🤸
As an NBA player, there are many individual honors that most people can only dream of. The NBA Champion, Finals MVP, MVP and Defensive Player of the Year are certainly the most notable of these. There are also players selected to the All-NBA First Team. Now, there are three All-NBA teams, and being on any one of them means you’re a top-10 player at your position and a top-20 player in the league at the time. If your contract includes a bonus, it could also mean a big payday, especially these days.
Now, an All-NBA lineup typically features two guards, two forwards and a center. Apparently, the rules have been tweaked a bit this year to allow a center to be included in one of the forward spots if voters so choose. Voters have generally stuck to this format over the years, and as a result, some of the greatest “lineups” in league history have been formed. Of course, they weren’t really a lineup, and they never played together except at the All-Star Game.
But what if we consider these teams as actual lineups? We scoured NBA history to find the greatest lineups of the All-NBA teams over the years, and the results were amazing. We believe we’ve found the 10 greatest lineups of all time on both ends of the floor. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better player than these All-NBA selections who were unstoppable on any basketball court in any era.
Here are the 10 greatest All-NBA First Teams of all time.
10. Selected to the All-NBA First Team in 2006
Image Credit: Back to the World
2006 All-NBA Team: Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki, Shaquille O’Neal
We start with a list of the best All-NBA teams in 2006. First, we have MVP Steve Nash, who just won his second back-to-back MVP award with 18.8 points per game and a league-leading 10.5 APG. Another guard who fought alongside him was none other than Kobe Bryant. In 2006, Bryant won the first of his two scoring titles with 35.4 points on 45.0 percent shooting, 5.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.8 assists. Kobe in his prime and Nash in his prime were powerful backcourt players who moved the game forward.
There are two players at the forward position that anyone reading this would like to add to their team. In 2006, LeBron James was just a young man, a year shy of his first Finals appearance. In 2006, James averaged 31.4 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game, helping the Cavaliers win 50 games. Another forward was Dirk Nowitzki, who reached his peak in 2006. Nowitzki is one season away from winning MVP, and arguably in 2006 as well. He’s averaging 26.6 points and 9.0 rebounds per game while shooting close to 50/40/90 from the field and a slightly underwhelming 48.0 percent overall.
Shaq can’t go wrong as a center, not at his prime in 2006 but helping the Miami Heat to their first NBA title in 2006. In this season, O’Neal averaged 20.0 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. And 1.8 points per game, beat other centers such as Ben Wallace and Yao Ming, and won first-team honors. As is the case with all of our All-NBA first teams, it’s hard to find a weakness in this roster.
9. Selected to the All-NBA First Team in 1984
Image Credit: Back to the World
1984 All-NBA Team: Isiah Thomas, Magic Johnson, Bernard King, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
At first glance, you might think this team could be a slightly better 2006 team, but when you dig deeper, I really don’t think so. Let’s start with a backcourt featuring two of the greatest point guards in NBA history. Isiah Thomas was just a third-year player who played all 82 games and averaged 21.3 points, 11.5 assists and 2.5 assists per game. Much better than Nash in 2006. Magic Johnson rounded out the backcourt during the 1984 season with averages of 17.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists and a league-leading 13.1 assists.
At forward, MVP Larry Bird was nominated. Bird led the Celtics to 62 victories with 24.2 points, 10.1 rebounds, 6.6 assists and 1.8 rebounds to earn the MVP. It was Bird’s first and arguably best of three consecutive MVP seasons. The outlier here might be Bernard King, but not when we dig deeper. In 1984, before his knee injury, King averaged 26.3 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting an incredible 57.2 percent from the field overall. Forwards with a combined score over 50.0 make this duo elite.
At the center position is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the greatest center in NBA history. Although already 36 years old, Kareem was outstanding in 1984, averaging 21.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.8 rebounds per game during the season, and he shot 57.8% from the field. With four players in the all-time top five, plus MVP candidate Bernard King, this team has a slight edge over 2006.
8. Selected to the All-NBA First Team in 1991
Image Credit: Back to the World
1991 All-NBA Team: Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, David Robinson
The No. 8 team has arguably one of the most complete rosters on the entire list. In the backcourt we have two players who would meet in the 1991 NBA Finals. Magic Johnson took one of the guard spots with a performance from the runner-up MVP. During the season, he averaged 19.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, 12.5 assists and 1.3 rebounds per game. Sharing the backcourt with him is MVP and Finals MVP Michael Jordan. This version of Jordan won his first NBA title and captured his fifth straight scoring title by averaging 31.5 points on 53.9 percent shooting. He also added 6.0 RPG, 5.5 APG, 2.7 SPG and 1.0 BPG.
At the forward position, we are fortunate to have two of the greatest power forwards in NBA history. Although Charles Barkley became disaffected in Philadelphia, he still performed well, averaging 27.6 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1.6 SPG, finishing fourth in MVP voting. Karl Malone, another forward in 1991, averaged 29.0 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.1 points and 1.0 rebounds per game for the season. It was arguably the most well-rounded season of his career.
Named to the All-NBA First Team was the player who finished third in MVP voting in his second season in the NBA. David Robinson averaged 25.6 points, led the league with 13.0 rebounds, and added 1.5 points and 3.9 points. With five players on this team finishing in the top five in MVP voting in 1991, it’s hard to argue with their place in the top ten of the greatest All-NBA teams of all time.
7. Selected to the All-NBA First Team in 1987
1987 All-NBA Team: “Magic” Johnson, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Hakeem Olajuwon
The 1987 All-NBA First Team wasn’t far off the No. 1 team, but as you can see, there’s one nuance that makes them even better. For guards, Magic Johnson was the 1987 MVP and led the NBA with 23.9 points and 12.2 assists per game. He also won the 1987 Finals MVP. Michael Jordan led the scoring with 37.1 points per game in 82 games and contributed 2.9 points and 1.5 points on the defensive end.
At forward, two Boston Celtics played, including Larry Bird and Kevin McHale. Although Bird failed to win the MVP for the fourth consecutive season, he still put up incredible numbers with 28.1 points, 9.2 rebounds, 7.6 assists and 1.8 rebounds. In 1987, Kevin McHale led the NBA in field goal percentage with 60.4%, averaging 26.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.2 rebounds per game. The pair led the Celtics to 59 victories and a trip to the NBA Finals in 1987.
Last at center is a young Hakeem Olajuwon, already in his prime. Olajuwon, who is only 24 years old, averaged 23.4 points, 11.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 3.4 rebounds per game, leading the team to the second round of the playoffs. As good as this team is, a similar team at No. 1 will throw them off the field, and you’ll soon see why.
6. Selected to the All-NBA First Team in 2000
Image Credit: Back to the World
2000 All-NBA Team: Gary Payton, Jason Kidd, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal
In 2000, the NBA ushered in the new millennium, assembling one of the best NBA first teams ever. There are two of the greatest point guards in NBA history in the backcourt, but they are historically underrated. In 2000, Gary Payton was at the peak of both offense and defense, averaging 24.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, 8.9 assists and 1.9 assists per game. Sure, he was a DPOY in 1996, but that was arguably his best all-around season. Another guard is Jason Kidd, who is in All-Star form with the Suns. He leads the NBA with 10.1 assists, 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists.
At the forward position, we are blessed with two of the greatest power forwards of all time. Fifth-year power forward Kevin Garnett averaged 22.9 points, 11.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.5 points and 1.6 points per game, leading the Timberwolves to 50 wins and an MVP runner-up. Opposite him is GOAT power forward Tim Duncan. In 2000, Duncan averaged 23.2 points, 12.4 rebounds and 2.2 rebounds per game. In 1999, Duncan also won the Finals MVP.
All in all, we have the most dominant version of the most dominant player of all time. In 2000, Shaquille O’Neal won the All-Star Game MVP, Regular Season MVP, and Finals MVP because he was battered all season long. O’Neal won the scoring title with averages of 29.7 points, 13.6 rebounds and 3.0 rebounds per game. Now, you tell me. Who scores in the position of these five two-way gods?
5. Selected to the All-NBA First Team in 1961
Image Credit: Back to the World
1961 All-NBA Team: Bob Cousy, Oscar Robertson, Elgin Baylor, Bob Pettit, Wilt Chamberlain
The next two All-NBA teams on our list pay homage to the 1960s. The first was an All-NBA First Team selection in 1961 with a backcourt of Bob Cousy and Oscar Robertson. Cousy is slightly older, in his early thirties, but still as efficient as ever. He averaged 18.1 points and 7.7 assists per game this season, helping Boston win another NBA title. Oscar Robertson is arguably the best guard in the NBA, averaging 30.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and an NBA-leading 9.7 assists. Oh, and did I mention he’s a rookie?
The forward positions are two of the most underrated players at their respective positions in NBA history. Elgin Baylor has been criticized for his multiple NBA Finals losses, but the truth is he’s been incredible. In 1961, he averaged 34.8 points and 19.8 rebounds while shooting 43.0 percent from the field. Yes, you read that right. Bob Pettit also received little love as the greatest power forward of all time, averaging 27.9 points and 20.3 rebounds in 1961, making him the all-time fourth-list player to average more than 20.0 points in a season And one of the NBA players with 20.0 rebounds.
Finishing this is quite possibly the greatest big man in league history. Wilt Chamberlain was the cheat code of the early 1960s and the perfect cherry on top of this lineup. In 1961, he averaged 38.4 points and 27.2 rebounds per game in 47.8 minutes per game while shooting 50.9 percent from the field, leading the league. The offensive output of this team alone makes them an easy top-five option. Well, just three players averaged over 60 rebounds per game.
4. Selected to the All-NBA First Team in 1967
Image Credit: Back to the World
1967 All-NBA Team: Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Rick Barry, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain
This All-NBA team has two changes compared to the 1961 lineup, and the 1967 All-NBA team is slightly ahead. Oscar Robertson, who remained in 1961, was equally dominant in 1967. He averaged 30.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 10.7 assists for the Cincinnati Royals, but the team won just 39 games that season. Joining him in the backcourt this time is Jerry West of the Lakers. In 67 games, West averaged 28.7 points, 5.9 rebounds and 6.8 assists while shooting 46.4 percent from the field, mostly jump shots, before it was as popular as it is today.
Elgin Baylor also started in 1961, again in 1967 with incredible performances. In 1967, Baylor averaged 26.6 points and 12.8 rebounds for the Lakers, who won 36 games. Joining him will be a…
Find more articles in our categories Sports & NFL ou encore Football.