Few real contenders in the NBA? It’s always been that way
As a fan of the NBA, you may be depressed that only three or four teams seem capable of dethroning the Warriors this season. Ask yourself this, though: When has it ever been different? How often does a surprising, essentially written-off team reach the Finals?
Answer, by the Chronicle’s measure: just twice in the past 38 years.
The 1989-90 Portland Trail Blazers were coming off a 39-43 season. They added Buck Williams, Clifford Robinson and Drazen Petrovic to go 59-23, eventually losing in the Finals to Detroit, but only the Blazers faithful could fathom that in preseason.
The 2001-02 New Jersey Nets went 52-30 and reached the Finals, losing to the Lakers.