Are superstar teams an NBA betting lock-in? With Durant flocking to Golden State that question is burning at the front of every sportsbook users’ mind. The talent is certainly there but what does NBA history tell us will happen?
There are no shortages of superstar teams in NBA history. The ’95 Bulls are ubiquitously considered the greatest team in NBA history, and they have no shortage of titles. But what teams have earned the name ‘superstar’ and failed to bring home a championship.
The ’03-’04 Lakers are a prime example of a superstar team failing to live up to their expectations. The Lakers were fresh off their famous ‘three-peat’ and were looking to make that an easy ‘four-peat’ by adding future Hall of Famers Gary Payton along with Karl Malone. They were brought onto a team that already had the likes of Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. No one in the world of NBA betting could’ve foresaw them failing.
This team faced adversity from the very beginning with Kobe awaiting trial for a sexual assault case and Shaq vying for a new contract. Even with the rough start this team was still able to make it all the way to finals. However they were unable to capitalize as they lost to the Pistons in five games. The team quickly disbanded after this and the ‘Kobe-Shaq’ era came to an end.
The ’94-’95 Phoenix Suns are another notable mention. With around 60 wins in the previous two seasons Phoenix appeared to be on the verge of taking home and NBA title. To help them do that they picked up All-Star Danny Manning to solidify a team that already included Charles Barkley, Kevin Johnson, and Dan Majerle.
The Suns were able to win the Pacific Division even after a season of being plagued by injuries. However they were defeated in the Western Conference semi-finals by the same team that sent them home the previous year, the Houston Rockets. After losing the Suns were ready to move on and traded Barkley to the next team on the list.
The 1996-97 Houston Rockets was where Barkley would find failure again. Even though he was teamed alongside established veterans Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Dexter, Barkley was still unable to get his ring.
The 2010-2011 Miami Heat were a letdown in their first year. However their success in the following years keeps them from being a complete disappointment.
The Golden State warriors are heading into next season with heavy expectations. This is the team that broke the NBA record for most regular season wins and won the title the year before. In the offseason they decided to pick up the hottest free agent on the market. Not only that they’ve been able to pick up some veteran talent by signing Zaza Pachulia and David west. Both of these players decided to take pennies on the dollar, no doubt for a chance to play on this years’ superstar team.
In fact the Warriors addition this offseason has prompted LeBron James to reach out to Dwayne Wade. No doubt LeBron is trying to keep his team in contention for a repeat.
If NBA history has anything to tell us is that having a team or superstars isn’t enough to guarantee a title. Nonetheless the talent that the Warriors have racked up will make for a phenomenal year in the world of NBA betting.
