Top 10 Teams Of All Time
2017 Warriors
The 2017 Golden State Warriors featured the most superpowered offense behind Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, and Klay Thompson. They all averaged over 20 points per game while shooting very efficiently. Draymond Green anchored the defensive end winning Defensive Player of the Year and leading the league in steals. In the playoffs, they swept the Blazers, Jazz, and Spurs while eventually beating Lebrnos Cavs in 5 games in the finals.
1996 Bulls
The 1996 Chicago Bulls famously went 72-10 in the regular season, setting an NBA record at the time. Much of this was thanks to their defense. Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman all prided themselves on being elite defenders which led to all three of them making the All defensive first team. The season MVP, Michael Jordan carried the load offensively averaging 30.4 points and 4.3 assists per game. They began the playoffs beating the Heat and Knicks before sweeping Shaq and Penny’s Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals. In the Finals, they beat Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp’s Seattle Supersonics in 6 games.
2001 Lakers
The 2001 Los Angeles Lakers had one of the most dominant duos in NBA history. Kobe and Shaq were unstoppable together, especially in the playoffs. Regular season MVP, Shaquille O’Neal averaged 30.4 points and 15.4 rebounds in the postseason while Kobe averaged 29.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists. The team also had great role players in Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, and Horace Grant. Together they swept the Blazers, Kings, and Spurs before beating Iverson’s 76ers in the Finals in 5 games.
1987 Lakers
The 1987 Los Angeles Lakers were nicknamed “Showtime” for their high-paced, entertaining style of basketball. Magic Johnson led the way as he won MVP averaging 23.9 points, 12.2 assists, and 6.3 rebounds. He was surrounded by an aging Kareem Abdul-Jabbar along with a younger cast made of James Worthy, Byron Scott, and Michael Cooper. In the playoffs, they beat the Nuggets, Warriors, and Supersonics before beating their mortal enemies in the Boston Celtics in 6 games.
1986 Celtics
The 1986 Boston Celtics put together their best collection of talent in franchise history. Larry Bird won his third MVP trophy in a row averaging 25.9 points, 9.3 rebounds, 8.2 assists, and an impressive 2.1 steals. The team also had an elite group of post players including Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, and former MVP Bill Walton coming off the bench. The Celtics started the playoffs by beating Jordan’s Bulls, the Hawks, and the Bucks. In the Finals, they matched up with a young duo of Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson who they beat in 6 games.
6. 1972 Lakers
The 1972 Los Angeles Lakers are often considered the first NBA superteam. Years prior, Wilt Chamberlain joined Jerry West and Elgin Baylor creating a dominant big 3. It looked like the experiment wouldn’t work out as in 1972 they were all over the age of 32, but with a younger Gail Goodrich, and still productive West and Chamberlain, they were able to get the job done. They beat the Bulls and Kareem/Oscar-led Bucks before matching up with the Knicks in the Finals where they won in 5 games.
7. 1989 Pistons
The 1989 Detroit Pistons were called the “Bad Boys” because of their gritty and often described dirty style of play. Isiah Thomas was the clear leader while Joe Dumars joined him in the backcourt as a great guard defender and outside shooter. Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, John Salley, and Rick Mahorn were the brick walls in the post, daring defenders to drive into the lane. In the East, they swept the Celtics and Bucks before beating Jordan’s Bulls in 6 games. The Pistons then went on to sweep the Lakers in the Finals.
8. 1983 76ers
The 1983 Philadelphia 76ers are an overlooked powerhouse in the 80s. This season, Moses Malone joined Julius Erving as the leader of the team. Moses would win MVP for the second straight year averaging 24.5 points and 15.3 rebounds. The supporting cast would also play a big role in their success including high scoring guard, Andrew Toney, along with strong defenders in Maurice Cheeks and Bobby Jones. In the playoffs, they would beat the Knicks and Bucks en route to the Finals where they swept the Lakers.
9. 2013 Heat
The 2013 Miami Heat featured a big 3 of superstars Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. This would be their third year together where the chemistry was at its peak. Their regular season included the second longest win streak in NBA history of 27 games where the Heat looked unstoppable. This core of three players was also surrounded by great three point shooters and defenders like Mario Chalmers, Ray Allen, and Shane Battier. They began the playoffs beating the Bucks and Bulls before beating the Pacers in 7 games. The Finals also went to 7 games as they edged out the Spurs.
10. 1971 Bucks
The 1971 Milwaukee Bucks created a scary roster only 3 years into the franchise’s history. They won Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in a coin flip for the first pick in the 1969 season and two years later traded for an aging legend in Oscar Robertson. In their first season together Kareem won MVP averaging 31.7 points and 16 rebounds per game while Oscar also had a good season making the All NBA second team. In the playoffs, they beat the Warriors and Lakers both in 5 games before sweeping the Bullets in the Finals.
