For the First Time Ever, NBA Playoffs Will be Without the Lakers, Celtics, and Knicks

For the first time in it's 65-year history, the NBA's three biggest franchises will not be represented in the playoffs.

Tomorrow ends the regular season of the NBA, and for the first time ever, the Lakers, Celtics, and Knicks will not be in the playoff hunt.

The Celtics have won the most NBA championships at 17, the Lakers are second with 16, and the Knicks have only won twice, but they have been to the playoffs 42 times.

While all three have had powerhouse teams in the past, the Lakers are the main reason this hasn't happened before.  The Lakers have only missed the playoffs five times in the past 65 years: 1958, 1975, 1976, 1994, and 2005.

Note that in the NBA more than half of the teams make the playoffs, so while it is impressive that those teams are consistently good, it isn't like they are consistently elite either.