List of NBA longest losing streaks

Last updated

This is a list of the longest regular season losing streaks in National Basketball Association (NBA) history. Streaks started at the end of one season are carried over into the following season. The Detroit Pistons and the Philadelphia 76ers are tied for the longest ever losing streak, losing 28 straight games. The 2023–24 Detroit Pistons have the longest losing streak in a single season, while the Philadelphia 76ers lost 28 consecutive games across two seasons: 2014–15 and 2015–16. [1]

Contents

Key

^Denotes streaks that spanned over two seasons
Denotes streaks that are currently in progress

For tiebreakers, precedence is given to single season streaks over multi-season streaks; otherwise ties are listed in chronological order with earliest occurrence listed first.

Streak

Regular season

RankGamesTeamSeason(s)Season
record(s)		DateScoreOpponentDateScoreOpponent
Beginning (first defeat)End (first victory)
28 Detroit Pistons 2023–24 14–68October 30, 2023112–124 Oklahoma City Thunder December 30, 2023129–127 Toronto Raptors
28
(10 + 18)		 Philadelphia 76ers^ 2014–15
2015–16 		18–64
10–72		March 27, 201598–119 Los Angeles Clippers December 1, 2015103–91 Los Angeles Lakers
26 Cleveland Cavaliers 2010–11 19–63December 20, 201090–101 Utah Jazz February 11, 2011126–119 Los Angeles Clippers
26 Philadelphia 76ers 2013–14 19–63January 31, 201499–125 Atlanta Hawks March 29, 2014123–98 Detroit Pistons
24
(19 + 5)		 Cleveland Cavaliers^ 1981–82
1982–83 		15–67
23–59		March 19, 198297–119 Milwaukee Bucks November 10, 1982132–120 Golden State Warriors
23 Vancouver Grizzlies 1995–96 15–67February 16, 1996100–110 Atlanta Hawks April 3, 1996105–103 Minnesota Timberwolves
23 Denver Nuggets 1997–98 11–71December 9, 199783–92 Detroit Pistons January 24, 199899–81 Los Angeles Clippers
23 Charlotte Bobcats 2011–12 7–59March 19, 201280–105 Philadelphia 76ers November 2, 201290–89 Indiana Pacers
21
(14 + 7)		 Detroit Pistons^ 1979–80
1980–81 		16–66
21–61		March 7, 1980105–106 Washington Bullets October 25, 1980112–109 Houston Rockets
20 Philadelphia 76ers 1972–73 January 9, 1973110–126 Chicago Bulls February 14, 1973106–104 Milwaukee Bucks
20 Dallas Mavericks 1993–94 13–69November 13, 1993100–101 Utah Jazz December 23, 199393–89 Minnesota Timberwolves
20 Houston Rockets 2020–21 17–55February 6, 2021106–111 San Antonio Spurs March 22, 2021117–99 Toronto Raptors
20
(12 + 8)		 New York Knicks^ 1984–85
1985–86 		24–58
23–59		March 23, 1985105–113 Kansas City Kings November 12, 1985103–93 Phoenix Suns
20
(4 + 16)		 Los Angeles Clippers^ 1993–94
1994–95 		27–55
17–65		April 18, 1994131–134 Golden State Warriors December 7, 199496–94 Milwaukee Bucks
19 San Diego Clippers 1981–82 17–65March 11, 1982107–113 Kansas City Kings April 15, 1982129–123 Portland Trail Blazers
19 Los Angeles Clippers 1988–89 21–61December 30, 1988109–124 Los Angeles Lakers February 8, 1989114–111 Houston Rockets
19 Dallas Mavericks 1992–93 11–71February 6, 199393–111 Denver Nuggets March 17, 1993102–96 Orlando Magic
19 Vancouver Grizzlies 1995–96 15–67November 7, 199588–99 Dallas Mavericks December 15, 1995104–100 Portland Trail Blazers
19 Orlando Magic 2003–04 21–61October 30, 200398–100 New Orleans Hornets December 8, 2003105–98 Phoenix Suns
19 Memphis Grizzlies 2017–18 22–60January 31, 2018101–105 Indiana Pacers March 17, 2018101–94 Denver Nuggets
19
(4 + 15)		 Philadelphia 76ers^ 1971–72
1972–73 		30–52
9–73		March 21, 1972111–117 Atlanta Hawks November 11, 1972114–112 Houston Rockets
19
(1 + 18)		 New Jersey Nets^ 2008–09
2009–10 		34–48
12–70		April 15, 200973–102 New York Knicks December 4, 200997–91 Charlotte Bobcats
18 Utah Jazz 1981–82 25–57February 24, 198290–132 Boston Celtics April 2, 1982127–118 Kansas City Kings
18 Boston Celtics 2006–07 24–58January 7, 200779–87 Orlando Magic February 14, 2007117–97 Milwaukee Bucks
18 Charlotte Bobcats 2012–13 21–61November 26, 201269–114 Oklahoma City Thunder December 31, 201291–81 Chicago Bulls
18 New York Knicks 2018–19 17–65January 4, 2019112–119 Los Angeles Lakers February 16, 2019106–91 Atlanta Hawks
18 San Antonio Spurs 2023–24 22–60November 5, 2023116–123 Toronto Raptors December 15, 2023129–115 Los Angeles Lakers
18
(15 + 3)		 Minnesota Timberwolves^ 2010–11
2011–12 		17–65
26–40		March 13, 201177–100 Golden State Warriors January 1, 201299–82 Dallas Mavericks
17 San Francisco Warriors 1964–65 17–63December 20, 1964111–113 Philadelphia 76ers January 28, 1965105–90 Cincinnati Royals
17 San Diego Rockets 1967–68 15–67January 18, 1968126–129 Cincinnati Royals February 18, 1968111–106 Philadelphia 76ers
17 Miami Heat 1988–89 15–67November 5, 198891–111 Los Angeles Clippers December 14, 198889–88 Los Angeles Clippers
17 Orlando Magic 1991–92 21–61December 4, 1991115–124 Portland Trail Blazers January 8, 1992104–103 Seattle SuperSonics
17 Dallas Mavericks 1993–94 13–69February 26, 199499–110 Cleveland Cavaliers April 5, 199488–80 Sacramento Kings
17 Toronto Raptors 1997–98 16–66November 6, 199792–109 Seattle SuperSonics December 10, 1997104–97 Philadelphia 76ers
17 Los Angeles Clippers 1998–99 February 5, 199992–101 Phoenix Suns March 11, 1999106–92 Sacramento Kings
17 Los Angeles Clippers 1999–00 15–67March 15, 200078–98 Sacramento Kings April 19, 2000114–106 Seattle SuperSonics
17 Philadelphia 76ers 2014–15 18–64October 29, 201491–103 Indiana Pacers December 3, 201485–77 Minnesota Timberwolves
17 Phoenix Suns 2018–19 19–63January 15, 201997–131 Indiana Pacers February 25, 2019124–121 Miami Heat

Playoffs

This list contains only streaks consisting entirely of postseason games.

RankGamesTeamSeason
started		Season
ended		Number
of years		DateScoreOpponentDateScoreOpponent
Beginning (first defeat)End (first victory)
14 Detroit Pistons 2007–08 activeMay 28, 2008102–106 Boston Celtics
13 New York Knicks 2000–01 2011–12 11May 2, 200193–100 Toronto Raptors May 6, 201289–87 Miami Heat
12 Memphis Grizzlies 2003–04 2010–11 7April 17, 200474–98 San Antonio Spurs April 17, 2011101–98 San Antonio Spurs
12 Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets 2001–02 [A] 2015–16 14May 12, 200279–89 New Jersey Nets April 23, 201696–80 Miami Heat
5 (tie)11 Baltimore Bullets 1964–65 1969–70 5April 11, 1965112–120 Los Angeles Lakers March 29, 1970127–113 New York Knicks
5 (tie)11 Denver Nuggets 1987–88 1993–94 6May 15, 1988103–124 Dallas Mavericks May 2, 1994110–93 Seattle SuperSonics
7 (tie)10 Brooklyn Nets 2020–21 activeJune 17, 202189–104 Milwaukee Bucks
7 (tie)10 New Jersey Nets 1983–84 1991–92 8May 8, 198482–94 Milwaukee Bucks April 28, 1992109–104 Cleveland Cavaliers
7 (tie)10 Kansas City/
Sacramento Kings 		1980–81 1995–96 15April 24, 198188–92 Houston Rockets April 28, 199690–81 Seattle SuperSonics
7 (tie)10 Portland Trail Blazers 1999–00 2002–03 3June 4, 200084–89 Los Angeles Lakers April 27, 200398–79 Dallas Mavericks
7 (tie)10 Portland Trail Blazers 2015–16 2018–19 3May 9, 2016125–132 Golden State Warriors April 14, 2019104–99 Oklahoma City Thunder
7 (tie)10 Indiana Pacers 2017–18 2023–24 6April 29, 2018101–105 Cleveland Cavaliers April 23, 2024125–108 Milwaukee Bucks

See also

Notes

References

  1. ↑ Bontemps, Tim (December 28, 2023). "Pistons tie 76ers for longest overall losing streak at 28 games". ESPN . Retrieved December 28, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Hornets all the buzz in Charlotte". Associated Press. May 20, 2014 – via ESPN.
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