The path to lifting the Larry O’Brien trophy involves considering numerous variables. For instance, some teams were on their way to victory, but injuries and multiple setbacks stood in their way to the title. On the other hand, many teams were underdogs but came out on top and won the NBA championship.
Regardless of the circumstances, there were a lot of superb NBA teams that could’ve been champions, but they failed to do so. Those great teams were sometimes incredible in the regular season and crumbled in the postseason.
We all know that only champions are remembered, but sometimes those teams that didn’t win anything but were excellent don’t have to be forgotten. In light of that, the topic of this post will be the top 10 NBA teams that never won nba championship. I’ll rank them based on their regular season record, playoffs record, how many points per game they scored, and how many points opponents scored against them.
Keep reading and discover the greatest teams that nearly won the NBA championship!
#10 – Cleveland Cavaliers (2008/09)
Regular season record: 66-16
Points per game: 100.3
Opponent points per game: 91.4
The list starts with one of the greatest NBA teams that didn’t win a championship—2008/09 Cleveland Cavaliers. Lebron James led the Cavaliers throughout the season, finishing it with 66 wins.
In general, the team wasn’t good since it was more like a one-man show performed by James. Cavaliers had a solid supporting cast consisting of Mo Williams, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Delonte West, and Anderson Varejao.
In the first round of the playoffs, the Cavaliers swept the Detroit Pistons. Then, in the second round, they also swept the Atlanta Hawks. It looked like the young superstar James would win his first championship.
However, they faced the Orlando Magic and Dwight Howard in the Eastern Conference Finals. Even 38.5 PPG, 8.3 RPG, and 8.0 APG from James in those finals wasn’t enough since they lost 2-4.
#9 – Milwaukee Bucks (1971/72)
Regular season record: 63-19
Points per game: 114.6
Opponent points per game: 103.5
In 1972, Milwaukee Bucks were real title contenders, and their amazing regular season record of 63 wins and only 19 losses was an indicator that they might win the championship. Only the LA Lakers have had a better record in that season (69-13).
This team’s defense was phenomenal, thanks to one of the best players in the game’s history—Kareem Abdul Jabbar. Also, Lucius Allen and Bob Dandridge were top-tier defenders. Jabbar was also a threat on the offense, mostly because of his skyhooks, while Oscar Robertson was the team’s playmaker and a prolific scorer.
Bucks started off the playoffs quite well. They played against the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference semi-finals and easily won the series 4-1. Then, in the Western Conference Finals, Kareem and the Bucks were up against the LA Lakers.
Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain were an unstoppable duo, and the Bucks didn’t know how to beat them. Ultimately, they lost the series 2-4. The Bucks would’ve easily lifted the NBA trophy if it weren’t for that Lakers team.
#8 – San Antonio Spurs (2015/16)
Regular season record: 67-15
Points per game: 103.5
Opponent points per game: 92.9
If you look at the statistics for 2015/16, you would’ve thought that the Spurs won the title, but unfortunately, they didn’t. They finished the season with 67 wins, and their opponents scored only 92.9 points per game against them.
The roster of the Spurs was deep and star-studded. The superstar star of the team was the young Kawhi Leonard, who averaged 21.2 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 2.6 APG during the regular season. Other notable Spurs players in that season were the veterans Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili. Moreover, LaMarcus Aldridge, Patty Mills, and Danny Green were excellent throughout the season.
San Antonio beat the Memphis Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs. After that, in the Western Conference semi-finals, Kawhi and the Spurs went toe-to-toe with OKC and one of the best duos in the game—Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Oklahoma City Thunder won the series 4-2, even though the Spurs took a 3-1 lead in the series.
#7 – Phoenix Suns (2004/05)
Regular season record: 62-20
Points per game: 110.4
Opponent points per game: 103.3
In 2004, Steve Nash joined the Phoenix Suns, and no one expected what would happen. The team from Phoenix won 62 games in that season, and Nash was the league MVP, averaging 15.5 PPG, 11.5 APG, and 3.3 RPG.
He was the offense orchestrator, who was dishing assists left and right. Besides Nash, other stars on the team were the center, Amar’e Stoudemire, and the best shooters on the team, Shawn Marion and Joe Johnson.
The Suns played in the “Seven Seconds or Less” style, revolutionizing how basketball is played today.
After the sensational regular season was over for the Suns, they advanced to the first round of playoffs, where they swept the Memphis Grizzlies. In the second round, they went up against the Dallas Mavericks and beat them in six games. Everything was going smoothly for the Suns until they faced the Spurs.
The Stoudemire-Nash duo was amazing since they averaged more than 60 points per game. However, even those stellar performances weren’t enough for the Suns to win. Duncan and the Spurs were stronger and better throughout the series and beat the Suns 4-1.
#6 – Sacramento Kings (2001/02)
Regular season record: 61-21
Points per game: 104.6
Opponent points per game: 97.0
One of the greatest teams that never lifted the NBA trophy was the 2001/02 Sacramento Kings. They were phenomenal throughout the season and finished it with 61 wins. This team was a sight to behold. The Kings’ offense was based on moving the ball and feeding the ball to whoever was open.
This team was led by Chris Webber, who averaged 24.5 PPG and 10.1 RPG. The Kings also had a fantastic supporting cast consisting of Stojakovic, Divac, Bibby, Christie, and Turkoglu. They had seven players who averaged more than 10 points per game.
In the very first round of the Western Conference playoffs, the Kings defeated the Utah Jazz 3-1. Then, in the semi-finals, they almost swept the Dallas Mavericks, beating them 4-1.
In the 2002 Western Conference Finals, the Sacramento Kings were up against the LA Lakers, whom Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant led. The Kings were up 3-2 in the series but ultimately lost the finals in a seven-game thriller. These finals were quite controversial because a few years after the finals, former NBA referee Tim Donaghy stated that the officials decided game 6 of the finals in favor of the Lakers.
#5 – Phoenix Suns (1992/93)
Regular season record: 62-20
Points per game: 113.4
Opponent points per game: 106.7
One of the best teams that didn’t win a championship was the Phoenix Suns in the 1992/93 season. They won a franchise record-breaking 62 games and only lost 20 in that regular season.
The leader of that team was Charles Barkley, who was the MVP of the 1992/93 season, averaging 25.6 PPG, 12.2 RPG, and 5.1 APG. The Suns’ roster was filled with elite players like Dan Majerle, Kevin Johnson, Richard Dumas, and Danny Ainge. That team was highly experienced, versatile, and basically invincible.
Their first opponents in the playoffs were the LA Lakers, and they beat them 3-2 in the series. They played against the Spurs in the second round and won the series 4-2. In the Western Conference Finals, they were up against the Supersonics and the Payton-Kemp duo, narrowly beating them in game 7.
In the Finals, the Bulls stopped the Suns after six games. Barkley and the rest of the team from Phoenix were powerless against Pippen, Jordan, and the supporting cast of the Chicago Bulls.
#4 – Utah Jazz (1996/97)
Regular season record: 64-18
Points per game: 103.1
Opponent points per game: 94.3
The 1996/97 Utah Jazz were a force to be reckoned with, finishing the regular season with 64 wins and only 18 losses.
John Stockton and Karl Malone were a nightmare for opposing defenders while running their impeccable pick-and-roll. The opposition didn’t know whether to attack Stockton to stop him from doing a jump shot or move away from him to prevent a pass to Malone. Together, they score more than 40 points per game throughout the season. Besides the duo, the Jazz had the amazing Jeff Hornacek, Greg Ostertag, and Bryon Russell.
Utah had a great postseason up until the Finals. They beat the LA Clippers 3-0 in the first round, then the Lakers 4-1 in the second round, and the Rockets 4-2 in the Western Conference Finals.
In the Finals, the Jazz lost the series in 6 games against the Bulls, mainly because of the greatest player of all time—Michael Jordan. He averaged 32.3 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 6.0 APG, and no one could stop him. Even though the Jazz team was one of the greatest ever, the Bulls were on another level.
#3 – Houston Rockets (2017/18)
Regular season record: 65-17
Points per game: 112.4
Opponent points per game: 103.9
One of the best teams that never won the NBA championship was the 2017/18 Houston Rockets. Despite the fact that the stars of the team, Paul and Harden, missed 34 games combined, the Houston Rockets still managed to win 65 games throughout the season.
James Harden won the MVP award, averaging 30.4 PPG, 8.8 APG, and 5.4 RPG. Apart from Paul and Harden, other notable players for the Houston Rockets were Clint Capela, Trevor Ariza, Gerald Green as well as Eric Gordon.
In the first round of the playoffs, the Rockets went toe-to-toe against the Minnesota Timberwolves and won the series 4-1. In the next round, the Rockets almost swept the Utah Jazz, beating them 4-1.
Then, they went up against the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference Finals. Paul and Harden carried the team and took a 3-2 lead in the series. Unfortunately, Paul missed Game 7, and the Rockets also missed 27 triples in a row in that game. The Warriors ultimately won the series and became the champions that year.
#2 – Boston Celtics (1972/73)
Regular season record: 68-14
Points per game: 112.7
Opponent points per game: 104.5
The post-Russell era was challenging for the Celtics for a couple of years, but in the 1972/73 season, they became title contenders once again. They won 68 games that season, which is the record for the franchise.
The leading three players in this Celtics team were John Havlicek, Jo Jo White, and Dave Cowens. Each of those three players averaged almost 20 points per game throughout the season. Besides the trio, other key players were Paul Silas and Don Chaney.
In the Eastern Conference semi-finals, the Celtics faced the Atlanta Hawks and beat them 4-2 in the series. Then, they went up against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. The series was tied after the initial two games, but in Game 3, Havlicek suffered a shoulder injury. Although he continued to play in the next four games, he wasn’t the same player, and the Knicks beat them 4-3.
#1 – Golden State Warriors (2015/16)
Regular season record: 73-9
Points per game: 114.9
Opponent points per game: 104.1
The greatest team in NBA history that didn’t win a championship was the Golden State Warriors in the 2015/16 season. The team from San Francisco broke the previous record for the most wins (72) set by the 1995/96 Chicago Bulls.
They managed to win 73 games and only lost nine during the entire season. Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green were the three best players, and they carried the team in the 2015/16 season. Curry won the MVP award, averaging 30.1 PPG, 6.7 APG, 5.4 RPG, and 2.1 SPG.
The Warriors won 4-1 against the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs. Then, in the semi-finals of the Western Conference, they faced the Portland Trail Blazers and beat them after five games. In the Finals of the Western Conference, the Warriors beat Durant, Westbrook, and the rest of the OKC in a 7-game thriller.
Curry and the Warriors played against the James-led Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals. Golden State took a 3-1 lead, but the Cavaliers were relentless and won the NBA title in Game 7. If they won this championship, this Golden State team could’ve been the greatest team in basketball history. Instead, they let the trophy slip away from their hands.
- Leicester Premier League Win Caps a True Cinderella Story – TBT #12 - June 27, 2024
- The Aguero Goal That Entered City Folklore – TBT #11 - June 20, 2024
- Tottenham Hotspur and the Art of Bottling – Meme Mondays #9 - June 17, 2024