Top 20 playoffs - Post-lockout era

[j41181]

Check this amazing article about the 20 Best NBA playoffs after the lockout season (1998-99):

Top 20 playoffs of the post-lockout era

The Dallas Mavericks are number 1, due to their 7-game series triumph over the San Antonio Spurs in 2006.

Dallas is mentioned 5 more times in the list, of which 5 are in the top 10. Despite not winning the championship in 2006, Dallas has given the NBA many great playoff memories. All thanks in large part to the one, the only, Dirk Nowitzki!

Edited by: j41181

 

[ToughJ.Riggins]

Take a look at #4- I'm glad the writer (Kelly Dwyer of Yahoo) had the gumption to mention the horrid officiating against the Kings:

4. Los Angeles Lakers over Sacramento, 2001
This is a big favorite, but to us it's a bit marred by the horrid officiating in Game 6, and a full-on Kings meltdown that took place in Sacramento during Game 7. Still, two incredibly fun and talented teams, essentially giving us the best NBA Finals of the last decade, should you consider the deep East/West divide that lasted from 1999 until recently.

My take: Truthfully the officials COMPLETELY screwed the Kings in THREE games not one. And the Kings melt down in game 7 was from shooting less than 50% from the FT line as a team, they actually outplayed the Lakers yet again in game 7 overall. In fact- the Lakers didn't outplay the Kings in any game the whole series (other than the Kings horrid FT shooting- Game 7). Game 2 was horrid officiating as well. And Horry's shot at the buzzer (forget which game) would not have counted if they had video review like now. In fact I think this was the shot that convinced the league to implement video review. Quite possibly "the worst officiated playoff series IN THE HISTORY OF ALL AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS."