This is the answer to a great trivia question asked this morning on ESPN while the mods were discussing the possibility of Kawhi Leonard joining the Lakers.
The question was… Name the last NBA team to miss the playoffs six years in a row and then win the championship the next year?
I knew this one immediately because the 1977 Portland Trailblazers and the 1983 Philadelphia 76’ers are my two favorite NBA champions of all-time.
Dr. Jack Ramsey was the coach. Bill Walton had his dream season before his feet betrayed him. Maurice Lucas was arguably the best power forward in the league and a rookie guard by the name of Lionel Hollins out of Arizona State enjoyed a rookie season for the ages.
These Trailblazers are my favorite NBA team of all-time because of the way they played the game.
In case you didn’t know the LA Lakers have now missed the NBA Playoffs six years in a row. It’s no given whatsoever the Lakers would win the O’Brien Trophy if Kawhi joins them, but they would clearly be the Vegas prohibitive favorite.
So as we await Kawhi Leonard’s decision…keep this piece of NBA history in your mental vault as we see this summer unfold.