S³ Historical Report · Four-Round Era: 1984–2026
🏆 S³ The Greatest
NBA Playoff Runs
Sweet Science Sports · June 2026
S³ Criteria
- —Sweeps with a maximum of four playoff losses
- —Margin of victory
- —Winning streaks
- —Competitors' caliber
- —Bonus for the current champion
- —Historical importance
👑
God Tier
| Rank | Year | Team | Record | S³ Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2017 | Golden State Warriors | 16-1 | 99 |
| 2 | 2001 | Los Angeles Lakers | 15-1 | 98 |
🥇
Dynasty Tier
| Rank | Year | Team | Record | S³ Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1996 | Chicago Bulls | 15-3 | 97 |
| T-4 | 1989 | Detroit Pistons | 15-2 | 96 |
| T-4 | 1991 | Chicago Bulls | 15-2 | 96 |
| T-4 | 2026 | New York KnicksCurrent Champ | 16-3 | 96 |
🥈
Elite Tier
| Rank | Year | Team | Record | S³ Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 1987 | Los Angeles Lakers | 15-3 | 95 |
| 8 | 1986 | Boston Celtics | 15-3 | 94 |
| 9 | 1985 | Los Angeles Lakers | 15-4 | 94 |
| 10 | 1993 | Chicago Bulls | 15-4 | 93 |
| 11 | 1999 | San Antonio Spurs | 15-2 | 92 |
🥉
Qualified Tier
| Rank | Year | Team | Record | S³ Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 1997 | Chicago Bulls | 15-4 | 88 |
| 13 | 2023 | Denver Nuggets | 16-4 | 87 |
| 14 | 2024 | Boston Celtics | 16-3 | 86 |
| 15 | 2002 | Los Angeles Lakers | 15-4 | 83 |
| 16 | 2007 | San Antonio Spurs | 16-4 | 78 |
S³ Hall of Pain
Missed by One Loss| Year | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Detroit Pistons | 15-5 |
| 2011 | Dallas Mavericks | 16-5 |
| 2015 | Golden State Warriors | 16-5 |
| 2016 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 16-5 |
| 2018 | Golden State Warriors | 16-5 |
| 2020 | Los Angeles Lakers | 16-5 |
S³ Mount Rushmore
🥇2017 Warriors
🥈2001 Lakers
🥉1996 Bulls
🏛️1989 Pistons / 1991 Bulls / 2026 Knicks (tie)
These six runs are the crown jewels of the S³ system, combining elite records, long winning streaks, multiple sweeps, and championship-level competition while remaining under the stringent four-loss cutoff.