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It’s a great achievement to have a 50-win season for any team and player. But it’s even more exciting to take down a team with that record in the playoffs, let alone win a championship anywhere in those contests.
In the long history of the NBA, 50 wins in 82 games is the symbol of an elite team. The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers are the two NBA teams with the most 50 or more winning seasons. And the highest regular season winning record, 73-9, was set by the Golden State Warriors in the 2015-16 season.
For an individual player, the number of 50-win teams eliminated can signify how difficult their championship road is and how long their peak lasts. Let’s see who made the list.
Qualification:
1. Only a player who is part of the 75th anniversary team.
2. Only a player who was drafted after 1966 because the NBA finally opted for 82 games for the 1967-68 season.
3. If two players are tied for the number of 50-win teams, the number of 60-win teams beaten will be compared.
(Including lockout seasons, 1998-99 season on 30 wins, 2011-12 season on 40 wins)
10. Magic Johnson
Credit: MPS-USA TODAY Sports
50 winning teams: 13
60 winning teams: 2
Playoff Career Stats: 19.5 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 12.3 APG, 1.9 SPG, 0.3 BPG
There is no doubt that if Magic Johnson had played more seasons, he would easily climb to a higher spot on this list. The legendary playmaker only played 13 seasons due to illness, but that was good enough to define him as one of the greatest of all time.
Johnson was the Showtime Lakers general of the 1980s, leading the team to make the playoffs every year he played, including nine NBA Finals appearances and five NBA championships.
One of Johnson’s most untouchable accomplishments might be winning the Finals MVP in his rookie season. Along the way, he and the Lakers beat three 50-win teams to lift the trophy, including 55-27 Phoenix Suns, 56-26 Seattle SuperSonics and 59-23 Philadelphia 76ers.
9. Kevin Durant
Credit: Jasen Vinlove/USA Today Sports
50 winning teams: 13
60 winning teams: 4
Playoff career stats: 29.4 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.2 BPG
Kevin Durant is one of three current players on this list, which remains the possibility of knocking out more teams at 50 wins. In fact, if Durant hadn’t left the Golden State Warriors or if the Brooklyn Nets roster had worked out, he would be in a higher position as well.
However, there is no time machine for the two-time Finals MVP. Durant has always knocked out 13 50-win teams, including the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and more.
In the 2017-18 season, Durant and his Warriors defeated the Rockets 65-17 in the Western Conference Finals. The regular season No. 1 team pushed the Warriors to their absolute limit as neither team forced a Game 7 against the Warriors with Durant. But ultimately, Durant won his second ring that season.
8. Etienne Curry
Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
50 winning teams: 15
Playoff Career Stats: 26.6 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 6.2 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.3 BPG
The 2021-22 Finals MVP is coming off three 50-win teams last season, including 56-26 Memphis Grizzlies, 52-30 Dallas Mavericks and 51-31 Boston Celtics, which put him in the top 8 of this list.
As for high win rate teams, the Curry’s Warriors were the winningest regular season teams for three consecutive years from 2015 to 2017, including the NBA’s highest regular season winning record, 73-9 Warriors.
Maybe that’s how good a team has to be to build a dynasty, winning four championships in eight seasons. Curry is the one the Warriors built around and also the reason the legendary stories continue.
7. Denis Rodman
Credit: NBAE via Getty Images
50 winning teams: 16
Playoff career stats: 6.4 PPG, 9.9 RPG, 1.2 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.6 BPG
Dennis Rodman is truly one of a kind. He is the only player on this list to score less than 10 points per game, but he holds the record for the highest regular season rebounds per game on this list. Rodman’s commitment to rebounding and defense is what makes him so unique.
Playing for the top Chicago Bulls with Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, it’s hard not to beat a lot of 50-win teams. It took the Bulls just three years to rack up eight 50-win teams.
However, don’t forget Rodman’s Season 7 at the Detroit Pistons, where the team made the playoffs six times and knocked out eight 50-win teams, including the Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, Boston Celtics, and more.
6. Shaquille O’Neal
50 winning teams: 19
Playoff career stats: 24.3 PPG, 11.6 RPG, 2.7 APG, 0.5 SPG, 2.1 BPG
Shaquille O’Neal is considered the most dominant player in the modern NBA due to his fearsome athleticism and strength. During O’Neal’s prime, he was the nightmare of all the other 29 teams in the league.
It’s no secret that O’Neal’s golden years wore purple and gold, where he helped the Los Angeles Lakers make the playoffs in all eight seasons, including four Finals appearances. of the NBA and three consecutive championships.
In the 1994-95 season, while O’Neal was playing for the Orlando Magic, they eliminated the Chicago Bulls 47-35 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, which became Michael Jordan’s last losing streak. in his career.
5. LeBron James
Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
50 winning teams: 20
60 winning teams: 3
Playoff career stats: 28.7 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 7.2 APG, 1.7 SPG, 0.9 BPG
LeBron James is the highest-ranked current player on this list. Based on his longevity, he should challenge the top 4 players. Although James is soon entering his 20th season, he has the ability to topple any team as long as the Lakers are properly prepared.
James made the playoffs 15 times in his 19-season career, including 10 NBA Finals appearances and four NBA championships. Considering his playoff resume, however, 20 isn’t all that impressive, mostly because the Eastern Conference was less competitive in some years.
In the 2015-16 season, James led the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Finals and beat the Golden State Warriors 73-9 in seven games. More importantly, the Cavaliers were once down 1-3 and they managed to get the upper hand.
4.Michael Jordan
Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
50 winning teams: 20
60 winning teams: 7
Playoff career stats: 33.4 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 5.7 APG, 2.1 SPG, 0.9 BPG
It’s unbelievable that Michael Jordan has only beaten 50-win teams 20 times. But considering his 15-year career, including two seasons with the Washington Wizards, 20 is a remarkable record for any player in such a span.
Although Jordan had two consecutive 3 championships, his early years did not develop as well as people expected. Instead, Jordan was consistently beaten by 50-win teams until the first round of his fifth season, when he knocked out the Cleveland Cavaliers 57-25.
Since then, Jordan has gradually reached his peak and led the Bulls to build their dynasty in the 1990s. During the Bulls championship, they beat compelling teams like Magic Johnson’s Los Angeles Lakers, Clyde’s Portland Trail Blazers Drexler, Charles Barkley’s Phoenix Suns, etc.
3. Scottie Pippen
Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
50 winning teams: 22
Playoff career stats: 17.5 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.9 SPG, 0.9 BPG
People may wonder why Scottie Pippen has beaten more 50-win teams than Michael Jordan? Indeed, Pippen played for the Portland Trail Blazers from 2000 to 2003, where he added the 1999-20 Utah Jazz season to his roster.
Pippen has been named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team eight straight times and to the All-NBA First Team three times. He was a seven-time NBA All-Star and was the NBA All-Star Game MVP in 1994.
Winning six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls, Pippen was considered one of the greatest small forwards of all time. Pippen, Jordan and Rodman made the Bulls one of the best sports organizations in the world.
2. Tim Duncan
Credit: Mark J. Rebilas – USA TODAY Sports
50 winning teams: 23
Playoff Career Stats: 20.6 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 3.0 APG, 0.7 SPG, 2.3 BPG
It’s surprising that Tim Duncan hasn’t toppled more teams to 50 wins, given the longevity and dominance of the San Antonio Spurs over two decades. Head coach Gregg Popovich and Duncan were the main reason.
Duncan is widely regarded as the greatest power forward of all time due to his resume, including 19 playoff appearances in his 19 seasons, six NBA Finals appearances and five NBA championships.
During Duncan’s five championship races, he was the core at both ends of the field, leading the team to their glories. The Spurs beat teams like the 2013-14 Miami Heat season and the 2004-05 Detroit Pistons season.
1. Kobe Bryant
Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
50 winning teams: 26
Career playoff stats: 25.6 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 4.7 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.7 BPG
There are two simple reasons why Kobe Bryant tops this list. First, the Western Conference was competitive enough to produce that many 50-win teams. More importantly, Bryant and his team were good enough to beat them.
Bryant made the playoffs 15 times during his 20-season career, including eight Western Conference Finals appearances, seven NBA Finals appearances and five NBA championships.
Of Bryant’s lifetime opponents, the San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics were probably two of the toughest, which gave him losing streaks. Fortunately, Bryant was able to carry out his revenge.
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