B/R 99: Ranking the 99 Best Sports Teams of All Time

Ranking the best North American teams of all time is no easy task. How does one compare the greatest squads across sports and eras? Where do you even start?

First, Bleacher Report staffers narrowed the field to nearly 200 teams with two rules:

No franchise could have more than one entry within a five-year period, to ensure we were including different core groups.

Only teams from the NFL, NBA, WNBA, NHL, college football, men's college basketball, women's college basketball and MLB were considered.

Then we had a panel of contributors rank their top 99.

Voters were instructed to judge teams on how dominant they were during their league and era. The 1927 Yankees would probably lose to a modern club, but they buried their peers—and that's what matters.

To keep things honest across teams we can't pit against one another, we leaned on strength of schedule, margin of victory per game, overall winning percentage and Sports Reference's SRS.

Beyond that, all of these teams were dominant, so it was up to each voter to determine why one team's dominance was more impressive than another's. That led to very different-looking lists, but generally, the panel agreed that the best of the best were those that had record-breaking dominance with generationally talented rosters.

All winning percentages include combined regular- and postseason play. Statistics via Sports Reference.

Manager: Alex Cora | Key Players: Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez, Chris Sale, David Price, Xander Bogaerts, Andrew Benintendi, Craig Kimbrel

Win Pct: .672, Won World Series | MOV/G: 1.27 (10th of 16 MLB teams)

Mookie Betts, who won AL MVP with 10.7 bWAR, led the Red Sox to a franchise-record 108 regular-season wins.

He struggled in the playoffs, but the Sox picked him up with great contributions from ALCS MVP Jackie Bradley Jr. and World Series MVP Steve Pearce.

The Sox steamrolled the competition in the playoffs, losing just one game each to the Yankees, Astros and Dodgers.

Manager: Walter Alston | Key Players: Duke Snider, Roy Campanella, Gil Hodges, Johnny Podres, Jackie Robinson, Pee Wee Reese, Don Newcombe

Win Pct: .638, Won World Series | MOV/G: 1.29 (T-7th of 16 MLB teams)

Roy Campanella and Duke Snider finished top two in NL MVP voting, leading the Dodgers to a 98-win season.

They combined for six homers against the Yankees in the World Series, but the Bronx Bombers overcame that to push the series to a decisive seventh game.

That's when World Series MVP Johnny Podres pitched a shutout to give the Dodgers a 2-0 win.

Manager: Dusty Baker | Key Players: Yordan Alvarez, Jose Altuve, Framber Valdez, Justin Verlander, Jeremy Pena, Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman

Win Pct: .669, Won World Series | MOV/G: 1.25 (11th of 16 MLB teams)

The Astros got a Cy Young season from Justin Verlander and top-five MVP finishes from Yordan Alvarez (third) and Jose Altuve (fifth) to win 106 regular-season games.

They fell behind 2-1 in the World Series, but from there they allowed just three runs in three games, all wins.

Jeremy Pena was named World Series MVP for batting .400 and hitting a key home run in Houston's 3-2 Game 5 win.

Coach: Gregg Popovich | Key Players: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Bruce Bowen, Michael Finley

Win Pct: .725, Won NBA Finals | MOV/G: 6.8 (12th of 19 NBA teams)

After the top-seeded Mavericks got upset in the 2007 first round, the de facto NBA Finals took place in the second round between the second-seeded Suns and third-seeded Spurs.

That series is remembered for Amar'e Stoudemire getting suspended for Game 5 because he left the bench during a Game 4 scuffle.

The Spurs won a rock fight in Game 5 before closing out the Suns in Game 6 with 87 points combined from Manu Ginobili (33), Tony Parker (30) and Tim Duncan (24).

San Antonio swept an overmatched Cleveland team in the NBA Finals.

Coach: Toe Blake | Key Players: Maurice Richard, Jean Béliveau, Boom Boom Geoffrion, Dickie Moore, Doug Harvey, Jacques Plante

Win Pct: .719, Won Stanley Cup | MOV/G: 1.14 (6th of 10 NHL teams)

The 1955-56 Canadiens started a run of five consecutive championships.

In the Stanley Cup Final, Hart Trophy winner Jean Béliveau led the way with seven goals in five games as the Habs defeated the Gordie Howe-led Red Wings.

Alongside Béliveau, winger Maurice "Rocket" Richard, defenseman Doug Harvey and goaltender Jacques Plante were named NHL All-Star first-teamers.

Coach: Nick Sirianni | Key Players: Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Jalen Carter, Zack Baun, Lane Johnson

Win Pct: .857, Won Super Bowl | MOV/G: 7.6 (16th of 19 NFL teams)

The Eagles got a 2,000-yard season from Saquon Barkley to go 14-3 in the regular season, but if anything was going to hold them back, it was a passing offense that ranked 29th in yards per game.

They leaned on their defense and running game to get to the Super Bowl, and there they put together their best performance of the season.

Jalen Hurts had three total touchdowns and the defense forced three Patrick Mahomes turnovers and sacked him six times. The Eagles led 40-6 with three minutes to go before giving up two meaningless TDs.

Coach: Phil Jackson | Key Players: Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, Derek Fisher

Win Pct: .779, Won NBA Finals | MOV/G: 6.0 (T-15th of 19 NBA teams)

Kobe Bryant was determined to win a championship without Shaquille O'Neal, and he accomplished the feat with a prolific 2009 Finals.

He was the leading scorer in four of the five games, and overall he averaged 32.4 points to win his first Finals MVP.

Bryant and the Lakers went back-to-back the next season, putting Bryant ahead of O'Neal in the title race 5-4.

Coach: Alex Hannum | Key Players: Wilt Chamberlain, Billy Cunningham, Hal Greer, Chet Walker, Luke Jackson

Win Pct: .823, Won NBA Finals | MOV/G: 8.0 (7th of 19 NBA teams)

The 76ers had trouble getting past the Celtics in the 1960s, but in '67, they made quick work of them in the playoffs, winning the Eastern Division Finals in five games.

In the Finals closeout game against the Warriors, Wilt Chamberlain had 23 points and 24 rebounds.

It was Chamberlain's only championship in Philadelphia.

Coach: Paul Brown | Key Players: Otto Graham, Marion Motley, Lou Groza, Dante Lavelli, Bill Willis, Mac Speedie, Frank Gatski

Win Pct: .857, Won NFL Championship | MOV/G: 11.9 (8th of 19 NFL teams)

The Browns won five championships in a row from 1946 to 1950, cementing Paul Brown's legacy as an all-time great coach.

The 1950 team was pushed to the brink in the title game, edging the Rams 30-28.

Otto Graham threw for 298 yards and four TDs and rushed for 98 yards.

Manager: Casey Stengel | Key Players: Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Phil Rizzuto, Billy Martin, Hank Bauer, Ed Lopat

Win Pct: .656, Won World Series | MOV/G: 1.62 (4th of 16 MLB teams)

The Yankees from 1949 to 1953 won five consecutive World Series with remarkable consistency. Each team won between 95 and 99 regular-season games.

Amazingly, Casey Stengel's team won the AL pennant nine of his first 10 seasons, with the one second-place finish coming in 1954 with a 103-win squad.

The '53 team was led by Yogi Berra, who had 27 homers and 108 RBI to finish second in AL MVP voting.

Coach: David Blatt & Tyronn Lue | Key Players: LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, J.R. Smith, Tristan Thompson

Win Pct: .709, Won NBA Finals | MOV/G: 4.8 (T-17th of 19 NBA teams)

The 2015-16 Cavs are the only team to come back from a 3-1 deficit in NBA Finals history, and they did it to a) beat the 73-win Warriors and b) win their first title in franchise history.

LeBron James' Game 7 block is one of the most iconic plays in NBA history, and Kyrie Irving's go-ahead three-pointer is one of the most consequential shots ever.

Manager: Tony La Russa | Key Players: Rickey Henderson, Jose Canseco, Dave Stewart, Dennis Eckersley, Dave Henderson, Terry Steinbach, Mark McGwire

Win Pct: .626, Won World Series | MOV/G: 0.80 (15th of 16 MLB teams)

With two dominant starters in Dave Stewart and Mike Moore, the A's were built for the playoffs, and it showed.

They went 8-1, including sweeping the Giants in the World Series. Rickey Henderson led the offense with a .474 average in the Fall Classic.

Stewart and Moore combined to go 7-0 in the postseason with a 1.90 ERA.

No. 87: 2023-24 South Carolina Gamecocks

Coach: Dawn Staley | Key Players: Kamilla Cardoso, Te-Hina Paopao, Raven Johnson, MiLaysia Fulwiley, Bree Hall

Win Pct: 1.000, Won National Title | MOV/G: 28.9 (6th of 6 Women's CBB teams)

South Carolina completed its program's first undefeated season by beating a Caitlin Clark-led Iowa squad in a battle of No. 1 seeds.

Clark had 30 points, but the Hawkeyes had zero bench points and were outrebounded 49-25.

Nine different Gamecocks scored, led by Tessa Johnson (19 points) and Kamilla Cardoso (15 points and 17 rebounds).

Coach: Barry Switzer | Key Players: Joe Washington, Steve Davis, Tinker Owens, Rod Shoate, Dewey Selmon, Lee Roy Selmon, John Roush

Win Pct: 1.000, Won National Title | MOV/G: 34.6 (4th of 13 CFB teams)

Barry Switzer started his Oklahoma coaching career with a record of 32-1-1 in three seasons with two national championships.

The '74 team was the best of the three, winning all but one game by double digits.

Running back Joe Washington finished third in Heisman Trophy voting, rushing for 1,321 yards and 13 TDs.

Coach: Doc Rivers | Key Players: Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, James Posey

Win Pct: .759, Won NBA Finals | MOV/G: 7.8 (8th of 19 NBA teams)

Kevin Garnett spent 12 seasons with the Timberwolves without getting the support he needed to win a championship. Ray Allen had played 11 seasons without winning a title. Paul Pierce had played nine seasons in Boston without winning it all.

Once all three teamed up with the Celtics, they won a title immediately.

Garnett yelling "anything is possible" after the C's beat the Lakers in the Finals is the lasting image of the 2007-08 NBA season.

Manager: Davey Johnson | Key Players: Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter, Mookie Wilson, Lenny Dykstra, Ray Knight

Win Pct: .663, Won World Series | MOV/G: 1.17 (12th of 16 MLB teams)

Facing elimination, the Mets gave up two runs in the top of the 10th inning against the Red Sox in Game 6. Then their first two batters of the bottom of the 10th flew out.

Gary Carter singled. Kevin Mitchell singled. Ray Knight singled to make it 5-4. A wild pitch tied the game.

And then infamously, Bill Buckner let Mookie Wilson's roller get past him for a walk-off error.

The Mets came back from a three-run deficit in Game 7, winning one of the most dramatic World Series ever.

Coach: Red Auerbach | Key Players: Bill Russell, John Havlicek, Sam Jones, K.C. Jones, Tommy Heinsohn

Win Pct: .761, Won NBA Finals | MOV/G: 7.3 (11th of 19 NBA teams)

The Bill Russell Celtics won eight titles in an 11-year span, and the 1964-65 team was the only one that won more than 60 regular-season games.

Russell was named MVP, averaging a league-high 24.1 rebounds per game.

Sam Jones had 37 points in a key Game 4 win over the Lakers in the Finals. The C's then closed them out in five.

Manager: Bobby Cox | Key Players: Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, Chipper Jones, David Justice, Marquis Grissom, Fred McGriff

Win Pct: .639, Won World Series | MOV/G: 0.66 (16th of 16 MLB teams)

The '90s Braves are remembered more for heartbreak than jubilation, winning just one World Series despite making the NLCS or better eight times.

Atlanta got the better of Cleveland in a classic World Series, as five of the six games were decided by one run.

Tom Glavine was named World Series MVP after tossing eight shutout innings in the Game 6 clincher.

Coach: Dan Hurley | Key Players: Donovan Clingan, Tristen Newton, Stephon Castle, Cam Spencer, Alex Karaban

Win Pct: .925, Won National Title | MOV/G: 18.0 (6th of 10 Men's CBB teams)

The 2023-24 Huskies secured their second consecutive title with another dominant NCAA tournament run.

The 2022-23 team won all of its tourney games by double digits, and the 2023-24 squad did as well.

UConn's 30-0 run against Illinois in the regional final captured how locked in Dan Hurley's team was on both ends of the floor.

Coach: Fred Shero | Key Players: Bobby Clarke, Bill Barber, Reggie Leach, Rick MacLeish, Bernie Parent

Win Pct: .714, Won Stanley Cup | MOV/G: 1.11 (7th of 10 NHL teams)

The Broad Street Bullies were as dominant as they were physical, winning back-to-back Stanley Cups.

In the 1974-75 season in which they repeated, Bobby Clarke won the Hart Trophy with a league-leading 89 assists.

Not surprisingly, enforcer Dave Schultz led the league in penalty minutes with 472.

Coach: Geno Auriemma | Key Players: Rebecca Lobo, Jennifer Rizzotti, Jamelle Elliott, Nykesha Sales, Kara Wolters

Win Pct: 1.000, Won National Title | MOV/G: 33.1 (4th of 6 Women's CBB teams)

UConn faced halftime deficits in the regional final (vs. Virginia) and national championship (vs. Tennessee) of the NCAA tournament, but it came back to win both games.

AP Player of the Year Rebecca Lobo keyed the championship game victory over the Volunteers with 17 points and eight rebounds.

This was Geno Auriemma's first championship team. He's won 11 more since.

Coach: Bud Wilkinson | Key Players: Jimmy Harris, Tommy McDonald, Clendon Thomas, Jerry Tubbs, Ed Gray, Bill Krisher, Billy Pricer

Win Pct: 1.000, Won National Title | MOV/G: 41.5 (1st of 13 CFB teams)

The Sooners outscored their opponents 466-51, which on the surface suggests they deserved a better ranking.

However, they didn't play anyone who ranked in the AP Top 25 at the time of their game.

Colorado was the only team Oklahoma played that finished in the Top 25, and that was the Sooners' one close game, as they won 27-19.

Coach: Sandy Brondello | Key Players: Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, DeWanna Bonner, Candice Dupree, Penny Taylor

Win Pct: .857, Won WNBA Finals | MOV/G: 7.6 (5th of 6 WNBA teams)

Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner headlined an excellent starting five that recorded a league-best offensive rating and defensive rating.

The Mercury faced one win-or-go-home game in the playoffs, and Taurasi and Griner combined for 56 points in a 96-78 win over the defending-champion Lynx.

Phoenix swept Chicago in the Finals, with Taurasi winning her second Finals MVP.

Coach: Kirby Smart | Key Players: Stetson Bennett, Brock Bowers, Jalen Carter, Kelee Ringo, Nolan Smith, Sedrick Van Pran, Ladd McConkey

Win Pct: 1.000, Won National Title | MOV/G: 26.8 (12th of 13 CFB teams)

Kirby Smart's Bulldogs won their second consecutive title in 2022, and to do so they pulled off a huge comeback in the national semis.

Trailing 38-24 entering the fourth quarter, Georgia outscored Ohio State 18-3 to win 42-41.

The Dawgs returned to their dominant ways in the national championship, beating TCU 65-7 with Stetson Bennett tossing four TD passes.

Coach: John Calipari | Key Players: Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Terrence Jones, Doron Lamb, Marquis Teague

Win Pct: .950, Won National Title | MOV/G: 16.8 (8th of 10 Men's CBB teams)

John Calipari's first championship team had seven future NBA players, including stars Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.

The two freshmen ended up being the top two picks of the 2012 draft.

Davis had just six points in the national championship game against Kansas, but he made up for it with 16 rebounds, six blocks, five assists and three steals.

Coach: Terry Crisp | Key Players: Al MacInnis, Joe Nieuwendyk, Lanny McDonald, Mike Vernon, Doug Gilmour, Joe Mullen

Win Pct: .735, Won Stanley Cup | MOV/G: 1.25 (5th of 10 NHL teams)

The Flames were on a collision course with the Canadiens all season, and they met in a classic Stanley Cup Final.

The final scores of the six games were 3-2, 4-2, 4-3 (2OT), 4-2, 3-2 and 4-2.

Al MacInnis won the Conn Smythe Trophy with a playoff-leading 31 points, and Joe Mullen had a playoff-leading 16 goals.

Coach: Mike Thibault | Key Players: Elena Delle Donne, Emma Meesseman, Kristi Toliver, Natasha Cloud, Ariel Atkins

Win Pct: .744, Won WNBA Finals | MOV/G: 9.5 (3rd of 6 WNBA teams)

In the decisive Game 5 of the 2019 WNBA Finals, the Mystics trailed the Sun by two entering the fourth quarter.

But they clinched their first championship with a 27-14 final frame led by Emma Meesseman's 11 points.

Elena Delle Donne, who had won her second MVP in the regular season, won her first and only championship.

Manager: Joe Maddon | Key Players: Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Jon Lester, Javier Baez, Ben Zobrist, Kyle Schwarber, Kyle Hendricks

Win Pct: .640, Won World Series | MOV/G: 1.42 (5th of 16 MLB teams)

The Cubs ended a 108-year World Series drought by winning a dramatic Game 7 over Cleveland 8-7 in 10 innings.

By bWAR, their best players were 24-year-old Kris Bryant, 26-year-old Anthony Rizzo, 32-year-old Jon Lester and 26-year-old Kyle Hendricks. They also had two Gold Glove-caliber middle infielders in 23-year-old Javier Baez and 22-year-old Addison Russell.

They had an incredible young nucleus that tapered off in the years to come. But for one magical season, it all came together.

Coach: Andy Reid | Key Players: Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, Jerick McKinnon, Mecole Hardman, Justin Reid, Isiah Pacheco

Win Pct: .850, Won Super Bowl | MOV/G: 6.3 (19th of 19 NFL teams)

The 2022 Chiefs were hardly dominant in the playoffs, but Patrick Mahomes came through with clutch drives when they needed them most.

After a Jalen Hurts TD and two-point conversion tied Super Bowl LVII at 35, Mahomes led a five-minute field-goal drive that left 11 seconds on the clock.

The Chiefs would go back-to-back the next year, beating the 49ers in an overtime classic that featured more Mahomes magic.

Manager: Ralph Houk | Key Players: Roger Maris, Mickey Mantle, Whitey Ford, Yogi Berra, Elston Howard, Bill Skowron, Tony Kubek

Win Pct: .677, Won World Series | MOV/G: 1.29 (T-7th of 16 MLB teams)

Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle electrified the sports world in their chase to break Babe Ruth's single-season home run record.

Maris did just that by hitting 61, while Mantle settled for 54 but had a league-high 126 walks and 10.5 bWAR.

Don't forget Whitey Ford, who won the Cy Young Award with 25 wins and a 3.21 ERA.

Coach: Mark Daigneault | Key Players: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Chet Holmgren, Alex Caruso, Isaiah Hartenstein

Win Pct: .800, Won NBA Finals | MOV/G: 10.0 (T-3rd of 19 NBA teams)

The Thunder set a record with the best point differential in NBA history, but they didn't rank higher because they had to play two Game 7s in the playoffs.

They won both comfortably, but they were aided by Tyrese Haliburton's injury to win the decisive game of the NBA Finals against the Pacers.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander became the 11th player in NBA history to win MVP and Finals MVP in the same season.

Coach: Bob Hartley | Key Players: Joe Sakic, Patrick Roy, Ray Bourque, Peter Forsberg, Alex Tanguay

Win Pct: .676, Won Stanley Cup | MOV/G: 0.74 (8th of 10 NHL teams)

The Avs won the Presidents' Trophy with 118 points but had to overcome major adversity when Peter Forsberg suffered a ruptured spleen halfway through the playoffs.

They fell behind 3-2 in the Stanley Cup Final against the Devils before Patrick Roy dominated the last two games en route to 4-0 and 3-1 victories.

The indelible image of that NHL season was captain Joe Sakic handing Ray Bourque the Stanley Cup before raising it himself. It was the Hall of Fame defenseman's first Cup in his 22nd and last season.

Coach: Mike Krzyzewski | Key Players: Shane Battier, Jay Williams, Mike Dunleavy Jr., Carlos Boozer, Chris Duhon

Win Pct: .897, Won National Title | MOV/G: 20.2 (5th of 10 Men's CBB teams)

The 2000-01 Duke team had two more losses than the 1991-92 Duke team ranked higher on this list, but for my money the 2000-01 team was more dominant when it was at its best.

Jay Williams and Shane Battier led the way for the Blue Devils, who won all six NCAA tournament games by at least 10 points.

Their one scare came in the national semifinals. They trailed 39-17 to Maryland in the first half, but they stormed back for a 95-84 victory.

Coach: Scotty Bowman | Key Players: Steve Yzerman, Nicklas Lidstrom, Brett Hull, Brendan Shanahan, Chris Chelios, Dominik Hasek

Win Pct: .674, Won Stanley Cup | MOV/G: 0.61 (10th of 10 NHL teams)

The fiercest stretch of the Red Wings-Avalanche rivalry took place from 1995-96 to 2001-02.

In that era, the two franchises combined to win five of the seven Stanley Cups and played each other in the playoffs five times.

The 2001-02 Red Wings got the last laugh, winning Game 7 against the Avs 7-0 to advance to the Stanley Cup Final. From there, they beat the Hurricanes in five.

Coach: Mike Shanahan | Key Players: John Elway, Terrell Davis, Shannon Sharpe, Rod Smith, Bill Romanowski, Steve Atwater, Ed McCaffrey

Win Pct: .895, Won Super Bowl | MOV/G: 10.1 (T-11th of 19 NFL teams)

The 1998 Broncos completed their quest to go back-to-back by leaning on Terrell Davis.

The NFL MVP rushed for 2,008 yards, becoming the fourth running back to reach the 2K milestone in league history.

In his last NFL game, John Elway threw for 336 yards and had two total touchdowns to lead the Broncos to a 34-19 Super Bowl XXXIII victory over the Falcons.

Coach: Mike Holmgren | Key Players: Brett Favre, Reggie White, Antonio Freeman, LeRoy Butler, Dorsey Levens, Gilbert Brown, Desmond Howard

Win Pct: .842, Won Super Bowl | MOV/G: 12.9 (6th of 19 NFL teams)

The 1996 Packers are the only team since the '72 Dolphins to lead the NFL in both scoring offense and scoring defense. With that in mind, they probably deserved a better ranking here.

They did lose three regular-season games, but they excelled when the lights were brightest, winning their three playoff games by a combined margin of 52 points.

Brett Favre threw two long TD passes in the Super Bowl (54 yards to Andre Rison and 81 yards to Antonio Freeman), leading the Pack to a 35-21 win over the Patriots.

Coach: Pete Carroll | Key Players: Russell Wilson, Marshawn Lynch, Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, Bobby Wagner, Doug Baldwin

Win Pct: .842, Won Super Bowl | MOV/G: 9.8 (13th of 19 NFL teams)

The Seahawks' Legion of Boom defense allowed the fewest points per game in the league, and Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch led an offense that was pretty darn good too.

Not surprisingly, it was the defense that got the Seahawks out of their one scary moment in the playoffs.

In the NFC Championship Game, the 49ers drove the ball into the red zone with under a minute to go down 23-17. Colin Kaepernick's pass was intended for Michael Crabtree in the end zone, but Richard Sherman deflected it to teammate Malcolm Smith for a game-sealing interception.

Manager: Earl Weaver | Key Players: Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson, Boog Powell, Mike Cuellar, Dave McNally, Jim Palmer, Paul Blair

Win Pct: .676, Won World Series | MOV/G: 1.28 (9th of 16 MLB teams)

The Orioles had seven hitters with at least 3.8 bWAR, including MVP Boog Powell and Hall of Famers Brooks Robinson and Frank Robinson.

They also had three pitchers finish in the top five of Cy Young voting in Jim Palmer, Dave McNally and Mike Cuellar.

Those starters combined to throw 898.2 innings in the regular season. Ah, the good ol' days of baseball.

No. 61: 1981-82 North Carolina Tar Heels

Coach: Dean Smith | Key Players: James Worthy, Sam Perkins, Michael Jordan, Jimmy Black, Matt Doherty

Win Pct: .941, Won National Title | MOV/G: 11.3 (10th of 10 Men's CBB teams)

From a talent perspective, the Heels were an obvious choice with Michael Jordan, James Worthy and Sam Perkins.

From a dominance perspective, it's no surprise they ranked outside the top 60. The Heels' margin of victory in their five NCAA tournament games was two, five, 10, five and one.

Jordan's game-winning shot against Georgetown in the national title game is one of college basketball's most iconic moments.

Coach: Dick Vermeil | Key Players: Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt, Orlando Pace, Kevin Carter, Todd Lyght

Win Pct: .842, Won Super Bowl | MOV/G: 14.9 (2nd of 19 NFL teams)

The Greatest Show on Turf led the league in points per game in 1999, but their underrated defense was a crucial reason they won in the playoffs.

The Rams survived the NFC title game with an 11-6 victory over the Buccaneers, and then they held on for a 23-16 Super Bowl win over the Titans due to Mike Jones' tackle of Kevin Dyson on the 1-yard line.

Kurt Warner deservingly won Super Bowl MVP by throwing for 414 yards and two touchdowns.

Coach: Michael Cooper | Key Players: Lisa Leslie, Tamecka Dixon, DeLisha Milton-Jones, Mwadi Mabika, Ukari Figgs

Win Pct: .872, Won WNBA Finals | MOV/G: 7.1 (6th of 6 WNBA teams)

The Sparks didn't four-peat like the 1997-2000 Comets, but they were the second dominant team in WNBA history.

Lisa Leslie led Los Angeles to back-to-back titles, winning Finals MVP both seasons.

The 2001 Sparks faced one win-or-go-home playoff game, and they responded to the pressure by routing the Monarchs 93-62 in the conference finals.

Coach: Joel Quenneville | Key Players: Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa, Duncan Keith, Patrick Sharp, Corey Crawford

Win Pct: .775, Won Stanley Cup | MOV/G: 0.72 (9th of 10 NHL teams)

With an .802 points percentage, the 2012-13 Chicago Blackhawks weren't far from the 1976-77 Canadiens (.825 points percentage), who are often considered the greatest NHL team of all time.

Chicago had star power with Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews, but it had depth as well with 12 skaters scoring at least three playoff goals.

Corey Crawford also starred between the pipes with a 1.84 goals-against average in the postseason.

Coach: Joe Mazzulla | Key Players: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, Al Horford

Win Pct: .792, Won NBA Finals | MOV/G: 9.2 (6th of 19 NBA teams)

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown co-starred for a brilliantly built team that steamrolled the competition in the playoffs.

At the time, it felt like the two Jays would lead the C's to several titles. Instead, Brown was traded to the 76ers this offseason.

That doesn't take away from the greatness of the 2023-24 team, but a more dominant multiyear reign might have pushed the C's up our rankings.

Coach: Erik Spoelstra | Key Players: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Ray Allen, Udonis Haslem

Win Pct: .781, Won NBA Finals | MOV/G: 6.1 (14th of 19 NBA teams)

The Heat's 27-game regular-season winning streak made them seem untouchable, but they ran into a Spurs buzzsaw in the Finals that nearly knocked them out.

San Antonio had a two-possession lead but left the door open by missing two free throws in the final 28 seconds before Ray Allen tied it with a three.

The Heat won in overtime before winning Game 7 to secure back-to-back championships.

Manager: Dave Roberts | Key Players: Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernandez, Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Will Smith

Win Pct: .612, Won World Series | MOV/G: 0.88 (14th of 16 MLB teams)

The Dodgers had already made the playoffs 11 straight seasons and won a World Series in that time frame before signing Shohei Ohtani in December 2023.

Ohtani supercharged the offense with a 54-homer season that led to NL MVP honors.

The Dodgers overcame all sorts of pitching injuries to win their first Fall Classic since 2020, and they backed it up by repeating in 2025.

Coach: Jerry Tarkanian | Key Players: Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon, Greg Anthony, Anderson Hunt, George Ackles

Win Pct: .971, Lost in Final Four | MOV/G: 27.5 (2nd of 10 Men's CBB teams)

UNLV entered the Final Four undefeated, and it had a 76-71 lead against Duke with 2:20 to go in the national semifinals.

But with Greg Anthony fouled out, the Blue Devils closed the game on an 8-1 run.

In this case, the Rebels' dominance might have worked against them. They hadn't been in such a close game all season, and they struggled to execute down the stretch.

Coach: Nick Saban | Key Players: Mac Jones, DeVonta Smith, Najee Harris, Jaylen Waddle, Christian Barmore, Patrick Surtain II, Landon Dickerson

Win Pct: 1.000, Won National Title | MOV/G: 29.1 (8th of 13 CFB teams)

The 2020 Tide averaged 48.5 points per game behind the trio of quarterback Mac Jones, running back Najee Harris and wide receiver DeVonta Smith.

All three finished in the top five of Heisman voting, with Smith winning the award, breaking a two-decade-plus run of quarterbacks and running backs winning.

Alabama racked up 621 yards of offense in its 52-24 national title game win over Ohio State.

Coach: Vince Lombardi | Key Players: Bart Starr, Ray Nitschke, Willie Davis, Forrest Gregg, Boyd Dowler, Herb Adderley, Willie Wood

Win Pct: .875, Won Super Bowl | MOV/G: 10.8 (10th of 19 NFL teams)

It's fitting that the team of the '60s won the first-ever Super Bowl.

After winning NFL championships in '61, '62 and '65, the Packers dominated Super Bowl I, beating the Chiefs 35-10.

Bart Starr was named Super Bowl MVP, and in 1967 the Pack would repeat as champs in Vince Lombardi's final season in Green Bay.

Coach: Bob Knight | Key Players: Scott May, Quinn Buckner, Kent Benson, Tom Abernethy, Bob Wilkerson

Win Pct: 1.000, Won National Title | MOV/G: 17.3 (7th of 10 Men's CBB teams)

The '76 Hoosiers are the last team to have an undefeated season in Division I.

Scott May was named AP Player of the Year, and Kent Benson was named a first-team All-American.

They combined for 51 points in an 86-68 win over Michigan in the national title game.

Coach: Billy Cunningham | Key Players: Moses Malone, Julius Erving, Andrew Toney, Maurice Cheeks, Bobby Jones

Win Pct: .811, Won NBA Finals | MOV/G: 6.6 (13th of 19 NBA teams)

Moses Malone didn't lack for confidence, as he predicted the 76ers would sweep their three playoff opponents with his "fo, fo, fo" comment.

Malone wasn't far off, as the 76ers lost just one playoff game.

Most impressively, they swept the Magic-and-Kareem Lakers in the Finals. Malone won Finals MVP, averaging 25.8 points and 18.0 rebounds per game.

Coach: Cheryl Reeve | Key Players: Maya Moore, Janel McCarville, Lindsay Whalen, Seimone Augustus, Rebekkah Brunson

Win Pct: .805, Won WNBA Finals | MOV/G: 7.8 (4th of 6 WNBA teams)

Maya Moore's ability to lead dominant teams carried over from college. She won two titles with UConn before leading the Lynx to four championships in seven years.

The 2013 Lynx were the most dominant of the four in the playoffs.

They went 7-0, with Moore winning her first and only Finals MVP with Finals averages of 20.0 points on 54.3/50.0/85.0 shooting splits.

Coach: Curt Cignetti | Key Players: Fernando Mendoza, Elijah Sarratt, Omar Cooper Jr., Mikail Kamara, Aiden Fisher, D'Angelo Ponds, Roman Hemby

Win Pct: 1.000, Won National Title | MOV/G: 31.4 (7th of 13 CFB teams)

Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza led Indiana to the first 16-0 season in major college football history.

The Hoosiers closed the season with wins over No. 1 Ohio State, No. 11 Alabama, No. 5 Oregon and No. 10 Miami.

It certainly feels like Curt Cignetti will make Indiana the next great college football powerhouse.

Coach: Gregg Popovich | Key Players: Tim Duncan, Kawhi Leonard, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Boris Diaw

Win Pct: .743, Won NBA Finals | MOV/G: 6.0 (T-15th of 19 NBA teams)

The last of Gregg Popovich's five title teams was arguably the best, as the trio of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili had more support than ever.

Kawhi Leonard was named Finals MVP for his two-way impact, and Boris Diaw, Danny Green, Tiago Splitter, Marco Belinelli and Patty Mills rounded out a rotation that fit together perfectly.

The Spurs got revenge in the 2014 NBA Finals, dispatching the Heat in five after losing a heartbreaking seven-game series in 2013.

Manager: Terry Francona | Key Players: David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, Curt Schilling, Pedro Martinez, Johnny Damon, Jason Varitek, Keith Foulke

Win Pct: .619, Won World Series | MOV/G: 1.03 (13th of 16 MLB teams)

The 2004 Red Sox are immortalized for being the first and only MLB team to come back from a 3-0 deficit—against the archrival Yankees, no less—before breaking an 86-year World Series drought.

David Ortiz's walk-off hits in back-to-back games got Boston to within 3-2, setting the stage for Curt Schilling's "bloody sock" performance in Game 6.

Aided by Johnny Damon's grand slam, the Sox won 10-3 in Game 7, getting revenge for their excruciating Game 7 loss to the Yankees in the 2003 ALCS.

Coach: John McKay | Key Players: Anthony Davis, Sam Cunningham, Lynn Swann, Charles Young, Richard Wood, Mike Rae, Pete Adams

Win Pct: 1.000, Won National Title | MOV/G: 27.8 (11th of 13 CFB teams)

USC's closest margin of victory was nine points, which is all the more impressive considering the Trojans played six ranked teams.

They finished the season outscoring No. 14 UCLA, No. 10 Notre Dame and No. 3 Ohio State (Rose Bowl) by a combined 64 points.

Running back Anthony Davis had 1,034 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns yet didn't finish in the top 10 of Heisman voting.

No. 44: 1997-98 Tennessee Lady Volunteers

Coach: Pat Summitt | Key Players: Chamique Holdsclaw, Tamika Catchings, Semeka Randall, Michelle Snow, Kellie Jolly

Win Pct: 1.000, Won National Title | MOV/G: 30.1 (5th of 6 Women's CBB teams)

Pat Summitt's best team was led by AP National Player of the Year Chamique Holdsclaw and All-American Tamika Catchings.

Tennessee had one major NCAA tournament scare, trailing 61-49 in the regional final to North Carolina.

But the Vols finished on a 27-9 run to survive before dominating in the Final Four.

Coach: John Madden | Key Players: Ken Stabler, Fred Biletnikoff, Cliff Branch, Dave Casper, Willie Brown, Ted Hendricks, Gene Upshaw

Win Pct: .941, Won Super Bowl | MOV/G: 6.6 (18th of 19 NFL teams)

Here is a list of every Super Bowl-winning team with one loss or fewer:

'82 Washington (nine-game regular season)

So there's no doubt John Madden's best team belongs here, but it must be mentioned the Raiders caught a game-changing break when Ken Stabler drew a roughing-the-passer call in the AFC Divisional Round against the Patriots.

The Raiders won that game 24-21 before crushing the Steelers in the conference title game and the Vikings in the Super Bowl.

Coach: Mike Krzyzewski | Key Players: Christian Laettner, Bobby Hurley, Grant Hill, Thomas Hill, Antonio Lang

Win Pct: .944, Won National Title | MOV/G: 15.3 (9th of 10 Men's CBB teams)

The Blue Devils crushed the Fab Five Wolverines in the national championship game to become repeat champions, but they almost didn't get there.

Duke needed Christian Laettner's buzzer-beating turnaround jumper to beat Kentucky in the Elite Eight, and it survived with a three-point win against Indiana in the semis.

Among Mike Krzyzewski's five national title teams at Duke, this one had the best winning percentage at 94.4 percent.

Coach: Geno Auriemma | Key Players: Maya Moore, Tina Charles, Tiffany Hayes, Kalana Greene, Caroline Doty

Win Pct: 1.000, Won National Title | MOV/G: 34.9 (3rd of 6 Women's CBB teams)

The Huskies steamrolled the competition in their first five NCAA tournament games, but they got into a rock fight with Stanford in the final, trailing 20-12 at halftime.

With everyone else cold, Connecticut turned to Maya Moore, who saved the day with 23 points in a 53-47 win.

Overall, the Huskies won 90 consecutive games between 2008 and 2010 with Moore.

Coach: George Seifert | Key Players: Steve Young, Jerry Rice, Deion Sanders, Ricky Watters, Ken Norton Jr., Rickey Jackson, Brent Jones

Win Pct: .842, Won Super Bowl | MOV/G: 11.0 (9th of 19 NFL teams)

Steve Young got the monkey off his back after losses to the Cowboys in two consecutive NFC Championship Games.

In the 1994 NFC title game, he threw two TD passes and ran for another in a 38-28 win.

In the Super Bowl, Young set an NFL record with six TD passes. That record has not been touched since.

Coach: Chuck Daly | Key Players: Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, Mark Aguirre

Win Pct: .788, Won NBA Finals | MOV/G: 4.8 (T-17th of 19 NBA teams)

Before the Bulls won six titles in the '90s, they got knocked out of the playoffs twice by these Bad Boys Pistons, who went back-to-back in '89 and '90.

This first Pistons team beat Jordan's Bulls in six before sweeping Magic Johnson's Lakers in the Finals.

Though Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars were regarded as the best players on this team, the nine-man rotation that also included Bill Laimbeer, Dennis Rodman, Mark Aguirre, John Salley, Vinnie Johnson, Rick Mahorn and James Edwards was one of the deepest in NBA history.

Coach: Ed Orgeron | Key Players: Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Grant Delpit, Patrick Queen, Derek Stingley Jr.

Win Pct: 1.000, Won National Title | MOV/G: 27.9 (10th of 13 CFB teams)

LSU ended Clemson's 29-game winning streak with a 42-25 national title game victory behind Joe Burrow's five touchdown passes.

Burrow had incredible weaponry, including Ja'Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson, currently two of the best wide receivers in the NFL.

Chase had 221 yards and two touchdowns against Clemson, while Jefferson had 227 yards and four TDs in the national semifinal against Oklahoma.

Coach: Mack Brown | Key Players: Vince Young, Michael Huff, Selvin Young, David Thomas, Ramonce Taylor, Jamaal Charles, Aaron Ross

Win Pct: 1.000, Won National Title | MOV/G: 33.8 (5th of 13 CFB teams)

Vince Young had a Heisman-caliber season, but USC's Reggie Bush was voted the nation's most outstanding player before their matchup in the national title game.

Bush had 177 scrimmage yards and a TD, but Young upstaged him with 467 total yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winning scamper on 4th-and-5 with about 20 seconds left.

Texas' win snapped USC's 34-game winning streak.

Coach: Dabo Swinney | Key Players: Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne, Isaiah Simmons, Clelin Ferrell, Christian Wilkins, Dexter Lawrence, Hunter Renfrow

Win Pct: 1.000, Won National Title | MOV/G: 35.0 (3rd of 13 CFB teams)

The Tigers were the first team to go 15-0, and what put them in the upper echelon of the CFB teams in this ranking was their national title game performance.

Clemson boatraced then-undefeated Alabama 44-16 behind prolific performances from Trevor Lawrence (3 pass TDs) and Travis Etienne (2 rush TDs, 1 TD reception).

Tua Tagovailoa lost just two games in his college career, with the other loss coming against 2019 LSU.

Coach: Rick Pitino | Key Players: Tony Delk, Ron Mercer, Derek Anderson, Antoine Walker, Walter McCarty

Win Pct: .944, Won National Title | MOV/G: 22.1 (4th of 10 Men's CBB teams)

Rick Pitino's teams have always been great on the defensive end, usually excelling most at forcing turnovers. If you've ever wondered what that style of play would look like with the most talented team in the nation, watch the 1995-96 Wildcats.

A team with nine future NBA players was second in the nation in steals per game, getting out in transition to average 91.4 points per game.

The Wildcats survived the de facto national title game in the semis against No. 1-seeded UMass despite Marcus Camby's 25 points and six blocks.

Coach: Joe Gibbs | Key Players: Mark Rypien, Gary Clark, Art Monk, Darrell Green, Wilber Marshall, Earnest Byner, Jim Lachey

Win Pct: .895, Won Super Bowl | MOV/G: 13.7 (3rd of 19 NFL teams)

In the Super Bowl era, the '91 Washington team has the third-best point differential at plus-261. Only the 2007 Patriots and 1999 Rams were more dominant.

This team was the most balanced of the three Joe Gibbs Super Bowl winners.

The defense and running game were stout as usual, but the passing offense, led by Mark Rypien, Gary Clark and Art Monk, was more prolific than those of the '87 and '82 teams.

Coach: Tom Johnson | Key Players: Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, Ken Hodge, Wayne Cashman, Gerry Cheevers, Eddie Johnston

Win Pct: .737, Won Stanley Cup | MOV/G: 1.35 (T-3rd of 10 NHL teams)

Bobby Orr and Phil Esposito combined for 250 points and finished first and third in Hart Trophy voting, respectively.

In the playoffs, they were just as dominant, both recording a league-high 24 points.

Orr won his second Conn Smythe Trophy in three seasons.

Coach: Bill Parcells | Key Players: Lawrence Taylor, Phil Simms, Joe Morris, Carl Banks, Harry Carson, Mark Bavaro, Leonard Marshall

Win Pct: .895, Won Super Bowl | MOV/G: 7.1 (17th of 19 NFL teams)

With all due respect to the Phil Simms-led offense, the 1986 Giants were all about Lawrence Taylor and the legendary defense.

Taylor had 20.5 sacks, and to this day he's the last defensive player to win NFL MVP.

The Giants won their three playoff games by a combined 82 points.

Coach: Jimmy Johnson | Key Players: Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, Michael Irvin, Jay Novacek, Darren Woodson, Charles Haley, Alvin Harper

Win Pct: .842, Won Super Bowl | MOV/G: 8.7 (14th of 19 NFL teams)

This team was the beginning of a Cowboys dynasty, as Dallas won three of four Super Bowls.

Despite going 13-3, the 1992 Cowboys were not the NFC No. 1 seed.

Dallas went on the road in the NFC Championship Game, beating the favored 49ers 30-20 behind a monster game from Emmitt Smith.

The Cowboys dominated the Bills 52-17 in the Super Bowl.

Coach: Becky Hammon | Key Players: A'ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, Alysha Clark

Win Pct: .857, Won WNBA Finals | MOV/G: 10.2 (2nd of 6 WNBA teams)

The Aces were led by a Big Four that other teams had no answer for.

A'ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young and Chelsea Gray combined to average 74.4 points per game in the playoffs.

This team was part of a great four-year run in which the Aces won three titles.

Coach: Bob Devaney | Key Players: Johnny Rodgers, Jerry Tagge, Rich Glover, Jeff Kinney, Willie Harper, Larry Jacobson, Joe Blahak

Win Pct: 1.000, Won National Title | MOV/G: 28.5 (9th of 13 CFB teams)

The Cornhuskers dominated every team on their schedule except the No. 2-ranked Sooners.

That game, dubbed by many as the Game of the Century, went the way of the No. 1-ranked Huskers 35-31.

Nebraska trailed by three with under two minutes to go, but Jeff Kinney's fourth rushing touchdown of the game gave it the lead. The Huskers held on from there.

Coach: Larry Costello | Key Players: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Oscar Robertson, Bob Dandridge, Jon McGlocklin, Greg Smith

Win Pct: .813, Won NBA Finals | MOV/G: 10.5 (1st of 19 NBA teams)

In their first year together, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson formed a dynamic duo that produced a championship.

Abdul-Jabbar won MVP in just his second season with a league-leading 31.7 scoring average, while Robertson, despite being toward the end of his prime at 32 years old, averaged 19.4 points and 8.2 assists.

The Bucks went 12-2 in the playoffs, and their closest margin of victory in those 12 wins was eight points.

Coach: Tom Osborne | Key Players: Tommie Frazier, Lawrence Phillips, Ahman Green, Grant Wistrom, Brook Berringer, Aaron Graham, Jared Tomich

Win Pct: 1.000, Won National Title | MOV/G: 38.7 (2nd of 13 CFB teams)

The most impressive stat about the Cornhuskers is they won every game by at least 14 points.

And they did it the Nebraska way, running an I-formation, option-heavy offense.

Running backs Ahman Green and Lawrence Phillips and quarterback Tommie Frazier combined to rush for 2,237 yards and 39 touchdowns.

Coach: Bill Belichick | Key Players: Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman, Dont'a Hightower, Devin McCourty, James White, LeGarrette Blount

How you view the Super Bowl LI comeback will guide how you feel about the 2016 Patriots' ranking here.

On the one hand, it takes a special team to dig itself out of a 28-3 hole.

On the other hand, the fact that the Pats were down that big at all suggests they weren't as dominant as other teams in the top 25 of this ranking.

There's no doubt the Falcons choked, but that doesn't take away from Tom Brady making clutch play after clutch play. His performance late in that game is arguably the defining moment of his GOAT career.

Manager: Sparky Anderson | Key Players: Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, Pete Rose, Tony Perez, George Foster, Dave Concepcion, Ken Griffey

Win Pct: .645, Won World Series | MOV/G: 1.33 (6th of 16 MLB teams)

The Big Red Machine won back-to-back World Series, with the second team getting the nod here due to their 7-0 postseason dominance.

Joe Morgan won NL MVP, while George Foster (second), Pete Rose (fourth) and Ken Griffey (eighth) finished in the top eight.

Johnny Bench was named World Series MVP with a .533 average and two homers in the sweep of the Yankees.

Coach: Geno Auriemma | Key Players: Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Swin Cash, Asjha Jones, Tamika Williams

Win Pct: 1.000, Won National Title | MOV/G: 35.4 (2nd of 6 Women's CBB teams)

These Huskies had star power with AP Player of the Year Sue Bird and All-Americans Diana Taurasi, Swin Cash and Asjha Jones.

The Kara Lawson-led Volunteers were no match for the Huskies in the national semifinals, with the Huskies prevailing 79-56.

The Stacey Dales-led Sooners were more competitive in the final, but the Huskies' starters had 78 points in an 82-70 win.

Coach: Van Chancellor | Key Players: Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, Tina Thompson, Janeth Arcain, Tammy Jackson

Win Pct: .886, Won WNBA Finals | MOV/G: 10.8 (1st of 6 WNBA teams)

The 1997-2000 Comets are the greatest dynasty in WNBA history, and the 1998 team was their most dominant one.

They had a .900 regular-season winning percentage, which is the highest in WNBA history.

Cynthia Cooper won her second consecutive MVP and Finals MVP. Cooper would go on to win Finals MVP the next two seasons as well.

Coach: Bill Belichick | Key Players: Tom Brady, Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Laurence Maroney, Asante Samuel, Rodney Harrison, Vince Wilfork

Win Pct: .947, Lost Super Bowl | MOV/G: 16.6 (1st of 19 NFL teams)

The Patriots were one win away from being known as the greatest NFL team of all time—and a top-five lock for this article—but their undefeated season was thwarted by the Giants in the Super Bowl.

Here are a few stats that get into the dominance of this team.

It posted the best regular-season scoring differential (+315) of all time.

Tom Brady set the record for the most TD passes in a season (50).

Randy Moss set the record for the most TD receptions in a season (23).

But the Pats fell short of a championship due in large part to one of the most unlikely plays in NFL history.

Coach: Al Arbour | Key Players: Mike Bossy, Bryan Trottier, Denis Potvin, Billy Smith, Clark Gillies, John Tonelli

Win Pct: .730, Won Stanley Cup | MOV/G: 1.36 (2nd of 10 NHL teams)

In the four major North American pro sports, the Islanders are the last team to four-peat.

The 1981-82 Islanders were the third and most dominant team of the dynasty.

Bryan Trottier and Mike Bossy finished second and third for the Hart Trophy, respectively, while Billy Smith won the Vezina Trophy.

The Islanders swept their opponents in the conference final and Stanley Cup, but they did have a major scare in the first round. In a best-of-five series, they were down 3-1 in the third period of Game 5.

But John Tonelli saved the day with a game-tying goal late in the third before netting the OT winner.

Coach: Pat Riley | Key Players: Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Byron Scott, Michael Cooper

Win Pct: .800, Won NBA Finals | MOV/G: 7.6 (10th of 19 NBA teams)

The Magic-and-Kareem Lakers won five titles in a nine-year span, and they peaked in 1986-87.

Magic won his first MVP, averaging a career-high 23.9 points and a league-high 12.2 assists.

The 39-year-old Abdul-Jabbar had lost a step from his prime, but he was still an All-Star. James Worthy was also an All-Star who was second on the team in regular-season scoring and first in playoff scoring.

What immortalized this team more than anything was winning the third Finals matchup against the Celtics in four years.

Johnson's hook shot with two seconds left to give the Lakers a 107-106 Game 4 win is one of the most consequential shots in NBA history.

Coach: Chuck Noll | Key Players: Terry Bradshaw, Lynn Swann, John Stallworth, Franco Harris, Mean Joe Greene, Jack Lambert, Jack Ham

Win Pct: .895, Won Super Bowl | MOV/G: 8.5 (15th of 19 NFL teams)

Led by the Steel Curtain, the Steelers won four Super Bowls in six seasons in the 1970s.

The '78 Steelers allowed a league-low 12.2 points per game, and the dominant defense carried over in their first two playoff games, as Pittsburgh won by a combined score of 67-15.

In the Super Bowl, the defense faltered, allowing three TD passes to Roger Staubach. But Terry Bradshaw came through with four TD passes to lead the Steelers to a 35-31 victory over the Cowboys.

Coach: Pete Carroll | Key Players: Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, LenDale White, Mike Patterson, Dwayne Jarrett, Shaun Cody, Lofa Tatupu

Win Pct: 1.000, Won National Title | MOV/G: 25.2 (13th of 13 CFB teams)

This USC team was loaded with talent, including Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Matt Leinart, running back LenDale White and wide receivers Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith.

But the headliner of this Trojans era was Reggie Bush.

The running back/occasional wide receiver/return man was the most electric player in college football.

Bush didn't go fully nuclear until his Heisman-winning 2005 season, but when the Trojans got into a tight game against UCLA in 2004, all he did was rush for 204 yards and two touchdowns.

Coach: Bill Sharman | Key Players: Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Gail Goodrich, Happy Hairston, Jim McMillian

Win Pct: .835, Won NBA Finals | MOV/G: 10.4 (2nd of 19 NBA teams)

Wilt Chamberlain was in his second-to-last season and not the No. 1 offensive option, but he was still one of the best players in the league with averages of 14.8 points and 19.2 rebounds per game.

With Jerry West running the show and starters Jim McMillian, Happy Hairston and Gail Goodrich chipping in, the Lakers took care of business in the playoffs.

They defeated the defending champion Bucks (with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson) in the conference finals before taking out the Knicks (with Walt Frazier and Jerry Lucas) in the Finals.

Coach: John Wooden | Key Players: Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), Lucius Allen, Mike Warren, Lynn Shackelford, Kenny Heitz

Win Pct: 1.000, Won National Title | MOV/G: 25.9 (3rd of 10 Men's CBB teams)

This is the first of two UCLA teams from John Wooden's dynasty, and both featured NBA MVP big men.

The AP Player of the Year led the Bruins to 27 double-digit victories.

Alcindor went on to win national titles in all three of his varsity seasons. UCLA's record in those three seasons was 88-2.

Coach: Phil Jackson | Key Players: Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, Robert Horry, Horace Grant

Win Pct: .724, Won NBA Finals | MOV/G: 2.8 (19th of 19 NBA teams)

The Lakers coasted to a 56-26 regular-season record, which made some of our voters rank them outside the top 20. But when the playoffs started, they were outrageously dominant.

The Lakers went 15-1 in the playoffs, sweeping the Blazers, Kings and Spurs before beating the 76ers in five.

Keep in mind that the Blazers made the conference finals the year prior, the Kings would make the conference finals the following year, and the Spurs won the title two years prior.

Shaquille O'Neal is often remembered for being Option 1A with Bryant being Option 1B, and that's how it looked in the Finals against the Sixers when O'Neal averaged 33.0 points and 15.0 rebounds. But in the conference finals, Bryant was Option 1A with averages of 33.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists.

Coach: Mike Ditka | Key Players: Walter Payton, Jim McMahon, Mike Singletary, Richard Dent, Dan Hampton, Wilber Marshall, Dave Duerson

Win Pct: .947, Won Super Bowl | MOV/G: 13.6 (4th of 19 NFL teams)

With all due respect to Walter Payton and a very good offense, the 1985 Bears were all about defense.

Buddy Ryan's 4-6 defense had seven players make the Pro Bowl or All-Pro teams.

Richard Dent led the league with 17 sacks, and Mike Singletary was named Defensive Player of the Year.

The Bears allowed just 10 points combined in their three playoff games.

Coach: Glen Sather | Key Players: Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Paul Coffey, Jari Kurri, Grant Fuhr

Win Pct: .735, Won Stanley Cup | MOV/G: 1.35 (T-3rd of 10 NHL teams)

The 1983-84 Oilers were the first of five title teams in seven years.

Wayne Gretzky was at the peak of his powers, recording 205 points in 74 games.

Gretzky (35 points), Jari Kurri (28) and Mark Messier (26) combined for 89 playoff points in 19 games.

The Oilers had one playoff scare, falling behind 4-3 in Game 7 against the Flames. But they responded with four unanswered goals and never looked back, eventually beating the four-time reigning champion Islanders in five games in the Stanley Cup Final.

Coach: Geno Auriemma | Key Players: Breanna Stewart, Morgan Tuck, Moriah Jefferson, Gabby Williams, Napheesa Collier

Win Pct: 1.000, Won National Title | MOV/G: 39.7 (1st of 6 Women's CBB teams)

The Huskies won all six of their NCAA tournament games by at least 21 points, which was no surprise considering they led the nation in offensive rating and defensive rating.

Eight of their players went on to play in the WNBA.

Breanna Stewart was the headliner, as she completed her NCAA career with four titles in four seasons.

But what made this UConn team particularly scary was that Napheesa Collier and Gabby Williams came off the bench. Collier is a five-time WNBA All-Star, and Williams has made the last two WNBA All-Star Games.

Manager: Joe McCarthy | Key Players: Joe DiMaggio, Red Ruffing, Bill Dickey, Charlie Keller, Joe Gordon, Lefty Gomez, Red Rolfe

Win Pct: .708, Won World Series | MOV/G: 2.63 (1st of 16 MLB teams)

The '39 Yankees are the first of three Yankees teams in our top 11.

They didn't have Lou Gehrig or Babe Ruth, but they still scored 967 regular-season runs, almost matching the '27 Yankees' total of 976.

Joe DiMaggio won MVP by hitting .381 with 30 homers and 126 RBI.

Red Ruffing, Bill Dickey and Joe Gordon also finished in the top nine of MVP voting.

Coach: K.C. Jones | Key Players: Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Dennis Johnson, Danny Ainge

Win Pct: .820, Won NBA Finals | MOV/G: 7.7 (9th of 19 NBA teams)

The Celtics won three titles in the '80s with dominant teams, but '86 was clearly their best one.

The main difference between this team and their '84 title team was the presence of Sixth Man of the Year Bill Walton.

But their five starters didn't need much help, as all of them averaged at least 15.0 points per game in the playoffs.

In the Finals-clinching game, Larry Bird had 29 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds while Kevin McHale recorded 29 points and 10 rebounds. The Hakeem Olajuwon-led Rockets were no match for that.

Manager: Joe Torre | Key Players: Derek Jeter, Bernie Williams, Mariano Rivera, David Cone, Paul O'Neill, Tino Martinez, Andy Pettitte

Win Pct: .714, Won World Series | MOV/G: 1.77 (3rd of 16 MLB teams)

The '98 Yankees lost the battle to the '27 Yankees in our rankings, but they did beat out any other team in baseball history by winning an MLB-record 125 games (playoffs included) while losing just 50.

The Yanks had eight hitters with at least 17 homers and seven pitchers with at least 2.4 WAR, including Andy Pettitte, David Wells and David Cone, who combined for 54 wins.

In the playoffs, Mariano Rivera pitched 13.1 shutout innings with six saves.

The Yankees would go on to three-peat by winning in 1999 and 2000. No MLB team has three-peated since.

Coach: Bill Walsh | Key Players: Joe Montana, Roger Craig, Ronnie Lott, Dwight Clark, Russ Francis, Freddie Solomon, Wendell Tyler

Win Pct: .947, Won Super Bowl | MOV/G: 13.1 (5th of 19 NFL teams)

There's a raging debate about whether the '84 49ers or the '89 49ers are the best team in franchise history. The intro criteria stated that we couldn't include the same team twice over such a short period.

The '84 team had the No. 2 scoring offense and the No. 1 scoring defense.

The '89 team had the No. 1 scoring offense and the No. 3 scoring defense.

The most notable difference between the teams was the '89 offense had Jerry Rice, which led to better stats for Joe Montana.

But that '84 defense was loaded with Dwaine Board, Fred Dean, Carlton Williamson and Dwight Hicks playing alongside Ronnie Lott and Keena Turner, who played on both the '84 and '89 teams.

We opted for the team that was slightly better statistically and record-wise (18-1 vs. 17-2), and the fact that the '84 team was coached by West Coast offense architect Bill Walsh gave it just a little extra boost over the '89 team that was coached by George Seifert.

Coach: Larry Coker | Key Players: Ken Dorsey, Andre Johnson, Vince Wilfork, Ed Reed, Jeremy Shockey, Clinton Portis, Bryant McKinnie

Win Pct: 1.000, Won National Title | MOV/G: 32.9 (6th of 13 CFB teams)

The Hurricanes dominated en route to a national championship, winning 11 of their 12 games by double digits.

What vaulted them into the top 10 and over other similarly dominant CFB teams was the quantity and quality of their NFL talent.

The 2001 Hurricanes had a record 38 players drafted, and among them were Pro Football Hall of Famers Ed Reed and Andre Johnson. Of the players drafted, 17 were first-round picks.

Bryant McKinnie was so dominant at left tackle that he finished eighth in Heisman Trophy voting. Ken Dorsey finished third in Heisman voting before throwing three TD passes in the first half of Miami's 37-14 BCS title game win over Nebraska.

Coach: Don Shula | Key Players: Bob Griese, Earl Morrall, Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris, Paul Warfield, Nick Buoniconti, Larry Little, Jim Langer

Win Pct: 1.000, Won Super Bowl | MOV/G: 12.6 (7th of 19 NFL teams)

The only undefeated team in modern NFL history actually lost its starting quarterback to injury. Bob Griese broke his ankle in Week 5, forcing Earl Morrall to start for the rest of the regular season.

The Dolphins relied on the running game with star backs Mercury Morris and Larry Csonka, the first teammates to each have 1,000 rushing yards in a season.

Miami had the best scoring offense and defense in the league. Only one team ('96 Packers) has pulled off that feat since.

What held the Dolphins back from the top five of this list was a not-as-dominant postseason. They won their three playoff games by a combined 17 points.

Coach: John Wooden | Key Players: Bill Walton, Henry Bibby, Keith Wilkes, Greg Lee, Larry Farmer

Win Pct: 1.000, Won National Title | MOV/G: 30.3 (1st of 10 Men's CBB teams)

The Bruins went 30-0 two years in a row during Bill Walton's sophomore and junior seasons. We're choosing the slightly more dominant sophomore-season team here.

The two 30-0 seasons were part of an 88-game winning streak.

The streak started before Walton's varsity tenure in 1971 and ended in his senior season in '74. It is the longest in men's college basketball history.

To illustrate how dominant the '71-'72 Bruins were, they won 28 of 30 games by double digits.

They had a close call in the national championship game against Florida State, but Walton, Keith Wilkes (later known as Jamaal) and Henry Bibby held off the Seminoles for an 81-76 victory.

Coach: Scotty Bowman | Key Players: Guy Lafleur, Ken Dryden, Larry Robinson, Steve Shutt, Serge Savard

Win Pct: .766, Won Stanley Cup | MOV/G: 2.30 (1st of 10 NHL teams)

The 1976-77 Canadiens finished with 132 regular-season points, which was the NHL record until the Bruins topped it in 2022-23 with 135. But keep in mind that the Canadiens played two fewer games and didn't have the benefit of trying to win in overtime and shootouts.

That Bruins team won 12 games after regulation. If games ended in ties like they did for the Canadiens, the Bruins would have had just 123 points.

This is all to say that the Canadiens are still the standard for dominance in the regular season, and they backed it up with a 12-2 playoff run.

The Canadiens would go on to four-peat from 1975-76 to 1978-79. Only the '80s Islanders have four-peated since in major pro North American sports.

Manager: Miller Huggins | Key Players: Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Tony Lazzeri, Earle Combs, Bob Meusel, Herb Pennock, Waite Hoyt

Win Pct: .722, Won World Series | MOV/G: 2.38 (2nd of 16 MLB teams)

Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig combined for the greatest season from two teammates in sports history.

Gehrig had 47 homers and 173 RBI to finish with 11.8 bWAR.

Ruth had a record-setting 60 homers and 165 RBI to finish with 12.5 bWAR.

Both WAR marks are in the top seven in MLB history for position players.

They got plenty of help from Earle Combs (7.1 WAR), Tony Lazzeri (6.4 WAR), Bob Meusel (4.2 WAR) and Mark Koenig (2.4 WAR). That top six in the lineup inspired the nickname "Murderers' Row."

Coach: Steve Kerr | Key Players: Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala

Win Pct: .838, Won NBA Finals | MOV/G: 9.6 (5th of 19 NBA teams)

The 2016-17 Warriors had a serious argument for the No. 1 spot.

Their best lineup—Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green—had five likely Hall of Famers.

Curry, Thompson, Green and Iguodala had led the Warriors to a championship in 2015 and a 73-win regular season in 2016 that resulted in a loss in the Finals. Many argued it was unfair that Golden State added Durant to that nucleus.

The Warriors set an NBA playoff record with 15 straight victories. The Cavaliers prevented them from a perfect playoff run in Game 4 of the Finals, but the Dubs bounced back in Game 5 to set the mark for the best winning percentage (94.1 percent) in a single playoff run.

Coach: Phil Jackson | Key Players: Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Toni Kukoc, Steve Kerr

Win Pct: .870, Won NBA Finals | MOV/G: 10.0 (T-3rd of 19 NBA teams)

It's fitting that the greatest player in NBA history produced one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history, and within that dynasty was the greatest season in sports history.

The 1995-96 Bulls set an NBA record with 72 regular-season wins, and unlike the 2015-16 73-win Warriors, they backed it up with a championship.

The gap between Michael Jordan and the league's second-best player—whether you think it was Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson or someone else—was vast. When Jordan was at his best, the Bulls were unbeatable.

But even when he wasn't, he got enough support from Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman and others for the Bulls to win most games anyway.

Over an eight-season stretch, the Jordan-and-Pippen Bulls won six titles, and the two times they didn't were due in large part to Jordan's baseball venture.

Perhaps no team in sports history had as much aura of inevitability as the '90s Bulls.