Top NBA Franchises from the 1970's

The decade of the 1970's were interesting times for professional basketball. The early portion of the decade featured the intense rivalry between the NBA and the ABA, especially when they faced in exhibition games. Eventually, the two leagues would amalgamate into one following the 1975-76 season. There was no definitive dynasty during the 1970's as was witnessed in previous decades. Once again, however, the two franchises that became the faces of the NBA earned multiple championships. Below are the top NBA franchises from the 1970's.

Boston Celtics

The Celtics were not the authoritative force they were in the late 1950's and 1960's. Nevertheless, they remained contenders for the better part of the 1970's. They won the NBA championship in 1973-74, and again in 1975-76. In 1972-73, the Celtics scored a record of 68 wins and only 14 losses. Despite the phenomenal regular season record, the Celtics failed to carry the momentum all the way to the NBA finals. They lost to the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Celtics enjoyed six seasons with 50 wins or more, three seasons with more than 60 wins. Leading the Celtics of the 1970's were a cluster of star players such as Dave Cowens, John Havlicek, and Jo Jo White.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers became the first NBA team to win 69 games in a regular season during the 1971-72 campaign. They earned the championship that season by defeating the New York Knicks. A year later, they won 60 games but lost to the Knicks in the finals. They did not return to the NBA Championship series again until the 1979-80 season when they knocked off the Philadelphia 76ers. The Lakers won 50 or more games in four seasons, three seasons with more than 60 victories. The Lakers were led by legendary players such as Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, and Elgin Baylor during their string of success in the early 1970's. The Lakers of the later 1970's included Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jamaal Wilkes, and the rookie Earvin "Magic" Johnson.

Washington Bullets (Baltimore Bullets 1970-73, Capitol Bullets 1973-74)

The Bullets edged out the Milwaukee Bucks and the ABA's New York Nets based on the fact that they appeared in four NBA Championship series, more than any other franchise. In 1970-71, as the Baltimore Bullets, they lost to the Bucks in the finals. In 1974-75, as the Washington Bullets, they appeared in another title series, only to fall short to the Golden State Warriors. They finally claimed the ultimate prize in 1977-78 when they defeated the Seattle Super Sonics. A year later, they lost to the Super Sonics in the finals. They boasted eight winning seasons throughout the decade of the 1970's. The Bullets of the 1970's were led by Earl Monroe, John Marin, Elvin Hayes, and Bob Dandridge.

Honorable mentions include New York Knicks; New York/New Jersey Nets; Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks; Seattle Super Sonics, Portland Trail Blazers; Indiana Pacers

Resources: Basketball Reference; NBA Finals