But Mr. Biden’s comment went beyond providing military means for Taiwan to defend itself and was widely seen as suggesting direct American military involvement.
Mr. Biden has ignored the strategic ambiguity of his predecessors with regard to China and Taiwan before. Last August, while reassuring allies that “we would respond” if there were an attack against a fellow NATO member, he added, “Same with Japan, same with South Korea, same with Taiwan.”
Taiwan, however, has never been granted the same U.S. security guarantees as Japan, South Korea or America’s NATO partners, so the comment was seen as significant. Two months later, Mr. Biden was asked during a CNN town hall if the United States would protect Taiwan from attack. “Yes, we have a commitment to do that,” he said.
Mr. Biden’s improvisation in Tokyo stirred a mix of reactions back in Washington, where some political leaders praised his candid support for an ally while others mocked him for indiscipline.
“President Biden’s statement that if push came to shove the U.S. would defend Taiwan against communist China was the right thing to say and the right thing to do,” Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, wrote on Twitter.
On the other hand, Tommy Hicks Jr., a Republican National Committee co-chairman and close ally of former President Donald J. Trump, saw incompetence not courage. “Another clean-up job from the Biden spin room,” he wrote. “He cannot go overseas without saying something that his team has to walk back minutes later. It’s reckless and embarrassing.”
Mr. Trump, of course, was far more prone than Mr. Biden to issue provocative, off-the-cuff and unvetted statements at odds with traditional American policy. At various points, he threatened war with North Korea, Venezuela and Iran; castigated American allies like Germany, Japan, Canada and South Korea; and defended adversaries like Mr. Putin.
Director-General of Swiss Development Cooperation Patricia Danzi said the long-term education crisis also needed addressing, and private sector participation would assist ensuring the mismatch between business needs and skills could be addressed.
by Joyce Chimbi (davos)
Inter Press Service
Davos, May 23 (IPS) – Against a backdrop of ongoing social changes, education is becoming increasingly important for success in life. But with disasters, pandemics, armed conflicts, and political crises forcing children out of school, a future of success is often placed far out of reach.
Despite data showing the number of children living in the deadliest war zones rising by nearly 20 percent, according to Stop the War on Children: A Crisis of Recruitment 2021 report, education in emergencies is a chronically underfunded aspect of humanitarian aid.
Speaking today at the backdrop of a high-level panel titled Education in Times of Crisis: How to Ensure All Children are Learning. Why Cross-Sectoral Engagement is Needed at the World Economic Forum, Education Cannot Wait (ECW) Director Yasmine Sherif stresses the urgent need to engage the private sector better.
“Private sector has a hugely important and instrumental role to play to address the education for an estimated 222 million children and adolescents in countries affected by climate-induced disaster and conflict,” says Sherif.
“We live in a world of huge socio-economic inequities, and those who have, need to share with those who do not have. It starts with financial resources. This is why ECW is part of the ongoing World Economic Forum because there is a huge private sector audience, and we are engaging with them to get them to rally (behind education).”
Panel discussions were opened by President of the Swiss Confederation Ignazio Cassis and included Sherif, Jacobs Foundation co-CEO Fabio Segura, Ramin Shahzamani,CEO War Child Holland, and the Director-General of Swiss Development and Cooperation (SDC), Patricia Danzi.
Director-General of Swiss Development Cooperation Patricia Danzi said the long-term education crisis also needed addressing, and private sector participation would assist ensuring the mismatch between business needs and skills could be addressed.
Danzi tells IPS that governments cannot support education alone, and more so, education in emergencies where millions of children are out of school.
“We need other actors to take responsibilities, mobilize, and we need this scaling of other actors as quickly as possible.”
“There are two scenarios where private sector engagement is needed, in emergency situations such as war, a pandemic or disaster where you need money quickly, and this is philanthropy. We also have long-term education crises. This includes a mismatch of jobs and skills. Here the private sector requires a certain skill set that the education system cannot provide – and this goes beyond a crisis.”
Danzi said the mismatch was due to various reasons, including basic education inadequacies, access to (quality) education not guaranteed, or not enough girls being in school.
Sherif agrees, stressing that the focus is on quality education in countries in conflict with large numbers of refugee and internally displaced children.
“Funding and financing are a very big issue here. The private sector is very important because they have the finances required, and we need to get them on board.”
“Education cannot wait,” she says. There is an urgent need for more financial assistance from the private sector because this will make a difference and place SDG 4 and other related SDGs firmly within reach.
Segura says the participation and contribution of the private sector have other advantages.
“One of the things we have learned is that it is not just the financing of the gap in education but the logic and the thinking that the private sector can bring or contribute to managing education and scaling education solutions. That logic, thinking, and intellectual capital are critical even though we do not often discuss education matters in the private sector.”
In emergencies and conflict, the private sector could play a role in scaling what works.
“Also (it can) maintain a line of thinking that will prevail beyond the conflict or emergency situation. We have also learned that the private sector has a way of maintaining consistency beyond situations of emergency and conflict. We need to tap into that logic and their array of resources and infrastructure to finance the gap in education in conflict and emergency education.”
Jacobs Foundation co-CEO Fabio Segura stressed the need to look at the contribution of education in business and, at the same time, look at the contribution of business to education.
Segura stresses the need to look at the contribution of education in business and, at the same time, look at the contribution of business to education. This, he says, makes a case for engagement beyond capital and financing in emergencies as it means expanding horizons for investments and horizons for education returns.
As recent as 2019, and before the complexities introduced into global education by COVID-19, more than 130 million children in school were not learning basic skills like reading, writing, and math, according to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE).
“Access to education is critical, and we owe it to the next generation to be well educated. When a child goes to school longer, an opportunity for prosperity is higher for individuals, households, and society,” Danzi emphasizes.
Cross-sectoral engagement is needed to shape the future of learning and development by accelerating the speed of response in crises and helping connect immediate relief and long-term interventions to provide a safe, quality, and inclusive learning environment for affected children.
“We are in a time where all of the funding gaps to achieve SDGs are becoming very obvious, especially post-COVID-19, and so we have to redefine the role of philanthropies, government, business, and private sector in profiting from achieving those objectives that also allows us to cooperate better across sectors to achieve better goals,” he observes.
Sherif says the private sector has resources. They need to join forces with public donors, especially against a backdrop of substantial socio-economic inequities in the world and countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Cameroon that lack resources to finance education because of a history of conflict.
Sherif will also be speaking at another high-level panel discussion titled Neutral Ground: Education in Emergencies-Building Blocks for a Safer Future on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, highlighting the central role of education in facilitating success for children and youth in their diversity. This is a joint event by The LEGO Foundation, Street Child International, and ECW. The panel features Sherif; Chair of Learning through Play, The LEGO Foundation, Bo Stjerne Thomsen; CEO & Founder-Street Child International Tom Dannatt; Deloitte Representative/Moderator Melissa Raczak.
PORTLAND, USA, May 23 (IPS) – Illegal immigration in the 21st century poses a serious dilemma for the world. Governments in virtually every region of the globe appear to be at a loss on how to address the two central dimensions of the dilemma.
The first dimension concerns the continuing waves of illegal migration arriving daily at international borders. The second dimension of the dilemma centers on the presence of millions of men, women, and children residing unlawfully within countries (Table 1).
Source: Author’s composition.
Various aspects of international migration with a focus on the 2018 Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration were discussed at the first United Nations International Migration Review Forum convened 17-20 May. The primary result of the Forum was an intergovernmental agreed Progress Declaration, which includes calling on governments to intensify efforts for safe and orderly migration, crack down on human smuggling and trafficking, and ensure that migrants are respected and receive health care and other services. However, the 13-page declaration did not come up with explicit guidelines nor enforceable actions that would effectively resolve the illegal immigration dilemma.
Three fundamental aspects of the illegal immigration dilemma involve demographics, human rights, and profits.
First, the demographics aspect clearly shows that the supply of people wishing to migrate largely from developing countries far exceeds the demand for immigrants in developed countries. As a result of that demographic imbalance and despite the costs and risks, millions of men, women, and children are turning to illegal migration in order to take up residence in another country, which are generally wealthy developed nations.
While more than a billion people would like to move permanently to another country, the current annual number of immigrants of several million is just a small fraction of those wanting to immigrate. Also, the total number of immigrants worldwide is also comparatively small, approximately 281 million in 2020, with an estimated quarter of them, or about 70 million, being illegal migrants (Figure 1).
Source: United Nations, Gallup, and author’s estimates.
In addition, the numbers of people attempting illegal migration are reaching record highs. In the United States, for example, the number encountered, i.e., arrested or apprehended, at the U.S.-Mexico border in April reached the highest recorded level of 234,088.
The numbers of illegal migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea to reach the European Union and English Channel to reach the United Kingdom are on the rise again. In the first two months of 2022, illegal border crossings at the EU’s external borders rose 61 percent from a year ago, or nearly 27,000. The British government also reported that the number of illegal migrants arriving in small boats could reach 1,000 a day.
The second fundamental aspect of the illegal migration dilemma involves the asymmetry of human rights concerning international migration. Article 13 of the International Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has a right to leave any country, including his own, and return to his home country. However, a human right does not exist for one to enter another country without the authorization of that country (Table 2).
Source: Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In addition, Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides individuals the right to seek asylum and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution. However, to be granted asylum, a person typically needs to be unable or unwilling to return to their country of origin owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.
Poverty, unemployment, domestic issues, climate change, and poor governance are generally not considered legitimate grounds for granting asylum. Unfortunately, many of the asylum claims advanced are not genuine, but simply aimed at first entering and then remaining in the destination country.
Most asylum claims are denied but considerable amounts of time, often several years, are needed to reach a final decision on an individual’s claim. Such lengthy periods of time permit claimants to become settled, employed, and integrated into a local community.
In addition to the logistics, governments face economic consequences and public opposition from various quarters to repatriating illegal migrants to countries having high levels of poverty, corruption, and social unrest. Consequently, unless illegal migrants commit serious crimes, they are typically not arrested and deported.
One notable recent exception, however, is the United Kingdom, which is seeking to send illegal migrants to Rwanda. The British government recently announced that those making dangerous, unnecessary and illegal journeys to the UK may be relocated to Rwanda to have their claims for asylum considered and to rebuild their lives there.
The third fundamental aspect of the illegal migration dilemma concerns the profits derived. Charging high fees for their services, smugglers accrue large profits by promoting, facilitating, and encouraging the illegal migration of men, women, and children across international borders.
Once illegal migrants are settled at their desired destination, many businesses, and enterprises profit from their labor. Given their precarious status, illegal migrants are not only willing to work for below normal wages but are also reluctant to report workplace abuses as that can lead to their dismissal, arrest, and repatriation.
Faced with continuing waves of illegal migrants, many countries are building walls, fences, and barriers, increasing border guards, having more pushbacks, returns and expulsions, and establishing more detention centers. However, based on recent illegal migration levels and trends, those and related steps have not achieved their desired goals.
Similarly, faced with the presence of large numbers of illegal migrants residing within their borders, governments are struggling with how best to address this troubling dimension of the illegal migration dilemma. Governments are not inclined to grant an amnesty or path to citizenship for illegal migrants nor are they prepared to deport the illegal migrants residing within their borders. As a result, the current situation in most countries remains unresolved for most illegal migrants, who remain in a precarious status.
In sum, it appears that governments are unlikely to be able to resolve the illegal immigration dilemma any time soon. In fact, the dilemma is likely to be exacerbated by increasing illegal immigration due to growing populations, worsening living conditions, and the effects of climate change in migrant sending countries.
Joseph Chamie is a consulting demographer, a former director of the United Nations Population Division and author of numerous publications on population issues, including his book, “Births, Deaths, Migrations and Other Important Population Matters.”
Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe has confirmed that, early in his career, he held talks with Jurgen Klopp over the possibility of a move to Liverpool.
The name of French sensation Mbappe has of course taken its place front and centre in the headlines across Europe over the last 48 hours.
This comes after the 23-year-old shocked the masses in snubbing what was long understood to be his ‘dream’ move to Real Madrid, in favour of remaining in Paris.
Mbappe is understood to have put pen to paper on a deal through the summer of 2025, featuring an astronomical wage package.
PARIS, FRANCE – MAY 8: Kylian Mbappe & Lionel Messi during the Ligue 1 Uber Eats match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and ESTAC Troyes at Parc des Princes stadium on May 8, 2022 in Paris, France. (Photo by John Berry/Getty Images)
After finally coming to a decision on his long-term future, Mbappe, in turn, has since held a number of exchanges with the media, keen to gain a better understanding of the thought process behind his decision to rebuff Real.
And, as alluded to above, one such interview, on Monday, has given rise to an altogether head-turning set of quotes.
Speaking to Jason Burt of The Daily Telegraph, PSG’s star man revealed that he actually previously held discussions with Jurgen Klopp over the possibility of joining Premier League giants Liverpool, owing to his mother’s support of the Reds:
“It was not just Real Madrid and PSG – I was in talks to join Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool,” Mbappe began.
“I talked to Liverpool because it’s the favourite club of my mum, my mum loves Liverpool… I don’t know why, you will have to ask her!
“It’s a good club and we met them five years ago. When I was in Monaco I met them. It’s a big club.”
Kylian Mbappé exclusive interview: ‘I talked to Liverpool, but things were not over for me at PSG’
France’s superstar lifts the lid on his decision to remain in Paris – and the small role played by Emmanuel Macron | @JBurtTelegraphhttps://t.co/CuiQs3jOOo
Turning attentions back towards the pitch, Mbappe was of course in fine form once more this past weekend, as PSG saw out the club’s domestic campaign.
Having long wrapped up the Ligue 1 title, Mauricio Pochettino’s troops put Metz to the sword by five goals to nil, with Mbappe the star of the show courtesy of a typically brilliant hat-trick:
It was one heck of a dramatic season for Teen Mom 2‘s Briana DeJesus—and the drama is showing no signs of going away.
In part two of the Teen Mom 2 reunion, airing May 24, Briana is forced to address claims made by fellow cast member Kailyn Lowry, who accused Briana of sleeping with Chris Lopez, the father of two of Kailyn’s sons.
“That story is so old. Just because I had relations with someone’s ex-husband doesn’t mean I want to do that every single time,” Briana said. “I think that’s annoying. I think that’s played out. I think she needs to come up with a better way to try and drag me down because that’s not going to get to me.”
Briana is referring to Javi Marroquin, Kailyn’s ex-husband who Briana dated after their split.
When reunion co-host Dr. Drew Pinsky pushed Briana to give a yes-or-no answer, things got heated.
“Yes or no to what? If I f-cked Chris? No. But why does that even matter?” Briana asked. “Why do you guys care? Is that your business? I don’t think so. I don’t think it’s anybody’s business. Not Kail’s business, either. Chris is not her property. So even if I did want to f-ck Chris, who the f-ck cares?”
A series of clips showcasing ongoings at Manchester City’s title parade have come to the fore on Monday evening.
And summer addition Jack Grealish has taken his position front and centre in the footage, evidently in fine form on the back of securing the first major piece of silverware of his career.
Man City, of course, made it four Premier League titles in the space of five years a little over 24 hours ago, owing to a pulsating win over Aston Villa at the Etihad.
After slipping into a shock two-goal hole late on, the Sky Blues soon came roaring back, finding the net on a trio of occasions to ultimately emerge on the right side of a 3-2 scoreline, pipping Liverpool to supremacy in the English top-flight by a solitary point.
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 22, 2022
It should therefore come as little surprise to hear that the celebratory parade held on the blue half of Manchester on Monday resulted in a number of members of Pep Guardiola’s squad letting loose.
And, as alluded to above, one such star to have, in turn, stolen the headlines across social media this evening comes in the form of Jack Grealish.
This comes owing to a host of footage surfacing of the English international, still hoarse on the back of what no doubt proved a memorable Sunday night, poking fun at his Man City teammates.
First on Grealish’s hitlist was Bernardo Silva, who endured one of the less productive outings of an otherwise brilliant individual campaign against Villa. In fact, it was the Portuguese making way for Ilkay Gundogan which essentially kickstarted the Citizens’ comeback, with the latter, of course, having gone on to bag a late brace.
Jack Grealish: “The main person I want to thank is Bernardo Silva for coming off in the 70th minute, because he was miles off it yesterday!” 😂
Silva, though, was sure to get his own back later in the evening, bringing his English teammate back into shot to assure that another key factor in his side’s title triumph was the decision to ‘keep Jack Grealish on the f**king bench’:
And the best was yet to come, as Grealish got boss Pep Guardiola involved.
After Kyle Walker was asked whether there is a footballer on the planet who could get the better of him in a one-on-one situation on the pitch, Grealish stole the microphone, to assure that he managed precisely that whilst still at Aston Villa – ‘that’s why Pep signed me’.
And Guardiola evidently saw the funny side of the exchange, footage of which can be seen below:
James Swan, who also heads the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) urged both the authorities and the international community to capitalize on this “moment of opportunity”.
Spirit of collaboration
“We call on Somali leaders to work together in a spirit of collaboration and national purpose. We call on Somalia’s international friends and partners, including those on this Council, to offer constructive support and encouragement,” he said.
Somalia’s electoral process wrapped up on 15 May when parliamentarians voted in Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as the country’s 10th President.
The presidential election was held following what Mr. Swan called “an unduly protracted and contentious process” for choosing the legislature.
Shortcomings and violence
While welcoming the successful poll, Mr. Swan also pointed to some of the shortcomings.
The Somali people did not have the chance to vote for the House of the People in a “one-person-one-vote” election, and only 21 per cent of the elected Members of Parliament (MPs) were women, despite a 30 per cent quota.
He added that many irregularities in the selection of MPs were noted throughout the process, which was repeatedly marred by violence, with numerous civilian casualties recorded.
Presidential priorities
Underlining the UN’s readiness to work with the new Government, Mr. Swan said he has heard directly from President Mohamud about his immediate goals, which include national reconciliation, improving relations between the central Government and federal states, and addressing the security threat from the militant group al-Shabaab.
Other priorities are finishing the constitutional review and judicial reforms, completing election-related laws, ensuring compliance and international requirements for debt relief, and focusing on the dire drought marring the region.
“We believe this is an appropriate list of initial priorities and look forward to learning more details as the new leadership takes charge and as a new Prime Minister and cabinet are named in the coming weeks,” said Mr. Swan.
Dire humanitarian situation
Turning to the worsening humanitarian situation in Somalia, the UN envoy reported that the number of people affected by drought has risen to 6.1 million.
“The country faces a heightened risk of localized famine in six communities if food prices continue to rise and humanitarian assistance is not sustained,” he warned.
Despite a scale-up in humanitarian operations, a $1.45 billion appeal for this year is only 15 per cent funded. Furthermore, donors have to deliver on pledges and commitments made last month at a high-level event in Geneva focused on humanitarian needs in the Horn of Africa.
“Without immediate receipt of funding to expand humanitarian operations, we face the prospect of significant loss of life in the period ahead,” he told ambassadors.
“Even as we focus now on saving lives and averting famine, there is also a need to increase resilience, development, and climate responses so that those affected by recurring crises can adapt and thrive in the future.”
Al-Shabaab resurgent
Mr. Swan also addressed the security situation which remains “highly volatile”. Deadly Al-Shabaab attacks in March and April appeared to be an effort to disrupt the final phases of the electoral process.
He commended the Somali security forces and their counterparts from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) “who safeguarded the electoral process and bore the brunt of Al-Shabaab’s deadly attacks then and after.”
Earlier this month, the group carried out a complex assault on an ATMIS base in the Middle Shabelle region, killing several peacekeepers from Burundi.
AU representative Francisco Caetano Jose Madeira said attacks like these indicate a resurgent Al-Shabaab “which will continue to pose multiple challenges to both Somalia and ATMIS, pointing to the urgent need for a robust and adequate response to them.”
He underlined the vital need to scale-up air support with transport and attack helicopters, as well as adequate offensive weapons, for both ATMIS and the Somali security forces.
The AU mission was established last month and follows on from an earlier operation known as AMISOM
Sony has officially revealed the required PC specs for its upcoming PlayStation Plus Premium plan, offering future plan owners a look at how powerful their computers will need to be compatible for streaming games. Luckily, the requirements aren’t strict.
While games can run with a 2.0 GHz Intel Core i3, the PlayStation team recommended a faster CPU, such as a 3.5GHz Intel Core i3 or 3.8 GHz AMD A10, for optimal performance. The other specs are relatively low-end as well, with the streaming program only requiring 300 MB of storage and 2 GB of RAM.
Users will also need a DualShock 4 controller to properly play these games.
Read below for the full list of PC specs requirements and suggestions for PlayStation Plus Premium Games.
PlayStation Plus Premium Games streaming PC spec requirements
Operating System
Minimum: Windows 7 (SP 1), 8.1, or 10
Recommended: Windows 7 (SP 1), 8.1, or 10
CPU
Minimum: Core i3 2.0 GHz
Recommended: 3.5 GHz Intel Core i3 or 3.8 GHz AMD A10 or faster
RAM
Minimum: 2 GB
Recommended: 2 GB or more
Storage Space
Minimum: 300 MB of available storage
Recommended: 300 MB or more of available storage
Other Specs
Sound card and USB port
New PlayStation Plus: Confirmed Games So Far
PlayStation’s new subscription plan is set to launch on June 13 — and the new tiered plan will give players who currently have a PS Now or PS Plus subscription an upgrade to Premium. Premium subscribers will also have access to game demos, which are now required from developers making games that cost $34 or higher.
Last week, SLAM announced which NBA stars made the 2021-22 All LeagueFits awards. From LeagueFits mainstays like Jordan Clarkson and Kelly Oubre Jr. (the first-ever League Fits MVP) to dripped out rookies such as Scottie Barnes and Jalen Green, the competition for the 2021-22 season was tuff.
Devin Booker has been named 2021-22 LeagueFits MVP, while Josh Christopher is the LeagueFits Rookie of the Year and Myles Turner has won Most Improved.
As we noted in his KICKS 24 cover story, Book has always studied fashion, sneakers and art. His straightforward fashion sense and defined aesthetic helped him earn his first LeagueFits MVP title. Clarkson, Oubre Jr., D’Angelo Russell and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joined Booker for First Team honors. Phoenix teammate Chris Paul joined Booker on the LeagueFits Second Team.
As for the rookies, Jaygup separated himself from an All-Rookie Team that included Barnes, Green, Jonathan Kuminga and David Duke Jr. Christopher, the first and only high school player to be posted on LeagueFits, established himself as a future MVP contender with a strong rookie showing. Between retro shirts, jean jackets and a countless variety of kicks, Christopher was able to beat out Houston teammate Jalen Green (who earned a Third Team spot) for the ROTY award.
Myles Turner earned All-LeagueFits Third Team honors as well as Most Improved. The Pacers center impressed with his one-of-one style throughout the season and truly showed out, rocking everything from lime green knitted sleeves to slick shades.
The All-LeagueFits teams as well as the MVP, ROTY and Most Improved awards were selected by a voting system that included one-third of votes from fans, one-third of votes from LF’s Survival of the Fitted podcast and votes from an exclusive panel that included former WNBA star Ty Young, designer Mamadou, fashion publicist John Guidry, NBA champ Axel Toupane, NFL star and designer Rodney McLeod, designer Caroline Bentley Noble, Los Angeles Sparks’ star Liz Cambage, fashion TikTok influencer Ayeeron, former NBA standout and designer/‘Bucks in 6’ legend Brandon Jennings, Richard aka @thehapablonde and stylist Devon Byrd.
As the League continues to celebrate its 75th season, we’ve dedicated an entire special issue, SLAM Presents TOP 75 NBA Teams of All Time (shop here), to ranking the best 75 individual season teams ever. We argued and shouted at each other for a while, eventually deciding that our north star in these debates would be to look for the squads that dominated whoever it was they were playing against.
We know there will probably be some disgruntled fans out there, but we’ve come up with a list that we’re standing by. Here’s our top 66-75 best teams of all time:
75. 1997-98 Indiana Pacers
Coach: Larry Bird
Record: 58-24
Roster: Travis Best, Etdrick Bohannon, Austin Croshere, Antonio Davis, Dale Davis, Fred Hoiberg, Mark Jackson, Derrick McKey, Reggie Miller, Chris Mullin, Mark Pope, Jalen Rose, Rik Smits, Mark West
Yes, the ’97-98 Pacers lost a seven-game Eastern Conference Finals series to the Bulls, but this was an extremely strong team. Indy was the next-to-last partner in Chicago’s “Last Dance,” but the Pacers won 58 games—second best in the East—and boasted a deep lineup led by the trio of sharpshooter Reggie Miller, 7-4 tower Rik Smits and do-everything forward Chris Mullin. The loss was disappointing, but the Pacers had plenty to be proud of.
74. 1994-95 Orlando Magic
Coach: Brian Hill
Record: 57-25
Roster: Nick Anderson, Darrell Armstrong, Anthony Avent, Anthony Bowie, Horace Grant, Geert Hammink, Penny Hardaway, Shaquille O’Neal, Tree Rollins, Donald Royal, Dennis Scott, Brian Shaw, Brooks Thompson, Keith Tower, Jeff Turner
In just their sixth year of existence, the Magic reached the Finals, thanks to the dynamic pairing of Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway. Orlando posted the East’s best record and then outlasted the Pacers to win the conference. Shaq was unstoppable inside, and Hardaway dazzled all over. Add in Nick Anderson and Dennis Scott’s long-range shooting and Horace Grant’s steady interior game, and the Magic were quite strong, even if Houston did sweep them in the Finals.
73. 1986-87 Boston Celtics
Coach: KC Jones
Record: 59-23
Roster: Danny Ainge, Larry Bird, Rick Carlisle, Darren Daye, Conner Henry, Dennis Johnson, Greg Kite, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Fred Roberts, Jerry Sichting, David Thirdkill, Andre Turner, Sam Vincent, Bill Walton, Scott Wedman
A year after domination, the Celtics returned to the Finals once again, but lost to the Showtime Lakers in six. The usual cast was back for the conference title winners. Larry Bird was practically infallible, and Kevin McHale and Robert Parish plundered inside. Dennis Johnson ran the show, while Danny Ainge irritated everybody but Celtics fans. But Boston lacked a strong bench, and that’s why the ’86-87 edition was very good, but not a champion.
72. 2011-12 Oklahoma City Thunder
Coach: Scott Brooks
Record: 47-19
Roster: Cole Aldrich, Nick Collison, Daequan Cook, Kevin Durant, Derek Fisher, James Harden, Lazar Hayward, Serge Ibaka, Royal Ivey, Reggie Jackson, Eric Maynor, Nazr Mohammed, Kendrick Perkins, Ryan Reid, Thabo Sefolosha, Russell Westbrook
This was it. This was the last time the Thunder’s Big Three would be together, and Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden almost got it all done. The Thunder won the West and made it to the Finals. They even won the first game against Miami before dropping four straight. Durant, Westbrook and Harden combined for 70 ppg in the series but couldn’t finish the journey and hoist a trophy.
71. 1992-93 Phoenix Suns
Coach: Paul Westphal
Record: 62-20
Roster: Danny Ainge, Charles Barkley, Cedric Ceballos, Tom Chambers, Richard Dumas, Frank Johnson, Kevin Johnson, Tim Kempton, Negele Knight, Dan Majerle, Oliver Miller, Jerrod Mustaf, Kurt Rambis, Alex Stivrins, Mark West
The Suns had reached the Finals before, in 1976, but fell to Boston. This time would be different, even if they were facing the Bulls. Phoenix had the NBA’s best record, the League’s best offense and Charles Barkley, acquired from Philly in a blockbuster. The Suns were deep and fast and fun. But when they lost Game 4 of the Finals to Chicago to fall behind 3-1, you knew it was over. And it was.
70. 1988-89 Los Angeles Lakers
Coach: Pat Riley
Record: 57-25
Roster: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tony Campbell, Michael Cooper, AC Green, Magic Johnson, Jeff Lamp, Mark McNamara, David Rivers, Byron Scott, Mychal Thompson, Orlando Woolridge, James Worthy
There would be one more last gasp for Showtime, but this really felt like the end of an era. Sure, the Lakers won the Pacific, put up the most wins in the conference and reached the Finals after posting a perfect 11-0 playoff record. But the usual suspects—Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Byron Scott, Michael Cooper, etc.—were beat up by the same Detroit Bad Boys they had defeated a year earlier.
69. 2018-19 Toronto Raptors
Coach Nick Nurse
Record: 58-24
Roster: OG Anunoby, Chris Boucher, Lorenzo Brown, Marc Gasol, Danny Green, Serge Ibaka, Kawhi Leonard, Jeremy Lin, Kyle Lowry, Jordan Loyd, Patrick McCaw, Jodie Meeks, CJ Miles, Malcolm Miller, Greg Monroe, Eric Moreland, Norman Powell, Malachi Richardson, Pascal Siakam, Jonas Valanciunas, Fred VanVleet, Delon Wright
In Canada for just one year, Kawhi Leonard proved his absolute greatness. The Raptors had been good, but they weren’t championship good. No way. Then Leonard averaged 26.6. He hit a quadruple-doink jumper to beat the Sixers in the Eastern Semis. And Kyle Lowry brought the toughness, while Serge Ibaka and Pascal Siakam bumped and banged inside. The Trophy had never been north of the border, but Leonard made sure it got there.
68. 1961-62 Boston Celtics
Coach: Red Auerbach
Record: 60-20
Roster: Carl Braun, Al Butler, Bob Cousy, Gene Guarilia, Tom Heinsohn, KC Jones, Sam Jones, Jim Loscutoff, Gary Phillips, Frank Ramsey, Bill Russell, Tom Sanders
Bill Russell didn’t lead the NBA in points, rebounds or assists, but he earned his third MVP award for leading the Celtics to a League-best 60 regular-season wins and his (and Boston’s) fifth title. It was arguably his best statistical season—a career-best 18.9 ppg, along with 23.6 rpg—and he upped those averages to 22.9 points and 27 boards in the Finals to lift Boston from a 3-2 deficit to a 4-3 victory over the Lakers.
67. 1980-81 Philadelphia 76ers
Coach: Billy Cunningham
Record: 62-20
Roster: Maurice Cheeks, Doug Collins, Earl Cureton, Monti Davis, Darryl Dawkins, Julius Erving, Lionel Hollins, Ollie Johnson, Bobby Jones, Caldwell Jones, Steve Mix, Clint Richardson, Andrew Toney
It’s easy to forget how close the early ’80s Sixers came to dynasty status. There were Finals losses to L.A. in ’80 and ’82, and of course, before their eventual revenge in ’83. But the ’80-81 squad, led by Dr. J in his only NBA MVP season, was right there: They matched Boston’s 62 regular-season wins and took a 3-1 lead on the Celtics in the ECF before an epic Larry Bird-led comeback carried the Cs to the Finals.
66. 1984-85 Boston Celtics
Coach: KC Jones
Record: 63-19
Roster: Danny Ainge, Larry Bird, Quinn Buckner, Rick Carlisle, ML Carr, Carlos Clark, Dennis Johnson, Greg Kite, Cedric Maxwell, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Scott Wedman, Ray Williams
The ninth Celtics-Lakers Finals matchup would be the first from which Boston did not emerge victorious. You could almost call it an upset. Larry Bird claimed his second straight MVP award, and the Cs won a League-best 63 games, then cruised through the Eastern Conference playoff bracket before stomping the Lakers by 34 in Game 1. Kevin McHale averaged 26 points and 10.7 rebounds for the series, but Boston couldn’t slow the Kareem-Magic-Worthy trio and fell 4-2 to L.A.
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