Which NBA Teams Truly Deliver When the Game Gets Tight?

A new report by Doc’s Sports analyzed and highlighted how NBA teams respond under maximum pressure — specifically in clutch games, defined as any game entering the final five minutes with the score within five points. By focusing on win rates and frequency in decisive moments, the report reveals which NBA teams excel when the game gets tight.

2024-25 NBA Season

The report ranks NBA teams based on their overall win percentage during the regular season. Higher percentages usually reflect consistency and overall quality throughout the year.

Let’s start with the top, and bottom, five NBA teams by win percentage. The Boston Celtics led the pack with 68.6%, the Cleveland Cavaliers finished second with 68.4%, the Oklahoma City Thunder settled for third with 66.7%, the Indiana Pacers ranked fourth with 63.2%, and the New York Knicks rounded out the top five with 61.3%.

The Utah Jazz opened the bottom five with 24.2%. The Toronto Raptors finished sixth with 31.3%. The Miami Heat settled for seventh with 33.3%. The Charlotte Hornets ranked eighth with 36.8%. The New Orleans Pelicans rounded out the top ten with 41.2%.

The report shows which NBA teams play the most games that reach clutch games. Frequent clutch games can signal that an NBA team often finds itself in close battles. Let’s continue with the top and bottom five NBA teams by clutch game likelihood. The Minnesota Timberwolves led the pack with 46. The Golden State Warriors finished second with 45. The Detroit Pistons settled for third with 44. The Houston Rockets ranked fourth with 44. The Miami Heat rounded out the top five with 42.

The Oklahoma City Thunder opened the bottom five with 24. The Washington Wizards finished sixth with 29. The New York Knicks settled for seventh with 31. The Toronto Raptors ranked eighth with 32. The Utah Jazz rounded out the top 10 with 33.

2025 NBA Playoffs

The report measures postseason success, with higher percentages indicating deeper playoff runs and more victories against top competition. Let’s start with the top, and bottom, five NBA teams by win percentage. The Indiana Pacers led the pack with 81.8%. The Minnesota Timberwolves finished second at 80.0%. The Golden State Warriors settled for third with 75.0%. The New York Knicks ranked fourth with 63.6%. The Oklahoma City Thunder rounded out the top five with 60.0%.

The Houston Rockets opened the bottom five with 0.0%. The Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, and Milwaukee Bucks also stood at 0.0%. The report highlighted which teams faced the most nail-biting moments in the postseason, emphasizing resilience under playoff pressure.

Let’s continue with the top and bottom, five teams by clutch game played. The Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks led the pack, tying at 11. The Oklahoma City Thunder finished second with 10. The Denver Nuggets settled for third with 8. The Boston Celtics rounded out the top five with 5.

The Miami Heat opened the bottom five with 1. The Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic finished seventh, tying at 2. The Houston Rockets ranked ninth at 3. The Cleveland Cavaliers rounded out the top ten with 4.

Final Thoughts

The report compares long-term team success over the last five seasons as a guide to franchise stability and sustained excellence. Let’s start with the top, and bottom, five NBA teams by average clutch games per season. The Miami Heat led the pack with 42.0. The Indiana Pacers finished second with 41.6. The Golden State Warriors settled for third with 41.6. The Minnesota Timberwolves and Sacramento Kings rounded out the top five, tying at 41.4.

The New Orleans Pelicans opened the bottom five with 34.2. The Oklahoma City Thunder finished seventh with 34.6. The Portland Trail Blazers settled for eighth with 35.2. The Orlando Magic ranked ninth with 35.4. The Memphis Grizzlies rounded out the top ten with 35.8.

The report identifies NBA teams with the most challenges in maintaining winning records across multiple seasons.

Let’s continue with the top and bottom five NBA teams by average wins (last five seasons). The Milwaukee Bucks led the pack with 60. The Denver Nuggets finished second with 59.5. The Phoenix Suns settled for third with 59.2. The Los Angeles Lakers ranked with 56.6. The Philadelphia 76ers rounded out the top five with 56.1

The Washington Wizards opened the bottom five with 43.5. The Utah Jazz finished seventh with 43.1. The Toronto Raptors settled for eighth with 41.1. The San Antonio Spurs ranked ninth with 39.3. The Detroit Pistons rounded out the top ten with 33.9.

Clutch performance separates steady contenders from pretenders. In 2024-25, elite regular season win rates and strong playoff conversion — especially the Indiana Pacers and Minnesota Timberwolves — pointed to NBA teams that executed late.

Over five years, franchises like the Pacers, Miami Heat, and Golden State Warriors consistently reached clutch time, while Phoenix, Milwaukee, Denver, and the Lakers paired volume with winning. Single-season swings happen, but multi-year patterns show who reliably delivers when it matters most.