NBA History: The Greatest Championship Cores of All Time

The greatest championship cores is a list filled with an incredible amount of talent.

Names like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Bill Russell lead a star-studded list that also includes some rather unexpected surprises.

While not all of these cores can be defined as a big three, most didn't have to have a label in an effort to find success.

Let's take a look at the most impressive key contributors from each championship roster over the last 50 seasons.

40. 2003-04 Detroit Pistons: Chauncey Billups, Rasheed Wallace, Rip Hamilton

The Pistons were elated when the team captured a surprising title; despite the victory, however, there wasn’t an immense amount of talent on the roster.

This team had a solid (but unspectacular) group of players that really knew how to come together and play as a team.

39. 1950-51 Rochester Royals: Arnie Risen, Bob Davies, Jack Coleman

Arnie Risen was a baller on the hardwood long before that term was implemented as one regularly used by fans.

The Royals had a lot of success during a championship campaign led by Risen, who averaged a double-double in convincing fashion over the opposition.

38. 1955-56 Philadelphia Warriors: Paul Arizin, Neil Johnston, Joe Graboski

Arizin’s contributions to the game of basketball constantly get overlooked in a historical context.

The Warriors really played a head above the competition when they won it all for Philadelphia, and Arizin led by example.

37. 2005-06 Miami Heat: Shaquille O'Neal, Dwyane Wade, Antoine Walker

Miami won its only title in franchise history when the club brought Shaq into town, and it’s not a surprise that the dominant force in the middle was essential in a victory.

While Wade played an incredible role as well, Shaq’s presence in the middle really made a difference, and Antoine Walker was (surprisingly) able to stretch the floor as a result.

36. 1998-99 San Antonio Spurs: Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Sean Elliott

When the Spurs rostered the infamous “Twin Towers," there wasn’t a lot that the opposition could do to stop them.

Two extremely talented players at their positions, both Duncan and Robinson really took advantage of just about everybody on the low block.

35. 2002-03 San Antonio Spurs: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Stephen Jackson

Most casual fans may not even remember that Stephen Jackson was on the Spurs, but he provided solid value to the club during a championship run.

As the team was transitioning to a new era after The Admiral, it was a good time for Tony Parker to begin carving out his reputation

34. 1993-94 Houston Rockets: Hakeem Olajuwon, Otis Thorpe, Vernon Maxwell

Houston interrupted Chicago’s string of dominance in the early 90s, and Hakeem Olajuwon shined magnificently in both of the team’s back-to-back titles.

However, the Rockets may have very well come up short if it wasn’t for both Thorpe and Maxwell really complementing Olajuwon’s low-post game.

33. 2010-11 Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki, Tyson Chandler, Jason Kidd

The Mavericks really embodied the term “team” when Dallas embarked on its magical run to the championship.

Despite the depth that the team enjoyed, Chandler and Kidd (along with Nowitzki) were both essential in the Mavericks coming away with the title.

This club might not have had a big three, but it worked out just fine for them in the long run.

32. 1977-78 Washington Bullets: Elvin Hayes, Bob Dandridge, Mitch Kupchak

Elvin Hayes’ place in the record books is in a very prominent place, and I don’t understand why he doesn’t get more love among the masses.

However, it’s not a mistake that Dandridge’s name will appear twice on this list, and Kupchak was a fairly underrated player in his own right as well.

31. 1974-75 Golden State Warriors: Rick Barry, Clifford Ray, Jamaal Wilkes

Rick Barry and his grandma-style free-throw shooting may not have looked pretty—but it worked, and that’s all he cared about.

However, it’s doubtful he would have been able to enjoy winning a title without the help of Ray on the block and Wilkes’ scoring ability.

30. 1951-54 Minneapolis Lakers: George Mikan, Jim Pollard, Vern Mikkelsen

Yes, it was 50 years ago that the Minneapolis Lakers enjoyed a solid run, but that doesn’t mean that it should be forgotten about.

George Mikan was one of the greatest players to ever don a Lakers uniform, and he spear-headed the effort of this core that was clearly more talented than the competition.

29. 1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers: Bill Walton, Maurice Lucas, Lionel Hollins

One has to wonder how prolific Walton’s career would have been if it weren’t de-railed by injury, but he certainly made it count when he was on the court.

With the support of Lucas and Hollins, this is one Trail Blazers team that nobody wanted to mess with when it mattered most.

28. 1978-79 Seattle SuperSonics: Jack Sikma, Gus Williams, Dennis Johnson

There are a lot of players on this list that don’t get proper respect, but Jack Sikma is really at the forefront of that list.

This core is going to make readers in Seattle a little nostalgic, but this SuperSonics team was one club that entertained on a nightly basis.

27. 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers: Wilt Chamberlain, Hal Greer, Chet Walker

When Chamberlain was entrenched in the middle, he was so physically dominant that nobody could contend.

This 76ers squad relied on his physicality down low, but it also got some serious output from both Greer and Walker as well.

26. 1954-55 Syracuse Nationals: Dolph Schayes, Paul Seymour, Red Rocha

Schayes was beyond a force on the court—he legitimately put the league on notice when he was on the floor.

An astounding foul shooter to boot, Schayes skied for rebounds like they belonged to him—despite standing just 6’7” tall.

25. 1957-58 St. Louis Hawks: Bob Pettit, Cliff Hagan, Slater Martin

Most like to peg Dominique Wilkins as the greatest Hawk of all time, but he’s got some stiff competition from Bob Pettit.

With the help of Hagan and Martin, Pettit led the Hawks to a title run that most fans are still living vicariously through.

24. 2008-10 Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum

It wasn’t constructed to be a “big three," but that’s the moniker that was most slapped on them after winning back-to-back titles.

The talent on this team propelling Los Angeles to its victories was largely within these three players— with the Black Mamba as the obvious standout candidate.

23. 2007-08 Boston Celtics: Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen

These three players would have been a lot more fearsome if they joined forces earlier in their careers, but there’s no doubt that they packed a punch when the Celtics won it all.

Garnett and Allen really made Pierce more effective as they relieved some of the offensive burden, and the flow of Boston’s attack really opened up upon their arrival.

22. 1988-89 Detroit Pistons: Adrian Dantley, Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars

Dantley is one of the most under-appreciated scorers in the history of the game, and even though his best years came before the championship, he was feared right up until the end of his career.

As for those other guys? Well, they were pretty good, too. Isiah Thomas was a wizard for the Detroit offense, and Dumars was busy raining in three’s from everywhere on the court.

21. 2000-02 Los Angeles Lakers: Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher

People like to make light of Fisher’s contributions in the backcourt alongside Bryant, but he was instrumental in the Lakers winning in the early 2000s.

While the story was more about the dominance of O’Neal and Bryant than Fisher, each served a distinct purpose throughout the club’s three-peat.

20. 1989-90 Detroit Pistons: Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Bill Laimbeer

As noted previously, both Thomas and Dumars really brought home the bacon for the Bad Boys of Motown.

Having said that, the team wouldn’t have been the same without Laimbeer’s ferocity on the interior, and that’s why he was crucial in this title.

19. 1972-73 New York Knicks: Walt Frazier, Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley

The Knicks enjoyed an era of dominance when Frazier was in the fold, and DeBusschere’s defense was integral to the team’s success.

While Bradley was never a standout player, what he was able to do on the court really complemented the other two well.

18. 1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers: Moses Malone, Julius Erving, Andrew Toney

A team that had Julius Erving leading the way was unfair for others, but pairing him with Malone really makes it an obvious competitive advantage.

The Sixers have had some special teams in the franchise’s history, and this was definitely one of them.

17. 1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, Bob Dandridge

On a team that included both Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson, it would certainly be hard to imagine the club struggling at any point.

With a 66-16 regular season record and a points-per-game average of 118.4, this was one club that was never short on offense.

16. 1994-95 Houston Rockets: Hakeem Olajuwon, Otis Thorpe, Clyde Drexler

This Rockets core was a serious improvement over the previous one that won the championship, and it’s because of Clyde Drexler.

The shooting guard was instrumental in the Rockets ascension to the top, and he was flat out balling from the minute he landed with the team.

15. 1999-2000 Los Angeles Lakers: Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Glen Rice

One season before Fisher replaced him in the triumvirate, Rice was actually a solid contributor for the Lakers.

Rice poured in better than 15 points per night joining Bryant and O’Neal on the offensive attack, and he really knew how to drain ‘em from the perimeter.

14. 1990-93 Chicago Bulls: Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Horance Grant

The emphasis here was clearly on the standout play from Jordan and the supporting job that Pippen provided him.

Although the Bulls success can largely be chalked up to those two players, Grant was actually a force on the interior for the club’s first three-peat and was a much better player than many give him credit for being.

13. 2004-05 & 2006-07 San Antonio Spurs: Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker

The Spurs really have an eye for talent, and it made David Robinson’s retirement an easier transition for the club.

Parker and Ginobili had no trouble taking over as Duncan’s running mates, and these guys left it all out on the court every single night.

12. 1987-88 Los Angeles Lakers: Byron Scott, James Worthy, Magic Johnson

The Showtime Lakers were one of the most talented teams I’ve ever had the pleasure of enjoying, and it’s really a shame that there aren’t clubs like that one around anymore.

With Magic leading the way, this team was a step above the competition at almost every moment of the season, and watching them flourish to success was something that was rather unsurprising.

11. 1980-81 Boston Celtics: Larry Bird, Robert Parish, Tiny Archibald

The Celtics are arguably the most storied franchise in league history, and it’s pretty easy to see why.

The 1980-81 season was one to remember for Boston fans, as the combination of Larry Legend and Robert Parish left the Beantown faithful salivating for basketball constantly.

10.1979-80 Los Angeles Lakers: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jamaal Wilkes, Magic Johnson

The Magic man makes another appearance on this list, only this time he appears with a couple of new friends.

Like Chamberlain before him, Abdul-Jabbar joined the Lakers after his career got underway and he had no trouble transferring his talents to his newest club.

9. 1973-74 & 1975-76 Boston Celtics: John Havlicek, Dave Cowens, Jo Jo White

This particular Celtics core was downright legendary, and Jo Jo White was instrumental in that happening.

Cowens and Havlicek may have gotten more attention in the public sphere, but White’s contributions were undoubtedly felt immensely by far more than just his teammates.

8. 1981-82 Los Angeles Lakers: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Norm Nixon, Magic Johnson

Clearly, the Showtime Lakers had more than just one good season during their reign of dominance.

Although Nixon’s name might not be immediately recognized by some unfamiliar with Lakers history, his play was critical to the team winning the title in the 1981-82 season.

7. 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers: Gail Goodrich, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain

If I could dream up a big three, they probably wouldn’t be as good as these three were during their title run together.

To have West and Chamberlain on the same side is downright unfair, but when one throws Goodrich into the mix—it’s literally game over.

6. 1969-70 New York Knicks: Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, Dave DeBusschere

This Knicks championship core was one of the best to ever take the court, and it’s beyond surprising that they don’t get referred to as such on a consistent basis.

Frazier and Reed both brought a heavy dose of game at the offensive end, and DeBusschere was a standout defender before the term became commonplace in the basketball vocabulary.

5. 1962-66 & 1967-69: Bill Russell, Sam Jones, John Havlicek

Russell’s run of 11 championships in 13 seasons is second to none, but he definitely had some help from teammates along the way.

Havlicek, Jones and Russell come in as the third-greatest Boston trio to ever bring home the championship—although fans shouldn’t be surprised when reading the next two.

4. 1983-84 & 1985-86 Boston Celtics: Larry Bird, Robert Parish, Kevin McHale

Finally, the trio that most Celtics fans really came to revere during their prime—this group was beyond ridiculously talented.

With Bird controlling the game on a constant basis and both Parish and McHale devouring defenders down low, it is a wonder any opposition could stand tall against them.

3. 1956-57 & 1958-62 Boston Celtics

The big boys.

Cousy, Russell and Heinsohn are three names that are valued like gold in Boston basketball history, and it’s pretty easy as to see why that’s exactly the case.

These guys re-defined what it meant to put in hard work with a common goal at the end of the road, and that’s probably why they were so great over such an incredible period of time.

2. 1984-85 & 86-87 LA Lakers: Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy

There are going to be Boston fans that think the previous slide should be ahead of this one, but the talent in this trio is just too special to be ranked any lower than second overall.

Seeing these three guys play together reminds me of the reason that I fell in love with the game of basketball; they really made it look like poetry in motion on the hardwood.

1. 1996-98 Chicago Bulls: Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman

You knew this one was coming.

After Jordan returned to the game, he and the Bulls picked right back up where they had left off upon his sudden retirement.

While His Airness led the way, Pippen did his typical thing in a supporting role to Jordan, but the key difference here was Rodman absolutely dominating the boards—leading the league in rebounds in each of the three championship seasons.

I'd stack this core against any other in any dream and/or fantasy matchup of 3-on-3, and I'm certain that they'd come out on top every single time.