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When it comes to the greatest dynasties in sports, there are only a few. Dynasties take years to mold, and it’s only after teams consistently bring home the championship that they can be considered one of the best of all time.
In the NBA, there are a select number of teams that come to mind when dynasties are mentioned. Some teams’ legacies go back as early as 1950, while others are just beginning theirs now. Some dynasties are so unbelievably talented, that they deserve to be mentioned as some of the most dominant in NBA history.
The most recent dominant NBA dynasty we’ve seen over the last decade has been the newfound success of the Golden State Warriors. Although they’d won their first championship back in 1947, the Warriors had never really written their name in stone until this point. In 2015, the Warriors would take the NBA Championship by storm, winning it 3 more times from then on in 2017, 2018 and 2022. Most of the dynasty’s success stems from their ability to score from long range, and players like Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant would only solidify their efforts in becoming a dynasty.
Teams like the Celtics, Lakers and Bulls all have multiple decades of being on top of their game, but the 2000-2010 Lakers era was something different entirely. From 2000 to 2002, they’d add themselves to the list of teams to achieve a championship three-peat. With the help of head coach Phil Jackson and star players like Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, the Lakers would have no trouble carving their legacy in the world of basketball, adding two more championships to the tally in 2009 and 2010, making it five in total across a decade.
The San Antonio Spurs’ most dominant era was relatively short-lived but one that will be remembered forever nonetheless. In 1999, the Spurs would achieve their first-ever NBA championship, beating the New York Knicks 4-1 in the NBA Finals. David Robinson, 10-time NBA all-star and 2-time NBA MVP, largely contributed to the early success of this San Antonio legacy. It’d take another 4 years before capturing another championship title, but the years 2003, 2005, 2007 and even 2014 were all under San Antonio’s belt. Much of this dynasty’s success in the later years can be credited to players comprising the ‘Big Three”, which were Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, a force that is considered one of the most dominant in NBA history.
Another great NBA dynasty was the 90s-era Chicago Bulls backed by Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and company. They’d achieve their first NBA championship in 1991 over the well-decorated LA Lakers, before going on to win 5 more championships in 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997 and 1998. Over this decade, the Bulls would achieve two separate three-peats, something only the Celtics had done up until then. Still, how Chicago built an entire legacy with just a small pool of players over a short period showcases just how great the Bulls were, and why they were the subject of the great Netflix documentary The Last Dance.
One of the most blatantly dominant dynasties throughout NBA history was the 1950s to late 1960s Boston Celtics, featuring some incredible players. By 1969, the Celtics had already acquired 11 NBA championships, missing out on just the 1958 and 1967 trophies. Red Auerbach managed the team to nine separate NBA titles before the dynasty even started to show signs of fizzling out. A large part of the team’s success can be attributed to the likes of Bill Russell, and complimentary players such as Bob Cousy, John Havliceck and Sam Jones – all Hall of Famers.
Liam has been a major sports fan and soccer player for over a decade, with a particular focus on major top-level soccer leagues, including the EPL, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and MLS. He has written numerous promotional articles for various top sportsbooks and continues to publish historical and factual sports articles covering the NFL, MLS, NHL, MLB, EPL and more.