# 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.

*By YPB Team · Published August 16, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/what-is-the-biggest-collapse-in-nba-history*

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## Current results (4 votes)

1. **2013 San Antonio Spurs** — 50% (2 votes · score 1000/1000)
   Led Game 6 of the Finals by five with 28 seconds left before Ray Allen's corner three forced overtime.
2. **2016 Golden State Warriors** — 25% (1 votes · score 992/1000)
   Won a record 73 games, then became the first team to lose an NBA Finals after leading the series 3-1.
3. **2022 Phoenix Suns** — 25% (1 votes · score 857/1000)
   Won 64 games, then lost Game 7 at home to Dallas by 33 points.
4. **2006 Dallas Mavericks** — 0% (0 votes · score 714/1000)
   Led the Finals 2-0, lost a late Game 3 lead, and then dropped four straight to Miami.
5. **2015 LA Clippers** — 0% (0 votes · score 647/1000)
   Went up 3-1 on Houston, then surrendered a 19-point second-half lead at home in Game 6.
6. **2011 Miami Heat** — 0% (0 votes · score 571/1000)
   Lost the Finals to Dallas in the first season of the Big Three, after promising a run of titles.
7. **2008 Los Angeles Lakers** — 0% (0 votes · score 571/1000)
   Surrendered a 24-point lead in Game 4 of the Finals against Boston and lost the series.
8. **2018 Houston Rockets** — 0% (0 votes · score 571/1000)
   Missed 27 consecutive three-pointers in Game 7 of the Western Conference finals and lost at home.
9. **2000 Portland Trail Blazers** — 0% (0 votes · score 483/1000)
   Led Game 7 of the Western Conference finals by 15 in the fourth quarter and lost to the Lakers.
10. **2020 LA Clippers** — 0% (0 votes · score 483/1000)
   Led Denver 3-1 in the bubble semifinals with a title-favourite roster and lost three straight.
11. **2018 Cleveland Cavaliers** — 0% (0 votes · score 483/1000)
   J.R. Smith dribbled out the clock in a tied Game 1 of the Finals, and Cleveland was swept.
12. **2023 Milwaukee Bucks** — 0% (0 votes · score 381/1000)
   Held the league's best record and went out in the first round to the eighth-seeded Heat.
13. **2004 Los Angeles Lakers** — 0% (0 votes · score 381/1000)
   Assembled four future Hall of Famers and lost the Finals to Detroit in five games.
14. **2010 Boston Celtics** — 0% (0 votes · score 260/1000)
   Led Game 7 of the Finals into the fourth quarter before the Lakers turned the game around.
15. **2026 San Antonio Spurs** — 0% (0 votes · score 260/1000)
   Gave up a 29-point lead in Game 4 of the 2026 Finals, the largest blown lead in championship-game history.
16. **2007 Dallas Mavericks** — 0% (0 votes · score 260/1000)
   Won 67 games and became the first top seed to lose a seven-game first round to an eighth seed.
17. **1994 Seattle SuperSonics** — 0% (0 votes · score 114/1000)
   The first number-one seed in NBA history to lose a playoff series to an eighth seed.

Tags: basketball, nba, teams, playoffs