I wanted to look at the teams that fail in the playoffs more than any other team. These numbers do not count the current playoffs.
To qualify for this dubious list, you must:
A) have played more than 25 playoff games;
B) have a playoff winning percentage of 40% or less;
C) and never won a championship.
That third one was default, because no team that qualified for the first two has ever won a championship. But hey, if we're making these GMs (and me /spoiler alert) feel bad already, why not kick dirt in the wounds?
Counting down the 7 worst playoff teams from best to worst winning percentage:
7. Dallas Mavericks (under FearTheBrow)
Playoff Record: 38-57 (40%)
Series Won: 7
Furthest Progress: PBSL Finals
Early on in his tenure, the Mavs were a pretty formidable playoff team. He made the playoffs ten straight seasons, and in his first six seasons he advanced at least one round four times. However, as the time has worn on, he has found it harder and harder to replicate the postseason success he enjoyed since Antawn Jamison was on his team.
6. Minnesota Timberwolves
Playoff Record: 54-81 (40%)
Series Won: 7
Furthest Progress: Conference Finals (x2)
JNR has the most losses of any GM with a losing record. More bizarrely, his Wolves are quite adept at squandering home court advantage. In four separate seasons, the Wolves have gone down 0-2 despite having home court. They have had an incredible 12 first round exits. Through all of the different team builds, the one constant is JNR, so clearly his playoff coaching needs work.
5. Houston Rockets
Playoff Record: 34-58 (36.9%)
Series Won: 5
Furthest Progess: PBSL Finals
If you take out 78's most impressive year with Chris Webber at the helm, he has won two playoff series in 12 attempts. His teams are getting better recently, but he still hasn't won a playoff series since that magical 2004 season.
4. Portland Trailblazers
Playoff Record: 28-48 (36.8%)
Series Won: 6
Furthest Progress Conference Finals (x2)
This surprised me, especially because I have bad memories of being handily demolished by the Blazers in the playoffs. And honestly, on face value their 9 playoff appearances aren't too bad: five first round exits, two second round exits, and two Conference Finals appearances. The record, however, needs a little balancing out.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (under LHamilton)
Playoff Record: 16-30 (34.8%)
Series Won: 1
Furthest Progress: Round 2
Of everyone in this group, he has the fewest playoff games, which is understandable; he has only had 8 seasons. And until this year, he has made the playoffs every year, which is commendable. However, he has mostly been exiting early once he makes it to the postseason.
2. Brooklyn Nets
Playoff Record: 32-61 (34.4%)
Series Won: 5
Furthest Progress: Conference Finals
RPF had a great season in 2009 when he posted an amazing 63-19 record and made the conference finals. For the most part, however, Brooklyn (former New Jersey) has struggled. They've been bumped in the first round 9 times, and only one team has a worse winning percentage.
1. Indiana Pacers
Playoff Record: 33-65 (33.7%)
Series Won: 2
Furthest Progress: Round 2 (x2)
Hopefully this changes this year. Pauly is fielding the best Pacers team he's ever had, and he should be a runaway winner in GMOY. But his past has been inauspicious to say the least. Sixteen playoff appearances and only twice have the Pacers made the second round. Deron Williams appears up to the challenge, and perhaps they can mount a run to move them down the leaderboard this season.
Hopefully in the coming seasons these teams will start to show that they are better than their past performance. But for now, these are the teams that really wish there were regular season championships.
