Wikipedia

List of NBA franchise postseason droughts

(Redirected from Active NBA non-playoff appearance streaks)

This is a list of National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise post-season appearance droughts. This list includes the all-time and the active consecutive non-playoffs. Aside from the NBA playoff appearance droughts, this list also includes droughts of series wins, appearances in the NBA Finals and NBA championship wins. The oldest franchise to never win the championship is the Suns (54 seasons), while the Royals/Kings and the Hawks have even longer championship droughts (71 and 64 seasons, respectively). Five franchises have never been to the NBA Finals, tied with the National Hockey League for the highest number among the major North American sports.[1] The oldest such team is the Braves/Clippers franchise (52 seasons); the Kings and the Hawks have appearance droughts that are even longer (71 and 61 seasons, respectively). The longest a franchise has gone without appearing in the playoffs at all is 16 seasons: the Kings franchise from 2006 to 2023.

Of the 20 franchises that have won an NBA championship, 6 have droughts of 41 seasons or more, which is to say that the past 40 championships have been shared among only 15 franchises: the Lakers (8), Bulls (6), Spurs (5), Warriors (4), Pistons (3), Celtics (3), Heat (3), Rockets (2), Mavericks (1), Cavaliers (1), Raptors (1), Bucks (1), Nuggets (1), Thunder (1), and Knicks (1). By contrast, the other three major North American sports have each had at least 18 franchises become champions over the same period of time.[2][3]

Active droughts

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NBA Playoffs appearance droughts

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Appearance droughts updated through May 30, 2026.
Playoff picture at NBA.com.[4]
Play-in games do not count as a playoff game or series.
^Longest drought in team history
†Tied for longest drought in team history
Seasons Team Last appearance
in NBA playoffs		 Reference
10 Charlotte Hornets ^ 2016 First Round [5]
5 Washington Wizards 2021 First Round [6]
4 Chicago Bulls 2022 First Round [7]
4 Utah Jazz 2022 First Round [8]
3 Brooklyn Nets 2023 First Round [9]
3 Sacramento Kings 2023 First Round [10]
2 New Orleans Pelicans 2024 First Round [11]
2 Dallas Mavericks 2024 NBA Finals [12]
1 Milwaukee Bucks 2025 First Round [13]
1 Miami Heat 2025 First Round [14]
1 Los Angeles Clippers 2025 First Round [15]
1 Golden State Warriors 2025 Conference Semifinals [16]
1 Memphis Grizzlies 2025 First Round [17]
1 Indiana Pacers 2025 NBA Finals [18]
2026 Playoff teams
0 Boston Celtics 2026 First Round [19]
0 Toronto Raptors 2026 First Round [20]
0 Atlanta Hawks 2026 First Round [21]
0 Orlando Magic 2026 First Round [22]
0 Denver Nuggets 2026 First Round [23]
0 Houston Rockets 2026 First Round [24]
0 Portland Trail Blazers 2026 First Round [25]
0 Phoenix Suns 2026 First Round [26]
0 Minnesota Timberwolves 2026 Conference Semifinals [27]
0 Los Angeles Lakers 2026 Conference Semifinals [28]
0 Philadelphia 76ers 2026 Conference Semifinals [29]
0 Detroit Pistons 2026 Conference Semifinals [30]
0 Oklahoma City Thunder 2026 Conference Finals [31]
0 Cleveland Cavaliers 2026 Conference Finals [32]
0 New York Knicks 2026 NBA Finals [33]
0 San Antonio Spurs 2026 NBA Finals [34]

NBA Playoffs series win droughts

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Droughts updated through May 30, 2026.
Playoff picture at NBA.com[4]
^ Longest drought in team history
♦ Most consecutive series losses in team history
Current Playoff series loss streak
Seasons
since win		 Team Last series win
in NBA Playoffs		 Losing
streak		 Series losses – teams Ref
22[a] Charlotte Hornets ^ 2002 Eastern First Round 4 ♦ 2002 New Jersey
2010 Orlando
2014 Miami
2016 Miami		 [5]
22 Sacramento Kings ^ 2004 Western First Round 4 2004 Minnesota
2005 Seattle
2006 San Antonio
2023 Golden State		 [10]
16 Orlando Magic ^ 2010 Eastern Semifinals 8 ♦ 2010 Boston
2011 Atlanta
2012 Indiana
2019 Toronto
2020 Milwaukee
2024 Cleveland
2025 Boston
2026 Detroit		 [22]
11 Chicago Bulls ^ 2015 Eastern First Round 3 2015 Cleveland
2017 Boston
2022 Milwaukee		 [7]
9 Washington Wizards 2017 Eastern First Round 3 2017 Boston
2018 Toronto
2021 Philadelphia		 [6]
8 New Orleans Pelicans 2018 Western First Round 3 2018 Golden State
2022 Phoenix
2024 Oklahoma City		 [11]
7 Portland Trail Blazers 2019 Western Semifinals 4 2019 Golden State
2020 L. A. Lakers
2021 Denver
2026 San Antonio		 [25]
6 Toronto Raptors 2020 Eastern First Round 3 2020 Boston
2022 Philadelphia
2026 Cleveland		 [20]
6 Houston Rockets 2020 Western First Round 3 2020 L. A. Lakers
2025 Golden State
2026 L. A. Lakers		 [24]
5 Utah Jazz 2021 Western First Round 2 2021 L. A. Clippers
2022 Dallas		 [8]
5 Brooklyn Nets 2021 Eastern First Round 3 2021 Milwaukee
2022 Boston
2023 Philadelphia		 [9]
5 Los Angeles Clippers 2021 Western Semifinals 4 2021 Phoenix
2023 Phoenix
2024 Dallas
2025 Denver		 [15]
5 Atlanta Hawks 2021 Eastern Semifinals 4 2021 Milwaukee
2022 Miami
2023 Boston
2026 New York		 [21]
4 Milwaukee Bucks 2022 Eastern First Round 4 2022 Boston
2023 Miami
2024 Indiana
2025 Indiana		 [13]
4 Memphis Grizzlies 2022 Western First Round 3 2022 Golden State
2023 L. A. Lakers
2025 Oklahoma City		 [17]
3 Phoenix Suns 2023 Western First Round 3 2023 Denver
2024 Minnesota
2026 Oklahoma City		 [26]
3 Miami Heat 2023 Eastern Conference Finals 3 2023 Denver
2024 Boston
2025 Cleveland		 [14]
2 Dallas Mavericks 2024 Western Conference Finals 1 2024 Boston [12]
1 Golden State Warriors 2025 Western First Round 1 2025 Minnesota [16]
1 Boston Celtics 2025 Eastern First Round 2 2025 New York
2026 Philadelphia		 [19]
1 Denver Nuggets 2025 Western First Round 2 2025 Oklahoma City
2026 Minnesota		 [23]
1 Indiana Pacers 2025 Eastern Conference Finals 1 2025 Oklahoma City [18]
2026 Playoff Series Winners
0 Minnesota Timberwolves 2026 Western First Round 0 2026 San Antonio [27]
0 Los Angeles Lakers 2026 Western First Round 0 2026 Oklahoma City [28]
0 Philadelphia 76ers 2026 Eastern First Round 0 2026 New York [29]
0 Detroit Pistons 2026 Eastern First Round 0 2026 Cleveland [30]
0 Cleveland Cavaliers 2026 Eastern Semifinals 0 2026 New York [32]
0 Oklahoma City Thunder 2026 Western Semifinals 0 2026 San Antonio [31]
0 New York Knicks 2026 Eastern Conference Finals 0 3-series win streak [33]
0 San Antonio Spurs 2026 Western Conference Finals 0 3-series win streak [34]

a Includes 10 seasons as the Charlotte Bobcats. Charlotte was also inactive for two years following the 2001–02 season.

NBA Conference Finals appearance droughts

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^Longest drought in team history
Seasons Team Last appearance
in Conference Finals		 Result Reference
47 Washington Wizards ^[c] 1979 Won vs. San Antonio [6]
38 Charlotte Hornets ^ Never (enfranchised 1988) [5]
25 Philadelphia 76ers ^ 2001 Won vs. Milwaukee [29]
24 Sacramento Kings 2002 Lost vs. L.A. Lakers [10]
24 New Orleans Pelicans ^ Never (enfranchised 2002) [11]
23 Brooklyn Nets [d] 2003 Won vs. Detroit [9]
19 Utah Jazz 2007 Lost vs. San Antonio [8]
18 Detroit Pistons 2008 Lost vs. Boston [30]
16 Orlando Magic 2010 Lost vs. Boston [22]
15 Chicago Bulls 2011 Lost vs. Miami [7]
13 Memphis Grizzlies 2013 Lost vs. San Antonio [17]
8 Houston Rockets 2018 Lost vs. Golden State [24]
7 Toronto Raptors 2019 Won vs. Milwaukee [20]
7 Portland Trail Blazers 2019 Lost vs. Golden State [25]
5 Phoenix Suns 2021 Won vs. L.A. Clippers [26]
5 Los Angeles Clippers 2021 Lost vs. Phoenix [15]
5 Milwaukee Bucks 2021 Won vs. Atlanta [13]
5 Atlanta Hawks 2021 Lost vs. Milwaukee [21]
4 Golden State Warriors 2022 Won vs. Dallas [16]
3 Denver Nuggets 2023 Won vs. L.A. Lakers [23]
3 Los Angeles Lakers 2023 Lost vs. Denver [28]
3 Miami Heat 2023 Won vs. Boston [14]
2 Boston Celtics 2024 Won vs. Indiana [19]
2 Dallas Mavericks 2024 Won vs. Minnesota [12]
1 Indiana Pacers 2025 Won vs. New York [18]
1 Minnesota Timberwolves 2025 Lost vs. Oklahoma City [27]
2026 Conference Finalists
0 New York Knicks 2026 Won vs. Cleveland [33]
0 Oklahoma City Thunder 2026 Lost vs. San Antonio [31]
0 San Antonio Spurs 2026 Won vs. Oklahoma City [34]
0 Cleveland Cavaliers 2026 Lost vs. New York [32]

NBA Finals appearance droughts

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Seasons Team Last appearance
in NBA Finals		 Result Reference
75 Sacramento Kings 1951[a] Won vs. New York [10]
65 Atlanta Hawks 1961[b] Lost vs. Boston [21]
56 Los Angeles Clippers Never (enfranchised 1970) [15]
47 Washington Wizards[c] 1979 Lost vs. Seattle [6]
38 Charlotte Hornets Never (enfranchised 1988) [5]
37 Minnesota Timberwolves Never (enfranchised 1989) [27]
34 Portland Trail Blazers 1992 Lost vs. Chicago [25]
31 Houston Rockets 1995 Won vs. Orlando [24]
31 Memphis Grizzlies Never (enfranchised 1995) [17]
28 Utah Jazz 1998 Lost vs. Chicago [8]
28 Chicago Bulls 1998 Won vs. Utah [7]
25 Philadelphia 76ers 2001 Lost vs. L. A. Lakers [29]
24 New Orleans Pelicans Never (enfranchised 2002) [11]
23 Brooklyn Nets[d] 2003 Lost vs. San Antonio [9]
21 Detroit Pistons 2005 Lost vs. San Antonio [30]
17 Orlando Magic 2009 Lost vs. L. A. Lakers [22]
8 Cleveland Cavaliers 2018 Lost vs. Golden State [32]
7 Toronto Raptors 2019 Won vs. Golden State [20]
6 Los Angeles Lakers 2020 Won vs. Miami [28]
5 Milwaukee Bucks 2021 Won vs. Phoenix [13]
5 Phoenix Suns 2021 Lost vs. Milwaukee [26]
4 Golden State Warriors 2022 Won vs. Boston [16]
3 Denver Nuggets 2023 Won vs. Miami [23]
3 Miami Heat 2023 Lost vs. Denver [14]
2 Dallas Mavericks 2024 Lost vs. Boston [12]
2 Boston Celtics 2024 Won vs. Dallas [19]
1 Oklahoma City Thunder 2025 Won vs. Indiana [31]
1 Indiana Pacers 2025 Lost vs. Oklahoma City [18]
2026 Finalists
0 New York Knicks 2026 Won vs. San Antonio [33]
0 San Antonio Spurs 2026 Lost vs. New York [34]
  • a The Sacramento Kings last appeared in the 1951 NBA Finals as the Rochester Royals. Predates NBA-ABA merger.
  • b The Atlanta Hawks last appeared in the 1961 NBA Finals as the St. Louis Hawks. Predates NBA-ABA merger.
  • c The Washington Wizards last appeared in the 1979 Conference Finals and NBA Finals as the Washington Bullets.
  • d The Brooklyn Nets last appeared in the 2003 Conference Finals and NBA Finals as the New Jersey Nets.

NBA championship title droughts

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Seasons Team Last NBA championship Reference
Walter A. Brown Trophy [c]
75 Sacramento Kings 1951[a] [10]
68 Atlanta Hawks 1958[b] [21]
58 Phoenix Suns Never (enfranchised 1968) [26]
56 Los Angeles Clippers Never (enfranchised 1970) [15]
52 Utah Jazz Never (enfranchised 1974) [8]
50 Brooklyn Nets Never (joined NBA in 1976) [9]
50 Indiana Pacers Never (joined NBA in 1976) [18]
Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy
49 Portland Trail Blazers 1977 [25]
48 Washington Wizards[d] 1978 [6]
43 Philadelphia 76ers 1983 [29]
37 Orlando Magic Never (enfranchised 1989) [22]
37 Minnesota Timberwolves Never (enfranchised 1989) [27]
38 Charlotte Hornets Never (enfranchised 1988) [5]
31 Houston Rockets 1995 [24]
31 Memphis Grizzlies Never (enfranchised 1995) [17]
28 Chicago Bulls 1998 [7]
24 New Orleans Pelicans Never (enfranchised 2002) [11]
22 Detroit Pistons 2004 [30]
15 Dallas Mavericks 2011 [12]
13 Miami Heat 2013 [12]
12 San Antonio Spurs 2014 [34]
10 Cleveland Cavaliers 2016 [32]
7 Toronto Raptors 2019 [20]
6 Los Angeles Lakers 2020 [28]
5 Milwaukee Bucks 2021 [13]
4 Golden State Warriors 2022 [16]
3 Denver Nuggets 2023 [23]
2 Boston Celtics 2024 [19]
1 Oklahoma City Thunder 2025 [31]
0 New York Knicks 2026 [33]
  • a The Sacramento Kings last won an NBA championship in 1951 as the Rochester Royals.
  • b The Atlanta Hawks last won an NBA championship in 1958 as the St. Louis Hawks.
  • c Predates the NBA-ABA merger.
  • d The Washington Wizards last won an NBA championship in 1978 as the Washington Bullets.

All-time droughts

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NBA championship droughts

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Team Seasons Last title Drought Next title
Sacramento Kings[i] 74 1951 1951–present N/a
Atlanta Hawks[ii] 67 1958 1958–present N/a
Phoenix Suns 57 N/a 1968–present N/a
Los Angeles Clippers[iii] 55 N/a 1970–present N/a
New York Knicks 52 1973 1973–2025 2026
Utah Jazz[iv] 51 N/a 1974–present N/a
Brooklyn Nets[v] 49 N/a 1976–present N/a
Milwaukee Bucks 49 1971 1971–2020 2021
Indiana Pacers 48 N/a 1976–present N/a
Portland Trail Blazers 48 1977 1977–present N/a
Washington Wizards[vi] 47 1978 1978–present N/a
Denver Nuggets 46 N/a 1976–2022 2023
Cleveland Cavaliers 45 N/a 1970–2015 2016
Oklahoma City Thunder[vii] 45 1979 1979–2024 2025
Philadelphia 76ers 42 1983 1983–present N/a
Detroit Pistons[viii] 40 N/a 1948–1988 1989
Golden State Warriors 39 1975 1975–2014 2015
Charlotte Hornets[ix] 37[x] N/a 1988–present N/a
Minnesota Timberwolves 36 N/a 1989–present N/a
Orlando Magic 35 N/a 1989–present N/a
Memphis Grizzlies[xi] 30 N/a 1995–present N/a
Dallas Mavericks 30 N/a 1980–2010 2011
  1. ↑ Previously the Rochester Royals, Cincinnati Royals, Kansas City–Omaha Kings and Kansas City Kings.
  2. ↑ Previously the St. Louis Hawks.
  3. ↑ Previously the Buffalo Braves and San Diego Clippers.
  4. ↑ Previously the New Orleans Jazz.
  5. ↑ Previously the New York Nets and New Jersey Nets.
  6. ↑ Previously the Washington Bullets.
  7. ↑ Previously the Seattle SuperSonics.
  8. ↑ Previously the Fort Wayne Pistons.
  9. ↑ Previously the Charlotte Bobcats.
  10. ↑ Includes two seasons when the team was inactive from 2002 to 2004.
  11. ↑ Previously the Vancouver Grizzlies.

Closest approaches without winning

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Updated through the 2025 NBA Finals.


Last team to leave list – Denver Nuggets 2023
Team Conference Quarter-Final appearances Conference Semi-Final appearances Conference Final appearances NBA Final appearances Fewest wins short of NBA Championship
Indiana Pacers29121021 win short : 2025
Phoenix Suns33211032 wins short : 1976, 1993, 2021
Utah Jazz3117622 wins short : 1997, 1998
Brooklyn Nets248222 wins short : 2003
Orlando Magic185423 wins short : 2009
Los Angeles Clippers19916 wins short : 2021
Minnesota Timberwolves13336 wins short : 2004
Memphis Grizzlies14418 wins short : 2013
New Orleans Pelicans929 wins short : 2008
Charlotte Hornets1049 wins short : 2001

Longest post-season droughts in team history

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Updated through the 2025–26 season.

^ Denotes active drought
Team Longest streak with
no post-season appearances		 Seasons
Sacramento Kings2006–07 through 2021–2216
Los Angeles Clippers1976–77 through 1990–9115
Minnesota Timberwolves2004–05 through 2016–1713
Golden State Warriors1994–95 through 2005–0612
Dallas Mavericks1990–91 through 1999–200010
Phoenix Suns2010–11 through 2019–2010
Charlotte Hornets ^2016–17 through 2025–2610
Utah Jazz1974–75 through 1982–839
Washington Wizards1988–89 through 1995–968
Memphis Grizzlies1995–96 through 2002–038
Denver Nuggets1995–96 through 2002–038
Atlanta Hawks1999–2000 through 2006–078
New York Knicks1959–60 through 1965–66
2013–14 through 2019–20		7
Oklahoma City Thunder ^1967–68 through 1973–747
Milwaukee Bucks1991–92 through 1997–987
Philadelphia 76ers1991–92 through 1997–987
Cleveland Cavaliers1998–99 through 2004–057
Portland Trail Blazers1970–71 through 1975–766
Detroit Pistons1977–78 through 1982–83
2009–10 through 2014–15		6
Boston Celtics1995–96 through 2000–016
Chicago Bulls1998–99 through 2003–046
Orlando Magic2012–13 through 2017–186
Los Angeles Lakers2013–14 through 2018–196
San Antonio Spurs2019–20 through 2024–256
Houston Rockets1969–70 through 1973–745
Indiana Pacers1981–82 through 1985–865
Brooklyn Nets1986–87 through 1990–91
2007–08 through 2011–12		5
Toronto Raptors2008–09 through 2012–135
Miami Heat1988–89 through 1990–913
New Orleans Pelicans2004–05 through 2006–07
2011–12 through 2013–14
2018–19 through 2020–21		3

Longest post-season series win droughts in team history

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Updated through the 2025–26 season.

^ Denotes active drought
Team Longest streak with
no post-season series wins		 Seasons
Los Angeles Clippers1976–77 through 2004–0529
Washington Wizards1982–83 through 2003–0422
Charlotte Hornets ^2004–05 through 2025–2622
Sacramento Kings ^2004–05 through 2025–2622
Minnesota Timberwolves2004–05 through 2022–2319
Indiana Pacers1976–77 through 1992–9317
Brooklyn Nets1984–85 through 2000–0117
Milwaukee Bucks2001–02 through 2017–1817
Detroit Pistons2008–09 through 2024–2517
New York Knicks1953–54 through 1967–6815
Cleveland Cavaliers1976–77 through 1990–9115
Golden State Warriors1991–92 through 2005–0615
Memphis Grizzlies1995–96 through 2009–1015
Denver Nuggets1994–95 through 2007–0814
Toronto Raptors2001–02 through 2014–1514
Orlando Magic ^2010–11 through 2025–2615
Portland Trail Blazers2000–01 through 2012–1313
Dallas Mavericks1988–89 through 1999–200012
Houston Rockets1997–98 through 2007–0811
Phoenix Suns2010–11 through 2019–2010
Chicago Bulls ^2015–16 through 2025–2611
Utah Jazz1974–75 through 1982–839
Boston Celtics1992–93 through 2000–019
Atlanta Hawks1999–2000 through 2007–089
New Orleans Pelicans2008–09 through 2016–179
Philadelphia 76ers1968–69 through 1975–76
2003–04 through 2010–11		 8
Miami Heat1988–89 through 1995–968
San Antonio Spurs2017–18 through 2024–258
Oklahoma City Thunder1967–68 through 1973–74
2016–17 through 2022–23		 7
Los Angeles Lakers2012–13 through 2018–197

Longest NBA Playoffs appearance droughts

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Longest Conference finals droughts

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Appearance droughts updated through May 26, 2026. The current Conference Finals format was introduced in 1971.
^Denotes active drought
†Year the team joined the NBA
Seasons Team NBA Conference Finals
appearance droughts		 Reference
50 Los Angeles Clippers[a] 1971†–2020 [15]
47 Washington Wizards^[b] 1980–present [6]
44 Atlanta Hawks 1971–2014 [21]
38 Golden State Warriors 1977–2014 [16]
36 Charlotte Hornets^[c] 1989†–present [5]
25 New Jersey Nets[d] 1977†–2001 [9]
24 New York Knicks 2001–2024 [33]
25 Philadelphia 76ers^ 2002–present [29]
23 Denver Nuggets 1986–2008 [23]
24 Sacramento Kings 2003–present [10]
24 New Orleans Pelicans^ 2003†–present [11]
23 Brooklyn Nets^ 2004–present [9]
20 Toronto Raptors 1996†–2015 [20]
20 Sacramento Kings[e] 1982–2001 [10]
  • a Streak includes seasons as Buffalo Braves and San Diego Clippers.
  • b Team last qualified for the Conference Finals as Washington Bullets.
  • c Franchise inactive for two seasons between 2002 and 2004.
  • d Current Brooklyn Nets; includes one season as New York Nets.
  • e Includes four seasons as Kansas City Kings.

NBA Division Championship droughts

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Updated through the 2025–26 season.

^ Longest drought in team history
♦ 2025–26 Division Champion

Left click once on Seasons since win column heading then once on Division column heading
to show teams listed in order of division championships.

Franchise Most recent title Division Seasons since win
Charlotte Hornets ^ None (enfranchised 1988–89) Southeast 36
Minnesota Timberwolves ^ 2003–04 Northwest 22
Brooklyn Nets 2005–06 Atlantic 20
New Orleans Pelicans ^ 2007–08 Southwest 18
Chicago Bulls 2011–12 Central 14
New York Knicks 2012–13 Atlantic 13
Indiana Pacers 2013–14 Central 12
Washington Wizards 2016–17 Southeast 9
Portland Trail Blazers 2017–18 Northwest 8
Golden State Warriors 2018–19 Pacific 7
Toronto Raptors 2019–20 Atlantic 6
Philadelphia 76ers 2020–21 Atlantic 5
Phoenix Suns 2021–22 Pacific 4
Utah Jazz 2021–22 Northwest 4
Sacramento Kings 2022–23 Pacific 3
Memphis Grizzlies 2022–23 Southwest 3
Miami Heat 2022–23 Southeast 3
Denver Nuggets 2022–23 Northwest 3
Milwaukee Bucks 2023–24 Central 2
Dallas Mavericks 2023–24 Southwest 2
Los Angeles Clippers 2023–24 Pacific 2
Cleveland Cavaliers 2024–25 Central 1
Orlando Magic 2024–25 Southeast 1
Houston Rockets 2024–25 Southwest 1
Boston Celtics ♦ 2025–26 Atlantic 0
Detroit Pistons ♦ 2025–26 Central 0
Atlanta Hawks ♦ 2025–26 Southeast 0
Oklahoma City Thunder ♦ 2025–26 Northwest 0
Los Angeles Lakers ♦ 2025–26 Pacific 0
San Antonio Spurs ♦ 2025–26 Southwest 0

Finals droughts

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NBA Finals in which neither team had previously won a championship

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In these instances, the matchup ensured that one team would win the first NBA championship in its history.

* Both Teams in 1st NBA Finals appearance
SeasonWonLostNumber of years until
loser's drought ended
2006*Miami HeatDallas Mavericks5
1978Washington BulletsSeattle SuperSonics (OKC)1
1971*Milwaukee BucksBaltimore Bullets (WAS)7
1957*Boston CelticsSt. Louis Hawks (ATL)1
1955Syracuse Nationals (PHI)Fort Wayne Pistons (DET)^34
1951*Rochester Royals (SAC)^New York Knicks19
1949*Minneapolis Lakers (LAL)^Washington Capitols†folded 2 years later
1947*Philadelphia Warriors (GSW)Chicago Stags†folded 3 years later
  • ^- Team had previously appeared in the National Basketball League finals before said league was merged for the NBA's formation.
  • †- Defunct franchise.
  • Abbreviation in parentheses – Current location of NBA franchise.

NBA Finals in which neither franchise had won a championship in 20-plus seasons

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Teams that had never won the NBA championship are included, even if they were less than 20 seasons old at the time.

The 2025 NBA Finals featured the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder; the last championship won by either team was in 1979.

SeasonWonDrought (seasons)LostDrought (seasons)
2025Oklahoma City Thunder45Indiana Pacers48*
2021Milwaukee Bucks49Phoenix Suns52*
2015Golden State Warriors39Cleveland Cavaliers44*
2006Miami Heat17*Dallas Mavericks25*
1999San Antonio Spurs22*New York Knicks25
1994Houston Rockets26*New York Knicks20
1978Washington Bullets16*Seattle SuperSonics10*
1971Milwaukee Bucks2*Baltimore Bullets9*
1957Boston Celtics10*St. Louis Hawks7*
1955Syracuse Nationals5*Fort Wayne Pistons6*
1951Rochester Royals2*New York Knicks4*
1949*Minneapolis Lakers0*Washington Capitols†2*
1947Philadelphia Warriors0*Chicago Stags†0*

Numbers marked with * indicates that the number is counted from either the franchise's first year in the NBA or the first year of the league (1946, then known as the BAA).

  • †- Defunct franchise.

Teams awaiting their first NBA championship

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This list includes teams within the current NBA that have never won an NBA championship—sorted by the number of seasons played in the NBA.

Last team to leave list – Denver Nuggets 2023
Total seasons
(NBA)		 Franchise Last NBA Finals
appearance
58 seasons Phoenix Suns (1969–present) 2021
56 seasons Los Angeles Clippers§ (1971–present) —
52 seasons Utah Jazz§ (1975–present) 1998
50 seasons Indiana Pacers‡ (1977–present) 2025
50 seasons Brooklyn Nets§‡ (1977–present) 2003
37 seasons Minnesota Timberwolves (1990–present) —
37 seasons Orlando Magic (1990–present) 2009
36 seasons Charlotte Hornets† (1989–2002; 2005–present) —
31 seasons Memphis Grizzlies§ (1996–present) —
24 seasons New Orleans Pelicans† (2003–present) —
Notes
  • § NBA teams that have relocated from their original city(s).
  • † NBA teams that have re-branded to/from their original concept.
  • ‡ NBA teams that have won an ABA championship.

Cities awaiting first NBA championship

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Listed according to seasons waited. Current NBA cities/regions only.

Last city to leave list: Oklahoma City, 2025
City Seasons waited Conference Title(s) NBA Team(s)
Phoenix581976, 1993, 2021Phoenix Suns (1969–present)
Atlanta58NoneAtlanta Hawks (1969–present)
Indianapolis502000, 2025Indiana Pacers (1977–present)
Salt Lake City471997, 1998Utah Jazz (1980–present)
Sacramento41NoneSacramento Kings (1986–present)
Orlando371995, 2009Orlando Magic (1990–present)
Charlotte36NoneCharlotte Hornets (1989–2002; 2015–present)
Charlotte Bobcats (2005–2014)
New Orleans29NoneNew Orleans Jazz (1974–1979)
New Orleans Hornets (2003–2013)
New Orleans Pelicans (2014–present)
Memphis25NoneMemphis Grizzlies (2002–present)

NBA Championship droughts by division

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See also

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References

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Specific

  1. ↑ Newberry, Paul (May 10, 2015). "NBA: NFL has most parity, NBA is most exclusive club when it comes to winning titles". Associated Press. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
  2. ↑ Major League Baseball has 22 different franchises that have won championships and have droughts of less than 38 years; the National Football League has 18 such franchises, and the National Hockey League has 18 such franchises.
  3. ↑ Aldridge, David (June 6, 2015). "Warriors close in on title ... and keep NBA history afloat". NBA.com. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
  4. 1 2 "NBA Advanced Stats–Playoff Picture". NBA.com. NBA Media Ventures, LLC. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Charlotte Hornets". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Washington Wizards". basketball-reference.com. Archived from the original on June 25, 2012. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "Chicago Bulls". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Utah Jazz". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  9. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Brooklyn Nets". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Sacramento Kings". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "New Orleans Pelicans". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Dallas Mavericks". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 "Milwaukee Bucks". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  14. 1 2 3 4 "Miami Heat". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Los Angeles Clippers". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Golden State Warriors". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Memphis Grizzlies". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  18. 1 2 3 4 5 "Indiana Pacers". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 "Boston Celtics". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Toronto Raptors". basketball-reference.com. Archived from the original on July 28, 2012. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Atlanta Hawks". basketball-reference.com. Archived from the original on January 19, 2009. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  22. 1 2 3 4 5 "Orlando Magic". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Denver Nuggets". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 "Houston Rockets". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 "Portland Trail Blazers". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Phoenix Suns". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  27. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Minnesota Timberwolves". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 "Los Angeles Lakers". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  29. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Philadelphia 76ers". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  30. 1 2 3 4 5 "Detroit Pistons". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  31. 1 2 3 4 5 "Oklahoma City Thunder". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  32. 1 2 3 4 5 "Cleveland Cavaliers". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  33. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "New York Knicks". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.
  34. 1 2 3 4 5 "San Antonio Spurs". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved July 1, 2012.

General

  • "Team Index". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved October 11, 2009.
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