Where the Golden State Warriors Rank Among All-Time Dynasties

The Golden State Warriors won their fourth NBA title in eight seasons with their victory over the Boston Celtics last week. Golden State was trailing 2-1 in the series but roared back to win the next three games as Steph Curry finally won his NBA Finals MVP. The Warriors and Celtics have been ensconced as the favorites to win the NBA title next season after their performances in the playoffs, but the larger question that everyone is asking now is where Golden State ranks in the list of the greatest NBA dynasties.

Top Five NBA Dynasties

1. 1990s Chicago Bulls

There are only two contenders for the top overall spot on this list, the 1990s Chicago Bulls and the 1950s-1960s Boston Celtics. While the Celtics had more success with 11 titles in 13 seasons, they did it at a different time in the league’s history. There were anywhere between 8 and 14 teams in the NBA during their run, and the NBA was much more top heavy.

Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls won six titles in eight years during the 1990s despite the league being much more competitive with 27 to 29 teams. Jordan stamped his legacy as the greatest player in NBA during that stretch, and the Bulls might have been able to win another title if His Airness didn’t step away from the game at the peak of his powers.

The Bulls only had one other bonafide star on the roster in Scottie Pippen. The combination of Jordan, Pippen, and head coach Phil Jackson was enough to make this team a wrecking ball in the 1990s though. Chicago did an excellent job of bringing in role players too as B.J. Armstrong, John Paxson, Dennis Rodman, Toni Kukoc, Horace Grant, and Steve Kerr all came up big at one point or another for this franchise.

2. 1950s-1960s Boston Celtics

Red Auerbach built the NBA’s first juggernaut in Boston during the 1956 NBA Draft. Boston took the great Bill Russell with the No. 2 overall pick and also drafted K.C. Jones and Tommy Heinsohn in the same draft to set the Celtics up for the next 13 seasons. Russell was the centerpiece of the Celtics’ 11 titles, while Jones and Heinsohn were also selected to the NBA Hall of Fame.

Boston had an embarrassment of riches during this time. Bob Cousy, Bill Sharman, Sam Jones, Frank Ramsey, and John ‘Hondo’ Havlicek all spent at least a decade with the Celtics during their incredible run, and all five players were also selected to the NBA Hall of Fame. They certainly had more talent than any other dynasty, but the overall quality of the league at the time is the reason why they aren’t No. 1 on this list.

3. 1980s Los Angeles Lakers

The Showtime Lakers helped revolutionize basketball during the 1980s. Magic Johnson, James Worthy, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar thrived in this fast-paced offense, and that led to the Los Angeles Lakers making seven NBA Finals in nine years, winning five of them. If not for the Boston Celtics, the Lakers would have probably had another one or two titles and may have ended up higher on this list.

4. 2010s-2020s Golden State Warriors

Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson will all eventually be selected to the NBA Hall of Fame. Curry is the greatest three-point shooter in NBA history, and his ability to get off shots from anywhere on the court is what has made this dynasty so great. Golden State won the Western Conference in five straight seasons from 2015 to 2019, and the Warriors could be primed to make another run if Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and James Wiseman can develop alongside young star Jordan Poole.

The most recent title was huge for Curry’s legacy. Detractors gave Kevin Durant a lot of credit for the Warriors’ run although he wasn’t around for Golden State’s first title, but this has always been Curry’s team. He might not have much gas left in the tank at 34 years old, yet Golden State could jump the Los Angeles Lakers with another title or two in the next few years.

5. 1990s-2010s San Antonio Spurs

This might feel a little cheap, but Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan were together for all five of San Antonio’s NBA championships from 1999 to 2014. The Spurs never won titles in consecutive seasons, but they won the West six times with these two stars at the helm. They were continually competitive too and tied the NBA record by making the playoffs in 22 straight seasons, winning 50 or more games 19 times in that run.

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