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]
| ^ | 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.
| Rank | Games | Team | Season(s) | Season record(s) | Date | Score | Opponent | Date | Score | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginning (first defeat) | End (first victory) | |||||||||
| 1 (tie) | 28 | Detroit Pistons | 2023–24 | 13–67 | October 30, 2023 | 112–124 | Oklahoma City Thunder | December 30, 2023 | 129–127 | Toronto Raptors |
| 1 (tie) | 28 (10 + 18) | Philadelphia 76ers^ | 2014–15 2015–16 | 18–64 10–72 | March 27, 2015 | 98–119 | Los Angeles Clippers | December 1, 2015 | 103–91 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 3 (tie) | 26 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 2010–11 | 19–63 | December 20, 2010 | 90–101 | Utah Jazz | February 11, 2011 | 126–119 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 3 (tie) | 26 | Philadelphia 76ers | 2013–14 | 19–63 | January 31, 2014 | 99–125 | Atlanta Hawks | March 29, 2014 | 123–98 | Detroit Pistons |
| 5 | 24 (19 + 5) | Cleveland Cavaliers^ | 1981–82 1982–83 | 15–67 23–59 | March 19, 1982 | 97–119 | Milwaukee Bucks | November 10, 1982 | 132–120 | Golden State Warriors |
| 6 (tie) | 23 | Vancouver Grizzlies | 1995–96 | 15–67 | February 16, 1996 | 100–110 | Atlanta Hawks | April 3, 1996 | 105–103 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 6 (tie) | 23 | Denver Nuggets | 1997–98 | 11–71 | December 9, 1997 | 83–92 | Detroit Pistons | January 24, 1998 | 99–81 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 6 (tie) | 23 | Charlotte Bobcats | 2011–12 | 7–59 | March 19, 2012 | 80–105 | Philadelphia 76ers | November 2, 2012 | 90–89 | Indiana Pacers |
| 9 | 21 (14 + 7) | Detroit Pistons^ | 1979–80 1980–81 | 16–66 21–61 | March 7, 1980 | 105–106 | Washington Bullets | October 25, 1980 | 112–109 | Houston Rockets |
| 10 (tie) | 20 | Philadelphia 76ers | 1972–73 | 9–73 | January 9, 1973 | 110–126 | Chicago Bulls | February 14, 1973 | 106–104 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 10 (tie) | 20 | Dallas Mavericks | 1993–94 | 13–69 | November 13, 1993 | 100–101 | Utah Jazz | December 23, 1993 | 93–89 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 10 (tie) | 20 | Houston Rockets | 2020–21 | 17–55 | February 6, 2021 | 106–111 | San Antonio Spurs | March 22, 2021 | 117–99 | Toronto Raptors |
| 10 (tie) | 20 (12 + 8) | New York Knicks^ | 1984–85 1985–86 | 24–58 23–59 | March 23, 1985 | 105–113 | Kansas City Kings | November 12, 1985 | 103–93 | Phoenix Suns |
| 10 (tie) | 20 (4 + 16) | Los Angeles Clippers^ | 1993–94 1994–95 | 27–55 17–65 | April 18, 1994 | 131–134 | Golden State Warriors | December 7, 1994 | 96–94 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 15 (tie) | 19 | San Diego Clippers | 1981–82 | 17–65 | March 11, 1982 | 107–113 | Kansas City Kings | April 15, 1982 | 129–123 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 15 (tie) | 19 | Los Angeles Clippers | 1988–89 | 21–61 | December 30, 1988 | 109–124 | Los Angeles Lakers | February 8, 1989 | 114–111 | Houston Rockets |
| 15 (tie) | 19 | Dallas Mavericks | 1992–93 | 11–71 | February 6, 1993 | 93–111 | Denver Nuggets | March 17, 1993 | 102–96 | Orlando Magic |
| 15 (tie) | 19 | Vancouver Grizzlies | 1995–96 | 15–67 | November 7, 1995 | 88–99 | Dallas Mavericks | December 15, 1995 | 104–100 | Portland Trail Blazers |
| 15 (tie) | 19 | Orlando Magic | 2003–04 | 21–61 | October 30, 2003 | 98–100 | New Orleans Hornets | December 8, 2003 | 105–98 | Phoenix Suns |
| 15 (tie) | 19 | Memphis Grizzlies | 2017–18 | 22–60 | January 31, 2018 | 101–105 | Indiana Pacers | March 17, 2018 | 101–94 | Denver Nuggets |
| 15 (tie) | 19 (4 + 15) | Philadelphia 76ers^ | 1971–72 1972–73 | 30–52 9–73 | March 21, 1972 | 111–117 | Atlanta Hawks | November 11, 1972 | 114–112 | Houston Rockets |
| 15 (tie) | 19 (1 + 18) | New Jersey Nets^ | 2008–09 2009–10 | 34–48 12–70 | April 15, 2009 | 73–102 | New York Knicks | December 4, 2009 | 97–91 | Charlotte Bobcats |
| 23 (tie) | 18 | Utah Jazz | 1981–82 | 25–57 | February 24, 1982 | 90–132 | Boston Celtics | April 2, 1982 | 127–118 | Kansas City Kings |
| 23 (tie) | 18 | Boston Celtics | 2006–07 | 24–58 | January 7, 2007 | 79–87 | Orlando Magic | February 14, 2007 | 117–97 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 23 (tie) | 18 | Charlotte Bobcats | 2012–13 | 21–61 | November 26, 2012 | 69–114 | Oklahoma City Thunder | December 31, 2012 | 91–81 | Chicago Bulls |
| 23 (tie) | 18 | New York Knicks | 2018–19 | 17–65 | January 4, 2019 | 112–119 | Los Angeles Lakers | February 16, 2019 | 106–91 | Atlanta Hawks |
| 23 (tie) | 18 | San Antonio Spurs | 2023–24 | 20–60 | November 5, 2023 | 116–123 | Toronto Raptors | December 15, 2023 | 129–115 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 23 (tie) | 18 (15 + 3) | Minnesota Timberwolves^ | 2010–11 2011–12 | 17–65 26–40 | March 13, 2011 | 77–100 | Golden State Warriors | January 1, 2012 | 99–82 | Dallas Mavericks |
| 29 (tie) | 17 | San Francisco Warriors | 1964–65 | 17–63 | December 20, 1964 | 111–113 | Philadelphia 76ers | January 28, 1965 | 105–90 | Cincinnati Royals |
| 29 (tie) | 17 | San Diego Rockets | 1967–68 | 15–67 | January 18, 1968 | 126–129 | Cincinnati Royals | February 18, 1968 | 111–106 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 29 (tie) | 17 | Miami Heat | 1988–89 | 15–67 | November 5, 1988 | 91–111 | Los Angeles Clippers | December 14, 1988 | 89–88 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 29 (tie) | 17 | Orlando Magic | 1991–92 | 21–61 | December 4, 1991 | 115–124 | Portland Trail Blazers | January 8, 1992 | 104–103 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 29 (tie) | 17 | Dallas Mavericks | 1993–94 | 13–69 | February 26, 1994 | 99–110 | Cleveland Cavaliers | April 5, 1994 | 88–80 | Sacramento Kings |
| 29 (tie) | 17 | Toronto Raptors | 1997–98 | 16–66 | November 6, 1997 | 92–109 | Seattle SuperSonics | December 10, 1997 | 104–97 | Philadelphia 76ers |
| 29 (tie) | 17 | Los Angeles Clippers | 1998–99 | 9–41 | February 5, 1999 | 92–101 | Phoenix Suns | March 11, 1999 | 106–92 | Sacramento Kings |
| 29 (tie) | 17 | Los Angeles Clippers | 1999–00 | 15–67 | March 15, 2000 | 78–98 | Sacramento Kings | April 19, 2000 | 114–106 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 29 (tie) | 17 | Philadelphia 76ers | 2014–15 | 18–64 | October 29, 2014 | 91–103 | Indiana Pacers | December 3, 2014 | 85–77 | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 29 (tie) | 17 | Phoenix Suns | 2018–19 | 19–63 | January 15, 2019 | 97–131 | Indiana Pacers | February 25, 2019 | 124–121 | Miami Heat |
This list contains only streaks consisting entirely of postseason games.
| Rank | Games | Team | Season started | Season ended | Number of years | Date | Score | Opponent | Date | Score | Opponent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginning (first defeat) | End (first victory) | ||||||||||
| 1 | 14 | Detroit Pistons | 2007–08 | active | May 28, 2008 | 102–106 | Boston Celtics | ||||
| 2 | 13 | New York Knicks | 2000–01 | 2011–12 | 11 | May 2, 2001 | 93–100 | Toronto Raptors | May 6, 2012 | 89–87 | Miami Heat |
| 3 (tie) | 12 | Memphis Grizzlies | 2003–04 | 2010–11 | 7 | April 17, 2004 | 74–98 | San Antonio Spurs | April 17, 2011 | 101–98 | San Antonio Spurs |
| 3 (tie) | 12 | Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets | 2001–02 [A] | 2015–16 | 14 | May 12, 2002 | 79–89 | New Jersey Nets | April 23, 2016 | 96–80 | Miami Heat |
| 5 (tie) | 11 | Baltimore Bullets | 1964–65 | 1969–70 | 5 | April 11, 1965 | 112–120 | Los Angeles Lakers | March 29, 1970 | 127–113 | New York Knicks |
| 5 (tie) | 11 | Denver Nuggets | 1987–88 | 1993–94 | 6 | May 15, 1988 | 103–124 | Dallas Mavericks | May 2, 1994 | 110–93 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 7 (tie) | 10 | Portland Trail Blazers | 2015–16 | 2018–19 | 4 | May 9, 2016 | 125–132* | Golden State Warriors | April 14, 2019 | 104–99 | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 7 (tie) | 10 | Kansas City/ Sacramento Kings | 1980–81 | 1995–96 | 15 | April 24, 1981 | 88–92 | Houston Rockets | April 28, 1996 | 90–81 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 7 (tie) | 10 | New Jersey Nets | 1983–84 | 1991–92 | 8 | May 8, 1984 | 82–94 | Milwaukee Bucks | April 28, 1992 | 109–104 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 7 (tie) | 10 | Portland Trail Blazers | 1999–00 | 2002–03 | 3 | June 4, 2000 | 84–89 | Los Angeles Lakers | April 27, 2003 | 98–79 | Dallas Mavericks |
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