Nothing frustrates fans more than watching their team collapse in the fourth quarter across NBA betting apps — and some franchises have made it a habit over the last two decades. RotoWire.com wanted to find which NBA teams lose most often after leading through three quarters.
With that in mind, the team at RotoWire.com analyzed every NBA regular-season game since 2000–01 where a team led through three quarters to find which franchises have blown the most 4th-quarter leads. The 
Timberwolves, Knicks, and Raptors top the list of heartbreakers, while the 
Spurs, Mavericks, and Lakers are among the league's best at protecting late-game leads.
Using Stathead's Team Game Finder, we analyzed all NBA regular-season games from 2000–01 through the 2024–25 season in which a team led by at least one point entering the fourth quarter.
For each team, we recorded:
- Games Leading After 3Q: Total number of games where the team led entering the 4th quarter
- Wins: Games where the team held on to win
- Losses (Blown Leads): Games where the team lost despite leading through three quarters
- Blown Lead % was calculated as Losses ÷ Games Leading After the third quarter, showing the share of games a team has failed to finish.
- Teams were ranked by total losses to highlight which franchises have suffered the most collapses, with Blown Lead % used for additional context and tiebreakers when needed.
Most Blown Leads Since 2000-2001
Rank | Team | Gms Leading after 3Q | Wins | Losses (Blown Leads) | Blown Lead % |
1 |
| 927 | 704 | 223 | 24.1% |
2 |
| 887 | 690 | 197 | 22.2% |
3 |
| 980 | 787 | 193 | 19.7% |
4 |
| 951 | 763 | 188 | 19.8% |
5 |
| 832 | 647 | 185 | 22.2% |
6 |
| 1079 | 896 | 183 | 17.0% |
7 |
| 893 | 711 | 182 | 20.4% |
8 |
| 1034 | 854 | 180 | 17.4% |
9 |
| 1020 | 841 | 179 | 17.5% |
10 |
| 901 | 723 | 178 | 19.8% |
11 |
| 935 | 757 | 178 | 19.0% |
12 |
| 886 | 709 | 177 | 20.0% |
13 |
| 1129 | 952 | 177 | 15.7% |
14 |
| 919 | 743 | 176 | 19.2% |
15 |
| 939 | 763 | 176 | 18.7% |
16 |
| 1041 | 870 | 171 | 16.4% |
17 |
| 992 | 822 | 170 | 17.1% |
18 |
| 889 | 720 | 169 | 19.0% |
19 |
| 1046 | 878 | 168 | 16.1% |
20 |
| 1003 | 836 | 167 | 16.7% |
21 |
| 823 | 658 | 165 | 20.0% |
22 |
| 726 | 563 | 163 | 22.5% |
23 |
| 1042 | 880 | 162 | 15.5% |
24 |
| 1017 | 856 | 161 | 15.8% |
25 |
| 1033 | 874 | 159 | 15.4% |
26 |
| 879 | 728 | 151 | 17.2% |
27 |
| 905 | 760 | 145 | 16.0% |
28 |
| 1207 | 1062 | 145 | 12.0% |
29 |
| 1118 | 974 | 144 | 12.9% |
30 |
| 994 | 853 | 141 | 14.2% |
New York Knicks
Toronto Raptors
Memphis Grizzlies
Washington Wizards
Houston Rockets
Orlando Magic
Indiana Pacers
Phoenix Suns
Sacramento Kings
Philadelphia 76ers
Brooklyn Nets
Boston Celtics
Detroit Pistons
Portland Trail Blazers
Golden State Warriors
Milwaukee Bucks
Atlanta Hawks
Miami Heat
Los Angeles Clippers
New Orleans Pelicans
Charlotte Hornets
Oklahoma City Thunder
Utah Jazz
Denver Nuggets
Chicago Bulls
Dallas MavericksWhich NBA Teams Have Blown The Most Leads This Century?
The top NBA team when it comes to blown leads since 2000 is one that's made it to each of the last two Western Conference Finals (losing each), with the Minnesota Timberwolves blowing 223 leads in the fourth quarter during the last quarter-century, giving them a blown lead percentage of 24.1%, well ahead of the next closest club (the New York Knicks, at 22.2%).
In the Knickerbockers case, New York's won 690 out of the 887 games that they've led after three quarters this century, resulting in 197 fourth quarter blown lead losses, which was second leaguewide during that span, ahead of the Toronto Raptors (193 blown lead losses), Memphis Grizzlies (188 blown lead losses) and the Washington Wizards (185 blown lead losses).
Unsurprisingly, several of those teams have posted the league's worst winning percentages over the last 25 years as well, with Washington (.406), New York (.440) and Minnesota (.447) ranking dead-last, third and fifth leaguewide when it comes to the worst figures since 2000, while Toronto is tied with the 
Cleveland Cavaliers for the 14th lowest percentage during that span, at .484.
Lakers, Mavericks In Good Standing
Conversely, the teams that blew the fewest games have been some of the NBA's strongest, with the 
Lakers (141 blown lead losses), Dallas Mavericks (144 blown lead losses), San Antonio Spurs (145 blown lead losses), Cavaliers (145 blown lead losses) and Chicago Bulls (151 blown lead losses) combining to win 13 Larry O'Brien trophies this century, with L.A. and San Antonio combining to take home 11 of those by themselves.
This season, oddsmakers from bet365 have given the Cavaliers the second-best NBA Championship betting odds, at +750, behind the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder (+240) and ahead of the Denver Nuggets (+800), Knicks (+900), Houston Rockets (+1200), Lakers (+1400) and Timberwolves (+1600), with several NBA clubs looking to improve their woebegone blown lead rates during the upcoming regular season.
Remember, NBA odds are some of the easiest to wager on. Games are played on a near-daily basis, with a massive list of bet types to choose from at top-rated sports betting sites.
