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SAN ANTONIO VS. LOS ANGELES PHILADELPHIA VS. MILWAUKEE |
Lakers can run the table By Dr. Jack Ramsay Special to ESPN.com The Los Angeles Lakers still have to win an NBA title to be considered one of the greatest single-season playoff teams of all time. But they have won 11 straight playoff games and are capable of becoming the first team in NBA history to run the table in the playoffs.
It's hard to overlook what Philadelphia did, losing only one game of 13 playoff games and sweeping the Lakers in the NBA Finals. Their only loss came against Milwaukee in the Eastern Conference finals. The 76ers were an excellent team, with Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Andrew Toney, Maurice Cheeks and Bobby Jones. Malone was a dominating big man. Toney, Cheeks and Bobby Jones were excellent defenders. Erving was outstanding in the open court. Coach Billy Cunningham got his talented team to play together at a high level. 2. 1971 Milwaukee Bucks The Bucks were 12-2 in the playoffs and swept the Washington Bullets in the NBA Finals. Their main players were Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson. The Big O was the catalyst and the glue who handled the ball and did everything. He was aided by Abdul-Jabbar, who was young and just getting to a dominant part of his career. Among the rest of the team, they had Bobby Dandridge and some very good role players. 3. 1996 Chicago Bulls They won a record 72 games during the regular season, then went 15-3 in the playoffs and beat Seattle 4-2 in the NBA Finals. The '96 group was the most dominant of Chicago's six championship teams. They were excellent defensively, with Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman. Jordan and Pippen were clearly the best defenders at their positions in the game. Rodman had maybe lost a little of his defensive ability, but he was still very good and a terrific rebounder. They had solid role players, with Ron Harper, Toni Kukoc, Luc Longley and Steve Kerr. 4. 1986 Boston Celtics The Celtics went 15-3 in the playoffs and defeated Houston 4-2 in the NBA Finals with a cast that included a starting lineup of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Dennis Johnson and Danny Ainge, and Bill Walton and Scott Wedman off the bench. They were a strong team across the board. 5. 1950 Minneapolis Lakers The Lakers were 11-2 in the playoffs, losing both games to Syracuse in the NBA Finals. The team had everything, with George Mikan, Jim Pollard, Slater Martin, Vern Mikkelsen and Arnie Ferrin. Mikan was the power player in the middle. Mikkelsen was a horse of a big forward. Pollard was the Elgin Baylor, Julius Erving and Kevin Garnett of his time -- a great all-around player. Hall of Fame coach Dr. Jack Ramsay is a game analyst for ESPN Radio and a regular contributor to ESPN.com. Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories |
ALSO SEE Kreidler: When will excuses end and respect begin? Playoff perfection: Close, but no cigar |
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