The Best NBA Teams Of All Time
Regular Season: 62-20 | Playoffs: 15-4
Arguably the peak of “Showtime,” the 1984-85 Lakers did what no other team in franchise history had done before: beat the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.
This immensely talented team included five future Hall of Famers and had eight players averaging at least 8 points per game, including four that averaged at least 16. This offensive juggernaut of a team posted a +7.4 average point differential per game all season and scored at least 100 points in all 19 playoff games they took part in. The 1984-85 Lakers still hold the record for the highest field goal shooting percentage for a season at .5448.
Regular Season: 69-13 | Playoffs: 15-4
Bolstered by what might be the best lineup of players Michael Jordan ever had surrounding him, the 1996-97 Bulls were able to win the team’s fourth title of the 1990s and second in a row.
Hall of Famers Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman were joined by starters Ron Harper and Luc Longley — and had a bench rotation that included Steve Kerr, Toni Kukoc and Hall of Famer Robert Parish. This team went on five different eight-game winning streaks during the regular season and had they not coasted through their final four games, could have made history with wins in a season.
Regular Season: 68-13 | Playoffs: 11-4
A team that was basically unstoppable at the time, the 1966-67 76ers had the best winning percentage in NBA history at the time. This team’s 46-4 start is still tied as the best mark through 50 games ever, and, at a time when scoring wasn’t as ridiculous as it is today, they averaged 125.22 points per game, which is still the third-highest ever. This lineup boasted four Hall of Famers, including Wilt Chamberlain Larry Costello, Hal Greer and Chet Walker. Chamberlain was the league’s MVP, averaging a double-double of 24 points and 24 rebounds per game all season.
Regular Season: 67-15 | Playoffs: 15-3
The Boston Celtics have been blessed with many great teams over the years, but the 1985-86 squad might have been the franchise’s best ever. The frontcourt scoring combination of Larry Bird, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale is one of the toughest ever, and the backcourt included the legendary Bill Walton, who was still dominant at the end of his career.
After losing to the Lakers in the 1985 NBA Finals, this team had a fire under it, leading to a then-record 82 combined wins in the regular season and playoffs. This squad had five future Hall of Famers on its roster, which helped it to a 40-1 record at home, which is still tied for the best mark ever.
Regular Season: 69-13 | Playoffs: 12-3
A complete team from top to bottom, the 1971-72 Lakers relied on future Hall of Famers Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor and Gail Goodrich to crush the rest of the league en route to winning the franchise’s first title in Los Angeles. Several records this team broke still stand nearly 50 years later, including the best average point differential per game ever at +12.3 and a 33-game winning streak during the regular season. This squad’s 69-13 record was the best in league history for 24 seasons. They were so good they crushed a New York Knicks team loaded with Hall of Famers 4-1 in the NBA Finals.
Regular Season: 67-15 | Playoffs: 16-1
As you’ve seen from this list, the Steph Curry-era Warriors were already immensely talented, but the addition of Kevin Durant in 2016 made them virtually unbeatable. The 2016-17 Warriors broke a ton of NBA records on their way to a 16-1 playoff record, which is the best playoff winning percentage in history.
This team clinched its playoff berth on Feb. 25, the earliest any team has ever done it, which is remarkable when you consider how good the Western Conference was. This team was truly scary and could end up having at least four Hall of Famers on its roster. In 2018, ESPN called them the best NBA team in history — but we’ll say one squad could beat them.
Regular Season: 72-10 | Playoffs: 15-3
The beginning of Michael Jordan’s second run of three consecutive championships with the Bulls was when things truly turned unfair for the rest of the league. The franchise picked up Dennis Rodman in the offseason, teaming him with Jordan and Scottie Pippen for maybe the best combination of offense and defense the league has ever seen.
The team’s 41-3 start is still the best ever, and the 1995-96 Bulls still have the best combined regular season and playoff record ever at 87-13. This is the only team ever to win at least 70 games in the regular season and finish as NBA champions. This is also the most recent team to have three players on the NBA All-Defensive first team. That, combined with their +12.2 average point differential per game, and that they were led by the most feared player in basketball history make them the best team to ever take the floor in the NBA.
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