“The five players on the floor function as one single unit. Team, team, team. Right? No one more important than the other.”
— Gene Hackman as coach Norman Dale, “Hoosiers”

Every theory or even mandate about how an NBA championship team needs to be built is flipped by the one that celebrates its 20th anniversary this summer.

The 2004 Detroit Pistons are the championship exceptions of the last 45 NBA seasons.

 And as the NBA moves forward, there might never be another champion like them.