Who Has Longest Active Playoff Streak in the NBA? (Trail Blazers' Streak Ends in 2022)
By Peter Dewey
The 2022 NBA Playoffs begin on Saturday, April 16, but there is one familiar face that won’t be a part of the field when the playoffs start.
The Portland Trail Blazers, who had made the playoffs in eight straight seasons, missed the playoffs this season after dealing with injuries to Damian Lillard, Jusuf Nurkic, Anfernee Simons and Nassir Little.
The Blazers also traded away guard C.J. McCollum in a deal with the New Orleans Pelicans and wings Norman Powell and Robert Covington in a deal with the Los Angeles Clippers. With Lillard missing a majority of the 2021-22 season, the Blazers chose to reset and prepare for the offseason, snapping their playoff streak.
So who holds the new high for consecutive playoffs made?
Boston Celtics Take Over Longest Active Playoff Streak in NBA
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics will dethrone the Blazers as the team with the longest active playoff streak, as the Celtics have clinched a playoff spot for the eighth consecutive season.
Boston rode an impressive second half of the season, going 29-9 since a 21-22 start to put themselves at 50 wins heading into the regular season finale against the Memphis Grizzlies.
WynnBET Sportsbook currently has the Celtics at +1000 to win the NBA Finals this season, which is good for the fifth best odds in the league. Boston is also +400 to win the Eastern Conference behind only the Milwaukee Bucks (+200).
Tatum and the Celtics have been impressive on the defensive end this season, ranking No. 1 in the NBA in defensive rating. Marcus Smart and Robert Williams (who is currently injured) are both candidates to make All-Defensive teams this season, and first-year head coach Ime Udoka really turned his team around with an emphasis on that end of the floor.
The Celtics seem set up for success for years to come, as Tatum and Brown are two of the best young wings in the NBA. Boston will have a two-season lead on the Bucks and Utah Jazz for the longest playoff streak in the NBA once this postseason starts.