DAR Sports: The 7 Greatest NBA Offenses

By @TrueGodImmortal

The NBA has always had a huge wealth of talent over the years, both offensively and defensively. However, for most fans, the power is held in the offensive side of the game, and those who excel offensively are always praised for their contributions and success. Sure, a great block or defensive stop lives on forever as well, but for the most part, the offensive success nets a lot of attention. With that being said, today, we wanted to take a look back at some of the greatest offenses of all time in the NBA. Let's take a look at the greatest NBA offenses.

*2003-2004 Dallas Mavericks
(Offensive Rating: 112.1, 105.2 PPG, 46% FG)

-This team makes the list for a few reasons. One, any team that has the offensive prowess of Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash is one that's sure to be impactful. This Mavericks team had experienced successful seasons offensively the two seasons prior, but this season seemed to be their best overall. With five players averaging over 14 points a game, clearly the Mavs were disturbing the ball exactly how they needed to in order to be a contender. With Don Nelson leading the charge as coach, we saw offensive success from Dirk and Nash, but also from Michael Finley, Antoine Walker, and Antwan Jamison, making them a complete team. It's a surprise that they didn't go further in the NBA this season, as they would end up losing in the first round, but make no mistake about it, the 2004 Mavericks were a legendary offense.

*1995-1996 Chicago Bulls
(Offensive Rating: 115.2, 105.2 PPG, 48% FG, 40% 3PT)

-Of course, we had to include a Michael Jordan led offense, but deciding which one is tough. The 1997 Bulls could have been discussed, and even the 1992 Bulls, but what got this offense onto the list is the fact that they were extremely successful the entire season. With Jordan putting up over 30 points a game, Pippen dropping close to 20 points a game, with Kukoc averaging 13 points a game, next to a 51% shooter from three in Steve Kerr, the Bulls were an amazing offense with a great offensive rating and all around great play. With a 72-10 record in the regular season, and a 15-3 record in the playoffs, the Bulls definitely deserved to make the list as one of the greatest offenses ever.

*2009-2010 Phoenix Suns
(Offensive Rating: 115.3, 110.2 PPG, 49% FG, 41% 3PT)

-If this team would have won a NBA Championship, this would be the greatest offensesl I've ever seen. They shot almost 50% from the field and over 40% from three, but what made them so special to me is their depth. After a number of seasons showcasing their offensive prowess without question, this was the best season of them all. The depth of the roster was amazing, as valuable pieces like Grant Hill, Goran Dragic, Leandro Barbosa, Robin Lopez, and more made their offense so potent. The two stars of the offense of course would have to be Steve Nash and Amar'e Stoudemire, as Nash joined the 50/40/90 club averaging nearly 17 points and 11 assists a game, while Amar'e put up 23 points a game. The Suns had 5 players averaging double figures, which made their offense more potent than ever. The Suns offense is one of the best of all time, point blank.

*1981-1982 Denver Nuggets
(Offensive Rating: 114.3, 126.5 PPG, 52% FG)

-This Nuggets offense was amazing. A team that had six players averaging double figures is one that deserves to be mentioned as one of the greatest offenses. They pushed the pace like no other team that season, but it didn't work in the long run as they lost in the first round of the playoffs. However, offensively, they had three players who score over 20 points a game (led by Alex English who score 25 points a game), and as I mentioned, there were a total of six players in double figures. The Nuggets offense is sometimes underappreciated due to the lack of playoff success, but they were running up the score every night, averaging an amazing 126 points a night, which is insane to think about in this day and age (only the Rockets and Warriors could probably pull it off). The Nuggets were the real deal offensively.

*1994-1995 Orlando Magic
(Offensive Rating: 115.1, 110.9 PPG, 50% FG)

-Any offense led by Shaq and Penny would have to be considered special. The no. 1 offense through the regular season with a huge offensive rating, this young Magic team was hugely successful over the season. That offense was run through the dominance of Shaq and the athleticism of Penny, as Shaq would average 29.3 PPG and 11.4 RPG, while Penny would put up 20.9 PPG and 7.2 APG. Still, those two weren't the only ones getting the job done for this Magic team, as Horace Grant, Nick Anderson, and Dennis Scott were all vital scoring pieces for this successful offense. With both Anderson and Scott shooting over 40% from three, they also had efficient pieces from the field, making their offense very dangerous and certainly one of the best.

*1986-1987 Los Angeles Lakers
(Offensive Rating: 115.6, 117.8 PPG, 52% FG, 29.5 APG)

-If we are looking back at the era of the Lakers.... they were unstoppable. They were the biggest team with the most success and to be honest, one could even considering the Showtime Lakers to have a big four this season. Sure, Kareem, Magic, and James Worthy were the core that made them so unbeatable, but adding in another piece like Byron Scott made them truly deadly. With Byron, Kareem, Worthy, and Magic all averaging over 17 points a game, as well as solid contributions from A.C. Green, Michael Cooper, and Mychal Thompson, the Lakers were a dynasty that couldn't be stopped this season. The Lakers offense could be referenced for many seasons during the Showtime era, but the 1987 Lakers team is offensively the best of them all. With over 117 points a game and nearly 30 assists, the Lakers set a near standard for the game. Would there ever be an offense to truly rival the Lakers? Well....

*2016-2017 Golden State Warriors
(Offensive Rating: 115.6, 115.9 PPG, 30.4 APG, 50% FG)

-There is no way that I could have a list on the greatest offenses ever and not include the best offense of this era. It's that simple. One look at their offense shows that the Warriors aren't doing something we haven't seen before, but they're doing it in a way we haven't seen since the Showtime Lakers. They're sharing the ball, moving it well, and shooting at a great rate from the field. Keep in mind, this team is actually near the same rating this season as well, and are currently scoring more points per game and they haven't even reached their peak as a team. With three 20 point scorers on the team in Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry, alongside other pieces like Draymond Green, Javale McGee, Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, David West, and Ian Clark, there is no doubt in my mind that this is the best offense today without question, but there is a chance that this offense could finish this current season as even better than this year and that's a scary thought for the league. The Warriors could continue to grow into that truly unstoppable offense that wins more and more titles.  All of these offenses are truly great, but the Warriors seem to be the best we've seen in this era..... and possibly forever.

-True