82–0 — NBA Lineup Builder Game
Draft a starting five and a sixth man from random NBA team-seasons since 1979-80. Can they go 82-0?
Build a perfect season.
Spin a franchise and a season, pick one name from that roster, six times. Then play all 82.
YOUR LINEUP · 0/6
ROLES LIGHT UP AS YOU DRAFTANY POSITION
CHEMISTRY SO FAR · 0/5 STARTERS
—−3 / +2
−4 / −1 / +1 / +2
−3 / +2
−3 / +2 / +2 / −2 / −5 / −8
Starters only. Each pick reveals its roles: floor general, shooter, rim protector, go-to scorer. One or two scorers is ideal; ratings stay hidden until the season is played.
Setting up the lottery…
How to play the 82-0 NBA game
- Run the draft lottery: it lands on a random NBA franchise and one season since 1979-80, with that team’s real record.
- Draft one player from that roster into an open spot: PG, SG, SF, PF, C or the sixth man, who can play anywhere.
- Repeat until your six spots are filled. Each pick reveals his roles and moves the chemistry board.
- Play all 82 games against the real 2025-26 league, then see how you fare against the ’96 Bulls and the ’16 Warriors.
Three free seasons a day. Pro adds unlimited seasons and one team skip and one season skip per draft.
What makes this 82-0 different
Most lineup builders add up star power. Basketball does not work that way, so this one plays like a front office: the lottery shows you the team’s real record before you open the roster, the list gives you names and positions only, and your starting five is judged on fit as much as talent. A floor general, spacing, a rim protector and one or two go-to scorers make a team; five alphas make a highlight reel that loses in November.
Then the season plays out on a jumbotron, game by game, with final scores. It tells you when you pass the 33-game winning streak of the 1971-72 Lakers, when a tenth loss takes the 73-9 record off the table, and the exact odds your lineup had of running the table.
82-0 game FAQ
- What is the 82-0 game?
- It is the NBA version of the roster-building challenge that started with football’s 17-0: a draft lottery lands on a franchise and a season, you pick one player from that real roster, six times, and a simulator plays your lineup through an 82-game season. The goal is the one record no NBA team has ever reached: 82 wins, 0 losses.
- Has any NBA team ever gone 82-0?
- No. The best regular season is 73-9, by the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors, one win ahead of the 72-10 Chicago Bulls of 1995-96. The longest winning streak is 33 games, by the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers. In this game, the jumbotron tells you when your lineup passes each of those marks.
- How does the draft work?
- Each lottery draws a franchise first, every franchise with the same chance, then one of its seasons since 1979-80, the first season with a three-point line. You see that season’s real record and roster, sorted by position, with names only. Fill point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward and center with a player listed at that position; the sixth man can play any position. A player can be drafted once.
- How is my lineup rated?
- Each player is rated on that exact season with that team, mostly from Box Plus/Minus and minutes played, with a small bonus for All-Star, All-NBA, MVP and Defensive Player of the Year honors. A 20-point scorer on a bad team can rate below a defensive anchor, so the list rewards real basketball knowledge. Ratings stay hidden until the season is played.
- What is team chemistry?
- Five great players still share one ball. Your starting five gains points for having a floor general, at least two shooters, a rim protector and one or two go-to scorers, and loses points without them. Three alphas cost you, five cost you a lot. Each drafted player reveals his roles, so you can see the chemistry board move as you build.
- Who does my lineup play?
- The 30 real teams of 2025-26, each rated from its actual record, pulled a little toward .500 because one season is not destiny. Every team appears two or three times, 41 games at home and 41 on the road, from October to April. The schedule is generated for the game; it is not the official NBA schedule. Afterward, your lineup plays a best-of-seven against the 72-10 Bulls, the 73-9 Warriors and the best team of 2025-26.
- Is 82-0 actually possible?
- Yes, but it is rare on purpose. The result screen shows the exact odds your lineup had of going 82-0. A casual draft lands around 45 to 50 wins and has about a 1 in 1,300 shot at perfection; a strong, well-balanced lineup can get into the single-digit percentages. Luck in the lottery matters too, which is why Pro includes a team skip and a season skip.
- How many games can I play?
- Three free seasons a day, reset at midnight New York time. Starting or abandoning a draft is free; only a played season counts. Pro members get unlimited seasons, one team skip and one season skip per draft, and no ads.
Season statistics come from Basketball-Reference. Sportsdle is not affiliated with the NBA or its teams.