There are several teams with historically strong rosters. The Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics have all-time greats, while the 2015-2016 Golden State Warriors set all-time records. The 1990s Chicago Bulls and 1960s Boston Celtics had all-time great rosters as well. In this list, we’ll focus on dynasty teams, those that won the NBA title and/or had the best players in the league.
Milwaukee Bucks
If you’re wondering if the Milwaukee Bucks are the best basketball team in the NBA right now, consider these points. The Bucks have the best record and are backed by the reigning MVP. They’re also a team that’s tough to beat, which is all the more reason to root for them to win the title. If you’re not a Bucks fan, you’ll at least be able to see the team in action and cheer them on.
This past season, the Milwaukee Bucks have reclaimed their title as the best basketball team in the NBA. The team has improved its play overall since last season, when they finished with 30 wins. Then, the Bucks went on a 10-game winning streak, which ended with a victory against the Sacramento Kings on February 11. They’re now the first team in NBA history to double their win total before the All-Star Break.
The team’s roster has proven to be resilient over the past season, as their team has been built around a core group of players. Head coach Mike Budenholzer has made a point of keeping his team together. Throughout the season, complementary pieces have stepped up. Holiday and Middleton have proven that they are good enough to complement Giannis. Most NBA players would fall into one of these categories.
The Bucks have also been able to win many championships in recent years. In fact, they’ve won four NBA titles in the last three seasons, and their record remains unbeaten since then. As of May 2017, they won two NBA Coach of the Year awards and a division title. The Bucks’ new general manager, Jon Horst, is one of the best in the league. They’ve been a perennial contender for the last 15 years.
Boston Celtics
If the 2003-04 Boston Celtics were any indication, they are the best basketball team in NBA history. This team had the best regular-season record in NBA history, finishing eight games ahead of the next closest team. The team was led by six future Hall of Famers and the chemistry and talent of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen. It was a rare, but memorable, season. It was a remarkable run for the Celtics, as they lost only one game in the Finals, but still managed to win the championship in the NBA.
After losing “The Big Three” at the start of the 2013-14 season, the Celtics hoped to rebuild around the 26-year-old Reggie Lewis. Lewis was a star at Northeastern University, but had a heart problem during the first playoff round. However, he was cleared to play again after undergoing an examination, and later died of a heart attack at Brandeis University.
The Boston Celtics have made a remarkable comeback this season. They’ve won 35 of their last 41 games after an ugly 19-21 start. Marcus Smart is back on a tear and Jaylen Brown continues to be productive on offense. However, the Boston Celtics have had a rough start and lost Game 1 to the Milwaukee Bucks at home. It’s difficult to say if the team is truly destined for a title, but they’re a good bet.
With the addition of Jayson Tatum and Kevin Garnett, the Boston Celtics have emerged as the best basketball team in the East. While they were not the best team in the East for much of the season, they were still the best team in the Eastern Conference after that. This is despite the fact that they blew a 24-point lead against the Miami Heat in Game Six. With that said, Boston Celtics fans are happy with the team’s progress.
Memphis Grizzlies
After a solid season, the Memphis Grizzlies are looking for a postseason run. They swept the Clippers in four games. In the closeout game, Zach Randolph scored 23 points with five rebounds and four assists, making it a perfect finish to a stellar regular season. The Grizzlies will be up against the top seeded Golden State Warriors in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The Thunder were without injured Russell Westbrook, but Memphis’s defense is as effective as ever.
The Grizzlies’ roster featured three players with at least six seasons in the NBA. They were an 8-seed entering the play-in round last season. They went on to win a playoff game against the Jazz in the same year. The team was also the only team in the NBA to beat the Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns on the road. In addition, the Grizzlies are 7-2 against teams with winning records in the Western Conference.
The Grizzlies’ uniforms are the most visually striking on the NBA. They feature a mix of beale street blue and smoke blue, with gold accents. In the past, the team’s name was written on the home uniform using split letters. This look evokes the uniforms of the Cleveland Cavaliers of the 1990s. Their primary logo, however, is still on the left leg. Despite the team’s youth, the Grizzlies have been playing with a chip on their shoulders all season long.
The Grizzlies changed a lot after West was hired as head coach. After an 0-8 start, the Grizzlies fired Sidney Lowe as head coach. During that time, they also had a great deal of player movement. Players like James Posey and Mike Miller became integral to the team’s success. Hubie Brown took over as head coach in the 2002-03 season.
Charlotte Hornets
The Charlotte Hornets have a lot going for them. Despite their lousy defense, they rank fifth in pace and offense. They shoot 38.8 percent from 3-point range and have averaged seven-to-eight makes per game. They are a fun team to watch, and they will have rough stretches, but they will be among the best in the NBA. This is a young team, though, so they’ll likely go through growing pains and rough patches.
Originally, the team was called the Charlotte Spirit, but a name-the-team contest selected the Charlotte Hornets. Teal was the team’s primary color. The Charlotte Hornets’ uniforms started a trend in 1990s sports fashion. They were designed by Alexander Julian and featured pin stripes. Many other teams began to copy the look. Nevertheless, they’re still the best basketball team in the NBA.
The franchise has produced many great offensive players, including superstar center Lonzo Ball, who may become the franchise’s greatest scorer. Another former Hornet is Al Jefferson, one of the best low-post scorers of his generation. His size allowed him to hit post shots around the basket. Jefferson played three seasons with Charlotte and averaged 17.5 PPG on 49.8% shooting. The Hornets have been a powerhouse in the NBA since the early 1990s, and he is only getting better.
The Charlotte Hornets’ first four seasons were broadcast on over-the-air television stations. They aired on WMYT and WJZY, and then on WJZY until 2008-09. In addition, the team aired a few games on WOLS before 2010.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Mike Prada has put together a list of 64 teams, and while he covers every era in the game, he somehow left out the 2012-13 Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder’s run was topped last night when they defeated the Memphis Grizzlies in a huge game. In that game, three key players defined the decade of basketball. So, if the OKC Thunder is the best team in the league, then they certainly deserve a spot on this list.
The Oklahoma City Thunder has seven players averaging double-digit points. While that’s not enough to dominate a top-ten team, the Thunder’s talent is impressive. Their three core players, including Al Horford, are all above average, and the team can switch everything. Even though they don’t rank among the best defensive teams, their athleticism is a huge strength. With a seven-foot wingspan and a 215-pound frame, the Thunder can switch everything.
The 2010-11 season was a memorable one for the Oklahoma City Thunder. After starting the season with a three-decade drought, the team regrouped and improved significantly. Their record jumped from three-thirty to twenty-thirty over their final fifty games. Moreover, they improved their record against the perennial contenders Seattle SuperSonics. While they’ve struggled to win a championship since moving to Oklahoma City, they still had their moments.
In the 2011-12 season, the Thunder swept the defending champion Dallas Mavericks to make the NBA Finals for the third consecutive year. They lost in five games to the San Antonio Spurs, who gave LeBron James his first NBA championship. Unfortunately, they haven’t returned to the Finals since then. However, their star players have since moved to the Golden State Warriors. They now have James Harden and Kevin Durant as the best players in the league.
