With more than 70 years of history, NBA fans have certainly seen several teams enchant the world with their incredible plays and sensational victories. However, how would we determine the seven best teams in the history of this competition?
Despite it being such a difficult task, we asked the help of basketball expert Evelyn Balyton to select these 7 teams. Let’s take a look:
Chicago Bulls 1995-96
After a stint in baseball, Michael Jordan returned to basketball during the 1994-1995 NBA season. The return of the star was not enough to win another title, with the team falling in the semifinals of the East against the Orlando Magic of Shaquille O’Neal.
Already with Jordan from the start, the Bulls ran over opponents in the 1995-1996 season. The campaign with 72 wins and just 10 losses set an NBA record that would be unbeatable for 20 years.
Supported by the decisive power of their number 23, the Bulls went through the playoffs and beat Gary Payton’s Seattle SuperSonics 4-2 to win their fourth NBA title.
Golden State Warriors 2016-17
Jordan’s Chicago Bulls winning record lasted until the 2015-2016 season, when the Golden State Warriors achieved an incredible 73 victories. However, in the final, the team was defeated by the Cleveland Cavaliers of LeBron James, by 4 to 3.
For the following season, the Warriors went to the market and acquired free agent Kevin Durant. The arrival of the number 35 left a very strong team with even more resources.
After winning “only” 67 games in the season, the Golden State Warriors gave no opponents any breaches in the playoffs, won 16 games and lost only one.
In the rematch with the Cavs in the final, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant’s team won 4-1.
Boston Celtics 1985-86
The Celtics team in the 1985-1986 season brought together four future Hall of Fame members on the starting lineup:
- Larry Bird
- Robert Parish
- Kevin McHale
- Dennis Johnson
The Boston Celtics won 67 games in the regular season, before dominating the Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
In the final, the opponent was Hakeem Olajuwon’s Houston Rockets. With 4-2, the Celtics took the title home.
Los Angeles Lakers 1986-87
After losing the Western final to the Rockets and seeing the archrivals Celtics be champions the previous season, the Lakers started 1986-1987 thirsty to get back to the top.
Magic Johnson led the team in scoring with 23.9 PPG and in assists with 12.2 APG. The Lakers also had two great partners for Magic: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy.
Back in the finals, the Los Angeles team beat Boston’s rivals in a historic 4-2 battle.
Milwaukee Bucks 1970-71
One of the best guards in NBA history, Oscar Robertson was approaching the end of his career without being a champion. But that scenario changed in the 1970-1971 season, when he moved to Milwaukee.
Along with Robertson, the Bucks had all the talent of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, in his second season in the NBA. The pivot averaged 31.7 points and 16 rebounds per game.
In the regular season, the Milwaukee Bucks won 66 games. In the playoffs, it was time to beat the Lakers of Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West in the Western Conference finals and sweep the Baltimore Bullets in the NBA finals.
Philadelphia 76ers 1966-67
Led by Wilt Chamberlain, the Philadelphia 76ers won 68 games in the 1966-1967 regular season.
Chamberlain ended the regular season with more than 24 points and 24 average rebounds.
In the playoffs, the Sixers were dominant, going through the Celtics 4-1 in the Eastern Division final. Thus, they ended a reign of 8 titles for the Boston team.
Detroit Pistons 1988-89
One of the most hated teams in NBA history, but also one of the best ever. So we can define the Detroit Pistons for the 1988-1989 season.
Known as the Bad Boys, the Pistons were loathed for their often unfair playing. Dennis Rodman, John Salley and Bill Laimbeer formed one of the strongest defenses in the demijohn, while Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars were great perimeter defenders.
The strength of the opponents overcome in the playoffs shows the strength of that team. In the Eastern Conference duels, the Pistons defeated Larry Bird’s Celtics and Michael Jordan’s Bulls. In the finals, the Magic Johnson Lakers swept away.
Betting on the NBA
Nowadays, the NBA has already become a competition with fans in several countries and, obviously, the largest basketball league in the world. And with that, many fans chose to bet and give basketball betting tips (find the tips here).
Of course, it would be no different with nba online betting Philippines. Many local fans are completely passionate about the NBA and enjoy placing sports bets through the most diverse online bookies available.
And you, have you started your bets? Don’t waste time and start betting on the NBA today.