The Most Embarrassing NBA Records of All-Time

This text was initially printed on June 12, 2020.

Most of us affiliate sporting data with glory-filled moments equivalent to Usain Bolt shattering the 100-metre report, the Golden State Warriors going 71-9, or this guy demolishing 74 hotdogs in 10 minutes.

And whereas data like these include a specific amount of status, others are greatest forgotten by those that set them.

The NBA is stuffed with embarrassing and dishonourable data, and with out beating across the bush any additional, here’s a listing of the worst ones:

MOST FREE-THROWS MISSED IN A GAME

23 – ANDRE DRUMMOND (2015-16)

When you assume watching the Rockets is dangerous, think about watching their iso recreation at one finish and Andre Drummond lacking countless free-throws on the different.

Drummond was deliberately fouled a ridiculous 21 occasions when Detroit performed Houston in January 2016.

The hack-a-Drummond tactic in the end proved fruitless for each events – with Drummond unable to hit any greater than 13 of his 36 makes an attempt and the Rockets unable to win the sport.

MOST FIELD GOALS MISSED IN A GAME

42 – JOE FULKS (1947-1948)

Joe Fulks was taking pictures his shot 70-odd years earlier than that was even a phrase.

On his record-breaking night time, Fulks missed 42 of his 55 area aim makes an attempt.

His Philadelphia Warriors have been crushing the Windfall Steamrollers and contemplating this was nicely earlier than the times of load administration, the two-time All-Star threw warning to the wind and simply continued launching photographs.

It’s value noting that taking pictures stats of this nature weren’t overly unusual in these days.

Fulks additionally had nights the place he shot 4-31, 6-38, 5-31, 7-36, 7-40 and 8-46.

MOST THREE POINTERS MISSED IN A GAME

16 – DAMON STOUDEMIRE AND JAMES HARDEN (2004-05, 2017-18, 2018-19)

Most gamers change into hesitant to shoot after lacking a boatload of photographs, however that a part of James Harden’s mind seems to be lacking.

Harden has missed a report 16 threes in a recreation on six events.

That stretch included a really egregious 1-17 three-point taking pictures efficiency in a loss to Orlando, though Harden by some means nonetheless completed with 38 factors, 12 assists and 9 rebounds on that event (traditional Harden).

The one different participant to overlook that many triples in a recreation was Damon Stoudemire, who did so as soon as in 2005 whereas enjoying for the Portland Path Blazers.

That was an particularly wild feat again in 2005, when whole groups solely tried about 16 threes per recreation on common.

MOST FREE-THROWS MISSED IN A GAME WITHOUT A MAKE

11 – SHAQUILLE O’NEAL (2000-01)

Good God, avert your eyes when you’ve got an simply upset abdomen.

MOST FIELD GOALS MISSED IN A GAME WITHOUT A MAKE

17 – TIM HARDAWAY SR. (1991-92)

Licensed All-Star Tim Hardaway going 0-17 from the sector one night time in 1991 is proof that chilly streaks occur to the very best of us.

MOST THREE-POINTERS MISSED IN A GAME WITHOUT A MAKE

12 – BROOK LOPEZ (2018-19)

Typically it’s simply not your night time.

Brook Lopez can definitely attest to that, having shot 0-12 from deep in opposition to the Suns final season.

And simply to rub salt into Lopez’s wounds, the Bucks misplaced by two.

MOST CONSECUTIVE FREE-THROWS MISSED IN A GAME

13 – CHRIS DUDLEY (1989-90)

Chris Dudley, who you most likely know because the man on the receiving finish of this nasty Shaq posterizer, was a notoriously unreliable free throw shooter and he took issues to the subsequent degree when he missed 13 straight from the road on April 14, 1990.

Dudley has since gone down because the second-worst free-throw shooter ever when it comes to proportion.

WORST FREE-THROW PERCENTAGE IN A GAME (TEAM)

18% – DETROIT PISTONS (2016-17)

How’s this for a depressing night time:

Pistons free throw taking pictures tonight
❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌❌✅❌✅✅❌❌

3-17 (18%) – worst in NBA historical past (minimal 10 makes an attempt)

— ESPN Stats & Information (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 2, 2017

Not solely did Andre Drummond shoot 1-10 from the road in opposition to the Pelicans on March 1 2017, he additionally contributed to the Pistons’ record-breaking 18 p.c free-throw taking pictures within the course of and obtained himself ejected simply to prime it off.

WORST FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE IN A GAME (TEAM) & LOWEST SCORE

23.4% – CHICAGO BULLS (1998-99)

49 POINTS – CHICAGO BULLS (1998-99)

The precise lowest-scoring recreation of all-time was when the Fort Wayne Pistons beat the Minneapolis Lakers 19-18 in 1950.

However that was (a) fairly a very long time in the past, and (b) deeply cooked, so we’re altering the parameters of this one to the three-point line period (1979-80 onwards).

In that interval, nobody shat the mattress tougher than the Bulls, who scored a record-low 49 factors in a 33-point loss to the Warmth of their first season after Michael Jordan left Chicago good.

The Bulls shot 18-77 from the sector that night time, together with 0-9 from three, additionally setting the fashionable period report for the worst single-game area aim proportion at 23.4 p.c.

A number of years later, the Spurs got here extremely near beating that report after they shot a equally appalling 23.9 p.c in opposition to Toronto in February 2002.

Extremely, that was nonetheless sufficient to power time beyond regulation in opposition to the Raptors, who have been additionally struggling mightily with 33 p.c taking pictures.

Toronto ultimately gained by six, with the scoreboard studying 80-74 after 53 minutes of really depressing basketball.

MOST THREE-POINTERS MISSED IN A GAME WITHOUT A MAKE (TEAM)

22 – DENVER NUGGETS (2012-13)

The 2012-13 Denver Nuggets had the flexibility to get red-hot straight away, and infrequently did.

Most memorably, JR Smith hit 11 threes in a recreation and Ty Lawson as soon as made 10 consecutive threes, an NBA report to at the present time.

However on one particularly forgettable night time, this Denver squad went ice-cold. When the Nuggets performed the Blazers in December 2012, they missed all 22 of their three-point makes an attempt.

It was a borderline miracle that they solely misplaced by eight.

WORST CAREER FREE-THROW PERCENTAGE

41.4% – BEN WALLACE

Ben Wallace is definitely one of many biggest defenders ever, however placing the ball within the basket was by no means his forte, particularly when he was standing behind the free-throw line.

Wallace’s greatest season from the charity stripe noticed him hit at 49 p.c, and in his worst season he made simply 30 p.c.

WORST CAREER FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE

27.2% – JOHN MAHNKEN

The worst area aim shooter of all-time to fulfill Basketball Reference’s minimal standards is John Mahnken, who managed to hit simply 27.2 p.c of his 3557 area aim makes an attempt in a profession which spanned from 1946 to 1953.

Marcus Sensible is the worst area aim shooter amongst in the present day’s gamers, and the one present participant to rank among the many 100 worst area aim shooters of all-time, with a strike fee of 37.4 p.c.

WORST CAREER THREE-POINT PERCENTAGE

26.6% – CHARLES BARKLEY

Charles Barkley says no matter he desires with out pondering twice, and again in his enjoying days, he took an analogous method to taking pictures.

Whereas the absence of overthinking comes with many advantages, that mentality additionally cemented Barkley’s place within the historical past books because the worst three-point shooter ever (at the very least amongst gamers to aim a good variety of them).

Barkley shot at 26.6 p.c from behind the arc throughout his profession, making him the one participant to ever shoot greater than 2,000 threes at a sub 30 p.c fee.

MOST CONSECUTIVE FIELD GOALS MISSED IN A GAME (TEAM)

24 – OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (2016-17)

You most likely gained’t be shocked to be taught that Russell Westbrook was closely concerned on this explicit crime in opposition to basketball.

MOST CONSECUTIVE THREE-POINTERS MISSED (TEAM)

27 – HOUSTON ROCKETS (2017-18)

It’s lengthy been stated that Houston lives and dies by the three-ball, and in Sport 7 of the 2018 Western Convention Finals, they died a horrible, horrible dying.

The Rockets’ 27 consecutive three-point misses not solely landed them within the report books, it additionally turned a 54-43 half-time lead right into a 101-92 loss and crushed their goals of lastly overcoming the Warriors and making it to the NBA Finals.

James Harden (2-13), Eric Gordon (2-12) and Trevor Ariza (0-9) have been the worst offenders, taking pictures a mixed 4-34 from lengthy vary.

FEWEST FIELD GOALS MADE IN A GAME (TEAM)

16 – ORLANDO MAGIC (2011-12)

The following time your workforce is struggling, simply bear in mind it might be worse: they might be the 2011-12 Orlando Magic.

Throughout a January matchup with Boston, Orlando completed the night time with a record-low 16 area objectives from 65 makes an attempt on their strategy to a hideous 87-56 loss.

The Magic have been nonetheless a playoff workforce on the time, however on that individual night time, they utterly forgot methods to play basketball.

BIGGEST HALF-TIME DEFICIT

47 POINTS (88-41) – SACRAMENTO KINGS (1991-92)

This savage beatdown was courtesy of the Golden State Warriors, who nonetheless had two-thirds of their ‘Run TMC’ trio in Tim Hardaway and Chris Mullin.

Apparently, the opposite member of that Large 3, Mitch Richmond, had left Golden State for Sacramento, the victims of this brutal ass-kicking (though he didn’t play that night time).

The Warriors by no means took their foot off the gasoline and went on to win 153-91.

SHORTEST NBA CAREER

4 SECONDS – JAMESON CURRY (2009-10)

JamesOn Curry’s NBA profession began and ended with a 10-day contract with the Clippers in 2009-10.

In that point, Curry performed a grand complete of 4 seconds after being subbed in in the course of the dying seconds of a loss to Boston on January 25, 2010.

Unsurprisingly, Curry didn’t register a single statistic throughout his fleeting time within the solar.

MOST MINUTES PLAYED WITHOUT SCORING

28 MINUTES, 46 SECONDS – JOEL ANTHONY (2010-11)

Welcome to Membership Trillion.

As a lot as that may sound like an overpriced nightclub, Membership Trillion is the truth is a time period coined by former Ohio State walk-on Mark Titus in reference to when a participant subs right into a recreation however doesn’t report any statistics by any means, ensuing of their field rating studying one minute performed adopted by a string of zeros (the quantity of enjoying time doesn’t truly need to be one minute, it simply helps with the catchy title).

The person who had the dishonour of being named president of this membership was Joel Anthony, who performed a report 28 minutes and 46 seconds for Miami in opposition to Portland on January 9 2011 with out registering a single level, rebound, help, steal or block.

Tony Snell got here agonisingly near beating Anthony’s report in the course of the 2017-18 season, however fell 21 seconds brief.

“When you come on the king, you greatest not miss,” Anthony didn’t say on the time.

FASTEST PLAYER TO FOUL OUT

2 MINUTES, 43 SECONDS – BUBBA WELLS (1997-98)

When Dallas performed Chicago part-way by way of the 1997-98 season, Mavs coach Don Nelson was decided to hack Dennis Rodman to items and ship him to the road as many occasions as attainable.

Nelson was so decided, the truth is, that he subbed in sacrificial lamb Bubba Wells – who solely ever performed 39 NBA video games – with the only intention of utilizing him to deliberately foul Rodman.

To Wells’ credit score, he was extremely environment friendly in finishing up the hit, utilizing all six of his fouls in 2 minutes and 43 seconds.

MOST TECHNICAL FOULS IN A SEASON

41 – RASHEED WALLACE (2000-01)

Not many issues come extra naturally to Rasheed Wallace than choosing up technical fouls.

By no means was that extra evident than in the course of the 2000-01 season, when Wallace picked up 41 technicals in 80 video games.

Such a feat isn’t even attainable in in the present day’s recreation as a result of present league guidelines state that when a participant accumulates 16 technicals in a season, he can be suspended for one recreation with out pay and one other recreation for each technical after that.

MOST CAREER TECHNICAL FOULS

332 – KARL MALONE

Whereas Rasheed Wallace had the GOAT season when it comes to technicals, Karl Malone is the all-time chief.

For reference, right here is the all-time prime 5:

Karl Malone: 332
Charles Barkley: 329
Rasheed Wallace: 317
Gary Payton: 250
Dennis Rodman: 212

And right here’s how these guys rank when it comes to technicals per recreation:

Charles Barkley: 0.28
Rasheed Wallace: 0.25
Karl Malone: 0.20
Dennis Rodman: 0.19
Gary Payton: 0.17

MOST TURNOVERS IN A GAME

14 – JASON KIDD (2000-01)

While you’re as hellbent on distributing the rock as Jason Kidd, you’re certain to have a couple of turnover-riddled nights.

Kidd threw a whopping 14 turnovers in an early-season matchup with the Knicks throughout his remaining 12 months with the Suns in 2000-01.

The excellent news was he nonetheless completed with a triple-double, racking up 18 factors, 12 rebounds and 10 assists (name it a quadruple-double if you wish to embrace the turnovers).

MOST TURNOVERS IN A SEASON

464 – JAMES HARDEN (2016-17)

Whereas most groups usually purpose to maintain their turnovers to about 10 every night time, James Harden obtained greater than midway there by himself when he averaged a staggering 5.7 turnovers per recreation in 2016-17 and completed the season with 464 in complete.

MOST TURNOVERS IN A GAME (TEAM)

40 – SAN ANTONIO SPURS (1988-89)

It’s exhausting to think about a horrible San Antonio workforce ever present, however make no mistake, the 1988-89 Spurs have been absolute ass.

They proved that past a shadow of a doubt after they turned the ball over a report 40 occasions – virtually one turnover each minute! – in a 133-96 beatdown by the hands of the Golden State Warriors.

No workforce has even come inside 10 turnovers of the Spurs’ report up to now 15 years.

MOST TURNOVERS IN A SEASON (TEAM)

2,011 – DENVER NUGGETS (1976-77)

Just one workforce has ever dedicated greater than 2,000 turnovers in a season: the 1976-77 Denver Nuggets.

It was a feat as wild as their emblem on the time:

The Denver Nuggets’ precise emblem from 1974-1981.

These guys dedicated 24.5 turnovers per recreation that season.

For reference, that’s twice as many as final season’s most turnover opposed groups.

Extremely, this outrageously wasteful Nuggets workforce nonetheless completed the common season with a 50-32 report and made it to the second spherical of the playoffs.

Whereas they did commit a unprecedented variety of turnovers, they have been additionally the very best defensive workforce within the league and managed to keep up a top-seven offence regardless of seemingly giving the ball to the opposite workforce at each out there alternative.

LONGEST LOSING STREAK

26 – CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (2010-11) & PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (2013-14)

Only a few groups have ever been as miserable because the post-LeBron Cavaliers in 2010-11 and the process-trusting 76ers in 2013-14.

Hell, 34-year-old Antawn Jamison was the main scorer on that Cavs workforce, whereas Thaddeus Younger and Evan Turner have been Philly’s most prolific bucket-getters.

Each groups nonetheless nicely and really prevented the worst win-loss report of all-time, however pricey God these have been some horrendous shedding streaks.

WORST REGULAR SEASON RECORD

7-59 – CHARLOTTE BOBCATS (2011-12)

Virtually all the things in regards to the Charlotte Bobcats was terrible: the jerseys, the courtroom, the empty enviornment, possession, administration, you title it.

However the Bobcats actually cemented their place among the many worst franchises ever with their traditionally dangerous 7-59 season in 2011-12.

That lockout-shortened season robbed the Bobcats of the chance the gather probably the most losses of all-time – a dishonour which stays with the 9-73 76ers of 1973 – however they did handle to safe the worst ever successful proportion.