Best Sports Teams that Only Won One Championship
In sports, you become immortalized once you win a championship. However, some groups are more revered than others due to their ability to reach the top of the mountain on multiple occasions. These are the teams that managed to win a championship in their respective leagues, but had the talent and depth on their rosters to potentially become a dynasty.This list is dedicated to the eras of teams whose core managed to win only one title with the talent on their rosters.
The Top Ten
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association, as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. ...read more. An extremely lucky bounce by Celtic Don Nelson stole the title from this team in game 7 in 1969. The following year, West himself made a miraculous 64-foot buzzer beater that would have won the title in the "3-point era", but the shot was only worth 2 points, forcing overtime, which the Lakers lost.
Technically the Lakers did win the chip that one year against the Knicks, but half court shots only counted for two back then - 2storm
Years of Contention: 1958-1974
- NBA Finals Win (1972)
- Ten NBA Finals Appearances (1959, 1962-1963, 1965-1966, 1968-1970, 1972-1973)
- Thirteen Western Division/Conference Finals Appearances (1959-1963, 1965-1966, 1968-1973)
- Sixteen Playoff Appearances (1959-1974)
- Regular Season Record of 750-531 (Winning Percentage of 58.5%)
Core Players: Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Gail Goodrich, Rudy LaRusso, Darrall Imhoff, Happy Hairston, Hot Rod Hundley, Jim McMillan, Leroy Ellis - phillysports
The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League as a member club of the league's National Football Conference North division.
The Packers have won 4 super bowls and 13 NFL championships. Years of Contention: 1992-2007
- Super Bowl Win (1996 - XXXI)
- Two Super Bowl Appearances (1996 - XXXI, 1997 - XXXII)
- Four NFC Championship Game Appearances (1995-1997, 2007)
- Eleven Playoff Appearances (1993-1998, 2001-2004, 2007)
- Regular Season Record of 161-95 (Winning Percentage of 62.9%)
Core Players: Brett Favre, Reggie White, LeRoy Butler, Ahman Green, Donald Driver, Darren Sharper, Antonio Freeman, Bubba Franks, Al Harris, Sterling Sharpe - phillysports
The Indianapolis Colts are an American football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Colts compete in the National Football League as a member club of the American Football Conference South division. They should've won more. - 2storm
Years of Contention: 1999-2010
- Super Bowl Win (2006 - XLI)
- Two Super Bowl Appearances (2006 - XLI, 2009 - XLIV)
- Three AFC Championship Game Appearances (2003, 2006, 2009)
- Eleven Playoff Appearances (1999-2000, 2002-2010)
- Regular Season Record of 138-54 (Winning Percentage of 71.9%)
Core Players: Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison, Edgerrin James, Reggie Wayne, Dwight Freeney, Jeff Saturday, Adam Vinatieri, Bob Sanders, Robert Mathis, Dallas Clark - phillysports
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team in Chicago, Illinois. The Bears compete in the National Football League as a member club of the league's National Football Conference North division. Years of Contention: 1983-1991
- Super Bowl Win (1985 - XX)
- One Super Bowl Appearance (1985 - XX)
- Three NFC Championship Game Appearances (1984-1985, 1988)
- Seven Playoff Appearances (1984-1988, 1990-1991)
- Regular Season Record of 98-45 (Winning Percentage of 68.5%)
Core Players: Mike Singletary, Walter Payton, Richard Dent, Jay Hilgenberg, Steve McMichael, Dan Hampton, Neal Anderson, Mark Carrier, William Perry, Jim McMahon - phillysports
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball franchise based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The franchise competes in Major League Baseball as a member of the National League East division. They play their home games at SunTrust Park. Years of Contention: 1991-2005
- World Series Win (1995)
- Five World Series Appearances (1991, 1992, 1995-1996, 1999)
- Nine NLCS Appearances (1991-1993, 1995-1999, 2001)
- Fourteen Playoff Appearances (1991-1993, 1995-2005)
- Regular Season Record of 1,431-931 (Winning Percentage of 60.6%)
Core Players: John Smoltz, Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine, Chipper Jones, Andruw Jones, Fred McGriff, Javy Lopez, Jeff Blauser, Steve Avery, David Justice - phillysports
The Philadelphia 76ers are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Years of Contention: 1975-1991
- NBA Finals Win (1983)
- Four NBA Finals Appearances (1977, 1980, 1982-1983)
- Six Eastern Conference Finals Appearances: (1977-1978, 1980-1983, 1985)
- Fifteen Playoff Appearances (1976-1987, 1989-1991)
- Regular Season Record of 830-482 (Winning Percentage of 63.3%)
Core Players: Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Maurice Cheeks, Charles Barkley, Bobby Jones, Andrew Toney, Doug Collins, George McGinnis, Darryl Dawkins, Steve Mix - phillysports
The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Years of Contention: 1999-2004
- Super Bowl Win (1999 - XXXIV)
- Two Super Bowl Appearances (1999 - XXXIV, 2001 - XXXVI)
- Two NFC Championship Game Appearances (1999, 2001)
- Five Playoff Appearances (1999-2001, 2003-2004)
- Regular Season Record of 64-32 (Winning Percentage of 66.7%)
Core Players: Marshall Faulk, Kurt Warner, Orlando Pace, Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, Adam Timmerman, Aenas Williams, Marc Bulger, Leonard Little, Az-Zahir Hakim - phillysports
The Boston Celtics are an American professional basketball team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They are specifically known for honing infamous players such as Larry Bird, Bill Russell, Paul Pierce, and more. They are also known for having the most championships in NBA History, with 17 total. Years of Contention: 2007-2013
- NBA Finals Win (2008)
- Two NBA Finals Appearances (2008, 2010)
- Three Eastern Conference Finals Appearances (2008, 2010, 2012)
- Six Playoff Appearances (2008-2013)
- Regular Season Record of 314-161 (Winning Percentage of 66.1%)
Core Players: Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, Eddie House, Kendrick Perkins, Glen Davis, Tony Allen, James Posey, Brandon Bass - phillysports
The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball as a member club of the National League East division. They play their home games at Citizens Bank Park. They won the World Series in 1980 and 2008. Years of Contention: 1975-1986
- World Series Win (1980)
- Two World Series Appearances (1980, 1983)
- Five NLCS Appearances (1976-1978, 1980, 1983)
- Six Playoff Appearances (1976-1978, 1980-1981, 1983)
- Regular Season Record of 1,033-855 (Winning Percentage of 54.7%)
Core Players: Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Pete Rose, Bob Boone, Larry Bowa, Greg Luzinski, Tug McGraw, Gary Maddox, Manny Trillo, Juan Samuel - phillysports
The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit, Michigan. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. Years of Contention: 2001-2009
- NBA Finals Win (2004)
- Two NBA Finals Appearances (2004-2005)
- Six Eastern Conference Finals Appearances (2003-2008)
- Eight Playoff Appearances (2002-2009)
- Regular Season Record of 423-233 (Winning Percentage of 64.5%)
Core Players: Chauncey Billups, Ben Wallace, Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, Antonio McDyess, Corliss Williamson, Jason Maxiell, Cliff Robinson, Lindsey Hunter - phillysports
The Contenders
Really shouldn't be on this list in fairness - BUETBU91
To be fair nobody saw this team coming in 2014. However our core players like Mike Moustakas,Eric Hosmer, Alceides Escobar,Salvador Perez,Lorenzo Cain, and Alex Gordon had the talents to win multiple titles. Plus we had an elite bullpen trio of Greg Holland Kelvin Herrera and Wade Davis. The only reason why our team was dismantled was because of the Royals being a small market franchise that didn’t have enough money to keep everyone. And now that’s why we’re going back to the dark age. - Randomator
Already got Lebron's Cavaliers' on here. - BUETBU91
LeBron was great; the team, not so much.