2005 Pacers, would they have won the title if the brawl ...

[Bucky O'Hare]

Yes, provided they stayed healthy they were clearly the best team in the league. Awesome defense with very balanced offense. They mopped the floor with Detroit, which is why Ben Wallace threw a hissy fit and initiated the first aggression which led to the brawl.

[triplet1984]

Like that matters. the Pistons played .500 ball into January that season (and still won 50-something games, i think 54). Every team under the sun was beating the Pistons during that first half of the season. They were getting whooped by the Hawks and the Blazers every other night. Beating the Pistons in an early regular season game that year meant exactly jack squat.

Please. That team would never win a title... Ron Artest was going to implode, Jamaal Tinsley and O'Neal were going to get injured. they get injured every damn season, especially Tinsley. These are inescapable facts. You have to come up with unrealistic hypotheticals to envision a title winning scenario (... if Ron Artest wasn't a lunatic... if Tinsley doesn't get hurt by a gust of wind... if Jermaine O'Neal stays healhty which he NEVER DOES... if leprechauns shot out of Larry Bird's @$$ and ran on the court and started to play... if if if)

[Chessboxer]

I think the Pacers would have beaten Detroit that year, but would have lost in the finals to the Spurs.

[CircleCitysportsfan]

Like that matters. the Pistons played .500 ball into January that season (and still won 50-something games, i think 54). Every team under the sun was beating the Pistons during that first half of the season. They were getting whooped by the Hawks and the Blazers every other night. Beating the Pistons in an early regular season game that year meant exactly jack squat.

Please. That team would never win a title... Ron Artest was going to implode, Jamaal Tinsley and O'Neal were going to get injured. they get injured every damn season, especially Tinsley. These are inescapable facts. You have to come up with unrealistic hypothetical to envision a title winning scenario (... if Ron Artest wasn't a lunatic... if Tinsley doesn't get hurt by a gust of wind... if Jermaine O'Neal stays healthy which he NEVER DOES... if leprechauns shot out of Larry Bird's @$$ and ran on the court and started to play... if if if)

Damn why you so mad? Geez, you sound like a jealous ex.

[BayWarrior]

^

IDK, I just think you can say woulda, shoulda, coulda about many teams in all sports. If the Brawl doesnt happen in 97, do the Knicks beat the Heat..then beat the Bulls? All Knick fans says yes. If the Zo/LJ fight doesnt happen and Zo misses the final game in 98, how far does the Heat go?

I think the Heat would have had a great shot in the Finals. in 2005.but we won't ever know. I just think it's silly to say the Pacers would have won the title if not for the brawl..

What does make sense, it the Pacers would have been contending for the title of the brawl did not happen..

I agree, this can be asked about several teams in several sports. The bottom line is "if you ain't first, your last"