Most impressive title run by a player...?

[MrPainfulTruth]

I couldnt find this topic in the search, and since we discussed this in a different thread. I like to consider those rings special where these conditions were met:
- one superstar with little help
- had to overcome extremely strong competition

In my personal opinion those titles carry more weight than a title won on a team with multiple superstars, all stars, all NBA player and so on. They are the result of an individual excelling through out four series and overcoming the odds. Those champions impress me persnoally more more than rings won by a well orchestrated team (Spurs), even more than a super talented team (2015 Warriors, Shaq/Kobe, MJ Bulls) and certainly a lot more than those won on a superteam (Miami superfriends, Cleveland 2016, Warriors 2017 and 2018, Lakers 2020).

Also i only want to list those seasons that i personally watched live, so bear with me if i forgot someone. Also didnt want to make the lst too big so only considered title runs, not finals - in which case i woudl have included Iversons heroics as well as LeBrons heroics from his original Cleveland stint.

[oversteerdawg]

2011 Dirk is my standout. He seemed to make every damn shot at every big moment. It wasn't an easy road either. The Mavs beat the defending champs, next year's western conference champion and next year's NBA champs in that run.

[MavsDirk41]

Dirk Diggler during 2011 playoffs

[dhsilv2]

Given the choices I'd lean Jokic though I could go with Dirk or Steph.

That said Duncan and Hakeem I think are still the gold standard.

[MrPainfulTruth]

Given the choices I'd lean Jokic though I could go with Dirk or Steph.

That said Duncan and Hakeem I think are still the gold standard.

Which Duncan season specifically? He is one of the greatest in my opnion but i always felt he was surrounded by talent and arguably the greatest coach of the 2000's.

[dhsilv2]

Given the choices I'd lean Jokic though I could go with Dirk or Steph.

That said Duncan and Hakeem I think are still the gold standard.

Which Duncan season specifically? He is one of the greatest in my opnion but i always felt he was surrounded by talent and arguably the greatest coach of the 2000's.

2003 obviously. Robinson's back was breaking down down and he even missed a game in the run. Parker was terrible in the playoffs as a rookie. And Manu...he was still coming to terms with the NBA. Hadn't really gotten Pop's trust. He was decent. And then you had Bowen who was I guess a solid defender obviously but I'm not sure the spurs had really figured out how to maxmize him with those corner 3's'

Spurs 8 man rotation outside of Duncan featured manu at 15 (league average) and Robinson at 17.7 (7th in minutes). The rest of the guys were mostly around the 12 mark..which is bad. BPM had Manu and Robinson at solid 3.7 and 3.6 but we are again talking the 5th and 7th man in minutes. The rest -2 to 1 roughly.

[The Explorer]

94 Olajuwon
98 Jordan
11 Nowitzki

Are the most impressive I've seen

[JujitsuFlip]

...certainly a lot more than those won on a superteam (Miami superfriends, Cleveland 2016, Warriors 2017 and 2018, Lakers 2020).

So essentially just every title LeBron has lol

[phanman]

I'm going to go with Disco Dirk. You can make an argument that Dirk knocked off the most in their prime (or close to it) All Stars en roue to his chip: Aldridge, Kobe, Gasol, Russ, KD, LeBron, Wade and Bosh. Then you had guys just below that all star level in Odom, Bynum, Harden, Ibaka etc.

Everybody on this list obviously carried a giant load but every other guy except Jokic had another all star on the roster. In Nikola's case, Jamal was never named one but he had a career high playoff run and looked poised to make it the following year but he just isn't a RS performer.

[RB34]

As always when this thread comes up. Dirk.

[KGtabake]

1994 Hakeem Olajuwon.

[ryan in Maine]

i voted Wade bc nobody had voted for him yet and i felt bad.

[Frank Dux]

Dirk. The Mavs had to go through the gauntlet that post season facing stacked teams with all time greats. Beautiful display of basketball cooking everyone in the mid post, off balance jumpers, threes, and countless clutch buckets.

[Hoopstar23]

2011 Dirk and 22 Steph

[bkohler]

Personally the two year 2014-2016 Lebron Cavs run is my most impressive. The combination of dragging the 2015 Cavs through a competitive series with the Warriors with Dellavadova and Mozgov being the two next best players and coming back from down 3-1 is an incredible stretch of basketball.

[Eightnineborn]

We have this thread every single year, its Dirk but a close second for me was that raptors Kawhi run.

I miss a healthy Kawhi so much… we were robbed of one of the best talents. Just like the Clips were.

[JustBuzzin]

Dirk beat some bullies.

Need I say more?

[DCasey91]

I couldnt find this topic in the search, and since we discussed this in a different thread. I like to consider those rings special where these conditions were met:
- one superstar with little help
- had to overcome extremely strong competition

In my personal opinion those titles carry more weight than a title won on a team with multiple superstars, all stars, all NBA player and so on. They are the result of an individual excelling through out four series and overcoming the odds. Those champions impress me persnoally more more than rings won by a well orchestrated team (Spurs), even more than a super talented team (2015 Warriors, Shaq/Kobe, MJ Bulls) and certainly a lot more than those won on a superteam (Miami superfriends, Cleveland 2016, Warriors 2017 and 2018, Lakers 2020).

Also i only want to list those seasons that i personally watched live, so bear with me if i forgot someone. Also didnt want to make the lst too big so only considered title runs, not finals - in which case i woudl have included Iversons heroics as well as LeBrons heroics from his original Cleveland stint.

My man read up its Hakeem Olajuwon. He has a very strong arguement that both of his runs are 1# and number 2# all time all things considered. Look at the 50+++ wins he beat on the way in fact he was an underdog for most of them. Should have been out 2nd and 1st round yet won back to back. People don't know this but it was the shooting in the second go around that was the biggest difference. Magic shooters crapped the bed and Rockets could not miss. Watch the Suns series, I mean this is straight blasphemy Hakeem isn't on the poll. He should win it outright by a clear margin.

... The first time he did the greatest defensive save ever doing some matrix stuff just to force game 6. Watch game 7 ffs it took Stark hitting nothing but bricks, along with maybe his best passing game ever, All time defence on Ewing (who was great defensively obviously, just worst offensive outing ever... Because you know Hakeem) just to win by a slim margin.

Basically both of those runs would be all time before even the Finals began.

2021 Giannis, 2023 Jokic, 2022 Curry, aren't even top 20 runs all time why are they even here? Man you need to study history

[Lalouie]

Russell...... 60s. the whole decade

[One_and_Done]

Duncan 03.

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