Wish upon a Star

[Reality]

2005-6 is about ready to start.  If your team is not going to have a star and wants a title this year, should they mail the season in?

Must a team have either a legit performance "star" or a media/fan created "Star" to win an NBA title? Since 1980 there has only been 1 team that has not had an All-NBA member.

Star Power
Year Champion All-NBA team members
2005 Spurs Tim Duncan, 1st team
2004 Pistons Ben Wallace, 2nd
2003 Spurs Duncan, 1st
2002 Lakers Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, 1st
2001 Lakers O'Neal, 1st
2000 Lakers O'Neal, 1st
1999 Spurs Duncan, 1st
1998 Bulls Michael Jordan, 1st
1997 Bulls Jordan, 1st
1996 Bulls Jordan, Scottie Pippen, 1st
1995 Rockets Clyde Drexler, Hakeem Olajuwon, 3rd
1994 Rockets Olajuwon, 1st
1993 Bulls Jordan, 1st
1992 Bulls Jordan, 1st
1991 Bulls Jordan, 1st
1990 Pistons Joe Dumars, 3rd
1989 Pistons none
1988 Lakers Magic Johnson, 1st
1987 Lakers Johnson, 1st
1986 Celtics Larry Bird, 1st
1985 Lakers Johnson, 1st
1984 Celtics Bird, 1st
1983 Sixers Julius Erving, Moses Malone, 1st
1982 Lakers Johnson, 2nd
1981 Celtics Bird, 1st
 
The 89-90 Pistons repeat champs combined had only one player, that being Joe D and he being on the 3rd team.

[WayOutWest]

I guess Isaih Tomas doesn't count?

One of the biggest back court stars in the league.  The guy was an unstoppable scoring machine when he wanted to be.

[Reality]

I guess Isaih Tomas doesn't count?

One of the biggest back court stars in the league.  The guy was an unstoppable scoring machine when he wanted to be.

The votes are right in front of you.

He didn't make it either of the 89 or 90 Champ years, 1st 2nd or 3rd team. :rolleyes:
 

[westkoast]

I guess Isaih Tomas doesn't count?

One of the biggest back court stars in the league.  The guy was an unstoppable scoring machine when he wanted to be.

The votes are right in front of you.

He didn't make it either of the 89 or 90 Champ years, 1st 2nd or 3rd team. :rolleyes:

That was an obvious error by the NBA/people in charge of voting at the time.  How are you the #1 star and leader of a championship team and you dont make it to any of those teams?  I believe the Pistons finished with the best or 2nd best recordi n the league that year.

[WayOutWest]

I guess Isaih Tomas doesn't count?

One of the biggest back court stars in the league.  The guy was an unstoppable scoring machine when he wanted to be.

The votes are right in front of you.

He didn't make it either of the 89 or 90 Champ years, 1st 2nd or 3rd team. :rolleyes:

Who was ahead of him?

MJ and Magic for sure.  Probably Stockton, Drexler and maybe Price.  I'd put Zeke ahead of K. Johnson and Doc.

[Reality]

Who was ahead of him?

MJ and Magic for sure.  Probably Stockton, Drexler and maybe Price.  I'd put Zeke ahead of K. Johnson and Doc.

Yeah both years the top 4 was MJ Magic KJohnson and Stockton.  '89 3rd team Dale Ellis/Mark Price, 1990 Drexler-Chris Mullin/Dumars.  

Also wk, 89 best record in NBA 63 wins followed by sweep in finals.  '90 best in EC 59 wins followed by title.  I'm sure Thomas will take those over the vote.

1989 First Team

Magic Johnson
Michael Jordan
Charles Barkley
Karl Malone
Hakeem Olajuwon

Second Team
Kevin Johnson
John Stockton
Tom Chambers
Patrick Ewing
Chris Mullin

Third Team
Dale Ellis
Mark Price
Terry Cummings
Robert Parish
Dominique Wilkins

1990 First Team
Charles Barkley
Patrick Ewing
Magic Johnson
Michael Jordan
Karl Malone

Second Team
Kevin Johnson
John Stockton
Larry Bird
Tom Chambers
Hakeem Olajuwon

Third Team
Clyde Drexler
Joe Dumars
Chris Mullin
David Robinson
James Worthy

[Skandery]

In the 88-89 season, Dale Ellis played all 82 games for a Seattle club that won 47 games (a breakout year for Seattle at the time).  He scored 27.5 ppg and pulled down 4.2 rbg, while averaging a career high 1.3 spg.  All while shooting 50.1% from the field, 47.8%!!!  from 3 point land (he averaged 2.0 threes a game), and 81.6% (4.6 makes per game) from the line.

Mark Price played 75 games for a Cleveland team that won 57 games.  He averaged 18.9 ppg, 8.4 apg, and 1.5 spg.  Shooting 52.6%!!! from the field, 44.1% from 3 (1.2 a game), and 90.1% from the line (3.9 makes per game).  

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Thomas' numbers by comparison were 18.3 ppg, 8.3 apg, 1.7 spg, shooting 46.4% from the field, a GOD-awful 27.3% from 3 (attempting 1.5 a game), and 81.8% (3.6 makes per game) from the line.



To take nothing away from Isiah's championship (a team effort) that year, I'll take Dale Ellis and Mark Price for an all-NBA team thank you very much!!

[WayOutWest]

In the 88-89 season, Dale Ellis played all 82 games for a Seattle club that won 47 games (a breakout year for Seattle at the time).  He scored 27.5 ppg and pulled down 4.2 rbg, while averaging a career high 1.3 spg.  All while shooting 50.1% from the field, 47.8%!!!  from 3 point land (he averaged 2.0 threes a game), and 81.6% (4.6 makes per game) from the line.

Mark Price played 75 games for a Cleveland team that won 57 games.  He averaged 18.9 ppg, 8.4 apg, and 1.5 spg.  Shooting 52.6%!!! from the field, 44.1% from 3 (1.2 a game), and 90.1% from the line (3.9 makes per game).  

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Thomas' numbers by comparison were 18.3 ppg, 8.3 apg, 1.7 spg, shooting 46.4% from the field, a GOD-awful 27.3% from 3 (attempting 1.5 a game), and 81.8% (3.6 makes per game) from the line.



To take nothing away from Isiah's championship (a team effort) that year, I'll take Dale Ellis and Mark Price for an all-NBA team thank you very much!!

Forgot about Ellis, probaly cause Scott shut him down cold every time they played the Lakers.  Then Ellis had Cooper to look forward too when Scott got a rest.

Ellis had one of the sweetest strokes in the league, so did B.

I would take Zeke over Ellis any day of the week and twice on Sundays.  Dale couldn't get himself a shot if his life, or a game, depended on it.  Zeke vs KJ is a tough call but I would still take Zeke over KJ and Price.  

Isn't one token white guy on the All NBA teams enough?  Poor Zeke.

[rickortreat]

It takes a star, or the equivalent of one, actually at least two to win a championship.

But not all stars are created equal.  Kevin Johnson was never a better player than Isiah.  The NBA tried to make him a star, and he had a few good years, but that did not make him a better player than Isaih in anyone's eyes except the media and a few nutty Suns fans.

The real key is, is the player one who can take over a game.  Meaning when he steps on the floor, the whole game changes simply because they are there.

All the great players have this quality, and those of you who saw them play know what I mean.  T-Mac has that quality, so does TD and Shaq, Kobe and AI.  They all change the complexion of a game when they come in.

Isiah had that effect on his team.  He would come on, his team would dominate and they would come away with the win.  KJ never did that.  He didn't have the teamates around him, anyway.

It is necessary to have a star like that to win a championship, because the team you face, has one as well.  You need one to counteract the other.  Magic vs. Bird.  Doc vs. Bird. Shaq vs. Duncan.  

If your team doesn't have one, they're just not going to win it. The proof is in the winning, not in the media, who are generally a bunch of idiots and wannabees.

A lot of it depends on the level of the players.  An average NBA player can change the complextion of a pick-up game.  I once saw Mark Aguirre in a exhibition game in S. Dallas.  He was late and the coach made him sit for a while as his team got further and further behind.  As soon as Aguirre went in, the whole game changed.  He took it over just by being out there. He was everywhere, rebounding, leading the fast break, posting up anyone on the other team and scoring.  Stealing the ball, blocking shots....

He took control as simple as that.  

He could do that in the NBA as well, but not with the same effect, not when he was playing against Kareem, Magic and James Worthy.