NBA Team Playoff Series Records
Also see: Competitive Balance in Pro Sports Leagues:
how does the NBA look?
So you are wondering, which NBA teams have been the most dominant, or have experienced the most playoff agony in the past decade.
Or how about this for a trivia question to stump your friends: which two NBA teams last won a playoff series THIRTEEN SEASONS AGO?
You can order the teams into four basic groups:
- "Dominants" -- have won 10+ series (so average 1+ per year)...six teams, and all have won a title
- "In contention" -- won 6 to 8 series, but never won a title...five teams, and four of five made the finals
- "Glass Ceilings" -- won 1 to 4 series...fourteen teams, and none made the finals
- "Tough Decade" -- won 0 playoff series...five teams, although Charlotte only has existed for eight
10 seasons: 2002-03 through 2011-12
| Team |
Series
Wins |
Series
Losses |
Last Win
(Yrs) |
Playoff% |
Lottery |
1st Rnd |
2nd Rnd |
Conf. Final |
Runner-Up |
Champion |
| San Antonio |
19 |
7 |
1 |
100% |
0 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
|
3 |
| L.A. Lakers |
17 |
7 |
1 |
90% |
1 |
2 |
3 |
|
2 |
2 |
| Detroit |
15 |
6 |
5 |
70% |
3 |
1 |
|
4 |
1 |
1 |
| Miami |
14 |
6 |
1 |
80% |
2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
| Boston |
12 |
7 |
1 |
80% |
2 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| Dallas |
11 |
9 |
2 |
100% |
0 |
5 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
| Cleveland |
8 |
5 |
3 |
50% |
5 |
|
3 |
1 |
1 |
|
| Phoenix |
7 |
6 |
3 |
60% |
4 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
|
|
| Orlando |
6 |
7 |
3 |
70% |
3 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
| New Jersey |
6 |
5 |
6 |
50% |
5 |
1 |
3 |
|
1 |
|
| Oklahoma City |
6 |
4 |
1 |
40% |
6 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
| Indiana |
4 |
6 |
1 |
60% |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
| Utah |
4 |
6 |
3 |
60% |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
| Chicago |
3 |
7 |
2 |
70% |
3 |
5 |
1 |
1 |
|
|
| Atlanta |
3 |
5 |
2 |
50% |
5 |
2 |
3 |
|
|
|
| Denver |
2 |
9 |
4 |
90% |
1 |
8 |
|
1 |
|
|
| Philadelphia |
2 |
6 |
1 |
60% |
4 |
4 |
2 |
|
|
|
| Sacramento |
2 |
4 |
9 |
40% |
6 |
2 |
2 |
|
|
|
| L.A. Clippers |
2 |
2 |
1 |
20% |
8 |
|
2 |
|
|
|
| Minnesota |
2 |
2 |
9 |
20% |
8 |
1 |
|
1 |
|
|
| Houston |
1 |
5 |
4 |
50% |
5 |
4 |
1 |
|
|
|
| Memphis |
1 |
5 |
2 |
50% |
5 |
4 |
1 |
|
|
|
| New Orleans |
1 |
4 |
5 |
50% |
5 |
4 |
1 |
|
|
|
| Washington |
1 |
4 |
8 |
40% |
6 |
3 |
1 |
|
|
|
| Golden State |
1 |
1 |
6 |
10% |
9 |
|
1 |
|
|
|
| Milwaukee |
0 |
4 |
12 |
40% |
6 |
4 |
|
|
|
|
| Portland |
0 |
4 |
13 |
40% |
6 |
4 |
|
|
|
|
| New York |
0 |
3 |
13 |
30% |
7 |
3 |
|
|
|
|
| Toronto |
0 |
2 |
12 |
20% |
8 |
2 |
|
|
|
|
| Charlotte |
0 |
1 |
n/a (0/8) |
38% |
7 |
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
