This is going to be a new thread series that I'm starting where I will go to every major sport and ask "what is the best team to not win the title." I had a best player to never win a title series a while back and this will be along those same lines. Just to be clear this is not talking about the history of a franchise, this is a team in a particular year. For example, in the NFL you wouldn't be confined to just choosing teams like the Lions and Browns who have never won a Super Bowl, you would go to a specific year and say "2007 Patriots" or whatever your answer is. Be sure to give reasons for your answer.
I started with the NBA because I believe this is the hardest one to pick. There are so many great teams that were around during the Jordan era of the 90's and Lakers/Celtics era of the 80's that couldn't break through because of those dynasties. My pick for the best team to not win the title in the NBA is the 1987-88 Bad Boy Detroit Pistons.
The Pistons won the title the next two years after this but they should have had a three peat as they were the best team in the NBA from 87-90. After taking out the Bullets in round 1, MJ in the second round, and the mighty Celtics in the conference finals, the Pistons met the LA Lakers in the finals. LA was the defending champs and it was a great series. The Pistons ended up with a 3-2 series lead.
In game 6 the Pistons were down by 8 in the third quarter when Isiah Thomas went off, scoring the next 14 points in the game. After that he rolled his ankle but returned 35 seconds later and on the bad ankle scored 11 more points to finish with 25 in the third. The Pistons had a one point lead with under 30 seconds left and the Lakers gave the ball to Kareem who missed a sky hook BUT Bill Laimbeer was called for a phantom foul as replays showed it was not a foul. Kareem made both free throws and the Lakers took a one point lead. Isiah missed a shot as time expired and the refs had cost the Pistons the game. The Lakers went on to win game 7 108-105 and the series. Isiah Thomas had 43 points and 8 assists in his courageous game 6 performance and the Pistons were the better team, but the refs took the series and the title away from them.
Honorable mentions: 96-97 and 97-98 Jazz, 2000-2001 Kings, 68-69 and 69-70 Lakers, 93-94 Knicks, and 04-05 Pistons.
I started with the NBA because I believe this is the hardest one to pick. There are so many great teams that were around during the Jordan era of the 90's and Lakers/Celtics era of the 80's that couldn't break through because of those dynasties. My pick for the best team to not win the title in the NBA is the 1987-88 Bad Boy Detroit Pistons.
The Pistons won the title the next two years after this but they should have had a three peat as they were the best team in the NBA from 87-90. After taking out the Bullets in round 1, MJ in the second round, and the mighty Celtics in the conference finals, the Pistons met the LA Lakers in the finals. LA was the defending champs and it was a great series. The Pistons ended up with a 3-2 series lead.
In game 6 the Pistons were down by 8 in the third quarter when Isiah Thomas went off, scoring the next 14 points in the game. After that he rolled his ankle but returned 35 seconds later and on the bad ankle scored 11 more points to finish with 25 in the third. The Pistons had a one point lead with under 30 seconds left and the Lakers gave the ball to Kareem who missed a sky hook BUT Bill Laimbeer was called for a phantom foul as replays showed it was not a foul. Kareem made both free throws and the Lakers took a one point lead. Isiah missed a shot as time expired and the refs had cost the Pistons the game. The Lakers went on to win game 7 108-105 and the series. Isiah Thomas had 43 points and 8 assists in his courageous game 6 performance and the Pistons were the better team, but the refs took the series and the title away from them.
Honorable mentions: 96-97 and 97-98 Jazz, 2000-2001 Kings, 68-69 and 69-70 Lakers, 93-94 Knicks, and 04-05 Pistons.