NBA: L.A. Lakers, Boston Celtics and Teams with the Most Playoff Appearances

The Lakers (Minneapolis, Los Angeles) Have Made the Postseason 92% of their History

While the Boston Celtics have the most NBA titles of all time, just edging out the Lakers‘ franchise 17-16, it’s the Lakers who have packed for the postseason more than any other team in NBA history.

Those two franchises, plus the 76ers (who were originally the Syracuse Nationals), Hawks (originally out of St. Louis), Knicks, Pistons and Warriors have been around from the beginnings of pro ball and, for the most part, dominate today’s list.

The Warriors fall from grace is striking. Excepting a title in 1975, the franchise never really achieved the heights of its early days in Philadelphia.

Here are all NBA franchises’ number of playoff appearances, including 2012.

I’ve added percent of times in a franchise’s history that it made the postseason, evening the field a bit. How about those San Antonio Spurs.

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TEAM	1st YEAR	YEARS	PLAYOFFS	PLAYOFF PCT
Los Angeles Lakers	1949	64	59	92.19%
Boston Celtics	1947	66	50	75.76%
Philadelphia 76ers	1950	63	47	74.60%
Atlanta Hawks	1950	63	41	65.08%
New York Knicks	1947	66	41	62.12%
Detroit Pistons	1949	64	40	62.50%
San Antonio Spurs	1968	36	32	88.89%
Chicago Bulls	1967	46	31	67.39%
Phoenix Suns	1969	44	29	65.91%
Portland Trail Blazers	1971	42	29	69.05%
Sacramento Kings	1949	64	29	45.31%
Golden State Warriors	1947	66	28	42.42%
Houston Rockets	1968	45	26	57.78%
Milwaukee Bucks	1969	44	26	59.09%
Oklahoma City Thunder	1968	45	25	55.56%
Washington Wizards	1962	51	25	49.02%
Utah Jazz	1975	38	25	65.79%
Denver Nuggets	1968	36	23	63.89%
Indiana Pacers	1968	36	20	55.56%
Cleveland Cavaliers	1971	42	18	42.86%
Dallas Mavericks	1981	32	18	56.25%
New Jersey Nets	1968	36	16	44.44%
Miami Heat	1989	24	16	66.67%
Orlando Magic	1990	23	14	60.87%
New Orleans Hornets	1989	24	12	50.00%
Los Angeles Clippers	1971	42	8	19.05%
Minnesota Timberwolves	1990	23	8	34.78%
Memphis Grizzlies	1996	17	5	29.41%
Toronto Raptors	1996	17	5	29.41%
Charlotte Bobcats	2005	8	1	12.50%

Photo: lakers.topbuzz.com