Top 10 Teams of the Decade

by MARK GREY

12.22.09

10. 2004-2005 UNC Men's Basketball - In just his second season in Chapel Hill Roy Williams led the Tar Heels to a National Championship. The team was loaded with talent, including 5 McDonalds All-Americans. After going 27-4 and earning a number one seed in the tournment, the Heels advanced to the final four. In the Semifinals game they blew out Michigan State, then beat a one-loss lllinois team for the title. Four players from the team would be drafted within the first 15 picks of that year's NBA draft.

Notable players: Sean May, Raymon Felton, Marvin Williams, Rashad McCants  

9. 2004 USC Trojans Football - After finishing the 2003 season 12-1 and splitting the National Title with LSU, the Trojans were ranked preseason number 1.  At the end of the season, they were still number 1 and became just the second team ever to be ranked #1 in AP polls the entire season.  Although the Trojans only played two ranked teams during the regular season, they silenced their critics by beating the second-ranked Oklahoma Sooner’s 55-19 in the Orange Bowl.  In a three year span, the Trojans went 37-2.

Notable players: Matt Leinhart, Reggie Bush, LenDale White, Steve Smith, Dwayne Jarrett, Fred Davis, Shaun Cody, Lofa Tatupa

8. 2007 Boston Celtics - With the off-season addition of Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, expectations were high and the Celts delivered.  After winning only 24 games the prior season, the Celtics made the biggest one season improvement in NBA history by winning 66 games.  The Celtics won their division by 25 games and the conference by 7.  After a rough first two rounds of the playoffs that saw both series go 7 games, the Celtics settled down and easily won the conference and NBA finals.

Notable players: Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, James Posey

Read more ...