If it wasn't for MJ and the Bulls, would the Cavs have been the team of the 90's?

[brahmagoul]

Re: If it wasn't for MJ and the Bulls, would the Cavs have been the team of the 90's?

Orlando would have been -- for the second half of the '90s -- if Shaq stayed there. The Cavs would have had a better chance of being that team than the Pistons, who were aging and not doing much by 1992. The only way I would have taken the Cavs seriously is if they had Harper still, and I think Magic made that comment while he was still there.

[HMcCoy]

Re: If it wasn't for MJ and the Bulls, would the Cavs have been the team of the 90's?

Harper was traded because he hung out on Kinsman with all the dope boys. The organization hated that, as Gund has always valued high-character guys above all else. It didn't help that he was also smashing Wayne Embry's daughter. None of that stuff makes it to the national papers though, LOL...that was pre-Sportcenter. Nowadays, that would have been a huge story.

That didn't kill the Cavs though, he was traded in '89. The Cavs peaked from 92-96. What killed them (besides MJ) was Hot Rod's insane contract. Ferry's didn't help either. No other team had 3 All-Stars, but bad contracts prevented them from building championship depth.

Also, we were doomed against MJ. Some knucklehead called his hotel room before a playoff game and said that it was an emergency call about his mother being deathly ill. MJ was beside himself until he was able to contact her. After that, MJ often said that he got no greater pleasure than beating the Cavs. He pissed on us relentlessly. He even had a pair of sweat pants in his clothing line called "Vent On Cleveland".

BTW, the Pistons sucked during that Cavs run...they sandwiched two first-round exits around 3 straight post-season no-shows during that period. They won it all in 90, but never made it past the first round for the rest of the decade, so I really wouldn't consider them for team of the 90's...I think everyone is thinking of the late-80's Bad Boys instead of the Grant Hill/Allen Houston squads of the 90's.

[BigTigLSU]

Re: If it wasn't for MJ and the Bulls, would the Cavs have been the team of the 90's?

The Knicks

[Air23]

Re: If it wasn't for MJ and the Bulls, would the Cavs have been the team of the 90's?

Harper was traded because he hung out on Kinsman with all the dope boys. The organization hated that, as Gund has always valued high-character guys above all else. It didn't help that he was also smashing Wayne Embry's daughter. None of that stuff makes it to the national papers though, LOL...

That didn't kill the Cavs though, he was traded in '89. The Cavs peaked from 92-96. What killed them (besides MJ) was Hot Rod's insane contract. Ferry's didn't help either.

BTW, the Pistons sucked during that Cavs run...they sandwiched two first-round exits around 3 post-season no-shows during that period. They won it all in 90, but never made it past the first round for the rest of the decade, so I really wouldn't consider them for team of the 90's...

Also, we were doomed against MJ. Some knucklehead called his hotel room before a playoff game and said that it was an emergency call about his mother being deathly ill. MJ was beside himself until he was able to contact her. After that, MJ often said that he got no greater pleasure than beating the Cavs. He pissed on us relentlessly. He even had a pair of sweat pants in his clothing line called "Vent On Cleveland"

I knew about Harp hangin' with shady characters, but he was taggin' Wayne's daughter, too?:y4:

[HMcCoy]

Re: If it wasn't for MJ and the Bulls, would the Cavs have been the team of the 90's?

I knew about Harp hangin' with shady characters, but he was taggin' Wayne's daughter, too?:y4:

Yep.

[Air23]

Re: If it wasn't for MJ and the Bulls, would the Cavs have been the team of the 90's?

Harper = P.I.M.P.

[poster]

Re: If it wasn't for MJ and the Bulls, would the Cavs have been the team of the 90's?

Harper was traded because he hung out on Kinsman with all the dope boys. The organization hated that, as Gund has always valued high-character guys above all else. It didn't help that he was also smashing Wayne Embry's daughter. None of that stuff makes it to the national papers though, LOL...that was pre-Sportcenter. Nowadays, that would have been a huge story.

That didn't kill the Cavs though, he was traded in '89. The Cavs peaked from 92-96. What killed them (besides MJ) was Hot Rod's insane contract. Ferry's didn't help either. No other team had 3 All-Stars, but bad contracts prevented them from building championship depth.

Also, we were doomed against MJ. Some knucklehead called his hotel room before a playoff game and said that it was an emergency call about his mother being deathly ill. MJ was beside himself until he was able to contact her. After that, MJ often said that he got no greater pleasure than beating the Cavs. He pissed on us relentlessly. He even had a pair of sweat pants in his clothing line called "Vent On Cleveland".

BTW, the Pistons sucked during that Cavs run...they sandwiched two first-round exits around 3 straight post-season no-shows during that period. They won it all in 90, but never made it past the first round for the rest of the decade, so I really wouldn't consider them for team of the 90's...I think everyone is thinking of the late-80's Bad Boys instead of the Grant Hill/Allen Houston squads of the 90's.

I tend to agree with you because the Piston run was done in 91. They did make it to the ECF that year before the Bulls swept them after the back to back. Then the next year the Knicks beat them in five in the first round. Ugh, thats when I knew the run was over for sure.

[iromerliciousi]

Re: If it wasn't for MJ and the Bulls, would the Cavs have been the team of the 90's?

I think the Knicks would've been the team of the 90's if it wasn't for the Bulls the Knicks would've won a few titles in the 90's. The Mourning-Hardway Heat teams were very talented but the Knicks would always take them out in the playoffs. The Pacers in the late 90's made a great run and almost knocked off the Bulls. The Sonics were the dominate team in the west in the mid 90's with a young Kemp and Payton, they were just fun to watch. The Suns and Rockets had a few classic matchups in the playoffs during Jordans 1st retirement.

The NBA was much more balanced out in the 90's and it was beautiful to watch, teams played with a ton of passion, and IMO thats when basketball was at it's highest peak.