Has Any NBA Team Ever Went 16-0 in the Playoffs?

The NBA playoffs are a grueling test of a team’s mettle, and only the strongest survive. So, has any team ever gone 16-0 in the playoffs?

The 1972-73 New York Knicks

The 1972-73 New York Knicks, who went a record 16-0 in the playoffs, are the only team in NBA history to win every game in the postseason. Led by future Hall of Famers Willis Reed and Walt Frazier, the Knicks won the NBA championship that year, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals.

The Regular Season

The 1972-73 season was the 27th season of the New York Knicks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Knicks went 52–30 during the regular season and finished first in the Eastern Conference. They were led by head coach Red Holzman and All-Star center Willis Reed.

The Playoffs

In the 1972-73 season, the New York Knicks went 16-0 in the playoffs en route to their second NBA championship. This is still the only time an NBA team has gone undefeated in the playoffs. The Knicks went 60-22 in the regular season, then won all three of their playoff series by an average of 12 points per game. In the Finals, they defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in five games.

The 1986-87 Los Angeles Lakers

In the 1986-87 season, the Los Angeles Lakers went 16-0 in the playoffs, becoming the first and only team in NBA history to do so. They went on to win the NBA Finals that year, beating the Boston Celtics in six games. The Lakers were led by star players Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

The Regular Season

The 1986-87 Los Angeles Lakers entered the season as defending champions, having won their 16th NBA Championship the previous season. The team managed to improve on their regular season record from the previous year, winning 65 games. Their main competitors in the Western Conference were the Dallas Mavericks, who they faced in the first round of the playoffs. The Lakers won all three of their games against the Mavericks to advance to the second round.

The Playoffs

In the 1986-87 season, the Los Angeles Lakers went a perfect 16-0 in the playoffs, becoming the first and only team in NBA history to do so.

The team, which was led by eventual Finals MVP Magic Johnson and All-Star center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, steamrolled its way through the Western Conference, winning all but two of its playoff games by double digits. In the Finals, the Lakers dispatched the defending champion Boston Celtics in six games to claim their tenth championship in franchise history.

While several other teams have come close to matching the Lakers’ feat since then – including the 2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers, who went 15-1 in the playoffs – no team has been able to match their level of perfection.

The 2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers

The Regular Season

The Lakers finished the regular season with a record of 56–26, which was good for second place in the Western Conference behind the San Antonio Spurs. They entered the playoffs as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference.

The Playoffs

The 2000–01 Los Angeles Lakers season was the 55th season of the franchise, 49th in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and 35th in Los Angeles. The team entered the season as defending NBA champions, having defeated the Indiana Pacers in the 2000 NBA Finals. They began the season by winning their first 15 games, eventually winning 27 of their first 28 games. They also won 19 consecutive games from March 12 to April 10, tying an NBA record set by themselves in 1971–72 and matched by the Milwaukee Bucks in 1970–71. The Lakers then went on to sweep their first three playoff opponents en route to their second consecutive Finals appearance. In the 2001 NBA Finals, they defeated Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers 4-1 to win their second consecutive title and 16th overall, which tied them with Boston for second place on the all-time list behind only Philadelphia’s 9 championships at that time.

The 2016-17 Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors made history in the 2016-17 NBA playoffs. They became the first team in NBA history to go 16-0 in the playoffs. They did it by defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Finals. It was an amazing achievement.

The Regular Season

The Warriors entered the 2016-17 season as defending NBA champions. They finished the regular season with a 67–15 record, clinching the top seed in the Western Conference for a third consecutive season. Stephen Curry was named unanimous NBA Most Valuable Player for a second straight year, becoming the first player in NBA history to receive the award unanimously in consecutive seasons. Kevin Durant was named to his 10th All-Star Game, and was named All-Star Game MVP for a second time. Eleven Warriors players were named to the All-NBA Team, an NBA record. Draymond Green led the league in triple-doubles, and became the first player since Magic Johnson in 1981–82 to average at least 10 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists and 1 steal per game in a season.

The Playoffs

The Warriors entered the playoffs as the defending champions and number one seed in the Western Conference. They defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz, and San Antonio Spurs all in five games to reach the NBA Finals for a third consecutive year. They became the first team in NBA history to start 12-0 in the playoffs. In the Finals, they defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-1 to win their second NBA Championship in three years.