The Greatest Single-Season Home Records in NBA and NHL

We are in the midst of two extraordinary seasons in the NBA and NHL. The Oklahoma City Thunder and the Colorado Avalanche are chasing the best records ever in their respective leagues.  The defending champions, Thunder, have lost just one home game this season, while the Avs haven’t had a regulation loss on home ice. So what are the greatest home records ever in the NBA and NHL?  Let’s take a look. 

NBA

Since the number of games has changed over the decades, this list is compiled by teams that have played a minimum of 40 regular-season home games.

2015-16 San Antonio Spurs: (40-1) – (.976)

The 2015-16 San Antonio Spurs remain one of just two teams in NBA history to win 40 home games in a season. Their only loss, against the Golden State Warriors, who went on to finish the season with a 73-9 record.   The Spurs actually had a 48-game winning streak at home, over two seasons, before losing.  San Antonio finished with a 67–15 record, their best winning percentage in franchise history, and won the Southwest Division by 25 games.

1985-86 Boston Celtics: (40-1) – (.976)

The Celtics finished the 1985-86 season going 40-1 at home during the regular season and finished 50-1, including the playoffs. The lone loss came on Dec. 6, 1985, a 121-103 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. The Celtics’ frontline of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Bill Walton, and Scot Wedman formed a rotation unmatched in the league. Boston would run through teams in the playoffs and beat the Rockets in six games in the Finals.

2014-15 Golden State Warriors (39-2) – (.951)

The Warriors set team records by winning 39 home games—the first Western Conference team to win 39 home contests in a single season. Golden State captured its first Pacific Division title since 1975-76, finishing with the best record in the NBA for the first time since that same season en route to a championship, and lost just two home games in the playoffs.

2015-16 Golden State Warriors (39-2) – (.951)

The Warriors won 39 games in back-to-back seasons. This time, they set a new NBA record, finishing 73-9.  But despite setting new marks, the season ended, ironically, with a home loss to the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals, in Game 7. Still, over a two-year span, the Warriors were 78-4 on home court, a remarkable run that may be hard to match.

1995-96 Chicago Bulls: (39-2) – (.951)

The Bulls won 39 games at home and actually had a streak of 37–0 before losing to the Nets in April of that season.  Chicago actually had a 44-game winning streak at home that included the 1994–95 regular season, which was an NBA record at that time.  This is still considered the greatest team ever, as they dominated the regular season and cruised to a championship.

NHL

Just like the NBA, the number of games has evolved over decades in the NHL as teams played 70 regular-season games between 1942-1967.  So, for the purpose of this list, it will only include teams that played in an 80+ game season, meaning at least 40 home games.

1975-76 Philadelphia Flyers (36-2-2)  – (.925) – 74 points 

This home performance remains one of the greatest single seasons in NHL history as the Flyers lost just 2 of 40 games.  After winning back-to-back Cups, Philadelphia reached the Stanley Cup Finals for the third straight year but was ultimately swept by the Canadiens.  Still, the Flyers earned 74 points on home ice, tied for the most in NHL history.

1995-96 Detroit Red Wings (36-3-2-0) – (.902) – 74 points

The 1995-96 Red Wings tied the Flyers for wins with 3,6 but they played one more game that season when the schedule went from 80 to 82 games.  Detroit would set a new NHL record with 62 wins that season (later broken by the 2022-23 Bruins).  But the Wings would lose in the Conference Finals to the Avalanche.  They still remain tied for the most points and wins on home ice.

1976-77 Montreal Canadiens (33-1-6) – (.900) – 72 points

The 1976-77 Montreal Canadiens are the only NHL team in history to lose just once on home ice.  They would go on to finish 33-1-6 at the Montreal Forum on their way to a Stanley Cup.  Their only loss was to the Boston Bruins, and before that, the Habs had a 34-game home unbeaten streak (28-0-6) that set an NHL record. Montreal also set a record for the fewest losses that season with just 8.

2022-23 Boston Bruins (33-4-0-3) – (.866) – 71 points

The Boston Bruins’ 2022-23 season was magical. They set new records for wins, points, and had 33 wins at home, earning 71 points. They also won the Presidents’ Trophy and the Atlantic Division.  But the Bruins were stunned in the first round of the playoffs.  Still, their home ice record that season remains one of the best of all time.

1981-82 New York Islanders (33-3-4) – (.875) – 70 points

The 1981-82 New York Islanders were dominant at Nassau Coliseum, losing just three games and finishing with a 33-3-4 home ice record.  They finished the season 54-16-10 overall, first overall, a testament to their dynasty years, and went on to win the Stanley Cup.

NFL 

Now there are teams that play 9 home games in a season, so far, no team has gone a perfect 9-0 in the regular season.  But going 8-0 has happened 24 times, the latest, the Bills and Chiefs in 2024.   

MLB

In baseball, who else by the Yankees hold three of the top four spots for the best home record in a season.  In 1961, they went 65-16, while the 1998 team went 62-19 and the 1932 team went 62-15.  Sitting in second was the Big Red Machine, as the 1975 Cincinnati Reds finished at 64-17.