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.

#1

Los Angeles Lakers

Cross-era All-Time
PG
Magic Johnson
SG
Kobe Bryant
SF
LeBron James
PF
Elgin Baylor
C
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Four top-15 players ever and a 6-time scoring champ. No franchise comes close on paper.

#2

Boston Celtics

Cross-era All-Time
PG
Bob Cousy
SG
John Havlicek
SF
Larry Bird
PF
Kevin Garnett
C
Bill Russell

17 banners worth of pedigree. Russell + Bird is unbeatable two-way leadership.

#3

Chicago Bulls

Mostly 1990s
PG
Derrick Rose
SG
Michael Jordan
SF
Scottie Pippen
PF
Dennis Rodman
C
Artis Gilmore

The greatest player ever, the perfect wing partner, the best rebounder of his era.

#4

Golden State Warriors

Modern + 70s
PG
Stephen Curry
SG
Klay Thompson
SF
Rick Barry
PF
Draymond Green
C
Wilt Chamberlain

Best shooting backcourt ever plus the most dominant scorer in league history.

#5

San Antonio Spurs

1997–2016
PG
Tony Parker
SG
Manu Ginóbili
SF
Kawhi Leonard
PF
Tim Duncan
C
David Robinson

Two MVP centers, a Finals MVP wing, and the best international guard tandem ever.

#6

Philadelphia 76ers

Cross-era
PG
Allen Iverson
SG
Hal Greer
SF
Julius Erving
PF
Charles Barkley
C
Wilt Chamberlain

Three top-25 players and the most explosive scorer of the early-2000s.

#7

Miami Heat

2003–2014
PG
Tim Hardaway
SG
Dwyane Wade
SF
LeBron James
PF
Chris Bosh
C
Alonzo Mourning

The Big Three plus a Hall-of-Fame point guard and the franchise's defensive anchor.

#8

Detroit Pistons

Bad Boys + Goin' to Work
PG
Isiah Thomas
SG
Joe Dumars
SF
Grant Hill
PF
Dennis Rodman
C
Ben Wallace

Two championship cores stitched together — toughness, defense, and a Finals MVP backcourt.

#9

Houston Rockets

Cross-era
PG
James Harden
SG
Clyde Drexler
SF
Tracy McGrady
PF
Yao Ming
C
Hakeem Olajuwon

Hakeem is the best skill-center ever. Add three top-20 scorers and you have an elite lineup.

#10

New York Knicks

1969–1973
PG
Walt Frazier
SG
Earl Monroe
SF
Bernard King
PF
Willis Reed
C
Patrick Ewing

Two title cores plus the most feared scorer of the 80s. A real all-time five.

Build & simulate any all-time five

Disagree with the order? Draft your own franchise starting five and we'll simulate an 82-game season against the field.