If LeBron's Heat Fail To Ever Win A Title, Will They Be The Best Titleless Team Ever?

[PlayTheGame]

Purely hypothetical question, as the Heat very well could win title(s). They could even win a title this year. However, for the sake of this thread, if the Heat aren't able to ever get it done, has there ever been a more talented team in the history of sports to never get it done? Anyone with a good memory for sports, this question is for you.

I think if James, Wade, and Bosh don't get it done, they may be the best team ever with the most hype to never achieve a title. However, I could be forgetting some other great championship-less teams of the past of high-caliber, so if you have one in mind, share it.

If the Heat fail to get it done, will they go down in history as the best championship-less team, or does another team hold that moniker?

 

[Megatron]

Considering they have the best player in the league, a top 10, and a top 25 player, yeah, I'd say so. However, the 2001 Mariners (116 wins; had Ichiro, Bret Boone, Edgar Martinez, Mike Cameron, Freddy Garcia, and Jamie Moyer with some great years), 18-1 Patriots, and another one or two would be in contention.

 

[Serious Mozzarella]

Considering they have the best player in the league, a top 10, and a top 25 player, yeah, I'd say so. However, the 2001 Mariners (116 wins; had Ichiro, Bret Boone, Edgar Martinez, Mike Cameron, Freddy Garcia, and Jamie Moyer with some great years), 18-1 Patriots, and another one or two would be in contention.

Does having good players make you a good team, though?

 

[Big Sexy]

The 03-04 Lakers with Kobe, Shaq, Payton, and Malone are in contention. Let's not forget about the Buffalo Bills who went to 4 straight Super Bowls in the mid 90's with the likes of Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, James Lofton, Bruce Smith, Cornelius Bennett, and Darryl Talley.

 

[Stormtrooper]

I think if you're talking about a run of failure to win a title, then yes Miami would win that. Buffalo went to 4 straight Super Bowls and had excellent teams, but they also went up against teams that were better then them like Dallas.

If you're talking a single year, I'll take the 18-1 Patriots. The Heat aren't setting Regular Season wins records or tying Win % records (yet, at least).

 

[Poop Master Flex]

You could throw in the Malone, Stockton Utah Jazz into the discussion as well. Won 2 straight western conference titles, both are definitely going to the hall of fame and both made the top 50 all NBA team (so for people who don't know they were both voted in the top 50 all time NBA players).

The 96-97 Rangers had Gretzky, Messier, Leetch, Richter, and Robitaille, 5 great players and Hall of Famers were great talent wise although they didn't have a great record.

The 96-97 Flyers with Hextall and the Legion of Doom was also a great team, making it to the Stanley Cup finals who just had the rotten luck of playing a determined Red Wings team that was rock solid top to bottom.

All of these 3 teams were great in their own right also the teams already mentioned such as the 18-1 Patriots are in the discussion as well.

Honestly I think the 96-98 Jazz were a better overall team than the Heat and would have won both years if Michael Jordan didn't exist. The Heat lost last year because their clutch players either didn't play to their full potential (James) or because they ran out of gas (Wade), the Jazz hung in there every game against a team with Jordan, Pippen and Rodman and came damn close to winning, the Bulls were just a hair better.

 

[The Crock]

The Jazz with Stockton and Malone have to be up there. Still kills me every time I see Jordan hit the shot.

 

[Big Sexy]

I'd take the 95-96 Supersonics over the Jazz teams in 97 and 98. Stockton overall is better then Payton and Malone overall is definitely better then Shawn Kemp but Payton/Kemp were at their peaks in 1996. They were 26 and 27 years old respectively while Malone and Stockton were well into their 30's during their two series with the Bulls. I'll also take Detlef Schrempf, Hershey Hawkins, and Sam Perkins over Jeff Hornacek, Bryon Russell, and Greg Ostertag.

 

[Unsold Bacon]

RYBAACCKK

 

[Unsold Bacon]

Fuck sorry about that thought I was posting in the Extreme Rules LD. But that Hear team will be up there for sure

Another team that can go in this discussion could be the current Vancouver Canucks. Great Players through all for lines and 2 pretty upper echelon goal-tenders and they can't seem to win. I'm not a big hockey guy but from what I know they are REALLY good.

 

[Paul Bunyan's Axe]

In basketball, yes. In overall sports, I don't think so.

How about the Bills (can't remember what year) who went to 4 straight super bowls and lost all of them? That was a great team, good enough to make it 4 times but couldn't win it.

But if the Heat don't win a title (which I don't think they will) it will be a great team that hasn't won one for sure.

 

[jmt225]

The 2002 Sacramento Kings should always be known as the best NBA team to not win a championship because they were literally robbed of it. These other teams had their chances and blew it, whereas the Kings were flat-out cheated.

 

[Lowdown]

The 03-04 Lakers with Kobe, Shaq, Payton, and Malone are in contention. Let's not forget about the Buffalo Bills who went to 4 straight Super Bowls in the mid 90's with the likes of Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, James Lofton, Bruce Smith, Cornelius Bennett, and Darryl Talley.

Gotta go with the Bills on this one. Going to four straight Super Bowls is no small feat, even if they didn't win.

 

[Richard Blonoff]

The Heat with its core 3 guys the best team to never win a title...doesn't really have a ring to it

 

[Unsold Bacon]

I cometly forgot about the early 2000's Kings.

Bibby, Turkoglu, Webber, Wallace, Stojavikic, Divac, Jackson, Christie. That is such a great team, so many great names there.

 

[Fire Marshall Bill]

Not sure it matters because, sadly, I don't foresee anyone beating them this year. Especially with Rose out.

03-04 Lakers are a definite candidate.
The early 90's Bills were good, but not great. The AFC was weaker than the NFC and the 4 SB's proved that.
I'd even be tempted to throw the '69 Cubs in there.

 

[Owen 3:16 says I just stole your Slammy!!]

I think the best title-less teams are the '90-'93 Bills and '96/'97- '97/'98 Jazz.

The Bills were a great team during the early '90s. The can score with the "K-Gun" offense with Kelly,Reed, and Thomas. The Bills just had bad luck in SB XXV with Norwood. Then the last two against an younger Dallas Cowboys team. If the '90s Bills were in this era, they could of won couple of SB's.

The Jazz were great for 20 years with the teamwork of Stockton and Malone. The Jazz were faced against the Bulls. The Bulls had it all! Jordan can score and defend. Pippen can defend. Rodman can rebound and defend. Also, the Bulls have great players off the bench. Steve Kerr and Toni Kukoc can provided them with scoring, they could of been starters on other teams. The Jazz were in a bad time period. When The Bull dynasty died, the Lakers became great.

Other Mentions: 2002 Oakland Raiders. The Raiders could score and had veteran leadership. The problem was, they faced their old coach who knew all of their plays (He made the Raiders plays!)

As I mention in the Jazz paragraph, The Bulls dynasty of the '90s. Think of all the teams that did not win any titles! Patrick Ewing and the Knicks. Reggie Miller and the Pacers. Chris Mullin and the Golden State Warriors.