- The Chicago Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz 96-54 in Game 3 of the 1998 NBA Finals.
- The Boston Celtics took down the Los Angeles Lakers 131-92 in Game 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals.
- The Dallas Mavericks beat the Celtics 122-84 in Game 4 of the 2024 NBA Finals.
There have been many competitive games in NBA Finals history, but sometimes games can get out of hand, regardless of the NBA spreads heading into play.
The second biggest blowout occurred in a closeout game, helping the winning team make good on its short championship basketball odds.
With that said, what are the seven biggest blowouts in NBA Finals history? Let’s take a look.
7 Biggest Blowouts in NBA Finals History
| Winner | Loser | Differential | Year | Game |
| Chicago Bulls | Utah Jazz | 42 points | 1998 | Game 3 |
| Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 39 points | 2008 | Game 6 |
| Dallas Mavericks | Boston Celtics | 38 points | 2024 | Game 4 |
| San Antonio Spurs | Miami Heat | 36 points | 2013 | Game 3 |
| Washington Wizards | Seattle SuperSonics | 35 points | 1978 | Game 6 |
| Boston Celtics | Los Angeles Lakers | 34 points | 1985 | Game 1 |
| Boston Celtics | St. Louis Hawks | 34 points | 1961 | Game 1 |
What Are the Biggest Blowouts in NBA Finals History?
1998 NBA Finals: Chicago Bulls def. Utah Jazz 96-54, Game 3
The Utah Jazz were held to just 30% shooting from the field and coughed up 26 turnovers.
Michael Jordan scored 24 points in the Chicago Bulls’ win.
The 54 points the Jazz put up are still the fewest a team has ever scored in a playoff game.
The Bulls went on to win the series in six games, helping Jordan earn his sixth and final ring.
2008 NBA Finals: Boston Celtics def. Los Angeles Lakers 131-92, Game 6
After acquiring Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to team up with Paul Pierce in the offseason, the Boston Celtics closed out their championship run with a bang.
Garnett and Allen scored 26 points apiece to help bring Boston’s first championship since 1986.
This was the largest margin of defeat for a team in a Finals closeout game.
2024 NBA Finals: Dallas Mavericks def. Boston Celtics 122-84, Game 4
The Dallas Mavericks only won one game in this series, but they made it count.
The Mavericks held the Celtics to a paltry 29-of-90 shooting, as Boston scored the fewest points by a team in the regular season or playoffs that season.
2013 NBA Finals: San Antonio Spurs def. Miami Heat 113-77, Game 3
The San Antonio Spurs outscored the Miami Heat 63-33 in the second half and held LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to a combined 31 points on 14-of-36 shooting from the field.
San Antonio shot 48.9% from the field, hitting 16 of their 32 shot attempts from 3-point range.
Miami went on to take this series in seven games, as James won his second championship.
1978 NBA Finals: Washington Wizards def. Seattle SuperSonics 117-82, Game 6
The Washington Wizards outscored the Seattle SuperSonics 98-61 after the first quarter to secure the blowout win, ultimately taking the series in seven games.
Elvin Hayes led Washington, which got double-digit scoring from six different players, with 21 points, 15 rebounds, and five blocks.
Washington also outrebounded Seattle 69-49.
1985 NBA Finals: Boston Celtics def. Los Angeles Lakers 148-114, Game 1
The Celtics jumped out to a 79-49 halftime lead.
Boston dished out 43 assists compared to Los Angeles’ 28, shot 62-of-102 from the field, and outrebounded them 48-35.
Kevin McHale and Scott Wedman led Boston with 26 points apiece. Larry Bird contributed 19 points and nine assists.
The Los Angeles Lakers ultimately took this series in six games, as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar earned his second Finals MVP.
1961 NBA Finals: Boston Celtics def. St. Louis Hawks 129-95, Game 1
The Celtics held the St. Louis Hawks to 37-of-103 shooting and got seven different players to score in double figures.
Tom Heinsohn led Boston with 26 points and 11 rebounds. Bill Russell added 15 points and grabbed a whopping 31 rebounds.
Boston won this series in five games.
