What is the biggest collapse in NBA history?

Some of these teams were one win from a title; others were the best regular-season side anyone had seen. Every entry is an argument about what counts as worse.

1

2013 San Antonio Spurs

Led Game 6 of the Finals by five with 28 seconds left before Ray Allen's corner three forced overtime.

1000pts

2

2016 Golden State Warriors

Won a record 73 games, then became the first team to lose an NBA Finals after leading the series 3-1.

992pts

3

2022 Phoenix Suns

Won 64 games, then lost Game 7 at home to Dallas by 33 points.

857pts

4

2006 Dallas Mavericks

Led the Finals 2-0, lost a late Game 3 lead, and then dropped four straight to Miami.

714pts

5

2015 LA Clippers

Went up 3-1 on Houston, then surrendered a 19-point second-half lead at home in Game 6.

647pts

6

2011 Miami Heat

Lost the Finals to Dallas in the first season of the Big Three, after promising a run of titles.

571pts

7

2008 Los Angeles Lakers

Surrendered a 24-point lead in Game 4 of the Finals against Boston and lost the series.

571pts

8

2018 Houston Rockets

Missed 27 consecutive three-pointers in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals and lost at home.

571pts

9

2000 Portland Trail Blazers

Led Game 7 of the Western Conference finals by 15 in the fourth quarter and lost to the Lakers.

483pts

10

2020 LA Clippers

Led Denver 3-1 in the bubble semifinals with a title-favourite roster and lost three straight.

483pts

11

2018 Cleveland Cavaliers

J.R. Smith dribbled out the clock in a tied Game 1 of the Finals, and Cleveland was swept.

483pts

12

2023 Milwaukee Bucks

Held the league's best record and went out in the first round to the eighth-seeded Heat.

381pts

13

2004 Los Angeles Lakers

Assembled four future Hall of Famers and lost the Finals to Detroit in five games.

381pts

14

2010 Boston Celtics

Led Game 7 of the Finals into the fourth quarter before the Lakers turned the game around.

260pts

15

2026 San Antonio Spurs

Gave up a 29-point lead in Game 4 of the 2026 Finals, the largest blown lead in championship-game history.

260pts

16

2007 Dallas Mavericks

Won 67 games and became the first top seed to lose a seven-game first round to an eighth seed.

260pts

17

1994 Seattle SuperSonics

The first number-one seed in NBA history to lose a playoff series to an eighth seed.

114pts