9 MOST DOMINANT Championship Runs In NBA History

Support by buying my NBA T-Shirts: heatcheck.info/
The Denver Nuggets looked unstoppable on their championship run. The 16-4 record shows that.
So I was curious to see how they rank on the all time list of most dominant title runs. And mention some of the best and most iconic NBA teams to win it all.
The Nuggets are right here, but we need to clean things up a bit. Back in the day, there were fewer teams and fewer playoff rounds, and teams needed only 9, 11 or 12 wins to get the ring. So let's modernize the list to the NBA as we know it and hide those for the purpose of this video.
Now we got them at number 9 so let’s see who’s in front.
You all know Michael Jordan’s iconic 63 points that came in a loss. Well that was in the first round of the playoffs against the actual champions that year. The 1986 Boston Celtics.
A stacked roster of Bird, Mchale, Parish, Ainge and Dennis Johnson along with an aging Bill Walton was unstoppable. I mean look at this shot by Larry. He was a bad man.
So after sweeping the Bulls, Boston only dropped 1 game on the road to the finals where they faced off against Hakeem Olajuwon, Ralph Sampson and the Rockets.
In an intense battle that even had some fist fights, The Celtics were ultimately too much for Houston to handle and the series ended in 6 games. So with a 15-3 record, Boston won their last championship in their glory days and they would wait for more than 20 years for another banner.
The following season we got an identical record from their arch rivals, the Lakers.
Magic led the way along with a 40 year old Kareem, Worthy, Cooper and Byron Scott.
And in a similar manner, they only lost 1 game in the playoffs before squaring off in the finals against their nemesis and the reigning champions the Boston Celtics.
Game 4 gave the NBA an unforgettable game winner that would live forever in NBA history.
The final team that shares the same 15-3 record is the 1996 Chicago Bulls.
Many consider this to be the best team ever, as the Bulls went 72-10 during the regular season and then easily went through Miami, the Knicks and Orlando all the way to the finals with just 1 loss to get there.
And against Seattle in the finals, the Bulls even went up 3-0 but things got serious as Payton and Kemp led their team back to 3-2 forcing a game 6.
But you know how this ends as MJ and the Bulls were able to seal the deal unlike that other 70 win team.
All jokes aside we now get to the next level with the 15-2 Bad Boys Pistons.
Isaiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, a scary defensive team. They were dominant in every round except the conference finals against Chicago, where Michael went god mode and even brought the inexperienced Bulls up 2-1.
With their backs against the wall, the Pistons devised the now famous Jordan Rules. This was basically intense physical defense on Jordan, double and triple teaming him at times and forcing him into uncomfortable positions so that he had to give up the ball.
This completely turned the series around and Detroit won it in six.
Things went smoother for them in the finals as Magic Johnson got injured late in game 2 and would be out for the rest of the series.
Meanwhile, Joe Dumars, a 17 point scorer that season, went absolutely crazy and dropped 27 points per game in the finals series. So the Pistons were able to finish things off with a sweep and he got the MVP.
Right next to Detroit is Chicago’s first title run in 1991.
Jordan’s coming of age, finally having a decent team around him and after going past the Knicks in 3 and the Sixers in 5, they faced off against a familiar foe.
After losing 2 straight conference finals to the Pistons in 89 and 1990 in a grueling 7 game series, Chicago faced them again for the third straight time. But now they were finally ready to take the next step.
So much so that they swept them, which prompted this infamous reaction where the Bad Boys left the court with time still on the clock, refusing to shake hands and congratulate their opponent.
But after finally getting over the hump, Chicago had little time to celebrate as they lost their second game of that postseason in the opening of the NBA finals.
The Bulls however had a plan for game 2. Put the size and mobility of Scottie Pippen on Magic.
And from that point on, the Bulls never looked back, getting to their 1st championship with a 15-2 record. Oh yeah, and this happened of course.
The last team in this group is the 1999 San Antonio Spurs.
In a lockout shortened season, the Spurs still finished with the number 1 overall record led by a sophomore Tim Duncan and David Robinson.

[@hongkids3814]

Always a good day when you see a heat check video

[@Omaal8x]

Facts

[@Tony_Toni_Tone]

The x factor of the 2017 warriors was Zaza. Injuring Kawhi guaranteed them the championship. The craziest thing is that he was rewarded by the Warriors brass with a consultant position after retirement.

[@Max-me9ol]

It really felt like the spurs were a good matchup for the warriors. Obviously the warriors wouldve very likely beaten a healthy spurs squad, but i highly doubt it wouldve been a sweep.

[@liamartinproductions]

​@Fearless Demxn stop being delusional. They would have lost 4-1 even with kawhi

[@dewman7477]

@@liamartinproductionslol 😂you don’t even believe that. Rockets in 2018 took them to game 7. Kawhi without Tony Parker was destroying them in game 1 of WCF up 25 points and GSW had no answer for Kawhi. They had to injure Kawhi to guarantee a win. Spurs didn’t even have Tony Parker just Kawhi and Aldridge. Imagine Tim Duncan not retiring?

[@Ynkno]

idk if spurs challenge them

[@marcosaguilo4798]

It could have been a 4-3 warriors but with kawhi wasn't enough to win that serie

[@uberneanderthal]

I'm glad you mentioned switching from Jordan to Scottie on Magic in the '91 Finals. Everyone forgets that was the turning point of the series, and the franchise. No Scottie, no rings.

[@robesch88]

Naaa you could switch scottie with like 20 other players at that time and it would still be a Bulls championship

[@urbaindelva7869]

​@@robesch88 Really? Name one.

[@raimundasm]

@@urbaindelva7869 you right, 20 players is too much, but there are few. If you mean exactly 1991 Pippen can be easily switched with Dominique Wilkins, Joe Dumars, Chris Mullin or Clide Dreaxler. Bulls would win. And if we talking 90s overall Pippen could be substituted with either Latrell Sprewell, Penny Hardaway, Gary Payton, Grant Hill, Mitch Richmond, Reggie Miller.

[@taje718]

@@raimundasmno way Scottie is the most allround player in that's list realistically Scottie was bron without the assist game and his passing wasn't even that bad

[@trebledc]

Pippen is replaceable it's just that the bulls got him signed a sucker contract for 8 years. In short MJ got paid $33mil and Pippen $3mill a year. Why would you replace Pippen he cheap?

[@EarthMaster]

6:08 "Duncan Robinson" just made me laugh!

[@EarthMaster]

Great video though with really good commentary on the finals runs!!

[@chivalrous_chevy1163]

Bro, this analysis is so dope i had to watch this video twice.

[@tarico4436]

3:03. Old guy here. "Jordan Rules" is the title of the book written about how the NBA favors its stars, with refs calling fouls against them less often than non-stars. Teams ganging up on a star like a Jordan is not what the term "Jordan rules" is all about.

[@Rodanguirus]

The Jordan Rules did get associated with Bad Boy Pistons, though, even at the time. The 30 for 30 on them includes '80s interviews with the players and coach Daly explicitly referring to "The Jordan Rules". Now, they weren't something they made up in the middle of the '89 ECF. Prior to that, they frequently disrespected the rest of the Bulls and sent double and triple teams at MJ. And for years, the rest of the Bulls were bad enough for this to pay off. Before Jackson arrived and implemented the triangle, one of their attempts to counter this was to have Jordan play stints at PG and work as more of a facilitator. Switching between his more natural scoring self and this role threw the Pistons off balance through the first half of the '89 ECF, but Detroit adjusted and MJ's supporting cast ultimately didn't have the talent or experience to maintain that.

[@tarico4436]

@@Rodanguirus 30 for 30 is a relatively new series. In all honesty I never read "The Jordan Rules." I just heard/read at the time (in the 90s) that it was what I wrote, not what you wrote. So I might be wrong. Whatever. Have a good one.

[@eugenepetty5192]

Duncan Robinson is not quite Tim Duncan 😂

[@user-ff1ez5sy5h]

Jus wanna mention something a bit off topic. Mjs footwork & fundamentals were so fn sound. Notice this detail (0:13) - he doesnt lift his pivot before lift-off. Not even a wee bit like is allowed by current rule interpretation (but shudnt bcuz it gives shooter too much of an advantage after killing dribble). Today players are allowed to rock into free (non pivot) foot & actually lift pivot foot a a brief (but advantageous) moment before free foot. When done cleverly this actually gives the shooter an extra step & turns this move in effect into a runner or floater. Let mj do this and he dunks this even this far out after pivoting. Let any nba player do this & they can cover 10-12 ft AFTER pivoting. And that's jus TOO advantageous a rule violation. Anyway ...back to the video.

[@Erix963]

7:08 you said 5.5 assists but he had 9.5

[@ntrg3248]

Not gonna lie I wish Nikola and Shaq played in the same time period

[@wills.364]

That would have been the next Wilt vs Russell for us today

[@jlindo1234]

it would have been cool because Jokic wouldn't be able to stop Shaq defensively and Shaq wouldn't be able to stop Jokic defensively

[@-LAH]

Neither can stop each other. Shaq neutralises interior play but Jokic can play up to the 3 point line.

[@Datguy-k7s]

​@@jlindo1234He's Def not stopping Shaq, way better defender's tried and couldn't. The offense side would be good though..

[@Kuroganemk2]

@@jlindo1234 Feel like Shaq would have the rebounding advantage, probably all would depend if he could make his free throws.

[@Shinyboy29]

Shaq is already impressed by Jokic with Shaq calling The Joker “white version” of himself The only thing that parallels them is that both big men took 8 years to become champions Probably a tie with Shaq being unstoppable force in the paint while Joker can pass and can shoot everywhere

[@CorbCorbin]

Really fun channel!

[@X02Overdose]

4:36 that’s is a myth that needs to stop being perpetuated. Scottie and MJ took turns guarding Magic

[@johny5985]

You forgot the 1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers

[@jayherbogaming]

Most dominant win %

[@zer0freed0m]

Most forgotten team that has an argument for the GOAT team tbh. It’s sad how they’re left off so many greatest teams lists.

[@andefps]

Liked "Duncan + Robinson" in 6:09 😁

[@trebledc]

Greatest duo MJ and Pippen. Dominant duo Shaq and Kobe. Scoring Efficient duo KD and Curry.

[@Cristian-vm1bg]

Most unstoppable duo on both ends: Duncan and Robinson

[@thetruthstand]

Magic with the baby sky hook!

[@mrboast2826]

Most of dominant team are superteam where they sign superstar free agent not like Nuggets where they draft their own picks and trade ...Lol KD and Steph are basically game over for anyone else

[@Spawnamvs]

Tbf Nuggets traded for AG, KCP, and Brown. They traded Jokic, Murray, and MPJ tho. Warriors drafted Curry, Dray, and Klay and traded for KD Bulls drafted MJ and Scottie Lakers signed Shaq and drafted Kobe Spurs drafter Tony, Manu, Tim, Robinson, and Kawhi That's all I really know for sure at this moment so feel free to drop knowledge on me Edit: Someone reminded me that GS gave up a lot of assets to sign KD in the off season so there's that

[@masterofall4elements820]

They drafted curry, klay and draymond

[@redeyexxx1841]

@@masterofall4elements820 Yeah exactly. Curry was 7th pick, Green was 35th and Klay was 11th. GSW literally makes the player through draft. Only superstar they brought in was KD.

[@Spawnamvs]

@Chris King Oh yea you're right!

[@killermoth7623]

@@Spawnamvs scottie pippen was actually drafted by the supersonics he was traded for the bulls tho for the 10th pick I believe

[@cappy2282]

Shaq and Jokic are both awesome 😎

[@mrboast2826]

Celtics dynasty kinda sad most of them are out for career ending injuries...Larry bird could get 4-5 ring if the career ending injury didn't happen

[@alecvip7562]

They also all got injured at the same time. Celtics dynasty ended because all of them were either retiring or were too injured.

[@uberneanderthal]

people forget Bird was a 3x all-defensive player before the back injury. now they just remember him as 'the immobile white guy who shot 3s', he had a much more dynamic game in the early 80s.

[@ericzamudio2905]

And Larry hurt his back paving his drive way :(

[@rijulchhabra1725]

@@ericzamudio2905 his mom's XD

[@romanramirez7847]

Always felt bad about how the Celtics dynasty ended. Bird and McHale were struggling with so many injures by the end, DJ and Parish were getting older and Walton’s body was no longer in the right shape. The only one who was really healthy was Danny Ainge.

[@emmanuelkrell]

I didnt know that the first round used to be to win 3

[@elishageorgevlogs9971]

Look at Curry man so Insperational

[@Red4350]

whoa i never really payed attention that the first round used to be best of 5

[@derek5499]

I didn't watch this yet but the bulls second three peat has to be on this list. Those 3 championship teams were great. They lost a total of 43 games in three seasons. 95-96 they went 72-10. 96-97 they went 69-13 and in 97-98 they went 62-20 and in the 97-98 season Scottie Pippin missed 44 games. He missed over half the season. The first 3 peat bulls was a great team too. Craig Hodges, Horace Grant and some others make it hard for me to pick between them. From 1991-1998 the bulls never lost 3 games in a row. That's one hell of a stat

[@wohoo245]

Look at that old school “ defense” that def still counts as a basketball play in todays game

[@anthonynorman7545]

😂

[@FPC96_Musica]

MJ legacy is just different

[@portgusace2205]

3:21 lebron would be on the floor crying for a foul

[@cldtcts]

No team ever constructed could beat that GSW team. The best Bulls team wouldn't stand a chance. Steve Kerr vs Steve Kerr

[@theonlygoodonehere2259]

yet 2018 rockets were 1 game away from beating them, and they were not constructed that good, stagnant offense, but knew to attack warriors weakness, the paint, defensively force KD to take on cp3 on isolation, and force warriors to limit offball movement or passes

[@romanramirez7847]

@@theonlygoodonehere2259To be fair, that Rockets was also stacked. They won 65 games that year, and Harden won MVP. They had a great starting five, and their bench was amazing. The Warriors had a clunky season in 2018, and it showed when they got to the playoffs.

[@azurealis_]

6:08 i thought he said duncan robinson like the heat player lmao

[@koubl]

Hm, what happened in game 1 of the WCF in 2017?

[@fakejaat1704]

Good day, ate you hiring any editor?

[@s1074007]

Ah yes. The hard way for KD.

[@evan.hongzhengyang7135]

2:38 another 70 win team 😂 that's salt

[@mladezyza2569]

Isn’t it kinda ironic that the first video of nuggets that you put out was west finals against lakers and it was with much favor to lakers even tho they lost.. Now suddenly every video is about jokic, I wish more people were on the hype train before the chip not after it

[@theonlygoodonehere2259]

trust me, I was when suns in 2021 sort of struggled with heavily injured nuggets, when lakers had to complain to the commissioner in 2020 bubble that they weren't getting calls, putting jokic in foul trouble to beat nuggets in 5, and watching warriors struggle to beat them in their final 3 games of their 5 game series in 2022, all were indicators that when the game is called fairly, they win, and when they are healthy, they win all of those chips from 2020-2022, 2023 finally confirmed my thoughts for years, potential 3peated dynasty in this decade, if things didn't turn out like that

[@daltonfarris]

Nuggets before their prime ages of their big 4 are the 9th most dominant playoff team of all time and people think they won't win next year when jokic and gordon are in their 28-29 years. And 2025 when they are 29-30, porter is 27, and murray is 28-29.

[@daltonfarris]

3 peat and more with their first team all summer league team hunter tyson, and Christian braun to be the young great bench Pieces (think Horry, and Cassell on the rockets)

[@justinpurcell3717]

Never been this early lol

[@iRockTheBeat1]

7:03 you mean 9 and a half assists.

[@RustBMBEarth]

6:08 Duncan Robinson?

[@imanolebravo3300]

Duncan-Robinson

[@easymoneysniper]

😂😂

[@jaumepozo7291]

You forgot to say that 01 Lakers was the only team to win all road games in a championship run

[@Ajsowaavy]

Dirks run was the best yall tripping

[@homiesapien4739]

anyone noticed duncan robinson at 6:07

[@Wellingtonfun]

Thunder are trying to trade for superstar like Paul George in exchange of giddey who is due for extension plus william brothers and bertans as a salary filler Thunder made a strong under the radar move by signing KJ Williams

[@chrishall2837]

6:10 you said Duncan Robinson by accident and not Tim duncan

[@JE335]

Duncan and Robinson… meaning Tim Duncan and David Robinson. 😂

[@Tacodip420]

Larry bird never had to guard a tween cross tween

[@AdLast]

Shaq>any center

[@tj5180]

No

[@AdLast]

@@tj5180 yes

[@elenrad8023]

You meant David Robinson not Duncan..😅

[@fullmetalgamer6062]

He said Duncan and Robinson.

[@zoomdoof6107]

5 best teams ever. 1 2017 warriors 2 2001 lakers 3 1996 bulls 4 2014 spurs 5 2018 warriors

[@antiarezzo7630]

71 bucks?

[@brendanbloom3366]

You are missing a few decades there

[@zoomdoof6107]

@@antiarezzo7630 who you dropping off this list?

[@willemdaho3]

Jokic 1 Ring > KD 2 Rings

[@theonlygoodonehere2259]

duh, and he exposed him and brons superteam stacking on his way to his first chip

[@dusans292]

7:09 u say 5.5 assists momčino :P

[@deonthomas3430]

Shaq had Kobe on that team.. end of story. 🤣

[@Max-kw2hp]

Why you don't mention how many teams were in NBA in total in old days? When Wilt won championship in 1967 there were 10 teams that he played across 82 game season and 8 of them made playoffs.

[@angelatanurdzic7508]

Jokic is the best 👏🏀🔥

[@samuelcolson8791]

83 sixers

[@danielleeson2415]

6:08 I think you meant David Robinson, not Duncan 😂

[@tamasnyerges1724]

Duncan and Robinson

[@juan-in3cw]

5.5 or 9.5? 7:11

[@AdLast]

Shaq most dominant, Micheal Jordan best ever. You all keep keeping Kobe in the topic. Man ain't even alive. Let a dude rest ok.

[@pantelisliakos2481]

Just an observation: It matters a lot not only how you beat the opponent, but WHO the opponent is! For example, Sonics, Heat(2023) Cavs, Sixers of said Finals have nothing on Spurs and Heat dynasties...

[@derek5499]

I'm 45 years old and I watched the 96 bulls and I watched the warriors. I'm not going to argue about this but the bulls would have won that series. It doesn't matter what rules they play with either.

[@Calimero__]

Македонска легенда

[@Ynkno]

spurs

[@driverjay8613]

The click bait here makes me not trust this channel. I get y'all do this type of click bait for this era, which is celebrity culture, but that doesn't make it right, it just makes you one of them trying to get there socially broken attention.

[@AdLast]

Mba rigged

[@Hludi_stayela]

First comment

[@RecrutaZeroW]

Are you telling me MJ was swept by the Celtics? Unacceptable!

[@antiarezzo7630]

bird was just like that 😤

[@dewman7477]

I mean Bird had way more help than MJ same way KD and curry had way more help than LeBron

[@RecrutaZeroW]

@dewman7477 But MJ ended up having the best help in the end. Pippen was probably the 2nd best player in the league at some point. Rodman was a beast as well. MJ is not held to the same standard as current players are and there is selective amnesia when it comes to MJs accomplishments: wizard years are forgotten as well as early years and his help is constantly underappreciated.

[@dewman7477]

@@RecrutaZeroW MJ was still the best player when he won and one of the best players in the league in the 80s but didn’t have enough help. The accolades and overall dominance proves he’s goat

[@romanramirez7847]

@@dewman7477This is the type of thinking I don’t like from Jordan fans nowadays. They constantly use team success to bring down Magic and Bird to make Jordan look better. And yet Jordan always gets a pass for his stacked teams in the 90’s. Can’t we just acknowledge Magic and Bird for being great players, instead of using their great teams to downplay them? They were generational players who were the main factors to their team’s success. Take them both off, and the teams struggle a lot more. Same with Jordan with his Bulls teams. I’d even argue that Jordan wasn’t even the sole best player in his first three years. Magic and Bird were both amazing.

[@kzrmxmln]

Judging by the thumbnail, I'm taking shaq all day.

[@ranojutro426]

Jordan played alone it is easy to get 63 pounds when you don't pass to anyone

[@brandondurant2377]

7:06 my boy said 5.5 ast... Joker had 9.5 ast my boy. Which is CRAZY AVERAGING .5 LESS THAN A TRIP DUB IN THE FINALS IS WICKED

[@ChinedumDavid]

Me realising Michael has been swept😢

[@Subiless]

Why is it only 3-0 in the first round ? i thought its 4-0

[@juanjordan7799]

until i think 2003-2004 the first round was out of 5 games

[@GreedyGniuz]

You said 5.5. . Joker averaged 9.5 assist G.

[@brailr13]

ИНТЕРЕСНО!!

[@thomasmontgomery805]

I hate when every year after the finals people use the most cringe garbage take of the year and say it’s been one of the best finals in history ya did it in 2019 with the raps you did it in 2020 with the lakers and in 2021 with the bucks just stop this

[@theonlygoodonehere2259]

all of those rings were tainted by many, and people labeled them with asterisks, 2023 really is the best finals run of all time

[@romanramirez7847]

@@theonlygoodonehere2259Pretty much agreed. The past couple of Finals have been slandered by so many people and downplayed. This year was totally different because the Nuggets really were that dominant and always looked like the best team on the floor.

[@theonlygoodonehere2259]

@@romanramirez7847 agreed

[@donado91]

GSW !!!

[@killuminatisouls]

Dallas in 2011!