Suns News: Week 21 3/16-3/22

[The Bobster]

Count the number of championships won by teams without a top 5 player in the league that they drafted (or acquired on draft night--same thing). I haven't yet, but I would bet you won't find more than a couple examples over the past 50 years.

This is assuming you would include guys like Walt Frazier, Isiah Thomas, Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade to be "Top 5" players here's what you have going back to 1966 (when they got rid of the territorial draft) -

2008 Boston - Garnett/Pierce/Allen/Rondo
2004 Detroit - Billups/Wallace/Hamilton/Prince
1983 Philadelphia - Malone/Erving/Toney/Cheeks
1979 Seattle - Sikma/Williams/D. Johnson/J.Johnson
1978 Washington - Hayes/Unseld/Dandridge/Henderson

[SDC]

so durant's out indefinitely. there's still hope for phx to make the playoffs.

[Indy]

Count the number of championships won by teams without a top 5 player in the league that they drafted (or acquired on draft night--same thing). I haven't yet, but I would bet you won't find more than a couple examples over the past 50 years.

This is assuming you would include guys like Walt Frazier, Isiah Thomas, Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade to be "Top 5" players here's what you have going back to 1966 (when they got rid of the territorial draft) -

2008 Boston - Garnett/Pierce/Allen/Rondo
2004 Detroit - Billups/Wallace/Hamilton/Prince
1983 Philadelphia - Malone/Erving/Toney/Cheeks
1979 Seattle - Sikma/Williams/D. Johnson/J.Johnson
1978 Washington - Hayes/Unseld/Dandridge/Henderson

Thanks Bob. You are awesome.

So 5 times in 50 years. Crazy. It's incredibly critical to not only have a top 5 player, but also be the team that acquire them directly.

[Shabazz]

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