Keep in mind the level of competition, the quality of the stars own supporting cast and how much of the offense and defensive burden he shouldered on route to a title. Kobe Bryant: 2009 LAST YEAR Tim Duncan 1999 (Lockout Blazers-Lakers-Twolves), 2005 (Nets) Michael Jordan 1993 (Suns-Knicks-Cavs), 1997 (Jazz-Heat-Hawks) Hakeem 1994 (Knicks-Jazz-Suns) 1995 (Magic-Spurs-Suns-Jazz) Isiah Thomas 1989 (Lakers-Bulls-Bucks-Celtics) That makes 8 Title Runs, which runs ranks where in terms of how big of an obstacle it would be for 1 player to win a title given that situation.
Easiest to Hardest: Kobe 09, Duncan 99, Jordan (both years), Thomas, Dream The Lakers did not have to beat anyone of note last year and were lucky as freak that Yao went down. Duncan only had to beat a Ewing-less Knicks (say what you want about Ewing Theory, a great team like the Spurs wont get phased by not knowing who will score). Jordan, tough call but he did not have to tackle the Showtime Lakers like Isaiah. Dream, duh, we all know the story.
I'd put Jordan in 98 as #1. The team had played in 2 straight finals and was fracturing from within, Pippen was injured, Rodman was injured. That team overcame alot to win, and mostly because of Jordan.
Easiest to hardest, I would rank them like this: Kobe 09 TD 05 TD 99 Jordan 97 Jordan 93 Hakeem 95 Isiah 89 Hakeem 94
IMHO Hakeem's 2 rings would probably be the hardest rings to get. Sure Jordan wasn't there, but Jordan never had to play with the cast and coach Hakeem had to play. Not to incite Tinman or anything, but replace Hakeem with any of his contemporaries (ewing, robinson etc) and I highly doubt they win anything. Even the coaching is to me kinda' subpar-from what I watched they seemed to consist of 80% relying on dream's abilities and 20% everything else. While I'm really happy Hakeem became a Rocket, a part of me wonders how many rings would he get and where he would stand in history had Hakeem gone to a better run organization like the Spurs or the Bulls (at the time). My bet is we'd have him as the default GOAT instead of MJ.
Duncan's was the easiest. That year shouldn't even have counted, you had three 60yr old Rockets playing 3 games in 3 nights. Isiah's was the toughest. edit: didn't see 95 Rockets, 95 Rockets had the toughest
Hakeem 1995, Jazz - Suns - Spurs - Magic, every team on this list won at least 57 games and Houston never had home field advantage in any series, also being the first NBA team to come back and win a series from 3-1 down. Still, I think 1994 season isn't far behind though, as the Rockets faced some of the same tough adversaries the year, like Suns and Jazz. Remember, the Suns came into Houston and stole both games to begin the series, while the Knicks pushed the Rockets to the brink in a very physical series... Which is why I think a team like that would've easily won a couple of title, if they weren't in the same league with MJ or Dream. Those New York teams were great at shutting down the supporting cast of teams with superstars on them. New York practically choked in Game 7, though. Isiah Thomas 1989 (Lakers-Bulls-Bucks-Celtics) (push) - As Isiah once said, "they slayed all the giants that year," (Beating a Magic team, an MJ team, and a Celtic team without Bird, all in the same year). So technically, they didn't, but they were impressive that year. The Pistons from that era are somewhat underrated all time, because they were making short work of some really good teams. The only team that took them to a game 6 and 7 in those two years were the Bulls, while Detroit throttle everybody else, Trailblazers, Knicks, and swept the Lakers in the Finals. I thought 90 was pretty tough, just having to deal with the Bulls and Trailblazers. M.J. 1993, Hawks-Cavs-Knicks-Suns (push, see above) or 1998 (instead of 1997), since it was the tougher year with practically no Pippen at times, but the Bulls beat alot of good teams in those two seasons. In 97, the Bulls defeated the Webber/Howard Bullets, the 56 win Hawks (Mutombo, Laettner, Smith, Blaylock), the 61 win Heat (Mourning, Riley, and Hardaway), and the 64 win Jazz. The next year, the Bulls faced a 62 win Jazz team, 58 win Pacer team (which may have been one of their best teams ever), and a 51 win Hornets team that feature (Glen Rice, Vlade Divac, and Anthony Mason). The biggest reason for Chicago winning all of those series was MJ, if he is replaced by almost any other shooting guard in history, I'd imagine the Bulls lose both years. I think the 91-92 year should've been added, because the Knicks had them on the ropes of being eliminated and the Trailblazers (personally, I thought were a better team than that years Suns). Though, I think at the time it was probably an easier schedule than the Rockets or Pistons run, because Chicago's easy first round opponents. Though, Chicago's first and second championship runs would be nightmarish for a modern day EC team. Could you see last year's Magic, 07 Cavs, 01 76ers, or the Kidd's Nets team going through the 90s Knicks (Riley or Van Gundy version), Pacers (led by Larry Brown or Bird), the Cavs, or even the Hawks in odd years (93-94) or (96-98) team. #ell, the Celtics and Lakers would struggle against those teams, especially considering that it wasn't necessarily a walk in the park for the Bulls and Rockets to beat those teams. Remember, this was an era were defense and physical play was still the rule of the day. Duncan (04-05) and (02-03), were by far the Spurs toughest runs to the Finals, more so than 99. Though, I think 04-05 was toughest by mile, the Suns were by far the best team in the NBA that year with an unstoppable offense at time and winning 62 games. Yet, the Spurs made really short work of them. While, they had what I thought was the best NBA Finals of this decade against the powerhouse, defending champion Pistons who may have been one of the greatest defensive teams ever. Even at that, 02-03 wasn't a cakewalk, the Nets put up a decent challenge, so did the Mavs without Nowitzki for 5 games. The Suns actually had pretty decent team at times. The one matchup that sticks out the most is they had to play the Shaq and Kobe Lakers, who were still the beastly team of that day and the one everyone kept picking to win it all again. (I'm still laughing at people thinking someone like Brooks Lopez, could be a dominant center one day or that Dwight Howard is the greatest thing, since the wheel, when Shaq even in his declining-often criticized days with Lakers was putting up better numbers than both them and would probably throttle through both players, if they played together (on the same team) against him at that point. Everyone knew it was probably one other center in the league at that time who could somewhat give Shaq challenge or tug of war...a young Yao Ming. Put it this way, I don't think Howard and Lopez together could hold Shaq to 17 ppg in the playoffs, if he somewhat near peak form (00-05). (98-99), It's ridiculous when people say that an NBA season, should not have counted, especially when it was shortened seasons and 50 games was more than enough time to recapture ones physical ability from an extended off season. They actually had fairly tough road to the Finals, playing the Shaq-Kobe Lakers (a heavy favorite, yet again) and Trailblazers team (with Rasheed, Sabonis, Jim Jackson, Isiah Rider when he was somewhat mature, and Brian Grant). Those were much tougher than what next player down had to go against. Kobe (08-09), Possibly easiest road to the Finals ever. It's not their fault though. The only team that gave them a challenge was an injury-riddled Rockets team who were missing their starting shooting guard (T-Mac), backup center (Mutombo), and no starting center (Yao) for 4 games. Yet, the Rockets still take them 7, while the Nuggets even managed 6. If you put this same Lakers team in any season, pre-2007. I guarantee that they wouldn't get out of the West, one single year. I can't see them having the same caliber schedule as the teams above and winning the NBA championship. Kobe is a great centerpiece with Bynum, Gasol, Odom, and those cocky scrubs on their bench. But, if they had to play a Knicks team from the 90s, the Stockton/Malone Jazz at their best, the Trailblazers with Clyde or the version with Rasheed, or a younger Shaq team. I can't see them beating any of those team 4 times. Especially, a modern day team similar those above, like 08 Celtics put them through the ringer and undermanned Rockets squad gave them ... utter hell. (Please don't say they weren't taking them seriously, because it was playoff game). I still think Kobe is one of the greatest guards ever, but the thing is will others come through enough on offense and defense to beat those teams. Teams will approach him like they would MJ or any other high scoring wing, like Dominique or Penny Hardaway. He'd find easier against some teams, while others it will be downright b@stard of defense to score against given, that there are legitimate big men on the floor with aggressive, hand-checking defenders. He'd have to be at his absolute best through the entire playoffs, he couldn't play the way the he did against Nets, Celtics, and Pistons. Bynum and Gasol wouldn't be going against undersized centers and power-fowards, they'd be playing some of the best in the history of the game. Gasol would essentially have to guard Kemp, Barkley, Malone, Rodman, Thorpe, Oakley, and at times Ewing, Shaq, Mourning, Robinson, and Dream. While, Bynum would essentially have to guard every center I just named. Also, both would have the job of scoring against them. Gasol or Bynum, both get shut down against the teams with superior big men or aggressive paint players, like NY, Houston, SA, a Shaq or Mourning team. If Bynum struggles so much against the likes of Chuck Hayes, Nene, an injured Yao Ming, and other present day centers. He's going to overwhelmed against Olajuwon or David Robinson. With Gasol, I just can't see him stopping most of the players on offense or keeping them off the boards. Can he keep players, like Malone or Kemp from getting 23 to 35 a game? Maybe, but his defense is too ranging from slightly below average to slightly above that it would take a more consistent player to slow those two down. At the same time is he going to be putting up gaudy stat sheet when he is going up against the crazy Rodman, rough and tussling Oakley or Laimbeer, Fisher and the Lakers point guards are going to be overmatched against Payton, Stockton, and Hardaway, like they often are against superior point guards, while being too slow to guard Chris "Mahmoud Abdul Rauf" Jackson, Sam Cassell (not the one they struggled against in the Finals), Jason Kidd, Mookie Blaylock, and Penny Hardaway (in his prime). Odom (and the Lakers' bench as whole) is kind of the wild card, because he causes alot of match up problems on the wing. But, I think luxuries players have had in the paint in this decade would disappear, whether it is under the new rules or old ones. The bench easily gets shuts down against those 90s teams. There's no way the bench is going to be getting 10-20 points unless it is coming from Odom.
I wasn't paying enough attention to the NBA to comment on the complete list, but the run the Rockets made in '95 was just ridiculous. As was said, all teams they played won at least 57 games...just think about that. Plus, no homecourt in any series. And look at the all-time greats, most playing in their primes, that were defeated along the way. Malone/Stockton Barkley/K.Johnson Robinson/Rodman O'Neal/Hardaway That is just incredible.
It should have an asterisks. Teams had no time to acclimate their new acquisitions into the team during camp. There were 3 games in 3 nights, had to affect veteran teams unfairly, basically anyone hot had a chance.
They played the same playoffs. I don't see any advantage the Spurs got from the shortening of the season. Anyone hot had a chance? Isn't it true every year? It's like say if team plays well enough to beat all other teams, they have a chance.
Spurs of 03 would be the easiest. If you went against Mavs without Dirk then Kings without Webber, then Nets that just got swept in last year's finals. It had to be a cake walk.
The Rockets weren't the first team to come back from down 3-1 to win a series. The Celtics did it against the 76ers in the 1981 ECF. A lot of votes seem to be going to the 95 Rockets. While that was the hardest run for a team, the question was which superstar player had the toughest job. That's why I voted for the 94 Rockets, because Hakeem didn't even have another all-star on the team that year.
They shouldn't have won in 2002 Those were Shaq's prime years though. He probably could have played for just about any team and made a championship run.
BS. Did teams try to win that year? Did you watch ball and root for your team that year? Were you pissed at Pippen? Did all teams play under the same circumstances? The answer is yes....
I agree that dream didn't have another allstar player in 94, however that 95 run was extraordinary. As the 6th seed! Dream still had to dismantle previous MVPs (barkley and robinson) and future MVPs (shaq and malone). Neither teams we played really had any serious injuries. Dream had clyde with him but we lost a credible pf. Although c.brown and chilcutt overacheived in the playoffs thankfully.
