Highlights

  • Not every NBA championship-winning team is considered one of the greatest of all time, despite reaching the peak of success.
  • Effective tactics, locker-room harmony, and various other elements contribute to the success of championship-winning teams.
  • The article lists GiveMeSport's top ten NBA teams of all time, including the 2015-2016 Cleveland Cavaliers, 1964-65 Boston Celtics, and 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers.

Any team wants to win an NBA Championship because it represents the peak of success. It demonstrates the team's strength and can be held onto for the duration of NBA history. However, not every victor is one of the greatest NBA teams ever.

In the league's 77-year history, 77 clubs have had the privilege of referring to themselves as the world's greatest basketball teams.

There is no denying that every championship-winning team, whether it was the 1965 Boston Celtics, the 1987 Los Angeles Lakers, or the 1997 Chicago Bulls, personified excellence.

Teams who win often have a fantastic team as well as other advantages. These include effective tactics, locker-room harmony, and various other elements. Listed below are GiveMeSport’s ten best NBA teams of all-time.

10 2015-2016 Cleveland Cavaliers

2015-16 Cavaliers

The team developed more strength and assertiveness in 2015–16. With an average of 104.3 points per game, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving have found their groove. The Cleveland Cavaliers enjoyed a thrilling postseason, defeating the Toronto Raptors, Atlanta Hawks, and Detroit Pistons to go to the championship game.

They encountered the tough Warriors once more along with the All-Star trio of Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Stephen Curry. The team had a 1-3 lead but miraculously recovered to win 4-3 in the end.

9 1964-65 Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics finished the regular season with a 62-18 record under the leadership of head coach Red Auerbach, iconic center Bill Russell, shooting guard Sam Jones, and a young John Havlicek. They not only had the greatest record in the league but also the best record in the team's brief history.

The Celtics' dominance in the regular season carried over to the postseason, where they defeated the Los Angeles Lakers and Wilt Chamberlain's Philadelphia 76ers to win the Eastern Division championship and the NBA Championship.

8 1966-1967 Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers won the entire season after a perfect start in 1966–1967. The Eastern Division candidate runs like a well-oiled machine, led by Wilt Chamberlain. Chamberlain, the well-known team captain, averaged 24.1 points and 24.2 rebounds per game to reach the double digits.

Hal Greer and Chet Walker, on the other hand, each score impressively, 19.3 and 22.1 points per game, respectively. The eight-time defending champion Boston Celtics were soundly defeated 4-1 by the Philadelphia 76ers. They won the NBA title in six games against the struggling San Francisco Warriors, lifting their spirits higher than ever.

7 1991-92 Chicago Bulls

Michael Jordan

The 1991–92 regular season was a breeze for coach Phil Jackson's Bulls as they won 67 games, following their first championship the previous year. Even though Scottie Pippen and Michael Jordan scored the majority of the points, both players accepted the triangle offense and made an effort to include their teammates. Each member of the team also understood and accepted his assigned duty.

The 1992 NBA Finals saw the Chicago Bulls repeat as NBA champions after defeating Clyde Drexler's Portland Trail Blazers. The Bulls were incredibly dominant in the playoffs, sweeping the Miami Heat in the first round and playing the New York Knicks in one of the greatest playoff series in NBA history in the second round.

6 2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers

2000-01 Lakers

The Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, and San Antonio Spurs were all defeated by L.A. as it raced over the cross-Western run. In the NBA Finals, Shaquille O'Neal had an average of 33.0 points, 15.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 3.4 blocks.

Kobe Bryant's genuine super stardom can be said to have begun this season. On their journey to the NBA championship, Shaq and Kobe were unquestionably effective as a team. But in the 2000–01 season, they began to make a name for themselves as one of the best games ever played.

5 1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks

Robertson's second chapter began in the 1970–71 NBA season when he joined the inexperienced Milwaukee Bucks team. The star of the Bucks, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, became a dominant force in the NBA during his first campaign. He continued to assert his will on all rivals in the 1970–71 season, averaging 31.7 PPG and 16.0 RPG.

The team had a similarly spectacular playoff run, winning games against the Los Angeles Lakers and the Baltimore Bullets in the NBA Finals before defeating Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West's Lakers in the Western Conference finals. Finally, Robertson was able to claim a championship with the aid of outstanding players.

4 1986-87 Los Angeles Lakers

Pat Riley-1

The Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and James Worthy-led 1986–87 Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most recognizable teams in NBA history. By winning the Western Conference Finals, they began a dominant NBA season.

Seven players on the roster reached double digits in scoring throughout the season. The Boston Celtics, with Larry Bird, were difficult foes for them as they defeated every opponent en route to the NBA Finals. Both teams played in six exciting matches, with L.A. coming out on top. Additionally, that season's Finals MVP was Magic Johnson.

3 1988-89 Detroit Pistons

1988-89 Pistons

Due to their physical style of basketball, the 1988–1989 Detroit Pistons are one of the most despised teams in NBA history. The Pistons were excellent on defense; in fact, they personified defensive vigilance. The low post was well-defended by Bill Laimbeer, John Salley, and Dennis Rodman. Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars, on the other hand, were excellent perimeter defenders.

Thomas was an excellent passer and penetrator. Dumars was a great perimeter and clutch scorer. Laimbeer shot threes quite well, while Mark Aguirre chipped in with a respectable amount of points as well. With 63 victories, the Pistons finished the 1988–1989 regular season. They then defeated the Celtics of Larry Bird and the Bulls of Michael Jordan in the Eastern Conference playoffs before sweeping the Lakers in the championship game.

2 1985-86 Boston Celtics

1986-87 Celtics

The Celtics enjoyed a prosperous regular season. With their wide variety of attacking maneuvers, Kevin McHale and Larry Bird continued to humiliate defenders. The team's backcourt was intensely fueled by Dennis Johnson and Danny Ainge, while Robert Parish was a defensive powerhouse.

After winning 67 games during the regular season, the Celtics dominated the Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls, and Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The NBA championship was then returned to Boston by the Celtics, who had previously defeated Hakeem Olajuwon's Houston Rockets.

1 2016-17 Golden State Warriors

2016-17 Warriors

The most effective NBA team in history is the 2016–17 Warriors squad. With four All-Stars on the same squad in Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, they make up a formidable combination. They may have had excellent regular-season performance, and they still managed to win 67 games.

They began to give it their all after the knockout round. With a 16-1 victory, they tied the Lakers from 2001 for the most remarkable postseason record in league history. In comparison to other teams, this team also has a strong defense.

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