5 major reconstruction miracles of NBA history, inspirational stories from ruins to peaks

The story of a team rising from the ruins is often more fascinating than the champion itself. From draft to systematic reconstruction of the tactical system, it is far more testing the management's patience and vision than spending money to pile up superstars.

Fifth place: The "Believement Process" of the Philadelphia 76ers (2013-2018)

When Sam Hinki became the general manager of the 76ers in 2013, he tore up all short-term reinforcement plans and instead stockpiled first-round picks and overseas rookies. The selection of Embiid in 2014, the transaction was obtained by Simmons in 2016, and Fultz was exchanged for future assets in 2017. This almost paranoid strategy of playing badly caused the league to be furious, and the NBA even issued "anti-display clauses". But the process eventually blossomed: Embiid averaged 23 points and 11 rebounds per game in 2018, and Simmons became the first rookie player to average 15+8+8 in the season after becoming the Magic.

4th place: Oklahoma City Thunder's draft alchemy (2007-2012)

Presti completed two historic operations in the first month of the Supersonic relocation to Russia: in 2007, he used the second pick to win Durant instead of Oden, and in 2008, he "looked out" Westbrook with the fourth pick. This MIT graduate manager dismantled the draft pick like solving math problems - in 2009, he used the 24th pick in the first round to win Ibaka, in 2011, he selected Reggie Jackson with the 24th pick, and in 2012, he used the 3rd pick to win Harden, who would become MVP in the future. When he played against the Heat in the 2012 Finals, the average age of the five starting players in the Thunder was only 23 years old. Durant scored 36 points in G1, which made James sigh that "he has fire in his eyes."

Third place: The Dallas Mavericks' Twenty Years of Single-Core Experiment (1998-2011)

When Mark Cuban bought the Mavericks in 2000, the team's winning rate for ten consecutive years was less than 40%. But the growth trajectory of German Nowitzki defines what it means to be "slow-cooking reconstruction" - after losing the 2006 finals, Cuban refused to trade Dirk, but instead built a space-based lineup around him: introducing Kidd in 2007, signing Chandler in 2010, and betting on Kidd and Peja, who are nearly 38 years old in 2011. When Dirk swept the Lakers with a high fever in the 2011 playoffs and beat the Thunder Third Young Master with 48 points with a score of 48 points, his Golden Rooster Independence has become the ultimate weapon to crack the Heat's Big Three.

San Antonio Spurs' Eternal Machine (1989-2014)

David Robinson was reimbursed in the 1997 season, but instead achieved the greatest "accident" in the Spurs' history - choosing Duncan with the No. 1 pick. After Popovich took office, he turned this small market team into precision instruments: he selected Ginobili with the 57th pick in the second round in 1999, got Parker's first round pick in 2001, and trained Leonard, the 15th pick in 2011. Their reconstruction has never been bad, but has continued blood transfusion through a global scouting system. In the 2014 Finals against the Heat, the Spurs used their smooth team basketball to shoot a record 47.8% three-point shooting percentage, and Dior seemed to be waltzing when he was supporting at a high position.

First place: The Golden State Warriors' System Revolution (2009-2015)

When Curry joined the 7th pick in 2009, the Warriors were still a bottom team that lost 112 points per game. But Jerry West rejected the plan to trade Paul with Curry in 2011, chose Dream Green in 2012, and hired Cole in 2014. These decisions gathered into a nuclear explosion in the 2015 finals. Cole pressed Bogut on the bench and let Green play at the center of 2.01 meters, setting a precedent for the "Five Smalls in Death". Curry made 7 three-pointers in G5, and Iguodala locked James to win the FMVP. This lineup, which ranked only 15th in the league, actually used three-point rain to extinguish the Heat's three giants.