5 teams with the worst NBA Playoffs record in history
Every NBA team plays 82 regular-season games to try and get to the postseason. But not all teams that reach the NBA playoffs put together an impressive display. Qualifying for the playoffs is considered a win for many. While some are content with an NBA playoff appearance, others look to make deep runs.
The eighth seeds from both conferences are often looked down on. However, there have been a few notable upsets in the NBA playoffs over the years. Although No. 8 seeds have gone as far as the NBA Finals in the past, none have gone on to clinch the title.
Several factors are responsible for a team running out of steam in the playoffs, which is not necessarily exclusive to lower-seeded teams. Nevertheless, some teams were just poor, showing their incompetency to compete at the highest level and produce the goods under enormous pressure.
On that note, here's a look at five teams with the worst NBA playoffs record in history.
#5 Detroit Pistons (1962-63)
The Detroit Pistons had an incredibly slow start to their 1962-63 NBA campaign. They lost their first seven games, and went on several other losing streaks despite occasionally grabbing a few wins.
Although it was an all-around inconsistent performance from the Pistons, they successfully clinched the No. 3 spot among five teams in the West, making the NBA playoffs with a 34-66 run. At the time, only three teams from each conference made the NBA playoffs.
Led by Bailey Howell, the Pistons lost their first two playoff games to the St. Louis Hawks by a combined 33-point margin. The Pistons had a bright start in Game 3, and successfully closed out the game despite a poor outing in the second half. They managed to pull one back, but eventually lost the series in Game 4.
#4 San Antonio Spurs (1987-88)
The San Antonio Spurs were the second-worst team in the West the previous season. So with good fortune in the 1987 NBA draft lottery, they secured the No. 1 pick. David Robinson, but he was unavailable till he ended his service with the US Navy.
Fortunately, they made the NBA playoffs despite finishing 13 games behind the seventh seed. However, the top-seeded LA Lakers made quick work of the Spurs in the first round. Their loss was the only sweep in the entire 1988 NBA playoffs.