Greatest Single-Season Teams in NBA History

1995-96 Chicago Bulls

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

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1996-97 Chicago Bulls

The 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

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2015-16 Golden State Warriors

Steph 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

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2016-17 Golden State Warriors

After 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

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1986-87 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

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1985-86 Boston Celtics

Widely 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

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1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers

Wilt 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

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2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers

Shaq 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

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1999-2000 Los Angeles Lakers

The 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

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1991-92 Chicago Bulls

Jordan'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

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2012-13 Miami Heat

LeBron 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

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2016-17 San Antonio Spurs

Though 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

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2007-08 Boston Celtics

The 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

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1988-89 Detroit Pistons

The '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

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1982-83 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

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1966-67 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

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2017-18 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

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1969-70 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

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2022-23 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

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