Top 8 NBA Teams Since 1980 and play them against each other - who is best?

Who knows how they'd do against each other...but it would be difficult to pass up the 1986 Boston Celtics because they could play any style from any era...grind it out low post - wizard half-court passing with cuts ala the 70's Trailblazers - with Walton and Bird and Mchale passing to cutting guards. Or they could play fast break with the Showtime Lakers.

That team would be hard to defend because they could beat you by adapting to the opponent - any style...Bad Boys, Lakers, Twin Towers with the low-post Rockets, you name it.

The 2001 Lakers were the most impressive playoff team I've seen in my life. They played a 58 win Spurs team with Duncan and Robinson and massacred them like they weren't even there. In that series, Derek Fisher made 15 out of 20 threes. How do you stop a team like the Shaq/Kobe Lakers when Derek Fisher is knocking down threes at a 75% clip?

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The 1996-97 Chicago Bulls are the best team in the history of pro basketball. Period.

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I've always thought this, but bottom trams in mid 90's were generally really poor, but 96-97 was unique because of the 2 team expansion. So despite a slow pace, 3 teams last by an average of 7.33 or more points per game and one team lost by 10.23 points per game. This season the worst team lost by 6.74 points per game.

In other words, the bottom of the league is tougher now than in 96-97.

In addition, the Pippen and Jordan both played considerably more minutes than any single player on this year's Warriors. In the playoffs, the top 6 players on the Bulls accounted for 80% of the total minutes. The top 7 players on Warriors only account for 76% of the total minutes.

So despite comparable margins, the Bulls required more minutes from their top players to attain it.

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Like the thread but these series would be much closer only 2 teams who would be in danger of being out in 6 are the Heat and Pistons. Warriors Bulls both Lakers and Celtics are all Alltime teams and would be coin flips. I'd probly say the Bulls and 2000 Lakers maybe the top 2 being their the only 3 peat teams since Bill Russell's dominant teams from the way way back.

You really have to take a close look at match ups. Take the 87 Laker against the Warriors Magic at 6-9 is a big mismatch the. You go to Kareem who was 7-2 and still and unstoppable force on offence, he'd avg 30 easy against that front line. Then you go to GS and Durant who is 6-9 not 7 foot like ppl keep saying vs Worthy also 6-9 and for ppl who didn't see him he's like a mix between a bigger Sean Marion in the open court and had the midrange game of a rip Hamilton in the half court plus a post game so that's a more level matchup than ppl think plus the Lakers played at just as fast a pace if not faster some years depending on which coach you choose. Another matchup with GS is the Bulls who's real advantage was when Jordan and Pippen picked teams up full court and applied pressure to your guards ppl just don't remember how much work it was just getting the ball up the floor against those two and with Harper another defensive wiz their peremeter length was huge. They could also neutralize GS small lineup with Rodman on Green at center and Tony K at the 4. Then you go to the Celtics and the way they just brutalized you in the paint with size and skill, they'd be a very tough guard for the Warriors too. And of course Kobe and Shaq and all the problems they created plus their benchs depth and versatility. I'm not saying the Warriors couldn't beat all these teams but besides the Bad Boys and Heat I think it's a coin flip between the rest.

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You really have to take a close look at match ups. Take the 87 Laker against the Warriors Magic at 6-9 is a big mismatch the. You go to Kareem who was 7-2 and still and unstoppable force on offence, he'd avg 30 easy against that front line. Then you go to GS and Durant who is 6-9 not 7 foot like ppl keep saying vs Worthy also 6-9 and for ppl who didn't see him he's like a mix between a bigger Sean Marion in the open court and had the midrange game of a rip Hamilton in the half court plus a post game so that's a more level matchup than ppl think plus the Lakers played at just as fast a pace if not faster some years depending on which coach you choose

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that's all well and good but who's guarding klay and Steph then? I mean if you put magic on Steph he'd make him look silly

Yes and Magic was a liability in defense he was good in passing lanes and getting steals (over 3 a game in his prime) but as a man to man defender he's not that good, probly him on Klay is your best bet with Scott and Cooper rotating on Steph. Besides AC green and Cooper those Laker teams weren't great on D because physicality was more of a premium back then but against these Warriors they're actually a little better suited. I don't think Worthy could stop Durant either I'm just saying he'd be a tough guard for Durant because of the way he scored and would cancel out some of Durants scoring is guess an 8 to 10 point advantage for Durant though something like 30 to 20/22 pts but they more than make that up with Kareem. Like I said I'm not favoring the Lakers but it's a coin flip type situation.

the 2017 warriors have achieved the highest ELO rating in NBA history

beating the 1996 bulls

so both objectively and quantitatively speaking those two are #1 and #2.