NBA Rivalries With the Most Lead Changes

The series where the all-time lead has changed hands the most times. Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers have traded the lead 13 times.

Team

#	Series	Lead changes	Record	Games
1	Milwaukee Bucks vs Philadelphia 76ers145-139 in 284 games	13	145-139	284
2	Los Angeles Lakers vs Philadelphia 76ers170-159 in 329 games	12	170-159	329
3	Golden State Warriors vs Atlanta Hawks165-159 in 324 games	12	165-159	324
4	Utah Jazz vs Indiana Pacers51-51 in 102 games	11	51-51	102
5	Boston Celtics vs Orlando Magic90-68 in 158 games	10	90-68	158
6	Boston Celtics vs New Orleans Pelicans30-21 in 51 games	10	30-21	51
7	Golden State Warriors vs Sacramento Kings225-203 in 428 games	9	225-203	428
8	Utah Jazz vs Houston Rockets140-134 in 274 games	9	140-134	274
9	New York Knicks vs Utah Jazz56-56 in 112 games	9	56-56	112
10	Oklahoma City Thunder vs Portland Trail Blazers151-133 in 284 games	8	151-133	284
11	Chicago Bulls vs Washington Wizards145-120 in 265 games	8	145-120	265
12	Houston Rockets vs Phoenix Suns127-124 in 251 games	8	127-124	251
13	Denver Nuggets vs Sacramento Kings109-98 in 207 games	8	109-98	207
14	Chicago Bulls vs Sacramento Kings91-89 in 180 games	8	91-89	180
15	Phoenix Suns vs Detroit Pistons76-73 in 149 games	8	76-73	149
16	Milwaukee Bucks vs Charlotte Hornets78-65 in 143 games	8	78-65	143
17	Los Angeles Clippers vs Memphis Grizzlies67-61 in 128 games	8	67-61	128
18	Detroit Pistons vs Sacramento Kings188-186 in 374 games	7	188-186	374
19	Atlanta Hawks vs Washington Wizards186-170 in 356 games	7	186-170	356
20	Chicago Bulls vs Detroit Pistons164-160 in 324 games	7	164-160	324
21	Milwaukee Bucks vs Atlanta Hawks137-135 in 272 games	7	137-135	272
22	Milwaukee Bucks vs New York Knicks127-116 in 243 games	7	127-116	243
23	New York Knicks vs Brooklyn Nets120-112 in 232 games	7	120-112	232
24	Miami Heat vs Charlotte Hornets91-57 in 148 games	7	91-57	148
25	Cleveland Cavaliers vs Orlando Magic76-70 in 146 games	7	76-70	146
26	Phoenix Suns vs Atlanta Hawks77-65 in 142 games	7	77-65	142
27	Orlando Magic vs Charlotte Hornets72-66 in 138 games	7	72-66	138
28	Philadelphia 76ers vs New Orleans Pelicans28-27 in 55 games	7	28-27	55
29	Utah Jazz vs Portland Trail Blazers128-118 in 246 games	6	128-118	246
30	Indiana Pacers vs Cleveland Cavaliers121-118 in 239 games	6	121-118	239
31	San Antonio Spurs vs Portland Trail Blazers118-101 in 219 games	6	118-101	219
32	Chicago Bulls vs Brooklyn Nets109-94 in 203 games	6	109-94	203
33	Chicago Bulls vs Golden State Warriors90-87 in 177 games	6	90-87	177
34	Oklahoma City Thunder vs Chicago Bulls86-81 in 167 games	6	86-81	167
35	Atlanta Hawks vs Orlando Magic84-76 in 160 games	6	84-76	160
36	Phoenix Suns vs Chicago Bulls82-76 in 158 games	6	82-76	158
37	Dallas Mavericks vs Minnesota Timberwolves85-66 in 151 games	6	85-66	151
38	Orlando Magic vs New York Knicks71-68 in 139 games	6	71-68	139
39	Toronto Raptors vs Philadelphia 76ers76-62 in 138 games	6	76-62	138
40	Detroit Pistons vs Charlotte Hornets69-66 in 135 games	6	69-66	135
41	Sacramento Kings vs Cleveland Cavaliers67-64 in 131 games	6	67-64	131
42	Portland Trail Blazers vs Atlanta Hawks65-63 in 128 games	6	65-63	128
43	Toronto Raptors vs Washington Wizards74-49 in 123 games	6	74-49	123
44	Atlanta Hawks vs Denver Nuggets53-50 in 103 games	6	53-50	103
45	San Antonio Spurs vs Milwaukee Bucks56-47 in 103 games	6	56-47	103
46	Indiana Pacers vs Sacramento Kings56-46 in 102 games	6	56-46	102
47	Dallas Mavericks vs Chicago Bulls47-43 in 90 games	6	47-43	90
48	Golden State Warriors vs Charlotte Hornets39-33 in 72 games	6	39-33	72
49	Toronto Raptors vs Memphis Grizzlies30-29 in 59 games	6	30-29	59
50	Atlanta Hawks vs New York Knicks211-208 in 419 games	5	211-208	419
51	Milwaukee Bucks vs Chicago Bulls151-148 in 299 games	5	151-148	299
52	Oklahoma City Thunder vs Houston Rockets154-141 in 295 games	5	154-141	295
53	Oklahoma City Thunder vs Golden State Warriors158-133 in 291 games	5	158-133	291
54	Phoenix Suns vs Golden State Warriors165-122 in 287 games	5	165-122	287
55	Cleveland Cavaliers vs Washington Wizards142-127 in 269 games	5	142-127	269
56	New York Knicks vs Indiana Pacers129-127 in 256 games	5	129-127	256
57	Houston Rockets vs Sacramento Kings149-104 in 253 games	5	149-104	253
58	San Antonio Spurs vs Houston Rockets131-114 in 245 games	5	131-114	245
59	San Antonio Spurs vs Denver Nuggets149-93 in 242 games	5	149-93	242
60	San Antonio Spurs vs Utah Jazz129-105 in 234 games	5	129-105	234
61	Dallas Mavericks vs Denver Nuggets105-103 in 208 games	5	105-103	208
62	Houston Rockets vs Atlanta Hawks90-88 in 178 games	5	90-88	178
63	Miami Heat vs Brooklyn Nets97-63 in 160 games	5	97-63	160
64	Minnesota Timberwolves vs Sacramento Kings77-68 in 145 games	5	77-68	145
65	Cleveland Cavaliers vs Los Angeles Clippers81-61 in 142 games	5	81-61	142
66	San Antonio Spurs vs Washington Wizards75-45 in 120 games	5	75-45	120
67	Toronto Raptors vs Atlanta Hawks59-54 in 113 games	5	59-54	113
68	San Antonio Spurs vs Indiana Pacers61-45 in 106 games	5	61-45	106
69	Miami Heat vs Dallas Mavericks46-46 in 92 games	5	46-46	92
70	Houston Rockets vs New Orleans Pelicans51-39 in 90 games	5	51-39	90
71	Dallas Mavericks vs Brooklyn Nets56-34 in 90 games	5	56-34	90
72	New Orleans Pelicans vs Memphis Grizzlies45-44 in 89 games	5	45-44	89
73	Sacramento Kings vs Orlando Magic40-33 in 73 games	5	40-33	73
74	Detroit Pistons vs Minnesota Timberwolves36-36 in 72 games	5	36-36	72
75	Philadelphia Warriors vs Baltimore Bullets32-30 in 62 games	5	32-30	62
76	Miami Heat vs New Orleans Pelicans34-24 in 58 games	5	34-24	58
77	Orlando Magic vs New Orleans Pelicans30-20 in 50 games	5	30-20	50
78	Philadelphia 76ers vs New York Knicks291-234 in 525 games	4	291-234	525
79	New York Knicks vs Washington Wizards212-149 in 361 games	4	212-149	361
80	Sacramento Kings vs New York Knicks164-157 in 321 games	4	164-157	321
81	Phoenix Suns vs Oklahoma City Thunder150-143 in 293 games	4	150-143	293
82	Boston Celtics vs Milwaukee Bucks149-133 in 282 games	4	149-133	282
83	Portland Trail Blazers vs Los Angeles Clippers155-99 in 254 games	4	155-99	254
84	San Antonio Spurs vs Phoenix Suns130-114 in 244 games	4	130-114	244
85	Philadelphia 76ers vs Cleveland Cavaliers123-117 in 240 games	4	123-117	240
86	Detroit Pistons vs Indiana Pacers118-118 in 236 games	4	118-118	236
87	Oklahoma City Thunder vs Dallas Mavericks110-100 in 210 games	4	110-100	210
88	Milwaukee Bucks vs Phoenix Suns83-81 in 164 games	4	83-81	164
89	Milwaukee Bucks vs Oklahoma City Thunder82-81 in 163 games	4	82-81	163
90	Philadelphia 76ers vs Houston Rockets82-80 in 162 games	4	82-80	162
91	Houston Rockets vs Chicago Bulls77-74 in 151 games	4	77-74	151
92	Atlanta Hawks vs Charlotte Hornets77-71 in 148 games	4	77-71	148
93	Toronto Raptors vs Brooklyn Nets76-61 in 137 games	4	76-61	137
94	Denver Nuggets vs Chicago Bulls59-46 in 105 games	4	59-46	105
95	Utah Jazz vs Brooklyn Nets67-37 in 104 games	4	67-37	104
96	Denver Nuggets vs New York Knicks52-51 in 103 games	4	52-51	103
97	Brooklyn Nets vs Los Angeles Clippers53-50 in 103 games	4	53-50	103
98	Denver Nuggets vs Miami Heat47-35 in 82 games	4	47-35	82
99	Denver Nuggets vs Orlando Magic38-37 in 75 games	4	38-37	75
100	Denver Nuggets vs Charlotte Hornets41-31 in 72 games	4	41-31	72

How this list works

A lead change is the other team moving ahead in the all-time series, counted game by game from the first meeting. Drawing level and then going back ahead does not count, and series whose lead never changed sides are left out.

Each row links to the full matchup page, opened on the NBA numbers. Think you know who leads a series? Try the NBA rivalry quiz.

More NBA records

Records include games through Oct 27, 2026.

Sources

Records are computed from every final game result in the Matchup Index database. About the data.