Winning games in the NBA playoffs is notoriously hard, which is why NBA odds for playoff sweeps are typically so long.Â
But every decade or so, a dominant team emerges that makes it deep into the playoff bracket before losing a game. This happened with Golden State in the late 2010s, and it’s happening again now with the Thunder.
But could OKC actually run the table in the playoffs? And if they did, would that be a new NBA record?
Has an NBA Team Ever Gone 16-0 In the Playoffs?
Since the NBA moved to seven-game series in the first round, no team has ever gone 16-0 en route to a championship.
Golden State came the closest in 2017, winning the Western Conference with a 12-0 playoff record before beating LeBron James’ Cavaliers in five games. They finished with a near-perfect 16-1 record, losing only Game 4 in Cleveland.
No team had ever been perfect before 2003, either, though there were some close calls. For instance, the 76ers went 12-1 on their way to a title in 1983.
The 2026 Thunder still have a chance to set this record. In fact, BetMGM online sportsbook is now offering odds on whether or not OKC can finish the playoffs with a perfect 16-0 record.Â
After sweeping the Lakers in the second round, the Thunder were +2500 to run the table all the way to the end.Â
Conservative bettors may prefer to just bet the Thunder to win the 2026 NBA championship under any circumstances. As of May 12, that price was -165.
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