30 worst NBA playoff teams of all time
3. 1985-86 Chicago Bulls
Let’s just get the obvious out of the way with the 1985-86 Chicago Bulls. With Michael Jordan breaking his foot near the beginning of the season, this team had no chance to take that next step after making the playoffs with a losing record the year prior.
The sensational rookie that averaged over 28 points per game the year prior was on the shelf and that doomed the Bulls. Orlando Woolridge had enough in him to drag the team to 30 wins and a spot in the playoffs.
The staggering number is that the Bulls won just 30 games and finished the season 22 games under the .500 mark. They would draw arguably the greatest Boston Celtics team in history in the first round.
It’s easy to imagine how that one ended up turning out as the Bulls were swept in three games. There was no battle between Jordan and Larry Bird that year. Although that moment finally came, it would have been great to see the greatest take on the best Celtics team of the Bird era.
If you’re wondering if this is the worst playoff team the Bulls have had, you will be shocked to learn that it is not. That dubious honor belongs to the 1967-68 Bulls.