1. Los Angeles Lakers – 33 Games
It's difficult to beat a team with six players who consistently score double digits per game, as exemplified by the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers who managed an impressive 33-game winning streak.
Led by basketball legends Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West, the team remained unbeaten from November 5 to January 7 and finished the season with a remarkable record of 69-13, boasting a winning margin of 16 points during their streak. The Lakers' offensive prowess was primarily driven by Gail Goodrich and Jerry West, who each averaged 25.9 and 25.8 points per game, respectively.
2. Golden State Warriors – 28 Games
The Golden State Warriors, who were the 2015 NBA champions, started the next season with an exceptional 24 consecutive wins, setting a new record. Led by Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, they aimed to establish themselves as the new dominant team in the league, winning games by an average margin of 13.9 points. The streak actually began in the previous season, as the Warriors finished with four consecutive wins against Portland, Minnesota, Memphis, and Denver. They extended their streak to 28 games, but it came to an end when the Milwaukee Bucks defeated them 108-95 on the road.
3. Miami Heat – 27 Games
In the 2012-13 NBA season, the Miami Heat established the second-longest streak in regular-season history. After falling short of the championship in their first season together in 2011-12, the trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh aimed to bounce back and demonstrate their dominance. With LeBron James averaging 27.1 points per game and Dwyane Wade contributing 22.1 points per game, the team went on a remarkable run of 27 consecutive victories, cementing their status as a top team in the league.
4. Houston Rockets – 22 Games
In the 2007-08 NBA season, the combination of Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady proved to be dominant for the Houston Rockets as they secured 22 consecutive victories in the regular season. This winning streak began with a triumph over Golden State on January 29 and ended when the Los Angeles Lakers defeated them on March 16. Throughout the streak, the Rockets displayed an impressive 12-point winning margin on average, which helped them secure the fifth spot in the Western Conference standings. This feat also marked the longest winning streak in franchise history for Houston. However, despite their regular season success, they were unable to advance past the first round of the playoffs, losing in six games to the Utah Jazz.
5. Milwaukee Bucks – 20 Games
The debut season of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson as teammates in Milwaukee during the 1970-71 NBA season was a dominating one, leading the Bucks to a league-best record of 66 wins and 16 losses. Their impressive run included a 20-game winning streak with an average winning margin of 18.3 points against their opponents. The other three starters on the team, Bob Dandridge, Jon McGlockin, and Greg Smith, also made significant offensive contributions, resulting in the Bucks' continued dominance in the playoffs. The team only lost two games throughout the postseason.
6. Washington Capitols – 20 Games
The Washington Capitols hold the record for the longest NBA regular season winning streak, having won 20 consecutive games that spanned two seasons. The streak began with a five-game winning streak at the end of the 1947-48 season and continued into the 1948-49 season, during which they won 15 straight games. Bob Feerick and Bones McKinney were instrumental in leading the team to victory, and their success during the streak helped them establish a strong position in the league. However, their streak was ultimately ended by the St. Louis Bombers on December 7, 1948, in a narrow 88-83 loss.
7. Atlanta Hawks – 19 Games
The Atlanta Hawks had an impressive 19-game winning streak during the 2014-15 season that lasted for over a month. The team was led by the trio of Paul Millsap, Jeff Teague, and Al Horford, who played a key role in their success. Millsap was the team's leading scorer with an average of 16.7 points, while Teague was responsible for orchestrating the offense with his 7.0 assists per game. However, the streak was halted by the New Orleans Pelicans on February 2, 2015. Despite the loss, the Hawks finished the season with the best record in the Eastern Conference, boasting a 60-22 record that secured them the top seed heading into the playoffs. Unfortunately, they fell short of their championship aspirations and were swept by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
8. Boston Celtics – 19 Games
After winning the NBA championship in 2008, the Boston Celtics aimed to establish a new dominant era in the league behind the trio of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen. They started the 2008-09 season strong with eight wins in their first ten games and continued their success by going on a remarkable 19-game winning streak. However, their arch-rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, ended their streak in a Christmas Day rematch, where the Celtics suffered a 92-83 loss at the Staples Center, courtesy of Kobe Bryant and his teammates. In the playoffs, the Orlando Magic ended the Celtics' hopes of repeating as champions by eliminating them in the second round.
9. Los Angeles Lakers – 19 Games
In the 1999-2000 NBA season, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant formed a dominant duo that led the Los Angeles Lakers to multiple winning streaks of ten or more games. Their most impressive streak was a run of 19 consecutive victories, which lasted from February 4, 2000, to March 13, 2000. The Lakers' record-breaking streak was halted by the Washington Wizards, who defeated them 109-102 on March 16, 2000. Despite this loss, the Lakers finished the season with the best record in the league, going 67-15 overall. They went on to capture the NBA championship that season by defeating the Indiana Pacers in a six-game series.
10. San Antonio Spurs – 19 Games
Gregg Popovich has led the San Antonio Spurs to consistent success, making them one of the most dominant teams in the NBA. This was demonstrated by their franchise-best winning streak of 19 games during the 2013-14 season. Featuring core players such as Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Kawhi Leonard, the Spurs went on an impressive run from February 26, 2014, to April 2, 2014, blowing out opponents with an average winning margin of 21.9 points per game. Parker led the offensive charge, averaging 16.7 points and 5.7 assists per game during the regular season. In addition to Parker, five other players had double-digit scoring averages: Tim Duncan, Kawhi Leonard, Manu Ginobili, Marco Belinelli, and Patty Mills. The Spurs finished the regular season with a league-best record of 62 wins and 20 losses, and went on to capture their fifth NBA title by defeating the Miami Heat 4-2 in the NBA Finals.
