26
Dec
Ranked
The seven most dominant NBA playoff runs ever
Former NBA Player Ron Harper shows off his 2001 LA Lakers Championship Ring on May 4, 2016 (AEDT) in New York City. Photo: Roy Rochlin/FilmMagic
Highlights
Seven NBA teams didn’t just win championships — they dominated the playoffs like no others.
- Why the 1987 All-Star Game is the greatest of all
- Jim Cummins: Rhythm of the game and the secret 'fifth frame'
- 25-1: Greatest power forwards in NBA history
There's winning the NBA championship and completely dominating the playoffs en route to lifting the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
These are the seven greatest NBA playoff runs in history. But there is one exception to the rule on this list because injury halted the juggernaut with the No2 ranked team just four wins away from a historic threepeat.
7. Chicago Bulls — 1991
- Record: 15–2
- Identity: Dynasty ignition
- Head Coach: Phil Jackson
- Best Players: Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen
Out with the old and in with the new. Jordan vanquished the petulant Pistons in four games and then dispatched the Lakers 4-1. The only caveat on their Finals domination of the Lakers was Byron Scott was injured again. He would have been the primary defender on Jordan and it impacted the Lakers' rotation but the reality is MJ simply wouldn't have been denied. That Bulls team had a date with destiny and once they got through the nerves of Game 1 against Magic Johnson and "Big Game" James Worthy 15-2 was inevitable.
Series-by-Series
- Eastern Conference First Round (3-0) versus New York Knicks
- Eastern Conference Semifinals (4-1) versus Philadelphia 76ers
- Eastern Conference Finals (4-0) versus Detroit Pistons
- NBA Finals (4-1) versus Los Angeles Lakers
6. Chicago Bulls — 1996
- Record: 15–3
- Identity: Total season authority
- Head Coach: Phil Jackson
- Best Players: Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen
The year that Michael Jordan took it personally. Jordan came back from playing with baseball in 1995 and ran into Shaquille O'Neal and the Orlando Magic in the East. In 1996, Michael was truly back and led the Bulls to a record 72-10 record. They're the first team in this list to have a playoffs blemish before the Finals but a 4-0 retribution against the Magic put to rest any notion the Bulls were historic. The Sonics took two games in the Finals but Mike won his fourth title, the first of his second threepeat. Australian Luc Longley played the five on that Bulls team and won his and Australia's first NBA championship.
Series-by-series
- Eastern Conference First Round (3-0) versus Miami Heat
- Eastern Conference Semifinals (4-1) versus New York Knicks
Won NBA Eastern Conference Finals (4-0) versus Orlando Magic
Won NBA Finals (4-2) versus Seattle SuperSonics
5. Boston Celtics — 1986
- Record: 15–3
- Identity: Intelligent brutality
- Head Coach: K.C. Jones
- Best Players: Larry Bird and Kevin McHale
Peak Larry Bird, MVP Larry Bird alongside Kevin McHale and Robert Parish with Bill Walton coming off the bench. Dennis Johnson running the point and Danny Ainge at the two-spot. Loads of people talk about the greatest teams ever but this team, wow. Bird was waiting for Magic in the Finals but Ralph Sampson tossed the ball over his head as the Houston Rockets stunned the Lakers in the Forum. The first round of the playoffs against the Chicago Bulls will forever be known as the "God Disguised as Michael Jordan" game as Jordan torched the Celtics for 63 points. But Bird being Bird, led the Celtics to a sweep. The fact the Celtics swept the Bucks shouldn't be forgotten. That team was tough. Sidney Moncrief and Terry Cummings were hard, battled tested veterans.
Series-by-series
- Eastern Conference First Round (3-0) versus Chicago Bulls
- Eastern Conference Semifinals (4-1) versus Atlanta Hawks
- Eastern Conference Finals (4-0) versus Milwaukee Bucks
- NBA Finals (4-2) versus Houston Rockets
4. Philadelphia 76ers — 1983
- Record: 12–1
- Identity: Relentless interior control
- Head Coach: Billy Cunningham
- Best Players: Moses Malone and Julius Erving
"Fo, Fo, Fo" Moses Malone and Julius Erving. Moses joined Dr J to win a championship. The MVP declared 1983's championship would be the 76ers, Julius' first in the NBA, by sweeping every round. The 76ers dropped a game to the Bucks but swept the Los Angeles Lakers. Don't forget the Lakers won the title in 1980 and 1982 and were coming into the '83 Finals with their core intact. Moses went head to head with Kareem in the paint while Erving delivered from the air. The 76ers rostered was stacked. It had Mo Cheeks at the point, Andrew Toney at the two, Julius at the three, Bobby Jones at the four and, of course, Moses at the five. The Knicks team had prime Bernard King so a sweep against one of the great scorers shouldn't be underrated.
Series-by-series
- NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals (4-0) versus New York Knicks
- NBA Eastern Conference Finals (4-1) versus Milwaukee Bucks
- NBA Finals (4-0) versus Los Angeles Lakers
3. Golden State Warriors — 2017
- Record: 16–1
- Identity: Overwhelming
- Head Coach: Steve Kerr
- Best Players: Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry
Hello scoring the ball, my name is the 2017 Golden State Warriors. If Kevin Durant is the greatest three-level scorer of all time then I have no idea who is and combined with the greatest shooter to ever live Stephen Curry and sniper Klay Thompson the Warriors were a juggernaut. They'd be higher up the list but don't edge either of the Lakers runs (because I have bias) but Durant was a hired gun. Both those Lakers teams were built. It took Shaq four years to get over the hump and for Kobe to arrive, while Magic dominated 80s with the same core. Yes they went 16-1, by 2017 the first round was best of seven unlike 2001 and 1989.
Regardless, 16-1 in any era is still all-time. But would they beat the Lakers in a best of seven? See here.
Series-by-series
- Western Conference First Round: def. Portland Trail Blazers 4–0
- Western Conference Semifinals: def. Utah Jazz 4–0
- Western Conference Finals: def. San Antonio Spurs 4–0
- NBA Finals: def. Cleveland Cavaliers 4–1
2. Los Angeles Lakers — 1989
- Record: 11–0 before Finals injuries
- Identity: Magic's team.
- Head Coach: Pat Riley
- Best Players: Magic Johnson and James Worthy
The '89 Lakers were Magic's team. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was in his final year, the Lakers were the two-time defending champions ('87 & '88) and put together a flawless first three rounds of the 1988-89 NBA Playoffs. But then Santa Barbara happened. Hall of Fame head coach Pat Riley took his squad up the California coast awaiting the winner of the East. The Lakers were so good they'd reached the finals more than a week for the Pistons.
Typical Riles, he worked his Showtime Lakers hard and it led to star guard and their best perimeter defender Bryon Scott getting injured. It forced the 6'7" Michael Cooper into the starting line-up. But then more disaster struck, Magic pulled his hamstring and the Lakers backcourt was cooked and so was the series. The Lakers didn't have an answer for Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars and Vinnie "The Microwave" Johnson while Dennis Rodman and John Salley tag teamed James Worthy. The '89 season was seen as a triumph for the Pistons, their first championship, but the reality is the finger was on the scales. The Lakers finished the series with David Rivers and Tony Campbell in the back court. Yep.
Series-by-series
- West First Round: def. Portland Trail Blazers 3–0
- West Semifinals: def. Seattle SuperSonics 4–0
- Western Conference Finals: def. Phoenix Suns 4–0
- NBA Finals: lost to Detroit Pistons 0–4
1. Los Angeles Lakers — 2001
- Record: 15–1
- Identity: Inevitable
- Head Coach: Phil Jackson
- Best Players: Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant
The cleanest, most dominate playoff run in the history of the NBA. The 2000 Lakers championship run was an education for themselves, the 2001 title run, their back-to-back championship, was a basketball lesson for the rest of the league. The Lakers swept the West, went 8–0 on the road, and only lost once. It took one of the greatest individual playoff performances in history to beat them in Game 1 of the NBA Finals as Allen Iverson dropped 48 in the 107-101 win at Staples. The Lakers swept the next four games to win it all. Remember, they didn't lose on the road.
LA's demolition of the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals was simply breathtaking. It marked the arrival of "Superstar Kobe". Bryant monstered the Spurs and in four games averaged 33 points, 7.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists. Shaq called Kobe "the best player in the world" after Game 2 against the Spurs. The Lakers swept the series with a 111-72 destruction at Staples in Game 4.
"The 2001 team was probably the best," seven-time NBA champion Robert Horry said.
"We went [15-1], which will never be accomplished again. You should have looked at us after we lost that first game [against the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA Finals], we were so disappointed. We were so hurt that we didn't sweep everybody in the playoffs, because that was our goal."
Shaq won the second of his three Finals MVPs on the back of 33.0 PPG, 15.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 3.4 blocks against four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Dikembe Mutombo.
Series Results
- West 1R: def. Trail Blazers 3–0
- West Semis: def. Kings 4–0
- WCF: def. Spurs 4–0
- Finals: def. 76ers 4–1
.avif)
