Fansided

Ranking every NBA Champion from No. 72 to No. 1 — The Definitive List

By Staff

TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 30: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors DeMarcus Cousins #0 of the Golden State Warriors and Serge Ibaka #9 of the Toronto Raptors defend their positions during Game One of the NBA Finals on May 30, 2019 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA - MAY 30: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors DeMarcus Cousins #0 of the Golden State Warriors and Serge Ibaka #9 of the Toronto Raptors defend their positions during Game One of the NBA Finals on May 30, 2019 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Chris Elise/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
12 of 49
Next
AUBURN HILLS, MI – DECEMBER 30: Lindsey Hunter #10 of the Detroit Pistons celebrates during the game against the Miami Heat at the Palace of Auburn Hills on December 30, 2004 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The Heat won 89-78. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2004 NBAE (Photo by Gregory Shamus/NBAE via Getty Images)
AUBURN HILLS, MI – DECEMBER 30: Lindsey Hunter #10 of the Detroit Pistons celebrates during the game against the Miami Heat at the Palace of Auburn Hills on December 30, 2004 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The Heat won 89-78. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2004 NBAE (Photo by Gregory Shamus/NBAE via Getty Images) /

48. 2003-04 Detroit Pistons

As the NBA slipped further into the abyss of ugly basketball made popular by the earlier Bad Boys Piston and the San Antonio Spurs, star players became less and less important. With defenders essentially given free reign to mug offensive players, the impact was to give mediocre players more of a chance to compete.

Enter the 2003-04 Detroit Piston, one of the few teams in league history to win a title without a bona fide star player. The combination of Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Rip Hamilton, Chauncey Billups and Tayshaun Prince were extraordinarily effective on the defensive end and incredibly patient at the offensive end.

All of it was orchestrated by coach Larry Brown, one of the great mercenaries of basketball history. Brown got players to buy into his team concept at both ends. It helped that Ben Wallace, who was a great rebounder and defensive player, essentially didn’t care about scoring. That set the tone for a team that eviscerated the highly dysfunctional Lakers in the Finals. That victory by the Pistons was the final dagger that killed the relationship between Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, forcing O’Neal to leave the team after that season.

47. 1961-62 Boston Celtics

There are going to be plenty of Boston fans taking issue with the lion’s share of Celtics championship teams being ranked in the bottom half of this list. Too bad. The NBA was an eight-team league when Boston’s run of 11 titles in 13 years started. It was a 14-team league by the time it ended. As great as the Celtics were, it’s not like they dominated a league as diverse and sophisticated as it has become over the past 40 years.

With that out of the way, the 1961-62 Celtics were an excellent squad and pushed the ball like no other team in the league. Their style was a perfect antidote to what the Philadelphia Warriors were trying to do to set up center Wilt Chamberlain. The Celtics squeaked by the Warriors in seven games and then did the same in the Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, who had Elgin Baylor and Jerry West in their prime.

The final series was basically a showcase for Baylor, who averaged 40 points a game and had 61 points in Game 5 in Boston as the Lakers took a 3-2 lead. But the Celtics swept the final two games to win their fourth straight title and fifth in six years.

Home/NBA