The NBA has been around for over 7 decades; the league started with 17 franchises, and now has over 30. Since the start of the league, the championship has been won by 18 different franchises.
The championships won aren’t the only criteria used in the rankings, but they do play a major role. Here are the 10 best franchises in the NBA.
Number 10. The Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz made the list even though they haven’t won a championship because of their consistency. They didn’t join the league until 1974; they went through some growing pains like all new teams do.
In 1983, they started a stretch of 20 consecutive years in the playoffs, including two straight trips to the NBA Finals in 1996 and 1997, where they eventually lost to the Chicago Bulls both times. Even after losing the core of their championship teams, the Jazz have only two losing seasons since 1983, no other franchise can boast that type of consistency.
Number 9. The New York Knicks
This team is one of the most storied franchises in the NBA, and is one of the original teams that founded the NBA. They had a lot of success in the early days, making it to three straight NBA Finals in the 50′s, which they lost, before eventually winning two out of the three Finals they made in the 70′s.
It took them 21 years before they would make another NBA Finals appearance; they lost the series to the Houston Rockets in 7 games. They made their last Finals appearance in 1999 against the San Antonio Spurs, but were unable to get past them.
Number 8. The Houston Rockets
The Rockets started as an expansion team in San Diego, in 1967. They were sold and moved to Houston in 1971.
After a few years in Houston, they became a playoff team, and even managed to make the NBA Finals in 1981, which they lost. In 198, they drafted the player that will change their fortunes, and finish his career as one of the greatest centers ever when they picked Hakeem Olajuwon #1 in the 1984 NBA Draft.
They made it to the 1985 NBA Finals where they lost to Larry Bird and the Celtics. They would have to wait eight years before they made it back to the NBA Finals, which they won two years in a row.
Number 7. The Philadelphia 76ers
They were known as the Syracuse Nationals until they moved to Philadelphia in 1963. They were an immediate success as soon as they started playing in the NBA, and made it to three NBA Finals while in Syracuse, winning one. After moving to Philadelphia they continued their winning ways and won another NBA title in 1967.
They had a nine year drought before returning to the NBA Finals stage, they lost three straight finals to Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers twice before finally defeating the Lakers for their third championship.
The 76ers returned to the NBA Finals in 2000 and lost to the Los Angeles Lakers again in 5 games.
Number 6. The Miami Heat
The Heat don’t have the history a lot of the other franchises on this list do since their franchise is only 26 years old. In the short time they have been around, they have managed to win three NBA Finals in four appearances, including the last two Finals.
The main reason for their recent success is the acquisitions of LeBron James and Chris Bosh through free agency, who teamed up with All Star Dwayne Wade to form one of the best trios the NBA has ever seen.
Number 5. Detroit Pistons
The Pistons came into the NBA as the Fort Wayne Pistons, like the Syracuse Nationals, they found immediate success in the NBA, making the NBA Finals two years in a row in 1954 and 1955.
They moved to Detroit in 1957, but struggled and didn’t have a winning season until 1970. The franchise turned things around in the early 80′s and became a contender. They finally won their first championship in 1988 and repeated the feat in 1989.
They were a perennial playoff team and returned to the Finals in 2003, defeating the Lakers in the Finals. They returned to the Finals the next year but lost to the San Antonio Spurs.
Number 4. The San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs don’t get the recognition they deserve because they are a small market team. The team joined the NBA in 1976, and in the 38 years they have been around, they have only missed the playoffs 4 times.
They didn’t make the NBA Finals until the 1999 season where they won their first title, they have won three more titles since then, and lost in the NBA Finals for the first time last season.
Number 3. The Chicago Bulls
The Bulls joined the NBA in 1967; they made the playoffs in 8 out of their first 9 seasons, and made it as far as the Conference Finals two years in a row in 1973 and 1974. After that the team only made the playoffs twice in seven years.
They drafted Michael Jordan 3rd in the 1984 draft and their fortunes changed from there. They made the playoffs every year that Jordan was on the team, and won six NBA Finals in the 1990′s. Since Jordan’s retirement they had a rough stretch, but have become relevant again since they drafted Derrick Rose in 2008.
Number 2. The Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers joined the NBA in 1948 as the Minneapolis Lakers; they won 5 championships in their first 6 years in the league. They moved to Los Angeles in 1960, but only won one title in 9 Finals appearances because they couldn’t get past the Boston Celtics.
They drafted Earvin “Magic” Johnson in 1979, and he led t hem to five more championships in the 1980′s. After a long championship drought by Lakers standards, the team signed Shaquille O’Neal as a free agent in 1996 and drafted a teenage Kobe Bryant.
The duo led them to three back to back championships, and Bryant added two more after O’Neal was traded away. The franchise has 16 championships, one less than their bitter rivals, the Boston Celtics.
Number 1. The Boston Celtics
They have 17 championships which makes them the best franchise in NBA history. They joined the NBA in 1947, but didn’t have the instant success the Lakers had.
They eventually made it to the NBA Finals and won it in 11 out of their 13 appearances from 1956-1968, including an NBA record eight in a row. They won five more in the 70′s and 80′s before having a 21 year drought between championships. They eventually won their 17th at the expense of their long time rivals Los Angeles Lakers.