I don't have insider access to the top 50 teams, but the top 20 gallery is open content.
http://espn.go.com/nba/photos/galler...nba-teams-ever
20: 93 Bulls
19: 89 Pistons
18: 65 Celtics
17: 60 Celtics
16: 01 Lakers
15: 15 Warriors
14: 14 Spurs
13: 83 6ers
12: 72 Lakers
11: 97 Bulls
10: 92 Bulls
9: 64 Celtics
8: 61 Celtics
7: 85 Lakers
6: 91 Bulls
5: 71 Bucks
4: 67 6ers
3: 87 Lakers
2: 86 Celtics
1: 96 Bulls
I don't know how anyone can rank the 15 Warriors above the 01 Lakers. I don't know how anyone can rank those 60s Celtics that high, either.
Once again, the 96 Bulls got overrated, 92 Bulls got dissed, 05 Spurs and 04 Pistons got dissed as well, same with 83 6ers (sidenote, people just love to underrate anything Moses related). 85 Lakers got overrated as well.
85 Lakers were beasts ... one of the first teams I ever followed close. I'll take them vs. anyone tbh. Not saying they are better but they arent overrated. Only 86 Celts, 92 Bulls, 2001 Lakers and 83 Sixers and BadBoys are in the convo with that team.
Not to me. Kareem was declining fast by 85, Magic really hasn't developed into the dominant force he became in the late 80s, and Worthy and Scott were still young. Cooper was great though, but hey, he was a role player.
I don't see 14&15 being very deserving of a top 20 mention.
The 14 Spurs would wreck any team in NBA history.
15' warriors are probably the tiest NBA champion of all time tbh. Plus, the 11' Mavs could've beaten any team since the 1990s barring the Bulls led by Jordan imho.
No disrespect to this year's Warriors, but they would not have been able to handle the 2001 Lake Show, who are laughably underrated at #16. I've watched NBA basketball for nearly three decades and the 2001 Lake Show is one of the five best teams I've ever seen, easy. Once Shaq and Kobe stopped feuding and got down to business that team was virtually unbeatable.
This agree 100%. also fisher regaining health was huge as well. I know he gets hated on here. But adding his leadership and clutch 3's to Big shot BOb Foxy's defense and the dominance of SHaqobe ...that team was a true pleasure to watch especially come playoffs.
Except the 15 Clippers who lost to the 15 Rockets who lost to the 15 Warriors.
The 01 Lakers lost ONE game in the playoffs. This included a curb-stomping of the 01 Spurs who had the best record in the league.
The only 60s team that belongs there is the 67 Sixers, and ranking the 72, 85, and 87 Lakers over the 01 Lakers is ridiculous. I'd take the 86 Celtics over the 96 Bulls in a second too.
That's O&47 talking.
you do realize he (kareem) was the MVP of the Finals? in Game 2 the Lakers ran all over the parquet, building a 21–6 lead they never lost and coming away with a series-tying 109–102 victory. They were fueled by Abdul‑Jabbar’s 30 points, 17 rebounds, eight assists and three blocks. at age 38 in the boston Garden. When Tim put up similar numbers in last year's playoff run some of you argued he was the best since MJ. In game 3, he had 26 points and 14 boards. Worthy had 29 in Game 3 I would rather have that from our center and the speed of the young guys ... it was like the Bulls first le team.
Yeah, amazing how people forget just how good Fox was defensively that year. Crazy how quick his game fell off a cliff by 02 though, he was a shadow of himself just a year later. ing Fisher shooting 75% from the three point line in the WCF. And to think Aldridge reported he was getting ready to sign with the Spurs two summers before for the MLE. That Lakers team didn't look like they were going to be most of the season, but once Fisher returned those final 10 games or so they were unbeatable. I remember laughing at all my Laker fan friends who said Fisher being out was why they were so average at the time in those first 70 games of the season.
Thats defensiveness talking.
If they were sooo good, why did they lose in the first round with the exact same roster the next year? Who was hurt? Who retired?
That's O&47 talking.
So are you pissed Nash's flop probably cost you the 07 le?
Also that 85 team was similar to the 2014 Spurs if you read this article. The tragedy of 1984 drove that 1985 team.
I don't know why the 87 team is consistently ranked above the 85 team. I'll take prime Lew and still effective McAdoo over an improved Byron Scott and young AC Green with old man Lew any day.
He wasn't prime but you would get flashes of his greatness. Worthy and Scott were better players in 1987 but I would rather have Kareem closer to his prime and Green, Scott, Worthy and even Magic on young legs. Oh and McAdoo was still a effective scorer and Coop was near his defensive peak. Coop was the master at the chase down block long before LeBron. Coop used to e dat like a volleyball ...
played close enough to prime in 1985. Watching the tapes I can't tell a lot of difference between 85 Lew and 81 Lew other than his hair falling out.
Dat hook was till money reason I edged Duncan over Kobe last year was because timmy reminded me of 85 Kareem. I couldnt argue anymore Duncan was better and my #2 big man. even as a "PF".
You can't cherry pick one game. In 85, Kareem can still score, but he couldn't rebound and defend like he used to. He averaged 26 ppg during the Finals, but "only" 22 and 8 in the entire playoffs and the regular season.
We are rating the team as a whole, not just through one game, or one even just the finals series.
I would take the 87, 80, or even the 88 Lakers over the 85 Lakers.
Do a little research will you?
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