List of National Basketball Association longest losing streaks

This is a list of the longest regular season losing streaks in National Basketball Association (NBA) history. Streaks started at the end of one season are carried over into the following season.

The Cleveland Cavaliers lost 26 straight games in the 2010–2011 season, the most in NBA history. They broke their previous record of 24 consecutive losses set in 1982.

Contents

Key

^ Denotes streaks that spanned over two seasons

Streak

Rank Games Team Season(s) Season
record(s)		 Date Score Opponent Date Score Opponent
Beginning (first defeat) End (first victory)
&100000000000000010000001 26 Cleveland Cavaliers 2010–11 19–63 02010-12-20 December 20, 2010 90–101 Utah Jazz 02011-02-11 February 11, 2011 126–119 Los Angeles Clippers
&100000000000000020000002 24 Cleveland Cavaliers^ 1981–82
1982–83		 15–67
23–59		 01982-03-19 March 19, 1982 97–119 Milwaukee Bucks 01982-11-10 November 10, 1982 132–120 Golden State Warriors
&100000000000000030000003 (tie) 23 Vancouver Grizzlies 1995–96 15–67 01996-02-16 February 16, 1996 100–110 Atlanta Hawks 01996-04-03 April 3, 1996 105–103 Minnesota Timberwolves
&100000000000000040000003 (tie) 23 Denver Nuggets 1997–98 11–71 01997-12-09 December 9, 1997 83–92 Detroit Pistons 01998-01-24 January 24, 1998 99–81 Los Angeles Clippers
&100000000000000050000005 21 Detroit Pistons^ 1979–80
1980–81		 16–67
21–61		 01980-03-07 March 7, 1980 105–106 Washington Bullets 01980-10-25 October 25, 1980 112–109 Houston Rockets
&100000000000000060000006 (tie) 20 Philadelphia 76ers 1972–73 9–73 01973-01-09 January 9, 1973 110–126 Chicago Bulls 01973-02-14 February 14, 1973 106–104 Milwaukee Bucks
&100000000000000070000006 (tie) 20 New York Knicks^ 1984–85
1985–86		 24–58
23–59		 01985-03-23 March 23, 1985 105–113 Kansas City Kings 01985-11-12 November 12, 1985 103–93 Phoenix Suns
&100000000000000080000006 (tie) 20 Dallas Mavericks 1993–94 13–69 01993-11-13 November 13, 1993 100–101 Utah Jazz 01993-12-23 December 23, 1993 93–89 Minnesota Timberwolves
&100000000000000090000006 (tie) 20 Los Angeles Clippers^ 1993–94
1994–95		 27–55
17–65		 01994-04-18 April 18, 1994 131–134 Golden State Warriors 01994-12-07 December 7, 1994 96–94 Milwaukee Bucks
&1000000000000001000000010 (tie) 19 Philadelphia 76ers^ 1971–72
1972–73		 30–52
9–73		 01972-03-21 March 21, 1972 111–117 Atlanta Hawks 01972-11-11 November 11, 1972 114–112 Houston Rockets
&1000000000000001100000010 (tie) 19 San Diego Clippers 1981–82 17–65 01982-03-11 March 11, 1982 107–113 Kansas City Kings 01982-04-15 April 15, 1982 129–123 Portland Trail Blazers
&1000000000000001200000010 (tie) 19 Los Angeles Clippers 1988–89 21–61 01988-12-30 December 30, 1988 109–124 Los Angeles Lakers 01989-02-08 February 8, 1989 114–111 Houston Rockets
&1000000000000001300000010 (tie) 19 Dallas Mavericks 1992–93 11–71 01993-02-06 February 6, 1993 93–111 Denver Nuggets 01993-03-17 March 17, 1993 102–96 Orlando Magic
&1000000000000001400000010 (tie) 19 Vancouver Grizzlies 1995–96 15–67 01995-11-07 November 7, 1995 88–99 Dallas Mavericks 01995-12-15 December 15, 1995 104–100 Portland Trail Blazers
&1000000000000001500000010 (tie) 19 Orlando Magic 2003–04 21–61 02003-10-30 October 30, 2003 98–100 New Orleans Hornets 02003-12-08 December 8, 2003 105–98 Phoenix Suns
&1000000000000001600000010 (tie) 19 New Jersey Nets^ 2008–09
2009–10		 34–48
12–70		 02009-04-15 April 15, 2009 73–102 New York Knicks 02009-12-04 December 4, 2009 97–91 Charlotte Bobcats
&1000000000000001700000017 (tie) 18 Minnesota Timberwolves^ 2010–11
2011–12		 17–65
2–3[A]		 02011-03-13 March 13, 2011 77–100 Golden State Warriors 02012-01-01 January 1, 2012 99–82 Dallas Mavericks
&1000000000000001800000017 (tie) 18 Utah Jazz 1981–82 25–57 01982-02-24 February 24, 1982 90–132 Boston Celtics 01982-04-02 April 2, 1982 127–118 Kansas City Kings
&1000000000000001900000017 (tie) 18 Boston Celtics 2006–07 24–58 02007-01-07 January 7, 2007 79–87 Orlando Magic 02007-02-14 February 14, 2007 117–97 Milwaukee Bucks
&1000000000000002000000020 (tie) 17 San Francisco Warriors 1964–65 17–63 01964-12-20 December 20, 1964 111–113 Philadelphia 76ers 01965-01-28 January 28, 1965 105–90 Cincinnati Royals
&1000000000000002100000020 (tie) 17 San Diego Rockets 1967–68 15–67 01968-01-18 January 18, 1968 126–129 Cincinnati Royals 01968-02-18 February 18, 1968 111–106 Philadelphia 76ers
&1000000000000002200000020 (tie) 17 Miami Heat 1988–89 15–67 01988-11-05 November 5, 1988 91–111 Los Angeles Clippers 01988-12-14 December 14, 1988 89–88 Los Angeles Clippers
&1000000000000002300000020 (tie) 17 Orlando Magic 1991–92 21–61 01991-12-04 December 4, 1991 115–124 Portland Trail Blazers 01992-01-08 January 8, 1992 104–103 Seattle SuperSonics
&1000000000000002400000020 (tie) 17 Dallas Mavericks 1993–94 13–69 01994-02-26 February 26, 1994 99–110 Cleveland Cavaliers 01994-04-05 April 5, 1994 88–80 Sacramento Kings
&1000000000000002500000020 (tie) 17 Toronto Raptors 1997–98 16–66 01997-11-06 November 6, 1997 92–109 Seattle SuperSonics 01997-12-10 December 10, 1997 104–97 Philadelphia 76ers
&1000000000000002600000020 (tie) 17 Los Angeles Clippers 1998–99 9–41 01999-02-05 February 5, 1999 92–101 Phoenix Suns 01999-03-11 March 11, 1999 106–92 Sacramento Kings
&1000000000000002700000020 (tie) 17 Los Angeles Clippers 1999–00 15–67 02000-03-15 March 15, 2000 78–98 Sacramento Kings 02000-04-19 April 19, 2000 114–106 Seattle SuperSonics
  • A Season record as of January 2, 2012.

See also

References