all time best team scoring differentials

[Mike G]

OKC becomes the 14th team in history to outscore opponents by 10% or more over the course of a season.

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tm    year    SRS     ORt     DRt     O/D 
Chi   1996   11.80   115.2   101.8   1.132
OKC   2025   12.70   120.3   107.5   1.120
Chi   1997   10.70   114.4   102.4   1.117
Mil   1971   11.92   103.9    93.1   1.116
Bos   2008    9.30   110.2    98.9   1.114
SAS   2016   10.28   110.3    99.0   1.114
LAL   1972   11.65   103.1    92.6   1.113
GSW   2017   11.35   115.6   104.0   1.112
Mil   1972   10.70   102.6    92.6   1.108
Chi   1992   10.07   115.5   104.5   1.105
Sac * 1950  ( 7.8     82.4    74.6)  1.105
Bos   2024   10.75   123.2   111.6   1.104
GSW   2016   10.38   114.5   103.8   1.103
GSW   2015   10.01   111.6   101.4   1.101

* 1950 Rochester Royals = Cincinnati Royals = KC Kings = Sacto Kings. (Pts/G shown)

Best season differential by franchise; strongest on the left, weakest on the right:

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tm     yr     SRS     O/D       tm     yr     SRS    O/D
Chi   1996   11.80   1.132      Cha   2016   2.36   1.028
OKC   2025   12.70   1.120      Den   2013   5.37   1.050
Mil   1971   11.92   1.116      Mem   2022   5.37   1.051
Bos   2008    9.30   1.114      NOP   2008   5.46   1.055
SAS   2016   10.28   1.114      Brk   2003   4.42   1.058
LAL   1972   11.65   1.113      Min   2004   5.86   1.062
GSW   2017   11.35   1.112      Den   1975a  6.63   1.065
Sac   1950    7.8    1.105      Ind   1998   6.25   1.068
Cle   2009    8.68   1.098      LAC   2014   7.27   1.070
Uta   1997    7.97   1.092      Atl   1987   7.18   1.070
NYK   1970    8.42   1.085      Phx   2007   7.28   1.070
Mia   2013    7.03   1.083      Was   1975   6.53   1.073
Det   2008    6.67   1.083      Tor   2018   7.29   1.075
Dal   2003    7.90   1.082      Brk   1975a  6.58   1.075
Por   1991    8.47   1.081      Orl   2010   7.12   1.078
Hou   2018    8.21   1.081      Phl   1967   8.50   1.081

Pythagorean Win% is a function of scoring ratio, not totals:

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outscore by 10 pts/G         outscore by 10%
PPG  oPPG   PyW%  PyW/82     PPG  oPPG   PyW%
80     70   .858   70.4       77    70   .784
90     80   .831   68.1       88    80   .784
100    90   .806   66.1       99    90   .784
110   100   .784   64.3   =  110   100   .784
120   110   .764   62.6      121   110   .784
130   120   .747   61.2      132   120   .784
140   130   .731   60.0      143   130   .784

[Mike G]

Last season, the Thunder went 29-1 against Eastern Conference teams.
Has any team gone undefeated for a season vs a whole conference? I don't think so.

The above dominant teams in history haven't come especially close, other than OKC.

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tm    year   W    L    vs West   vs East
OKC   2025   68  14    39  13    29   1
GSW   2016   73   9    46   6    27   3
Chi   1996   72  10    25   3    47   7
Chi   1997   69  13    25   3    44  10

LAL   1972   69  13    36   8    33   5
GSW   2017   67  15    42  10    25   5
GSW   2015   67  15    42  10    25   5
Bos   2008   66  16    25   5    41  11

tm    year   W    L    vs West  vs East
SAS   2016   67  15    43   9    24   6
Chi   1992   67  15    20   6    47   9
Roc   1950   51  17 * 17.5 6.5  33.5 10.5

Bos   2024   64  18    23   7    41  11
Mil   1971   66  16    36   8    30   8
Mil   1972   63  19    33  11    30   8

* In 1950, there were not conferences but (3) divisions: Western, Central, and Eastern. The Royals went 15-9 vs the Central, so I've just assigned half of those wins and losses to West and East.
Note that no team in this list had more than 11 losses to one conference, other than OKC.

The Cavs beat OKC by 7 last year, as Jarrett Allen, Max Strus, Ty Jerome, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley, and Caris LeVert all performed like all-stars.
https://www.basketball-reference.com/bo ... 80CLE.html
The next 3 teams on the list were outscored by 21 to 35 points over 3 inter-conference losses.

[Crow]

2024-25 Thunder joined that group of 14 by 10+% net ratio, the only one in last 8 years.

72% of group won titles. The rest made conference finals, except for the 1950 Royals.

Great way to roll, if you can get there.

Every one in group was above league average on both sides of court, almost always top 5 in both. They averaged being first or second on offensive and defensive ratings 1.3 times out of a possible 2. All but 1 of teams that were so ranked on both won title, except 1972 Lakers who were beat by a team, the Bucks, who were also. 9 of 10 champs in group were first on at least one. Only 2024 Celtics were not first on at least one rating. The 4 teams in group who didnt win title actually had 1.5 ranks in top 2 but somehow not enough at the end. 2008 Celtics were 10th on offensive rating.

Obviously this group represents a modest fraction of titlewinners. Other rating sets were often enough.

The Thunder might do it again. The Cavs were close but will they get better? Nobody else was close. Potentially someone could rise to this ratio but it would be somewhat surprising. A handful of trams would need to improve by 2-3 pts / 100p on both sides of court or close to double that on one. Moving into last 3 seasons, the Timberwolves made a 2-3 pt improvement on a side an average of 1.5 times. Rockets 2, Clippers 1.5, Warriors 1. Declines of this size were quite common too. Need both or a super leap. Cavs had 2 super leaps on offense but no meaningful help on defense in those years. Yr to yr playoff rating change could also be checked.

Cavs improving in playoffs but not enough yet to get out of early rounds and nowhere close to enough to dominate. Rockets way to low to get out of 2st round. Timberwolves advancing to conference finals but nowhere close to enough to beat Thunder or the Mavs in previous season.