LAST MONTH, THE Denver Nuggets became the fifth team to win an NBA title in as many seasons.
On its face, that is not a remarkable fact. But in NBA history, it is a truly extraordinary one. At only one other point in the league's existence -- from 1975 through 1980 -- has the NBA crowned a different champion in at least five consecutive seasons.
In other words: This half-decade of parity is a period the NBA can typically only dream of. With the new collective bargaining agreement now in place through the rest of the decade, it's what the NBA hopes will remain the case moving forward.