Top 10 NBA Franchise All-Time Starting Lineups
Can you name the all-time NBA starting lineups for every great franchise? We ranked the 10 best — then built a simulator so you can run any of them 82 games.
Los Angeles Lakers
Four top-15 players ever and a 6-time scoring champ. No franchise comes close on paper.
Boston Celtics
17 banners worth of pedigree. Russell + Bird is unbeatable two-way leadership.
Chicago Bulls
The greatest player ever, the perfect wing partner, the best rebounder of his era.
Golden State Warriors
Best shooting backcourt ever plus the most dominant scorer in league history.
San Antonio Spurs
Two MVP centers, a Finals MVP wing, and the best international guard tandem ever.
Philadelphia 76ers
Three top-25 players and the most explosive scorer of the early-2000s.
Miami Heat
The Big Three plus a Hall-of-Fame point guard and the franchise's defensive anchor.
Detroit Pistons
Two championship cores stitched together — toughness, defense, and a Finals MVP backcourt.
Houston Rockets
Hakeem is the best skill-center ever. Add three top-20 scorers and you have an elite lineup.
New York Knicks
Two title cores plus the most feared scorer of the 80s. A real all-time five.
Frequently asked questions
Which franchise has the deepest all-time lineup?
The Lakers, by talent density — Magic, Kobe, LeBron, Shaq, Kareem plus George Mikan, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, and James Worthy. No other franchise has five top-15 players.
Are the Celtics better than the Lakers all-time?
By championships, yes (17 to 17 with Boston's recent 2024 title pulling them even, depending on the year). By peak starting-five talent, the Lakers narrowly edge them.
Do expansion franchises ever crack the top 10?
Yes — the Heat (Wade, LeBron, Bosh, Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway) and the Mavericks (Dirk, Luka, Jason Kidd, Mark Aguirre, Tyson Chandler) both have legitimate top-15 fives.
How does Lock The Lineup rank franchises?
The leaderboard ranks user-submitted franchise lineups by simulated 82-game record. Pick any franchise in the daily or free draft to add your lineup to its all-time leaderboard.