Fans and experts have different opinions when it comes to the best NBA teams of all time. Like NBA picks, the opinions differ based on several factors like the number of wins or records.
Irrespective of what everyone says, a few teams stand out in the NBA’s history for their performance. Below is our take on the top NBA teams ever that dominated the fields in the game’s 65-year history.
2000 – 01 Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers entered the season as the defending champions with two of the best players on its team. Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant began to show off their prowess and worked together to lead the Lakers to the finals. They also won the championship with a 56 – 26 record.
The Lakers became the winner of the last 8 games and topped the division charts that year.
Shaq performed like a star with over 3 blocks, 4 assists, 15 rebounds, and 33 points. Along with him, Kobe was chosen for the 2021 NBA All-Star Game. They also earned a place in the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, while Kobe was voted 3rd in MVP.
1964 – 65 Boston Celtics
The 1964 – 65 Boston Celtics earned its place in the top 10 teams in the history of the NBA. The team put up an excellent show and won the most matches in a season. Moreover, the Celtics won the NBA championship for the 8th time straight and championed over the Lakers 4 – 1.
The Celtics ended the season with a record 62 – 18. They also gave a tough challenge to the Philadelphia 76ers in the East Finals and became the champion of Game Seven with 110 -109.
Best of all, 5 members of the team were selected for the NBA Hall of Fame. The list included John Havlicek, Bill Russell, K.C. Jones, and Tom Heinsohn. Moreover, Havlicek, Russell, and Jones earned a place in the NBA’s top 50 players.
1991 – 92 Chicago Bulls
The Bulls defeated the Lakers to begin the season as defending champions. It was their first win, and the team had star players like Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. However, there were other key performers like B.J. Armstrong, Horace Grant, and Will Perdue.
The whole team worked as a unit to bring the Bulls 14 consecutive wins. They got off to a 37- 5 start and finished the championship as winners with a 67 – 15 record.
Michael Jordan contributed ample points and earned his 2nd straight MVP. He also tied with Pippen for the 3rd rank in Defensive Player of the Year. Both even scored the most points at 51.1 PPG.
1988 – 89 Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons will always be remembered for their 1998 – 89 season that began with 8 consecutive wins. The team was heavy on defence with top players like Dennis Rodman, John Salley, and Bill Laimbeer.
Moreover, the Pistons had key scorers such as Mark Aguirre and Joe Dumars. Together, the team posted 9 consecutive wins in March and 8 consecutive wins from March to April. They also won the last 5 games of the league and became the champions with a 63 – 19 record.
The Pistons even left their mark in the Eastern Conference and rivalled against the Bulls, who had Michael Jordan. The team won their first NBA championship after defeating the Lakers in the NBA Finals.
1986 – 87 Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers suffered a crushing defeat by failing to make their way into the NBA Finals in the 1985 – 86 season. As a result, they were eager to prove their worth again in the current season.
The team performed excellently and made it to the NBA finals for the 6th time in 1980. They defeated the Denver Nuggets in 3 matches during the First Round of the playoffs. Moreover, the Lakers won against the Golden State Warriors in 5 matches in the semi-finals.
The NBA Finals saw the Lakers compete against old-time rivals, the Celtics. The Lakers emerged winners by becoming the champion in 6 matches of the series.
It is also among the NBA’s top 10 teams.
1970 – 71 Milwaukee Bucks
The 1970 – 71 Bucks deserve a special mention for its 66 – 16 record win. However, there is another reason that makes this team unique.
Oscar Robertson had been playing for a long time but never won the NBA championship. He was with a younger team now, but that turned out to his advantage. Robertson put his experience into use and passed the ball to his team members at the right moment.
The Bucks performed together to win 20 straight games, a record at that time. It is still the 5th ranked most wins in a stretch in the NBA’s history.
Robertson also won his first NBA championship against the Baltimore Bullets. It was also the team’s first win in franchise history.
1995 – 96 Chicago Bulls
The 1995 – 96 Chicago Bulls are said to be the best team in the history of the NBA. They were on a mission to win the championship as the earlier season wasn’t as per expectations. Moreover, Michael Jordan rejoined the team recently after taking some time off.
The Bulls started the season with a winning streak of 37 – 0. They went on to create a record of 44 – 0 that included earlier season’s regular matches. The Bulls also won the championship with a record of 72 – 10. It made them the first team in the NBA’s history to win more than 70 matches in a regular season.
Till today, only the 2015 – 16 Golden State Warriors have broken the record with 73 wins and 9 losses. However, the team failed to win the NBA championship.
Final Thoughts
Many teams won the NBA championship, but that may not make them the best teams. Our list includes some of the best performers in the NBA’s history, which some of you might not be aware of. From the Chicago Bulls to Detroit Pistons, the top NBA teams have left their mark on our memories.
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