Ranking each decade’s best dynasty

1990s Chicago Bulls

The only NBA team that could even touch the dominance of the 1960s Boston Celtics? That would be the Chicago Bulls dynasty of the 1990s. The Bulls were led by Hall of Famers Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Even though free agency was popular back then, the Bulls wisely locked up Jordan and Pippen to long-term deals early so they didn’t even have the option of leaving via free agency.

Chicago’s dynasty took a while to develop. For a while, they couldn’t top the Detroit Pistons. Jordan had to wait while Pippen and Horace Grant, among others, developed. Once they did, they became one of the most unstoppable teams in NBA history, pulling off two runs of three consecutive titles.

What’s impressive is that the Bulls rarely dived into free agency for huge acquisitions. Of course, that changed when they signed Dennis Rodman. Rodman rarely contributed offensively for the Bulls, but he was still an unstoppable force on defense and is one of the best rebounders of all-time. Putting his size in context, perhaps no player ever had the rebounding expertise of Rodman.

The Bulls were helped by having a great coach in Phil Jackson who knew his team better than they knew themselves. They were built because they had a stroke of luck, extending Jordan and Pippen to deals that wound up being ridiculous bargains. But give them credit for doing something with it. Most don’t.

Honorable Mentions: Dallas Cowboys, New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Detroit Red Wings

Next: 2000s New England Patriots