Los Angeles Lakers

One ranking has Lakers with 10 of the 50 greatest NBA teams ever

Published Jun. 18, 2015 2:26 p.m. ET

foxsports

Warning to Los Angeles Lakers fans: This list will make you both happy and angry, possibly at the same time.

First, the good news: According to ESPN NBA Insider Kevin Pelton, the Lakers have 10 of the 50 greatest NBA teams ever. That includes two of the top 10 teams -- the 1986-87 Lakers (No. 3) and the 1984-85 team (No. 7).

Now for some of the bad news. Both the Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics had more top 10 teams than Los Angeles, each with three. The 1995-96 Bulls were the top team on the list, naturally.

And there's more. The Celtics (11) have more total top 50 teams than the Lakers, as well.

The rankings are essentially based on various weights of point differential in the regular season and playoffs, with an attempt to factor in the way the league became stronger or weaker as expansion increased the size of the player pool.

The Lakers teams outside of the top 10 include 1971-72 (No. 12), 2000-01 (No. 16), 2008-09 (No. 28), 1981-82 (No. 30), 1979-80 (No. 38), 1999-2000 (No. 40), 2001-02 (No. 41) and 1972-73 (No. 45).

(h/t ESPN.com)

Photo Credit: Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images

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