2011 NBA Playoffs' Changing of the Guard: Goodbye Lakers, Spurs and Celtics
Regardless of the team that matriculates to raise the NBA Championship trophy above their heads in June, the story of these 2010-11 NBA Playoffs will be the ushering in of a new era.
Make no mistake—these playoffs mark a changing of the guard in the NBA.
With the San Antonio Spurs and the Los Angeles Lakers already eliminated from the playoffs, and the Boston Celtics clinging to their playoff life entering a potential elimination game in Miami tonight, 10 of the last 12 NBA Champions have been or likely will be eliminated.
Consider the facts—these three teams have not only won 10 of the last 12 NBA Championships, but they have combined to make 13 finals appearances in the last 12 seasons (remember the Lakers battled the Celtics last year), and the only time at least one of these three teams was not in the NBA Finals over the past 12 seasons was the 2005-06 NBA Finals.
An astounding run over an extended period has now—like all good things—come to an end.
This amazing decade-plus of dominance, particularly from the Spurs and Lakers, brought us those rare moments in sports, where two juggernauts so completely dominated the landscape of their respective sport, making almost all other competitors irrelevant.
The Spurs and Lakers combined to win the Western Conference Championship 11 of the last 12 years. These two teams have combined to win nine of the last 12 NBA Championships.
Nobody else has mattered in the NBA since Michael Jordan retired except the Spurs, Lakers and the stars who have led those teams.
Those stars are true legends.
Shaquille O’Neal is arguably the greatest center of all time. For those that disagree, check the stats and watch the film. Shaq dominated the post like no other big man in the history of the NBA. He averaged 37 points and 18 rebounds in the NBA Finals during the three-peat. Forget about it.
Tim Duncan, the big fundamental, is arguably the greatest power-forward of all time. Duncan hurts teams in so many ways—an array of nearly indefensible low-post moves, an above average mid-range jump shot and the ability to occasionally step beyond the arc and knock down a triple. Like Shaq, Duncan is a three-time NBA Finals MVP.
Kobe Bean Bryant is the second greatest off-guard in NBA history and probably one of the top seven players of all time, regardless of position. Not only an amazing talent, Bryant has demonstrated his will, competitiveness and undying drive to win time and time again. He is one of the game’s greatest closers of all time and is also a nine-time first-team All-NBA defensive player (tied with Jordan, Gary Payton and Kevin Garnett for the most all time).
Legends.
While the Celtics have not had the longevity of dominance the Lakers and Spurs have enjoyed, no team in the Eastern Conference has struck fear in the hearts of their opponents like the defensive-minded Celtic team, led by a trio of future hall of famers—Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.
Garnett has been one of the best defenders in the NBA since joining the league. He couples impressive defense with a career 19.5 points per game and nearly 11 rebounds per game. In his prime, Garnett was a 23-point and 12-plus rebound performer a night.
Pierce is the consummate scorer, delivering buckets when his teams needed them most. A career 22.2 point per game scorer, he was the NBA Finals MVP during the Celtics' 2007-08 championship run. Pierce has also been known as a gritty defender throughout his time in the NBA.
Allen is the NBA’s all-time leading three-point shooter. A more consistent and pretty three-point shot cannot be found. Allen is also a solid perimeter defender.
It has been a pleasure to watch this decade of dominance and witness such colossal talents competing against each other head-to-head year after year.
With the Spurs, Lakers and Celtics having been or likely being eliminated, a new era of teams and players will hopefully fill the void created by the aging of these legendary teams and players.
The future is bright, and the next generation is ready to step up and claim the top spot. With Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard—just to name a few of the leagues rising superstar’s—look for more history to be made in the next decade.
