Top NBA Playoffs Moments: The Biggest Rivalries, Blowouts, and Surprises

The NBA Playoffs are not just games. They’re battles. They’re personal. They’re the stage where legacies are built or broken.

Over the years, we’ve seen unforgettable matchups, humiliating blowouts, major letdowns, and underdog miracles.

This is your ultimate courtside pass to the nba playoffs biggest rivalries, most brutal beatdowns, shocking collapses and wildest surprises.

Whether you're here to relive the moments or to place smart bets on best nba betting site OKBet, you're in the right place.

Who are the Dark Horses of NBA Playoffs 2025

NBA Playoffs Biggest Rivalries

When two teams meet in the playoffs year after year, something deeper brews. Rivalries are born. Pride is on the line.

Lakers vs Celtics

• Faced off 12 times in the NBA Finals
• Celtics won 9 out of 12
• Magic vs Bird in the '80s
• Kobe vs the Big 3 in 2008 and 2010

This isn’t just a rivalry. It’s the blueprint. This is why NBA fans lose sleep in June.

Bulls vs Pistons

• Met 4 straight years (1988-1991)
• Pistons bullied young MJ with the "Jordan Rules"
• Bulls finally swept them in 1991 and the Pistons walked off without handshakes

This rivalry made Michael Jordan tougher. And it gave the NBA some of its grittiest playoff moments ever.

Spurs vs Lakers

• Met 6 times in 9 years (1999-2008)
• It was Shaq, Kobe and Phil vs Tim Duncan and Pop
• Total basketball chess match

If you're betting on playoff DNA, these are the matchups to study.

Heat vs Celtics

• LeBron vs the Big 3 in the 2010s
• Jimmy Butler vs Tatum in the 2020s
• 2023 Game 7: Heat shock Celtics as an 8-seed

This rivalry is still hot. And every meeting feels like a war.

NBA Awards 2025

NBA Playoffs Biggest Blowouts

Blowouts happen when one team shows up, and the other just... doesn't. These games live in infamy.

Nuggets 121, Hornets 63 (2009)

• 58-point win
• Carmelo and Chauncey dominated
• CP3 had no answer

Lakers 126, Warriors 70 (1973)

• 56-point playoff win
• Wilt and Jerry West were unstoppable

T-Wolves 102, Nuggets 52 (2004)

• KG took no prisoners
• Denver couldn’t even crack 60

Bonus Blowout Stats

• Warriors were on the wrong end of 3 of the top 5 blowouts
• No NBA Finals game has seen a 50+ point margin (yet)

When you’re betting on spreads at OKBet, these games are proof: anything can happen.

NBA Playoffs Biggest Disappointments

Sometimes the hype is sky-high... and then the crash hits even harder. These are the teams that folded when it mattered most.

2016 Warriors

• Went 73–9 in the regular season
• Blew a 3–1 Finals lead to LeBron’s Cavs

The greatest team ever? Not without that ring.

The 2016 #NBAFinals Game 7 Mini-Movie... as the @Cavs defeat the @Warriors 93-89 for the title! pic.twitter.com/5TtLsjbMzA

— NBA (@NBA) May 28, 2017

2007 Mavericks

• 67 wins
• Dirk was MVP
• Lost to the 8-seed Warriors in Round 1

Golden State said, “We Believe” and Dallas never saw it coming.

2023 Bucks

• Best regular season record
• Lost in 5 to Jimmy Butler and the #8 Heat

1994 Sonics

• 63–19 record
• First seed to lose to an 8-seed

Playoff betting favourites can still crash and burn. The trick? Know the pressure points. OKBet does.

NBA Playoffs Biggest Surprises

These are the "no way" moments. The Cinderella runs. The playoff shocks that made jaws drop.

2023 Heat

• 8-seed
• Beat the Bucks, Knicks, and Celtics
• Made the NBA Finals

1999 Knicks

• 8-seed again
• Sprewell. Allan Houston. Camby.
• Ran through the East to reach the Finals

2011 Mavericks

• Underdogs against the Heatles
• Dirk outplayed LeBron, Wade, and Bosh
• NBA title secured with grit and grind

The Mavs’ 4th QTR comeback was unbelievable 🤯

Mavericks vs. Heat, 2011 NBA Finals Game 2 - 4pm ET on NBA TV pic.twitter.com/q094QuT8zH

— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 19, 2020

More Shocks

• 2007 Warriors beat Mavs
• 1994 Nuggets beat 1-seed Sonics
• Bismack Biyombo with 26 boards in a playoff game

If you're looking for high-reward bets, track the momentum. OKBet gives you the edge.

Best NBA Playoffs Betting Site OKBet

Looking to turn your NBA Playoff knowledge into real wins?

OKBet gives you:

• The best odds on underdogs, favourites and props
• Live stats and betting updates
• Easy cash outs and mobile-friendly action
• Secure, licensed platform that’s trusted by serious bettors

Whether it’s Game 7 or Round 1, OKBet is your home court for playoff betting.

What Makes the NBA Playoffs History So Wild?

Rivalries build fire. Blowouts bring drama. Disappointments break hearts. Surprises keep us hooked.

This is what the NBA Playoffs are all about. If you’re here for the memories or the money, you know it never disappoints.

Get your bets in. Watch the chaos unfold.

Bet on the NBA Playoffs with OKBet – the only site that plays as hard as you do.

FAQs About NBA Playoffs History

Who has the most NBA playoff wins of all time?

The Los Angeles Lakers hold the record for most playoff wins in NBA history
They’ve been in the postseason more than 60 times

What’s the biggest comeback in NBA playoffs history?

The LA Clippers came back from 31 points down against the Warriors in 2019
That’s the largest single-game comeback ever

Which player has the most NBA playoff points?

LeBron James
He passed Michael Jordan and keeps adding to his total every year

What was the worst NBA playoffs loss ever?

Nuggets beating the Hornets by 58 points in 2009
Still the biggest blowout margin in playoff history

Which team has the longest playoff streak?

The San Antonio Spurs made the playoffs 22 years in a row from 1998 to 2019
Consistency at its finest

How many 8-seeds have made it to the NBA Finals?

Only two teams
The 1999 Knicks and the 2023 Miami Heat

Has any team gone undefeated in the playoffs?

No team has ever gone a perfect 16–0
But the 2017 Warriors came close with a 16–1 record

Which player has played the most playoff games?

LeBron James again
He holds the record and is still active

What is the most-watched NBA playoffs game ever?

Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals between the Cavs and Warriors
Nearly 31 million people watched LeBron block Iguodala and seal the deal