2000-01 Bucks Squad would have made Conference finals in 2024!

[who_better_than_me]

George Karl hated that squad. Kept callling them soft. He couldn’t wait to break up that big three. That guy was jsut a miserable human being

 

[who_better_than_me]

Different rules in 2024. Bucks was bytchin to the refs when it got physical with the 76ers....

They had reason too. The 76ers were being physical with them the whole Series but then somehow Ray Allen gets two quick fouls in the first Quarter of game 7. Stern had an agenda.

 

[dizzy4111]

They got dikked in that 76ers series, no doubt

 

[Baka's Weird Case]

Bucks woulda won more than 1 game vs the 2000-01 lakers IMO. Maybe taken them to 7.

 

[premier58]

This is a geeat post. That team was very talented, but trapped in the wrong era, imo

 

[GunRanger]

They got dikked in that 76ers series, no doubt

. If crooked NBA playoff series were heavyweight boxers, then the 2002 Western finals (Lakers-Kings) was George Foreman and the 2001 Eastern finals (Bucks-Sixers) was Earnie Shavers. Translation: People remember only George, but Earnie was almost as memorable. To briefly recap, Philly's wins in Games 1 and 4 swung on a controversial lane violation and two egregious no-calls. The Sixers finished with advantages of 186-120 in free throws, 12-3 in technicals and 5-0 in flagrant fouls. Glenn Robinson, one of Milwaukee's top-two scorers, didn't even attempt a free throw until Game 5. Bucks coach George Karl and star Ray Allen were fined a combined $85,000 after the series for claiming the NBA rigged it. In that game, Milwaukee's best big man, Scott Williams, was charged with a flagrant foul but not thrown out, only to be suspended, improbably, for Game 7.

The defining game: When Philly stole a must-win Game 4 in Milwaukee despite an atrocious performance from Iverson (10-for-32 shooting), helped by a 2-to-1 free-throw advantage and a host of late calls. How one-sided was it? When an official called a harmless touch foul to send Sam Cassell to the line with two seconds left and the Bucks trailing by seven (maybe the all-time we-need-to-pad-the-free-throw-stats-so-they-don't-seem-so-lopsided-afterward call), the subsequent sarcastic standing ovation nearly morphed into the first-ever sarcastic riot. And this was Milwaukee, the most easygoing city in the country! Nobody remembers this. The real loser was Allen, who exploded for 190 points in the series, including a record nine threepointers in do-or-die Game 6. Nobody remembers this, either. Even I didn't remember it. Crap

Simmons: The lost "Book of Basketball" pages

In the December 28, 2009 issue of ESPN The Magazine, Bill Simmons reveals 15 nuggets that didn't make it into his best-selling "The Book Of Basketball."

insider.espn.com

 

[Primetime]

I thought that squad was pretty mid actually, or more flash than substance. Can't even say overrated because nobody ever talks about them as far as what ifs. Same with the Vince Carter Raptors.

In hindsight, whichever star came out of the East that year (Iverson, Carter, TMac, Allen) was gonna get historical acclaim for "dragging" their team to the Finals, despite it being a tallest midget invitational with some of the worst dead ball iso basketball to have to watch in real time.

At least the Nets came in the next year and became a more respectable gatekeeper/sacrificial lamb from a quality perspective. Tho even then, their own style could get dreadful to watch if forced into half court.

 

[Paper Boi]

the the the coli dot com

 

[Gil Scott-Heroin]

I thought that squad was pretty mid actually, or more flash than substance. Can't even say overrated because nobody ever talks about them as far as what ifs. Same with the Vince Carter Raptors.

In hindsight, whichever star came out of the East that year (Iverson, Carter, TMac, Allen) was gonna get historical acclaim for "dragging" their team to the Finals, despite it being a tallest midget invitational with some of the worst dead ball iso basketball to have to watch in real time.

At least the Nets came in the next year and became a more respectable gatekeeper/sacrificial lamb from a quality perspective. Tho even then, their own style could get dreadful to watch if forced into half court.

It's funny, ain't it, I wonder how Iverson's career would be perceived if he didn't make it out of the East that year, and it was one of Vince, TMac or Ray (and how they'd be perceived instead).

Because it is without a doubt, the single most overrated feat of the last 20-30 years. A.I's entire lore has been created from that playoff run, despite the fact he didn't do shyt in any other postseason. It really is quite remarkable how one non-championship run can inflate a player's image. No player would get the same benefit of doubt in today's game.

 

[Mantis Toboggan M.D.]

George Karl was their coach, no type of postseason success should be assumed

Fired midseason twice, missed the playoffs entirely 4 times, 14 first round exits which I’m sure is an nba record (at bare minimum 3 of them during a 55+ win season with two after a 60+ win season), and the first coach to ever lose in the first round as a 1 seed . Never fails to publicly throw the blame on his players either, all of whom seem to hate his guts.

I thought that squad was pretty mid actually, or more flash than substance. Can't even say overrated because nobody ever talks about them as far as what ifs. Same with the Vince Carter Raptors.

In hindsight, whichever star came out of the East that year (Iverson, Carter, TMac, Allen) was gonna get historical acclaim for "dragging" their team to the Finals, despite it being a tallest midget invitational with some of the worst dead ball iso basketball to have to watch in real time.

At least the Nets came in the next year and became a more respectable gatekeeper/sacrificial lamb from a quality perspective. Tho even then, their own style could get dreadful to watch if forced into half court.

It's funny, ain't it, I wonder how Iverson's career would be perceived if he didn't make it out of the East that year, and it was one of Vince, TMac or Ray (and how they'd be perceived instead).

Because it is without a doubt, the single most overrated feat of the last 20-30 years. A.I's entire lore has been created from that playoff run, despite the fact he didn't do shyt in any other postseason. It really is quite remarkable how one non-championship run can inflate a player's image. No player would get the same benefit of doubt in today's game.

The 2002 and the 2003 nets going to the finals is even worse to me. Back to back conference champs despite having no quality scorers on the team whatsoever and their best player was entirely useless without the ball in his hands since he couldn’t shoot, couldn’t spot up, couldn’t post up, couldn’t cut off ball, couldn’t come off screens, and couldn’t finish at the rim and that was the best the east had to offer

 

[Primetime]

It's funny, ain't it, I wonder how Iverson's career would be perceived if he didn't make it out of the East that year, and it was one of Vince, TMac or Ray (and how they'd be perceived instead).

Because it is without a doubt, the single most overrated feat of the last 20-30 years. A.I's entire lore has been created from that playoff run, despite the fact he didn't do shyt in any other postseason. It really is quite remarkable how one non-championship run can inflate a player's image. No player would get the same benefit of doubt in today's game.

Yea, I'd guess if it's only the mvp but the 2001 playoff run flops... an extended version of his 2007-2009 career happens much sooner, which is basically just Westbrook's 2017-2024 career stretch but with even less good will than Russ had/currently has.

As much as ppl want to pile on Ant's recent comments (context-aside, and ignoring that he's still universally well-liked by teammates, his coaches, and active HoF'ers), most are too young to recall 28 years ago Iverson was getting crucified for this:

“After the game,” said Jordan, who was brash enough in his day, “I was talking to Chief [Robert Parish] and said, ‘I could never tell Larry Bird or K.C. Jones or any other coach some of the things he’s done this far.’ But it’s a whole new breed. . . .

“At one point I mentioned to [Iverson], he was going to have to respect us. If you don’t respect anyone else in this league you have to respect us. He said he doesn’t have to respect anybody.”

Followed by Stackhouse forcing a trade out of PHI in '98 because he couldn't stand Iverson

Followed by PHI trying and failing to trade Iverson in '00 because Larry Brown couldn't stand Iverson

 

[Red Money]

George Karl was their coach, no type of postseason success should be assumed

Andy Reid at a similar time period was of similar success...and didn't get his just due, vision fully understood and proper respect until Patrick MaHomes was on the scene and the game leaned more into offense. Donovan McNabb would be a super bowl champion if he was on these Chiefs in his prime.



George Karl in this era if he could recreate or time machine that 2000-01 Bucks squad he would find success with conference finals and finals appearances.



But the not living up to expectations messed up his mental that he ain't good with the NBA. And part of that is because he feels refs cheated his teams at times, imo. He became bitter, conspiracy theorist and distrustful.

 

[Oldschooler]

Andy Reid at a similar time period was of similar success...and didn't get his just due, vision fully understood and proper respect until Patrick MaHomes was on the scene and the game leaned more into offense. Donovan McNabb would be a super bowl champion if he was on these Chiefs in his prime.



George Karl in this era if he could recreate or time machine that 2000-01 Bucks squad he would find success with conference finals and finals appearances.



But the not living up to expectations messed up his mental that he ain't good with the NBA. And part of that is because he feels refs cheated his teams at times, imo. He became bitter, conspiracy theorist and distrustful.

George Karl is an old school coach that I'm sure has lost control of his players and teams many times before. The guy is a disciplinarian which doesnt work with athletes that get paid millions of dollars. Watch the Melo podcast interviews to learn more about George Karl.

 

[Oldschooler]

It's funny, ain't it, I wonder how Iverson's career would be perceived if he didn't make it out of the East that year, and it was one of Vince, TMac or Ray (and how they'd be perceived instead).

Because it is without a doubt, the single most overrated feat of the last 20-30 years. A.I's entire lore has been created from that playoff run, despite the fact he didn't do shyt in any other postseason. It really is quite remarkable how one non-championship run can inflate a player's image. No player would get the same benefit of doubt in today's game.

AI had other intangibles that he brought to the game that people adored him for. AI provided entertainment value which is the most important aspect of why players get remembered 30 years after they played. Eastern Conference was just bad those years and can't really fault AI about it. Sixers were also a terrible team. As for the bucks their performance was disappointing. They had a bunch of journeyman outside of Cassell, Allen and Big Dog. Even those guys weren't that good outside of Ray.

 

[Red Money]

This is a geeat post. That team was very talented, but trapped in the wrong era, imo

shyt I remember when mofos busted them out NBA2K1 on Dreamcast with the dial-up before they dropped the broadband adapter.

They was letting off threes, running to the 3 point line on fast breaks too. The big 4 when used right was possibly a cheese team back then especially with dial up latency.