Based on total combined score, these are the lowest-scoring games in the NBA since the 2004-05 season.

On Sunday night, the Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks ended up on the wrong side of NBA history when the two teams combined for 152 points with the final score being 79-73 in favor of Philadelphia. It marked the first time since 2016 that two NBA teams scored less than 80 points in a game. The historically bad debacle between these two teams inspired a thought process that led me to investigate the lowest-scoring NBA games in terms of combined team scores over the last 20 years. The results are as follows.

The Lowest-Scoring NBA Games Since 2000

1. New Jersey Nets vs. Portland Trail Blazers 64-60, 124 Total Points (November 9, 2004)

2. Detroit Pistons vs. Utah Jazz 64-62, 126 Total Points (March 13, 2005)

3. Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder 69-65, 134 Total Points (November 16, 2014)

4. New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers 73-62, 135 Total Points (November 14, 2005)

5. San Antonio Spurs vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 72-65, 137 Total Points (April 6, 2008)

T6. New Orleans Hornets vs. Philadelphia 76ers 77-62, 139 Total Points (November 7, 2012)

T6. Philadelphia 76ers vs. Orlando Magic 78-61, 139 Total Points (February 4, 2013)

T8. Memphis Grizzlies vs. Detroit Pistons 72-68, 140 Total Points (December 11, 2004)

T8. Houston Rockets vs. San Antonio Spurs 73-67, 140 Total Points (January 15, 2005)

T8. Boston Celtics vs. Chicago Bulls 71-69, 140 Total Points (February 13, 2013)

T8. Memphis Grizzlies vs. Charlotte Hornets 71-69, 140 Total Points (November 1, 2014)

12. Chicago Bulls vs. Toronto Raptors 77-64, 141 Total Points (January 14, 2012)

13. New Orleans Hornets vs. Charlotte Bobcats 75-67, 142 Total Points (April 16, 2012)

T14. Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks 87-56, 143 Total Points (March 13, 2011)

T14. Boston Celtics vs. Orlando Magic 87-56, 143 Total Points (January 23, 2012)

T14. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks 73-70, 143 Total Points (January 16, 2012)

T17. Indiana Pacers vs. Utah Jazz 84-60, 144 Total Points (November 29, 2005)

T17. Houston Rockets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers 81-63, 144 Total Points (December 2, 2006)

T17. Chicago Bulls vs. Orlando Magic 85-59, 144 Total Points (March 19, 2012)

T20. Indiana Pacers vs. Charlotte Bobcats 74-71, 145 Total Points (December 29, 2004)

T20. Los Angeles Clippers vs. Portland Trail Blazers 74-71 (February 16, 2012)

As you can see, there are some interesting trends when it comes to the 20 lowest-scoring games of the last 20 seasons in the NBA. Here is a brief synopsis including team stats and standout performances from each game.

1. New Jersey Nets vs. Portland Trail Blazers 64-60, 124 Total Points (November 9, 2004)

The lowest-scoring game of the last 20 seasons belongs to the Portland Trail Blazers and New Jersey Nets from the 2004-05 season. This contest ended in a 64-60 win for Portland behind 24.4% shooting from the winning side and 34.2% shooting from New Jersey. Zach Randolph led all scorers for Portland with 16 points on 5-13 shooting while New Jersey got 14 points from Alonzo Mourning on 5-10 shooting.

2. Detroit Pistons vs. Utah Jazz 64-62, 126 Total Points (March 13, 2005)

The defending champion Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz met in an all-time low classic in March 2005 that resulted in a 64-62 win for the champs. Detroit shot just 31.5% from the floor in the win while Utah made just 32.4% of their attempts. Richard Hamilton led Detroit with 15 points on 6-18 shooting while Chauncey Billups, Rasheed Wallace, and Antonio McDyess all finished in double figures as well.

3. Houston Rockets vs. Oklahoma City Thunder 69-65, 134 Total Points (November 16, 2014)

In one of the few times that both teams finished under 70 points in a game since 2014, the Rockets and the Thunder combined for just 134 points in this early-season matchup. Both teams shot under 30.0% from the field overall and 10-54 from three combined. James Harden would lead the Rockets to victory with 19 points on 5-17 shooting along with 9 rebounds and 5 assists.

4. New York Knicks vs. Philadelphia 76ers 73-62, 135 Total Points (November 14, 2005)

In a November 2005 matchup between the Knicks and Jazz, the teams would combine for a low 135 total points with New York picking up the win 73-62. The Knicks were able to get 20 points off the bench from Jamal Crawford in the win and shot 42.2% from the field compared to just 29.3% for the Jazz.

5. San Antonio Spurs vs. Portland Trail Blazers, 72-65, 137 Total Points (April 6, 2008)

The fifth-lowest-scoring game of the last 20 seasons came in 2008 between the Portland Trail Blazers and San Antonio Spurs. In this contest, the Spurs would prevail 72-65 despite shooting only 38.9% as a team. Tim Duncan led his team with 27 points and 11 rebounds on 10-22 shooting while only Manu Ginobili and Bruce Bowen reached double figures as well.

T6. New Orleans Hornets vs. Philadelphia 76ers 77-62, 139 Total Points (November 7, 2012)

There have been two instances over the last 20 seasons in which teams combined for just 139 points in a game. The first occurred during the November of the 2012-13 season between the New Orleans Hornets and the Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers would end up blowing New Orleans out of the water, 77-62, holding the Hornets to just 33.3% shooting. Both Jrue Holiday and Evan Turner led the 76ers with 14 points apiece in the win.

T6. Philadelphia 76ers vs. Orlando Magic 78-61, 139 Total Points (February 4, 2013)

Just a few months later, on February 4, 2013, the 76ers would once again find themselves on the right side of a low-scoring affair with the Orlando Magic. The Sixers would hold the Magic to 61 points while they scored just 78 themselves but picked up the win. Spencer Hawes was the leading performer for the 21-26 Sixers with 21 points and 14 rebounds.

T8. Memphis Grizzlies vs. Detroit Pistons 72-68, 140 Total Points (December 11, 2004)

The next lowest combined total between teams in the last 20 seasons is 140 points, done four times since 2004-05. It happened twice during the 2004-05 season coming first in a matchup between the Memphis Grizzlies and Detroit Pistons in December. The Grizzlies would take down the defending champions, 72-68, behind 20 points and 8 rebounds from Pau Gasol.

T8. Houston Rockets vs. San Antonio Spurs 73-67, 140 Total Points (January 15, 2005)

One month later, in January 2005, the Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs would combine for just 140 points as well. Houston would take down San Antonio, 73-67, in a game in which Tracy McGrady went for 28 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals on 10-28 shooting. The Rockets shot 33.3% as a team in the win but 40.0% from three compared to 2-16 shooting from deep for San Antonio.

T8. Boston Celtics vs. Chicago Bulls 71-69, 140 Total Points (February 13, 2013)

It would not be until 2013 that two teams would combine for 140 points in a game when the Celtics pulled off a 71-69 win over the Bulls. Both teams shot just over 36.5% from the field overall while Chicago struggled from three going 3-17. Brandon Bass led the scoring for Boston with 14 points and 9 rebounds while Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry also added 12 points.

T8. Memphis Grizzlies vs. Charlotte Hornets 71-69, 140 Total Points (November 1, 2014)

Another 140-point combined total would come in the opening weeks of the 2014-15 season when the Memphis Grizzlies and Charlotte Hornets met in an early season clash. The Grizzlies would capture their third straight win to start the season, 71-69, despite shooting just 36.3% from the field. Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies to the win with 22 points and 8 rebounds on 9-18 shooting.

12. Chicago Bulls vs. Toronto Raptors 77-64, 141 Total Points (January 14, 2012)

In January 2012, the Toronto Raptors and Chicago Bulls would put up the 12th lowest-scoring performance of the last 20 years. The Bulls would pull off the win 77,64 to move to 12-2 on the season and drop the Raptors to 4-9. Derrick Rose delivered 18 points and 11 assists while Carlos Boozer added 17 points and 13 rebounds to secure the win.

13. New Orleans Hornets vs. Charlotte Bobcats 75-67, 142 Total Points (April 16, 2012)

Just three months after the Raptors/Bulls 141-point game, the New Orleans Hornets and Charlotte Bobcats would nearly match them with 142 combined points in a 75-67 Hornets win. The two teams were far from playoff contenders in 2011-12 and it showed in this one with both teams failing to shoot even 34.0% from the field. Greivis Vasquez would lead the Hornets with 20 points on 8-18 shooting in the victory.

T14. Boston Celtics vs. Milwaukee Bucks 87-56, 143 Total Points (March 13, 2011)

During the 2011 and 2012 seasons, there would be three different occasions in which teams combined for 143 points. In March 2011, the Boston Celtics would annihilate the Milwaukee Bucks, 87-56. Boston would hold Milwaukee to just 31.4% shooting including 2-14 from three. Boston would get 17 points from Ray Allen in the 31-point win on 6-10 shooting from the field.

T14. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks 73-70, 143 Total Points (January 16, 2012)

The next two times this would occur during the 2011-12 season came within a week of one another. The first would come in a contest between the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. In revenge for their playoff loss in 2011, the Lakers would defeat the Mavericks 73-70 in their first meeting since. The Lakers got the win behind 17 points and 15 rebounds from Andrew Bynum and Kobe Bryant with 14 points on 7-22 shooting.

T14. Boston Celtics vs. Orlando Magic 87-56, 143 Total Points (January 23, 2012)

One week later, in a meeting between the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics, the two teams would also combine for 143 points when the Celtics once again found themselves destroying their opponent by the same score of 87-56. Once again, Paul Pierce and Brandon Bass led the way with 19 points for Boston.

T17. Indiana Pacers vs. Utah Jazz 84-60, 144 Total Points (November 29, 2005)

The next three lowest-scoring games of the last 20 seasons came when teams combined for 144 points. In 2005, the Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers combined for 144 when the Pacers blew out the Jazz, 86-60. The Pacers got 21 points and 15 rebounds from Jermaine O’Neal while holding Utah to 33.3% shooting as well.

T17. Houston Rockets vs. Cleveland Cavaliers 81-63, 144 Total Points (December 2, 2006)

The following season, the Cavaliers and Rockets would combine for 144 points in an 81-63 blowout win by Houston. Yao Ming dominated Cleveland with 24 points on 8-23 shooting in the victory. A young LeBron James led the Cavaliers with 21 points on 7-22 shooting with the rest of the team combining for just 42 points.

T17. Chicago Bulls vs. Orlando Magic 85-59, 144 Total Points (March 19, 2012)

The final time in the last 20 seasons that two teams combined for 144 points would come at the end of the 2011-12 season in a game between the Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic. The 38-10 Bulls would take down the 29-18 Magic behind 24 points and 13 rebounds from Carlos Boozer and 20 points off the bench from John Lucas III.

T20. Indiana Pacers vs. Charlotte Bobcats 74-71, 145 Total Points (December 29, 2004)

We have come to the end of our list of lowest-scoring games in the last 20 seasons with the two instances in which teams combined for 145 points. The first of these games came in 2004-05 when the Pacers and Bobcats met in an early-season matchup. In this low-scoring affair, the Pacers would defeat the Bobcats 74-71 with 24 points and 17 rebounds from Jermaine O’Neal.

T20. Los Angeles Clippers vs. Portland Trail Blazers 74-71 (February 16, 2012)

Two teams would combine for 145 points once more in 2011-12 in a matchup between the Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers. This game would also end up with a 74-71 final score with the Clippers edging out their opponents led by 21 points and 14 rebounds from Blake Griffin and 17 points off the bench from Mo Williams.