Since the NBA started play in 1950, 11 of 14 teams with an 80 percent winning percentage won the NBA title. This season should mark the first time multiple teams enter the playoffs with that mark, arguably making this the toughest NBA title in history.
Obviously, most expect Golden State, on pace to top the 1996 Chicago Bulls for the best record in history, to win the title behind Stephen Curry and company. Any team that upsets them would have pulled off one of the great series upsets in NBA history.
Before you crown them, consider that the San Antonio Spurs boast the 6th best record in the history of the NBA right now, and they are one of only three teams to win the title when another team (Dallas 2007) had an 80% winning percentage. In fact, the Spurs also did not have the best record in the league when they won the title in 2005, and when they came within one Ray Allen freak three-pointer of beating the Heat. No team in history seems better positioned to stun the Warriors than the Spurs.
While LeBron James’ Cleveland Cavaliers will not finish with an 80% winning percentage, they have won 80 percent since Tyronn Lue took over as coach. In fact, with a few games under his belt, the Cavs have gone 10-2 and won their last five by at least nine points each. That includes Sunday’s blowout on the road against the fourth best team in the league, the Oklahoma City Thunder. In short, the Cavs look like they are really an 80% winning team under their new leadership.
In essence, this NBA playoffs could start with three teams good enough to win 80 percent of their games after only having 14 such teams in the league’s first 66 years.
Someone has to lose, but this could be the highest level championship in the history of the league.
| Season | NBA Team Winning 4 of 5 | Record | Win% |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Philadelphia 76ers | 68-13 | 0.840 |
| 1971 | Milwaukee Bucks | 66-16 | 0.805 |
| 1972 | Los Angeles Lakers | 69-13 | 0.842 |
| 1973 | Boston Celtics (no title) | 68-14 | 0.829 |
| 1986 | Boston Celtics | 67-15 | 0.817 |
| 1992 | Chicago Bulls | 67-15 | 0.817 |
| 1996 | Chicago Bulls | 72-10 | 0.878 |
| 1997 | Chicago Bulls | 69-13 | 0.842 |
| 2000 | Los Angeles Lakers | 67-15 | 0.817 |
| 2007 | Dallas Mavericks (no title) | 67-15 | 0.817 |
| 2008 | Boston Celtics | 66-16 | 0.805 |
| 2009 | Cleveland Cavaliers (no title) | 66-16 | 0.805 |
| 2013 | Miami Heat | 66-16 | 0.805 |
| 2015 | Golden State Warriors | 67-15 | 0.817 |
| 2016 | Golden State Warriors | 49-5 | 0.907 |
| 2016 | San Antonio Spurs | 46-9 | 0.836 |
| 2016 | Cleveland Cavaliers (w Tyronn Lue) | 10-2 | 0.833 |
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