I’ll try ranking the competition from strongest to not so strong and if there’s any teams I missed I’ll include in an edit.

  1. Boston Celtics (2007-08, 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12) - The Big Three era with Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo.

Note: Although people shit on the Cavs during this period, they were a top 10 Defense all but one year (2007 they were 11th). Their interior defense wasn’t as elite as their perimeter defense however. Boston beat them in a hard fought semifinals that took 7 games.

The year after Big Dwight would take LeBron out in route to his first finals appearance.

  1. Detroit Pistons (2006-07) - Strong defensive team with a core of Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Rasheed Wallace, and Ben Wallace. Unfortunately for the Pistons they were on the tailend of running the east and just so happened to have nobody to contain a possessed Bron in the playoffs.

  2. Indiana Pacers (2012-13, 2013-14) - Featured a strong lineup with Paul George, Roy Hibbert, and David West.

Note: One good series that went to 7. Some say if PG didn’t work Hibbert’s girl then they could’ve pulled off the upset the following year.

  1. Toronto Raptors (2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18) - Led by DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry, consistently strong in the regular season.

Note: even though they went 2-2 at one point in the conference finals, nobody seriously considered the Raptors to win that series. LeBron got Bismarck Biyombo paid though…

  1. Chicago Bulls (2010-11, 2014-15) - Led by MVP Derrick Rose with a strong supporting cast including Joakim Noah and Luol Deng.

Note: Rose would injure his knee in the first Rd after losing to the Heat in 2011. A rivalry that could’ve been vanished from that point on sadly.

  1. Atlanta Hawks (2014-15) - Had a 60-win season with Al Horford, Paul Millsap, and Jeff Teague. Possibly the most fake 60 wins team in the playoffs. Really good regular season team but they weren’t a serious contender.

  2. Boston Celtics (2017-18) - Young team featuring Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Al Horford.

Note: Impressive that they took the Cavs to 7 but everybody was taking the Cavs to 7 that year in the East. Luckily the Celtics would keep their core together to culminate in a championship this past year

  1. Indiana Pacers (2009-10, 2011-12) - Competitive team with Danny Granger and later Paul George emerging as a star.

Note: running out of teams that were good enough to challenge LeBron lol

  1. Orlando Magic (2008-09) - Led by Dwight Howard, made it to the NBA Finals.

Note: wonder why Dwight is so low here? If the Celtics were healthy then Dwight probably doesn’t make the finals.

  1. I honestly couldn’t tell you
  • Low_Cranberry7716BEnglish
    1·
    3 months ago

    I thought the EC competition during his second stint with Cleveland was not super impressive. He faced some pretty good East teams with Miami, but I remember the West being tougher all-around which I think most of us do.