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50 Greatest NBA Players Without A Championship (Updated Through 2015-16)

By Phil Watson

May 14, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) shoots over Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) in game six of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
May 14, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) shoots over Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard (12) in game six of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /
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Basketball: Eastern Conference Finals: Milwaukee Bucks Bob Lanier (16) in action, shot vs Philadelphia 76ers. Game 1. Philadelphia, PA 5/8/1983 CREDIT: Manny Millan (Photo by Manny Millan /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (Set Number: X28469 TK1 )
Basketball: Eastern Conference Finals: Milwaukee Bucks Bob Lanier (16) in action, shot vs Philadelphia 76ers. Game 1. Philadelphia, PA 5/8/1983 CREDIT: Manny Millan (Photo by Manny Millan /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images) (Set Number: X28469 TK1 ) /

33. Bob Lanier

Detroit Pistons 1970-80, Milwaukee Bucks 1980-84

The Detroit Pistons used the top overall pick in the 1970 NBA Draft to take Bob Lanier out of St. Bonaventure and the man with the size-22 kicks did not disappoint.

Lanier was a seven-time All-Star with the Pistons and was three times a top-10 finisher in the MVP voting, including a third-place finish in 1973-74.

Detroit missed the playoffs in Lanier’s first three seasons before getting in and pushing the Chicago Bulls to a Game 7 in the conference semifinals in 1974.

The Pistons lost a decisive Game 3 to the Seattle SuperSonics in the first round in 1975, but in 1976 beat the Milwaukee Bucks in a first-round Game 3 before losing to the defending champion Golden State Warriors in six games in the second round.

The Warriors got Detroit in a first-round Game 3 in 1977.

The Pistons missed the postseason in 1977-78 and 1978-79 and in February 1980, he was dealt to Milwaukee.

With the Bucks, Lanier added an eighth All-Star Game selection in 1981-82.

After a first-round bye, Milwaukee lost a Game 7 to the defending champion SuperSonics in 1980. In 1981, a first-round bye led to a Game 7 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers in the second round.

The Bucks went down to Philadelphia in the second round again in 1982, this time in six games, after a first-round bye.

But in 1983, Milwaukee got a first-round bye and then swept the Boston Celtics in the second round. But in the Eastern Conference Finals, the eventual champion 76ers advanced in five games.

The following year brought another deep run. The Bucks held on for a first-round Game 5 win over the Atlanta Hawks, beat the New Jersey Nets in the second round, but went down to Boston in five games in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Lanier retired in September 1984. In retirement, he had a brief stint as interim head coach of the Warriors in 1995 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992. He currently owns and operates Bob Lanier Enterprises, a promotional marketing company.

The final tally on Lanier’s playoff career:

NBA Finals: 0-0
Conference Finals: 0-2
Conference Semifinals: 2-5
First Round: 2-2

Next: 32. The Blade Cut Off Before Finals