We look back at which teams had the worst record in the finals as the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukie Bucks square off in the 2021 NBA Finals.
After winning a 4-2 series, the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Miami Heat in the 2020 NBA Finals.
With the win, the Lakers tied the Boston Celtics for the most NBA Championships with 17, one more than the Boston club.
The Lakers have not made it to the NBA Finals since they defeated the Celtics 4-3 in 2010. The Celtics’ most recent championship triumph occurred in 2008, two years prior.
Lakers have not won many NBA titles.
It should come as no surprise that the Los Angeles franchise has lost the most NBA finals, by a wide margin, given that they have participated in 32 NBA finals, considerably more than any other team.
1959, 1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1984, 1989, 1991, 2004 and 2008 were the 15 years in which those losses occurred. The Lakers have made eight appearances in the Finals this century, winning six of them and losing two. With 32 games played, 17 victories and 15 defeats, the Lakers’ overall win percentage is 53.1%.
The Boston Celtics, on the other hand, who have had the second-most final appearances in team history (21), have won 17 games and lost 4, for a substantially greater victory ratio of 80.9%.
Chicago Bulls have never suffered a final loss.
The Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs, with five victories and one loss from their six final appearances, and the Boston Celtics, with six wins from their six final appearances, all of which occurred in the 1990s, have the best win ratios among the eleven teams who have participated in five or more finals. In actuality, the Bulls are the only team to have never lost a final among the 21 teams that have appeared in two or more NBA finals.
In terms of total appearances, the Philadelphia 76ers (nine) and the New York Knicks (eight) are tied for second place behind the Lakers with six losses apiece. The Golden States Warriors, who have played 11 games overall and suffered five losses, are in third place. The Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, and Cleveland Cavaliers are tied for fourth place with four losses apiece.
