Top 5 greatest NBA teams of all time

Greatness in the NBA (National Basketball Association) isn’t just measured by championships—it’s defined by dominance, chemistry, innovation, and the ability to leave a lasting imprint on the game. Some teams don’t just win; they redefine how basketball is played, setting standards that generations try—and often fail—to match. From unstoppable dynasties to perfectly constructed squads that peaked at the right moment, the league’s history is filled with teams that felt almost unbeatable night after night.

In this list of the top 5 greatest NBA teams of all time, we’re not just looking at rings—we’re diving into legacy, impact, and the sheer aura of teams that turned seasons into statements and players into legends.

Here are the top five greatest NBA teams of all time

1. 1995-96 Chicago Bulls

Michael Jordan, fresh off a stint in minor league baseball, had something to prove — and he proved it in the most dominant fashion imaginable. The 1995-96 Chicago Bulls went 72-10 in the regular season, a record that stood for 20 years and still feels mythical.

Jordan was at his ruthless best, winning the league MVP while averaging 30.4 points per game. Scottie Pippen was the ultimate sidekick, a do-everything forward who could guard anyone on the floor. And then there was Dennis Rodman — the wild card, the rebounding machine, the guy who brought an edge no other team could replicate. Phil Jackson's triangle offense hummed like a perfectly tuned engine, blending individual brilliance with a team-first system.

In the playoffs, they went 15-3, capping the season with a six-game NBA Finals victory over the Seattle SuperSonics. This Bulls team didn't just win — they suffocated opponents. Their combination of elite offense, lockdown defense, and sheer willpower makes them, for many basketball fans, the greatest NBA championship team ever assembled.

2. 2016-17 Golden State Warriors

The 2016-17 Golden State Warriors remain the most controversial — and possibly the most talented — team in NBA history. After blowing a 3-1 lead in the 2016 Finals, the Warriors added Kevin Durant to a core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. The basketball world called it unfair. The Warriors called it unfinished business.

They went 67-15 in the regular season, but the real magic happened in the playoffs. Golden State went 16-1 in the postseason, the best playoff record in NBA history at the time. Durant was virtually unguardable in the Finals against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, averaging 35.2 points per game and earning Finals MVP honors.

They could beat you from three-point range, in transition, in half-court sets, or on the defensive end. Curry and Thompson stretched defenses to breaking point, while Green anchored one of the most switchable defensive units the league had ever seen. The 2016-17 Warriors are, by many advanced metrics, the most dominant playoff team in the history of professional basketball.

3. 1985-86 Boston Celtics

Larry Bird's 1985-86 Boston Celtics are often called the most well-rounded team in basketball history, and it's hard to argue otherwise. They finished the regular season with a 67-15 record and were a stunning 50-1 at home — the kind of home-court dominance that might never be replicated.

Bird won his third consecutive MVP that season, filling the stat sheet in ways that went far beyond scoring. Kevin McHale and Robert Parish formed one of the most fearsome frontcourts the league has ever seen, and the addition of Bill Walton off the bench gave them a level of depth that was almost absurd. Walton, a former MVP himself, provided energy, passing, and rim protection without needing a single minute in the starting lineup.

Under head coach K.C. Jones, this Celtics squad dismantled the Houston Rockets in the NBA Finals, securing the franchise's 16th championship. They played an unselfish, high-IQ brand of basketball that would influence team-building philosophies for generations. If the debate is about which team had the fewest weaknesses, the '86 Celtics probably win that argument.

4. 2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers

On paper, the 2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers' regular-season record of 56-26 doesn't scream all-time greatness. But once the playoffs began, this team flipped a switch that no opponent could turn off. Led by Shaquille O'Neal at his most physically dominant and a young Kobe Bryant ascending into superstardom, the Lakers stormed through the Western Conference, sweeping the Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, and San Antonio Spurs before dispatching Allen Iverson's Philadelphia 76ers in five games in the Finals.

Their postseason record of 15-1 stood as the best in NBA history until the Warriors matched it in 2017. Shaq was a force of nature in the Finals, averaging 33 points, 15.8 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks per game — numbers that look like they belong in a video game. Kobe, meanwhile, proved he was no longer a sidekick; he was a co-pilot steering the ship with clutch shot-making and ferocious defense.

Phil Jackson's masterful coaching united two superstar egos and an ensemble cast into a juggernaut that was simply untouchable when it mattered most. The 2000-01 Lakers might have the strongest argument for the greatest NBA playoff run of all time.

5. 1986-87 Los Angeles Lakers

Magic Johnson. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. James Worthy. The Showtime Lakers had been dazzling fans for years, but the 1986-87 season was when the spectacle reached its absolute crescendo. They rolled to a 65-17 regular-season record, playing the fast, flashy, high-tempo basketball that gave them their legendary nickname.

Magic won the league MVP that year, averaging 23.9 points, 12.2 assists, and 6.3 rebounds per game. He was the engine of an offense that pushed the pace relentlessly, turning every rebound and steal into a highlight reel. Kareem, at 39 years old, was still a dominant presence in the paint, and Worthy provided explosive scoring that made L.A.'s transition game nearly impossible to stop.

In the Finals, they took down their archrivals, Larry Bird's Boston Celtics, in six games — a result that swung the pendulum in one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports. The Showtime Lakers didn't just win basketball games; they put on a performance every single night. Their influence on the modern pace-and-space style of play is still felt across the league today.

Cover Credits - ESPN