Best NBA Regular Season Records Through 25 games

Q: Which NBA team has the best record through 25 games?<

The 2015-16 Golden State Warriors have the best all-time record through 25 games. They went 24-1 in the first 25 games, and eventually finished the season at 73-9.

Q: Which NBA team had the best start through 25 games but still missed the playoffs?

A total of 5 different teams started the season 17-8 and failed to make the playoffs. The most recent example was the 2022-23 New Orleans Pelicans.

Q: How did the best NBA teams through 25 games perform in the playoffs?

Starting in 1949, of the 91 teams that each season had the best record or tied for the best record through 25 games, 98.9% of them went on to make the playoffs, and 39.6% of them won the NBA Title. The most recent 5 teams that had the best record through 25 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 25 games?<

The 2015-16 Golden State Warriors have the best all-time record through 25 games. They went 24-1 in the first 25 games, and eventually finished the season at 73-9.

All-Time Best NBA Starts Through:

Best NBA Start Through 25 Games

	Team	Year	Record	Point Differential	Final Record	Final Result
1	Golden State Warriors	2016	24-1	+327	73-9	Lost Finals
2	New York Knicks	1970	23-2	+343	60-22	Won Finals
	Philadelphia 76ers	1967	23-2	+327	68-13	Won Finals
	Boston Celtics	2009	23-2	+258	62-20	Lost Conf Semi
	Chicago Bulls	1996	23-2	+256	72-10	Won Finals
6	Boston Celtics	2008	22-3	+347	66-16	Won Finals
	Boston Celtics	1964	22-3	+341	59-21	Won Finals
	Chicago Bulls	1997	22-3	+337	69-13	Won Finals
	Milwaukee Bucks	2020	22-3	+336	56-17	Lost Conf Semi
	Los Angeles Lakers	1972	22-3	+328	69-13	Won Finals
	Seattle SuperSonics	1994	22-3	+327	63-19	Lost First Round
	Dallas Mavericks	2003	22-3	+306	60-22	Lost Conf Finals
	Syracuse Nationals	1950	22-3	+293	51-13	Lost Finals
	Phoenix Suns	2005	22-3	+289	62-20	Lost Conf Finals
	Boston Celtics	1962	22-3	+287	60-20	Won Finals
	Boston Celtics	1985	22-3	+283	63-19	Lost Finals
	Portland Trail Blazers	1991	22-3	+281	63-19	Lost Conf Finals
	Los Angeles Lakers	1986	22-3	+268	62-20	Lost Conf Finals
	Boston Celtics	1973	22-3	+264	68-14	Lost Conf Finals
	Golden State Warriors	2015	22-3	+246	67-15	Won Finals
	Los Angeles Lakers	2020	22-3	+246	52-19	Won Finals
	Philadelphia 76ers	1981	22-3	+235	62-20	Lost Conf Finals
	San Antonio Spurs	2011	22-3	+232	61-21	Lost First Round
	Detroit Pistons	2006	22-3	+217	64-18	Lost Conf Finals
	Houston Rockets	1994	22-3	+139	58-24	Won Finals
26	Milwaukee Bucks	1972	21-4	+339	63-19	Lost Conf Finals
	Cleveland Cavaliers	2009	21-4	+328	66-16	Lost Conf Finals
	Golden State Warriors	2022	21-4	+323	53-29	Won Finals
	Golden State Warriors	2017	21-4	+300	67-15	Won Finals
	Chicago Bulls	1992	21-4	+286	67-15	Won Finals
	Houston Rockets	2018	21-4	+275	65-17	Lost Conf Finals
	Milwaukee Bucks	1974	21-4	+275	59-23	Lost Finals
	Portland Trail Blazers	1978	21-4	+271	58-24	Lost Conf Semi
	Milwaukee Bucks	1971	21-4	+250	66-16	Won Finals
	Boston Celtics	1958	21-4	+248	49-23	Lost Finals
	Los Angeles Lakers	2009	21-4	+246	65-17	Won Finals
	Boston Celtics	1991	21-4	+238	56-26	Lost Conf Semi
	Boston Celtics	2011	21-4	+238	56-26	Lost Conf Semi
	Oklahoma City Thunder	2013	21-4	+236	60-22	Lost Conf Semi
	Los Angeles Lakers	1973	21-4	+235	60-22	Lost Finals
	Los Angeles Lakers	2010	21-4	+215	57-25	Won Finals
	Phoenix Suns	1993	21-4	+205	62-20	Lost Finals
	Boston Celtics	1960	21-4	+194	59-16	Won Finals
	Oklahoma City Thunder	2014	21-4	+184	59-23	Lost Conf Finals
	Boston Celtics	2018	21-4	+181	55-27	Lost Conf Finals
	Portland Trail Blazers	2014	21-4	+181	54-28	Lost Conf Semi
	Houston Rockets	1997	21-4	+176	57-25	Lost Conf Finals
	Phoenix Suns	2022	21-4	+174	64-18	Lost Conf Semi
	Memphis Grizzlies	2015	21-4	+166	55-27	Lost Conf Semi
	Phoenix Suns	1981	21-4	+160	57-25	Lost Conf Semi
	Washington Capitols	1949	21-4	+142	38-22	Lost Finals

Which NBA team had the best start through 25 games but still missed the playoffs?