Summary
There have been a number of incredible defensive teams in the history of the NBA.
More often than not, a stellar defence can be just as important for winning a title as a dazzling attack.
Be it due to the efforts of a player, or players, the coaching scheme or a combination, defensive teams have proven how effective they can be.
The National Basketball Association, in its long and storied history, has seen a great variety of teams. Be it the Showtime Lakers, the Phil Jackson-led triangle offense of the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s or even something as recent as the Steve Kerr, three-point focused Golden State Warriors, the best of teams in the NBA always have a distinct way of playing.
This, of course, is true for attacking teams, but remains just as valid for teams on the defensive side of the ball. “Defence wins Championships” is an old adage in basketball, but one that remains true all the same. Multiple teams, throughout history, have displayed dominance in the league courtesy of their stellar defensive effort.
With that being said, just which 10 teams in NBA history have been the best defensive sides of all time?
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Ranking Factors
This list has been ranked through a mix of both opinion and defensive rating, a statistic which measures the efficiency and effectiveness of either a player or team and their defence, their ability to stop their opponents scoring points. This metric is measured by points allowed per 100 possessions. It is also worth noting that, for the sake of variety, a franchise can not be named in this list more than twice.
Best Defensive Teams in NBA History
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10 Toronto Raptors - 2018/19 Season
107.1 Defensive Rating
Toronto Raptors
Ahead of the 2018/19 season, Toronto traded away their long-serving franchise star DeMar DeRozan but in his place, landed forward Kawhi Leonard, who himself had become one of the league’s strongest talents with San Antonio. Otherwise, the team kept the core of their team in prior seasons, including the likes of Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam and Marc Gasol.
Leonard’s impact on offense was sizable, just as his defensive impact was. The Klaw was at his brilliant best throughout the campaign, guiding Toronto into the play-offs where they beat Orlando, Philadelphia and Milwaukee on their way to the NBA Finals. In their series against the 76ers, Leonard hit one of the most famous game-winning shots in league history.
Facing up against the incredible Golden State Warriors in the Finals, Toronto made the most of their chance when both Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant went down injured for Steve Kerr’s side. In their first-ever NBA Finals, Toronto won the championship in no small part due to their stellar defensive set-up.
9 Detroit Pistons - 1989/90 Season
103.5 Defensive Rating
Isiah Thomas
Entering the season as defending champions, Detroit’s “Bad Boy” reputation had been firmly established as the 1980s neared their end. Built around the likes of Joe Dumars and Isiah Thomas, Detroit had drafted talents such as Dennis Rodman and John Salley, while getting Adrian Dantley in a trade with the Utah Jazz.
This core contributed to one of the NBA’s most physical and intimidating defences. The 1989/90 season saw Rodman take a considerable defensive leap, winning his first Defensive Player of the Year award as he started to establish himself as one of the best rebounding defenders in the league.
Detroit faced off with the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls in the play-offs, contesting a tight series until, in game seven, the Pistons beat the Bulls by almost 20 points. In the Finals for the third-straight season, Detroit beat the Portland Trail Blazers in five games, their second-ever championship secured.
8 Boston Celtics - 2007/08 Season
98.9 Defensive Rating
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A terrible season was only made worse when, ahead of the 2007/08 season, the Boston Celtics fell to fifth in the Draft Lottery, having hoped for a top-two selection. In the face of this, the team chose to trade their pick, acquiring Ray Allen and a second-round pick which turned out to be Glen Davis.
Building on this, Boston then moved a number of squad players to acquire Minnesota Timberwolves star Kevin Garnett who, along with the already-present Rajon Rondo and Paul Pierce, formed a Big Three for Boston. The Celtics enjoyed a staggering turnaround in the following campaign, going from one of the worst sides in the league to a team with over 60 wins.
Despite initial struggles in the post-season, Boston soon began to click and progressed to the finals, facing off against their biggest rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers. In a momentous Finals series, clinching their 17th league title in six games, though they would then endure a 16-year stint without lifting the Larry O’Brien trophy.
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7 New York Knicks - 1992/93 Season
99.7 Defensive Rating
Patrick Ewing New York Knicks
In the early 1990s, New York had a core of players within their prime years. The team was built around All-Star Patrick Ewing, one of the best-ever centers in league history, the Knicks acquired a number of new players for the 1992/93 season, including Doc Rivers, Rolando Blackman and Tony Campbell amongst many others.
These new acquisitions, along with the likes of the aforementioned Ewing, Charles Oakley and Anthony Mason, gelled well. Pat Riley was named Coach of the Year for guiding New York to a 60-win season, with players such as Ewing and Oakley forming the base of their rock-solid defence.
6 San Antonio Spurs - 1998/99 Season
95.0 Defensive Rating
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In a shortened season due to a lockout, San Antonio played just 50 games across the 1998/99 season, earning a 37-13 record as they did so. Much of the Spurs’ success was down to their dominant big duo; the veteran David Robinson and the young Tim Duncan, who became known as the “Twin Towers” for their size and ability.
Robinson and Duncan were crucial as the Spurs scored a defensive rating of just 95.0, with both players finishing in the top five for the Defensive Player of the Year race. Duncan and Robinson were the leading forces for head coach Gregg Popovich, who won the first of five NBA titles with the team by beating the New York Knicks in five games.
5 Chicago Bulls - 1995/96 Season
101.8 Defensive Rating
Jordan Pippen
The 1995/96 season saw Chicago return to a position of winning titles, in no small part due to the return of Michael Jordan, who had retired from the NBA in 1993 to pursue a career in baseball. Alongside their star shooting guard, the Bulls also acquired Dennis Rodman from Detroit to bolster their defence in what was a genius decision.
Rodman slotted into coach Phil Jackson’s team seamlessly, with his rebounding and overall defensive capabilities blending nicely with Jordan’s star power and the well-rounded brilliance of Scottie Pippen.
The Bulls set a regular season record with 72 wins and just 10 losses, something that stood for 20 years. Their momentum carried on into the play-offs, with the Bulls losing just one game on their way to the NBA Finals. Having already beaten Miami, New York and Orlando, the Bulls beat the Seattle SuperSonics 4-2 to win their fourth NBA Championship.
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4 Boston Celtics - 1963/64 Season
83.8 Defensive Rating
Bill Russell
With a staggering defensive rating as per Bleacher Report, Boston were in the midst of their most-dominant era as a team in the 1963/64 season. Anchored by the legendary Bill Russell and coached by the similarly brilliant Red Auerbach, Boston’s grasp on the league was accomplished through their efforts, alongside players like Bob Cousy and John Havlicek.
Russell was well within his prime during the 1963/64 season and continued to be a staggeringly positive impact on the Celtics defence. On three different occasions, the Celtics limited their opponents to less than 80 points which, even for that era of basketball, was a low total. Unsurprisingly, Boston stormed their way to what was their sixth of eight-straight Championships.
3 Washington Bullets - 1974/75 Season
91.3 Defensive Rating
Wes Unseld
According to StatMuse, no team in NBA history has ever had a better defensive rating than the 1974/75 Washington Bullets side. The team were near-unbeatable at home, losing just five games across the entire campaign. With a roster including Elvin Hayes and Wes Unseld, Washington recorded 60 wins in the regular season, a franchise best.
The Bullets did not slow down in the postseason, reaching their second NBA Finals in four seasons by beating the Buffalo Braves and Boston Celtics. The team faced off against Golden State in the Finals but despite such a brilliant defensive record, Washington could not prevent being swept 4-0.
2 San Antonio Spurs - 2004/05 Season
98.8 Defensive Rating
By 2004, Tim Duncan had developed from a promising youngster into a fully-fledged star, the absolute leader of the San Antonio Spurs. Alongside Duncan, by this stage of his career, were point guard Tony Parker and shooting guard Manu Ginobili, the latter making his first All Star appearance, alongside Duncan, amidst the 2004/05 season.
Popovich’s defensive ideology had translated brilliantly into this side, who finished the regular season with 59 wins. After falling to defeat in their first postseason match against the Denver Nuggets, the Spurs won four straight to advance, first beating Seattle before overcoming the Phoenix Suns who, with Amar’e Stoudemire, Shawn Marion and Most Valuable Player Steve Nash, were favourites for the Championship.
San Antonio entered the Finals, facing off against the Detroit Pistons who were defending their championship. In a brilliant seven-game season, the Spurs got their hands on the trophy by overcoming their opponents.
1 Detroit Pistons - 2003/04 Season
95.4 Defensive Rating
Few teams are as synonymous with the art of defending as the 2003/04 Detroit Pistons. Under the guidance of head coach Larry Brown, Detroit’s defensive capabilities earned them comparisons to Pistons teams of seasons past, the franchise was built around the scoring of Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton with their remaining starters just as strong.
Ben Wallace, often regarded as one of the best undrafted players of all time, was an exceptional defender, playing alongside fellow All-Star Rasheed Wallace and small forward Tayshaun Prince. Entering the play-offs with a 54-win season under their belt, the Pistons overcame Milwaukee in the first round, then facing off with the New Jersey Nets.
In a tight series, the Pistons got the job done in game seven, keeping Nets star guard Jason Kidd to zero points in a game where New Jersey scored just 69 in total. After beating Indiana in the conference finals, a series that once more highlighted their defensive strength, Detroit entered the finals to face the Kobe Bryant-led Lakers.
Despite Los Angeles being favourites, Detroit’s resilience on the defensive side of the game was once more their biggest strength as the Pistons, who averaged a defensive rating of 95.4 across the regular season, won their third-ever Championship in five games, with Billups being named as Finals MVP.
( All stats relating to Defensive Rating are fromStatMuse, unless otherwise stated, and are correct as of 05/06/2025 )
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