Brian Clarke's NBA Decade Superlatives

Last Updated on Sunday, 03 January 2010 17:07 Written by Brian Clarke Saturday, 26 December 2009 19:02

Best Player: Kobe Bryant

In the midst of looking for the new “Mike”, many have come and many have been ruined by the burden (see Anfernee Hardaway and Grant Hill). Somehow Kobe has overcome a 7 foot shadow known as Shaquille O'Neal, a rape allegation, a $4 million ring and scrutiny of all to become to player of the decade. He participated in 5 finals in the decade and won 4 rings. He provided the league with plenty of memorable moments and headlines to last for decades. He went from not being mentioned in the 50 greatest players of all-time to being a candidate for top 10 player of all-time. Despite his perceived selfishness and cancerous reputation, Kobe reinvented himself during Phil Jackson's second run as Lakers coach as a leader. Not to mention he didn't average less than 24 ppg during the decade. Impressive. One more championship may begin an Oscar, MJ, Magic and Kobe discussion for greatest guard of all-time.

Best Team: 2008 Boston Celtics

Of any team in the decade, the Celtics had to defeat the most formidable opponent on their way to the championship. The 2008 Lakers looked just as poised to take the championship. However, the defensive dominance by the Celtics brought back memories of defense that once played in the 90's. Moreover, they won with a rookie point guard at the helm. They also made a mediocre coach in Doc Rivers look like a genius. Somehow Rivers was able to outsmart and outcoach the best coach in the history of the NBA. A close second would half to be the 2000 Lakers. Reliable Horace Grant, Shaq at his prime and scariest, Kobe coming into his own and sharpshooting Glen Rice helped to prove that Phil Jackson didn't need Michael Jordan to win a championship.

Team of the Decade: Lakers.

4 championships. 6 Finals Appearances. Second: Spurs. 3 Championships. (Clearly not an era remembered for Eastern Conference dominance)

Clutch Player: Robert Horry.

I won't lie I created this just to give Horry his props. The man has a knack for the big shot like no one who has ever come of the bench for most of his career. The idea that he would be open for as many 3 pointers at the end of the game as he was, is equally baffling.

Some Memorable Shots:

Clutch Shot: Tim Duncan over Shaq followed by Derek Fisher's shot with .4 seconds left on the clock. The moment speaks for itself...

Game 4 2004 Western Semis “One Lucky Shot Deserves Another”

Best Performance by a player: Tim Duncan Game 6 2003 Finals.

An overlooked finals because of the rather boring teams playing against each other posted the lowest finals ratings until the Spurs played against the Cavaliers in the 2007 finals. The country didn't care much, but it didn't matter to the Big Fundamental as he posted one of the more impressive stat lines in the history of the finals. 21 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists and a record 8 blocked shots. His performance earned him MVP honors as well as a second championship for the Spurs in 5 years.

(Honorable Mention 2006 Finals Game 6 Dwayne Wade)

Worst Decision: Pistons trading Chauncey Billups for Nuggets' Allen Iverson in 2008-2009 season.

If it were 2001, this would be an unbelievably lopsided trade for the Pistons. Instead they received an unruly crabby old veteran, unwilling to come off the bench and play a diminished role. On the flip side, the Nuggets received the bonafide point guard they always need to take the next step as well as a team leader and MVP candidate. By June, the Pistons were ousted in 4 games, while the Nuggets pushed Kobe and the Lakers to the limit in their Western Conference showdown. Now, the Pistons are dismantled and looking quite disorganized and GM Joe Dumars doesn't quite look like the genius who pieced together the 2004 champions. On the other hand, the Nuggets seem poised tto make another run at the finals.

(Honorable Mention: The hiring and firing of Larry Brown from those brilliant Knicks)

Disappointment – 2004 Lakers

4 Hall of Famers in the starting lineup could not put their egos aside to win the elusive pride. Luckily for Gary Payton he received his validation in 2006 with the Miami Heat, no such luck for the mailman Karl Malone. Rumor has it that Kobe Bryant could be blamed for most of the rift between the four, but nonetheless it was Phil Jackson's greatest embarrassment. He was out-coached by a rag-tag team and guy who had a tendency never to win the big one. Thanks for robbing us of wonderful history guys!

Best Managed Franchise: San Antonio Spurs

They haven't missed the playoffs in the decade and have been able to get out of the first round of every playoffs (except last years). They've won 3 championships in the decade without drama or a huge shakeup in the make-up of the core of the team. Greg Poppavich is as good a coach as any in the league and the team is always a contender. They've kept 3 perennial all-star caliber players on their squad for the entire decade without much of the huge media circus that goes with contract negotiations. Stay classy San Antonio.

Worst Managed Franchise: New York Knicks.

Isiah Thomas and James Dolan dug the Knicks in such a deep hole that they remain a lottery team who's never able to cash in on lottery picks. The team is in such disarray, I think LeBron James rather take 20 million a year overseas than play in New York. Once the Mecca of basketball is now the Florida retired home for careers.

Embarrassing Moment for the League: Tim Donaghy betting scandal.

The idea that a referee would and could bet and purposely effect the outcome of games by point shaving or officiating in a less than scrupulous manner painted an ugly black eye on the sport. If Las Vegas ever wanted a team, their chances are now gone because of Donaghy. Everyone has heard rumors of some games being fixed by the mafia, mob etc. All of these conspiracy theories are given weight with the help of people like Donaghy. Especially because now Donaghy claims he is not the only rouge official around. More than any other event or story, this is has to be the biggest blackeye on the sanctity of the sport

(Honorable Mention: Detroit Brawl, such a trainwreck, I have to place a video to accompany it.)

Fall From Grace: Michael Jordan

Not only did he make an ill-fated return to the NBA. He also made one of the least gracious Hall-of-Fame speeches in recent memory. Our eyes opened to a whole new MJ, a bitter, hyper competitive jerk who cares about nothing but his ego. Many will only remember MJ for his wonderful moments on the basketball court, to which I will do my best to remember as well. But as far as having my child “be like mike”, I would rather my child to have more class than talent at the end of the day.

2010 and Beyond:

Lebron, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh, Yao Ming, Amare Stoudamire are all free agents come next year. It will have a powerful effect on the future of the league. The realignment of these stars and many others (incl. Veterans Steve Nash, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Shaquille O'Neal and Manu Ginobili) can change the balance of power for years to come. The Eastern Conference is reemerging as a legitimate threat to Western Conference dominance of this decade. In addition, the theory that NBA is most popular and strong when the Lakers and Celtics are at their best has been proven to be true once again. The only thing missing is a reemergence of Madison Square Garden being home to a legitimate contender. That may take some time however. Stars such as Kobe, KG, LeBron, D. Wade, Dwight Howard and Chris Paul have provided enough excitement and firepower to overshadow the once emerging thug image and selfishness once portrayed by Allen Iverson, Ron Artest and Carmello Anthony. Maybe that's why David Stern thought it necessary to throw in that dress code. It worked, the NBA has risen in its popularity from the doldrums of San Antonio Spur championship victories. By the end of the decade we will have the opportunity to argue about the impact of the 2003 draft and who is the class of the draft. So far

1.Lebron

2.D-Wade

3. Carmello

4. Bosh

… we will soon see the answer.