Who is the best team of all-time

[Pointguard]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4Td5QRfzj4

'86 Celtics.

Already stated my opinion why they are #1 numerous times so I don't feel like giving another long explanation.

Now that's sweet balling.

[sdot_thadon]

Man, this is easily the best thread all summer. Thanks guys.

[SHAQisGOAT]

The '87 Lakers were the best team to watch. They clicked on all cylinders. They could morph from great team ball to great individual play at a level that has never been approached. And they had that swarming defense. To the science of the game, they had all the advantages. They had three great post players - all of which were unstoppable in different ways. All three had crazy efficiency. Scott and Magic could hit threes at this time. The whole team could pass.

To me they were the best because they got more easy baskets, which is the name of the game, than any other team. They had the best fast break of any team mentioned in this thread to go along with the most potent post game for easy baskets. Great interior defender, great perimeter defender. They also were one of the best teams at adapting to other styles. Every role was fulfilled on that team. They were four players that could lead the team in scoring, and Magic was playing among the smartest ball in league history.

And Coop... He was their best 3pt shooter at that time, and Mike was absolutely on a roll for the Playoffs, 48.6% on 4 attempts per game in 29.0 MPG, over the course of 18 games.

[3ball]

For the whole 90s, these are The Only Players That Where Better Than Pippen:


Jordan
Hakeem
Shaq
Duncan
Barkley
Malone
Robinson
Ewing
Drexler
Payton
Mourning
Webber
Magic
Isiah
Bird
Penny
Grant Hill

Probably Kevin Johnson too and a few others, but otherwise, agreed.

[Young X]

A great team can be a victim of circumstances. Like playing against an all-time great team, which was the case for the Jazz. And yeah, the Jazz were like the Spurs in that they were very disciplined and never beat themselves. You really had to bring your A game to beat them.

That's what people don't understand. Circumstances are big part of winning. I'm not convinced that that Jazz team wouldn't be viewed in a similar fashion to the Spurs had they gotten to face the '14 Heat instead of the GOAT team.

[97 bulls]

The NBA has always been about matchups. The only team i feel that would be good enough to matchup with the Bulls would be the 83 Sixers. The Celtics never had a true PG and the Bulls full court pressure defense would be the difference. A lesser form of the Bulls beat a lesser form of the Lakers in 91. As well as the Pistons

[ClipperRevival]

That's what people don't understand. Circumstances are big part of winning. I'm not convinced that that Jazz team wouldn't be viewed in a similar fashion to the Spurs had they gotten to face the '14 Heat instead of the GOAT team.

It can be if you have to dethrone an all-time great team to win rings. I do think the late 90's Jazz were some of the better teams to not win a ring. I could definitely see them winning rings against some of the weaker champs in history. I mean they gave the Bulls a good push in two years. If not for MJ's heroics, they might've won one, especially 1998. Without MJ's last minute heroics in game 6, game 7 is played in Utah.

[ClipperRevival]

That's what people don't understand. Circumstances are big part of winning. I'm not convinced that that Jazz team wouldn't be viewed in a similar fashion to the Spurs had they gotten to face the '14 Heat instead of the GOAT team.

Also have to mention that those Jazz dominated the ultra talented Lakers squads in 1996-97 (4-1) and 1997-98 (sweep) in the playoffs. The Lakers clearly had more talent but they weren't ready to win. The Jazz dismantled them.

[Rocketswin2013]

[Round Mound]

Probably Kevin Johnson too and a few others, but otherwise, agreed.

[necya]

imaging playoffs series with the best teams since 1980 would give some interesting series. Hard to guess the outcome for some...
i think the 83 Sixers, 86 Celtics, 87 Lakers, 89 Pistons and 92 Bulls would have the best chances.
But clearly the teams that i would fear the most would be the 86 Celtics and the 83 Sixers. Also the 92 Bulls team of course, that 92 MJ could do the impossible.

[Hey Yo]

Can't really say the 87' Lakers considering they didn't have any competition until the Finals. (which was the norm. for them)

Their 3 opponents before the Finals were a combined 118-128 during that reg. season.

[SHAQisGOAT]

Can't really say the 87' Lakers considering they didn't have any competition until the Finals. (which was the norm. for them)

Their 3 opponents before the Finals were a combined 118-128 during that reg. season.

39-43 Supersonics went buckwild in the Playoffs (mostly Dale Ellis) and beat the 42-40 Rockets and the 55-27 Mavericks... Then the Lakers swept them...
Would it made you feel better if it were the Lakers beating those Mavs?

Even the 42-40 Warriors beat the 44-38 Jazz, 3 games to 2... Then LA stomped them.

Nuggets also had a down year and were better than their record suggested.

Not even saying that they had a hard path or something, especially when you look at their level and when compared to the Celtics on the other conference... but people overblow that whole thing out of proprotion too much.

[97 bulls]

39-43 Supersonics went buckwild in the Playoffs (mostly Dale Ellis) and beat the 42-40 Rockets and the 55-27 Mavericks... Then the Lakers swept them...
Would it made you feel better if it were the Lakers beating those Mavs?

Even the 42-40 Warriors beat the 44-38 Jazz, 3 games to 2... Then LA stomped them.

Nuggets also had a down year and were better than their record suggested.

Not even saying that they had a hard path or something, especially when you look at their level and when compared to the Celtics on the other conference... but people overblow that whole thing out of proprotion too much.

Not that I disagree with you. But to be fair. Other than the 55 win Mavs. All those teams were basically of the same caliber. Some were a couple games above .500 some a couple below.

How did the 55 win Mavs loose?

[SHAQisGOAT]

Not that I disagree with you. But to be fair. Other than the 55 win Mavs. All those teams were basically of the same caliber. Some were a couple games above .500 some a couple below.

How did the 55 win Mavs loose?

Those 55W's Mavs were beaten 3-1 by the 39-43 Sonics though... And LA then swept those Sonics...

They lost, mostly, because their main thing was offense - not defense - AND they couldn't really stop the damage being delivered by the Sonics' "big3", Dale Ellis, Tom Chambers and Xavier McDaniel... Those dudes went all out on that one, especially Ellis who was playing with a chip on his shoulder vs the team that had originally drafted him, then traded him away... Dale put up 29.5/8.0/3.8 on .612 TS%, dude was killing them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO4KBGEPM2E

Aguirre also didn't play to the best of his abilities at that time, can't recall if he was injured or not though. Blackman did his thing on offense though.

It was mostly a battle of great offenses, and Seattle came out on top even with the Mavs being the 2nd best ranked offense in the regular-season posting a 55-27 record.