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

SAN ANTONIO - JANUARY 14: Tim Duncan #21 of the San Antonio Spurs looks to drive around Dirk Nowitzki #41 of the Dallas Mavericks at the SBC Center on January 14, 2005 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2005 NBAE (Photo by Chris Birck/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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Chicago Bulls: 1990-98

No team in the modern era has dominated a decade quite as the Chicago Bulls did throughout the 1990s. After coming up short multiple times the decade prior, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen led the charge for one of the greatest dynasties the NBA has ever seen.

Clyde Drexler, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone and many others had the chance to seize the opportunity the Finals presented with a legacy-altering victory. Instead, all fell victim to the Bulls — Malone’s Utah Jazz fell twice — hopelessly watching as MJ left few scraps for them to salvage on his way to league-wide domination.

The Bulls didn’t just win six championships in the span of eight seasons. They won three straight titles from 1991-93, only to watch Jordan walk out the door to pursue a career in baseball.

He would then return mid-way through the 1994-95 season, shaking off some rust in an eventual second-round loss to the upstart Orlando Magic. He then helped Chicago bounce right back to win another three championships from 1996-98, breaking what was then the single-season wins record with 72 during his first full year back in the NBA.

Jordan was in a space all his own during his ascension to GOAT status. Aside from the usual gaudiness of his statistical output, His Airness finally added the necessary hardware to match up against his historic competitors.

His six rings also came with six Finals MVP trophies and a spotless resume in the championship round that helped anoint the Bulls as one of the premier franchises around the league.

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