Teams with the most Playoff wins in NBA history: you will be surprised by the big absentee

Over the decades, as generations of basketball superstars emerged, two franchises have consistently dominated the NBA Playoffs: the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics.

The Lakers and Celtics are the only teams to have surpassed 400 playoff victories, with the Philadelphia 76ers the closest to them occupying third place with 251.

The Celtics secured 118 playoff wins during the 1950s and 1960s, led by legends like Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, Sam Jones, Tom Heinsohn, Tom “Satch” Sanders, KC Jones, Bill Sharman, Don Nelson, and others. Under the guidance of coach Red Auerbach and anchored by Russell, they clinched an impressive 11 titles in 13 years, capturing championships in 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, and 1969.

During that same period, the Lakers—a team featuring stars such as George Mikan, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, and Wilt Chamberlain—amassed 113 playoff wins, going on to win championships in 1950, 1952, 1953, and 1954.

The Bulls fade after dominating the 90s

The 1990s were defined by Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls who racked up 111 playoff wins during the decade. During this iconic era, only two teams—the Utah Jazz and the New York Knicks—managed to notch up half as many playoff wins as the Bulls, who captured six championships in eight years (1991, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, and 1998).

But since the start of the new millennium, the Bulls have struggled - failing to make it to the postseason in six straight seasons (1998-99 to 2003-4) and winning just seven playoffs - the most recent, the first round victory over the Bucks in 2015.

Bringing it up up to date, the Celtics are one of six teams to have booked their place in the 2025 playoffs (joining them will be the Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers).

The Lakers, currently third in the Western Conference haven’t booked their place yet but they soon will. And the Bulls will face the Miami Heat in the Play-In.

When does the 2025 postseason start?

The 2025 NBA Play-In tournament starts on Tuesday April 15 and concludes on Friday April 18. The first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs will start on Saturday April 19, and Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals will is scheduled for Thursday June 5.

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