Chuck's Definitive List of NBA Champions Not Requiring Asterisk

[Pelon chingon]

*2002

Feel bad for the Kings for sure. But sorry...

* Denied

Watch on YouTube

[Cavsfansince84]

I take offense to you putting an asterisk on the 71 Utah Stars title. You should be ashamed.

Umm...read the thread title again.

o ****. I am still offended though and Chuck should still be ashamed.

[Texas Chuck]

I disagree about 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021. The rest are legit, though.

Denied^74. I did strongly consider 1999, 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2014 but realized that was only my bias coming into play and I want this to be totally objective and unbiased. This is most serious business.

So far 2004 is the only championship worthy of an *

[Texas Chuck]

Chuck should still be ashamed.

This, I'll allow.

[druggas]

health is part of the game. Should the Bucks title be under-appreciated because the Nets put together a team built out of glass or that the Lakers 2 best players are either frail or old?

1. I didn't specifically call out the Bucks but the fact you immediately went there is telling...
2. Kyrie is injury prone, Harden is not.
3. The first team I thought of was the Raptors. The Raptors for all intents and purposes beat the Warriors and were NBA champions in 2019, and should be remembered as such... But that doesn't mean it's irrational to believe that the Raptors would have gotten wrecked had GS been healthy. There was a noticeable difference in peaks between both teams when healthy.

Was there a noticeable in difference between the two teams? Raptors swept the Warriors in the regular season series, including slapping a full-strength Warriors in Oracle with their starting lineup of 5 all stars.

That Raptors team was one of the best defenses in the history of the game. Sad how underrated they get because of the xenophobia of some Americans.

That was uncalled for.

[MrBigShot]

I don't like the concept of asteriks. I prefer to just acknowledge some championships are more impressive and meaningful than others.

2011 needs asterisk. The biggest meltdown by NBA superstar in the league history.

2011 is quite literally the last championship that should get an asterisk. The Mavs went through the Blazers, repeat Lakers, Thunder, and Heatles. Dirk taking down a prime LeBron, Wade and Bosh is just downright amazing.

[Texas Chuck]

xenophobia sucks
Some Americans are xenophobic
None of that relevant to this thread. Please stay on topic debating any years not on The List that might warrant an *.

[Wammy Giveaway]

So you're basically saying "No team should be asterisked."

But I think I'm going to grant the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers the asterisks for a different reason: it was the first ever 3-1 comeback in NBA Finals history. They pulled off the impossible, a record that stood 0-32, a bonafide curse breaker akin to Boston Red Sox's 3-0 comeback vs. New York Yankees that gave them their first championship in 86 years.

I'd argue that asterisks should be given to teams where they pulled off a Herculean feat during their run. Maybe the 2021 Milwaukee Bucks qualify because they came back from down 2-0 twice, but unlike the Clipper's run where it got them their first conference finals, the Buck's run resulted in a championship.

Anything where a team or player performs something that has never been done before in the history of the league with a long proven losing record could be asterisked. The first ever 3-0 comeback (currently 0-143 and counting). The first ever legal quintuple double (Chamberlain's quintuple double happened in a time when steals and blocks were not recorded). The first ever wild card winner (7th and 8th seeds will be coupled into that group due to revised playoff format). The first ever 100 point game with video evidence (Chamberlain's only had an audio archive). These feats have to be performed in the playoffs, and it must be series-changing to the point it was a factor or the factor into their championship.

[Soulyss]

The 77 Blazers championship should probably have an asterisk... Walton was so high in those days that he probably doesn't even remember winning.

[Texas Chuck]

So you're basically saying "No team should be asterisked."

But I think I'm going to grant the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers the asterisks for a different reason: it was the first ever 3-1 comeback in NBA Finals history. .

Uh yes, that is what I'm saying.

I do like your attempt to reverse the curse of the * and make it a positive thing. But if I allow that, then it make all the non-* years effectively *'d defeating the purpose. And as the sole arbiter of the The List, your request is formally denied for the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers.

[Soulyss]

What about the Sacramento Conspiracy of 2002? Does that chip get an asterisk?

[Texas Chuck]

The 77 Blazers championship should probably have an asterisk... Walton was so high in those days that he probably doesn't even remember winning.

* Denied

I've only heard Walton sing the praises of Maurice Lucas and the rest of that team approximately 1500 times. He definitely remembers it. He also remembers the 86 Celtics before you bring them to the table.

[Texas Chuck]

What about the Sacramento Conspiracy of 2002? Does that chip get an asterisk?

Already adjudicated itt. Denied and now the appeal has also been denied. Case permanently closed for Vlade and the boys.

[Soulyss]

What about the Sacramento Conspiracy of 2002? Does that chip get an asterisk?

Already adjudicated itt. Denied and now the appeal has also been denied. Case permanently closed for Vlade and the boys.

Man, The Kangz can't even win on the forums...

[Soulyss]

Every Bulls Championship because Portland clearly should have drafted Jordan over bowie... Also the last two GSW chips... Durant over Oden...

Man Portland Draft History is Depressing...

[SNPA]

*2002

[Texas Chuck]

Every Bulls Championship because Portland clearly should have drafted Jordan over bowie... Also the last two GSW chips... Durant over Oden...

Man Portland Draft History is Depressing...

All Denied. Knicks haven't given a 2nd contract to a rookie they drafted since the 90's and don't want to hear about your draft woes. Where is their Bill Walton? Their Dame Time?

Plus Pippen would have still led the Bulls to all those titles and that's just a fact.

[HabsAndDubs]

1. I didn't specifically call out the Bucks but the fact you immediately went there is telling...
2. Kyrie is injury prone, Harden is not.
3. The first team I thought of was the Raptors and their victory over Golden State. The Raptors for all intents and purposes were the NBA champions that year, but if there weren't multiple injuries to Golden State it's hard to see that being the outcome...

Why does this matter though? Who cares who the best team in 2019 is? Golden state lost the finals because they had two of their three best players injured, but that doesn’t mean they still didn’t lose. If hypotheticals mattered, we wouldn’t watch the games.

It doesn't matter when it comes to arguing who the NBA champion was that year, it is relevant when discussing who the best team in the league was that year.

My point was that people who put asterisks on championships tend to confuse the two when they're not necessarily the same.

My personal belief is that short of cheating no championship should have an asterik next to it.

That’s fair. The only real asterisk I would consider is for the astros’ WS win a few years ago, and I guess if you really wanna go there, the 1919 Reds…

[Strepbacter]

I like how the OP keeps referring to himself in the third person...nice.

[Texas Chuck]

I like how the OP keeps referring to himself in the third person...nice.

Chuck says thank you very much.