Top 10 Best NBA Teams of All Time

The 2015-16 Golden State Warriors secured history with a 73-9 regular-season record, unseating the 1995-96 Bulls' 72-10 mark by one win, while Stephen Curry became the first unanimous MVP with 30.1 PPG and 402 three-pointers—150 more than the runner-up, Klay Thompson. Their pace-and-space offense produced a league-best +10.8 point differential, but a 3-1 Finals collapse against LeBron James's Cleveland Cavaliers remains a tragic asterisk. Draymond Green contributed 14.0 PPG, 9.5 RPG, and 7.4 APG, and the bench ranked first in efficiency. Despite the playoff heartbreak, their regular-season achievement at an .890 clip is incomparable and changed how every team plays basketball.

The 1986-87 Los Angeles Lakers won 65 games and the championship, and their point differential of +9.2 outperforms the average of all top-10 teams (+7.8). Magic Johnson earned MVP with 23.9 PPG and an NBA-leading 12.2 APG, while Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, at age 39, still averaged 17.5 PPG on 56.4% shooting. Pat Riley's squad beat the Boston Celtics 4-2 in the Finals, with Magic's signature hook shot in Game 4 sealing a pivotal win. Byron Scott contributed 17.0 PPG, and the team's fast-break efficiency set a benchmark. The term "Showtime" fully entered the sports lexicon this season, defining an era of excellence.

The 1996-97 Chicago Bulls, often overshadowed by the 72-10 team, actually posted a better playoff point differential (+11.4) than their predecessor (+10.2). They went 69-13—a mark only two other teams in history have exceeded—and won the championship with Michael Jordan averaging 32.3 PPG in the Finals, including the legendary 38-point "Flu Game" with a 103-degree fever. Scottie Pippen added 20.2 PPG and 6.3 APG in the playoffs, Dennis Rodman grabbed 16.1 RPG, and the defense held opponents to 43.6% shooting. This squad outperforms the 1986-87 Lakers in both regular-season win percentage (.841 vs .793) and championship resilience, making it arguably the most clutch team ever.

The 1964-65 Boston Celtics are the definitive dynasty peak, clinching the longest championship streak in North American professional sports history with eight consecutive titles. Anchored by Bill Russell's MVP defense and John Havlicek's sixth-man spark of 13.5 PPG, they posted a suffocating defensive rating that held opponents to the lowest field-goal percentage in the league. Sam Jones led scoring at 25.9 PPG, providing perimeter balance that outpaced #6's Warriors by relying on system over star power. This squad's plus-9.6 average margin of victory outpaces the average championship team by 3.2 points, underscoring Red Auerbach's unmatched scheming.

The 2016-17 Golden State Warriors broke the postseason with a 16-1 record, the best in NBA history, after adding Kevin Durant to a 73-win core. Durant's 35.2 PPG Finals average and Curry's 25.3 combined to generate a 115.6 offensive rating, still a postseason high. Their 4-1 Finals victory over Cleveland featured a plus-13.4 net rating, outperforming #7's Lakers by 2.1 points per 100 possessions. With three All-Stars in their prime, they achieved a historical 8.7 point victory margin — faster than the average superteam and 1.5 points better than the 2012-13 Heat.

The 2001-02 Los Angeles Lakers authored a 15-1 playoff run, the best since the 1983 76ers, sweeping the Finals in the most lopsided championship series of the modern era. Shaquille O'Neal averaged 27.2 PPG and 10.7 RPG, winning his third consecutive Finals MVP alongside Kobe Bryant's 26.6 PPG. Their defensive rating of 102.4 held opponents to 44.7% shooting, 2.8% lower than the average champion. This trio outperformed #8's Heat by claiming a higher playoff net rating (+11.2) and besting Phil Jackson's prior squads in efficiency metrics across all four rounds.

The 2012-13 Miami Heat achieved a 66-16 regular season and a 27-game win streak, the second-longest in history, powered by LeBron James's record .640 true shooting percentage. James averaged 37.0 PPG in the Finals with a Game 7 of 37 points on 63% shooting, the highest clutch scoring output in Finals history. Dwyane Wade's 20.5 PPG and Chris Bosh's spacing elevated the Heat's offensive rating to 112.3, 1.4 points better than the average title team. Their 54.2% effective field goal percentage outperforms #5's Celtics by 2.3%, highlighting unmatched late-game execution.

The 2002-03 San Antonio Spurs, anchored by Tim Duncan's second championship and Finals MVP, posted a 60-22 record and allowed the fewest points per game in the league (84.0). Duncan averaged 24.2 PPG, 17.0 RPG, 5.3 APG, and 3.3 BPG in the Finals against New Jersey, demonstrating two-way dominance that outperforms #5's best big man in rim protection. Tony Parker matured into an elite point guard, and Gregg Popovich's defensive system demanded total buy-in, yielding only eight playoff losses. Duncan's efficiency rating of 26.1 that season surpasses the average MVP candidate, cementing his legacy as the modern big man template.

The 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers won 33 consecutive games, still the longest win streak in NBA history, and finished 69-13—a record only beaten by #1's 72-win season. Wilt Chamberlain averaged 14.8 PPG and 19.2 RPG, Jerry West posted 25.8 PPG and 9.7 APG, and Gail Goodrich added 25.9 PPG. Coach Bill Sharman introduced mandatory morning shootarounds, a league-first practice. Their .841 winning percentage is higher than the typical champion, and they ended Boston's dynasty, transforming Los Angeles into a basketball powerhouse.