NBA Champions ranked No. 72 to No. 1 definitive rankings

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

By Staff | Jun 3, 2019

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) /

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MIAMI, FL – JUNE 12: Dirk Nowitzki #41 of the Dallas Mavericks celebrates deafeating the Miami Heat in Game Six of the 2011 NBA Finals on June 12, 2011 at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. 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 2011 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /

38. 2010-11 Dallas Mavericks

By all rights, this team should never have won an NBA title, let alone dominate the playoffs the way they did. The Mavericks were way too old and way too slow to do what they did, especially when they took on the Miami trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in the Finals. Instead, the collection of 30-somethings (Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, Shawn Marion and Jason Kidd) the Mavericks put together for coach Rick Carlisle played magnificent basketball.

The Mavericks had even overachieved to an extent in the regular season by going 57-25. However, they took off in the playoffs as the 32-year-old Nowitzki and 37-year-old Kidd both averaged more than 37 minutes a game in the playoffs. Dallas got past Portland in the first round, then swept the defending champion Lakers and Kobe Bryant. In the Western Conference Finals, they dispatched the Oklahoma City trio of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden in five games. Finally, they took apart the Heat. The Mavericks slayed every possible giant in their path.

37. 2004-05 San Antonio Spurs

This was the first year the trio of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili were really a thing. All three averaged at least 16 points. While they had won a title two years earlier, Ginobili was only a rookie and more of a bit-part player that season. This was the year they became a group that defined a generation of a team.

The Spurs, as usual, were defined by their incredible defense. The Big Three were excellent at that. They also had forward Bruce Bowen and all his annoying tactics. Bowen was in the midst of making three straight NBA All-Defensive first teams and twice finished second in the Defensive Player of the Year balloting. With his Elastic Man body (at 6-foot-7, his wingspan was easily more than 7 feet), he was impossible to shoot over.

All of that said (and you must pay homage to San Antonio’s prowess defensively), the basketball was ugly. In particular, the seven-game NBA Finals between the Spurs and Detroit was awful to watch. There were four times in which one of the teams scored less than 80 points, three more under 90 and only one time in which either team scored 100 points. Thankfully, the game has changed for the better.

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