From furious finishes to thrilling comebacks, the NBA Playoffs have delivered countless classic games. While there have been a number of unforgettable classics, there have also been some lopsided duds that the losing team hopes everyone would forget immediately.
The best of the best advance to the playoffs, but in a make-or-miss league like the NBA, sometimes it's just not your night — even if you're a defending champ. Pair an off night with a red-hot performance from your opponent, and you have the formula for a game that gets out of hand pretty quickly.
Throughout the history of the NBA Playoffs, there have been 26 games decided by 40 or more points — 10 in the first round, nine in the semifinals, six in the conference finals, and one in the NBA Finals.
What are the largest wins in NBA Playoffs history? From a 58-point shellacking in 2009 to an unlikely 42-point blowout in the NBA Finals, here's a list of the most lopsided losses in the NBA's postseason.
MORE: Dates, times, TV channels for every 2023 NBA Playoffs game
Biggest blowouts in NBA Playoffs history
The largest margin of victory in NBA Playoffs history is 58, which was done twice. Most recently, the Denver Nuggets earned a 121-63 win over the New Orleans Hornets in Game 4 of the first round of the 2009 NBA Playoffs.
The Timberwolves took care of the Nuggets by 45 in Game 6 of the 2024 Western Conference semifinals, staving off elimination in the process. It marked the eighth-biggest blowout in NBA postseason history, and the biggest since the Clippers beat the Mavs 154-111 in the first round of the 2020 Western Conference playoffs.
Rank | Year | Series | Game | Point Margin |
1. | 2009 | West First Round | Nuggets 121, Hornets 63 | 58 |
1956 | West Semifinals | Lakers 133, Hawks 75 | 58 | |
3. | 1973 | West Finals | Lakers 126, Warriors 70 | 56 |
4. | 2015 | East First Round | Bulls 120, Bucks 66 | 54 |
5. | 1971 | West Semifinals | Bucks 136, Warriors 86 | 50 |
6. | 1995 | East First Round | Magic 124, Celtics 77 | 47 |
1986 | West First Round | Lakers 135, Spurs 88 | 47 | |
8. | 2024 | West Second Round | Timberwolves 115, Nuggets 70 | 45 |
9. | 2017 | East Finals | Cavaliers 130, Celtics 86 | 44 |
1997 | West First Round | SuperSonics 122, Suns 78 | 44 | |
1985 | West Finals | Lakers 153, Nuggets 109 | 44 | |
1958 | West Finals | Hawks 145, Pistons 101 | 44 | |
13. | 2020 | West First Round | Clippers 154, Mavericks 111 | 43 |
2010 | East Semifinals | Magic 114, Hawks 71 | 43 | |
1987 | East First Round | Pistons 128, Bullets 85 | 43 | |
1984 | West Semifinals | Lakers 134, Mavericks 91 | 43 | |
17. | 1998 | NBA Finals | Bulls 96, Jazz 54 | 42 |
18. | 2018 | West Finals | Warriors 126, Rockets 85 | 41 |
1991 | East First Round | Bulls 126, Knicks 85 | 41 | |
20. | 2014 | West First Round | Clippers 138, Warriors 98 | 40 |
2009 | West Semifinals | Lakers 118, Rockets 78 | 40 | |
2005 | West First Round | Mavericks 116, Rockets 76 | 40 | |
1983 | West Semifinals | Spurs 145, Nuggets 105 | 40 | |
1982 | East Finals | Celtics 121, 76ers 81 | 40 | |
1978 | East Semifinals | 76ers 130, Knicks 90 | 40 | |
1969 | West Semifinals | Lakers 118, Warriors 78 | 40 |