90's Bulls and 80's Lakers: Best Offenses Ever

[3ball]

The team ORtg of the championship Bulls and 80's Lakers teams are among the very best ever - and since these ORtg's represent championship, winning play, the offenses should be rated as the best of all time.


Team ORtg:

1991 Bulls: 114.6
1992 Bulls: 115.5
1993 Bulls: 112.9

1996 Bulls: 115.2
1997 Bulls: 114.4


1985 Lakers: 114.1
1987 Lakers: 115.6
1988 Lakers: 113.1


It shouldn't be a surprise that these offenses are GOAT... Magic ran his Showtime with the most-loaded supporting cast ever... and Jordan achieved the highest individual production and best clutch play ever within a triple-post, equal opportunity offense that made everyone an off-ball player.

[FKAri]

weak era.

[fpliii]

I don't have the numbera in front of me, but don't Bird's Celtics rate quite well? I saw the numbers elsewhere for their ORtg vs just the West and it compares favorably to the Lakers' ORtg vs just the West (since the East was the significantly stronger conference in the 80s).

[WallIn]

weak era.

These teams wouldn't stand a chance against the Bobcats.

[97 bulls]

And yet some claim the Bulls had no offense.

[The_Pharcyde]

I'm waiting for the first person to say
"Lakers/Bulls and it's not even close"

[LAZERUSS]

Personally, I think the Lakers of the mid-80's would have beaten any Bulls team of the 90's...

but yes, it would have been VERY close.

[97 bulls]

Personally, I think the Lakers of the mid-80's would have beaten any Bulls team of the 90's...

but yes, it would have been VERY close.

This in spite of the Bulls smashing them in 91? You really think that an older Jabaar and Cooper make that big of a difference?

[No_Look604]

2002 Sacramento Kings. Now that's beautiful basketball right there!

[LAZERUSS]

This in spite of the Bulls smashing them in 91? You really think that an older Jabaar and Cooper make that big of a difference?

A mid-80's Kareem could routinely hang 40 on Hakeem. Cooper would have given MJ fits. Magic was in his prime. And a mid-80's Worthy was FAR more dominant than the shell of the Worthy that played in the '91 Finals.

So YES, a HUGE difference.

[fpliii]

Boston's splits with prime Bird:

year - E/W
80 - 111.6/107.8
81 - 108.1/111.1
82 - 108.7/114.3
83 - 106.0/112.1
84 - 110.5/117.2
85 - 111.0/117.6
86 - 112.0/114.7
87 - 112.6/118.3
88 - 114.8/119.0

and what their ORtgs would look like if they played in the West (just flipping #games against each conference; 60/22->22/60 for 80, 58/24->24/58 for 81-88):

80 - 108.8
81 - 110.2
82 - 112.7
83 - 110.3
84 - 115.2
85 - 115.7
86 - 113.9
87 - 116.6
88 - 117.8

[fpliii]

Lakers splits:

80 - 116.7/108.4
81 - 104.1/109.8
82 - 107.7/112.5
83 - 108.9/111.6
84 - 106.2/113.4
85 - 110.5/116.1
86 - 111.5/115.2
87 - 111.7/117.4
88 - 110.1/115.2
89 - 112.7/115.4
90 - 115.9/114.5
91 - 110.2/114.2

Move them to the East (flipping # of games, same as above):

80 - 110.6
81 - 108.3
82 - 111.2
83 - 110.8
84 - 111.5
85 - 114.6
86 - 114.2
87 - 115.9
88 - 113.9
89 - 114.6
90 - 115.0
91 - 113.0

[gts]

This in spite of the Bulls smashing them in 91? You really think that an older Jabaar and Cooper make that big of a difference?

Big difference... that 91 team was a shell of it's former self compared to the 80's teams that were running up wins like crazy

[fpliii]

One more post, give each squad a 50/50 split East/West (41 games each):

year - BOS/LAL
80 - 109.7/112.5
81 - 109.6/107.0
82 - 111.5/110.1
83 - 109.1/110.2
84 - 113.9/109.8
85 - 114.3/113.3
86 - 113.4/113.3 push
87 - 115.5/114.6
88 - 116.9/112.7
89 - done/114.0
90 - done/115.2
91 - done/112.2

[97 bulls]

A mid-80's Kareem could routinely hang 40 on Hakeem.

Thats great. But overall, he was avg 17 ppg. And the Bulls didnt have a Hakeem type center.

Cooper would have given MJ fits.

Jordan avg 31 ppg vs the Lakers with Michael Cooper. And second threepeat Jordan opperated in the post more. And weighed roughly 220 to Coopers 175lbs. Coop would be giving up 50 lbs to Jordan.

Magic was in his prime.

Magic was in his prime in 91. He was the reigning MVP, and finished second behind Jordan in 91.

And a mid-80's Worthy was FAR more dominant than the shell of the Worthy that played in the '91 Finals.

Worthy turned in his best scoring season in 91. He was 29, and yet you say he was a "shell"????. And granted he sprained his ankle a few weeks prior, but come on. Jordan played with a jammed toe and had a hard time planting his foot.

And lets not forget that that 91 Bulls team was hardly their best version as well. It would be close, but id give it to the Bulls.