Greatest NBA Teams Tournament. Final 4: 1986 Celtics vs 1996 Bulls

Joshyjess · Post #2 » by **Joshyjess** » Fri Jun 19, 2026 1:57 pm

Celtics in 4

Mean_Streets · Post #3 » by **Mean_Streets** » Fri Jun 19, 2026 2:19 pm

Celtics frontcourt has a massive edge. Parish/Walton/McHale/Bird are all hall of famers, the best player in that frontcourt (Bird) won MVP, the worst of the 4 in Walton won 6MOY. When the Celtics had Walton on the floor in particular, the defense went to another level. I think the Bulls are better suited to stop a dominant perimeter team as opposed to a dominant big team like the Celtics.

The Celtics take this. More talent while having just as good chemistry as that Bulls team.

NZB2323 · Post #4 » by **NZB2323** » Fri Jun 19, 2026 2:38 pm

We know the 86 Celtics couldn’t guard Jordan and the Bulls have good defensive players in Pippen and Rodman to guard Bird and McHale.

Mean_Streets · Post #5 » by **Mean_Streets** » Fri Jun 19, 2026 2:44 pm

NZB2323 wrote:We know the 86 Celtics couldn’t guard Jordan and the Bulls have good defensive players in Pippen and Rodman to guard Bird and McHale.

I would say that Celtics team had more trouble with athletic guards. MJ didn't have the same burst in '96. MJ also shot 42% vs the Celtics in 1987, when MJ was a better player and the Celtics regressed. If Kemp played great vs Rodman in the Finals in '96, I can only imagine what prime McHale would do.

Yoshun · Post #6 » by **Yoshun** » Fri Jun 19, 2026 3:30 pm

That Celtics team was nasty, but I just can't count out MJ and Pippen.

Mean_Streets · Post #7 » by **Mean_Streets** » Fri Jun 19, 2026 3:56 pm

Yoshun wrote:That Celtics team was nasty, but I just can't count out MJ and Pippen.

Both teams are nasty.

'86 Celtics postseason dominance gets overlooked at times. They had a 30 point lead at one point vs every team they played in the playoffs. Just pure dominance. I don't think the Bulls dominated like that in the postseason, they showed flashes, but the Knicks & Sonics gave them a good fight.

Game 3 vs Bulls
Game 5 vs Hawks
Game 1 vs Bucks
Game 6 vs Rockets (Think the lead was 29 at one point).

Watch on YouTube

CodeBreaker · Post #8 » by **CodeBreaker** » Fri Jun 19, 2026 4:24 pm

Jordan finally beats the Celtics now that he has the help he needs

OrlandoMagic198 · Post #9 » by **OrlandoMagic198** » Fri Jun 19, 2026 5:23 pm

That is a very tough call but I voted for the Celtics, it honestly could have gone either way!

FrodoBaggins · Post #10 » by **FrodoBaggins** » Fri Jun 19, 2026 5:40 pm

Mean_Streets wrote:
NZB2323 wrote:We know the 86 Celtics couldn’t guard Jordan and the Bulls have good defensive players in Pippen and Rodman to guard Bird and McHale.

I would say that Celtics team had more trouble with athletic guards. MJ didn't have the same burst in '96. MJ also shot 42% vs the Celtics in 1987, when MJ was a better player and the Celtics regressed. If Kemp played great vs Rodman in the Finals in '96, I can only imagine what prime McHale would do.

Kevin's too big and skilled for Rodman, Pippen, or Kukoc. Too mobile and skilled for Longley. Going to be doing a lot of this stuff to them:

1993Playoffs · Post #11 » by **1993Playoffs** » Fri Jun 19, 2026 5:40 pm

Bulls, better defensively, MJ is the best player

Kobe187 · Post #12 » by **Kobe187** » Fri Jun 19, 2026 5:46 pm

1. Peak Michael Jordan in 96, by far the best player.
2. Rodman (great defender and rebounder) doesn’t let the Front Court get away with bullying, he locked up Shaq in 96, he would easily lock up McHale.
3. Bird locked down by Jordan or Pippen (2 of the best defenders of all time).
4. Jordan in 86 & 87 against Boston in the playoffs averaged an incredible 39.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game, in 96 he was a better overall player playing on a much superior team, Jordan would score at will, but more importantly the Bulls in 96 were one of the best defensive teams of all time.

Bulls 4-0

LakerLegend · Post #13 » by **LakerLegend** » Fri Jun 19, 2026 5:48 pm

Are they playing with the short 3 point line or the real one?

Mean_Streets · Post #14 » by **Mean_Streets** » Fri Jun 19, 2026 6:02 pm

LakerLegend wrote:Are they playing with the short 3 point line or the real one?

Real one

Mean_Streets · Post #15 » by **Mean_Streets** » Fri Jun 19, 2026 6:04 pm

Kobe187 wrote:1. Peak Michael Jordan in 96, by far the best player.
2. Rodman (great defender and rebounder) doesn’t let the Front Court get away with bullying, he locked up Shaq in 96, he would easily lock up McHale.
3. Bird locked down by Jordan or Pippen (2 of the best defenders of all time).
4. Jordan in 86 & 87 against Boston in the playoffs averaged an incredible 39.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game, in 96 he was a better overall player playing on a much superior team, Jordan would score at will, but more importantly the Bulls in 96 were one of the best defensive teams of all time.

Bulls 4-0

‘86 Bird is at least on the level of MJ.

The rest of the cast isn’t close. Celtics have more talent. Bulls also dominated an expansion NBA

Kobe187 · Post #16 » by **Kobe187** » Fri Jun 19, 2026 6:16 pm

Bulls easily. Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, Harper, Kukuc one of the best defensive teams of all time.

Fantastik_Goat · Post #17 » by **Fantastik_Goat** » Fri Jun 19, 2026 6:24 pm

Mean_Streets wrote:
Yoshun wrote:That Celtics team was nasty, but I just can't count out MJ and Pippen.

Both teams are nasty.

'86 Celtics postseason dominance gets overlooked at times. They had a 30 point lead at one point vs every team they played in the playoffs. Just pure dominance. I don't think the Bulls dominated like that in the postseason, they showed flashes, but the Knicks & Sonics gave them a good fight.

Game 3 vs Bulls
Game 5 vs Hawks
Game 1 vs Bucks
Game 6 vs Rockets (Think the lead was 29 at one point).

Watch on YouTube

The bulls went up 3-0 on the sonics beating them by 22 on their home court in a must win game 3. Then took their foot off the gas. Celtics lost game 3 vs Houston in the same situation.

Mean_Streets · Post #18 » by **Mean_Streets** » Fri Jun 19, 2026 6:27 pm

Bird also called Magic the best he ever saw during a game in the ‘87 Finals.

It took 5 men, but the Bulls still got swept. Look what MJ did in game 3, off the top of my head he scored 19 points on bad shooting and the Celtics had a 30 point lead at one point.

But all of this doesn’t matter. Comparing what a player did 10 years prior vs a team when he still got swept and using it as a positive to why the ‘96 Bulls would win is lazy. At the end of the day, the Bulls still got swept and we are talking about the ‘96 Bulls, not ‘86.

Mean_Streets · Post #19 » by **Mean_Streets** » Fri Jun 19, 2026 6:30 pm

Fantastik_Goat wrote:
Mean_Streets wrote:
Yoshun wrote:That Celtics team was nasty, but I just can't count out MJ and Pippen.

Both teams are nasty.

'86 Celtics postseason dominance gets overlooked at times. They had a 30 point lead at one point vs every team they played in the playoffs. Just pure dominance. I don't think the Bulls dominated like that in the postseason, they showed flashes, but the Knicks & Sonics gave them a good fight.

Game 3 vs Bulls
Game 5 vs Hawks
Game 1 vs Bucks
Game 6 vs Rockets (Think the lead was 29 at one point).

Watch on YouTube

The bulls went up 3-0 on the sonics beating them by 22 on their home court in a must win game 3. Then took their foot off the gas. Celtics lost game 3 vs Houston in the same situation.

Bulls got lazy and or moving GP to guard MJ changed momentum. At the end of the day they didn’t dominate the Sonics like a 72 win team should. Hell, the 47 win Knicks gave them a hell of a fight in those playoffs as well.

Kobe187 · Post #20 » by **Kobe187** » Fri Jun 19, 2026 6:30 pm

Mean_Streets wrote:
Kobe187 wrote:1. Peak Michael Jordan in 96, by far the best player.
2. Rodman (great defender and rebounder) doesn’t let the Front Court get away with bullying, he locked up Shaq in 96, he would easily lock up McHale.
3. Bird locked down by Jordan or Pippen (2 of the best defenders of all time).
4. Jordan in 86 & 87 against Boston in the playoffs averaged an incredible 39.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game, in 96 he was a better overall player playing on a much superior team, Jordan would score at will, but more importantly the Bulls in 96 were one of the best defensive teams of all time.

Bulls 4-0

‘86 Bird is at least on the level of MJ.

The rest of the cast isn’t close. Celtics have more talent. Bulls also dominated an expansion NBA

Larry Bird's iconic quote about MJ: "God disguised as Michael Jordan."He said this on April 20, 1986, after a 23-year-old Jordan dropped an NBA playoff-record 63 points against the Celtics in the Boston Garden. Jordan averaged 43.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists against the Celtics in the playoffs.

It took a 5 man unit to try and contain 1, notable quotes and reactions from the 1985-86 Celtics roster highlight just how unstoppable young Jordan was during his early career: Larry Bird: "He is the best, most exciting, awesome player in the game today. I think it's God disguised as Michael Jordan."Danny Ainge: Ainge joked with the media about the only ways they could stop MJ from taking over games, saying, "You know, if the team can't stop him maybe he'll shoot himself to death... I don't know, I guess you'd give a call to Clint Eastwood".Dennis Johnson: When asked what could be done to contain Jordan, DJ simply replied, "Nothing. Just let him go".Kevin McHale: Looking back at the physical and psychological toll of trying to stop Jordan, McHale noted, "We tried everything. We hit him, we pushed him, we did everything we could to try to slow him down."

I love Bird, but 86’ Bird probably isn’t even on level with Young 86’ Jordan, 1996 Michael Jordan is in a different stratosphere.

Who wins?