Five NBA defending champions that lose in the playoffs to a non-playoff team the previous year

The Los Angeles Lakers are out of the NBA Playoffs after losing their opening round series in six games. On Thursday, the Lakers lost 113-100 to the Phoenix Suns and became the fifth team in NBA history to win the NBA Finals one year, and then get knocked out the next year by a team that missed the playoffs the previous season. In 2019-20, the Lakers won the NBA Finals by beating the Miami Heat and the Suns missed the playoffs with a record of 34 wins and 39 losses, despite winning their last eight regular season games.

In addition to the Lakers being eliminated in six games on Thursday, the Portland Trail Blazers were knocked out by the Denver Nuggets in six games. The Lakers first-round loss deserves a little more attention here. It was the first time in LeBron James’s career he lost in the first round of the playoffs. He has however missed the playoffs three times–in 2003 and 2004 with the Cleveland Cavaliers and in 2019 with the Lakers.

Let’s take a look at the other four NBA teams to be knocked out by a non-playoff team the previous season in the NBA playoffs.

1978 Portland Trail Blazers–In 1977, Portland defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in six games to win the NBA Finals. However the next season in 1978, Portland was eliminated by the Seattle Supersonics in six games in the Western Conference semifinals. The Supersonics did not make the playoffs the year before as they had a record of 40 wins and 42 losses. However in 1978, they went to the NBA Finals where they lost in seven games to the Washington Bullets.

1976 Golden State Warriors–In 1975, Golden State swept the Bullets in four games to win the NBA Finals. In 1976, Golden State lost to Phoenix in the Western Conference Finals. The Suns missed the playoffs in 1975 with a record of 32 wins and 50 losses, and then lost the 1976 NBA Finals in six games to the Boston Celtics.

1959 St. Louis Hawks–In 1958, St. Louis beat Boston in six games to win the NBA Finals. In 1959, St. Louis lost in six games to the Minneapolis Lakers in the Western Division Finals. The Lakers missed the playoffs in 1958 with a record of 19 wins and 53 losses, and then reached the 1959 NBA Finals where they lost to the Celtics.

1956 Syracuse Nationals–In 1955, the Syracuse Nationals beat the Fort Wayne Pistons in seven games to win the NBA Finals. In 1956, Syracuse lost in five games to the Philadelphia Warriors in the Eastern Division Finals. The Warriors missed the playoffs in 1955 with a record of 33 wins and 39 losses, but then beat the Pistons in five games to win the 1956 NBA Finals.

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