Biggest loss in NBA Finals history is 58 points by New Orleans Hornets against Denver Nuggets in 2009. The final score was 121-63.
There have been several unforgettable NBA final events over the years, including exceptional performances and thrilling games. On the other hand, there have also been many games that were unbalanced in the NBA playoff with teams suffering heavy losses.
Despite the individual brilliance, there have been instances of teams failing to win the playoff games. One such memorable event was Michael Jordan scoring 63, the most points in NBA Playoff history, yet losing the match by 135-131 against Boston Celtics in 1986.
Although New Orleans recorded the biggest blowout in NBA Finals history, the overall highest loss margin is 73 points endured by Oklahoma against Memphis Grizzlies. Jaren Jackson Jr top scored with 27 points as Memphis won the match 152 – 79.
Biggest Playoff Loss In NBA History
The biggest loss in NBA playoff history are mentioned below.
- Denver Nuggets 121-63 New Orleans Hornets, 2009
- Minneapolis Lakers 133-75 St. Louis Hawks, 1956
- Los Angeles Lakers 126-70 Golden State Warriors, 1973
- Chicago Bulls 120-66 Milwaukee Bucks, 2015
- Milwaukee Bucks 136-86 San Francisco Warriors, 1971
- Orlando Magic 124-77 Boston Celtics, 1995
- Los Angeles Lakers 135-88 San Antonio Spurs, 1986
- Cleveland Cavaliers 130-86 Boston Celtics, 2017
- Settle Supersonics 122-78 Phoenix Suns, 1997
- Los Angeles Lakers 153-109 Denver Nuggets, 1985
Denver defeated the New Orleans Hornets by a startling 58 points in Game 4 of the first round of the 2009 NBA playoffs. The Nuggets, led by Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, forced the Hornets to take poor shots while penalizing them on the other end.
The third quarter ended with the hosts behind 27-11 after going 3 for 12 from the field. Though the game was over, JR Smith scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, and Denver beat the powerless hosts by 20 points to win the game.
David West led the team with 14 points, while Chris Paul scored four points in 36 minutes. The Hornets only shot 31% from the field and 13% from beyond the arc, and only three players scored in double figures.
The Minneapolis Lakers defeated the St. Louis Hawks by 58 points in Game 2 of the Divisional Semifinals in the 1956 NBA Playoffs, the joint-largest margin of victory in NBA Playoff history.
Slater Martin scored 19 points, which was a game-high, while Dick Schnittker added 18. Bob Pettit top-scored with 14 points for the Hawks.
In the 1971 NBA playoffs, the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the San Francisco Warriors by a score of 50. The Bucks scored 56% of their team’s points in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semi-Finals to end the series and advance to the conference Finals.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led all scorers with 23 points on 9-15 shooting, leading seven players in double figures. Jon McGlocklin scored a game-high 28 points, and Oscar Robertson added 12.
Worst Blowout in NBA Finals History
The worst blowout in the NBA finals history are:
- Chicago Bulls 96-54 Utah Jazz, 1998
- Boston Celtics 131-92 Los Angeles Lakers, 2008
- San Antonio Spurs 113-77 Miami Heat, 2013
- Washington Bullets 117-82 Seattle Supersonics, 1978
- Boston Celtics 148-114 Los Angeles Lakers, 1985
- Golden State Warriors 110-77 Cleveland Cavaliers, 2016
- Detroit Pistons 102-71 San Antonio Spurs, 2005
The 1985 NBA Finals Game 3 between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers was the biggest blowout in NBA playoffs. The Celtics defeated the Lakers by a stunning 148-114 score, winning by 34 points.
Larry Bird led the way for the Celtics, who were in top form, scoring 21 points, pulling down 14 rebounds, and dishing out 10 assists. The Lakers, on the other hand, found it difficult to stay up as their defense was unable to stop the Celtics’ relentless offense.
The platform was set for the franchises’ first finals rematch since 1987 after the Celtics defeated the Detroit Pistons in the East finals and the Lakers defeated the San Antonio Spurs in the West finals.
The 30-point blowout in an NBA Finals game occurred in 2016 when LeBron James and Kyrie Irving combined for 62 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Warriors by 120-90 in Game 3 of the playoff series.
In the 1998 NBA Finals rematch with Utah Jazz, the Chicago Bulls were in it for a sixth championship. There was one exception to Michael Jordan’s last-second victory in Game 6, which became a symbol for the whole series.
Every prior game had a five-point margin of victory or less, but Game 3 was a whole different situation. While no Jazz player other than the Mailman reached double figures, Malone and Stockton combined for 12 turnovers.
With 24 points and 16 points from Toni Kukoc, Jordan, one of the best scorers in league history, led the Eastern Conference champions.
What Teams Are Left In The NBA Playoffs 2023?
New York Knicks, Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, LA Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics are left in the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
With the conclusion of the first round of the playoffs, the title race has heated up with conference semi-finals taking place currently.
The Miami Heat led by Jimmy Butler defeated the No. 1 seed Milwaukee Bucks of the Eastern Conference in five games during the first round.
The Boston Celtics led by Jayson Tatum will play against the Philadelphia 76ers in the other conference semifinal. Likewise, Steph Curry and LeBron James are once again set for a mega clash. The series is currently tied 1-1 as GSW defeated the Lakers by 127-100 in the second game.
The format for each game in the best-of-seven conference semifinals is 2-2-1-1-1, just like it was for the first round of the playoffs.
The winners of the Miami Heat vs NY Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers vs Boston Celtics clash will compete in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Likewise, the winners from Denver Nuggets vs Phoenix Suns and GSW vs Lakers games will lock horns for the Western Conference Finals.