Longest Winning Streak by Franchise

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Feb 27, 2013

Longest Winning Streak by Franchise

Los Angeles Lakers: 33

<italics>With the Miami Heat running their franchise record for consecutive wins to 26, SI.com presents the longest winning streak for each franchise, counting down from the longest to the shortest.</italics> With a lineup that included the likes of Jerry West, Gail Goodrich and Wilt Chamberlain, the 1971-1972 Los Angeles Lakers rattled off 33 consecutive wins en route to an NBA championship, a streak that remains the longest in professional sports history.

Miami Heat: 27

After a 105-103 win in Boston, giving Miami the second-longest win streak (23) in NBA history, the Heat took advantage of a slate of struggling teams, dispatching Cleveland, Detroit, Charlotte and Orlando. The wins didn't all come easy; the Cavs and Pistons both built big leads only to lose late, and then Dwyane Wade sat out two games with a sore knee. But with 10 blocks against the Bobcats and a 56-percent shooting mark from three against the Magic, the Heat cruised to within six games of the Lakers' all-time winning run of 33 in 1971-72. The run of success came to an end in Chicago on March 27, when a Bulls team missing four key players used a physical style of defense and clutch shot-making to defeat Miami 101-97.

Houston Rockets: 22

Even after losing center Yao Ming to a season-ending injury, Tracy McGrady and the Rockets continued their winning ways, running the franchise record to 22 straight wins.

San Antonio Spurs: 20

It's tough to imagine closing the season stronger than the Spurs did in 2012 by stringing together 10 wins. They added 10 more to that streak in the postseason, taking them as far as the Western Conference Finals.

Milwaukee Bucks: 20

Led by the "Big O" and Lew Alcindor, the Bucks dominated their opponents, resulting in a 66-16 record and a short-lived NBA record 20-game winning streak.

Boston Celtics: 19

Boston got off to a good start at defending their title, setting a team record of 19 straight, besting the 18 mark set in 1982 by Larry Bird and Co.. That was part of a 27-2 record leading up to the New Year.

Chicago Bulls: 18

During what many Chicago fans call the "perfect season," Michael Jordan and the Bulls cruised to an NBA record 72 wins during the regular season, a stretch that included an exciting 18-game win streak.

New York Knicks: 18

Knick fans will never forget when their heroes Willis Reed, Walt Frazier and Dave DeBusschere ran off 18 wins in a row en route to earning the franchise's first NBA title. Send comments to siwriters@simail.com.

Los Angeles Clippers: 17

The longest streak in the NBA since the Boston Celtics in 2008, the Clippers' 17 games gave them the best record in the league and made everyone forget about that other team in LA.

Dallas Mavericks: 17

Dirk Nowitzki helped pave the way for his MVP award by leading the Mavs on a 17-game winning streak.

Phoenix Suns: 17

Led by two-time MVP Steve Nash, the locomotive express that was the Phoenix Suns kept the wheels turning for almost an entire month.

Portland Trail Blazers: 16

Clyde Drexler and the Trail Blazers hit the ground running as they posted a 19-1 mark to open the season. That followed that hot start off with a 16-game winning streak later in the season.

Denver Nuggets: 15

The Nuggets started 17-15 while playing an early schedule that saw them play 22 of their first 32 games on the road. As the calendar turned to 2013, however, Ty Lawson and Co. caught fire and built momentum toward a streak that owed more to Denver's collective talents than to any one star.

Utah Jazz: 15

John Stockton and Karl Malone pick-and-rolled the Jazz to a pair of 15-game unbeaten streaks, the first one from Nov. 13 to Dec. 10, 1996, and the second one a season later.

Sacramento Kings (as Rochester Royals): 15

The oldest franchise winning streak in the NBA, the Sacramento Kings, in their days as the Rochester Royals, finished off the 1949/50 season in style with 15 straight wins. Five reincarnations later, no successor has been able to match it.

Orlando Magic: 14

The Magic rode a late season surge into the postseason, with Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson leading the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, taking down Charlotte and Atlanta in four games each along the way.

Brooklyn Nets (as New Jersey Nets): 14

The trio of Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson helped the Nets tie a franchise record first set in the 2003-04 season, back when Kidd and Jefferson were teamed up with Kenyon Martin.

Seattle Supersonics: 14

All-Stars Gary Payton and Shawn Kemp carried the Sonics on a memorable run that eclipsed the previous team record of 12 wins in a row.

Atlanta Hawks: 14

The "Human Highlight Reel" Dominique Wilkins had more than his share of dunks during the Hawks unmatched 14-game winning streak.

Philadelphia 76ers: 14

Moses Malone and Julius Erving combined for 45.9 points per game in a season that not only featured a 14-game winning streak, but also an NBA championship.

Cleveland Cavaliers: 13

LeBron James dominated for the Cavs, scoring more than 30 points in eight games of a 13-game win streak, culminating in a cathartic win over the Orlando Magic who had eliminated Cleveland from the postseason in the 2009.

Detroit Pistons: 13

The only two times the Pistons have won 13 in a row, they've also won the league title. Chauncey Billups & Co. did it five years ago, matching the 1989-90 Bad Boys, featuring Bill Laimbeer and Isiah Thomas.

Indiana Pacers: 12

A late-season streak propelled the Pacers to a team record 12-game winning streak that carried them to a three game series win over the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference First Round.

Minnesota Timberwolves: 11

The masses were pouring into the Target Center during the 2000-2001 season to see Kevin Garnett and the T-Wolves rattle off wins, including 11 consecutive at one point. In 2004, it was Kevin Garnett, once again, who drove the Timberwolves to match their franchise-best 11 games in 2004, this time with a little help from Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell. The streak stretched into the playoffs, securing them top seed in the West and culminating in a triple-double for Garnett against the Nuggets.

Golden State Warriors: 11

The dynamic duo of Nate Thurmond, left, and Jim Barnett combined for 47 points per game while treating Warrior fans to what is still the franchise's longest winning streak.

New Orleans Hornets: 10

During their Charlotte days, the Hornets, led by sharpshooter Glen Rice and post presence Vlade Divac, were the talk of the Carolinas during an impressive 10-game run.

Toronto Raptors: 9

Toronto became the only team in NBA history to reach the playoffs after suffering a 13-game winless streak. Antonio Davis and the Raptors made the postseason by going on a crucial nine-game tear late in the season.

Washington Wizards: 9

In his second comeback from retirement, Michael Jordan revitalized the Wizards, leading them on a nine-game unbeaten run that equaled a highwater mark that had been reached three times before (1978, 1969, 1968) in franchise history.

Memphis Grizzlies: 8

Pau Gasol led the upstart Grizzlies to a franchise-record 50 wins during the 2003-2004 season, including an eight-game unbeaten run at the turn of the new year.

Charlotte Bobcats: 6

The shortest franchise winning streak in the NBA, the Bobcats did finally manage to best their previous record of five games in 2009, then tied it twice in 2010. One step at a time for the young Charlotte team.

Longest Winning Streak by Franchise