The 2002 Sacramento Kings are the most overrated team ever ...

[StroShow4]

That Kings team was very, very good. They had everything needed to win a championship - they just ran into some questionable officiating.

fixed.

[White Chocolate]

That Kings team was very, very good. They had everything needed to win a championship - they just ran into a better Lakers team time and time again. I really thought they had it in 02 though.

They were a great passing team, had a go to scorer in the post (Webber) and on the perimeter (Peja) a finisher (Bibby) perimeter defender (Christie), impactful bench play (Jackson, Hedo) and a great coach.. The only piece they were really missing was a shot blocking presence but they were collectively good enough to get past that. Those guys were smart, deep and they played well together - easily one of the best teams in the post Jordan era.

The only weakness was their defense, but it wasn't really as bad as it seemed back then. They played decent team defense, they just didn't have anyone KNOWN for defensive tenacity outside of Christie. They got quite a few stops when they needed them though.

The Lakers were not better. The Kings had it won in 6. They played the best team ball in the NBA that year. Not even the Lakers could match that.

[craiye]

fixed.

Well, they ran into questionable officiating once but they hadn't ALWAYS been better than the Lakers. They probably were that year. That Lakers team so very good too though, I just don't like pointing fingers at the officials...

[guy]

I'm not saying the series was fixed, cause maybe it wasn't. But nobody can deny that it was clearly bad officiating.

[oldenpolynice]

Well, they ran into questionable officiating once but they hadn't ALWAYS been better than the Lakers. They probably were that year. That Lakers team so very good too though, I just don't like pointing fingers at the officials...

Well, you don't have to point the finger at officials, it was obvious what they were doing to debilitate the Kings. David Stern put the fix in and the refs were just along for the ride.

[gts]

Thats funny since they probably should've WON the title that year but bad officiating got in the way.

http://www.82games.com/lakerskingsgame6.htm

[craiye]

I'm not saying the series was fixed, cause maybe it wasn't. But nobody can deny that it was clearly bad officiating.

Sure there was bad officiating but I'm just saying I don't like blaming an L on the refs. It's too easy of an out. They got screwed in game 6, but why couldn't they put the Lakers away in game 7? They had two chances and blew them both.

You can blame it on the officials all you want and all this buzz about Donaghy makes it even more attractive to dog the officials. Do we really want to trust an admitted liar in Donaghy in this case though? I have trouble believing anything he says, even if it is fishy.

This is going way off topic though. The point here is that the Kings 02 team was a very good championship caliber team and would probably be the best team in the league today (much to TmacsRockets chagrin).

[Maniak]

The 2002 Sacramento Kings are the most overrated team ever. I've never seen a team get so much publicity about how good they were when they never made the finals. It's a shame a team could be that overrated but they are. They were a good team, but people act like they were really better than any team that didn't win the title.

stop being so butthurt ppl think they are better than the 09 rockets will be.

[oldenpolynice]

http://www.82games.com/lakerskingsgame6.htm

Thanks for the breakdown. Even if the Kings were not dogged by bad calls, they had the talent deserving of a championship team. They are not overrated.

Might as well claim that every great team in the 90's are overrated too because of Jordan's Bulls.

[Styl3zT]

The 2002 Kings are not overrated.
Best Team Ever to not win a title.
First team known to get cheated by the refs.

[gts]

Thanks for the breakdown. Even if the Kings were not dogged by bad calls, they had the talent deserving of a championship team. They are not overrated.

no they aren't... it was a very talented team...

The 2002 Kings are not overrated.
Best Team Ever to not win a title.
First team known to get cheated by the refs.

Game 5, the Lakers were screwed by the refs.
What's your point?

[artificial]

Let me guess: the kid that started this thread saw that Kings - Lakers series from his cradle.

[oldenpolynice]

Let me guess: the kid that started this thread saw that Kings - Lakers series from his cradle.