Hollinger: LA Lakers #1 Basketball Franchise ever, Bos #2.

[Moranis]

I'm sorry but the Lakers are the most successful franchise in NBA history.  I know that isn't going to be a popular viewpoint on the site, but it is reality.  The Lakers have played for the championship in 50% of the seasons in league history.  They have never had an extended down period.  And it isn't like they aren't second in titles or that far back.

Should Yale be considered the greatest college football team ever because they have the most titles?  How about Princton they are #2 on that list?

[wdleehi]

While Boston trails the Lakers in both the post-1968 and overall rankings

Way to pick a random year.


I wonder why that is the year he picked...

[wdleehi]

I'm sorry but the Lakers are the most successful franchise in NBA history.  I know that isn't going to be a popular viewpoint on the site, but it is reality.  The Lakers have played for the championship in 50% of the seasons in league history.  They have never had an extended down period.  And it isn't like they aren't second in titles or that far back.

Should Yale be considered the greatest college football team ever because they have the most titles?  How about Princton they are #2 on that list?

How did they do head to head with the best

[Donoghus]

I'm sorry but the Lakers are the most successful franchise in NBA history.  I know that isn't going to be a popular viewpoint on the site, but it is reality.  The Lakers have played for the championship in 50% of the seasons in league history.  They have never had an extended down period.  And it isn't like they aren't second in titles or that far back.

Should Yale be considered the greatest college football team ever because they have the most titles?  How about Princton they are #2 on that list?

I'm sorry.  I can't put the Lakers ahead of the Celtics simply for the reason that the supposed #1 team is 2-9 against the supposed #2 team in the championship finals.

There are plenty of other arguments I could make but that one stands out more than any, IMO.

[Fafnir]

What I don't understand is the "intangibles" category.  This is completely subjective, and yet the Lakers get +150, and the Celtics get +50, despite being the most successful team in NBA history.  The Celtics tradition and history is every bit as successful as the Lakers.

For the rest of it, who cares about playoff wins and losses, in terms of evaluating a franchise?  All that matters is the last game of the playoff season, and there, the Celtics have the most wins.

That was my major bone to pick. I mean I could understand if both teams clocked in at 100 or 150 or something, but Boston only gets 50, and LA gets 150?

So if Jack Nicholson watches your games, you get a pass?

My theory was that it was because LA lost 100 points for the relocation.

I think you're right about the relocation penalty. Overall this sort of article is dumb. You can easily just change the weights and get whichever of the Lakers/Cs you want in first place. Just by titles the Cs. By Finals trips Lakers, and so on.

I hate the franchise rankings that try to make it mechanical. You don't measure greatness with a formula. You measure it with 11 rings in 13 years. You measure it by winning at title in multiple decades. You measure it by the great plays people remember.

Magic's sky hook, Bird's steal, Johnny Most's call of "Havlichek stole the ball", Paul Pierce grabing the jump ball from LeBron....

[Redz]

If the Lakers win it all this year they will have a .500 recors in the Finals.

He can call them the best ever if he wants.

I can still say they're a second rate dynasty.

All they have on the C's is continuity.

And any honest Laker fan knows the truth of the inferiority complex of their head to head matchups with the Celts in the Finals.

Lakers suck monkey butt.  There's my objective appraisal.

[RAcker]

I'm sorry but the Lakers are the most successful franchise in NBA history.  I know that isn't going to be a popular viewpoint on the site, but it is reality.  The Lakers have played for the championship in 50% of the seasons in league history.  They have never had an extended down period.  And it isn't like they aren't second in titles or that far back.

Should Yale be considered the greatest college football team ever because they have the most titles?  How about Princton they are #2 on that list?

Yale and Princton?

Can I take away a TP?

[Fafnir]

I'm sorry but the Lakers are the most successful franchise in NBA history.  I know that isn't going to be a popular viewpoint on the site, but it is reality.  The Lakers have played for the championship in 50% of the seasons in league history.  They have never had an extended down period.  And it isn't like they aren't second in titles or that far back.

Should Yale be considered the greatest college football team ever because they have the most titles?  How about Princton they are #2 on that list?

The C's have played in 20 though and only lost 3. There isn't a "right" answer to this sort of question. Just a great conversation between fans.

[CelticsWhat35]

I'm sorry but the Lakers are the most successful franchise in NBA history.  I know that isn't going to be a popular viewpoint on the site, but it is reality.  The Lakers have played for the championship in 50% of the seasons in league history.  They have never had an extended down period.  And it isn't like they aren't second in titles or that far back.

Should Yale be considered the greatest college football team ever because they have the most titles?  How about Princton they are #2 on that list?

Each year, every team has ONE goal, and ONE goal only.  To win the championship.  That is what measures success.

Being competitive year after year and having all star players will put fans in the seats, which is vital to a franchise being able to compete, but WINNNING is what makes you the best.

Anyone else find it interesting that Hollinger makes a point to mention the number of teams in the league when the Celtics won 11 in 13 years, but makes no mention of it when the L.A.....i'm sorry, Minneapolis Lakers won 5 in 6 years??  He's not even trying to hide his bias.

[CelticsWhat35]

I'm sorry but the Lakers are the most successful franchise in NBA history.  I know that isn't going to be a popular viewpoint on the site, but it is reality.  The Lakers have played for the championship in 50% of the seasons in league history.  They have never had an extended down period.  And it isn't like they aren't second in titles or that far back.

Should Yale be considered the greatest college football team ever because they have the most titles?  How about Princton they are #2 on that list?

The C's have played in 20 though and only lost 3. There isn't a "right" answer to this sort of question. Just a great conversation between fans.

Actually, there is a right answer.  I learned it in elementary school. 

17>9
17>14

[indeedproceed]

I'm sorry but the Lakers are the most successful franchise in NBA history.  I know that isn't going to be a popular viewpoint on the site, but it is reality.  The Lakers have played for the championship in 50% of the seasons in league history.  They have never had an extended down period.  And it isn't like they aren't second in titles or that far back.

Should Yale be considered the greatest college football team ever because they have the most titles?  How about Princton they are #2 on that list?

How is that a reality. It is completely and utterly subjective. If you only count playoff series won, not playoff wins, or just playoff wins, and not playoff series won, the Celtics take it.

AND there is a discrepancy with the intangibles category.

The Lakers are the best ever because they got to 30 finals? The Celtics have won more championships in 10 less appearances. 30 second place finishes? Great. Mom and dad will put it up on the fridge.

[Who]

Wow ... Hollinger put way too much work into that.

All 30 teams, with an article response for each one of them? Wow.

[RAcker]

I'm sorry but the Lakers are the most successful franchise in NBA history.  I know that isn't going to be a popular viewpoint on the site, but it is reality.  The Lakers have played for the championship in 50% of the seasons in league history.  They have never had an extended down period.  And it isn't like they aren't second in titles or that far back.

Should Yale be considered the greatest college football team ever because they have the most titles?  How about Princton they are #2 on that list?

The C's have played in 20 though and only lost 3. There isn't a "right" answer to this sort of question. Just a great conversation between fans.

Actually, there is a right answer.  I learned it in elementary school. 

17>9
17>14

I think Hollinger's mind works like that of a grade school child ironically.

[BballTim]

  I didn't read the whole thing, but did he subtract the relocation penalty from the Lakers?

[Fafnir]

  I didn't read the whole thing, but did he subtract the relocation penalty from the Lakers?

Yes he did, but he then gave the 150 point bonus for intangibles to even it out.