Best Finals Loser

SK21209 · Post #1 » by **SK21209** » Sat Aug 1, 2015 11:06 pm

The Finals may not always be the best two teams, but there have been some great ones over the last decade to fall short. Which Finals loser do you think was the best?

I've got the 2010 Celtics, followed closely by the 2012 Thunder. I don't think the Celtics were quite as good as their 2008 team largely due to KG's injury, but they were damn impressive. As for the 2012 Thunder, they backdoor swept a Spurs team that had won 20 straight, 10 of which being playoff games, before they lost to the best incarnation of the Big 3 Heat in part due to Harden's lackluster play.

He Filled it Up · Post #2 » by **He Filled it Up** » Sat Aug 1, 2015 11:11 pm

'05 Pistons :wink:

DK-All Day · Post #3 » by **DK-All Day** » Sat Aug 1, 2015 11:22 pm

96 Sonics. Probably win If Karl puts GP on MJ during the entire series.

BlzMwt · Post #4 » by **BlzMwt** » Sat Aug 1, 2015 11:24 pm

this is a hard decision. Is the answer what team played the best while still losing or what team was literally the best

2011 heat and 2006 mavs obviously underachieved compared to their roster makeup IMO

but 2013 spurs put up the best fight, aka played the best as the losers

MisterHibachi · Post #5 » by **MisterHibachi** » Sat Aug 1, 2015 11:31 pm

2013 Spurs, 2012 Thunder, 2011 Heat, 2010 Celtics.

SpinninHouse · Post #6 » by **SpinninHouse** » Sat Aug 1, 2015 11:31 pm

DK-All Day wrote:96 Sonics. Probably win If Karl puts GP on MJ during the entire series.

Cant believe Karl is still coaching. Jesus.

Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

DaddyCool19 · Post #7 » by **DaddyCool19** » Sat Aug 1, 2015 11:37 pm

Spurs 2013. They were one missed clutch three from Allen away from winning it all.

Post #8 » by **-Sammy-** » Sat Aug 1, 2015 11:41 pm

SpinninHouse wrote:
DK-All Day wrote:96 Sonics. Probably win If Karl puts GP on MJ during the entire series.

Cant believe Karl is still coaching. Jesus.

Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

George Karl is coaching Jesus now?

Hahahahahahaha...

...sorry.

Post #9 » by **Rerisen** » Sun Aug 2, 2015 2:33 am

BombsquadSammy wrote:
SpinninHouse wrote:
DK-All Day wrote:96 Sonics. Probably win If Karl puts GP on MJ during the entire series.

Cant believe Karl is still coaching. Jesus.

Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

George Karl is coaching Jesus now?

Hahahahahahaha...

...sorry.

He already did.

Coxy · Post #10 » by **Coxy** » Sun Aug 2, 2015 2:56 am

Rerisen wrote:
BombsquadSammy wrote:
SpinninHouse wrote:
Cant believe Karl is still coaching. Jesus.

Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

George Karl is coaching Jesus now?

Hahahahahahaha...

...sorry.

He already did.

Well played sir.

Hello Brooklyn · Post #11 » by **Hello Brooklyn** » Sun Aug 2, 2015 3:24 am

Good question.

For me its probably the 06 Mavs. Really good team that just collapsed, in large part to the favorable reffing for Wade.

313 Professor · Post #12 » by **313 Professor** » Sun Aug 2, 2015 3:27 am

Last years HEALTHY Cavs with Varejao, Love, AND Kyrie

SK21209 · Post #13 » by **SK21209** » Sun Aug 2, 2015 3:29 am

313 Professor wrote:Last years HEALTHY Cavs with Varejao, Love, AND Kyrie

That Finals losing team never existed. I'd take 2013 Spurs and 2010 Celtics over them anyway

DarthDiggler69 · Post #14 » by **DarthDiggler69** » Sun Aug 2, 2015 3:35 am

Sonics or Jazz in the 90's. Really great teams that were beat by one of the greatest teams of all time

Ballerhogger · Post #15 » by **Ballerhogger** » Sun Aug 2, 2015 4:05 am

DaddyCool19 wrote:Spurs 2013. They were one missed clutch three from Allen away from winning it all.

They weren't meant to repeat lol.

Cycklops · Post #16 » by **Cycklops** » Sun Aug 2, 2015 11:31 am

BombsquadSammy wrote:
SpinninHouse wrote:
DK-All Day wrote:96 Sonics. Probably win If Karl puts GP on MJ during the entire series.

Cant believe Karl is still coaching. Jesus.

George Karl is coaching Jesus now?

He was close but Alvin Gentry got the job.

ohio · Post #17 » by **ohio** » Sun Aug 2, 2015 11:36 am

Cycklops wrote:
BombsquadSammy wrote:
SpinninHouse wrote:
Cant believe Karl is still coaching. Jesus.

George Karl is coaching Jesus now?

He was close but Alvin Gentry got the job.

Doug Collins recently had a job, and he coached MJ before PJ/first ring.

better yet, george karl and doug collins are same age, even though Karl looks like he could be his grandpa.

Kaelin · Post #18 » by **Kaelin** » Sun Aug 2, 2015 1:54 pm

2013 Spurs: 58 - 24 (+6.4 PD)
2012 Thunder: 47 - 19 (+6.1 PD)
2011 Heat: 58 - 24 (+7.5 PD)
2009 Magic: 59 - 23 (+7.3 PD)
2008 Lakers: 57 - 25 (+7.3 PD)
2006 Mavs: 60 - 22 (+6.1 PD)

Most of these seasons had a better team that didn't even make the Finals (including 66 win '09 Cavs and 67-win '07 Mavs). Anyway, the other four losers don't have a record competitive with these six, so I've left them out.

I'm going to rely on conference strength and point differential and give this to the 2008 Lakers, as much as it pains me to do so, but if someone chooses one of the other five, there's plenty of room to justify it (I'm partial to the 2013 Spurs myself).

Curmudgeon · Post #19 » by **Curmudgeon** » Sun Aug 2, 2015 3:56 pm

1988 Celtics would have beaten any one of those teams.

Curmudgeon · Post #20 » by **Curmudgeon** » Sun Aug 2, 2015 3:57 pm

1986-87 Celtics would have beaten any one of those teams.

Which of the last ten Finals losers was the best?