- The Nuggets held the Hornets to 24 second-half points in 2009.
- The Lakers won by 47 points to sweep the Spurs in 1986.
- Wilt Chamberlain had 25 rebounds in the Lakers’ 56-point win in 1973.
There are plenty of competitive games during the playoffs, but sometimes, one team becomes too hot to handle, leading them to blow out their opponents, which certainly ended up covering the spread of NBA odds one way or another.
Basketball betting lines will never have a spread as high as some of these blowouts, but it doesn’t prevent these blowouts from happening.
Let’s take a look at the biggest blowouts in NBA Playoff history.
7 Biggest Blowouts in NBA Playoff History
| Rank | Teams and Score | Margin | Date |
| 1 | Denver Nuggets (121) vs. New Orleans Hornets (63) | 58 | April 27, 2009 |
| 2 | Minneapolis Lakers (133) vs. St. Louis Hawks (75) | 58 | March 19, 1956 |
| 3 | Los Angeles Lakers (126) vs. Golden State Warriors (70) | 56 | April 21, 1973 |
| 4 | Chicago Bulls (120) vs. Milwaukee Bucks (66) | 54 | April 30, 2015 |
| 5 | Milwaukee Bucks (136) vs. San Francisco Warriors (86) | 50 | April 4, 1971 |
| 6 | Orlando Magic (124) vs. Boston Celtics (77) | 47 | April 28, 1995 |
| 7 | Los Angeles Lakers (135) vs. San Antonio Spurs (88) | 47 | April 17, 1986 |
1. Denver Nuggets vs. New Orleans Hornets – 58 Points
The Nuggets outscored the Hornets 36-15 after the first quarter and then dropped 60 points in the second half while limiting their opponent to just 24 second-half points in Game 4 of the first round.
12 YEARS AGO TODAY
The Nuggets beat the Hornets 121-63!
58 is the largest margin of victory in NBA Playoff history pic.twitter.com/7Ov6FR9of6— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) April 28, 2021
Carmelo Anthony led a well-balanced scoring attack with 26 points, as six other Nuggets scored in double figures.
2. Minneapolis Lakers vs. St. Louis Hawks – 58 Points
The Lakers built a 31-point lead at halftime and then scored 72 points in the second half while limiting the Hawks to just 45 points in the second half in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals.
Each Laker finished in double figures in scoring, with Slater Martin leading the way with 19 points. Dick Schnittker added 18 points.
3. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Golden State Warriors – 56 Points
The Lakers held a 19-point lead at halftime and then extended their lead to nearly 40 at the end of the third, as they clearly didn’t take their foot off the gas pedal in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals.
Jim McMillan led the way with 28 points. Mel Counts provided 17 points and 13 rebounds off the bench. Jerry West contributed 16 points and 11 assists. Wilt Chamberlain added 12 points and a whopping 25 rebounds.
4. Chicago Bulls vs. Milwaukee Bucks – 54 Points
The Bulls put up 65 points in the first half, nearly matching the Bucks’ point total in Game 6 of the first round, as Chicago clinched the series win.
Every Bulls starter scored in double figures, with Mike Dunleavy leading the way with 20 points. Pau Gasol added 19 points and eight rebounds. Jimmy Butler scored 16 points. Derrick Rose provided 15 points and seven assists. Joakim Noah contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds.
5. Milwaukee Bucks vs. San Francisco Warriors – 50 Points
The Bucks outscored the Warriors by 20 points in the first quarter and didn’t let up, putting up at least 31 points in each quarter in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinals to clinch the series victory.
Jon McGlocklin led the way with 28 points, as seven Bucks players scored in double figures. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar put up 23 points and 17 rebounds. Bob Dandridge added 19 points. Oscar Robertson provided 12 points.
6. Orlando Magic vs. Boston Celtics – 47 Points
The Magic built a solid 18-point lead at halftime and then put up 70 points in the second half while holding their opponent to just 41 second-half points in Game 1 of the first round.
Shaquille O’Neal led eight players who scored in double figures with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Nick Anderson chipped in 20 points. Horace Grant provided 15 points and 14 rebounds.
7. Los Angeles Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs – 47 Points
The Lakers held a modest 21-point lead after three quarters but saved their best for last, outscoring the Spurs 38-12 in the final period to complete the three-game sweep in the first round.
Byron Scott led the way with 24 points. James Worthy added 18 points. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar contributed 16 points. Magic Johnson put up 13 points and 18 assists.