Best NBA Regular Season Records Through 15 games

Q: Which NBA team has the best record through 15 games?<

There are 3 NBA teams which started the season with a 15-0 record. Based on point differential, the best team through 15 games is the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, who had a +216 point differential through 15 games. Their average margin of victory was 14.4 points in this stretch.

Q: What is the most recent team to start the season undefeated through 15 games?

The 2015-16 Golden State Warriors were the most recent team to start the season with a 15-0 record. They finished the season with a 73-9 record.

Q: Which NBA team had the best start through 15 games but still missed the playoffs?

The 1970-71 Detroit Pistons and 1953-54 New York Knicks both started the season 12-3, but failed to make the playoffs. Since 2000, 10 separate teams started the season with a 10-5 record and didn't make the playoffs. The most recent example was the 2022-23 Portland Trail Blazers.

Q: How did the best NBA teams through 15 games perform in the playoffs?

Starting in 1949, of the 116 teams that each season had the best record or tied for the best record through 15 games, 98.3% of them went on to make the playoffs, and 29.3% of them won the NBA Title. The most recent 5 teams that had the best record through 15 games and went on to win the NBA Title are The 2021-22 Golden State Warriors, the 2019-20 Los Angeles Lakers, the 2018-19 Toronto Raptors, the 2016-17 Golden State Warriors and the 2014-15 Golden State Warriors.

Which NBA team has the best record through 15 games?<

There are 3 NBA teams which started the season with a 15-0 record. Based on point differential, the best team through 15 games is the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, who had a +216 point differential through 15 games. Their average margin of victory was 14.4 points in this stretch.

All-Time Best NBA Starts Through:

Best NBA Start Through 15 Games

	Team	Year	Record	Point Differential	Final Record	Final Result
1	Golden State Warriors	2016	15-0	+216	73-9	Lost Finals
	Houston Rockets	1994	15-0	+139	58-24	Won Finals
	Washington Capitols	1949	15-0	+110	38-22	Lost Finals
4	Chicago Bulls	1997	14-1	+248	69-13	Won Finals
	New York Knicks	1970	14-1	+238	60-22	Won Finals
	Milwaukee Bucks	1972	14-1	+234	63-19	Lost Conf Finals
	Boston Celtics	1964	14-1	+225	59-21	Won Finals
	Seattle SuperSonics	1994	14-1	+207	63-19	Lost First Round
	Los Angeles Lakers	2009	14-1	+206	65-17	Won Finals
	Philadelphia 76ers	1967	14-1	+204	68-13	Won Finals
	Dallas Mavericks	2003	14-1	+201	60-22	Lost Conf Finals
	Syracuse Nationals	1950	14-1	+200	51-13	Lost Finals
	Boston Celtics	1985	14-1	+197	63-19	Lost Finals
	Boston Celtics	1958	14-1	+186	49-23	Lost Finals
	Milwaukee Bucks	1971	14-1	+186	66-16	Won Finals
	Milwaukee Bucks	1974	14-1	+184	59-23	Lost Finals
	Portland Trail Blazers	1991	14-1	+183	63-19	Lost Conf Finals
	Philadelphia 76ers	1982	14-1	+166	58-24	Lost Finals
	Indiana Pacers	2014	14-1	+163	56-26	Lost Conf Finals
	Los Angeles Lakers	2002	14-1	+159	58-24	Won Finals
	Boston Celtics	1973	14-1	+141	68-14	Lost Conf Finals
	Houston Rockets	1997	14-1	+138	57-25	Lost Conf Finals
	St. Louis Hawks	1968	14-1	+105	56-26	Lost Conf Semi
24	Boston Celtics	2008	13-2	+206	66-16	Won Finals
	Golden State Warriors	2022	13-2	+205	53-29	Won Finals
	Los Angeles Lakers	1986	13-2	+203	62-20	Lost Conf Finals
	Los Angeles Clippers	2017	13-2	+200	51-31	Lost First Round
	Chicago Bulls	1992	13-2	+197	67-15	Won Finals
	New York Knicks	1973	13-2	+192	57-25	Won Finals
	Boston Celtics	1982	13-2	+190	63-19	Lost Conf Finals
	Golden State Warriors	2017	13-2	+187	67-15	Won Finals
	Phoenix Suns	2005	13-2	+184	62-20	Lost Conf Finals
	Boston Celtics	1962	13-2	+181	60-20	Won Finals
	Philadelphia 76ers	1983	13-2	+179	65-17	Won Finals
	Toronto Raptors	2015	13-2	+174	49-33	Lost First Round
	Boston Celtics	1967	13-2	+170	60-21	Lost Conf Finals
	Los Angeles Lakers	1998	13-2	+168	61-21	Lost Conf Finals
	Los Angeles Lakers	2011	13-2	+165	57-25	Lost Conf Semi
	San Antonio Spurs	2014	13-2	+163	62-20	Won Finals
	Golden State Warriors	2015	13-2	+158	67-15	Won Finals
	Portland Trail Blazers	2000	13-2	+157	59-23	Lost Conf Finals
	Detroit Pistons	1991	13-2	+147	50-32	Lost Conf Finals
	Philadelphia 76ers	1981	13-2	+144	62-20	Lost Conf Finals
	Boston Celtics	1983	13-2	+142	56-26	Lost Conf Semi
	Los Angeles Lakers	2020	13-2	+140	52-19	Won Finals
	Cleveland Cavaliers	2017	13-2	+138	51-31	Lost Finals
	Phoenix Suns	1981	13-2	+136	57-25	Lost Conf Semi
	Indiana Pacers	2003	13-2	+130	48-34	Lost First Round
	Seattle SuperSonics	1983	13-2	+130	48-34	Lost First Round
	Chicago Bulls	1996	13-2	+125	72-10	Won Finals
	Detroit Pistons	2006	13-2	+123	64-18	Lost Conf Finals
	Utah Jazz	1997	13-2	+123	64-18	Lost Finals
	Boston Celtics	2018	13-2	+122	55-27	Lost Conf Finals
	Boston Celtics	1986	13-2	+120	67-15	Won Finals
	San Antonio Spurs	2011	13-2	+119	61-21	Lost First Round
	Indiana Pacers	2004	13-2	+114	61-21	Lost Conf Finals
	Seattle SuperSonics	2005	13-2	+114	52-30	Lost Conf Semi
	Memphis Grizzlies	2015	13-2	+112	55-27	Lost Conf Semi
	Philadelphia 76ers	2001	13-2	+112	56-26	Lost Finals
	Boston Celtics	2009	13-2	+109	62-20	Lost Conf Semi
	Chicago Bulls	1974	13-2	+102	54-28	Lost Conf Finals
	Portland Trail Blazers	2014	13-2	+94	54-28	Lost Conf Semi
	Los Angeles Lakers	1962	13-2	+81	54-26	Lost Finals
	Boston Celtics	1960	13-2	+80	59-16	Won Finals
	Orlando Magic	1996	13-2	+61	60-22	Lost Conf Finals
	Atlanta Hawks	1998	13-2	+52	50-32	Lost First Round

What is the most recent team to start the season undefeated through 15 games?