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 1: them the nod over the Lakers here is I thought 175 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 1: that the twenty twenty four MAVs were touch better than 176 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:35,600 Speaker 1: the twenty twenty Nuggets. So I just looked at them 177 00:08:35,640 --> 00:08:37,600 Speaker 1: as having beat a better team than any of the 178 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:40,200 Speaker 1: teams that the Lakers had played, and that Celtics team 179 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 1: only suffered three losses in the whole playoff run. But 180 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:45,440 Speaker 1: this was one of the better offenses of the last 181 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:48,080 Speaker 1: twenty five years. They posted a one to sixteen point 182 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:50,559 Speaker 1: eight offensive rating in the playoff run. Remember I was 183 00:08:50,640 --> 00:08:56,920 Speaker 1: talking about the greatest championship offenses, like best offensive ratings 184 00:08:56,960 --> 00:08:58,560 Speaker 1: put up by a team that went on to win 185 00:08:58,600 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 1: an NBA champion championship in a playoff run. Number one 186 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:05,160 Speaker 1: and two we have the twenty twenty three Nuggets and 187 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:08,840 Speaker 1: the twenty seventeen Warriors tied. We'll get to the Warriors later. 188 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:12,720 Speaker 1: Number three is this Boston Celtics team, the twenty twenty 189 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:15,160 Speaker 1: four Boston Celtics, and number four and five are a 190 00:09:15,200 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 1: couple of lebron led units. The twenty twenty Lakers an 191 00:09:18,600 --> 00:09:21,079 Speaker 1: underrated offense just because they had struggled a little bit 192 00:09:21,160 --> 00:09:22,720 Speaker 1: in the half court in the regular season, but they 193 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:25,520 Speaker 1: were a very good offense in the postseason. They put 194 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:28,560 Speaker 1: up a one to fifteen point six in the regular 195 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 1: in that in that playoff run, and then the twenty 196 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 1: sixteen Calves in fifth place at one fourteen point six, 197 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 1: But the Celtics, the twenty twenty four Celtics came in 198 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 1: at third on the greatest Championship playoff run offenses with 199 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:44,760 Speaker 1: a one sixteen point eight offensive rating. They were a 200 00:09:44,840 --> 00:09:47,800 Speaker 1: perfect built five man driving kick unit that could take 201 00:09:47,880 --> 00:09:50,320 Speaker 1: multiple shapes. They had two bigs who could shoot above 202 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:52,679 Speaker 1: the break threes effectively, so they were able to kind 203 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:54,880 Speaker 1: of run two big looks, single big looks, a bunch 204 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:57,000 Speaker 1: of different kind of elements that they could bring to 205 00:09:57,080 --> 00:10:01,080 Speaker 1: the table. Porzingis was a legitimate switch beater, which we 206 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:03,839 Speaker 1: saw heavily featured in Game one of the Finals, although 207 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 1: he missed most of that playoff run. They had two 208 00:10:06,160 --> 00:10:09,000 Speaker 1: dominant two way guards and Derek White and Drew Holliday, 209 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:12,040 Speaker 1: and two dominant two way forwards in Jason Tatum and 210 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:15,360 Speaker 1: Jaylen Brown. Tatum in many ways was the perfect star 211 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 1: for that unit because as much of an equal opportunity 212 00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 1: drive and kick offense as it was, they really needed 213 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:24,320 Speaker 1: Tatum to function more as an advantage creator. And because 214 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:26,600 Speaker 1: Tatum was struggling so much as a scorer, he was 215 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:28,719 Speaker 1: kind of primarily focusing on just kind of getting the 216 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:31,120 Speaker 1: offense going, and it really helped that team get going 217 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:34,680 Speaker 1: on the offensive end of the floor. Number six the 218 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five Oklahoma City Thunder. This was one of 219 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:40,800 Speaker 1: the better regular season teams on this list. They won 220 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:44,400 Speaker 1: sixty eight games, just last season, but not in the 221 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 1: manner that you would think. I was actually really surprised 222 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:48,760 Speaker 1: to pull this up this morning. They were thirty nine 223 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:51,760 Speaker 1: and thirteen against the West, which is obviously really good, 224 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:53,680 Speaker 1: and it was the best record in the conference. But 225 00:10:54,679 --> 00:10:58,200 Speaker 1: the Lakers last year had the second best record against 226 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:01,280 Speaker 1: the West at thirty six and six team, so thirty 227 00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:03,400 Speaker 1: nine and thirteen was the best record against the West. 228 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:06,800 Speaker 1: Lakers were second at thirty six and sixteen, just three 229 00:11:06,840 --> 00:11:10,120 Speaker 1: games ahead there. So the reason why the thunder were 230 00:11:10,160 --> 00:11:12,960 Speaker 1: able to get up to sixty eight wins was through 231 00:11:13,000 --> 00:11:16,920 Speaker 1: a complete and utter domination of the Eastern Conference. They 232 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:21,319 Speaker 1: went twenty nine to one versus the Eastern Conference last year, 233 00:11:21,320 --> 00:11:23,319 Speaker 1: their one loss being a game in Cleveland, a game 234 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:24,920 Speaker 1: that was really close. They were down two with just 235 00:11:24,960 --> 00:11:27,440 Speaker 1: two minutes left in that game. But that was their 236 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:31,800 Speaker 1: one loss all season long against Eastern Conference competition. It 237 00:11:31,800 --> 00:11:35,320 Speaker 1: was an uneven playoff run. They had the one bad 238 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:37,400 Speaker 1: Western Conference team in the first round in Memphis, or 239 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:40,560 Speaker 1: they swept. They got pushed to the brink by Jokic's Nuggets. 240 00:11:40,800 --> 00:11:43,600 Speaker 1: They handled a very good Minnesota Timberwolves team, but then 241 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:45,520 Speaker 1: they got pushed to the brink again by the Indiana 242 00:11:45,520 --> 00:11:48,480 Speaker 1: Pacers led by Tyrus Haliburton. Really, the only thing holding 243 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:50,480 Speaker 1: the Thunder back on this list is I thought they 244 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:52,800 Speaker 1: were pushed to the brink of elimination by two different 245 00:11:52,800 --> 00:11:55,520 Speaker 1: teams who I did not consider to be top tier 246 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 1: championship contenders last year. Not too much of a surprise there. 247 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:02,000 Speaker 1: They were a super young team. Super young teams tend 248 00:12:02,040 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 1: to underperform relative to their talent level in the postseason. 249 00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:07,840 Speaker 1: The story of this team was defense. Though there have 250 00:12:07,880 --> 00:12:10,760 Speaker 1: been some elite defenses in recent NBA history, like the 251 00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: twenty twenty Lakers we talked about earlier, twenty twenty one 252 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:16,120 Speaker 1: Bucks our team that was a great defense. Recently, the 253 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:18,520 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two Celtics didn't win the title, but they 254 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:21,040 Speaker 1: were a dominant defense. I think this is the best 255 00:12:21,040 --> 00:12:24,680 Speaker 1: defense in recent NBA history. They confronted their size issues 256 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:27,000 Speaker 1: both on the perimeter and on the interior. With the 257 00:12:27,000 --> 00:12:30,240 Speaker 1: addition of Hartenstein and Caruso, they had elite rim protection 258 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:33,600 Speaker 1: and chet Holmgren, and they had like a half dozen 259 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:37,120 Speaker 1: truly great perimeter defenders, and they were all completely bought 260 00:12:37,160 --> 00:12:41,720 Speaker 1: into Mark Dagenault's attacking, turnover forcing style. They forced opposing 261 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:46,200 Speaker 1: stars into embarrassing performances. Guys like Desmond Bayne and Jeron 262 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:49,679 Speaker 1: Jackson completely fell apart. Julius Raynell completely fell apart. They 263 00:12:49,760 --> 00:12:52,839 Speaker 1: played Nikole Yokichu, I think is the best offensive player 264 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:55,640 Speaker 1: ever into three games that were pretty far below his 265 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:58,400 Speaker 1: capability on the offensive offensive end of the floor, which 266 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:00,880 Speaker 1: again is a credit to one of the great defenses 267 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:04,600 Speaker 1: in NBA history. But while they're offense sputtered at times, 268 00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 1: it was great every time they needed it to be great. 269 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 1: The twenty twenty five Oklahoma City Thunder come in at 270 00:13:09,559 --> 00:13:14,319 Speaker 1: number six. We are extremely excited to announce our new 271 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:18,200 Speaker 1: presenting sponsor, hard Rock Bet. 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In Indiana, if you are someone 295 00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 1: you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 296 00:14:33,960 --> 00:14:37,440 Speaker 1: one eight hundred and nine with it. Gambling problem called 297 00:14:37,480 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 1: one eight hundred Gambler in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee, 298 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:46,880 Speaker 1: and Virginia number five, the last team that did not 299 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:50,160 Speaker 1: repeat on this list, but a team that beat one 300 00:14:50,200 --> 00:14:52,280 Speaker 1: of the teams that's ahead of them on this list, 301 00:14:52,320 --> 00:14:53,840 Speaker 1: which is why they ended up being at the top 302 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 1: of this tier. The twenty fourteen Spurs, the rise of 303 00:14:58,080 --> 00:15:00,760 Speaker 1: Kawhi Leonard is a playoff star that was a super 304 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:03,680 Speaker 1: efficient score off the ball as well as a dominant 305 00:15:03,680 --> 00:15:07,040 Speaker 1: perimeter defender, and the revenge that the Spurs got on 306 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:10,880 Speaker 1: the Ray Allen shot from twenty thirteen. This Spurs team 307 00:15:10,960 --> 00:15:14,040 Speaker 1: was every bit as good as the Lebron James Dwayne 308 00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 1: Wade Miami Heat. They just lost in heartbreaking fashion in 309 00:15:17,440 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 1: that twenty thirteen season in Game six on that Ray 310 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:23,480 Speaker 1: Allen shot. They won sixty two games in twenty fourteen. 311 00:15:23,560 --> 00:15:25,680 Speaker 1: That was three games up on the Oklahoma City Thunder 312 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:27,720 Speaker 1: for the best record in the league. They were one 313 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:30,520 Speaker 1: of the most fascinating team constructs for the last twenty 314 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:33,200 Speaker 1: five years. Not a single player on the twenty fourteen 315 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:36,120 Speaker 1: Spurs averaged eighteen points per game in either the regular 316 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:40,400 Speaker 1: season or the playoffs, but they were monstrous defensively anchored 317 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 1: by Tim Duncan at the rim and Danny Green and 318 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 1: Kawhi Leonard on the perimeter. They played a truly beautiful 319 00:15:46,320 --> 00:15:49,880 Speaker 1: brand of offensive basketball. They averaged three hundred and thirteen 320 00:15:50,000 --> 00:15:53,240 Speaker 1: passes in that finals run. Just for perspective, their final 321 00:15:53,280 --> 00:15:55,960 Speaker 1: two opponents, the Thunder two hundred and forty passes per 322 00:15:55,960 --> 00:15:58,640 Speaker 1: game and the Heat two hundred and seventy eight passes 323 00:15:58,640 --> 00:16:01,480 Speaker 1: per game, just a totally different less ball movement. Every 324 00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 1: once in a while, you guys have seen that highlight 325 00:16:03,320 --> 00:16:05,840 Speaker 1: reel from that twenty fourteen Spurs team that makes its 326 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 1: way around social media and the beautiful game Spurs and 327 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 1: all the extra passes. They were a team that was 328 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:14,480 Speaker 1: truly committed to the idea of finding the best possible shot, 329 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:16,560 Speaker 1: regardless of who was going to take it, and it 330 00:16:16,680 --> 00:16:20,280 Speaker 1: manifested in a really, really fun basketball team. And while 331 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 1: they were victims of a wild shot in twenty thirteen, 332 00:16:22,960 --> 00:16:26,320 Speaker 1: they left absolutely no doubt in the twenty fourteen playoff run. 333 00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:28,880 Speaker 1: They struggled a bit in the first round with a 334 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:32,600 Speaker 1: feisty Dallas Mavericks team led by Monte Ellis and Durknoviski, 335 00:16:32,720 --> 00:16:35,240 Speaker 1: and there was a game winner by Vince Carter in 336 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:37,760 Speaker 1: Game three out of the left corner. That is a 337 00:16:37,760 --> 00:16:40,000 Speaker 1: shot that is like burned into my memory because I 338 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:42,280 Speaker 1: vividly remember it was right at the end of my 339 00:16:42,360 --> 00:16:44,920 Speaker 1: last year playing college hoops, and I was sitting up 340 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:47,200 Speaker 1: in the dorms with a bunch of dudes who were 341 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:49,120 Speaker 1: on the team, and we were all just talking shit, 342 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:50,800 Speaker 1: and they were going around the room asking what everybody 343 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 1: thought was going to happen, and I was just like, 344 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:54,120 Speaker 1: I think Vince Carter's going to hit a three to 345 00:16:54,160 --> 00:16:55,760 Speaker 1: win it, and I ended up guessing it right. So 346 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:57,880 Speaker 1: I just have that shot like burned into my brain. 347 00:16:57,920 --> 00:17:00,640 Speaker 1: But they struggled a little bit with that MAVs team 348 00:17:00,640 --> 00:17:02,080 Speaker 1: in the first round, but after that they kind of 349 00:17:02,120 --> 00:17:05,240 Speaker 1: ran through everyone. They beat the Blazers in five, beat 350 00:17:05,240 --> 00:17:08,439 Speaker 1: the Thunder and six, and then they absolutely smashed the 351 00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:11,760 Speaker 1: Miami Heat and revenge with some pretty impressive blowouts in 352 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:15,040 Speaker 1: that series. Really, in my opinion, the crowning achievement of 353 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:17,960 Speaker 1: the Greg Popovich era and the best of these non 354 00:17:18,080 --> 00:17:20,920 Speaker 1: repeat champs in my opinion of the last twenty five years, 355 00:17:20,920 --> 00:17:24,200 Speaker 1: because they're the one team on that list that successfully 356 00:17:24,200 --> 00:17:27,879 Speaker 1: beat one of the teams that's ahead on this list 357 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:31,440 Speaker 1: number four. As we head into our last tier, these 358 00:17:31,480 --> 00:17:33,440 Speaker 1: are actually, you know, what I should say, these are 359 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:35,919 Speaker 1: the This is kind of a middle tier for me. 360 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:39,800 Speaker 1: So these are four repeat champions. But both number four 361 00:17:39,840 --> 00:17:42,879 Speaker 1: and number three had some struggles along the way and 362 00:17:42,960 --> 00:17:46,240 Speaker 1: their playoff runs. The top two teams did not. So 363 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:48,280 Speaker 1: I guess I'm going back on what I said, and 364 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:50,840 Speaker 1: we're going to break this into four tiers here. So 365 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:54,040 Speaker 1: this second to last year is started by number four, 366 00:17:54,200 --> 00:17:57,240 Speaker 1: the two thousand and nine Los Angeles Lakers. They really 367 00:17:57,280 --> 00:17:59,560 Speaker 1: separated in the Western Conference. They won sixty five games, 368 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:02,760 Speaker 1: eleven more than the second seeded Denver Nuggets. This was 369 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:06,000 Speaker 1: the year that Kobe Bryant's leadership and competitiveness really started 370 00:18:06,040 --> 00:18:09,120 Speaker 1: to rub off on Pau Gasol. After never having made 371 00:18:09,119 --> 00:18:11,720 Speaker 1: an All NBA team, in two thousand and nine, Paul 372 00:18:11,760 --> 00:18:13,439 Speaker 1: Gasol made third team, and it was the start of 373 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:15,239 Speaker 1: a three year stretch where he was selected to All 374 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:18,439 Speaker 1: NBA teams each of those three years. Pow had a 375 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:22,000 Speaker 1: substantial leap year over year in his playoff performance compared 376 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:24,120 Speaker 1: to two thousand and eight, went from sixteen point nine 377 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:26,760 Speaker 1: points per game to eighteen point three, from fifty three 378 00:18:26,760 --> 00:18:29,840 Speaker 1: percent from the field to fifty eight, from nine point 379 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:32,840 Speaker 1: three rebounds per game to ten point eight. From two 380 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:35,359 Speaker 1: point four stocks per game to two point eight, just 381 00:18:35,400 --> 00:18:39,040 Speaker 1: became a much more physically imposing monster of a front 382 00:18:39,040 --> 00:18:41,639 Speaker 1: court player. This was also the apex of Kobe Bryant 383 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:43,400 Speaker 1: as a basketball player, as we covered in our Top 384 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:46,520 Speaker 1: ten Peaks video yesterday, the confluence of his mental and 385 00:18:46,560 --> 00:18:50,439 Speaker 1: physical gifts as well as his apex in skill development. 386 00:18:50,920 --> 00:18:52,119 Speaker 1: And I thought he was the best player in the 387 00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:54,800 Speaker 1: league at this point, kind of that quintessential best scorer 388 00:18:54,880 --> 00:18:57,560 Speaker 1: in the league archetype, but also maybe the best defensive 389 00:18:57,560 --> 00:19:00,440 Speaker 1: guard in the league at the same time. That pathway 390 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:02,359 Speaker 1: that I've been talking about for Anthony Edwards if he 391 00:19:02,400 --> 00:19:04,080 Speaker 1: ever wants to become the best player in the league. 392 00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:07,760 Speaker 1: Good group of role players lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza, 393 00:19:07,800 --> 00:19:11,440 Speaker 1: Derek Fisher Andrew bid him alongside Pau Gasol. They beat 394 00:19:11,480 --> 00:19:13,520 Speaker 1: the Jazz in five. They struggled a bit with the 395 00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:15,959 Speaker 1: feisty Rockets team, this really weird Rockets team. They had 396 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:18,840 Speaker 1: lost Tracy McGrady earlier in the year. Yao Ming was 397 00:19:18,840 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 1: like playing really well that season and at the start 398 00:19:21,080 --> 00:19:23,840 Speaker 1: of the series played really well but got some He 399 00:19:23,920 --> 00:19:25,480 Speaker 1: ended up going down with an injury. But they got 400 00:19:25,480 --> 00:19:27,360 Speaker 1: some big time play out of Aaron Brooks and met 401 00:19:27,359 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 1: a World Peace, who actually went on to join the 402 00:19:29,280 --> 00:19:32,679 Speaker 1: Lakers the following season, So that series got dragged out 403 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:34,880 Speaker 1: a little bit. But after that, they beat a very 404 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:36,959 Speaker 1: good Nuggets team that was the two seed, led by 405 00:19:36,960 --> 00:19:39,840 Speaker 1: Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billips, and then they beat a 406 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:42,760 Speaker 1: very good Orlando Magic team in the finals. Dwight Howard 407 00:19:43,280 --> 00:19:47,119 Speaker 1: had absolutely mauled the Cleveland Cavaliers front line of Andre 408 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:51,359 Speaker 1: excuse me of a Zydronas Elgauskas and Anderson vera Jao, 409 00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:53,639 Speaker 1: but bid them and Gasol basically put him in a 410 00:19:53,680 --> 00:19:55,720 Speaker 1: box in the finals. And that really is what makes 411 00:19:55,760 --> 00:19:58,280 Speaker 1: them such a special team. They had this monster frontline 412 00:19:58,359 --> 00:20:00,679 Speaker 1: mixed with Kobe at the peak of his powers, with 413 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:03,760 Speaker 1: some really good period of role players, just a really 414 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:06,680 Speaker 1: impressive championship run, and unlike any of the other teams 415 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:09,560 Speaker 1: to this point, they followed it up with another championship 416 00:20:09,800 --> 00:20:13,680 Speaker 1: in the following season, number three, the twenty thirteen Miami Heat. 417 00:20:14,800 --> 00:20:17,080 Speaker 1: This to me is the best team of this tier 418 00:20:17,119 --> 00:20:20,680 Speaker 1: of repeat champs, this kind of middle tier, the rare 419 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:25,080 Speaker 1: combination of a truly special regular season, and they win 420 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:28,720 Speaker 1: versus another team on this list. They won sixty six 421 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:31,560 Speaker 1: regular season games, that was six more than anyone else 422 00:20:31,600 --> 00:20:34,359 Speaker 1: in the league. They won twelve more than the second 423 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:37,520 Speaker 1: seed in the in the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks, 424 00:20:37,680 --> 00:20:40,320 Speaker 1: which was hilarious because that ended up being Gary Washburns 425 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:43,800 Speaker 1: one other MVP vote that robbed Lebron of his unanimous MVP. 426 00:20:44,520 --> 00:20:48,360 Speaker 1: At one point, the Miami Heat won twenty excuse me, 427 00:20:49,200 --> 00:20:52,240 Speaker 1: at one point, the Miami Heat won twenty seven consecutive games. 428 00:20:52,760 --> 00:20:55,320 Speaker 1: It's the second longest win streak in NBA history and 429 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:57,800 Speaker 1: the longest win streak of the last twenty five excuse me, 430 00:20:57,840 --> 00:21:01,359 Speaker 1: of the last fifty years. Should have won unanimus MVP 431 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:03,959 Speaker 1: that year, but a disgruntled Boston writer Gary Washburn, ended 432 00:21:04,040 --> 00:21:07,640 Speaker 1: up voting against him for Carmelo Anthony, something that's completely indefensible. 433 00:21:08,200 --> 00:21:10,920 Speaker 1: Probably the second best version of Lebron behind the twenty 434 00:21:10,960 --> 00:21:13,840 Speaker 1: eighteen version. Wade was a second tier star at that point, 435 00:21:13,840 --> 00:21:16,119 Speaker 1: but still very good. They had started to figure out 436 00:21:16,160 --> 00:21:18,240 Speaker 1: they're spacing with Bosh at the five at this point 437 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:20,479 Speaker 1: in time, and this was before they let Mike Miller go, 438 00:21:20,520 --> 00:21:22,439 Speaker 1: so they had a super deep core of shooting and 439 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:24,920 Speaker 1: role playing talent off the ball. They ran through the 440 00:21:24,920 --> 00:21:26,720 Speaker 1: first two rounds of the playoffs, struggled a bit with 441 00:21:26,760 --> 00:21:29,720 Speaker 1: the second tier contender in the Indiana Pacers. That Pacers 442 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:32,359 Speaker 1: team caused minor issues for the Heat in all of 443 00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:35,520 Speaker 1: those years, just because of Roy Hibbert's rim protection and 444 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:38,600 Speaker 1: obviously the kind of somewhat flawed build of d Wade 445 00:21:38,600 --> 00:21:41,320 Speaker 1: and Lebron as basket attackers off of each other. But 446 00:21:41,320 --> 00:21:43,160 Speaker 1: they blew mount in Game seven, made it to the finals, 447 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:45,880 Speaker 1: and then we had our epic showdown between the Spurs 448 00:21:45,880 --> 00:21:48,760 Speaker 1: and the Heat, where a heroic fourth quarter from Lebron 449 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:51,439 Speaker 1: brought them to within striking distance in Game six for 450 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:53,360 Speaker 1: Ray Allen to tie the game send it to Ot, 451 00:21:54,080 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 1: and then a Lebron masterpiece in Game seven to close 452 00:21:57,080 --> 00:22:00,960 Speaker 1: the deal. And as we mentioned earlier, a PETE champion here, 453 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:06,320 Speaker 1: having won in twenty twelve in rather dominant fashion. Not 454 00:22:06,359 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: as good a regular season team in twenty twelve, but 455 00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:11,800 Speaker 1: a more dominant playoff run in that particular year. Now 456 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:14,719 Speaker 1: we're entering into our last tier. These two teams are 457 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:17,320 Speaker 1: the two teams that dog walked the league in the playoffs, 458 00:22:17,760 --> 00:22:21,640 Speaker 1: Basically complete in total domination. Easy to rank them here 459 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:24,439 Speaker 1: because number two, our two thousand and one Los Angeles 460 00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:26,600 Speaker 1: Lakers team, was not as good in the regular season. 461 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:28,800 Speaker 1: They really coasted through the regular season and had a 462 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:32,119 Speaker 1: couple injuries in their backcourt, so they only won fifty 463 00:22:32,119 --> 00:22:34,520 Speaker 1: six regular season games. It was still the second best 464 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:37,199 Speaker 1: record in the league for whatever that is worth, but 465 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:40,800 Speaker 1: not really any separation there. But they quite literally annihilated 466 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:43,359 Speaker 1: everyone in the playoffs. They swept the Blazers, they swept 467 00:22:43,359 --> 00:22:46,159 Speaker 1: the Kings, they swept the top seeded Spurs, and then 468 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:48,760 Speaker 1: after losing a crazy game Dallan Iverson in Game one 469 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:51,000 Speaker 1: of the finals, they swept them over the final four 470 00:22:51,040 --> 00:22:54,480 Speaker 1: games to hoist the trophy. This was the peak of 471 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:57,560 Speaker 1: the Kobe Shack partnership. Shack was at the absolute peak 472 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:00,399 Speaker 1: of his powers, and as we discussed yesterday's that was 473 00:23:00,400 --> 00:23:02,680 Speaker 1: one of the most dominant basketball players to ever touch 474 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:05,800 Speaker 1: the floor, right. He had multiple forty twenty games in 475 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:08,320 Speaker 1: the playoffs that year, and this was the first year 476 00:23:08,320 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 1: that Kobe reached that like true level of superstardom. He 477 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:13,960 Speaker 1: averaged twenty nine points, seven rebounds, and six assists in 478 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:16,720 Speaker 1: that playoff run. He had two forty five point games 479 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:19,240 Speaker 1: in that playoff run, one against Sacramento, won against San Antonio. 480 00:23:19,600 --> 00:23:21,440 Speaker 1: Derek Fisher was red hot from three in that entire 481 00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:24,200 Speaker 1: playoff run. Big defensive contributions off the bench from guys 482 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 1: like Hortus Grant and Robert Horry. Just a complete and 483 00:23:27,600 --> 00:23:30,160 Speaker 1: total ass kicking of the rest of the league as 484 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:31,840 Speaker 1: they went on to hoist the trophy. When they hit 485 00:23:31,880 --> 00:23:34,080 Speaker 1: the Jets, you just got to lose to the two 486 00:23:34,119 --> 00:23:37,879 Speaker 1: thousand and one Los Angeles Lakers. But number one easy. 487 00:23:37,960 --> 00:23:40,280 Speaker 1: Number one here, in my opinion, the greatest basketball team 488 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:44,120 Speaker 1: ever assembled, the twenty seventeen Golden State Warriors. They won 489 00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:48,840 Speaker 1: sixty seven regular season games and won fifteen consecutive playoff games, 490 00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:52,000 Speaker 1: the longest playoff win streak in NBA history, before finally 491 00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:55,200 Speaker 1: losing to Cleveland. A very good Cavs team, a team 492 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:57,200 Speaker 1: that when we're doing our best teams to not win 493 00:23:57,240 --> 00:24:00,320 Speaker 1: the championship list tomorrow, they will probably be very high 494 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:02,640 Speaker 1: on that list, right But that team ended up being 495 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:04,840 Speaker 1: the only team to pull a playoff game off of 496 00:24:04,840 --> 00:24:07,359 Speaker 1: that twenty seventeen Warriors team. To put it very simply, 497 00:24:07,920 --> 00:24:10,240 Speaker 1: they put together far and away the best five man 498 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:13,119 Speaker 1: lineup to ever play basketball. There's always this focus on 499 00:24:13,200 --> 00:24:16,280 Speaker 1: Stephan KD as the partnership there, like as if it 500 00:24:16,359 --> 00:24:18,880 Speaker 1: was just Stefan KD versus the rest of the league. 501 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 1: And don't get me wrong, Stephan KD were the second 502 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:23,960 Speaker 1: and third best players in the league at that point, respectively. 503 00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:29,320 Speaker 1: Really a problematic duo under any circumstances, but it was 504 00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:32,159 Speaker 1: the five man unit in total that made them so devastating. 505 00:24:32,240 --> 00:24:34,440 Speaker 1: Klay Thompson was the second best shooter in the league 506 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:36,879 Speaker 1: at that point and one of the best perimeter defenders 507 00:24:36,880 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 1: in the NBA. Draymond Green was arguably the best defensive 508 00:24:39,560 --> 00:24:42,320 Speaker 1: player of this entire era of basketball and the perfect 509 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:45,960 Speaker 1: offensive fit in the Warriors system. And then Andre Goudala, 510 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:49,320 Speaker 1: who was the quintessential Warriors role player. Like if you're 511 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:53,520 Speaker 1: ranking the best like like big forward defenders of this era, 512 00:24:54,640 --> 00:24:56,920 Speaker 1: andre Goudala is right up there. It's like him and 513 00:24:57,040 --> 00:25:00,760 Speaker 1: Kawhi and Lebron in some order your mix and those guys. 514 00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:03,760 Speaker 1: And Andre Godala was just one of the very best 515 00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:06,320 Speaker 1: at that job of guarding the opposing forwards in the league. 516 00:25:06,359 --> 00:25:08,480 Speaker 1: But he was also an extremely gifted read and react 517 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:12,200 Speaker 1: player in the Golden State system, they tied the twenty 518 00:25:12,240 --> 00:25:14,480 Speaker 1: twenty three Nuggets for the best offensive rating ever posted 519 00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:16,800 Speaker 1: by an NBA champion in a playoff run, and when 520 00:25:16,840 --> 00:25:18,760 Speaker 1: you factor in the difference and eras, I think they 521 00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:21,159 Speaker 1: get the nod as the best offense ever. But they 522 00:25:21,160 --> 00:25:23,720 Speaker 1: also did it with a transcendently great defense. The Nuggets 523 00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:26,080 Speaker 1: posted a one to ten point two defensive rating, which 524 00:25:26,119 --> 00:25:28,959 Speaker 1: is good for that era, but the twenty seventeen Warriors 525 00:25:29,000 --> 00:25:32,040 Speaker 1: posted a one h five point three defensive rating another 526 00:25:32,160 --> 00:25:35,520 Speaker 1: level above that. This is the greatest basketball team ever, 527 00:25:36,080 --> 00:25:39,720 Speaker 1: let alone the best champion of the last twenty five years. 528 00:25:39,920 --> 00:25:41,159 Speaker 1: That was fun, all right. That's all we got for 529 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:43,520 Speaker 1: today is always the sincerely appreciate you guys for supporting us, 530 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:45,159 Speaker 1: in supporting the show. We'll be back tomorrow with the 531 00:25:45,160 --> 00:25:49,359 Speaker 1: top ten non champions in NBA history or in the 532 00:25:49,400 --> 00:25:51,440 Speaker 1: last twenty five years. I should say, we'll see you 533 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:51,880 Speaker 1: guys then