Heat vs. Lakers Playoffs Comparison: Summary and Year by Year
Here you can compare, side by side, the all-time postseason performance of the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Lakers, and how far these two NBA teams advanced in Playoffs each year.
The Miami Heat have been present in the NBA Playoffs 26 times in 38 seasons while the Los Angeles Lakers did it 65 times in their 78 seasons. Between the two they total 20 of the 79 NBA championships (25.3%).
They have faced each other in 1 playoff series, won by the Lakers.
On this page, after a summary of their Playoff history (with championships won, playoff appearances and all-time records), you can see, side by side, how far the Heat and the Lakers advanced in the postseason each year. Also, if they met that year, a note with details of the outcome of the series.
Summary of Their Playoff History | ||
Miami Heat | Los Angeles Lakers | |
| Playoff Appearances: | 26 (70.3%) | 65 (84.4%) |
| Playoffs Missed: | 11 (29.7%) | 12 (15.6%) |
| NBA Titles: | 3  | 17 |
| Finals Lost: | 4 | 15 |
| All-time Playoff Record: | 163 wins 136 losses (.545) | 466 wins 321 losses (.592) |
| Total NBA Seasons: | 38 1988-89 to present | 78 1948-49 to present |
Head-to-Head in Playoffs | ||
Miami Heat | Los Angeles Lakers | |
| Total Series | 1 Playoff Series | |
| Series Won | none | 1 2020 |
Teams Comparison | |||||
| Playoffs | Miami Heat | Los Angeles Lakers | |||
| 2026 | TBD | TBD | |||
| 2025 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Western Conference 1st Round | |||
| 2024 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Western Conference 1st Round | |||
| 2023 | Lost NBA Finals | Lost Western Conference Finals | |||
| 2022 | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | DNQ | |||
| 2021 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Western Conference 1st Round | |||
| 2020 | Lost NBA Finals |  NBA Champions | |||
| |||||
| Playoffs | Miami Heat | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2019 | DNQ | DNQ |
| 2018 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | DNQ |
| 2017 | DNQ | DNQ |
| 2016 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | DNQ |
| 2015 | DNQ | DNQ |
| 2014 | Lost NBA Finals | DNQ |
| 2013 | NBA Champions | Lost Western Conference 1st Round |
| 2012 | NBA Champions | Lost Western Conference Semis |
| 2011 | Lost NBA Finals | Lost Western Conference Semis |
| 2010 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | NBA Champions |
| Playoffs | Miami Heat | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 2009 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | NBA Champions |
| 2008 | DNQ | Lost NBA Finals |
| 2007 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Western Conference 1st Round |
| 2006 | NBA Champions | Lost Western Conference 1st Round |
| 2005 | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | DNQ |
| 2004 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | Lost NBA Finals |
| 2003 | DNQ | Lost Western Conference Semis |
| 2002 | DNQ | NBA Champions |
| 2001 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | NBA Champions |
| 2000 | Lost Eastern Conference Semis | NBA Champions |
| Playoffs | Miami Heat | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1999 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Western Conference Semis |
| 1998 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Western Conference Finals |
| 1997 | Lost Eastern Conference Finals | Lost Western Conference Semis |
| 1996 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Western Conference 1st Round |
| 1995 | DNQ | Lost Western Conference Semis |
| 1994 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | DNQ |
| 1993 | DNQ | Lost Western Conference 1st Round |
| 1992 | Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round | Lost Western Conference 1st Round |
| 1991 | DNQ | Lost NBA Finals |
| 1990 | DNQ | Lost Western Conference Semis |
| Playoffs | Miami Heat | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1989 | DNQ | Lost NBA Finals |
| 1988 | - | NBA Champions |
| 1987 | - | NBA Champions |
| 1986 | - | Lost Western Conference Finals |
| 1985 | - | NBA Champions |
| 1984 | - | Lost NBA Finals |
| 1983 | - | Lost NBA Finals |
| 1982 | - | NBA Champions |
| 1981 | - | Lost Western Conference 1st Round |
| 1980 | - | NBA Champions |
| Playoffs | Miami Heat | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1979 | - | Lost Western Conference Semis |
| 1978 | - | Lost Western Conference 1st Round |
| 1977 | - | Lost Western Conference Finals |
| 1976 | - | DNQ |
| 1975 | - | DNQ |
| 1974 | - | Lost Western Conference Semis |
| 1973 | - | Lost NBA Finals |
| 1972 | - | NBA Champions |
| 1971 | - | Lost Western Conference Finals |
| 1970 | - | Lost NBA Finals |
| Playoffs | Miami Heat | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1969 | - | Lost NBA Finals |
| 1968 | - | Lost NBA Finals |
| 1967 | - | Lost Western Division Semis |
| 1966 | - | Lost NBA Finals |
| 1965 | - | Lost NBA Finals |
| 1964 | - | Lost Western Division Semis |
| 1963 | - | Lost NBA Finals |
| 1962 | - | Lost NBA Finals |
| 1961 | - | Lost Western Division Finals |
| 1960 | - | Lost Western Division Finals (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| Playoffs | Miami Heat | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1959 | - | Lost NBA Finals (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| 1958 | - | DNQ (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| 1957 | - | Lost Western Division Finals (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| 1956 | - | Lost Western Division Semis (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| 1955 | - | Lost Western Division Finals (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| 1954 | - | NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| 1953 | - | NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| 1952 | - | NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| 1951 | - | Lost Western Division Finals (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| 1950 | - | NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| Playoffs | Miami Heat | Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1949 | - | NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers) |
| 1948 | - | - |
| 1947 | - | - |