I ran a 64 team tournament of the greatest NBA and ABA teams. Pretty much every franchise had at least one team in the tournament. The 85-86 Celtics won.

Here are the brackets:

=======================================================================

SECTION A

1---------------------------------- (1) 96 Bulls (72-10) 134-126
|_ 96 Bulls (72-10) 129-127
16
|_ 62 Warriors (49-31)

8---------------------------------- (9) 78 Trail Blazers (60-22)
|_ 75 Bullets (60-22)
9
|_ 78 Trail Blazers (58-24) 108-98
-------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) 96 Bulls (72-10)

-------------------------------------------------------------------- (4) 18 Rockets (65-17) 105-99
5---------------------------------- (5) 06 Pistons (64-18)
|_ 06 Pistons (64-18) 106-86
12
|_ 89 Cavaliers (57-25)

4---------------------------------- (4) 18 Rockets (65-17) 88-83
|_ 18 Rockets (65-17) 109-87
13
|_ 75 Nets (58-26)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (4) 18 Rockets (65-17)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (3) 13 Heat (66-16) 93-89
2---------------------------------- (2) 00 Lakers (67-15) 119-112
|_ 00 Lakers (67-15) 110-93
15
|_ 53 Knicks (47-23)

7---------------------------------- (7) 62 Celtics (60-20)
|_ 62 Celtics ((60-20) 116-111
10
|_ 98 Pacers (58-24)
-------------------------------------------------------------------- (2) 00 Lakers (67-15)

-------------------------------------------------------------------- (3) 13 Heat (66-16) 91-89

6---------------------------------- (6) 14 Spurs (62-20)
|_ 14 Spurs (62-20) 114-96
11
|_ 86 Bucks (57-25)

3---------------------------------- (3) 13 Heat (66-16) 102-86
|_ 13 Heat (66-16) 113-96
14
|_ 71 Stars (57-27)

===========================================================================

SECTION B

1---------------------------------- (1) 67 76ers (68-13) 131-116
|_ 67 76ers (68-13) 127-101
16
|_ 58 Hawks (41-31)

8---------------------------------- (8) 02 Kings (61-21)
|_ 02 Kings (61-21) 100-79
9
|_ 76 Warriors (59-23)
-------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) 67 76ers (68-13)

-------------------------------------------------------------------- (4) 87 Lakers (65-17) 127-117

5---------------------------------- (12) 72 Bulls (57-25)
|_ 89 Pistons (63-19)
12
|_ 72 Bulls (57-25) 101-94

4 --------------------------------- (4) 87 Lakers (65-17) 122-100
|_ 87 Lakers (65-17) 105-102
13
|_ 13 Nuggets (57-25)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (4) 87 Lakers (65-17)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (2) 86 Celtics (67-15) 120-110
2---------------------------------- (2) 86 Celtics (67-15) 102-74
|_ 86 Celtics (67-15) 115-103
15
|_ 87 Mavericks (55-27)

7---------------------------------- (7) 99 Spurs (37-13)
|_ 99 Spurs (37-13) 107-106
10
|_ 70 Pacers (59-25)
-------------------------------------------------------------------- (2) 86 Celtics (67-15) 105-98

-------------------------------------------------------------------- (6) 93 Suns (62-20)
6----------------------------------- (6) 93 Suns (62-20) 106-90
|_ 93 Suns (62-20) 101-98
11
|_ 94 Knicks (57-25)

3----------------------------------- (14) 13 Grizzlies (56-26)

|_ 72 Colonels (68-16)
14
|_ 13 Grizzlies (56-26) 99-89

=======================================================================

FINAL FOUR


SECTION A - (3) 13 Heat (66-16)
----------------------------------------------------------------
SECTION B - (2) 86 Celtics (67-15) 111-89

---------------------------------------------------------------- (2) 86 Celtics (67-15) 121-100
..................................................................................CHAMPIONSHIP
---------------------------------------------------------------- (12) 20 Bucks (56-17)

SECTION C -- (3) 71 Bucks (66-16)
----------------------------------------------------------------
SECTION D - (12) 20 Bucks (56-17) 131-118



--------------------------- (3) 13 Heat (66-16)
THIRD PLACE GAME
--------------------------- (3) 71 Bucks (66-16) 109-108

=======================================================================

SECTION C

1---------------------------------- (1) 73 Celtics - (68-14)
|_ 73 Celtics - (68-14) 96-95
16
|_ 95 Hornets (50-32)

8---------------------------------- (9) 94 Rockets (58-24) 102-82
|_ 70 Knicks (60-22)
9
|_ 94 Rockets (58-24) 120-111
-------------------------------------------------------------------- (9) 94 Rockets (58-24)

-------------------------------------------------------------------- (12) 20 Lakers (52-19) 114-91
5---------------------------------- (12) 20 Lakers (52-19) 124-113
|_ 75 Nuggets (65-19)
12
|_ 20 Lakers (52-19) 104-84

4---------------------------------- (13) 87 Hawks (57-25)
|_ 83 76ers (65-17)
13
|_ 87 Hawks (57-25) 103-90
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (12) 20 Lakers (52-19)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (3) 71 Bucks (66-16) 123-113
2---------------------------------- (2) 17 Warriors (67-15) 112-84
|_ 17 Warriors (67-15) 116-95
15
|_ 73 Cougars (57-27)

7---------------------------------- (7) 97 Heat (61-21)
|_ 97 Heat (61-21) 97-87
10
|_ 04 Timberwolves (58-24)
-------------------------------------------------------------------- (2) 17 Warriors (67-15)

-------------------------------------------------------------------- (3) 71 Bucks (66-16) 141-104

6---------------------------------- (11) 95 Magic (57-25)
|_ 11 Bulls (62-20)
11
|_ 95 Magic (57-25) 105-97

3---------------------------------- (3) 71 Bucks (66-16) 128-121
|_ 71 Bucks (66-16) 132-113
14
|_ 68 Pipers (54-24)

===========================================================================

SECTION D

1---------------------------------- (1) 72 Lakers (69-13)
|_ 72 Lakers (69-13) 121-111
16
|_ 03 Nets (49-33)

8---------------------------------- (8) 13 Thunder (60-22) 110-101
|_ 13 Thunder (60-22) 101-91
9
|_ 10 Magic (59-23)
-------------------------------------------------------------------- (8) 13 Thunder (60-22)

-------------------------------------------------------------------- (12) 20 Bucks (56-17) 116-105

5---------------------------------- (12) 20 Bucks (56-17) 102-92
|_ 97 Jazz (64-18)
12
|_ 20 Bucks (56-17) 108-96

4 --------------------------------- (4) 09 Cavaliers (66-16)
|_ 09 Cavaliers (66-16) 104-94
13
|_ 14 Clippers (57-25)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (12) 20 Bucks (56-17) 103-100

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (3) 08 Celtics (66-16)
2---------------------------------- (2) 07 Mavericks (67-15) 97-75
|_ 07 Mavericks (67-15) 97-85
15
|_ 53 Lakers (48-22)

7---------------------------------- (10) 19 Raptors (58-24)
|_ 05 Suns (62-20)
10
|_ 19 Raptors (58-24) 117-100
-------------------------------------------------------------------- (2) 07 Mavericks (67-15)

-------------------------------------------------------------------- (3) 08 Celtics (66-16) 90-81
6----------------------------------- (6) 91 Trail Blazers (63-19)
|_ 91 Trail Blazers (63-19) 115-105
11
|_ 73 Knicks (57-25)

3----------------------------------- (3) 08 Celtics (66-16) 102-94
|_ 08 Celtics (66-16) 104-88
14
|_ 64 Royals (55-25)

=======================================================================

The 1970-71 Bucks are very underrated historically. They are never mentioned when people discuss the greatest teams of all time, but they belong in the top 5 single season teams ever. In this tournament they blew out the 67 win NBA champion 2016-17 Warriors, 141-104. Their point differential was +12.2 per game on average, one of best ever. The 72 win 1995-96 Bulls was +12.3. The 2015-16 Warriors who won 73 games was only +10.8.