40–20 rule
NBA rule on championships
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 40–20 rule posits that a team in the National Basketball Association (NBA) must win 40 games before losing 20 to have a chance at winning that year's championship.[1][2] It was first publicized by 11-time NBA champion head coach Phil Jackson.[3][4] Since the NBA added the three-point line in the 1979–80 season, all champions won 40 games before losing 20, except for five teams: the 1994–95 Houston Rockets, 2003–04 Detroit Pistons, 2005–06 Miami Heat, 2020–21 Milwaukee Bucks and the 2025–26 New York Knicks.[5] The rule highlights how a team must be dominant over the first 60 games of the season to win a championship.[6]
40-20 rule by season
- Updated through 2024 season
- Includes seasons since addition of 3-point line in 1979-80 season
| ^ | Won championship despite failing to win 40 games before losing 20 times |
| † | Shortened season (not full 82 game schedule) |
Recent developments
Since 2020, the 2019–20 Miami Heat, 2020–21 Milwaukee Bucks, 2021–2022 Boston Celtics, 2022–23 Heat, 2023–24 Dallas Mavericks, 2024–25 Indiana Pacers and 2025–26 New York Knicks have all made the Finals, despite not qualifying for the 40–20 rule. Although only the Bucks and Knicks ended their campaign victorious, it is worth noting that, with load management, players are playing less games than ever before, making the rule potentially more difficult to achieve in the future.[7]
