Subscribe
Follow Us
With the 2024-25 NBA season more than halfway done, it's safe to say that the Cleveland Cavaliers are the hottest team in the league right now with the best record overall. The Cavs raced to a 15-0 start, a promising feat especially after the LeBron James era. It's also the second-greatest start in NBA history.
But while a great start to the season deserves a place in the championship conversation, not all great starts lead to a title. Here is a look at the 10 NBA teams with the hottest starts that flamed out in the playoffs.
Check out the gallery.
2015-16 Golden State Warriors (24-0)
After winning the 2015 NBA title, the Golden State Warriors were keen on going back to back. The team not only raced to a hot 24-0 start for the best start in league history, but went on to break the 72-10 record set by the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls, finishing 73-9 for the 2015-16 season.
Unfortunately, despite leading 3-1 in the NBA Finals, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers became the first team in NBA Finals history to come back from such a deficit to bring the first title to Cleveland.
1948-49 Washington Capitols (15-0)
Tied for the second-greatest start in NBA history are the 1948-49 Washington Capitols. The team was led by Bob Feerick, who led the league in free throw shooting percentage at 85.9% while averaging 13.0 points per game. Bones McKinney, Kleggie Hermsen, Jack Nichols, and Fred Scolari were also major contributors in scoring.
The team's hot start paved the way for them to finish 38-22 for the season. The Capitols even made a Finals appearance but fell to Hall of Famer George Mikan and the Minneapolis Lakers in six games.
2002-03 Dallas Mavericks (14-0)
The Dallas Mavericks, led by Dirk Nowitzki, transformed into a legitimate threat in the Western Conference right from the get-go. The team went 14-0, allowing them to clinch the third seed in the West, posting a 60-win season.
However, the Mavericks had a tough postseason, barely escaping the Portland Trail Blazers and the Sacramento Kings in the first two rounds. After a pair of series that required seven grueling games each, the Mavericks fell to the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. San Antonio would eventually come out as champions.
1957-58 Boston Celtics (14-0)
Headed by Bill Russell and coached by Red Auerbach, the Boston Celtics already laid the foundation of their dynasty in 1957 by claiming the franchise's first-ever NBA title.
Despite a 14-0 hot start to the succeeding season, the 49-23 Celtics collided against the St. Louis Hawks in the NBA Finals. The Hawks took care of business in six games thanks to Bob Pettit, who averaged 17.0 points per game in the NBA Finals.
1982-83 Seattle Supersonics (12-0)
Despite having one of the best starts in NBA history, the 1982-83 Seattle Supersonics quickly flamed out after going 12-0. Gus Williams led the team by averaging 20.0 points per game but wasn't enough to keep the team's momentum. The Supersonics went 36-34 for the rest of the season before getting swept by the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference first round.
1997-98 Atlanta Hawks (11-0)
The 1997-98 Atlanta Hawks had a dream start to the season, going 11-0. The team was led by Steve Smith, Dikembe Mutombo, and Mookie Blaylock. However, it was a stacked Eastern Conference. Despite finishing 50-32, the Hawks settled only for the fifth seed in the East. A first-round matchup against the Charlotte Hornets saw them get bounced without winning a series.
1997-98 Los Angeles Lakers (11-0)
It had just marked the second season for a new era that dawned in Los Angeles, after the arrival of Shaquille O'Neal and drafting Kobe Bryant. It's safe to say that the duo started to make some noise again for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1997-98 season by racing to a strong 11-0 start, tying the Atlanta Hawks.
The Lakers finished with a 61-win season to take the third seed in the Western Conference. Despite going all the way to the Western Conference Finals, Karl Malone and John Stockton stood in the way as the Utah Jazz swept the Lakers.
1990-91 Portland Trail Blazers (11-0)
Fresh from a Finals appearance, the Portland Trail Blazers showed no signs of rust for the 1990-91 season. They not only kicked off the season by winning 11-straight games but also posted the best start in franchise history by going 27-3. Clyde Drexler was the face of the franchise and got some reasonable help from Kevin Duckworth and Terry Porter.
The team looked like they were penciled for another Finals showing, by going 63-19. However, a Magic Johnson-led Los Angeles Lakers spoiled the party in six games to reject their ticket to a second trip to the NBA Finals.
2000-01 Philadelphia 76ers (10-0)
Led by Allen Iverson, who eventually took NBA MVP honors, the Philadelphia 76ers emerged as the kings of the East. Thanks to a 10-0 hot start, the Sixers eventually clinched the best record in the East, finishing with a 56-26 record. They eventually reached the NBA Finals after a tough pair of series against the Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks.
However, the Sixers eventually waved the white flag against a dominant Los Angeles Lakers led by the duo of Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. While they managed to steal Game 1, the Sixers had no answers for the Lakers' All-Star duo at the Finals stage.
1972-73 Boston Celtics (10-0)
The early 70s was a rough start for the Boston Celtics franchise. This included the 1972-73 season, when they just couldn't get the job done.
Despite racing to a dominant 10-0 start, led by John Havlicek and Dave Cowens, the 68-win Celtics fell to the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals. Although it was a tough seven-game series. Walt Frazier and the Knicks proved to be too much to handle.
