As I was looking over the box score for the game, I realized something: there's going to be a forgotten starter on the championship team regardless of which team it is: Trevor Ariza for the Lakers or Courtney Lee for the Magic. So I got to thinking...I figured I'd go back, and see how many teams had a "forgotten starter." The results surprised even me. So I'm challenging you: no peeking! I'll give you four starters for a team that won the championship. Can you give me the fifth? Some are easy...some even I got wrong.
Note: these are *FINALS* *LINE-UPS*. Not regular season. FINALS.
Here we go:
2008 Celtics: Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, and ?
2007 Spurs: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Bruce Bowen, Fabricio Oberto, and ?
2006 Heat: Dwyane Wade, Shaquille O'Neal, Jason Williams, Udonis Haslem, and ?
2005 Spurs: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobilli, Bruce Bowen, and ?
2004 Pistons: Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace, Ben Wallace, and ?
2003 Spurs: Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Tony Parker, Bruce Bowen, and ?
2002 Lakers: Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, and ?
2001 Lakers: Shaqulle O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, and ?
2000 Lakers: Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Ron Harper, Glen Rice, and ?
1999 Spurs: Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Sean Elliott, Avery Johnson, and ?
1998 Bulls: Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Luc Longley, Ron Harper, and ? (I MISSED THIS!)
1996/7 Bulls: Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Luc Longley, Dennis Rodman, and ?
1995 Rockets: Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Robert Horry, Kenny Smith, and ?
1994 Rockets: Hakeem Olajuwon, Otis Thorpe, Robert Horry, Kenny Smith, and ?
1993 Bulls: Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, Bill Cartwright, and ?
1991/2 Bulls: Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, Bill Cartwright, and ?
1990 Pistons: Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, and ?
1989 Pistons: Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn, and ?
skipping a few years due to trouble getting the exact line-ups
1983 Sixers: Moses Malone, Julius Erving, Maurice Cheeks, Andrew Toney, and ?
1982 Lakers: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Norm Nixon, Jamaal Wilkes, and ?
1981 Celtics: Larry Bird, Robert Parish, Cedric Maxwell, Tiny Archibald, and ?
1980 Lakers: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Norm Nixon, Jamaal Wilkes, and ?
1979 Sonics: Dennis Johnson, Gus Williams, Jack Sikma, Lonnie Shelton, and ?
How will you do? I didn't do nearly as well as I though I would.