Greatest team that never won the championship?

[PhutureDynasty]

What is the greatest team that didn't win the championship?

Try not to use teams that didn't win the championship one season but did eventually win with the main core of the team another season.

For example, the 1990 Chicago Bulls cannot be used because that team won the championship the following year.

You all get the picture. What do you think?

[elmouse03]

72-73 Celtics went 68-14 but lost in the ECF's.

[AbeVigodaLive]

In modern history, teams that were good more than one year like the mid 90s Jazz and mid 00s Suns come to mind. Seattle had a nice team late in the 90s. I don't know if the 1980s Bucks were as good as those teams.

[AtiliusRegulus]

2000 Portland TrailBlazers, 1999 Miami Heat

[Havlicekstealsit]

72-73 Celtics went 68-14 but lost in the ECF's.

Maybe Grizz can shed some light on this, but I forget if Cowens or Hondo got injured in the playoffs that year and that's how the Knicks blew them out in game 7. Or maybe they just ran out of gas at the end.

[elmouse03]

74-75 Bullets. 60-22 in the regular season and got swept by the 48-34 Warriors in the finals.

[elmouse03]

72-73 Celtics went 68-14 but lost in the ECF's.

Maybe Grizz can shed some light on this, but I forget if Cowens or Hondo got injured in the playoffs that year and that's how the Knicks blew them out in game 7.

Hondo got injured and I think the Knicks held a 3-1 edge at one point. Don't know if Hondo was healthy at that time.

[AbeVigodaLive]

74-75 Bullets. 60-22 in the regular season and got swept by the 48-34 Warriors in the finals.

Wouldn't that indicate they weren't all that great?

Otherwise, don't the 65-win (?) Mavs make the list?

[elmouse03]

74-75 Bullets. 60-22 in the regular season and got swept by the 48-34 Warriors in the finals.

Wouldn't that indicate they weren't all that great?

Otherwise, don't the 65-win (?) Mavs make the list?

They do as does the 93-94 Sonics.

I believe 74-75 was the first year of Hayes and Unseld together.

[Havlicekstealsit]

A few of those Blazers, Jazz, Rockets, Suns and Sonics teams from the 90s were beasts but always came up short. Not necessarily vs. MJ's Bulls, but battling each other in the playoffs. Lots of great seven-game battles back then.

[Kingcarl24]

Some of those 90s Sonics' teams have to be mentioned. I know they have but it's too bad they had a habit of choking in the playoffs.

[elmouse03]

90-91 Blazers.
87-88 Celtics
92-93 Suns and Knicks

[PhutureDynasty]

Bump

[dwcmwa]

1975 Bulls
1994 Bulls
2011 Bulls
2012 Bulls

[PhutureDynasty]

1975 Bulls
1994 Bulls
2011 Bulls
2012 Bulls

At least you aren't biased.

[FPL]

90-91 Blazers.
87-88 Celtics
92-93 Suns and Knicks

Good call, those Blazers teams IIRC were supposed to be the next big thing at the time, the class of the league.

[PhutureDynasty]

The first team that came to mind for me was the early 90s Knicks. They were tough.

Feel like Shaq's mid 90s Magic deserve a shout out as well.

[Johnnyblazzed]

2014 Lakers

[Y2K]

Mid-1980s Bucks