NBA History: 5 Dynasties Better Than the Duncan-Spurs Era

Tim Duncan and the San Antonio Spurs have created one of the best dynasties in NBA history over the past 15 years. However, there are at least five dynasties that the Spurs have not been as good as.

The NBA has seen major dynasties in almost every decade of its existence. The Lakers and Celtics have accounted for most of these, but there have been other franchises that have also been able to establish such regimes.

Here are five NBA dynasties that were better than that of Duncan and the Spurs.

Bad Boy Pistons

The "Bad Boy"-era Detroit Pistons only won two titles, in 1989 and 1990. But they were so physically intimidating that they deserve their place on this list over Duncan’s Spurs. Led by Bill Laimbeer, Joe Dumars and Isiah Thomas, the Bad Boys defeated the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers.

By playing physical defense and having one of the best defenders in the game in Dennis Rodman, the Pistons literally “beat” opponents into submission. That isn’t something these Spurs could have handled.

Kobe-Shaq Los Angeles Lakers

The Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal-led Los Angeles Lakers of the early 2000s are on this list above Duncan’s Spurs for primarily one reason. Anyone realize that the Spurs did not win a title from 2000 to 2002?

The reason was this Lakers team, which won it all for those three straight years. The Spurs had trouble with them, until a tough victory in 2003 en route to a Spurs title that season, but the Lakers beat the Spurs en route to another Western Conference title in 2004 before falling to the Pistons in the NBA Finals.

Shaq was just too much for Duncan and his Spurs, and Bryant made it even worse.

Magic-Kareem Los Angeles Lakers

What do you get when you put the best point guard and the (arguably) the best center of all time on the same team? The answer is a dynasty better than Duncan’s Spurs.

Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar won five titles from 1980-1989, including winning two over Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics. This Lakers team kept so many others from winning or even getting to a title game.

Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls

You all knew that this guy would be on this list. The Chicago Bulls won six titles in eight seasons under the leadership of Michael Jordan and probably would have won eight out of eight if Jordan had not retired the first time.

Duncan in his prime would have caused problems for Jordan’s Bulls, since the latter would not have had a big man to offset him. However, Jordan would have simply been too much for the Spurs to overcome.

Bill Russell Boston Celtics

Bill Russell’s Boston Celtics won 11 titles in 13 seasons. No other NBA team has won that many titles in that short of a time. For a comparison, Duncan and his Spurs have won four titles in the last 13 years.

While there were fewer teams then, there is obviously no comparison. Russell absolutely dominated his sport, completely and fully. Duncan has been great, but not that good.