NBA 2K17: 5 Classic Teams That Are Still Missing
These teams deserve to be in the next edition of NBA 2K.
Playing with Classic Teams is one of many extreme fun features of NBA 2K. For a couple of editions the gamer was allowed to confront great teams of the past with today's superteams.
Personal debates whether LeBron James is better than Michael Jordan or the 16-17 Warriors better than 00-01 Lakers may be settled with the aid of a controller and a television set.
At least for a while.
But in modern neoliberal economy, in order to be sustained, greatness must be primarily concerned with progress. With that in mind, Classic Teams need to expand. Here are five additions that would make the feature fresh and interesting.
Honorable Mentions:
2008-09 Denver Nuggets
2001-02 Sacramento Kings
1985-86 Houston Rockets
1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers
5. 1994-95 Dallas Mavericks
Season Record: 36-46
Coach: Dick Motta
Key Players and Proposed Ratings: Jason Kidd (85), Jamal Mashburn (82), Jim Jackson (82)
The 94-95 Mavericks are the ultimate "what-if" NBA team of the 1990s. Jason Kidd was named co-Rookie of the Year with Grant Hill, while small forward Jamal Mashburn and shooting guard Jim Jackson scored 24.1 and 25.7 points per game respectively, even though Jackson appeared in just 51 games that season.
This should've been the Mavericks Big Three. And with power forward Popeye Jones grabbing 10.6 rebounds per game, the team was just one big man away from becoming a playoff contender in the stacked Western Conference.
Jim Jackson was athletic and drawing some - as it soon turned out, unjustified - comparisons to Michael Jordan, Kidd was quick and intelligent, while Mashburn just loved to shoot, even though his FG% suggests he loved it a bit too much.
The 94-95 and 95-96 Mavericks were just fun to watch (6th and 2nd in pace in the NBA), but didn't manage to stay healthy (Mashburn appeared in just 18 games in 95-96) and eventually stay together long enough. Jackson played for eleven other NBA teams, Kidd eventually returned to the Mavericks and won a title with Dirk Nowitzki, and Mashburn... well, I'm not done with him yet.