Andrew Korenchkin
Member
Yes, so I've noticed that this question has been interesting to me as a big NBA basketball fan. So who ya got? And yes, be sure to give reasons as to why you chose the team to be ranked as such. I've got the following.
5. San Antonio Spurs
Truth to be told, I think the Spurs lack in some respects. For one, they've never really had players that fundamentally changed the game, and they've never had a Michael Jordan or a player of similar note. But man, in terms of sheer success, they are one of the most impressive franchises around. They just have an insane number of wins and championships to their name, and they are definitely one of the most successful teams. Not many teams overall are in the same league. And they do have Tim Duncan, after all.
4. Philadelphia 76ers
This is one of those teams that I put in the top five that doesn't really have to do with their long list of championships, but their prestige. The players they had, and the success they had overall has long impressed me. Having some of the best teams and having legends like Doc J and Moses Malone. While they don't have the wins, they've got the history.
3. Chicago Bulls
Michael Jordan. The end.
Seriously though, this is one of those franchises in which their entire legacy rests on just one era. And that era was so good the Bulls will be a number 3 lock...maybe forever (though they could pass the first two someday!). Sure, they haven't been all that relevant outside of the 90's, even though their fortunes are turning and they are now a good team. But really, when you dominant a league when it was arguably at it's peak, it's one big advantage you have for greatness. But really, it's the fact that they had Michael Jordan (my pick for the greatest player) and Phil Jackson (the best coach in NBA history), the greatest single team in the entire history of the NBA (72-10), the titles and scores, and a supporting cast that includes Scottie Pippin and Dennis Rodman, and it's easy to see why I put them as three. They were just that good.
2. Los Angeles Lakers
Full disclosure. I am a huge Lakers fan and they are my all time favorite sports team...in anything, so I'm pretty biased towards them. But even the biggest Laker hater would put them in the top five, for a good reason. Their collection of players, awards, all time records, titles, and winning seasons makes them one of the best franchises, and not just in Basketball. Coupled with the prestige and the quality of their players, coaches, and titles, it's not just a mere collection of statistics and players. It's easy to see why they are a top three lock.
1. Boston Celtics
Yes, as a Lakers fan, I can't stand The Celtics personally (especially the Celtics team that came into prominence in the late 00's). But I have to give them credit. They are simply one of the greatest franchises in sport, period. Even if I hate them, I have to give them my dues; they are damn good.
For me though, why I gave them the edge over the Lakers (though it's hard) at times is in the 60's. Many of their greatest players did not just merely win, but helped change and shape the game's fundamentals. Of course, there is also Red Auerbach, who in my opinion is the greatest coach in NBA history (and possibly in Basketball). Simply put, I believe he changed the game in numerous ways, breaking down racial barriers while at the same time pioneering the game's fundamentals. I'm still not entirely sure what they have done since I don't have the long term experience with NBA as some other people here, but I just can't miss that notion.
Of course, the 80's were no slouch either, and that decade too was full of prestige and greatness. When I consider their prestige and influence on the game, and their championships, Hall of Famers, and impressive seasons, I think they edge the Lakers. For me, I just have to put them at number one.
Sorry if my descriptions kind of suck, but that's the rational I was able to come up with so far. So yeah, the rest of Gaf?
5. San Antonio Spurs
Truth to be told, I think the Spurs lack in some respects. For one, they've never really had players that fundamentally changed the game, and they've never had a Michael Jordan or a player of similar note. But man, in terms of sheer success, they are one of the most impressive franchises around. They just have an insane number of wins and championships to their name, and they are definitely one of the most successful teams. Not many teams overall are in the same league. And they do have Tim Duncan, after all.
4. Philadelphia 76ers
This is one of those teams that I put in the top five that doesn't really have to do with their long list of championships, but their prestige. The players they had, and the success they had overall has long impressed me. Having some of the best teams and having legends like Doc J and Moses Malone. While they don't have the wins, they've got the history.
3. Chicago Bulls
Michael Jordan. The end.
Seriously though, this is one of those franchises in which their entire legacy rests on just one era. And that era was so good the Bulls will be a number 3 lock...maybe forever (though they could pass the first two someday!). Sure, they haven't been all that relevant outside of the 90's, even though their fortunes are turning and they are now a good team. But really, when you dominant a league when it was arguably at it's peak, it's one big advantage you have for greatness. But really, it's the fact that they had Michael Jordan (my pick for the greatest player) and Phil Jackson (the best coach in NBA history), the greatest single team in the entire history of the NBA (72-10), the titles and scores, and a supporting cast that includes Scottie Pippin and Dennis Rodman, and it's easy to see why I put them as three. They were just that good.
2. Los Angeles Lakers
Full disclosure. I am a huge Lakers fan and they are my all time favorite sports team...in anything, so I'm pretty biased towards them. But even the biggest Laker hater would put them in the top five, for a good reason. Their collection of players, awards, all time records, titles, and winning seasons makes them one of the best franchises, and not just in Basketball. Coupled with the prestige and the quality of their players, coaches, and titles, it's not just a mere collection of statistics and players. It's easy to see why they are a top three lock.
1. Boston Celtics
Yes, as a Lakers fan, I can't stand The Celtics personally (especially the Celtics team that came into prominence in the late 00's). But I have to give them credit. They are simply one of the greatest franchises in sport, period. Even if I hate them, I have to give them my dues; they are damn good.
For me though, why I gave them the edge over the Lakers (though it's hard) at times is in the 60's. Many of their greatest players did not just merely win, but helped change and shape the game's fundamentals. Of course, there is also Red Auerbach, who in my opinion is the greatest coach in NBA history (and possibly in Basketball). Simply put, I believe he changed the game in numerous ways, breaking down racial barriers while at the same time pioneering the game's fundamentals. I'm still not entirely sure what they have done since I don't have the long term experience with NBA as some other people here, but I just can't miss that notion.
Of course, the 80's were no slouch either, and that decade too was full of prestige and greatness. When I consider their prestige and influence on the game, and their championships, Hall of Famers, and impressive seasons, I think they edge the Lakers. For me, I just have to put them at number one.
Sorry if my descriptions kind of suck, but that's the rational I was able to come up with so far. So yeah, the rest of Gaf?
