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Margin of victory is the numerical difference between the winning and losing participants in a sporting event. A narrow margin of victory typically indicates a closely contested, evenly matched game, whereas a substantial margin of victory signifies a decisive win by one team.[1]

American football

National Football League

The most one-sided playoff outcome (pre-Super Bowl era) in NFL/AFL history remains the 73-point margin between the Chicago Bears (73) and the Washington Redskins (0) on December 8, 1940. Despite both teams boasting matching 9-3 records, the Bears managed to secure touchdowns in every quarter, notching three in the first, four in the third, and added three more in the fourth. Touchdown runs of at least 40 yards came from three different players: Bill Osmanski, Joe Maniaci, and Harry Clarke. The third quarter saw three distinct Chicago defenders intercepting passes and returning them for touchdowns.[2][3]

The biggest Super Bowl blowout was Super Bowl XXIV between the San Francisco 49ers (55) and the Denver Broncos (10) on January 28, 1990. Entering this game as 12-point favorites, the 49ers, who had triumphed over the Cincinnati Bengals in the previous year's Super Bowl, were aiming for another victory. In resounding fashion, Joe Montana guided the 49ers to dominate over John Elway's Broncos. The Broncos trailed 27–3 at halftime, and Elway's two interceptions on the first two possessions of the second half dashed any hopes of a comeback. Montana delivered a special performance, completing 22 of 29 passes for 297 yards, 5 touchdowns, and no interceptions, earning him MVP honors.[4][5]

NCAA Football

On October 7, 1916, Georgia Tech achieved a record-breaking victory by defeating Cumberland University with a score of 222–0, marking the most lopsided game in the history of college football.[7][8]

In 1997, Florida clinched the SEC title to secure a rematch against the top-ranked Seminoles in the Sugar Bowl . In a decisive victory, the Gators triumphed with a score of 52–20, claiming their first national championship in the ninety-year history of the program.[9]

Baseball

Major League Baseball

The Rangers claim the record for the most dominating regular-season game in MLB history in terms of run differential, overpowering the Orioles with a 27-run margin of victory. Ironically, Baltimore held a three-run lead after the third inning.

Basketball

National Basketball Association

On December 2, 2021, the Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 152–79, winning by an NBA-record 73 points.[10] The Grizzlies' bench outscored the entire Thunder team, accumulating a total of 93 points. Setting a historic precedent, the team secured its victory by a margin of at least 70 points, breaking a record that had stood for 31 years. Additionally, this achievement easily topped the franchise's previous record for the highest point total in a single game. Before the 73-point blowout occurred, the greatest margin of victory in the league was 68 points, a record established during a 1991 game between the Cavaliers (148) and the Heat (80).

Surpassing the previous record for the largest halftime lead in an NBA game, the Dallas Mavericks outscored the Los Angeles Clippers 77–27 in the 1st half on December 27, 2020[11] The historic achievement of a 50-point halftime lead outpaced the 47-point margin set by the Golden State Warriors against the Sacramento Kings in November 1991.[12][13]

The largest margin of scoring in a quarter occurred on February 4, 1987, when the Kings (4) trailed the Lakers (40) by 36 at the end of the first quarter in an eventual 128–98 loss.[14][15]

The largest home loss in NBA History happened on May 1, 2021, as the Indiana Pacers (152) beat the Oklahoma City Thunder (95) by a record 57 points.[16][17]

On October 18, 2017, the Portland Trail Blazers sailed to a commanding 124–76 triumph over the Phoenix Suns, achieving the largest margin of scoring for a season-opening game in league history.[18][19]

The highest regular-season point differential (+12.28) in NBA History was the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1971–72 season.[20][21] This team also had the most double-digit wins (50) in a season.[22]

The lowest regular-season point differential (-15.2) in NBA History was the Dallas Mavericks in the 1992–93 season.[23]

In the first eight games of the 2023–24 season, the Lakers have established themselves as the poorest first-quarter performers in NBA history. Their first-quarter point differential of minus-74 stands as the most unfavorable figure any team has recorded through the initial eight games.[24]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "The Dolphins just blew out the Broncos. What are the biggest blowouts in NFL history?". September 26, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Biggest blowout in NFL Playoff history". January 14, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Biggest Blowouts In NFL Playoff History". January 26, 2023.
  4. ↑ "5 Biggest Super Bowl Blowouts in NFL History". May 8, 2023.
  5. ↑ "NFL: The 11 Worst Playoff Blowouts in the Super Bowl Era". Bleacher Report. July 5, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Team Game Finder Query Results - Pro-Football-Reference.com". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  7. ↑ "100 years ago: Georgia Tech's 222-0 victory". October 7, 2016.
  8. ↑ "Revisiting Georgia Tech 222, Cumberland 0 and how it may have saved the school". October 7, 2016.
  9. ↑ "The 50 Worst Blowouts in College Football History". Bleacher Report. November 29, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Grizzles set NBA record with 73-point victory over Thunder". NBA.com. December 2, 2021. Retrieved December 2, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Mavericks set record with 50-point halftime lead over Clippers". NBA.com. December 27, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Mavericks' 50-point lead at half vs. Clippers marks largest halftime deficit in NBA shot-clock era". December 27, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Mavericks hand Clippers worst loss in franchise history behind an NBA-record 50-point first-half margin". December 27, 2020.
  14. ↑ "This Day In Lakers History: Kings Held To NBA Record Low For Points In A Quarter". February 4, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Team Score Finder".
  16. ↑ "What Happened in Sports: May 1, 2021". May 1, 2021.
  17. ↑ Young, Royce (May 2, 2021). "Thunder's 'embarrassing' 57-point loss to Pacers is largest home defeat in NBA history". ESPN.com. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
  18. ↑ "Blazers hand Suns worst loss ever in season opener". USA Today. October 19, 2017.
  19. ↑ "The Portland Trail Blazers started the season right with a 124-76 rout of the Phoenix Suns. What are a few takeaways from the epic win?". October 19, 2017.
  20. ↑ "The Los Angeles Lakers have the highest point differential". www.statmuse.com. September 30, 2023.
  21. ↑ "Feel-Good Warriors Now Under Enormous Pressure to Win NBA Title". Bleacher Report. April 8, 2015.
  22. ↑ "Bucks make history, notch 45th double-digit win of season". www.thescore.com. September 30, 2023.
  23. ↑ On, Esteban (March 20, 2012). "13 Worst NBA Teams of All Time". Total Pro Sports. Archived from the original on September 19, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
  24. ↑ "Lakers set a record for first-quarter futility with yet another laughable opening frame against Rockets". November 9, 2023.
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