5 worst defensive teams to win an NBA Championship in league history
It has always been said that an NBA team needs to be firing on all cylinders - offense and defense - to win a championship. However, some teams have proved that just a great offense can be sufficient for the job. The 2021 Brooklyn Nets have given us a reason to look back in history. They are currently ranked 25th in defensive efficiency but have the most explosive offensive unit in the league, leading to massive questions around their title aspirations.
5 NBA teams with championship titles despite their poor performance on the defensive front
With a great offensive unit and a stroke of luck, these five teams have won themselves championship titles. In some cases, the opposing team just could not find their own offensive rhythm due to the incessant pressure at the other end. It will amaze you to know that some of the teams mentioned in this list even swept their opponents in the NBA Finals.
1) 1995 Houston Rockets
The 1993-94 reigning NBA Champions struggled throughout the 1994-95 season. The mid-season acquisition of Clyde Drexler from the Portland Trail Blazers was not enough to help turn things around. From that point till the Playoffs, the Rockets were on a 17-18 run, ending the regular season at 47-35.
The Rockets finished the regular season with an average of 103.5 points per game and allowed 101.4. A couple of upsets led them to the finals, where Hakeem Olajuwon dominated the then-rookie Shaquille O'Neal, sweeping the Orlando Magic in the NBA Finals.
2) 1993 Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls of the 90s was one of the most complete teams in the NBA. The best player to ever take to the court in the NBA, Michael Jordan, led a team filled with great defenders, including Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant. The Bulls finished the 1991-92 season ranked 4th in defense but couldn't find the same spark in the '93 season, finishing seventh.
Although the defense was not great, the Jordan-led offense was too hot to handle as they took home the title in Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns.
3) 2002 Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers won three straight NBA Championships, starting in 2000. But the 2002 team was not as formidable as they lost most of their star players, including Horace Grant. The team finished the regular season with a 58-24 record, no thanks to their defense. If Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal weren't dominant on the offensive end, the team would have lost a lot more games.
Surprisingly, the Lakers were able to grind out a win against the superior San Antonio Spurs before coming back from a 3-2 deficit to win the Western Conference Finals against the Sacramento Kings. A sweep of the out-of-form New Jersey Nets secured them the NBA Championship.
2) 2006 Miami Heat
The fate of this Miami Heat team was more of luck than offensive firepower. Antoine Walker, who averaged 13.8 points per game against the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals, was the second-leading scorer for the Heat in six games. The combination of Veteran Shaquille O'Neal and rookie Dwayne Wade was enough to see the Heat secure the NBA Championship. They finished their regular season with the 14th rated defense in the league.
1) 2007 San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals, which was more due to a very weak Cavaliers team than an exceptional defensive display from Spurs. The Spurs finished the regular season 58-24 with a roster full of veteran players. In the end, their experience won them the NBA Finals without having to do much work defensively.