Ranking the franchises from best to worst in history

[da_suns_fan]

Bulls should be three.

When you think of great basketball teams, Bulls, Lakers and Celtics pop into your head way before the San Antonio Spurs.

[JamStone]

Spurfan uses that logic all the time. Going to the finals and losing is worse than not making it all all according to their latest rationalization.

Spurs fans that use that argument are being pretty silly. You always take a trip to the finals over not getting there, even if you lose in the finals.

[IronMexican]

Spurs fans that use that argument are being pretty silly. You always take a trip to the finals over not getting there, even if you lose in the finals.

I'd agree with this, unless it meant losing to the Celtics.

[anakha]

IMHO most of Boston's championships were won in one of the weakest era's in NBA history. The fact that the same two teams made it to the Finals for nearly a decade straight is saying something about the compe ion.

Since the salary cap was introduced in what I would call the modern day NBA as we know it the Lakers have 9 les, which is almost more than double that of any other franchise.

Factual errors, passing off opinion as fact...

Yet another quality post there.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

Good point DOK.

Sorry but Jeff Van Gundy isn't my troll. Idk why you think I'm responsible for all of the trolls on this site.

[DrHouse]

For the record I have no problems with people claiming BOS to be the #1 franchise in the NBA.

It is my opinion that the Lakers have been consistently excellent from Day 1. More so than any other franchise.

[baseline bum]

Extremely credible list. Detroit Pistons at #13 right behind Milwaukee Bucks and Oklahoma City Thunder. Extreeeeemely credible list. John Hollinger does it again.

At least they have each won a le... now Phoenix @ 5, Utah @7, and Indiana @ 9 are ing re ed. Seriously, Detroit should be #5 (or #6 at worst).

[baseline bum]

Our 88 team was the best by far, and Id take Riley over PJ.

No way. I'd take the '85 team with Kareem when he was still a dominant player + McAdoo + Wilkes + Byronn Scott when he first started becoming a really good player over the '88 team with Kareem on his last legs. Even considering Scott's improvement by '88 and the additions of AC Green and Mychal Thompson, I think the 85 Lakers would take the 88 Lakers in 6 or 7 games.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

For the record I have no problems with people claiming BOS to be the #1 franchise in the NBA.

It is my opinion that the Lakers have been consistently excellent from Day 1. More so than any other franchise.

I somewhat agree with the argument that Boston has for the most part sucked in the salary cap draft lottery era and yeah as far as consistency goes LA is the best.

[sonic21]

The Lakers should be #1.

They've missed the playoffs 5 times since 1948.

They've been to the Finals 30 times.

They're on their way to winning #15, 2 behind Boston

[baseline bum]

Since the salary cap was introduced in what I would call the modern day NBA as we know it the Lakers have 9 les, which is almost more than double that of any other franchise.

Wrong.

1) 1985
2) 1987
3) 1988
4) 2000
5) 2001
6) 2002
7?) 2009?

Also, LOL @ 9 being almost double of 6. LA Unified needs to beef up their math instruction bad.

[baseline bum]

I love how according to Laker fan Boston won all those les in the "weakest era." How do we know it's the weakest? Why, because Boston won all those les, of course!

Laker fan likes to make excuses for Russell's les, while ignoring that they had a cakewalk to the Finals every single year in the 80s. If both teams swapped conferences that decade, the scoreboard would likely read Boston 5, LA 3 instead of vice versa.

[JoeTait75]

I've followed the Cavaliers for more than two decades- almost since the salary cap was introduced- and they sure don't seem like the 19th best franchise in that span. Aside from that 3-4 year period with Price, Daugherty, Nance et al, they weren't really even compe ive. Putting them ahead of Golden State and Washington- each of which has a championship and multiple Finals appearances- seems loony.

[JoeTait75]

Did you even watch the 80's? The league was well rounded that decade, unlike the 90's and 00's.

No it wasn't. The East was by far the superior conference. Boston, Philadelphia, Milwaukee and Detroit were all better than any West team other than the Lakers. The fact that L.A. went 23-2 in WC Playoff series in that decade says it all. That's not to take anything away from that Lakers team- they were legit and then some. But the West was the Lake Show Invitational that entire decade, and that's a fact.

[Girasuck]

Hollinger's formula deducts 100 points for relocation.

And while they could argue being relatively high on the list, would common sense allow you to think the Sonics/Thunder franchise would rank higher than the Pistons franchise?

If I'm using common sense then Detroit would be ranked in the top 10. The ranking isn't about common sense. It's about a points formula. Going by the points formula OKC/Seattle should be ranked ahead of Detroit.

[sook]

for a person like ThunderDan to be dissing the rockets all the time I wonder why the cavs are at #19?!?

[benefactor]

The Lakers have been consistently excellent in every decade of the NBA's existence.

The Celtics have not. They went through a nearly two decade long drought before they were even able to get back to the Finals again. And if they don't win it all next season they are poised to repeat that long process again as they have no young superstar talent waiting in the wings.

I think "bipolar" is a better word for this decade.

[bdubya]

I already knew that Hollinger was a tool. But on the bright side, now I know what kind of tool he is.

[DrHouse]

The 80's Laker's teams were simply the best the NBA has ever seen. We will never see that kind of collection of talent in one team ever again.

[sook]

The 80's Laker's teams were simply the best the NBA has ever seen. We will never see that kind of collection of talent in one team ever again.

Most people would say 96' bulls, but I agree with you. That team was simply amazing. I wasn't around to watch it but I catch the games on NBATV and there is a reason Jordan couldn't win in the 80's, that was some the toughest compe ion and compilation of the greatest teams in league history.

[Darthkiller]

If I'm using common sense then Detroit would be ranked in the top 10. The ranking isn't about common sense. It's about a points formula. Going by the points formula OKC/Seattle should be ranked ahead of Detroit.

Johnny is that you?

[sook]

If I'm using common sense then Detroit would be ranked in the top 10. The ranking isn't about common sense. It's about a points formula. Going by the points formula OKC/Seattle should be ranked ahead of Detroit.

The rockets shouldn't even be ahead of detroit, but not that far down either. I think rockets crack top 6 deff.

Lakers
Celtics
Spurs
Bulls
Pistons
Suns
Rockets
Seattle/OKC
Jazz
76ers
Orlando
Portland
Indiana
Miami
Mavericks


Is what it should be.

[DrHouse]

Most people would say 96' bulls, but I agree with you. That team was simply amazing. I wasn't around to watch it but I catch the games on NBATV and there is a reason Jordan couldn't win in the 80's, that was some the toughest compe ion and compilation of the greatest teams in league history.

Jordan's Bulls? Are you ing kidding me?

Nobody in their right mind would pick Jordan's Bulls over the Showtime Lakers.

[sook]

Jordan's Bulls? Are you ing kidding me?

Nobody in their right mind would pick Jordan's Bulls over the Showtime Lakers.

You'd be surprised at some people on here.

[Allanon]

If this ranking was done 20 years ago, the Celtics would be #1. The Celtics were irrelevant for most of the 90's and 2000's.