The 20 best NBA teams of the 2000s

Who else did you think was going to be at the top of this list? Shaq and Kobe dominated the NBA in the early 2000s. One of the greatest duos of all time, they won three championships in a row (2000, ’01, ’02). They were unstoppable. During the 2000-01 playoffs, the Lakers only lost one game against the Allen Iverson-led Philadelphia 76ers in the Finals (more on them later). The roster was rounded out with role players like Rick Fox, Derek Fisher, and Robert Horry. If Shaq and Kobe could’ve worked it out, who knows how many championships they would’ve won. 

The San Antonio Spurs “Big Three” won three championships in the ’00s. Led by Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili, the Spurs played smart basketball and were all about what was best for the team. They weren’t selfish, and they knew how to win. Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich was the glue that held them together. The Spurs won more games than any other team in the ’00s, per Statmuse. 

All the Lakers did in the ’00s was win championships. They were the team to beat. The Lakers were officially Kobe’s team after they traded Shaq to the Miami Heat for a king’s ransom. They rebuilt the team around Kobe and won back-to-back championships against the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics (2009, ’10). The Black Mamba showed off his clutch gene on multiple occasions. A supporting cast of Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher, Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, and Metta World Peace complemented Kobe’s skills nicely.  

The Boston Celtics had their ups and downs in the ’00s with Paul Pierce. In 2008, they pieced the puzzle together and assembled one of the greatest teams of the decade. The Celtics’ front office traded for former MVP Kevin Garnett and three-point ace Ray Allen. They won 66 games in the regular season and cruised to the NBA Finals, where they beat the Lakers in six games. With three superstars and a deep bench, the Celtics went back to the finals in 2010 and lost in a rematch to the Lakers. The Celtics were a true super team in the late ’00s. 

The Lakers traded away Shaq, their star center, to the Miami Heat so Kobe could take over as the bona fide leader of the Lakers. Even though the most storied franchise in basketball exiled him, Shaq thrived on his third team. He teamed up with another young shooting guard by the name of Dwyane Wade. Together, they played good basketball and won the NBA Finals in 2006. Shaq won the championship in his second season with the team. This team was rounded out with aging veterans looking for their first rings, such as Gary Payton, Jason Williams, and Alonzo Mourning. 

While most teams are on this list for their ability to score at will, this team is on the list for an entirely different reason: their defense. Staying true to the Pistons’ tradition of playing lockdown defense, they weren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. They went to six Eastern Conference Finals in a row and peaked in 2004 when they beat the Shaq-Kobe Lakers in the Finals. The Pistons were a deep team with Chauncey Billups, Ben Wallace, and Rasheed Wallace leading the way. 

New Jersey was a big deal in the ’00s. The Sopranos was set in New Jersey… and MTV’s reality TV show Jersey Shore captivated the nation. And how can we forget the New Jersey Nets from the early ’00s? Led by Jason Kidd, Richard Jefferson, and Kenyon Martin, the Nets lost back-to-back NBA Finals. The Nets were one of the best teams in basketball during the ’00s.

The Sacramento Kings were loaded with talent. They made the playoffs every year of the ’00s until 2006. The All-Star cast of Jason Williams, Mike Bibby, Chris Webber, Vlade Divac, and Peja Stojakovic created one of the most electric offenses in the league. They were an iconic team from this era. Their battle with the Lakers in the 2002 Western Conference Finals is a major controversy because of questionable officiating.  

A 2000s basketball icon, Allen Iverson represented everything this decade was about. His mid-range shot and killer crossover made him one of the decade’s most exciting players. Iverson carried the 76ers to the playoffs almost every year. He never had the best supporting cast, but he always found a way to win. In 2001, Iverson willed the 76ers to the NBA Finals, and the 76ers lost to the Lakers in five games. Iverson is the smallest MVP in NBA history. He is the embodiment of the city of Philadelphia. 

He’s the chosen one. The pressure of winning the Cavaliers’ first NBA championship was put on the young shoulders of LeBron James when he was drafted first overall in the 2003 NBA Draft. Year after year, LeBron improved, and so did the Cavs. In 2007, the kid from Akron led the Cavs to the NBA Finals, where the Spurs swept them. As the decade closed in 2010, LeBron packed his bags, signed with the Miami Heat, and won two championships. King James came back to Cleveland and won the Cavs their first championship in 2016. The prophecy was fulfilled. 

The Steve Nash Suns were a fun team to watch. They went to four Western Conference Finals. Under head coach Mike D’Antoni, Nash ran the seven seconds or less offense to perfection. The pick-and-roll combo of Nash to Amar’e Stoudemire was lethal. Nash also won two NBA MVPs with the Suns. All of those great Sun teams of the ’00s weren’t able to win a championship. They’re among the best teams to never win a championship in the history of the NBA. 

When Shaq left the Magic and signed with the Lakers, the Magic were left in disarray. Many losing seasons followed. This all changed in 2004 when the Magic drafted Dwight Howard as the first overall pick in the draft. The center made an immediate impact and helped flip the franchise’s fortunes. In 2009, Howard led the Magic to the NBA Finals. While they lost to the Lakers in five games, this season will always be cherished by Magic fans. A few years later, Howard followed in Shaq’s footsteps and went to the Lakers. Deja Vu, huh?  

The Portland Trail Blazers almost went to the NBA Finals in 2000 but lost to the Lakers in a hard-fought series in the Western Conference Finals. They were led by an aging Scottie Pippen, Rasheed Wallace, and Detlef Schrempf. They burnt out as quickly as their rise and didn’t make it past the first round of the playoffs for the rest of the decade after that 2000 season. 

What if Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash stayed on the Dallas Mavericks together? When the Mavs’ front office let Nash walk in free agency, they had no idea Nash would become one of the best point guards in league history with the Suns. While their time as a dynamic duo in Dallas was short-lived, it’s still remembered fondly by NBA fans as one of the sport’s biggest what-ifs. 

This is a fun one. One of the best teams on paper, the A.I.-Melo Nuggets were a walking highlight reel. Besides A.I. and Melo, the Nuggets had Marcus Camby, Kenyon Martin, and a young J.R. Smith getting buckets every night. However, this team never materialized because of too many iso plays and team chemistry problems. They couldn’t get out of the middle class of the NBA.

Believe it or not, the Dallas Mavericks won the second most regular season games in the ’00s, per Statmuse. They were a Western Conference powerhouse. Dirk Nowitzki, the best European player of all time, built his legacy with the Mavericks, the only team he played for. His one-legged fadeaway was unstoppable. It became his signature move. Although it didn’t happen in the ’00s, Nowitzki won the Mavs their first championship in 2011. 

If only Yao Ming could’ve stayed healthy. The woeful Houston Rockets drafted the Chinese sensation with the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. Standing at 7-foot-6, Ming brought size and presence to a Rockets team that desperately needed it. He also gave the NBA presence in China. Led by Ming and Tracy McGrady, the Rockets were a scrappy team willing to do whatever it took to get a W. 

The Minnesota Timberwolves found their franchise player when they drafted Kevin Garnett out of high school in the 1995 NBA Draft. Garnett was a passionate and aggressive power forward with a contagious energy that propelled the Timberwolves to greater heights. Their best season was 2004, when Garnett won MVP and led the Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals. 

The Washington Wizards were an interesting team in the ’00s. Michael Jordan came out of retirement to play for the Wizards for two seasons before retiring for good in 2003. After the fact, Gilbert Arenas and Antwan Jamison took over and led the Wizards to a handful of playoff runs. Yes, the Wizards never went on a deep playoff run, but they were one of those teams that were fun to watch and root for. 

The Golden State Warriors only made the playoffs once this decade, but they made the most of their opportunity. In the 2006-07 season, the Warriors went 42-40 and earned the eighth seed in the Western Conference Playoffs. When they beat the Dallas Mavericks in the first round, they became one of the only No. 8 seeds in NBA history to beat the No. 1 seed in the playoffs. Led by Baron Davis, Monta Ellis, and Stephen Jackson, the Warriors shocked the world.