NBA Team Playoff Series Records
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 four NBA teams haven't won a single playoff series over the last TEN SEASONS?
You can order the teams into four basic groups:
- "Dominants" -- have won 10+ series (so average 1+ per year)...three teams, all with a title
- "In contention" -- won 5 to 8 series...ten teams, four with titles
- "Glass Ceilings" -- won 2 to 4 series...ten teams, six combined conference finals...zero finals
- "Tough Decade" -- won 0 to 1 playoff series...seven teams, two only made the playoffs once in the last ten years...and Charlotte has the league's longest drought at 8 years straight missing the postseason
| Team | Series Wins |
Series Losses |
Years without Series Win |
Playoff% | Streak | Titles |
| Golden State | 23 | 3 | 1 | 70% | x1 | 4 |
| Boston | 16 | 9 | 100% | P10 | 1 | |
| Cleveland | 14 | 5 | 60% | P1 | 1 | |
| Miami | 9 | 7 | 1 | 70% | P5 | |
| Toronto | 9 | 6 | 4 | 70% | x2 | 1 |
| Denver | 9 | 5 | 60% | P6 | 1 | |
| Milwaukee | 8 | 8 | 2 | 90% | P8 | 1 |
| Houston | 7 | 6 | 4 | 60% | x4 | |
| LA Lakers | 6 | 3 | 1 | 40% | P2 | 1 |
| Philadelphia | 5 | 7 | 1 | 70% | P7 | |
| Dallas | 5 | 6 | 60% | P1 | ||
| Atlanta | 5 | 6 | 3 | 60% | x1 | |
| Phoenix | 5 | 4 | 1 | 40% | P4 | |
| LA Clippers | 4 | 8 | 3 | 80% | P2 | |
| Portland | 3 | 7 | 5 | 70% | x3 | |
| Oklahoma City | 3 | 6 | 60% | P1 | ||
| Utah | 3 | 6 | 3 | 60% | x2 | |
| San Antonio | 3 | 5 | 7 | 50% | x5 | |
| Indiana | 2 | 6 | 60% | P1 | ||
| Memphis | 2 | 6 | 2 | 60% | x1 | |
| Minnesota | 2 | 4 | 40% | P3 | ||
| Washington | 2 | 4 | 7 | 40% | x3 | |
| New York | 2 | 3 | 30% | P2 | ||
| Brooklyn | 1 | 6 | 3 | 60% | x1 | |
| New Orleans | 1 | 4 | 6 | 40% | P1 | |
| Chicago | 1 | 3 | 9 | 30% | x2 | |
| Orlando | 0 | 3 | 14 | 30% | P1 | |
| Detroit | 0 | 2 | 16 | 20% | x5 | |
| Sacramento | 0 | 1 | 20 | 10% | x1 | |
| Charlotte | 0 | 1 | 20 | 10% | x8 |
...congratulations to Minnesota who ended their long drought of 19 years without winning a playoff series by knocking off Phoenix, and then followed it up with a comeback game seven win in Denver.
The drought however continued for Orlando, Detroit, Sacramento and Charlotte, although the Magic made the playoffs and went to a game seven before falling so just missed getting off this list. Maybe this coming season, although they won't be expected to finish in the top four and thus would likely have to get it done as an underdog.
The chances of the other three teams on the bottom ending their playoff futility in the 2025 playoffs look esepcially bleak, given the strength of the top end of the conferences. Chicago meanwhile is on the edge of failing to win a series again that would push them to a zero wins in ten years span.
Now you may be wondering which team across the four major US Sports has the longest active run of futility...
"Futility" Ledger
(years since a top 8 finish,
eg winning a series or top seed with bye)
| Years of Futility | Sport | Team |
| 23 yrs | Football | Miami |
| 21 yrs | Football | LV Raiders |
| 20 yrs | Basketball | Charlotte |
| 20 yrs | Basketball | Sacramento |
| 18 yrs | Football | Washington |
| 17 yrs | Hockey | Buffalo |
| 16 yrs | Basketball | Detroit |
| 14 yrs | Basketball | Orlando |
| 13 yrs | Football | NY Jets |
| 13 yrs | Football | Chicago |
| 11 yrs | Baseball | Cincinnati |
| 11 yrs | Hockey | Phoenix |
| 10 yrs | Hockey | Detroit |
The Detroit Lions were on a 31 year futility streak until they broke through last season, a very good thing given the basketball and hockey teams in Detroit are still on a streak of double digit years without a playoffs series win.
As it stands the NFL features three of the five longest futility streaks, but the NBA is knocking on the door, should the Dolphins and Raiders one day end the 'dark days'...
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