[quote name='Soodmeg']I just disagree..they are no better than the old school Heat team when it was Wade and Shaq. A one and done team.
The C's were a one and done team that gets a absurd about of undeserved credit. You can play the "if only" game if you would like. I choose you if only Greg Oden and Brandon Roys kneecaps werent made of pudding they would be a contender also.
All I am saying is this...the
ONLY two teams that deserve any credit for being constant championship contenders is the Spurs and the Lakers...since they have both won a combined 8 of the last 13

ing titles. I dont understand why Boston who is no different than the Pistons and the Heat and Dallas is magically consider the the greatest team ever assembled and the envy of championship pedigree. The last title before 08 was 86.
The East is a crap conference...if you were that good you would have gone to the finals more than 2 times in the last 10 years. You are the clone of the Mavs...been there once...won once....thats it. No one seems to be falling over the Mavs about being the prototype franchise to follow so I wont do it over the C's either.[/QUOTE]
The Heat with Shaq were a contender for two seasons. That is it. They went to the ECF's and won a title. That is all they ever did. A healthy Kendrick Perkins in game 7 probably gives the C's two championships in three years. Since the Big 3 have been together they have won a title, bounced by the Magic who went to the Finals, went to game 7 with the Lakers in the finals, got bounced by the Heat who went to the Finals, and look like they are going to get bounced by the Heat who will go to the finals. Pretty impressive for a team that has a bunch of aging superstars. They have no first round exits and only lose to teams who go onto play for titles.
And people do call the Mavs a prototypical franchise. 11 straight playoff appearances, 10 straight 50 win seasons until this year, two finals appearances, and one NBA title make them a preeminent franchise in the league. They are the fourth most valuable franchise and have the longest current sell out streak in the NBA. They may not have had the success in the playoffs that they should have, but they have had a much tougher road to get to the promised land than anyone in the East (they should have won the title in 06, and they would have beat the Spurs in 03 if Dirk didn't get hurt). The only teams to win the West since 99 still are Dallas, LA, and SA.