The Top 30 NBA's Worst Regular-Season Losses per Franchise
In this article, we''l look at each NBA team's worst regular-season loss in franchise history, starting from the biggest to the lower losses overall among them.
Oklahoma City Thunder (-73), 2021
Without Ja Morant in the lineup, the Thunder were unable to keep up with Memphis in this game. They were behind 36 points at halftime, only to be outscored 39-17 in the fourth quarter, losing 152-79.
It's the greatest defeat margin in NBA history. It was ugly to watch...
Miami Heat (-68), 1991
The Miami Heat lost 148-80 against the Cleveland Cavaliers on December 17, 1991, in the most lopsided game in NBA history. The Cleveland Cavaliers increased their pressure in the second half after taking a 20-point lead into halftime, outscoring the Miami Heat 75-27.
The Cavs top five scorers combined for 86 points, outscoring the Heats entire team.
Portland Trail Blazers (-65), 1998
The Portland Trail Blazers were defeated 124-59 by the Indiana Pacers on February 27, 1998. This is only the second time in NBA history that a club has lost by such a large margin. The Blazers had a poor shooting night, going 3-of-17 from three-point range and 8-of-19 at the free-throw line.
Golden State Warriors (-63), 1972The LA Lakers gave the Warriors their worst loss toward the close of their 1971-1972 season, which saw them finish with an NBA-record 69-13 and a record 33-game winning streak. 162-99 was the final score.
The Lakers had seven players score at least 15 points, with Gail Goodrich leading the way with 30 points. The Warriors were actually a very excellent team, finishing with a 51-31 record throughout the regular season.
New York Knicks (-62), 1960
After losing 162-100 to the Syracuse Nationals (now Philadelphia 76ers) on December 25, 1960, the Knicks became the first team to lose a game by 60 points. The Nationals had seven players score at least 15 points, with all but one scoring in double figures.
Sacramento Kings (-62), 1991
The Sacramento Kings lost 153-91 to the Golden State Warriors during the 1991-1992 season, their greatest loss in franchise history. Three different Warriors players scored at least 25 points in the final game. The Warriors made 36 of 40 free throws while the Kings made only 8 of 12.
Memphis Grizzlies (-61), 2018
The Grizzlies not only ended a seven-year playoff drought in 2017-2018, but they also finished with a 22-60 record. It was their lowest point total since the 2008-2009 campaign. On March 22, 2018, they suffered a 140-79 loss against the Charlotte Hornets.
For the Grizzlies, neither Mike Conley nor Marc Gasol appeared in the game. For the Hornets, Kemba Walker was outstanding, scoring 46 points on 13-of-18 shooting and nailing 10 three-pointers.
Indiana Pacers (-59), 1977
The Pacers would suffer their biggest loss in franchise history in their first season in the NBA after merging with the ABA, falling 150-91 to the Golden State Warriors. The Pacers put up a good offensive effort, with five players scoring in double digits, while the Golden State Warriors had ten players score in double figures.
Detroit Pistons (-59), 1978
Although the Pistons finished with a franchise-worst 16-66 record in 1979-1980, they had their worst loss the year before. The Milwaukee Bucks defeat the Detroit Pistons 143-84 on December 26, 1978, to inflict them their biggest loss in franchise history.
The Bucks outscored the Pistons 45-20 in the second quarter, building a 38-point lead into halftime.
Dallas Mavericks (-58), 1992
This game took place during the Dallas Mavericks' poorest season in franchise history, as they finished 11-71. On December 29, 1992, they were defeated 139-81 by the Sacramento Kings. This was the Mavericks sixth loss in a 15-game losing run and their second of three consecutive losing streaks of at least ten games.
Utah Jazz (-56), 1979With a 42-point loss to the Chicago Bulls in the 1997 NBA Finals, the Salt Lake City squad owns the record for the most lopsided loss in an NBA Finals game, while their worst regular-season loss was against the New Orleans Jazz in the 1970s. The Jazz were defeated by the Milwaukee Bucks 158-102 on March 14, 1979.
The Bucks had three players score 20 points each, and another three players scored 15 points.
Houston Rockets (-56), 1986
The Rockets were defeated by the Seattle Supersonics 136-80 during the 1986-1987 season. This was a home loss for the Rockets, as Hakeem Olajuwon was unable to play. The Rockets would make the playoffs and win their first-round series before falling to the Seattle Supersonics in six games in the second round.
Philadelphia 76ers (-56), twice in 1992-93
The Philadelphia 76ers lost by 56 points twice in the same season, making them the only team in NBA history to lose two games by at least 55 points in the same season.
The 76ers lost to the Sacramento Kings 154-98 on January 2, 1993. Despite concluding the season with a record of 25-57, the Kings became the first team in NBA history to win consecutive games by at least 55 points. Two months later, the 76ers suffered their second 56-point defeat, falling 149-93 to the Seattle Supersonics.
Chicago Bulls (-56), 2018
On December 8, 2018, the Chicago Bulls suffered their biggest defeat, losing 133-77 to the Boston Celtics. With 71 points, the Celtics' frontcourt nearly outscored the Bulls whole team. The Bulls starting rotation, on the other hand, went scoreless in the first quarter, earning only 27 of the sides 77 points.
Cleveland Cavaliers (-55), 2011
The Cavs suffered their biggest setback in the NBA on January 11, 2011, in their first campaign without LeBron James, losing 112-57. In the first half, the Lakers scored 57 points, matching the Cavaliers total for the game.
Cleveland's starting lineup combined to shoot 8-of-37 from the field, with only two players scoring in double figures.
Washington Wizards (-52), 1971
The Washington Wizards lost a game by 52 points the same season they won a game by 52 points. The Baltimore Bullets were defeated by the Milwaukee Bucks 151-99 on January 10, 1971.
The Bullets are the only team on this list to reach the NBA Finals when they were defeated by the Milwaukee Bucks.
Brooklyn Nets (-52), 1978
The then-New Jersey Nets lost by 40 points three times during the 1978-1979 season, the most recent of which was a 52-point loss against the Houston Rockets.
Eight of the Rockets ten players scored in double figures, and the Rockets outscored the Nets by double digits in each quarter.
Boston Celtics (-52), 2003
The Boston Celtics were defeated 118-66 by the Detroit Pistons on their home court on January 31, 2003. Paul Pierce, the Celtics leading scorer, led the team with 23 points, while Antoine Walker, the teams second-leading scorer, shot 1-of-15 from the floor and scored only six points.
The Celtics are one of the rare teams on this list to make the playoffs and win a playoff series within the same season.
Los Angeles Clippers (-51), 2020
The Clippers were defeated 124-73 by the Dallas Mavericks in this game, which took place on December 27, 2020. While the Clippers were without Kawhi Leonard, the Mavericks were without Kristaps Porzingis. The Mavericks broke an NBA record by leading by 50 points at halftime, 77-27.
Charlotte Hornets (-50), 2000
The Charlotte Hornets were defeated by the Milwaukee Bucks 137-87 on January 10, 2000. Eddie Jones, the Hornets leading scorer, didnt participate in the game, while Derrick Coleman, their second-highest scorer, only played 12 minutes.
Unfortunately, this would be Hornets guard Bobby Phills final game, as he was killed in a car accident two days later at the age of 30.
Los Angeles Lakers (-49), 2017
The Lakers, coming off their poorest season in franchise history and their first without Kobe Bryant, would suffer their biggest loss, falling 122-73 to the Dallas Mavericks.
Dallas had seven players score in double figures, while the Lakers had only two players score in double figures. The Mavericks made 17 three-pointers to the Lakers three, which was the difference in the game.
Atlanta Hawks (-49), 2019
The Hawks suffered their worst loss as a team in the 1956 NBA Playoffs, losing 58 to the Minneapolis Lakers. Last season, though, they suffered their biggest regular-season defeat, losing 150-101 to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Clippers led by 12 points at halftime but outscored the Hawks by 37 points in the second half.
Denver Nuggets (-48), 1980
This happened in the Nuggets final game of the season when they lost 143-95 to the Milwaukee Bucks. Despite the lopsided loss, Denver Nuggets forward Bob Wilkerson led the team in scoring with 31 points. Pat Cummings led the Bucks with 30 points off the bench, as seven of their ten players scored in double figures.
Milwaukee Bucks (-48), 1990 and 1995
The Bucks' greatest loss, like the Hawks, came in the playoffs, when they were defeated by 54 points in 2015. However, they have lost by 48 points on two separate occasions during the regular season.
On January 27, 1990, the Bucks were defeated 144-96 by the Utah Jazz. The Orlando Magic defeated them 152-104 on February 20, 1995. Karl Malone set a career record with 61 points in the game against the Jazz.
Minnesota Timberwolves (-48), 2014
The Timberwolves heaviest hit came against the New Orleans Pelicans in the eighth game of the 2014-2015 season, when they were defeated 139-91. The Pelicans were highly efficient, shooting 67% from the field and making 15 of 20 three-point attempts.
Phoenix Suns (-48), twice in 2017-18
During the 2017-2018 season, the Phoenix Suns lost by a franchise-record 48 points twice.
The first was a 124-76 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers in their season opener. On February 7th, they were defeated 129-81 by the San Antonio Spurs. The Suns were defeated by the Golden State Warriors by 46 points five days following their loss to the Spurs.
Orlando Magic (-47), 2017
The Magics heaviest defeat was against the Chicago Bulls on April 10, 2017, when they were down 122-75. After losing 121-81 to the Charlotte Hornets the month before, this was their second loss by at least 40 points that season.San Antonio Spurs (-46), 1989
A season before David Robinson joined the Spurs after serving in the Navy, the Spurs suffered their most severe loss in franchise history, 137-91, to the Phoenix Suns on April 15, 1989.
The Spurs had already lost by 40 points that season, falling 126-82 to the Dallas Mavericks in January.
Toronto Raptors (-46), 1996
In their not-so-long franchise history, the Raptors were dealt their heaviest defeat just a month after defeating the Chicago Bulls who had 72-10 that season. The Raptors were defeated 125-79 by the New York Knicks near the end of their debut season in the NBA.
New Orleans Pelicans (-46), 2019
The New Orleans Pelicans hold the NBA record for the greatest playoff loss, falling to the Denver Nuggets by 58 points in 2009. Two seasons ago, though, they suffered their biggest regular-season defeat, losing 130-84 to the Dallas Mavericks.
The Pelicans shot 3-of-32 from three-point range, which was an off night for them.
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