Top 10 Best NBA Super Teams of All Time
#10: Detroit Pistons (1989-90)
During an era dominated by the Lakers and Bulls, The Detroit Pistons managed to assemble one of the most fearsome defensive teams ever assembled in the NBA. Chuck Daly coached a team headlined by Point Guard Isiah Thomas, Center Bill Laimbeer, and Small Forward Dennis Rodman. Their rough and sometimes unpredictable style of play earned them the nickname “Motor City Bad Boys.” This team essentially ended the Showtime era by beating the Lakers in the 1989 NBA Finals. They would win again in 1990 and in the 2004 with the antithesis of a super team.
#9: Boston Celtics (1980s)
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When an awkward lanky kid out of Indiana State named Larry Bird was selected in the 1978 NBA Draft, a dynasty and super team was born. In 1979, the Celtics added defensive stopper, Michael Leon Carr. The next year they added Center Robert Parish and Power Forward Kevin McHale. The team would go on to first beat and then lose to the Magic Johnson-led Lakers in the NBA Finals. After their loss, they added Bill Walton via trade with the Clippers. During the Bird era, the Celtics were one of the most dominant teams in basketball history.
#8: Cleveland Cavaliers (2016)
In a surprise move, LeBron James would leave the Miami Heat, and fellow stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, to return home in pursuit of a third championship. Although he had predicted many championships in Miami, the King left with only two. Seeing that Wade was aging and the Cavaliers had Kyrie Irving and other assets, James decided it was once again time to form a super team. He set aside his difference with Cleveland’s owner and joined them along with Forward Kevin Love. They would go on to win one of two against the Warriors.
#7: Boston Celtics (2007-12)
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After Larry Bird retired, the Celtics went through several years of rebuilding. Then in the 1998 draft they got a steal in Small Forward Paul Pierce. During the 2001-2002 season, the team surprised many and made to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they lost the right to be stomped by the Kobe and Shaq Lakers to the Nets. The team would then go on to add coach Doc Rivers and Rajon Rondo along with several other pieces which they would use to later acquire Kevin Garnett. Now with a super team of their own, they would beat the Lakers in 2008.
#6: Los Angeles Lakers (1980s)
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After a decade of winning only one championship with a super team that consisted of Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, and Elgin Baylor, the Los Angeles Lakers went into a rebuilding mode. The signed all-time great center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1975 and then went on to pick Jamaal Wilkes and later Magic Johnson. This group of some of the most dominant and exciting basket players in history would win five NBA Championships together. They would also renew their rivalry with the Larry Bird Celtics, which helped elevate the NBA into the success it is today.
#5: Miami Heat (2010-14)
After failing to win a championship with his hometown team, LeBron James decided he needed to move on and form his own super team. He joined GM Pat Riley, former Showtime coach, in Miami along with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, two players from the same draft class as LeBron. Although the team was dominant, they disappointed by only managing to win 2 NBA Championships. This was especially embarrassing since James had promised to win over seven rings, albeit jokingly...
#4: San Antonio Spurs (1999-2014)
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This was a team of superstars even though their demeanor might not have seemed like it. When San Antonio drafted Tim Duncan in 1997, they started their path towards becoming one of the greatest super teams ever. Led by future Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich, the team had all-time great players like Duncan, Manu Ginóbili, Tony Parker, and even David Robinson for a while. During this era if the Lakers weren’t winning championships, it was the Spurs. Their team-oriented brand of basketball was some of the best ever played.
#3: Golden State Warriors (2014-18)
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Like other teams in California, the Golden State Warriors lived under a Purple and Gold shadow. However, they slowly acquired great talent through the draft. In 2009 they picked point Guard Stephen Curry and then picked shooting guard Klay Thompson in 2011. Together they would form the splash brothers, two of the best three-point shooters ever. Along with other great players like Draymond Green, the Warriors would break the Bulls’ record for most wins in a season. To top it off, they would then add superstar Kevin Durant.
#2: Los Angeles Lakers (1996-2004)
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Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant were so great together that the two of them, along with some spectacular role-players, formed probably the most dominant super-team ever assembled. Coached by Phil Jackson, the team went on one of the most crushing three-peats ever. The Mamba was the best one-on-one player, and he was allowed to flourish with Shaq wearing down teams and dominating the post. However, these two superstars just couldn’t get along, and Shaq would go on to be traded to Miami.
#1: Chicago Bulls (1996)
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Though they didn’t have as many greats on one team as some of the others on this list, the Chicago Bulls did have one pretty good player by the name of Michael Jordan. The best basketball player to ever live led the Bulls to two three-peats, totaling 6 NBA Championships. In 1996, they were stacked, with players like Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, and Steve Kerr. They were coached by Phil Jackson and won a record 72 wins. For their dominance, they earn this list’s top spot.
