Has an NBA game ever ended 82-81?

Yes. NBA has seen a final score of 82-81 23 times. It first happened on March 23, 1949, when Baltimore Bullets beat New York Knicks, and most recently on May 13, 2015, when Atlanta Hawks beat Washington Wizards.

Where 82-81 sits among nearby NBA scores. Deeper blue means a score has happened more often; the outlined cell is the new one.

That makes 82-81 the 898th most common final score out of 3,190 that have ever occurred in NBA. One point away, 83-81 has happened 41 times and 82-82 has happened never.

Every 82-81 in NBA history

Date	Result	Season
2015-05-13	Atlanta Hawks over Washington Wizards	2014	Playoff
2013-10-31	Chicago Bulls over New York Knicks	2013
2013-01-21	Indiana Pacers over Memphis Grizzlies	2012
2012-05-14	Philadelphia 76ers over Boston Celtics	2011	Playoff
2011-04-05	Los Angeles Clippers over Memphis Grizzlies	2010
2010-11-20	Oklahoma City Thunder over Milwaukee Bucks	2010
2005-11-04	Detroit Pistons over Boston Celtics	2005
2004-03-23	New Orleans Hornets over Detroit Pistons	2003
2003-01-10	Denver Nuggets over Portland Trail Blazers	2002
2000-01-17	Seattle SuperSonics over Los Angeles Lakers	1999
1999-04-16	Boston Celtics over Miami Heat	1998
1999-02-27	Portland Trail Blazers over Washington Wizards	1998
1998-04-12	Miami Heat over New York Knicks	1997
1994-12-26	Minnesota Timberwolves over Los Angeles Clippers	1994
1994-11-15	Milwaukee Bucks over Indiana Pacers	1994
1973-12-26	Capital Bullets over Chicago Bulls	1973
1957-01-03	Philadelphia Warriors over St. Louis Hawks	1956
1955-02-14	Syracuse Nationals over Milwaukee Hawks	1954
1953-02-26	Boston Celtics over Baltimore Bullets	1952
1952-03-11	Rochester Royals over Indianapolis Olympians	1951
1952-02-19	Indianapolis Olympians over Boston Celtics	1951
1952-02-04	Baltimore Bullets over New York Knicks	1951
1949-03-23	Baltimore Bullets over New York Knicks	1948	Playoff

Open the NBA grid at 82-81