Power ranking Michael Jordan’s Bulls teams
4. 1990-91 Chicago Bulls
- 61-21 record (.744)
- +9.1 point differential
- 114.6 offensive rating
- 105.2 defensive rating
- +9.4 net rating
- 15-2 playoff record (.882)
Oddly enough, the year Chicago finally broke through to win a title also featured its most dominant postseason run. After years of banging their heads on the “Bad Boys” Pistons ceiling, Scottie Pippen’s emergence helped the Bulls sweep their nemesis in the conference finals, eventually leading to a formidable 15-2 record with the NBA’s best point differential, offensive rating and defensive rating for the entire playoffs.
The Bulls made it seem as effortless as Jordan’s infamous dunk-to-layup switch in midair:
They weren’t quite as dominant during the regular season, but they still won a then franchise-best 61 games while boasting the NBA’s best point differential, best offense and seventh-best defense.
The biggest thing holding these Bulls back from being higher up on the list is the quality of playoff opponents they faced. In the first round, they swept a 39-win Knicks team. In the second, they gave a 44-win Philadelphia 76ers squad one game before winning the series in five. Beating the Pistons was a coming-of-age moment, but the Bad Boys were on their last legs and only won 50 games that season. Magic Johnson provided a star-studded Finals matchup, but that Los Angeles Lakers team was the only opponent that even sniffed 60-win territory, winning 58 games.
The 1990-91 Bulls got the ball rolling on perhaps the most dominant stretch in NBA history, but their greatest challenges wouldn’t come until later, and that has to hold them back on a loaded list like this.