So I've been thinking about doing this for a little while, being the sports nerd/historian that I am. In this thread I will count down the top 5 teams in each of the 4 major North American sports leagues, cumulating in the all-decade team of that league, as picked by myself. I will reveal one team every one-two days or so. Each of these teams are ranked by postseason appearances, how deep they made a postseason run, and bonus points for championships and title game/series appearances. Hoping for some good commentary. Enjoy!

NBA
5. Miami Heat
4. Dallas Mavericks
3. Detroit Pistons
2. San Antonio Spurs
1. Los Angeles Lakers
NBA All-Decade Team
NHL
4(tie). Anaheim Ducks
4(tie). Pittsburgh Penguins
3. Colorado Avalanche
2. New Jersey Devils
1. Detroit Red Wings
NHL All-Decade Team
MLB
5. Philadelphia Phillies
4. Universal of Milky Way of Solar System of Earth of Northern Hemisphere of North America of United States of America of California of New York of Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
3. Boston Red Sox
MLB All-Decade Team
NFL

What is this TSN's 30 teams in 30 days?

#5



Miami Heat

The Heat entered the decade on the old, aging legs of Tim Hardaway and Alonzo Mourning. The Heat had won four straight division titles and made the postseason six consecutive years. They would go on to miss the next two postseasons, but the fortunes of the team would in turn in the legendary 2003 NBA draft, when the Heat selected Dwayne Wade from the University of Marquette 5th overall. This, coupled with a trade in which Miami acquired Shaquille O'Neal from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Caron Butler, Lamar Odom and Brian Grant and a first round draft choice in 2004 propelled the Heat to the NBA's elite. The next year, the Heat would advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, losing to the defending champion Detroit Pistons in 7 games. The next year would be truly memorable for all Heat fans. Miami avenged last years defeat in the Eastern Conference Finals to Detroit. The would advance to the NBA Finals where they faced the before falling behind 2-0 in the series to the Dallas Mavericks, losing by 13 with six minutes to play in game 3, and Wade checking back into the game. He would rally the troops for a series changing 100-98 victory, as Miami would win the next four in a row, clinching their first NBA title in franchise history. Since that title, however, Shaq has since been traded and the team has rebuilt around Finals MVP Dwayne Wade, with only Udonis Haslem and Dorrell Wright remaining from that title team. After being struck by injuries and locker room turmoil in 2008, including an abysmal 15-67 record, the Heat have moved on, and look forward to a future with Wade, 2008 lottery selection Michael Beasley and trade acquisition Jermaine O'Neal for the immediate future.

Key Players: Dwayne Wade(PG/SG), Alonzo Mourning(C), Shaquille O'Neal(C)

Total Score: 17

Can we get a key of what your points system is, kthnxmgmt.

You'll get it at the end. I don't want you figuring out who is in what order before I get to it(though I'm sure most people could guess who the #1s are in each sport).

BoSox

Not even close.

#4



Dallas Mavericks

One out of only three teams(possibly two by the end of the MLB postseason) to make it to the top 5 list without a championship, the Mavericks proved to be a model of regular season consistency and post-season meltdowns. Much of the foundation of the Mavericks' 2000s teams was laid in the mid-late 90s. In December, 1996, the Mavs moved Jason Kidd, Loren Meyer and Tony Dumas to Phoenix for Michael Finley, Sam Cassell and AC Green. Later, in the lock-out shortened 1999 season, the Mavs acquired Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash, in what were seemingly middling moves which would pay dividends. The other key move would be in the ownership, when in January, 2000 Ross Perot sold the team to the enigmatic and controversial Mark Cuban, who would become known for his outbursts in person and on his blog on the NBA's officiating, or lackthereof. 2001 would see the first of nine straight postseason berths. Despite their consistency, their constant implosions in the postseason is what brought the Mavs down from would could be a top two ranking. Their two worst downfalls came in the aforementioned 2006 NBA Finals and in the 2007 postseason. The Mavericks finished with the best record in the NBA, with Dirk Nowitzki later named MVP to talent laden roster which including Dirk and NBA all-star F Josh Howard were defeated 4-2 in the first round by #8 seeded Golden State, the first ever eighth seeded team to knock off a top seed since the introduction of the 7 game format for the first round, and only the third time overall. Since then, a major revamping has taken place, including the reacquisition of Jason Kidd in an effort to make a push at the 2008 NBA Finals, which fell short yet again. The decade ahead looks rough, as the Mavericks will be led by aging stars Dirk, Kidd, recently obtained Shawn Marion and younger players like Howard and Jason Terry. Despite all this, Dallas may have one last run in them before father time catches up with them, and forces a rebuilding process.

Key players: Dirk Nowitzki(PF), Michael Finley(SF), Josh Howard(SF)

Total Score: 19 points

depending on weight given to conf finals..

Spurs
Lakers
Pistons


Not sure of order though

The Spurs are unquestionably #1. Titles aside, the way the organization is run from player acquisitions to drafting to on-court success to success with overseas players due to exceptional scouting - all in a "mid-major" market - is nothing short of astounding. And I hate the Spurs. Lakers are 2.

JHo is 29 and Jet Terry is 31, though. Don't know if I'd call them young.

The Mavs could absolutely fleece somebody on the trade market soon, because Damp's contract is one year non-guaranteed, so some team looking to shed salary may look to trade for him so they can take on Damp and dump him. Michael Redd, I'm looking in your direction.

would you take Rip instead?

Throw in that George Mason retard and you've got a deal.

all fucking around aside, that deal would make sense. the expiring dampier contract, and maybe a pick for rip...

It would give the pistons max contract room to go along with Gordon and Villaneuava... and the Mavs would get the perfect backcourt complement for am aging pass first PG jason Kidd.

trade machine says it works... although it says damp is at 2 years.. is the 2nd year a team option?

Might be. He's owed $13 mil but none of it's guaranteed, so I think they have until this summer to pull the trigger. That might come into play in that second year of the deal, so you might have to eat his first year and then shrug off the second if he gets traded before then, though I think the Mavs would be on the hook for it anyway.

Isn't Rip in his early 30's? How much SG does he play? With the loss of Bass and the inability to sign Gortat the Mavs are dead at C and old/useless at SG. I always thought Rip was more useful as a SF, an area where we don't need a starter-caliber player with Matrix and JHo, but I admittedly don't watch him much.

I would love a swap with somebody like Redd, Amare or Bosh... mostly on teams with overloaded caps and a C/SG they're looking to unload. I wouldn't put it past Cuban to pull the trigger, but Rip doesn't solve many of our problems. It would be great for you guys, though.

Bosh and Amare are both expiring contracts as well...

and Rip is purely a SG

Yea but I'd love to take my chances with either of them for a half-season at least before this Mavs train of aging stars runs out of gas completely. Don't have much longer now, though I do think with one more star we can creep back up into the West's elite.

Noted on Rip's status, though at this point in their careers he'd be taking away minutes at SG from a guy who's the same age as him and who had a better year last year (Terry). Doesn't strike me as having much upside for the Mavs.

Rips down year was an abberation i think, due mainly to trying to appease AI.

I think a jump shooting SG who is always moving would make Jkidd 10x better.

I think I'll do another now, just to drum up the fun for tomorrow.