Fewest Points in an NBA Game
The fewest points ever scored by one team in an NBA game is
18. The Minneapolis Lakers scored only 18 points in
a 19-18 loss to the Fort Wayne Pistons on November 22, 1950.
The game was played before the NBA introduced the 24-second shot
clock. Fort Wayne deliberately held the ball for long stretches in an
effort to limit George Mikan and the Lakers' powerful offense.
The two teams combined for only 37 points, which
remains the lowest combined score in NBA history.
| Team |
Points |
Opponent |
Final Score |
Date |
Notes |
| Minneapolis Lakers |
18 |
Fort Wayne Pistons |
18-19 |
11/22/1950 |
Lowest team score in NBA history |
| Fort Wayne Pistons |
19 |
Minneapolis Lakers |
19-18 |
11/22/1950 |
Lowest score by a winning team |
| Detroit Falcons |
33 |
Washington Capitols |
33-50 |
11/02/1946 |
BAA |
| Boston Celtics |
38 |
Washington Capitols |
38-47 |
01/16/1947 |
BAA |
| Toronto Huskies |
40 |
St. Louis Bombers |
40-60 |
03/23/1947 |
BAA |
| Pittsburgh Ironmen |
40 |
Washington Capitols |
40-49 |
11/30/1946 |
BAA |
| Pittsburgh Ironmen |
43 |
Boston Celtics |
43-48 |
01/23/1947 |
BAA |
| Boston Celtics |
43 |
Philadelphia Warriors |
43-59 |
01/21/1947 |
BAA |
| Cleveland Rebels |
44 |
Philadelphia Warriors |
44-58 |
12/19/1946 |
BAA |
Fewest Points in the Shot-Clock Era
The NBA introduced the 24-second shot clock for the
1954-55 season, dramatically increasing the pace of
play and eliminating the extreme ball-stalling strategies that had
produced games such as the 19-18 Pistons-Lakers contest.
Since the introduction of the shot clock, the fewest points scored by
a team in a regular-season game is 49.
| Team |
Points |
Opponent |
Final Score |
Date |
Notes |
| Chicago Bulls |
49 |
Miami Heat |
49-82 |
04/10/1999 |
Shot-clock era regular-season record |
| Indiana Pacers |
55 |
San Antonio Spurs |
55-74 |
03/29/1998 |
|
| Utah Jazz |
56 |
Seattle SuperSonics |
56-71 |
02/16/1999 |
|
| Milwaukee Hawks |
57 |
Boston Celtics |
57-62 |
02/27/1955 |
First NBA season using the 24-second clock |
| Philadelphia 76ers |
57 |
Miami Heat |
57-66 |
02/21/1996 |
|
| Orlando Magic |
57 |
Cleveland Cavaliers |
57-84 |
12/04/1996 |
|
| Portland Trail Blazers |
59 |
Indiana Pacers |
59-124 |
02/27/1998 |
|
| Cleveland Cavaliers |
59 |
San Antonio Spurs |
59-89 |
03/25/1997 |
|
| Sacramento Kings |
59 |
Charlotte Hornets |
59-83 |
01/10/1991 |
|
Fewest Points in an NBA Playoff Game
The NBA playoff record is 54 points, set by the Utah
Jazz in a 96-54 loss to the Chicago Bulls in Game 3 of the 1998 NBA
Finals on June 7, 1998.
Utah shot just 30 percent from the field and committed 26 turnovers.
Karl Malone scored 22 points, but no other Jazz player reached double
figures.
At the time, Utah's 54 points were also the fewest scored by any NBA
team in a game since the introduction of the 24-second shot clock.
| Team |
Points |
Opponent |
Final Score |
Date |
Round |
| Utah Jazz |
54 |
Chicago Bulls |
54-96 |
06/07/1998 |
NBA Finals |
| New Jersey Nets |
56 |
Detroit Pistons |
56-78 |
05/03/2004 |
Eastern Conference Semifinals |
| Cleveland Cavaliers |
61 |
Detroit Pistons |
61-79 |
05/21/2006 |
Eastern Conference Semifinals |
| Portland Trail Blazers |
64 |
Utah Jazz |
64-102 |
05/05/1996 |
Western Conference Semifinals |
| Orlando Magic |
64 |
Miami Heat |
64-99 |
04/24/1997 |
Eastern Conference First Round |
| Charlotte Hornets |
64 |
Atlanta Hawks |
64-96 |
04/28/1998 |
Eastern Conference Semifinals |
| Utah Jazz |
64 |
San Antonio Spurs |
64-86 |
05/09/1998 |
Western Conference Semifinals |
Historic Low-Scoring Games
37 combined points: Fort Wayne Pistons 19,
Minneapolis Lakers 18 on November 22, 1950. This remains the lowest
combined score in NBA history.
119 combined points: Boston Celtics 62, Milwaukee
Hawks 57 on February 27, 1955. The game set a record at the time for
the fewest combined points since the introduction of the 24-second
shot clock.
Chicago's 49-point game: The Bulls made only 18 field
goals and shot 23.4 percent from the floor in their April 10, 1999
loss to Miami.
Utah's 54-point Finals game: The Jazz scored only 54
points against Chicago on June 7, 1998, the lowest playoff scoring
total in NBA history.
