NBA History: The best era for each of the 30 franchises

Not every NBA franchise can stake a claim in a championship, but all have a span of years that have come to represent the best of times.

All 30 NBA squads would love nothing more than to compete — and ideally win — for a championship every single season. Given the external circumstances that have come to plague many franchises throughout time, that just isn’t possible, making it all the more difficult to measure success on a linear scale.

By definition, the following slides will showcase the greatest range of years in each team’s tenure. That fluctuating bar for accomplishments, however, is why when it comes to defining that specific era, the results vary on a case by case basis.

Several flagship franchises have stretches littered with Finals appearances and multiple championships. Those in smaller markets might hang their hat on a consistent stream of playoff outings and not look for an iota more.

It’s an odd but unavoidable predicament that shouldn’t take away from the tremendous basketball even the lowliest of organizations have produced over the years. Some eras mean more to the grand scheme of the NBA than others. What’s more important is the unbridled joy fans of any team feel when recounting the absolute best from where their loyalty lies.