Best Fundamental Team of All Time

[Soul Patch]

I gotta say the 97-98 Jazz. You've got the "purest" PG and the definitive PF to build around surrounded by the likes of Hornacek, Russell, and Ostertag.

[Barstool Blues]

77 Blazers championship team no doubt.

[doozyj]

04 Pistons.

[Donald Kaufman]

Any TD era Spurs team that doesn't have Richard Jefferson on it.

[darth_federer]

No. Choking isn't fundamental.

Agreed. How about fixed games?

Didnt happen. Lakers lost to a UGLY Pistons team 2 years later with Shaq, Kobe, Payton and Malone.

[carrottop12]

When I think of how the prototypical NBA Team would be built I think the 98 Jazz are the perfect example.

PG - John Stockton: Best true PG of all time. Great distributor, pass first PG, very good shooter, solid defender.

SG - Jeff Hornacek: True SG, could handle the ball, great shooter, can play spot PG minutes.

SF - Bryon Russell: Athletic wingman, could drive, and shoot from the outside. Good defender, good athlete.

PF - Karl Malone: Great low post scorer, go to mentality, excellent rebounder, good defender.

C - Greg Ostertag: Great size, good defensive player, decent rebounder.

Obviously those guys weren't perfect, but when I think of what each players role is supposed to be on the court that team pretty much fits the bill.

[OzThunder]

2004 pistons - winning a ring without a superstar in the lineup

No superstars, but 4 all stars, and a pretty stacked team. They were defense orientated but i wouldn't say that offensively fundamental.

[miltk]

Which team was the best fundamental team in history? One that relied on a solid system to achieve wins instead of individual talent? Can include college teams I guess...

i think holzman's knicks were by far the smartest team man for man i've ever seen, and the players all had very well-rounded games. but how can one omit the 60's celts or the magic lakers. you're talking about teams with a roster full of hof'ers, and loaded at every position. oh and bird's celt were pretty damned smart too.

[ahonui06]

The 1959-1966 Boston Celtics. 8 titles in a row!

[Hemingway]

The current Celtics team is a great example of team ball.

[Toizumi]

how about the championship Celtic team of '08?
In terms of passing, positioning, individual- and team defense, players knowing their roles..
they're definitely up there.

[Xenopathic Investigator]

99 spurs
94 rockets
96 Bulls
04 pistons
07 spurs

[MasterRyu]

Ok I don't which team would be the most fundamental, but 2008 celtics is pretty up there. When it comes down to it, basketball at the fundamental level is a team sport, both offense and defense. The 08 Celts played great team ball, and everyone fit their role perfectly. You got a true point guard in Rondo who can slash the defense and dish out assists, you got hard-hitting (sometimes illegal) screens that would free up shooters like Ray and Pierce. Then you got that sweet jumpshot from KG. That team had great shooters all around, from Posey to House to Allen to Pierce to KG to PJ Brown. Then defensively, you got a great anchor in Garnett and fundamentally sound Perksin who didn't gamble on defense and was good at just keep a body on the opponent.

Most of all, everyone was unselfish, which allows the whole offense and defense to click.

[PippenAintEasy]

Any team D'antoni coaches.

[Xenopathic Investigator]

his small ball ultra-volume shooting is any more fundamental than say don nelson's small ball ultra-volume shooting?