But naturally our curiosity will wonder how would a potential Warriors dynasty stack up amongst other great dynasties in the NBA’s history? What better way to figure that out than by compiling a list!
Now rather than go strictly off of subjectivity and opinion, we decided to utilize a formula to better determine where each dynasty should rank. To be considered a dynasty, a team would have had to won at least two championships with a core group of players. We utilized a 10 point scale, with 10 being the highest score, in the following categories:
- Number of championships won
- Number of Hall of Famers
- Level of competition faced
- Consecutive championships won
- Best players all-time rankings
Without further ado, we give you the 10 best dynasties in NBA history.
10) The Early 70’s New York Knicks
- Number of championships won: 5
- Number of Hall of Famers: 10
- Level of competition faced: 4
- Consecutive championships won: 0
- Best players all-time rankings: 5
- Total Score: 24
Take a team loaded with Hall of Famers (six in total), one of the best backcourts in NBA history (Walt “Clyde” Frazier and Earl “The Pearl” Monroe), three Finals appearances within a four year span, along with two championships, and you have the New York Knicks of the early 70’s. Twice beating an LA Lakers team that featured Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West in the Finals solidifies this group of Knicks as one of the best teams ever.
9) The Big 3 Miami Heat
- Number of championships won: 5
- Number of Hall of Famers: 5
- Level of competition faced: 5
- Consecutive championships won: 5
- Best players all-time rankings: 7
- Total Score: 27
The Heat may have fell short of LeBron’s “Not 4, not 5, not 6, not 7” proclamation, but nonetheless they were an all-time great team. Two top 5 all-time players at their respective positions (LeBron and D Wade), a multiyear all-star in Chris Bosh, solid reserve players including one of the deadliest three point marksmen ever (Ray Allen), and the Heat stampeded to four straight Finals appearances winning back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013. When looking at the Hall of Fame caliber players the Heat had to beat during their run (Pierce, Garnett, Durant, Westbrook, Harden, Duncan, Parker, Ginobili), their resume looks even more impressive.
8) The George Mikan Minneapolis Lakers
- Number of championships won: 9
- Number of Hall of Famers: 10
- Level of competition faced: 1
- Consecutive championships won: 10
- Best players all-time rankings: 1
- Total Score: 31
Prior to the Lakers moving to Los Angeles, they harvested the first ever dynasty in the NBA as the Minneapolis Lakers. Four championships in five seasons (not including one championship a year before the NBA was formed), the first three-peat in the league’s history, and the first superstar of the league in Hall of Famer George Mikan. In fact, Mikan played along four other Hall of Famers. These Lakers may not have played against the same caliber of competition as the other teams on this list, but they dominated their era and earned a place amongst the elites.
7) The Bad Boy Pistons
- Number of championships won: 5
- Number of Hall of Famers: 7
- Level of competition faced: 10
- Consecutive championships won: 5
- Best players all-time rankings: 5
- Total Score: 32
One of the most underappreciated dynasties; the Pistons don’t get the amount of credit that they deserve. With a top 5 all-time Point Guard (Isiah Thomas), one of the best defensive players ever (Dennis Rodman), Hall of Fame caliber role players, and playing in the toughest era in the league’s history; the Bad Boys were the culprits who ended two dynasties and prevented a third dynasty from starting sooner. With their aggressive and rough style of play, they became one of the most hated NBA teams ever. That didn’t stop them from appearing in three straight NBA Finals and winning back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990.
6) The Duncan/Popovich San Antonio Spurs
- Number of championships won: 10
- Number of Hall of Famers: 10
- Level of competition faced: 8
- Consecutive championships won: 0
- Best players all-time rankings: 5
- Total Score: 33
If you need an example of consistency, look no further than the San Antonio Spurs. Without question they are the best run professional sports team in the country for the past 20 years. And a lot of that has to be attributed to Tim Duncan and Gregg Popovich. Under their watch the Spurs have been to six NBA Finals, winning five of them. Duncan is viewed by many as the best Power Forward ever, and he was accompanied by three Hall of Famers (“The Admiral” David Robinson, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili), and a potential fourth Hall of Famer (Kawhi Leonard). Only lacking winning titles in consecutive seasons, the Spurs are currently still in position to add on to their legacy.
5) The Shaq and Kobe Los Angeles Lakers
- Number of championships won: 8
- Number of Hall of Famers: 5
- Level of competition faced: 5
- Consecutive championships won: 10
- Best players all-time rankings: 7
- Total Score: 35
What’s sad about this Laker’s dynasty is that they could have been much higher on this list if they had stuck together. The Diesel and The Black Mamba ran through the NBA in the early 2000’s with ease, appearing in four Finals within five years, and winning three championships in a row. Both of them are without question top 10 all-time players, but egos and bickering eventually broke up the team and any hopes of them adding more rings together. Both players managed to find championship success without each other after the split, but we’re all left wondering what could have been.
4) The 1980’s Celtics
- Number of championships won: 8
- Number of Hall of Famers: 10
- Level of competition faced: 10
- Consecutive championships won: 0
- Best players all-time rankings: 8
- Total Score: 36
It makes perfect sense for these Boston Celtics to be this high on the list; they had the greatest frontcourt in NBA history. Bird, McHale, and Parish lead a loaded Celtics squad to five NBA Finals appearances in the rough and tough 80’s; winning three championships in the process. Their spectacular play helped rescue the NBA from obscurity and reignite one the greatest rivalries in all of sports. They failed to win back-to-back championships, but in an ultra-competitive era it was difficult for any team to accomplish such a feat.
3) The Bill Russell Celtics
- Number of championships won: 10
- Number of Hall of Famers: 10
- Level of competition faced: 4
- Consecutive championships won: 10
- Best players all-time rankings: 4
- Total Score: 38
It is highly unlikely that we’ll ever see the run that Bill Russell and his Celtic teams had in the late 50’s till the late 60’s. In a 13 year span the Celtics won 11 championships, with an unprecedented eight straight at one point! Stacked with Hall of Famers, the Celtics just simply dominated and wouldn’t let up till Russell hung up his kicks for good.
2) The 90’s Chicago Bulls
- Number of championships won: 10
- Number of Hall of Famers: 5
- Level of competition faced: 7
- Consecutive championships won: 10
- Best players all-time rankings: 7
- Total Score: 39
Let’s just cut to the chase, this team had Michael Jordan. Nuff said. The unquestioned G.O.A.T. of the NBA, Jordan led the Bulls on two separate three-peats in the 1990s. With Scottie Pippen as his right hand man, the Bulls prevented an impressive list of Hall of Famers from ever capturing championship glory. Jordan cemented himself as a global icon, and many view the 1995-1996 Bulls as the greatest team ever. That may be true, but the greatest dynasty ever goes to…….
1) The Showtime Lakers
- Number of championships won: 10
- Number of Hall of Famers: 10
- Level of competition faced: 10
- Consecutive championships won: 5
- Best players all-time rankings: 10
- Total Score: 45
You put together a team that has the best Point Guard and Center ever (Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), six Hall of Famers, eight NBA Finals appearances in 10 years, beat two dynasties on this very list in the Finals, play in the most competitive championship era of the NBA’s history, and walk away with five championships that includes back-to-back titles; it is very easy to justify why the Showtime Lakers are the best dynasty ever in the NBA. And they very well may be the most important team ever as they, along with the 1980’s Boston Celtics, helped the popularity of the NBA sky rocket.
