5 Must watch NBA documentaries from The Last Dance to The Dream Team

NBA history is filled with interesting chapters, gripping narratives and entertaining footnotes. With the proliferation of digital technology and streaming sites in the last 25 years, several media companies and sports platforms have dug into NBA archives to build on established legends or bring to light several untold stories to NBA fans across the world.

As a result, fans now have access to never-seen-before footage of their favorite players, fans or stories from NBA history. These cutting-edge productions have enhanced our understanding of certain events and personalities from back-in-the-day, providing clarity and uncovering the mystique behind the teams and their stars.

Listing the most binge-worthy NBA documentaries

Let’s, therefore, list down some of these must-watch documentaries for fans who would like to get a better understanding of the NBA and its glorious past.

#1 The Last Dance

The 10-part series aired last year right at the start of the COVID-19 breakout. So when the NBA shut down for the early months of the pandemic, The Last Dance tapped into the sentiments of millions of NBA fans across the world by providing them incredible footage from Michael Jordan’s last season with the Chicago Bulls.

The series traces the trajectory of Jordan’s ascent into stardom; his rise from being a college player to the face of the league, right to the point the Bulls go on to win their second three-peat in 1998. It looks back at all the trials, tribulations and tragedies that Jordan had to go through in order to become the superstar that he became.

The series provides brilliant anecdotes, amazing first-person accounts and gooseflesh-inducing audio-visual footage to unravel the enigma of Jordan and his Bulls. It is the very embodiment of must-watch.

#2 Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies

1980s NBA history is all about the insane rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. Both teams, headlined by their once-in-a-generation superstars in Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, accounted for eight of the nine NBA championships between 1980 and 1988. Lakers-Celtics was theater, drama and entertainment all rolled into one, and this three-part series helps us relive most of that action.

With candid accounts from players on both teams, this 30-for-30 production gives you an in-depth look at one of the most storied rivalries in sports history. It is also an informative account of the histories of both cities, Los Angeles and Boston, that shaped the culture of the fandom in both places. If nothing else, watch it for the trash-talking that went on between players of both teams back in the day.

#3 Bad Boys

The "Bad Boys" Detroit Pistons celebrate their 1989 NBA Championship win

This is yet another riveting 30-for-30 production that takes a look at the NBA team that ended the Celtics’ and Lakers’ dominance in the 1980s. Bad Boys is about the back-to-back championship-winning Detroit Pistons and their domination of the NBA in 1989 and 1990. ‘Bad Boys’ was the term given to the team for their rough play and tough-nosed defense, but which ultimately led to the Pistons winning their first two championships in NBA history.

The production has interviews with Isiah Thomas, Rick Mahorn and Bill Laimbeer among others as it explores what went into making the Pistons such a great team. It explores their rivalry with the Chicago Bulls as well and has the Pistons’ greats opening up on the physical aspect of their game. Whether or not you are a Bad Boys fan, this is a good refresher course on a team whose place in NBA history is still being disputed.

#4 Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs The NY Knicks

While the 1990s were dominated by the Chicago Bulls, the other fascinating chapter of that period was the rivalry involving the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks. It was about Indiana’s good boys, led by Reggie Miller, and the city slickers of New York, led by Patrick Ewing.

The two teams met as many as six times between 1993 and 2000 in the Eastern Conference Playoffs, with each matchup living up to its billing.

Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs The NY Knicks looks in particular at Reggie Miller’s stellar play in Game 1 of the 1995 Eastern Conference Semifinals versus the Knicks. Miller scored 8 points in 8.9 seconds at the end of that game to help his team overcome a six-point deficit and finish with a two-point win. That performance is what forms the focus of director Dan Klores’ film as viewers get to see how Miller built his reputation as Madison Square Garden’s ultimate villain.

#5 The Dream Team

Every NBA fan has heard of the Dream Team. It was the nickname given to the 1992 USA Olympic men’s basketball team for the galaxy of stars that made up the roster. The team included superstars such as Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Scottie Pippen, Karl Malone and Charles Barkley. The team decimated their opponents enroute to a gold medal in the Barcelona Olympics.

More importantly, the Dream Team, with its collections of stars and dazzling play, popularized the NBA across the world thanks to their performance in Barcelona. If the NBA involves participation from ballers across the world today, then it is because of the heroics of the 1992 Dream Team.

The NBA TV production takes a look at what went into the making of the team and their magical influence on fans and the game, which ultimately led to the entire team getting enshrined into the Basketball Hall of Fame.