NBA's Best Teams Ever

SI Staff | Oct 28, 2008

NBA's Best Teams Ever /

NBA's Best Teams Ever

1995-96 Bulls

Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen helped the Bulls become the only team in NBA history to win over 70 regular season games, finishing 72-10 after winning 41 of their first 44 games.

1982-83 76ers

Moses Malone joined Philadelphia as a free agent to help Julius Erving and the 76ers to 65 wins and a 12-1 record in the playoffs, giving the franchise its first title in 16 years.

1986-87 Lakers

Magic Johnson averaged a career-high 23.9 points and led the league with 12.2 assists as the "Showtime" Lakers won 65 games and reclaimed the NBA title from the Celtics.

1985-86 Celtics

One year after losing to the Lakers in the NBA Finals, the Celtics lost just one game at home all season and piled up 67 regular season wins on their way to the NBA title.

1971-72 Lakers

The Lakers set NBA records with 33 consecutive wins and 16 consecutive victories on the road in winning 69 games, the second highest total of all time.

1966-67 76ers

Wilt Chamberlain helped set what was then an NBA record with 68 regular season wins as the 76ers broke Boston's string of eight consecutive championships.

1964-65 Celtics

Boston rode John Havlicek's famous steal to get to the NBA Finals and then beat the Lakers 4-1 for the title. Havlicek and Bill Russell led Boston to a 62-18 regular season record.

1996-97 Bulls

Though they couldn't match their record-setting 72 wins of a year earlier, the Bulls still won 69 en route to their second of three straight championships.<br><br>Send comments to siwriters@simail.com

Published Oct 28, 2008

SI STAFF