Greatest Single-Season Teams in NBA History
Which single-season squad was the most dominant in NBA history? Vote and rank these legendary teams by their combined force of record, roster, and postseason destruction.
What counts: Best means a mix of regular-season record, point differential, playoff dominance, and historical legacy. Win totals, ratings, and point differentials are approximate and drawn from widely cited historical sources.
Michael Jordan's revenge tour after baseball and retirement produced a then-record 72 wins, capped by a Finals win over Seattle. The Bulls combined Jordan's scoring, Pippen's versatility, and Rodman's rebounding into the sport's gold standard of dominance. Still the most-cited an
Season: 1995-96Regular Season Record: 72-10Playoff Result: NBA ChampionsNet Rating: 13.4 ptsLegacy Rating: 10/10
added by IJRin 3 rankings1995–96 Chicago Bulls season
0The follow-up act to 72-10, this Bulls squad won 69 games and another title, proving the prior year wasn't a fluke. Less discussed but arguably just as ruthless, this team beat Utah in the Finals behind vintage Jordan.
Season: 1996-97Regular Season Record: 69-13Playoff Result: NBA ChampionsNet Rating: 10.7 ptsLegacy Rating: 8.5/10
added by IJRin 2 rankings1996–97 Chicago Bulls season
0Steph Curry's unanimous MVP season pushed the Warriors to a record 73 wins, shattering the Bulls' mark behind unprecedented three-point shooting. The story turned tragic when they blew a 3-1 Finals lead to Cleveland, leaving the 'greatest ever' debate eternally asterisked.
Season: 2015-16Regular Season Record: 73-9Playoff Result: Lost NBA FinalsNet Rating: 10.8 ptsLegacy Rating: 9/10
added by IJRin 2 rankings2015–16 Golden State Warriors season
0After the historic Finals collapse, Golden State added Kevin Durant and became nearly unbeatable, going a combined 16-1 in the playoffs. This team is often cited as the most talented ever assembled, four All-Stars deep with almost no weaknesses.
Season: 2016-17Regular Season Record: 67-15Playoff Result: NBA ChampionsNet Rating: 11.4 ptsLegacy Rating: 9.3/10
added by IJRin 2 rankings2016–17 Golden State Warriors season
01986-87 Los Angeles Lakers
Magic Johnson won his first MVP as the Showtime Lakers ran teams off the floor en route to 65 wins and a title over Boston. This roster, with Kareem, Worthy, and Magic, represented the peak of fast-break basketball artistry.
Season: 1986-87Regular Season Record: 65-17Playoff Result: NBA ChampionsNet Rating: 8.5 ptsLegacy Rating: 8.7/10
added by IJRin 2 rankings
0Widely regarded as the best Celtics team ever, this Bird-McHale-Parish frontline went 40-1 at home and rolled through the playoffs. Many old-school analysts still call this the most complete team ever built, with no discernible weakness on either end.
Season: 1985-86Regular Season Record: 67-15Playoff Result: NBA ChampionsNet Rating: 9.5 ptsLegacy Rating: 9.2/10
added by IJRin 2 rankings1985–86 Boston Celtics season
0Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, and Gail Goodrich powered a 33-game winning streak that remains unmatched in American pro sports, finishing 69-13 with a championship. This season set the historical bar for regular-season dominance before Jordan or Curry existed.
Season: 1971-72Regular Season Record: 69-13Playoff Result: NBA ChampionsNet Rating: 9.1 ptsLegacy Rating: 8.6/10
added by IJRin 2 rankings1971–72 Los Angeles Lakers season
0Shaq and Kobe's Lakers stumbled some in the regular season but turned into an unstoppable force in the playoffs, going a jaw-dropping 15-1, losing only Game 1 of the Finals. Many call this the most dominant postseason run ever, not the best regular-season team.
Season: 2000-01Regular Season Record: 56-26Playoff Result: NBA ChampionsNet Rating: 7.4 ptsLegacy Rating: 8.4/10
added by IJRin 2 rankings2000–01 Los Angeles Lakers season
0The first title of the Shaq-Kobe dynasty, forged under new coach Phil Jackson, launched a three-peat and cemented Shaq's peak dominance as Finals MVP. This team beat Indiana in six to begin a new millennium of Lakers hegemony.
Season: 1999-2000Regular Season Record: 67-15Playoff Result: NBA ChampionsNet Rating: 8.2 ptsLegacy Rating: 8.1/10
added by IJR1999–2000 Los Angeles Lakers season
0Jordan's second title team pushed to 67 wins and dispatched Portland in the Finals, with Jordan's iconic shrug game becoming a defining image. This squad proved the Bulls' first title wasn't a one-off, establishing the dynasty's foundation.
Season: 1991-92Regular Season Record: 67-15Playoff Result: NBA ChampionsNet Rating: 9.6 ptsLegacy Rating: 8.3/10
added by IJR1991–92 Chicago Bulls season
0LeBron James's second Heat title team ran off a 27-game winning streak, the third-longest in league history, en route to a rematch conquest over San Antonio. This roster showcased LeBron at his statistical and athletic peak, controlling games on both ends.
Season: 2012-13Regular Season Record: 66-16Playoff Result: NBA ChampionsNet Rating: 7.9 ptsLegacy Rating: 8/10
added by IJRin 2 rankings2012–13 Miami Heat season
0Though they didn't win the title, this Spurs team is remembered for the infamous Game 1 blowout over Golden State before Kawhi Leonard's ankle injury changed history. Their efficient, egoless system under Popovich still ranks among the best regular-season units ever assembled.
Season: 2016-17Regular Season Record: 61-21Playoff Result: Lost Conference FinalsNet Rating: 8.5 ptsLegacy Rating: 6.8/10
added by IJR2016–17 San Antonio Spurs season
0The formation of the Big Three—Garnett, Pierce, and Allen—instantly transformed Boston into a 66-win juggernaut and delivered a title in six games over the Lakers. This season is often credited with launching the modern 'superteam' era of player-driven roster building.
Season: 2007-08Regular Season Record: 66-16Playoff Result: NBA ChampionsNet Rating: 9.3 ptsLegacy Rating: 8.2/10
added by IJRin 2 rankings2007–08 Boston Celtics season
0The 'Bad Boys' swept the Lakers in the Finals, capping a physically punishing, defensively suffocating season that redefined what a champion could look like. Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars led a squad built on toughness over flash.
Season: 1988-89Regular Season Record: 63-19Playoff Result: NBA ChampionsNet Rating: 6.9 ptsLegacy Rating: 7.3/10
added by IJR1988–89 Detroit Pistons season
01982-83 Philadelphia 76ers
Moses Malone's famous 'fo, fo, fo' prediction nearly came true as the Sixers swept through the playoffs with a 12-1 record, sweeping the Lakers in the Finals. Julius Erving finally got his ring atop a roster that dominated with size and force.
Season: 1982-83Regular Season Record: 65-17Playoff Result: NBA ChampionsNet Rating: 7.8 ptsLegacy Rating: 7.5/10
added by IJRin 2 rankings
01966-67 Philadelphia 76ers
Wilt Chamberlain teamed with Hal Greer and Chet Walker to snap the Celtics' dynasty, posting a then-record 68 wins and a title. This team is often called the best pre-merger squad ever assembled, ending Boston's stranglehold on the league.
Season: 1966-67Regular Season Record: 68-13Playoff Result: NBA ChampionsNet Rating: 8 ptsLegacy Rating: 7/10
added by IJRin 2 rankings
02017-18 Houston Rockets
James Harden's MVP season and Chris Paul's arrival produced a franchise-record 65 wins and the league's best regular-season mark, nearly toppling the Warriors dynasty in a legendary conference finals. A hamstring injury to Paul in Game 5 remains one of the sport's great what-ifs.
Season: 2017-18Regular Season Record: 65-17Playoff Result: Lost Conference FinalsNet Rating: 8.1 ptsLegacy Rating: 6.5/10
added by IJR
01969-70 New York Knicks
Willis Reed's iconic Game 7 return on a torn thigh muscle inspired the Knicks to their first championship, a story that remains one of the most romanticized moments in NBA lore. This team's team-first identity made it a fan favorite for generations.
Season: 1969-70Regular Season Record: 60-22Playoff Result: NBA ChampionsNet Rating: 5.9 ptsLegacy Rating: 7.1/10
added by IJRin 2 rankings
02022-23 Denver Nuggets
Nikola Jokic's back-to-back MVP-caliber play elevated Denver to its first-ever championship, going a dominant 16-4 through the playoffs and finishing off Miami in five. This team's international core signaled a new era of globally-built champions.
Season: 2022-23Regular Season Record: 53-29Playoff Result: NBA ChampionsNet Rating: 6 ptsLegacy Rating: 7.4/10
added by IJR
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