The 5 best undefeated starts in NBA history
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The Cleveland Cavaliers are the only undefeated team in the league with a 12-0 record, their best start since LeBron James joined the Lakers in 2019. Behind smothering defense from Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley, hot shooting from Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, superb coaching from Kenny Atkinson, plus consistent bench production, they have looked like the team to beat this season. Where does this Cavaliers team rank among the teams, like the Warriors and Bulls, with the best undefeated starts in NBA history?
5. 1996-1997 Chicago Bulls (12-0)
Michael Jordan’s second three-peat began with an incredible 72-10 finish in MJ’s first full season back from baseball, winning the NBA title over the Seattle Supersonics as heavy favorites.
Entering the 1996-97 season, the Bulls showed no signs of slowing down, carrying all the momentum from their first title after two seasons into a 12-0 start. They would finish 69-13 and win their second of three NBA championships.
Moreover, the Bulls’ undefeated start should bode well for the Cavaliers, as five of the last seven teams in NBA history to open the season 12-0 have reached the NBA Finals.
4. 2024-2025 Cleveland Cavaliers (12-0)
Of course, compared to the 1997 Bulls, this year’s Cavaliers can still push their winning streak beyond 12 games, if their strong two-way play continues. Likewise, the Cavaliers’ 12-0 record is the best start for an NBA team since the Golden State Warriors’ record-breaking 73-9 season.
However, one can argue that the Cavs have faced either rebuilding teams, injury-riddled teams, or simply bad teams. They did pass their biggest test so far, blowing out the (8-2) Warriors 136-117.
Fans should form a clearer idea of who this team really is when they face the defending champion Boston Celtics for the first time since the Celts beat them 4-1 in the second round of last year’s playoffs. Both teams still field the same roster as last season, too.
3. 2002-2003 Dallas Mavericks (14-0)
Dirk Nowitzki’s emergence as a bonafide NBA superstar didn’t come without growing pains. For instance, he and Steve Nash turned the Dallas Mavericks into one of the best regular season teams of the 2000s, winning 60+ games consistently.
However, they always fell short in the playoffs, and the 2003 squad was no different, losing in the Western Conference Finals to the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs.
The Mavs did lose Dirk Nowitzki to a knee injury in Game 3 against the Spurs, but it was a disappointing finish nonetheless to Dirk’s breakout season.
2. 1993-1994 Houston Rockets (15-0)
After His Airness retired for the first time in 1993, the NBA was wide open again, and the Houston Rockets took advantage, winning back-to-back titles in 1994 and 1995.
Behind Hakeem Olajuwon’s monstrous MVP season–where he averaged 27.3 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks in 80 games–the Rockets surged to a 15-0 start, ultimately finishing 58-24.
While trailing the New York Knicks 3-2 in the Finals, the Dream also made a series-defining defensive play in Game 6: blocking John Starks’ attempt at a title-clinching three. Hakeem’s defense forced a Game 7 at home, where he won his first NBA title and the battle of the centers over Patrick Ewing.
1. 2015-2016 Golden State Warriors (24-0)
It was only fitting that the greatest regular season team in NBA history also played a role in the greatest NBA Finals series in the last two decades.
Fresh after winning their first NBA title since 1975, the Golden State Warriors carried their momentum to the next season, where they set NBA records for the best start (24-0) and the all-time best season record (73-9).
However, this same Warriors team fell to LeBron James and the Cavaliers in one of the greatest comebacks in NBA Finals history.
Trailing 1-3, the Cavs won the last three games thanks to Bron and Kyrie Irving’s superhuman efforts, clinching the NBA title in a low-scoring Game 7 with another iconic defensive play: LeBron’s chasedown block on Andre Iguodala’s layup to keep the score tied with only 90 seconds left in the fourth.
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