Best NBA team in the last 20 years

[The Rock]

The Rock agrees wholeheartedly with Kaboom1 on this one. Add to that the fact that in 1996, Jordan was really hungry to prove himself to be the greatest of all time, and you have a winner. He had to answer the question of "Can he still be the best even after he retired for one and a half years?" When Rodman was added, they finally had a replacement for Ho Grant and the United Center finally became Mike's House. Desire is a fantastic motivator in basketball and the desire to play their best against Jordan could have motivated the 87 Lakers, the 86 Celtics or the 83 Sixers to give Big Mike a run for his money. However in the end, Michael's will would win out. He would just impose his will on the entire stadium that you knew he wasn't going to allow his team to lose. If you smell what The Rock is cookin!

[jack]

Among the NBA CHampions in the past 20 years, which do you think is the best. CAn the 1998 Bulls beat the 89 Pistons? Can the 99 Spurs beat the 95 Rockets? How abt the 87 Lakers, the 85 Celtics, or the Sixers in the early eighties.

[Kaboom!]

The Bulls 72-10 team can challenge any other team. I think in a 7 game series, it's hard to imagine anyone beating Michael Jordan 4 times. That's why the Bulls have never lost a finals series cuz Jordan just refuses to let his team lose in a big game.

Peace.

[nix]

I haven't been a basketball addict until the late 80s, so given all the championship clubs that I've watched, I think that the Record Setting Bulls is the mightest club in recent memory. With a line-up that included three all-stars, and a number of very good role players, the Bulls had the scoring balance to keep an opposing defense, more than just honest.

What sets the Bulls apart from the Celtics-Lakers teams of the 90s I think is not just Michael Jordan. Nearly as much can be credited to Phil Jackson for his coaching savvy. I'm not talking about the triangle offense, it's the defense I'm hyping up. If the Bulls didn't blow you out early on, by the fourth quarter, their defense would be so suffocating that the guys on the orther side of the court couldn't even bring down the ball properly. It's the Bulls' defense which I think sets it apart from the run and gun offense of the 80s dynasties.

[batang uliran]

I'm a Lakers fan so I'll cast my vote for the 1987 Lakers which I feel is the greatest team in Lakers history. Sure, LA won't stop Jordan but who will stop Kareem? and if you put Pippen and Jordan on Magic and Worthy, there's still Byron Scott, AC Green, Mychal Thompson and Michael Cooper!

The 1986 Celtics would have to get equal consideration as well - I don't think the Bulls would have the firepower to stop the greatest frontline in history - Parish, Mchale and of course, Larry Bird. And Don't forget, Bill Walton came off the bench for this team and at that point, he was still pretty good!

[bayaw]

Magic's LA Lakers of the '80s (esp. the '87 team) top my list. Next is Larry Bird's Boston Celtics of the 80's (esp. the '86 team) too. These two teams stood out during the time when the NBA games were at its best and competition was more or less balanced. That was before the NBA embarked on its expansion binge beginning in 1989. These Lakers and Celtics teams won over other great teams like Dr. J's (and later Barkley's)76ers, and Isiah's Detroit as well as tough teams like Drexler's Portland, Jordan's Chicago, Stockton & Malone's Utah, and the '80s Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Seattle & Milwaukee teams. What made these teams even more special (and Magic & Bird legendary) is the fact that they became instant winners as soon as Magic and Larry stepped in (the Lakers won the title during Magic's rookie year, the Celtics during Larry Bird's sophomore year).

Michael Jordan's '91-93 Bulls are also special, and so are Olajuwon's Rockets (esp. the back-to-back champs of 94-95).

[jack]

Well, so far its bulls 3 and lakers 1. Well, it seems that it is almost a concensus that the 72-10 Bulls are the best...who's the 2nd best then :)