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) /
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LOS ANGELES, CA – 1985: James Worthy #42, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar #33 and Magic Johnson #32 of the Los Angeles Lakers look on during a game circa 1988 at The Forum in Los Angeles, California. 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 1988 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – 1985: James Worthy #42, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar #33 and Magic Johnson #32 of the Los Angeles Lakers look on during a game circa 1988 at The Forum in Los Angeles, California. 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 1988 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /

3. 1984-85 Los Angeles Lakers

The basketball of the 1980s – like today – was beautiful in an orchestral and symphonic manner. There were many times when the Lakers and Boston Celtics would run the fastbreak and the ball wouldn’t hit the floor. If you look at the Lakers and the Celtics of the 1980s, you see the same concepts the Warriors are employing today. The great exception is the use of the three-point shot, which wasn’t adopted by the NBA until the 1979 season. It had yet to be embraced by coaches and players as it has been at all levels of the game today.

Still, the idea of pushing the ball up the floor, even after made shots by the opposition, was essential to how the Lakers and Celtics played. When you watch the Warriors, it’s the same thing with the addition of the three ball as a dagger. The Warriors don’t force the ball to the basket quite the same way. As a result, you don’t get the vicious dunks at the end of the break the way the Lakers did with James Worthy or Byron Scott after a feed from Magic Johnson. But that’s just a minor difference.

What made this the best of the Lakers teams that won five titles in the 1980s was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was still a consistent force at age 37. When the break wasn’t there, Kareem would lope down the floor like Mariano Rivera coming in to close. Kareem was far from the height of his powers, but he led the team with 22.0 points a game. Magic, Worthy and Scott all averaged at least 16 a game with sweet-shooting Bob McAdoo coming off the bench to average 10.5 in 19 minutes a game. The 1984-85 Lakers might be the greatest uptempo basketball team ever, although Golden State and Boston fans will make a spirited protests.

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