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The most lopsided games in NBA history and this season. When one team completely dominates from start to finish.
+68
Margin
148-80
Largest margin of victory in NBA history
+63
Margin
162-99
Legendary Lakers season
+61
Margin
134-73
Warriors injury-depleted season
Download blowout game data for your own analysis.
The largest margin of victory in NBA history belongs to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who defeated the Miami Heat 148-80 on December 17, 1991 — a staggering 68-point margin. In the modern era, blowouts of 40+ points occur several times each season, often when elite teams face rebuilding rosters on back-to-back nights.
Blowout frequency has remained relatively stable over the decades despite the pace-and-space revolution. While scoring is up league-wide, defensive improvements and talent distribution through the draft have kept most games competitive. See our closest games analysis for the opposite end of the spectrum.
The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Miami Heat 148-80 on December 17, 1991, a 68-point margin that remains the all-time record.
Across a full NBA season of 1,230 regular-season games, roughly 5-8% end with a margin of 30 or more points. This means about 60-100 blowouts of that magnitude per season.
NBA etiquette dictates that starters are pulled when the margin exceeds roughly 25 points in the fourth quarter. Keeping starters in during a blowout is considered disrespectful and risks unnecessary injuries.