256 Team All Time Basketball Tournament Preview-Region 11

 Region 10

The first Lakers top seed is here, in Region 11.  The 1972 LA Lakers.

1. 1972 NBA CHAMPION LA LAKERS v. 16. PLAY IN WINNER

(69-13)

-Bill Sharman's here as a Celtics player; he's also coaching these Lakers.  Pat Riley - who is in the tournament as the Knicks coach, the Lakers coach, and the Heat GM, is playing for these Lakers. They beat the Knicks in the Finals. Wilt's 35, West is 33, Baylor's 35. 28 year old Gail Goodrich leads the team in PPG. They'll face the winner of a play in game between the '90 Bulls and '80 Bucks.

8. 1993 ATL DIV CHAMP NEW YORK KNICKS v. 9. 2008 SAN ANTONIO SPURS

(60-22)                                                                          (56-26)

-If seeding holds, Riley the player will face Riley the coach in the second round, as he's here with the Knicks team that lost in the East Finals. Patrick Ewing's 30.  Once we finish the play in round I'll count up how many representatives of each franchise we have, but the Sours would appear the winner. This group lost in the West Finals. Duncan's 31, Ginobli's 30. Parker 25. 

5. 1998 WEST CHAMPION UTAH JAZZ v. 12. 2000 EAST CHAMP INDIANA PACERS

(62-20)                                                              (56-26)

-The Jazz fell to Jordan in his last NBA Championship season, Malone's 34, Stockton's 35. Larry Bird coaches this Pacers team that lost to the Lakers in the Finals. Reggie Miller's 34.  A 36 year old Chris Mullin is also on this team.

4. 1981 NBA CHAMPION BOSTON CELTICS v. 13. 2011 NW DIV CHAMP OKC THUNDER

(62-20)                                                                          (55-27)

-And here's Bird the player; the '81 Celtics beat the Rockets in the Finals. Larry's 24, McHale 23, Parish 27. OKC fell in the West Finals; Durant and Westbrook are 22, Harden's 21.  

3. 1991 PAC DIV CHAMP PORT TRAIL BLAZERS v. 14. 2011 ATL DIV CHAMP BOSTON CELTICS

(63-19)                                                                                (56-26)

-The Blazers lost in the West Finals; Drexler's 28. The Celtics lost in the East Semis; KG is 34, Pierce 33, Allen 35 - a 38 year old Shaq is on this team.  

6. 2004 NBA CHAMP DET PISTONS v. 11. 2018 ATL DIV CHAMP TORONTO RAPTORS

(54-28)                                                                 (59-23)

-The Pistons beat the Lakers in the Finals; Hamilton's 25, Billups 27, Rasheed Wallace is 29. Toronto made the East Semis; Kyle Lowry's 31, DeMar DeRozan 28.

7. 1950 ROCHESTER ROYALS v. 10. 1974 ABA CHAMPION NEW JERSEY NETS

(51-17)                                              (55-29)

-51-17 is a helluva record, but the Royals went down in the Central Semis. 30 year old Bob Davies leads in PPG. They'll lost the ABA Champion Nets; Erving's 23.

2. 1999 NBA CHAMPION SAN ANTONIO SPURS v. 15. 1984 WEST CHAMP LA LAKERS

(37-13)                                                                               (54-28)

-The Spurs won the whole thing in '99, beating the Knicks. Robinson's 33, Duncan 22.  They'll face, of course, Pat Riley and his '84 Lakers who fell in the Finals to Boston. Kareem's 36, Magic's 24, Worthy's 22.

256 Team All Time Basketball Tournament Preview-Region 10

 

The second Spurs team to be named a Number 1 seed is the 2014 Spurs, they head Region 10.

1. 2014 NBA CHAMPION SAN ANTONIO SPURS d. 16. PLAY IN WINNER

(62-20)

-The Spurs beat the Heat to win the Finals; Duncan's 37, Ginobli 36, Parker 31, Kawhi 22. They take on the winners of the '95 Bulls vs the '94 Jazz.  

8. 1989 PHOENIX SUNS v. 9. 1990 WEST CHAMP PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

(55-27)                                   (59-23)

-Phoenix made it to the West Finals; Kevin Johnson is 29, Jeff Hornacek 25, Tom Chambers leads the team in PPG and he's 29. They face a Blazers team that lost in the NBA Finals; Clyde Drexler is 27.

5. 1980 ATL DIV CHAMP BOSTON CELTICS v. 12. 2004 SACRAMENTO KINGS

(61-21)                                                                       (55-27)

-Boston made it to the East Finals; Bird's 23, Dave Cowens is on this squad, he's 31 - Pete Maravich is here, he's 32.  They take on a Kings squad that reached the West Semis; Webber's 30, Peja Stojakovic is 26 and leads Sac in PPG.

4. 1998 LOS ANGELES LAKERS v. 13. 1997 ATLANTA HAWKS

(61-21)                                                  (56-26)

-The Lakers fell in the West Finals; Shaq's 25, Kobe's just 19.  They face a Hawks team that got knocked off in the East Semis. 27 year old Steve Smith and 29 year old Mookie Blaylock lead Atlanta.

3. 1962 NBA CHAMPION BOSTON CELTICS v. 14. 2004 DALLAS MAVERICKS

(60-20)                                                                       (52-30)

-Another Region, Another Celtics World Champion that beat the Lakers in the Finals. Russell's 27, Cousy 33. They'll host Dallas, the Mavs lost in the first round of the West playoffs; Dirk's 25, Nash is 29. 

6. 1975 ABA CHAMPION KENTUCKY COLONELS v. 11. 2013 PAC DIV CHAMP LA CLIPPERS

(58-26)                                                                                  (56-26)

-A Hubie Brown coached ABA Champion is the 6th seed; the Colonels beat the Pacers in the Finals. Artis Gilmore's 25, Dan Issel's 26. They take on a Clippers squad that lost in the first round of the West playoffs. Blake Griffin's 23, Chris Paul is 27.

7. 1982 EAST CHAMP PHILLY 76ERS v. 10. 1993 SEATTLE SUPERSONICS

(58-24)                                                           (55-27)

-The Sixers reached the NBA Finals. The Doctor is 31.  The Sonics fell in the West Finals; Shawn Kemp is 23, Gary Payton 24.

2. 2013 NBA CHAMPION MIAMI HEAT v. 15. 1983 WEST CHAMP LOS ANGELES LAKERS

(66-16)                                                              

-If seeding holds, we will get the rubber match between two World Champions; in '14, the Spurs beat the Heat but the year prior, this '13 Heat squad beat the Spurs.  LeBron and Bosh are 28. Wade's 31. Pat Riley is the GM of the Heat --- he's the Head Coach for the '83 Lakers that reached the NBA Finals. Kareem's 34.  Magic's 22.

256 Team All Time Basketball Tournament Preview-Region 9

 Region 8

A ton of Spurs clubs already in the field - but none have been top seeds until Region 9 and the 2016 Spurs. 

1. 2016 SAN ANTONIO SPURS v. 16. PLAY IN WINNER

(67-15)

-67 wins is a helluva lot of wins, and then the Spurs got bounced in the West Semis. Duncan's 39, Parker's 33, Ginobli 38, LaMarcus Aldridge is 30 and Kawhi Leonard is 24. They meet the winner of the Play in Game between the '99 Heat and '53 Knicks.

8. 2012 WEST CHAMPION OKC THUNDER v. 9. 1986 PAC DIV CHAMP LA LAKERS

(47-19)                                                                    (62-20)

-The Thunder made the NBA Finals; Durant and Westbrook are both 23 and James Harden is 22.  The Lakers lost in the West Finals, Kareem's 38, Magic's 26, Worthy's 24.  

5. 1981 CEN DIV CHAMP MIL BUCKS v. 12. 1988 ATL DIV CHAMP BOSTON CELTICS

(60-22)                                                            (57-25)

-Don Nelson's Bucks lost in the East Semis; Bob Lanier is 32, Sidney Moncrief 23, Marques Johnson's 24. They host a Celtics team that lost to Detroit in the East Finals.  Bird's 31, McHale 30, Parish 34. 

4. 2005 PAC DIV CHAMP PHOENIX SUNS v. 13. 2014 HOUSTON ROCKETS

(60-22)                                                                   (54-28)

-The Suns made it to the West Finals; Nash is 30, Marion 26, Stoudemire 22.  Speaking of McHale, he's coaching this Rockets team that fell in the first Round of the playoffs. James Harden is 24, Dwight Hoaward 28.

3. 2002 PAC DIV CHAMP SACRAMENTO KINGS v. 14. 2007 CHICAGO BULLS

(61-21)                                                                               (49-33)

-The Kings lost in the West Finals; Chris Webber's 28. The Bulls fell in the East Semis; 23 year old Ben Gordon led this group in PPG.

6. 1989 WEST CHAMP LA LAKERS v. 11. 2006 CEN DIV CHAMP DETROIT PISTONS

(57-25)                                                       (64-18)

-Pat Riley's Lakers lost the Finals to Detroit; Kareem's 41, Magic's 29, Worthy's 27. The Pistons won 64 in the regular season but lost in the East Finals. Rip Hamilton's 27, Chauncey Billups is 29.

7. 1959 NBA CHAMPION BOSTON CELTICS v. 10. 2010 PHOENIX SUNS

(52-20)                                                                       (54-28)

-It's a World Champion Celtics team that beat...wait for it...the Lakers in the Finals. Russell's 24, Cousy's 30, Bill Sharman's 32.  The Suns fell to the Lakers in the West Finals. Nash is 35, Stoudemire 27. 

2. 1983 NBA CHAMPION PHILADELPHIA 76ERS v. 15. 2011 DENVER NUGGETS

(65-17)                                                                               (50-32)

-They didn't quite go Fo-Fo-Fo but the Sixers did sweep the Lakers in the Finals.  Moses is 27, Erving 32. George Karl's Nuggets lost in the first round of the Playoffs. Chauncey Billups is 34, Carmelo Anthony 26.

256 Team All Time Basketball Tournament Preview-Region 8

 Region 7

The Bulls are the 2nd overall seed, the 4th overall seed, the 6th overall seed -- and the 8th overall seed; the top seed in this region, the 1991 Chicago Bulls.  

1. 1991 NBA CHAMPION CHICAGO BULLS v. 16. PLAY IN WINNER

(61-21)

-It's Jordan's first title; they beat the Lakers.  MJ is 27, Pippen and Grant are 25.  They face the winner of the 2003 Nets/1983 Suns play in game.

8. 1982 NBA CHAMPION LA LAKERS v. 9. 2004 MW CHAMP MINN TIMBERWOLVES

(57-25)                                                            (58-24)

-Here's a Lakers World Champion; they took out the Sixers in the Finals. Kareem's 34, Magic's 22. There's a helluva second round potential matchup on the horizon. The Wolves are coached by Kevin McHale and lost to the Lakers in the West Finals. Kevin Garnett is 27 and leads the way.

5. 2015 SAN ANTONIO SPURS v. 12. 2008 PHOENIX SUNS

(55-27)                                                (55-27)

-Can I interest you in another Spurs squad?  This one lost in the West first round. Duncan's 38, Ginobli's 37, Parker's 32 and Kawhi Leonard is 23. They face a Suns squad that also lost in the first round - to the Spurs.  Nash is 33, Stoudemire 25, Shawn Marion 29, Grant Hill and Shaq are both 35.

4. 2003 DALLAS MAVERICKS v. 13. 1969 NBA CHAMPION BOSTON CELTICS

(60-22)                                              (48-34)

-Another team that lost to the Spurs the Mavs, bounced in the first round.  Don Nelson coaches this team, Dirks 24, Nash is 28, Michael Finley's 29.  Don Nelson also plays for the '69 Celtics and this game should give us our first instance of that phenomenon in the tourney. The Celtics beat the Lakers in the Finals. Russell's 34, Havlicek 28. 

3. 2019 CEN DIV CHAMP MILWAUKEE BUCKS v. 14. 2014 GOLDEN ST WARRIORS

(60-22)                                                                             (51-31)

-A 24 year old Giannis leads a Bucks club that lost in the East Finals against the Warriors team before it all began, Mark Jackson coaches this group that lost in the first round of the West playoffs. Steph is 25, Klay 23.  

6. 2003 PAC DIV CHAMP SACRAMENTO KINGS v. 11. 2018 UTAH JAZZ

(59-23)                                                                               (48-34)

-The Kings made the West Semis, they're led by a 29 year old Chris Webber. The Jazz made the West Semis as well with a 25 year old Rudy Gobert and a 21 year old Donovan Mitchell.  

7. 1987 EAST CHAMP BOSTON CELTICS v. 10. 1975 WASHINGTON BULLETS

(59-23)                                                                 

-It's a Bird/McHale/Parish team; they lost to the Lakers in the Finals. Bird's 30, McHale's 29, Parish is 33.  Their opponent also fell in the NBA Finals - the Bullets have a 29 year old Elvin Hayes and a 28 year old Wes Unseld.

2. 2002 NBA CHAMP LA LAKERS v. 15. 1975 ABA NEW JERSEY NETS

(58-24)                                                     (58-26)

-We've got 2 Lakers World Champions here in Region 8, here's the second; they swept the Nets in the Finals. Shaq's 29, Kobe's 23.  They face an ABA club, the Nets lost in the East Semis, they're paced by a 24 year old Julius Erving. 

256 Team All Time Basketball Tournament Preview-Region 7

Region 6

The Warriors have the first and third overall seeds - they also have the 7th; the 2016 Warriors.

1. 2016 WEST CHAMP GST WARRIORS v. 16. PLAY IN WINNER

(73-9)

-It's the only single digit loss team in NBA history and our first non NBA Champion top seed; the 2016 Warriors lost in the Finals.  Steph Curry's 27, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green 25. They face the Play In Winner between the 2020 Heat and 1971 Bulls. 

8. 1968 EAST DIV CHAMP PHILLY 76ERS v. 9. NBA CHAMPION 1977 PORT TRAIL BLAZERS

(62-20)                                                                  (49-33)

-The Sixers lost in the East Finals - Wilt and Hal Greer are 31; Chet Walker 27.  They take on a Portland team that beat Philly to win the Finals.  Bill Walton and Maurice Lucas are 24. 

5. 1990 NBA CHAMPION DETROIT PISTONS v. 12. 2013 MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES

(59-23)                                                                         (56-26)

-The top seed in the region didn't win the title, but the 9th did and so did this 5th seed, the Pistons beat the Blazers in the Finals. Isiah and Rodman are 28, Dumars is 26.  Mark Aguirre leads in PPG, he's 30. They face 25 year old Mike Conley, 28 year old Marc Gasol and a Grizzlies group that lost in the West Finals.

4. 1965 NBA CHAMPION BOSTON CELTICS v. 13. 1976 ABA DENVER NUGGETS

(62-18)                                                                       (60-24)

-One more Celtics World Champion; this team beat the Lakers in the Finals. Russell's 30, Havlicek 24, Sam Jones is 31. They take on a Nuggets team that lost the ABA Finals to the Nets. Dan Issel's 27, David Thompson 21. 

3. 1993 NBA CHAMPION CHICAGO BULLS v. 14. 1998 PAC DIV CHAMP SEATTLE SUPER SONICS

(57-25)                                                                            (61-21)

-If the Warriors win this region they'll have earned it, as just an onslaught of NBA Champs looks to knock them off.  Here's Jordan's third title team; the Bulls beat Phoenix in the Finals. Michael's 29, Pippen and Horace Grant are 27.  They take on a Seattle team that fell in the West Semis; 29 year old Gary Payton leads the Sonics.  

6. 2020 CEN DIV CHAMP MILWAUKEE BUCKS v. 11. 2002 DALLAS MAVERICKS

(56-17)                                                                             (57-25)

-The CoronaBucks lost in the East Semis; 25 year old Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the way.  The Mavs losst in the West Semis, Dirk's 23, Nash is 27. 

7. 1987 CEN DIV CHAMP ATLANTA HAWKS v. 10. 1973 ABA KENTUCKY COLONELS

(57-25)                                                                         (56-28)

-27 year old Dominique Wilkins leads the Hawks team that fell in the East Semis against the losers of the '73 ABA Finals, 24 year old Dan Issel, 23 year old Artis Gilmore lead the way. 

2. 1985 NBA CHAMPION LA LAKERS v. 15. 1949 BAA WEST CHAMP ROCHESTER ROYALS

(62-20)                                                            (45-15)

-Why not finish off the Region with another World Champion; these Lakers beat Boston in the Finals. Kareem's 37, Magic's 25, Worthy's 23. They take on one of the two teams in the field from the 40s, the Royals lost to the Lakers in the Finals, they're led by a 24 year old Arnie Risen.