Predicting the top 10 Classic Teams in NBA 2K22

By Kunal Sethi
Modified Sep 03, 2021 05:59 GMT
Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant as seen in NBA 2K20 [Source: Wallpaper Tip]
Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant as seen in NBA 2K20 [Source: Wallpaper Tip]

With NBA 2K22 just around the corner, fans are excited about the latest player ratings and features. Unquestionably, one of the best features of NBA 2K is the ability to choose old iconic teams and play as those players as they were in a particular year.

For example, one can choose the 2000-01 LA Lakers and play with No. 8 Kobe Bryant (with the iconic afro) instead of his No. 24 version. Similarly, if one picks the 2008-09 Denver Nuggets, one will be playing with a higher-rated Carmelo Anthony than one would if one picked the latest LA Lakers or the last season's Portland Trail Blazers.

There a host of iconic teams available in the game, with 2K Sports updating the list almost every year. Some great teams go on to win championships and get featured in Classic Teams. The 2018-19 Toronto Raptors made the cut in NBA 2K21, and one can expect the 2019-20 LA Lakers or the 2020-21 Milwaukee Bucks to be the latest additions in NBA 2K22.

Which Classic Teams can be considered unstoppable in NBA 2K22?

There are some great Classic Teams that don't make the cut in this list, but deserve recognition. One of them is the 2007-08 Houston Rockets with a 91-rated Tracy McGrady and an 89-rated Yao Ming. Although they were not the most formidable duo in the league's history, McGrady is as great a scorer as anybody, and Ming could dominate the paint like a tower.

Another team worth mentioning is the 2013-14 LA Clippers. The Lob City days were certainly fun to watch and also to play in the game. One would get to play with Blake Griffin and Chris Paul in their primes with a 90 and 93 rating, respectively, along with an 87-rated DeAndre Jordan.

Finally, just like LeBron James said during the 2021 NBA All-Star Draft, nobody picks the Utah Jazz in video games, regardless of how great John Stockton or Karl Malone were. That might be true, as they certainly aren't the most fun team to play with, but they are one of the best-rated teams that deserve a shout-out. The 1997-98 Jazz has a 96-rated Malone and a 93-rated Stockton.

So without further ado, let's dive into the top ten predicted Classic Teams in NBA 2K22:

#10 1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson of the Milwaukee Bucks as seen in NBA 2K20 [Source: IGN]
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson of the Milwaukee Bucks as seen in NBA 2K20 [Source: IGN]

Before Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Milwaukee Bucks to an NBA title in 2021, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar did so half a century ago.

The 1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks are one of just four teams from the 1970s to feature in the NBA 2K Classic Teams along with the 1970-71 LA Lakers, 1976-77 Philadelphia 76ers and the 1971-72 New York Knicks. The team is headlined by 97-rated Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and 95-rated Oscar Robertson. You can also play with an 84-rated Bob Dandridge.

A 23-year-old Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, then known as Lew Alcindor, averaged 31.7 points and 16 rebounds per game that season, and a veteran Oscar Robertson was the second-highest scorer with 19.4 points per game along with 8.2 assists a night.

They defeated the Nate Thurmond-led San Francisco Warriors in the conference semi-finals, Wilt Chamberlain-led LA Lakers (with an injured Jerry West) in the conference finals and then routed the Wes Unseld-led Baltimore Bullets in the NBA Finals.

#9 1970-71 LA Lakers

(from left to right) Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West of the LA Lakers [Source: Yardbarker.com]
(from left to right) Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West of the LA Lakers [Source: Yardbarker.com]

It makes very little sense that NBA 2K would have the 1970-71 LA Lakers and not the exact same team from the 1971-72 NBA season.

The '71 Lakers got knocked out by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Bucks in the conference finals, whereas the '72 Lakers hold the record for the longest win streak in NBA history and also won the NBA title that year. Why would NBA 2K keep the losing team and not the one that won the chip and broke records is anybody's guess.

The 1971-72 LA Lakers would have also featured a high-rated Jim McMillian and a better Gail Goodrich. The only reason one can think of is they wanted Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West on the same team, as Baylor retired in 1972.

However, Elgin Baylor did play a handful of games in the 1971-72 NBA season with the LA Lakers before calling it quits. So there was nothing to have stopped 2K Sports from including him in the '72 squad. Baylor's inclusion also doesn't hold much weight because he is old and just rated 76.

However, the firepower of 70-71 Lakers in NBA 2K is enough to qualify them as one of the top ten Classic teams. A duo of 95-rated Jerry West and 93-rated Wilt Chamberlain does scare a lot of people.

#8 1986-87 LA Lakers

The LA Lakers in 1987 with coach Pat Riley [Source: Legends of Sport]
The LA Lakers in 1987 with coach Pat Riley [Source: Legends of Sport]

Another formidable team that would get anyone shaking in their boots are the 1986-87 LA Lakers with Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

The two are often regarded as one of the best duos in NBA history; they led the LA Lakers to five championships and nine NBA Finals appearances. Johnson has a whopping 98 rating in NBA 2K, while Abdul-Jabbar has 94.

That is quite frankly enough to beat any team from that era. However, this championship-winning team was so stacked that it also features 86-rated James Worthy, 84-rated Byron Scott and 86-rated Michael Cooper.

Magic Johnson was unreal that season. He won his first NBA league MVP award and his third NBA Finals MVP award on his fourth successful championship run.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar averaged nearly 20 points per game at the age of 39 in the 1987 NBA playoffs. The LA Lakers defeated the Nuggets, Warrior, and SuperSonics en route to the NBA Finals, where they defeated Larry Bird's Boston Celtics in six games.

#7 2012-13 Miami Heat

(from left to right) Ray Allen, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh with the Miami Heat in 2013
(from left to right) Ray Allen, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh with the Miami Heat in 2013

A 98-rated LeBron James will beat you by himself in NBA 2K, but this squad also has 92-rated Dwyane Wade and 86-rated Chris Bosh.

They also had Ray Allen, who, although he was 77-rated, could still shoot the lights out and make the clutchest corner three in a Finals game. This team won back-to-back NBA championships, and the duo of Wade and Bosh was considered one of the best of all time.

They defeated the Bucks, Bulls and Pacers in the NBA playoffs and then took on the San Antonio Spurs in the Finals. The series went to a Game 7 and was one of the best Finals series of all time, as Ray Allen dropped a clutch three-pointer in Game 6 to force a decider where LeBron James took over and earned the NBA Finals MVP award.

Also Read: How many rings did Kobe Bryant Win?

#6 2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers

Kevin Love, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving (from left to right) with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016
Kevin Love, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving (from left to right) with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016

This version of LeBron James is rated 99 in NBA 2K, and he can beat you by himself.

The 2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the historically great 73-9 Golden State Warriors with the reigning two-time MVP Stephen Curry in what was arguably the greatest Finals series of all time. The Cavaliers also came back from 3-1 down in the NBA Finals, and are the only one to have done so in Finals history.

Kyrie Irving and James dropped 41 points apiece in Game 5 while facing elimination, sparking the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history. Irving is 93-rated in this team and Kevin Love is 87-rated in NBA 2K.

#5 2013-14 San Antonio Spurs

(from left to right) Tony Parker, Kawhi Leonard, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014
(from left to right) Tony Parker, Kawhi Leonard, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014

A historically great team that unfortunately had very little time together, the 2013-14 San Antonio Spurs are as stacked a team as any.

They feature a 94-rated Tim Duncan with an 86-rated Tony Parker and 83-rated Manu Ginobili in NBA 2K. Surely there is the 2004-05 Spurs that have a higher rated Duncan, Parker and Ginobili. But this 2014 team also features a 91-rated Kawhi Leonard, which puts them on top. Not to mention an 82-rated Danny Green, who could shoot lights out from beyond the arc.

The 2013-14 Spurs had an iconic Finals run. After losing to the Heat in seven games in 2013, they redeemed themselves by averaging the best shooting percentage in NBA Finals history and defeating LeBron James' Heat in a gentlemen's sweep. They reached the finals after beating Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks, Damian Lillard's Trail Blazers and Kevin Durant's OKC Thunder.

#4 2007-08 Boston Celtics

(from left to right) Rajon Rondo, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce with the Boston Celtics in 2008 [Source: The Score]
(from left to right) Rajon Rondo, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce with the Boston Celtics in 2008 [Source: The Score]

The 2007-08 Boston Celtics won just one championship despite assembling a superteam, so many have them lower on their list.

But strictly in terms of talent, there are only a handful of teams in NBA 2K that can stop this squad. A 93-rated Kevin Garnett with a 92-rated Paul Pierce and an 88-rated Ray Allen and 85-rated Rajon Rondo are a handful for most teams.

This team can shoot from outside and dominate the paint while stopping the opposition at the other end of the floor.

This 2008 squad won the Boston Celtics their 17th title in franchise history, defeating Kobe Bryant and the LA Lakers in the NBA Finals. Paul Pierce averaged nearly 22 points and 6.3 assists per game, and earned the NBA Finals MVP award.

Also Read: What is Dwyane Wade's net worth now?

#3 1995-96 Chicago Bulls

(from left to right) Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman with the Chicago Bulls [Source: EssentiallySports]
(from left to right) Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman with the Chicago Bulls [Source: EssentiallySports]

The 1995-96 Chicago Bulls won 72 games that NBA season and capped it off with a championship.

Michael Jordan returned after a two-year hiatus and showed the league that he was still the man. They only lost three games in the postseason, sweeping two teams along the way, including Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway's Orlando Magic.

This 1995-96 Bulls squad is a tad better than the 1992-93 Bulls. Scottie Pippen is 95 rated in this team, and it is his highest rating in NBA 2K in any Bulls team.

Meanwhile, Dennis Rodman is rated 86, with 95+ ratings in both rebounding categories, along with Steve Kerr, who has a 95-rated three-point shot. Nevertheless, we can talk all day about Pippen's or Rodman's ratings, but Michael Jordan is rated 99. Do you even need anything else?

#2 2000-01 LA Lakers

Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant (#8) with the LA Lakers [Source: Bleacher Report]
Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant (#8) with the LA Lakers [Source: Bleacher Report]

Arguably the most unstoppable duo of all time, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal dominated the league for years.

They three-peated from 2000 to 2002, wrecking teams along the way. The 2000-01 LA Lakers went 15-1 in the postseason, which is the second-best record in NBA playoff history. Moreover, they won the 2001 title over Allen Iverson's Philadelphia 76ers, but people don't realise or remember that they beat four 50-win teams on the way to the championship.

Kobe Bryant was once asked if he could beat the 2018 Golden State Warriors, and he said he'd pick his 2001 squad over any team in NBA history. This team is purely unstoppable in NBA 2K. Shaquille O'Neal is practically unguardable, and Kobe Bryant can score all over the floor with any move in the book.

The 2003-04 LA Lakers gives them a decent competition, as that team had Gary Payton and Karl Malone, albeit old and lower-rated. However, this 2001 team has both Bryant and Shaq rated 97, which makes them arguably the most unstoppable tandem in NBA 2K.

#1 2016-17 Golden State Warriors

(from left to right) Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala with the Golden State Warriors in 2017 [Source: Bleacher Report]
(from left to right) Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson and Andre Iguodala with the Golden State Warriors in 2017 [Source: Bleacher Report]

The most unstoppable team ever assembled in NBA history, the 2017 Golden State Warriors, one-upped the 2001 LA Lakers and went 16-1 in the 2017 postseason, an NBA playoff record.

What happens when you add four-time scoring champion Kevin Durant in his prime to a 73-9 team with two Finals appearances and a two-time reigning MVP in Stephen Curry? Mayhem happens. This team is a cheat code in NBA 2K.

Stephen Curry is rated 96 in this team, and Kevin Durant is rated 9,7, which makes them just as unguardable as 2001 Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal. Moreover, they also have a 92-rated Klay Thompson, 87-rated Draymond Green and 80-rated Andre Iguodala. The three-point shooting in this team would simply frustrate the defenders, as any shot you launch with Curry, Thompson or Durant would simply swish away.

You may also like: 5 teams with the best NBA playoffs record of all time.

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