The end of 2009 is not only the end of a year; it includes the end of a decade. Despite there only being a handful of dominant teams in the league during the last 10 years, there has been a tremendous amount of superstar players and memorable moments. The NBAtoday.net staff has their fair share of memories from the last decade ranging from the best players to personal recollections.

All-Decade Starting Squad

10 years, 5 players. It’s hard enough to pick the best player at each position for this season, let alone the past decade.

	PG	SG	SF	PF	C
The Basher	Jason Kidd	Kobe Bryant	Kevin Garnett	Tim Duncan	Shaquille O’Neal
Duts	Allen Iverson	Kobe Bryant	LeBron James	Tim Duncan	Shaquille O’Neal
G	Steve Nash	Kobe Bryant	LeBron James	Tim Duncan	Shaquille O’Neal
JB	Steve Nash	Kobe Bryant	LeBron James	Tim Duncan	Shaquille O’Neal
The Ref	Jason Kidd	Kobe Bryant	Kevin Garnett	Tim Duncan	Shaquille O’Neal
Shooter	Jason Kidd	Kobe Bryant	Kevin Garnett	Tim Duncan	Shaquille O’Neal

     

Player of the Decade

Think picking the top player at each position was hard? Try picking one player to represent the 2000s as player of the decade.

The Basher – Tim Duncan – He won 3 championships in the decade, and unlike Shaq who had Kobe, Tim Duncan didn’t have that other dominant guard to compliment his play (until the 3rd championship when Parker was in the league for 5 years already). He is the best player at his position in this decade and arguably of all-time.

Duts – Kobe Bryant –It pains me to say this because I don’t like him at all. He’s the only player in the NBA that you can give the ball to him in the closing seconds and he will win you a game. Scoring titles, rings, etc… this one wasn’t that hard.

G – Kobe Bryant – He won a bunch of rings, scored 81 in a game, and was clutch countless times.

JB – Tim Duncan – Duncan won three championships in the last 10 years and has dominated the game as well. To this day I am still in awe of these stats that Duncan put up in the 2003 finals against the Nets – 24 ppg, 17 rpg, 5 apg, and 5 bpg. Jason Collins eat your heart out.

The Ref – Shaquille O’Neal – Shaq’s presence in this decade: Averaged 22 pts, 11 rebs, while shooting 60% from the floor; 4-time NBA Champion; 3-time Finals MVP; 2000 NBA MVP; 7-time All-NBA First Team; 8-time All-Star; 3-time All-Star MVP; and perhaps the most dominant center in NBA history.

Shooter – Tim Duncan – There are players that are dominant, amazing, and among the best in the league. But there’s only one player that has been all of that plus utterly consistent over 10 years. This player is Timmy D. He has been the cornerstone of a terrific franchise with the rings to back him up.

Franchise of the Decade

You can pretty much flip a coin on this one. Is it the Los Angeles Lakers or the San Antonio Spurs?

The Basher – LA Lakers – They won 4 championships in the decade, including three in a row from 2000-2002.  Those 3 championships had what may be the best Guard/Center combo of all-time. They currently have the best player in the NBA on their team and showed that Kobe can still win even without Shaq.

Duts – LA Lakers – Again, I’m getting stomach pains saying it, but the Lakers dominated the league during the past 10 years, no question about it. Always in the mix in the West, they missed the playoffs only once during the decade. Six NBA finals appearances and 4 titles (sigh).

G – LA Lakers – They had two players on my all-decade team, along with an all-decade coach (Phil Jackson), and all-decade role players, i.e. Rick Fox, Robert Horry, Lamar Odom. This team was a contender practically every year of the decade.

JB – SA Spurs – Both the Spurs and Lakers had very successful decades.  I’m choosing the Spurs only because I don’t believe the Lakers would have won a championship last year without the Grizzlies gift of Pau Gasol.

The Ref – LA Lakers – Started the decade with a championship, and ended it with one (as part of 4 NBA Championships in the decade).  No better way to put that type of exclamation point of the Lakers dominance.  The team looked unstoppable at times and there was no question who was the better squad when you compare them against the Spurs.

Shooter – LA Lakers – They were a threat to win a championship in 8 of 10 years, and they won four them. Yes, they’ve had awesome rosters throughout the years, but they didn’t waste them.

Game of the Decade

So many great games this decade with an abnormal amount of Game 7s! But which should be deemed as the single best game?

Duts – 2008 East Semifinals, Game 7: Celtics-Cavaliers – First off, I’d like to say that the 6 OT UConn/Syracuse college game from last year was by and far the best basketball game of the decade. But on the NBA level, I have to say the best game of the decade was the epic game 7 battle between LeBron and Pierce, a game that i remember vividly in my head and will for years to come.

The Basher -2002 East First Round, Game 5: Nets-Pacers –The fact that I was AT this game, with Shooter, makes it the game of the decade for me. The intensity was crazy and it was a double-OT thriller in which the Nets won to clinch the series. Reggie Miller took down the house with a half court miracle to bring the game into OT and he also had a monstrous dunk to bring the game into double-OT; but the Nets found a way to pull it off, simply amazing.

JB – 2002 West Finals, Game 4: Lakers-Kings – This game featured a Robert Horry miracle game-winner. Down 20 points in the first quarter, the Lakers fought back and were down two points in the final seconds.  Kobe drove to the hole and missed the shot, but with Shaq and the Kings fighting for the rebound, the ball bounced to the top of the key where Big Shot Rob hit a 3 at the buzzer to beat the Kings by one.

The Ref –2009 East Semifinals, Game 6: Celtics-Bulls – Where do I begin? Ben Gordon’s insanely clutch shots, Ray Allen’s 51 point performance, or the Derrick Rose block. Oh Jeez, I forgot the Noah facial over Pierce. Back and forth, each play topping the next.  It was surreal watching the players go at it (especially Rajon Rondo and Kirk Heinrich). I specifically remember thinking when the Celtics were up 10 with 2:30 left, the game when was over. Then, of ALL people, Brad Miller goes on a 7-point run, HIMSELF, to tie the game. I couldn’t believe it. The 5-point barrage by Ray-Ray with 23 seconds left to send the game into double overtime will be my fondest, especially when he hit that three fading to his side with Heinrich in his grill. I almost had an aneurism….of happiness. I may have been rooting for the Celtics but I was more proud to watch this game.  I also had the foresight to record it and watch it 8 times in the next 3 days.  No joke.

Shooter – 2000 West Finals, Game 7: Lakers-Blazers – I had to go with a game 7, so what better than a comeback with a thunderous dunk for the highlight reel? The Lakers were down 15 points with no chance of a comeback. But Kobe and Shaq proved their superstardom by bringing the Lake-Show back for their first finals appearance together. That alley-oop from Kobe that Shaq dropped with one hand was such an awesome moment – Shaq looked like a little kid afterwards.

G – 2000 West Finals, Game 7: Lakers-Blazers – The Lakers were down 15 in the fourth quarter to the  Trail Blazers. Ten minutes later, amidst a 15-0 run, the Lakers won the game, capped with a ridiculous alley-oop from Kobe to Shaq in the closing minutes.

Series of the Decade

There has been an incredible amount of competitive series with wild endings!

The Basher – 2009 East Semifinals: Celtics-Bulls –All those OT games and a strong fight from the underdog Bulls. I don’t know if it was the best, but it was definitely awesome and I enjoyed every minute of the matchup.

Duts – 2009 East Semifinals: Celtics-Bulls – I may sound biased, but this series is by far my favorite series of ALL-time, let alone this decade. 4 overtime games, 5/7 games decided by less than 3 points…what more could you ask for?

G – 2009 East Semifinals: Celtics-Bulls –Pretty much every single game went down to the wire, including various overtimes, and controversial calls. Unfortunately, the Celtics won (haha).

JB – 2000 West Finals: Lakers-Blazers – I have always thought what would have happened if the Blazers won this series and went on to win an NBA championship… I’m glad to see the Blazers back as competitive team.

The Ref – 2009 East Semifinals: Celtics-Bulls – How can you argue against a series that has 5 games of overtimes and 7 total OTs? I can’t. Derrick Rose’s masterful Game 1 performance, Ray Allen’s game-winner in Game 2, Paul Pierce’s step back dagger in Game 5, and the epic battle known as Game 6. There was so much going on in this series, nobody could really appreciate it at first. It was overwhelming, but in the best way possible. Every play topped the next. Just when I thought one team had an advantage, the opposite would respond. It was poetry, pure poetry. Honestly, in a basketball frame of mind, this is the best series of all time.

Shooter – 2002 West Finals: Lakers-Kings – I don’t think I’ve ever seen a battle this intense between two teams that really hated each other. I realize now how stacked the Kings were (Webber, Divac, Turkoglu, Stojakovic, Christie, and Bibby – who had a coming out party) and yet the Lakers gruesome twosome of Shaq and Kobe were able to beat them. This seven game series is definitely one of the best ever.

‘Where Were You at this Time’

Moment of the Decade

These moments are not only shocking and amazing, but we will never forget where we were when we saw/heard about these moments.

The Basher – 12/9/2004, Tracy McGrady’s 13 points in 35 seconds vs. Spurs – I was in college watching the game with my buddy, and I just remember going wild in disbelief that McGrady singlehandedly brought his team back from 12 down in less than a minute.  It was amazing to watch, the fact that you knew each shot was going in.  Crazy.

The Ref – 12/9/2004, Tracy McGrady’s 13 points in 35 seconds vs. Spurs – I was playing poker at a friend’s house and watching most of the game was a blur. The Spurs were dominating, and Houston couldn’t get anything together. Then, Tracy McGrady makes a pull up three. Ok, nice shot. The Rockets foul. After a timeout, the Rockets pass in the ball to McGrady. He pump fakes, Duncan falls for it, McGrady shoots, gets fouled, and drains the three. Now with 7 points in 7 seconds. Suddenly it’s not impossible. Everyone at the poker game stops and wonders what may happen. Then, McGrady makes a sick three-point shot over Bruce Bowen. It’s going to happen, I feel it; everyone in the room feels it. I can’t explain the sensation, but it’s phenomenal. Ok, San Antonio can still close this out though, but no, through almost divine intervention,  Devin Brown trips over his own two feet. The ball magically rolls to Tracy, who takes it up the floor and nails a pull-up three. Spurs have no timeouts, the game is over. McGrady pulled the impossible. Everyone in the room jumps up in amazement and shock. None of us can fathom the impossible, it’s too much, but it will always be remembered.

Duts- 11/19/2004, Brawl at the Palace – David Stern said it best, “The events of the game were shocking, repulsive and inexcusable, a humiliation for everyone associated with the NBA.” Ron Artest, Stephen Jackson, et al fighting Pistons fans and Ben Wallace…getting 30 game suspensions and putting a black eye on the NBA, who had never ever seen such an outrageous display before. I was watching this game on ESPN and Bill Walton was covering it…he went silent and I just couldn’t believe my eyes…

G – 1/22/2006, Kobe’s 81 point game vs. Raptors – It has to be Kobe’s 81. He scored 81 points, and sat for a better part of the fourth quarter!

JB – 11/19/2004, Brawl at the Palace – During my sophomore year at college, where G and I were roommates, I can remember us flipping through the channels in our dorm room.  As NBA fans we stopped at ESPN to watch the end of this game and in astonishment watched Artest and Wallace get into it leading to the Brawl at the Palace.

Shooter – 11/19/2004, Brawl at the Palace – I recall sitting in my dorm room and turning to my roommate saying, “This is the end of the NBA.” In hindsight that was a bit of an exaggeration, but I really thought that this was the case. The actions of the fans and players reminded me of pro wrestling, except this was reality. I was hurt and embarrassed as an NBA fanatic. Thank goodness the league has overcome this.

Personal Moment of the Decade

This sport is so great mostly because of the excitement and passion that it creates. What has our staff picked for their favorite moments of the ‘00s?

The Basher – Seeing the Nets make back-to-back NBA Finals was my highlight of the decade. I’ve never experienced any of my favorite basketball teams (Nets and SHU Pirates) win a championship, so to see the Nets get two chances in one decade was awesome.  Unfortunately, neither of these series was even close, but it was still cool to say the Nets were the team to beat in the East for two consecutive seasons.

G – My personal moment has to be from game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals, where my Sixers pulled off the improbable upset of the Lakers. The most defining moment from this game was when Allen Iverson hit that corner jumper, and then proceeded to step over a fallen Tryonn Lue. Yesss!

JB – This is tough for me because I don’t really have a team I am die-hard for. The Knicks broke my heart when they traded Renaldo Balkman, and George Karl has hurt me even further by not playing him at all this year. I think my best moment from the last decade is when the Seattle Sonics became the Oklahoma City Thunder. When I was younger, I loved the Sonics when they had Hersey Hawkins, Shawn Kemp, and Gary Payton. Now when it comes to the new age Sonics, they are impossible not to like. I even rooted for them when they were awful to start last year. I guess I can say I am the driver of the Thundercat bandwagon. I am very excited to see what they can do in the years to come.

The Ref – Ray Allen leading the Seattle Supersonics into into the Second Round of the 2003-2004 playoffs. Oh God, I love Ray-Ray so much.  He was so nasty that year – 25 ppg, 5 apg, 4 rpg. He had it all going and those few years in Seattle were definitely his finest.  Then, when they got the third seed in the playoffs and he finished 5th in the MVP voting, I can recall being so excited that they were going against the Kings and he dominated the first two games by dropping 32 and 28; but it was Game 4, in Arco Arena, one of the toughest places a team can play, and the Sonics were down 23 in the first half. Ray Allen had seen enough. He caught fire, no one in the gym could stop him. He was finishing, pulling up, posting, and of course, the quick release three. There is one play in particular.  1:23 left, Kings down 4. They had to get a stop.  They knew who it was going to. Allen dribbled around the key as the shot clock winded down, Allen, then shot a fadaway 33 footer over Brad Miller and Cuttino Mobley and drained it as the shot clock expired. Dagger, game over, the Fat Lady is singing harmoniously. Ray Allen had given them the lead and total control of the series.  I love that man.

Duts – Watching KG yell “Anything is possible!” and bringing home number 18!

Shooter – My top moment of the decade has to be watching the Nets win Game 5 of the First Round in 2002 over the Pacers in person. I waited about 4 hours for tickets without a guarantee of even getting in to watch the game. Luckily I was able to witness a momentous win for the Nets franchise after a full team battle. I went to six playoff games that year, but this one is easily the one that is embedded in my brain the most.

But why take our opinions? Leave a comment on memories and favorites of your own!