Has Any NBA Team Ever Went Undefeated in the Playoffs?
The NBA playoffs are a grueling test of a team’s mettle, and only the strongest squads can hope to survive and advance. But is it possible for a team to go undefeated throughout the entire playoffs? Let’s take a look at the history of the NBA playoffs to see if any team has ever managed to pull off this amazing feat.
The 1972 Miami Dolphins
The 1972 Miami Dolphins remain the only NFL team to have a perfect season, finishing 17-0. They are also the only team to have won all of their playoff games, going 14-0. The Dolphins were led by head coach Don Shula and quarterback Bob Griese.
The only team to go undefeated in the regular season and playoffs
The 1972 Miami Dolphins were the first and only team in NFL history to go undefeated in the regular season and playoffs. The team was coached by Don Shula and led by quarterback Bob Griese, wide receiver Paul Warfield, and running back Larry Csonka. The Dolphins finished the regular season with a perfect 14-0 record and won all three of their playoff games, including a victory in Super Bowl VII over the Washington Redskins.
Don Shula’s coaching
In his first season as head coach of the Miami Dolphins, Don Shula led the team to a perfect 17-0 record. They then won all three of their playoff games, including a 27-17 victory over the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII, to finish the season 20-0. The 1972 Dolphins are the only team in NFL history to have a perfect record in both the regular season and the playoffs.
The team’s defense
The 1972 Miami Dolphins team is often considered one of the best NFL teams of all time. They are the only team in NFL history to have a perfect season, going 14-0 in the regular season and then winning all three of their playoff games.
The team’s defense was a big part of their success, as they only gave up a total of 171 points all season (an average of less than 12 points per game). They also had five shutouts during the regular season.
The 2001 Los Angeles Lakers
The 2001 Los Angeles Lakers are the only team in NBA history to win all fifteen playoff games, going a perfect 15-0 en route to their second consecutive NBA championship. The team was led by future Hall of Famers Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, and featured role players such as Robert Horry, Derek Fisher, and Rick Fox. The Lakers rode their dominant big man duo to the title, winning three close games against the Philadelphia 76ers in the Finals.
Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant
The 2001 Los Angeles Lakers was a team that many experts believed could not be beaten. They had two of the best players in the NBA in Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, and they also had a strong supporting cast. The Lakers went on to win the NBA Championship that year, and they did it by going undefeated in the playoffs.
The team’s offense
The 2001 Los Angeles Lakers were one of the most dominant teams in NBA history. They went 15-1 in the playoffs, with their only loss coming in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers. They had a Starting 5 of Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, Rick Fox, Derek Fisher, and Robert Horry. Their bench consisted of Glen Rice, Ron Harper, Kareem Rush, Mark Madsen, and Luke Walton. This team was coached by Phil Jackson and is often considered one of the greatest teams of all time.
The team’s offense was led by Shaquille O’Neal, who averaged 28.7 points per game during the regular season and 36.3 points per game during the playoffs. Kobe Bryant was also a force on offense, averaging 28.5 points per game during the regular season and 27.6 points per game during the playoffs. The duo of Shaq and Kobe is often considered one of the greatest offensive duos in NBA history.
The team’s defense
The 2001 Los Angeles Lakers finished the regular season with a 67–15 record. The team’s defense was its main strength all season long. In the playoffs, the Lakers allowed an average of just 86 points per game, which was the best defensive performance in the NBA.
The Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league’s Western Conference Pacific Division. In the 2015–16 NBA season, the Warriors won an NBA-record 73 games, setting the NBA regular season wins record.
Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green
The 2015–16 Golden State Warriors season was the 70th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and its 54th in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Warriors entered the season as the defending NBA champions, having won their fourth NBA title and first since 1975, as well as their first championship since relocating to San Francisco from Philadelphia in 1962. They also set an NBA record by winning 73 games during the regular season, eclipsing the 1972 Los Angeles Lakers’ previous record of 69 wins.
The team’s offense
Since the Warriors added Kevin Durant to their already stacked roster, their offense has been nearly unstoppable. They have an abundance of shooters, which forces opponents to scramble to close out on them, and they have the ability to get to the basket almost at will. When they’re clicking on all cylinders, it’s hard to see any team beating them.
The team’s defense
The Warriors have always had a good defense, but this season they took it to another level. They became the first team in NBA history to hold their opponents under 100 points per 100 possessions for the entire season, and they did it while playing at a fast pace. They were also the best team in the league at forcing turnovers and blocking shots.
