10 longest winning streaks in NBA history

It was a Jerry West-led Los Angeles Lakers squad, supported by Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, and Pat Riley, that holds the NBA record for longest winning streak in a regular season. The Purple and Gold team won 33-straight games, starting off with a victory over the Baltimore Bullets.

Their streak ended in January at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks in a 120-104 loss . The Bucks were led by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson. Nonetheless, the Lakers team still ended the season with a championship banner in the rafters. They won the title after beating the Bucks in six games in the Western Conference Finals.

2. 2012-2013 Miami Heat – 27

One of the brightest moments for the Miami Heat’s Big Three era was mounting a 27-game winning streak during the 2012-2013 regular season. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh were the main catalysts of the Heat team, kicking off the historic win streak with a dominant 100-85 victory over the Toronto Raptors.

But just over a month later, the streak was snapped by Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls with a 101-97 loss. However, the Heat would gain revenge over the Bulls in the playoffs while also completing their back-to-back title campaign.

3. 2015-2016 Golden State Warriors – 24

It wasn’t long ago when the Warriors dominated the NBA, posting a 73-9 win-loss card to surpass Michael Jordan and the Bulls’ previous record of 72-10. In the process of posting a historic record, the Warriors also collected 24-straight wins, which is the third best in the NBA.

Unfortunately, the Warriors didn’t win a championship that year. They allowed LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers to historically climb out of a 3-1 NBA Finals series deficit.

4. 2007-2008 Houston Rockets – 22

Back in the 2007-2008 season, the Houston Rockets were led by Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady. They also had a decent supporting cast of Aaron Brooks, Shane Battier, Dikembe Mutombo, Gerald Green, and Luis Scola.

The squad would mount a 22-game winning streak to post a solid 55-27 record. Their streak would only be snapped by the eventual champions, the Boston Celtics, who paraded their big three of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen.

5. 1970-1971 Milwaukee Bucks – 20

The Milwaukee Bucks were dominant during the 1970-1971 season. Led by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson, the Bucks ruled the league with a 66-16 record thanks in large part to a 20-game winning streak. Abdul-Jabbar won the MVP and led the Bucks to an NBA championship that year.

6. 2013-2014 San Antonio Spurs – 19

Fresh from a disappointing 2013 NBA Finals run, the San Antonio Spurs were out for vengeance. They went on to post a solid 62-20 win-loss record. In the midst of the season, they even won 19-straight games, starting off with a 120-110 beatdown of the Detroit Pistons before witnessing their streak snapped at the hands of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

However, the Spurs exacted revenge against the  Heat in their Finals rematch to claim another championship for the decorated franchise.

7. 2014-2015 Atlanta Hawks – 19

The Atlanta Hawks were a surprise team in the 2014-2015 season. The team flaunted a roster filled with All-Stars that year coupled with the elite coaching of Mike Budenholzer.

The Hawks were even the top seed in the East thanks in large part to their 19-straight wins. Unfortunately, it was a different story in the playoffs when LeBron James and the Cavaliers ended their Cinderella run with a sweep in the Eastern Conference Finals.

8. 2008-2009 Boston Celtics – 19

Coming off banner No. 17 in 2007-2008, the Celtics ran it back with their Big Three. Initially, the Celtics showed no signs of championship hangover. They even won 19-straight games during the 2008-2009 season. They went on to post a 62-20 record.

However, their streak ended in a Finals rematch in an NBA Christmas Day Game. Kobe Bryant and the Lakers defeated the Celtics, 92-83.

9. 1999-2000 Los Angeles Lakers – 19

The Lakers kicked off their three-peat with a dominant 1999-2000 season. Thanks in large part to the dynamic duo of Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, not only did the Lakers post a 67-15 record that year, but the Purple and Gold also enjoyed a dominant 19-game winning streak. As history unfolded, the Lakers completed their first of three-straight championships that season.

10. 2021-2022 Phoenix Suns – 18 (tied with 4 others, most recent)

Despite playing in the wild Western Conference, the Phoenix Suns transformed into a contender thanks to the rise of Devin Booker and DeAndre Ayton, coupled with Chris Paul’s elite playmaking and Monty Williams’ coaching.

The Suns looked like they were ending their championship drought this time around after a 2021 NBA Finals run. The Suns went on an 18-game winning streak against the rest of the NBA for a solid 64-18 record to take the pole position in the West. Unfortunately, Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks spoiled the party in the playoffs in a Game 7 blowout.