Longest Losing Streak in NBA History
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The longest losing streak in NBA history is 28 games, a mark shared by the Philadelphia 76ers and the Detroit Pistons. The 76ers dropped 28 in a row across the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons, while the Pistons matched the overall record inside the single 2023-24 campaign, giving them the single-season version of the record.
Long losing streaks in the modern NBA are rarely just bad luck. They usually signal a team in the middle of a deliberate rebuild, shedding talent to chase draft picks. Here is the full leaderboard of the longest losing streaks in league history, the stories behind the worst runs, and why the record now belongs to two very different teams. All figures are as of the 2025 season.
The record: 28 straight losses, twice over
Philadelphia’s 28-game skid was the centerpiece of an aggressive rebuild nicknamed “The Process.” The team lost its last 10 games of 2014-15, then began 2015-16 with 18 consecutive defeats before finally winning on December 1, 2015, for a total of 28. Because the streak spanned two seasons, it set the overall record but not the single-season one.
The Detroit Pistons closed that gap in 2023-24, losing 28 games in a row entirely within one season. That made them co-holders of the overall record and sole owners of the single-season mark, an unwanted milestone for a proud franchise going through a full teardown.
The full leaderboard of NBA losing streaks
The table below ranks the longest losing streaks in NBA history, noting whether each came within one season or across two.
| Rank | Losses | Team | Season(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 | Detroit Pistons | 2023-24 (single season) |
| 1 | 28 | Philadelphia 76ers | 2014-15 to 2015-16 |
| 3 | 26 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 2010-11 (single season) |
| 3 | 26 | Philadelphia 76ers | 2013-14 (single season) |
| 5 | 24 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 1981-82 to 1982-83 |
| 6 | 23 | Vancouver Grizzlies | 1995-96 (single season) |
| 6 | 23 | Denver Nuggets | 1997-98 (single season) |
| 6 | 23 | Charlotte Bobcats | 2011-12 (single season) |
| 9 | 21 | Detroit Pistons | 1979-80 to 1980-81 |
| 10 | 20 | Philadelphia 76ers | 1972-73 (single season) |
The 76ers appear three times and the Cavaliers twice, underlining how these streaks cluster around franchises going through deep rebuilds or historically bad seasons.
The single-season record and the old mark
Before the Pistons’ 2023-24 run, the single-season record was 26 losses, set by the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers in the season after LeBron James left, then matched by the 2013-14 76ers at the start of “The Process.” The 2011-12 Charlotte Bobcats, meanwhile, finished with the worst winning percentage in NBA history in a lockout-shortened season, a distinction covered in our leaderboard of the worst record in NBA history. For the flip side, see our list of the longest winning streaks in NBA history.
Why these streaks happen
Almost every record losing streak traces back to a rebuild. Teams trade away established players, lean on young rosters and accept losing in exchange for lottery odds and salary-cap flexibility. The 76ers made the strategy famous, but the Pistons, Cavaliers and Bobcats all landed on this list during teardown seasons. The teams behind these runs feature prominently in our list of the worst NBA teams ever, and baseball’s version of the phenomenon appears in our leaderboard of the longest losing streak in MLB history.
Why the record matters
A losing streak record is the mirror image of a dynasty, capturing how far a team can fall when it strips down to rebuild. That two clubs now share the mark at 28, one across seasons and one within a single year, shows how modern roster strategy can produce historically bad stretches by design. It is a reminder that in a league built on parity, the bottom can be just as extreme as the top.
The short version: the longest losing streak in NBA history is 28 games, shared by the 76ers (across 2014-15 and 2015-16) and the Pistons (within 2023-24). The Pistons hold the single-season record, and the old mark of 26 belonged to the Cavaliers and 76ers. All figures are as of the 2025 season.
Frequently asked questions
What is the longest losing streak in NBA history?+
The longest losing streak in NBA history is 28 games, shared by the Philadelphia 76ers and the Detroit Pistons. The 76ers lost 28 straight across the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons, and the Pistons lost 28 in a row within the 2023-24 season alone. That makes 28 the overall record and the Pistons' the single-season record.
Who holds the single-season NBA losing streak record?+
The Detroit Pistons hold the single-season record, losing 28 consecutive games during the 2023-24 season. The 76ers' 28-game streak was spread across two seasons, so within one campaign the Pistons stand alone. Before them, the single-season record was 26, held by the 2010-11 Cavaliers and 2013-14 76ers.
How did the 76ers lose 28 games in a row?+
Philadelphia's streak was part of an aggressive rebuild known as 'The Process.' They lost their final 10 games of the 2014-15 season, then opened 2015-16 with 18 straight defeats before finally winning, adding up to 28 consecutive losses. The strategy prioritized draft picks over short-term wins.
Why do NBA teams have such long losing streaks?+
Most record losing streaks come from teams deliberately rebuilding, or tanking, to secure a high draft pick. By trading away veterans and playing young, unproven rosters, these teams accept short-term losses in hopes of long-term gains. That is why the longest streaks tend to cluster around clubs in the middle of a full teardown.
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