query: when did the nba playoffs change from 5 games to 7 games

pos: NBA playoffs the 2–7 and 3–6 winners. The two winners advance to the third round, or conference finals. The winner from each conference will advance to the final round, or the NBA Finals. All rounds are best-of-seven series. Series are played in a 2–2–1–1–1 format, meaning the team with home-court advantage hosts games 1, 2, 5, and 7, while their opponent hosts games 3, 4, and 6, with games 5–7 being played if needed. This format has been used since 2014, after NBA team owners unanimously voted to change from a 2–3–2 format on October 23, 2013. The most common criticism of

pos: NBA playoffs the 2–7 and 3–6 winners. The two winners advance to the third round, or conference finals. The winner from each conference will advance to the final round, or the NBA Finals. All rounds are best-of-seven series. Series are played in a 2–2–1–1–1 format, meaning the team with home-court advantage hosts games 1, 2, 5, and 7, while their opponent hosts games 3, 4, and 6, with games 5–7 being played if needed. This format has been used since 2014, after NBA team owners unanimously voted to change from a 2–3–2 format on October 23, 2013. The most common criticism of

pos: 2014 NBA Playoffs 2014 NBA Playoffs The 2014 NBA Playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2013–14 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs defeating the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals. Kawhi Leonard was named NBA Finals MVP. For the first time since 1984, the NBA Finals were played in a 2–2–1–1–1 format (the higher seed hosts Games 1, 2, 5, and 7, the lower seed hosts Games 3, 4, and 6). They were also the first playoffs overseen by Commissioner Adam Silver. The Spurs continued the

pos: 1994 NBA Playoffs This would not occur again until 2014. The biggest upset came in the first round, when the Denver Nuggets came back from a 2–0 deficit to beat the Seattle SuperSonics in five games, marking the first time in NBA history that an eighth seed had defeated a #1 seed. Denver stretched their improbable playoff run with the Utah Jazz to seven games after being down 0–3, but Utah defeated them in Game 7 91–81. The playoffs also featured the very first playoff series victory for the Indiana Pacers in their 18-year NBA existence, as they swept the Orlando Magic (who

pos: 2014 NBA Playoffs Dallas Mavericks, and Portland Trail Blazers, respectively. The 24 road wins is an NBA playoffs record for the first round. In addition, the 2014 playoffs featured a record eight first-round games that went into overtime, including four straight between the Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder (Games 2–5), another NBA record. Five of the eight first-round series were extended to game sevens. Three of the series, Atlanta Hawks at Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies at Oklahoma City Thunder, and Golden State Warriors at Los Angeles Clippers, were played on May 3, which marked the first time in NBA history that three

pos: History of the Memphis Grizzlies playoffs and had a record four straight overtimes from games 2-5, going 3-1 in the overtimes. The Grizzlies fell 4-3, despite an effort by Gasol in game 7 without Zach Randolph after he was suspended for punching Thunder center Steven Adams in game 6. On October 29, 2014, the Grizzlies defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 105-101 for the franchise's first victory in a season opener since 2000, the year before the team moved to Memphis. In the 2014–15 NBA season, the Grizzlies made the NBA playoffs as the 5th seed in the Western Conference. In the first round, the Grizzlies defeated

pos: 2006 NBA Finals 2012 NBA Playoffs, and then missed the postseason entirely in . , this was Miami's fifth championship out of a total of seven among the Big Four sports leagues; the MLB's National League Florida (now Miami) Marlins won the World Series in 1997 and 2003 while the NFL's Miami Dolphins won the Super Bowl in 1972 and 1973. The Miami Heat would go on to win a second championship in 2012 against the Thunder in 5 games and a third championship in 2013 against the San Antonio Spurs in 7 games before falling in 2014 against the same Spurs team

pos: 2014 NBA Finals higher seeded team, Games 3 and 4 at home for the lower seeded team, Game 5 at the higher, Game 6 at the lower, and Game 7 at the higher). The series began on June 5, 2014, and ended on June 15, 2014. Although LeBron James did not repeat as league MVP, he was still the best player in the league for the two-time defending champions. Dwyane Wade was rested regularly during the regular season to preserve his knees, but returned to his old form during the playoffs. The third All-Star of the Big Three for Miami, Chris Bosh, played

neg: 2009 NBA Playoffs However, they fell in 6 games to the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals. The 3 division winners and 5 other teams with the most wins from each conference qualify for the playoffs. The seedings are based on each team's record; however, a division winner is guaranteed to be ranked at least 4th, regardless of record. All series are in a best-of-7 format with the Games 1–2, 5 and 7 on the home court of the team with the better record, regardless of their seed. For the NBA Finals, the team with the better record plays Games 1–2 and

neg: History of the Houston Rockets Rockets' record only 26–26, Chaney was fired and replaced by one of his assistants, former Houston player Tomjanovich. Although the Rockets did not make the playoffs, in the next year, the Rockets won-loss record improved by 13 games, as they won 55 games. Olajuwon won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, and the Rockets clinched the Midwest title. The playoffs started with Houston's first series victory in 5 years by defeating the Los Angeles Clippers, before an elimination by the SuperSonics during a game 7 overtime loss in one of the classic postseason series in NBA History. On

neg: USA Thursday Game of the Week Philadelphia–Calgary series because of their coverage of the NBA playoffs. USA also didn't televise Games 2 and 5 of the playoff series between the Calgary Flames and Minnesota North Stars (April 30 and May 7 respectively) because of baseball games involving the Minnesota Twins vs. the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. the Philadelphia Phillies respectively. In 1982, doubleheaders did not start until June 17. Prior to the doubleheaders starting, Monte Moore and Wes Parker did the individual game until then. When the doubleheaders finally began, Moore and Parker moved over to the late game for the

neg: 2012 NBA Playoffs the 1st-seeded Spurs, this marked the first time in straight seasons an 8th-seed upset a #1 seed. The 76ers suffered the same fate as the Grizzlies, forcing the next series to a Game 7 but losing on the road. Game 7 of the Lakers–Nuggets series ensured a 13th straight postseason with at least one Game 7 played. The last without one was the 1999 NBA Playoffs. The Spurs became the fourth team and first from the West to go 8–0 through the playoffs' first two rounds following the 2003 change in the first round format to 7 games. The Heat

neg: History of the Memphis Grizzlies Coach of the Year Award during the next season when the Grizzlies made the NBA playoffs for the first time in team history in 2004 as the sixth seed in the Western Conference in a drastic change from being perennially one of the worst teams in the NBA. They also won a then record 50 games under Gasol and Williams. In the playoffs they faced the San Antonio Spurs, who swept them out of the playoffs in four games. Brown stepped down as head coach during the 2004–05 NBA season. At the time of his resignation, the Grizzlies had a

neg: 1984 NBA Playoffs 1984 NBA Playoffs The 1984 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1983–84 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals. Larry Bird was named NBA Finals MVP. This was the first postseason allowing 16 teams to qualify, a format still in use. The first round format was also changed from best-of-3 to best-of 5. It was the first NBA Finals meeting between the Celtics and Lakers since 1969; they met 7 times in the Finals from

neg: 1953 NBA Playoffs 1953 NBA Playoffs The 1953 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1952–53 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Minneapolis Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals. The Lakers won their fourth championship in the last five years, and defeated the Knicks in the Finals for the second straight season to complete their run. Not only did the four Western Division teams meet for the third straight year, but the Eastern Division teams this year, had a slight change. The Philadelphia Warriors did

neg: 2004 NBA Finals the NBA used The Black Eyed Peas' song "Let's Get It Started", which it had also used throughout the 2004 NBA Playoffs. The Pistons made the Finals again in 2005, losing to the Spurs in a tough seven-game series. That season, the Pistons won 54 games and defeated the Philadelphia 76ers (5 games), Indiana Pacers (6 games) and Miami Heat (7 games) on their way back to the finals. However the Spurs, who likewise play a defensive style, would defeat them in a tough Game 7. The Pistons would continue their run of Eastern Conference superiority for 3 more years,

neg: NBA on ABC shot during the 2005 playoffs by calling it a "great, great contested shot") expected of a main play-by-play voice. Michaels, who by the end of his tenure on the "NBA on ABC" only called a total of 37 NBA games overall with ABC (a combined thirteen regular season games), did return for the NBA Finals, which scored its second-lowest rating of all time (despite the fact that it was the first Finals in eleven years to go to a seventh game). From March 7, 2004 to April 17, 2005 – including playoff games – each game Michaels called involved either

neg: 2008 NBA Playoffs 2008 NBA Playoffs The 2008 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2007–08 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. Paul Pierce was named NBA Finals MVP. The playoffs were noted for the Atlanta Hawks' return after 9 years, taking the #1 seed Celtics to 7 games before bowing out. Also notable was the debut of the Chris Paul-led Hornets in the playoffs after Hurricane Katrina and their 7-game series against defending champions San Antonio Spurs,

neg: 2007 NBA Playoffs 2007 NBA Playoffs The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2006–07 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs defeating the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers 4 games to 0 in the NBA Finals. Tony Parker was named NBA Finals MVP, making him the first Spur other than Tim Duncan and the first European-born player to receive the award. The playoffs are conducted in 4 rounds of best-of-7 series. The 3 division winners in each conference, along with the 5 best non-division winners in each conference, qualify for the playoffs.

neg: 2002 NBA Playoffs 2002 NBA Playoffs The 2002 NBA Playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2001–02 season. This was the final postseason that held a best-of-5 first-round series; the 2003 NBA Playoffs saw those series expand to a best-of-7 format. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Nets 4 games to 0. Shaquille O'Neal was named NBA Finals MVP for the third straight year. This year marked the return of playoff success for the Boston Celtics, who had last made the playoffs in 1995, won their last playoff

neg: 1993 NBA Finals from retirement in March 1995, following a brief baseball career and made the 1995 NBA Playoffs, losing to the Orlando Magic in six games. The Phoenix Suns finished with 56 wins in the 1993–94 season, but were eliminated from the playoffs by the Houston Rockets after leading 2–0 in the Western Conference semifinals. The following year, Phoenix took a commanding 3–1 lead against a sixth-Seeded Houston team only to lose again, losing Games 5 and 7 on their home court, the last of which was decided on a 3-pointer by Mario Elie and an ensuing free throw session. The Rockets

neg: 2002 NBA Playoffs NBA's second three-peat in seven years. This was the first playoff meeting between the Nets and the Lakers. 2002 NBA Playoffs The 2002 NBA Playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2001–02 season. This was the final postseason that held a best-of-5 first-round series; the 2003 NBA Playoffs saw those series expand to a best-of-7 format. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Nets 4 games to 0. Shaquille O'Neal was named NBA Finals MVP for the third straight year. This year marked the return of

neg: Tim Hardaway the playoffs, Hardaway averaged 26 points a game as the Heat defeated the Orlando Magic in the first round in 5 games, and then defeated the New York Knicks in 7 games in the semifinals, in which Hardaway scored 38 points in the 7th game. Miami would once again fall to the defending champion Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals in 5 games. In the 1997–98 NBA Season, Hardaway averaged 18.9 points and 8.3 assist per game, and was selected to play in the 1998 NBA All-Star Game. The Heat won 55 games and won the Atlantic Division, but

neg: 2009 NBA Playoffs 2009 NBA Playoffs The 2009 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2008–09 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant was named NBA Finals MVP. The Boston Celtics lost a best-of-7 series after leading 3–2 for the first time to the Magic in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Before that, their first round series with the Chicago Bulls set an NBA Playoff record for the most overtime games (4) and periods (7) played. The Houston

neg: 1997 NBA Playoffs the playoffs up to that point; they did not return until 2005, and won the NBA Finals in 2006. The Minnesota Timberwolves made their playoff debut after failing to win more than 30 games in their first 7 seasons. It was also the first of 7 straight years in which they made the playoffs only to lose in the first round. They were the last of the 1988/89 expansion four to make their playoff debut This was the first (and so far, only) time since the ABA–NBA merger that the 4 former ABA teams, the San Antonio Spurs, the Denver

neg: Boston Celtics posted an excellent 68–14 regular season record. But the season ended in disappointment, as they were upset in 7 games by the New York Knicks in the Conference Finals. John Havlicek injured his right shoulder in game six and was forced to play game 7 shooting left handed. The Celtics returned to the playoffs the next year, defeating the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Finals in 1974 for their 12th NBA Championship. The teams split the first four games, and after the Celtics won Game 5 in Milwaukee they headed back to Boston leading three games to two, with a

neg: 2010 NBA Playoffs 2010 NBA Playoffs The 2010 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2009-10 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant was named NBA Finals MVP for the second straight year. For the 2nd time in 3 seasons and the first time since 2008, all Western Conference playoff teams had at least 50 wins. The 7 games separating 1–8 was tied for the smallest margin, also from 2008. Cleveland's 61 wins in the NBA was

neg: NBA on ESPN the broadcast home of the NBA. ABC airs games on Christmas Day and under the title of "NBA Sunday Showcase", Sunday afternoons from January through the end of the season, continuing to air games throughout the early rounds of the NBA Playoffs, culminating with exclusive coverage of the NBA Finals. ESPN airs NBA games on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Most NBA games on the ESPN cable network air on Fridays at 8:00 p.m ET and 7:30 p.m PT as part of "Coast to Coast" doubleheaders. Games on Wednesdays are mostly single games, televised at 9:00 p.m ET (usually following an

neg: Bulls vs Lakers and the NBA Playoffs were divided into two modes, "Exhibition" or "Playoffs". Players could pick from one of the 16 teams that competed in the 1991 NBA Playoffs (up from 8 in the first game). Rosters featured many top NBA stars of the time, including Michael Jordan. Games could be configured for 2, 5, 8 or 12 minute quarters. New to the series is a star underneath the player to let users easily know which player they are controlling. "MegaTech" said that the game had impressive graphics and atmosphere, but that it did not play as fast as "David Robinson's Supreme Court". Bulls vs

neg: P. J. Brown Hardaway and head coach Pat Riley, who decided to start Brown for 71 games in the 1996–1997 season. Brown increased his shooting percentage and rebounding, received the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team as the Heat won a franchise best 61 games and the Atlantic Division Title. Brown's defense and rebounding helped the Heat advance in the playoffs, as they defeated the Orlando Magic in the first round in 5 games and New York Knicks in a grueling 7 games series. He came up big in the crucial games of the playoffs,

neg: Vince Carter in 60 games and averaged 24.7 points per game. On December 7, 2001, Carter recorded 42 points, 15 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals against the Denver Nuggets. He joined Charles Barkley (1988) as the only two players to have ever posted a game with 40 points, 15 rebounds, five steals and five assists, dating back to the 1973–74 season, when the league officially began tracking steals. He was voted into the 2002 NBA All-Star Game, but he could not participate due to injury. Without Carter during the 2002 NBA Playoffs, the Raptors were defeated in five games by the

neg: Dennis Rodman season, Rodman and the Spurs did not survive the first round of the 1994 NBA Playoffs and bowed out against the Utah Jazz in four games. In the following 1994–1995 NBA season, Rodman clashed with the Spurs front office. He was suspended for the first three games, took a leave of absence on November 11, and was suspended again on December 7. He finally returned on December 10 after missing 19 games. After joining the team, he suffered a shoulder separation in a motorcycle accident, limiting his season to 49 games. Normally, he would not have qualified for any season

neg: Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals Bulls had won in 6 games. The Jazz swept the season series against the Bulls 2–0, giving them the tiebreaker for home-court advantage throughout the NBA Playoffs. In the finals series, the Jazz had won Game 1, while the Bulls had won Games 2-4. At the United Center in Game 5, Michael Jordan missed a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer, allowing the Jazz to stave off elimination with an 83-81 victory and return to Utah for Game 6, and a potential Game 7. None of the previous 5 Finals appearances for the Bulls had gone to a Game 7. Scottie

neg: NBA on ABC the regular season (all other games Rivers worked were with Brad Nessler). During the playoffs, Michaels and Rivers worked every single telecast, including the 2004 NBA Finals, which saw significant ratings improvement. During the 2004 NBA Playoffs, Doc Rivers was hired as head coach of the Boston Celtics. Though Rivers continued to work games with Al Michaels throughout the rest of the playoffs, ABC was forced to search for a new lead analyst for the 2004–05 season. In addition, the network dropped Brad Nessler from all NBA coverage, and did not retain Sean Elliott or Dan Majerle. Early in the

neg: Jason Kidd as the Mavericks lost in six games to the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the 2010 NBA Playoffs. It was rumored that Kidd had gone through a flu just before the series began which might have affected his physical conditions. He did not speak to reporters after Games 5 and 6 and skipped the team's final meeting. Kidd won the NBA championship with the Dallas Mavericks on June 12, 2011, defeating NBA All-Stars LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh and the Miami Heat. After appearing and losing in two different NBA finals, it was the first

neg: 1995 NBA Playoffs didn't win back-to-back titles, but did win numerous championships and is considered a dynasty. The sixth-seeded Rockets (47–35) took out 4 impressive opponents on their way to the title, defeating the 3rd-seeded Utah Jazz (60–22), 2nd-seeded Phoenix Suns (59–23), top-seeded San Antonio Spurs (62–20) and Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic (57–25) in the NBA Finals. In the Conference Semifinals against the Suns, the Rockets came back from a 2–0 and 3–1 series deficit without home-court advantage, winning Games 5 and 7 in Phoenix. Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon dominated league MVP David Robinson and Shaquille O'Neal in consecutive series to win

neg: 2010 NBA Playoffs the 12th playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning nine of the first 11 meetings. 2010 NBA Playoffs The 2010 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2009-10 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant was named NBA Finals MVP for the second straight year. For the 2nd time in 3 seasons and the first time since 2008, all Western Conference playoff teams had at least 50 wins. The 7 games

neg: 1984 NBA Playoffs team moved to Sacramento, California two seasons later. Kemper Arena hosted its final NBA playoff game. The Kingdome also hosted its final NBA playoff game, as the Seattle SuperSonics moved back full-time to the Seattle Center Coliseum two years later. However, the Kingdome continued to host Sonics regular season games on occasion until . The 1984 Playoffs also involved two of the hottest games in NBA history. Game 5 of the First Round between the Knicks and Pistons was played at Joe Louis Arena, as the Pontiac Silverdome was unavailable, with temperatures reaching as high as 120°. Game 5 of

neg: Baron Davis the 1st No. 8 seed to beat a No. 1 seed since the NBA changed the 1st round from a 5-game series to a 7-game series. It was numerically the largest upset in the history of the NBA playoffs, with the 67–15 Mavericks' regular-season win-loss record 25 games better than the 42–40 Warriors'. Davis averaged 25 points per game in the series. Steve Kerr, then television analyst, called Davis' performance in the 2007 NBA Playoffs "outrageous...stunningly athletic and creative and explosive." Davis' playoff highlights included numerous acrobatic layups, a buzzer-beating half-court three-pointer, and a memorable dunk over Andrei Kirilenko. The

neg: Bulls vs. Blazers and the NBA Playoffs series, the 1992 NBA Finals match-up between the Chicago Bulls and Portland Trail Blazers. It was the first EA basketball game to feature in-game advertisements featuring the company's "EA Sports" logo. The game can be played in various ways: players can play against each other, or against the computer. Games against the computer were divided into two modes, "Exhibition" or "Playoffs". Players can pick from one of the 16 teams that had competed in the 1992 NBA Playoffs. Games can be configured for 2, 5, 8 or 12 minute quarters. The game introduced the ability to create customized fictional teams

neg: 1969–70 NBA season on 50% shooting from the field and 82% from the free throw line. The top four teams from each division made the playoffs. Unusually, The NBA had the division winners face the third-best teams, while the second-seeds faced the fourth seeded teams in Round One. New York met third-place Baltimore in a rematch of the previous year's playoff series. The Knicks won the series in 7 games, including an overtime win in Game 1. The Bullets scoring was neutralized by the defensive-minded Knicks team. Milwaukee eliminated the 76ers in 5 games on the strength of Alcindor at center. Atlanta's strong

neg: NBA on TBS of the opposing team (this restriction was dropped when TNT gained the right to be the exclusive broadcaster of any game that it chose to carry). When it began to televise games from NBA teams other than the Hawks beginning with the 1984-85 season, TBS maintained a package of approximately 55 regular season NBA games annually on Tuesday and Friday nights. TBS also carried numerous NBA Playoff games as well as the NBA Draft from 1985-1989. TBS was also allowed to televise 20 early round conference playoff games beginning with the 1985 NBA Playoffs. In 1986, TBS (as well as

neg: Washington Wizards with the Bullets defeating the SuperSonics. Through the mid-1990s, the Bullets still played a few games per season in Baltimore. The 60–22 Bullets made it back to the 1975 NBA Playoffs. That year, Washington posted a 36–5 home record at the Capital Centre. In the first round of the playoffs, they survived a seven–game series against the Buffalo Braves as both teams won all of their games at home. In the Eastern Conference finals, they beat the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics in six games to advance to the NBA Finals. The Bullets were favorites to win the NBA Championship,

neg: Denver Nuggets the Western Conference playoffs, playing the first place Seattle SuperSonics. Denver was a heavy underdog, having only a couple of players on their roster with actual NBA playoff experience. After dropping the first two games of the five-game set in Seattle, the series returned to Denver. Denver won both games and tied the series at 2. The Nuggets made NBA history in Game 5, upsetting Seattle in overtime 98–94. They became the first 8th-seeded team to defeat a 1st-seeded team in NBA playoff history. Denver almost repeated the feat before falling to the Utah Jazz in Game 7 of the

neg: James Goldstein James Goldstein James F. Goldstein (born January 5, 1940) is an American millionaire "NBA superfan", who attends over one hundred NBA games each season typically in courtside seats, including approximately 95 percent of home games for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers. He also travels from city to city to catch games, especially during the NBA playoffs (and not necessarily Lakers and Clippers playoff games). He also frequently attends post-game press conferences. His unique and flamboyant clothing makes him fairly easy to spot on television. His passion for the NBA has been featured in "USA Today", the

neg: Ramón Rivas Parish, Reggie Lewis, and Brian Shaw, among others. The Celtics reached the playoffs, by beating the Washington Bullets by two games, for the eighth and final playoff spot in the NBA east that year, but were swept in three games, by the eventual champion Detroit Pistons, in the playoffs' first round. Because of his height, Rivas had to change playing positions when he arrived to the Celtics, going from playing center in Puerto Rico, to power forward in Boston. After that season with the Celtics, he came back to Puerto Rico, and received his first Puerto Rican League MVP honor,

neg: 2007–08 San Antonio Spurs season involved in the following transactions during the 2007–08 season. 2007–08 San Antonio Spurs season The 2007–08 San Antonio Spurs season was the 41st season of the franchise, 35th in San Antonio, and 32nd in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Spurs were the defending NBA champions after winning their fourth title, having swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in four games. They would once again win at least 50 games for the 9th straight season, and make the playoffs for the 11th straight season. After beating the Phoenix Suns in 5 games and the New Orleans Hornets in 7, the Spurs were

neg: 2007–08 San Antonio Spurs season 2007–08 San Antonio Spurs season The 2007–08 San Antonio Spurs season was the 41st season of the franchise, 35th in San Antonio, and 32nd in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Spurs were the defending NBA champions after winning their fourth title, having swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in four games. They would once again win at least 50 games for the 9th straight season, and make the playoffs for the 11th straight season. After beating the Phoenix Suns in 5 games and the New Orleans Hornets in 7, the Spurs were eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western

neg: Yao Ming the playoffs for the second consecutive year, where they faced the Dallas Mavericks. The Rockets won the first two games in Dallas, and Yao made 13 of 14 shots in the second game, the best shooting performance in the playoffs in Rockets history. However the Rockets lost four of their last five games and lost Game 7 by 40 points, the largest Game 7 deficit in NBA history. Yao's final averages for the series were 21.4 points on 65% shooting and 7.7 rebounds. After missing only two games out of 246 in his first three years of NBA play, Yao

neg: Julius Erving league's best players in the 1980–1981 and 1981–1982 seasons, although more disappointment came as the Sixers stumbled twice in the playoffs: in 1981, the Celtics eliminated them in 7 games in the 1981 Eastern Finals after Philadelphia had a 3–1 series lead, but lost both Game 5 and Game 6 by 2 points and the deciding Game 7 by 1) and in 1982, the Sixers managed to beat the defending champion Celtics in 7 games in the 1982 Eastern Finals but lost the NBA Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers in 6 games. Despite these defeats, Erving was named the

neg: Wally Szczerbiak 2.9 rebounds. During the 2008 NBA Playoffs Szczerbiak started at shooting guard for the Cavaliers, helping the Cavs defeat the Washington Wizards in the first–round by putting up 26 points and shooting 6–13 from the 3 point line in game six. For the playoffs, Szczerbiak averaged 10.8 points per game. During the 2008–2009 NBA season, Szczerbiak played in 74 games, starting in 5 of them. Given 20 minutes a game, Szczerbiak averaged 7 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.1 assists while shooting .450% from the field and .411% from the 3-point line. Szczerbiak was in discussions with the Denver Nuggets in

neg: 2005–06 Dallas Mavericks season and Dwyane Wade, in six games. Following the season, Keith Van Horn retired. Dallas and Miami would meet again in the 2011 NBA Finals, where the Mavericks would get their revenge, defeating the favored Heat, who was led by the Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, in six games to win their first ever NBA championship; teammates Nowitzki and Jason Terry are the only members of both 2006 and 2011 Finals teams. The Mavericks did not have any selections in the 2005 NBA Draft. (4) Dallas Mavericks vs. (5) Memphis Grizzlies Last Playoffs meeting: This is

neg: ABA–NBA merger Bucks defeating the Dallas Chaparrals, 106–103. Gradually, the ABA began to prove itself superior, going 15–10 against the NBA in 1973, 16–7 in 1974, and 31–17 in 1975. Overall, the ABA won more of these interleague games than the NBA did, and in every matchup of reigning champions from the two leagues, the ABA champion won, including in the final pre-merger season when the Kentucky Colonels defeated the Golden State Warriors. "Boston Globe" sportswriter Bob Ryan said of the ABA-NBA exhibition games: "When those exhibition games began, the view in the NBA was, 'Now we'll show those guys.' But then

neg: 2010–11 San Antonio Spurs season of the Week" for games played from December 13 through December 19 and again for games played March 7 through March 13 "Main article: 2011 NBA All-Star Game" "Main article: 2010–11 NBA season" On November 19, when San Antonio beat the Utah Jazz to go 10–1, it marked the best start to a season in franchise history. 2010–11 San Antonio Spurs season The 2010–11 San Antonio Spurs season was the 44th season of the franchise, 38th in San Antonio and 35th in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In the playoffs, the Spurs lost to the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies in six

neg: 1968 NBA Playoffs 1968 NBA Playoffs The 1968 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1967-68 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. The Celtics won their 10th NBA title, first under player/coach Bill Russell after Red Auerbach's retirement. In the Eastern Division Finals, the Celtics became the first team in NBA history to rally from a 3-1 series deficit to win, as they knocked off the defending champion 76ers in 7. In the West, the Lakers swept the

neg: 1980 NBA Playoffs 1980 NBA Playoffs The 1980 NBA Playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1979–80 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. The Lakers earned their seventh NBA title, their second since moving from Minneapolis. Magic Johnson became the first and (), only rookie to be named NBA Finals MVP, leading L.A. to a clinching Game 6 victory with 42 points, 15 rebounds and 7 assists. With center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar out with a severely sprained ankle, Johnson started

neg: 1985 NBA Playoffs 1985 NBA Playoffs The 1985 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1984–85 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was named NBA Finals MVP for the second time (he had won the award under his birth name, Lew Alcindor, as a Buck in 1971). The Lakers had been unsuccessful in their previous eight attempts to defeat the Celtics in the NBA Finals, losing 7 times from 1959–1969 and 1984. The Lakers, moreover, won

neg: San Antonio Spurs Spurs by taking the series to 7 games, but the Spurs prevailed in convincing fashion in the deciding Game 7. In the second round, Tim Duncan surpassed Karl Malone for fifth place in NBA Playoffs all-time points scored while the Spurs cruised past the Portland Trail Blazers in 5 games. San Antonio played the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals, which marked the third straight appearance in the Western Conference Finals for the Spurs, and defeated them in 6 games to advance to the Finals for a second straight year for a rematch with the Miami Heat. It

neg: TD Garden six games, clinching the 2008 NBA championship in the Garden. The Bruins overcame the Vancouver Canucks in seven games to capture the 2011 Stanley Cup, winning all games in the Garden with lopsided scores (8-1, 4-0, and 5-2) and then taking the championship on the road at Rogers Arena. In the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Bruins overcame a 4-1 deficit in the deciding Game 7 against the Toronto Maple Leafs to win 5-4 in overtime, en route to making it to the Finals; the Chicago Blackhawks hoisted the Stanley Cup in the Garden after a stunning comeback in the

neg: NBA on TBS CBS) did not carry Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, relegating the broadcast of that game to television stations in the team's designated market areas; this would be the last time that an NBA Conference Finals game was not televised on a national network. During the 1989 NBA Playoffs, only 13 of the 24 games (comprising Games 1-3 of each series) in the first round aired on TBS or CBS. For example, none of the four games from the Seattle-Houston first round series appeared on national television. Beginning in 1986, TBS televised the various contests from the NBA All-Star

neg: Atlanta Hawks to make the playoffs for the first time since 1999. In the playoffs the Hawks started to show improvement, pushing the eventual NBA Champions, Boston Celtics, to a Game 7 before losing in a blowout in Boston. The Hawks won all three games at Philips Arena, which hosted its first playoff games and earned its first sellout. The 2008–09 season saw the Hawks win 47 games, their first winning season since 1999. With almost an intact lineup from the previous year the Hawks manage to take a step forward in their development. Again they were pushed to a Game 7

neg: Robert Horry so astounding that prominent ESPN columnist Bill Simmons said of the performance, "Horry's Game 5 ranks alongside MJ's Game 6 in 1998, Worthy's Game 7 in 1988, Frazier's Game 7 in 1970 and every other clutch Finals performance over the years". After winning the series in seven games, the Spurs won their third NBA Championship in seven seasons and Horry received his sixth championship ring. Horry continued to wear number 5 after joining the Spurs. During the 2007 NBA playoffs, Horry hip-checked Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash which resulted in a flagrant foul on Horry. During the ensuing commotion,

neg: 1988 NBA Playoffs 1988 NBA Playoffs The 1988 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1987–88 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals. James Worthy was named NBA Finals MVP. The Lakers became the first team since the Boston Celtics in 1969 to repeat as champions, a feat that coach Pat Riley guaranteed the previous offseason. This marked the first time since 1983 that the Celtics did not represent the East in the NBA Finals, but they did win

neg: NBA on NBC no Christmas games were played due to the 1998–99 NBA lockout), and the final season of the network's contract in 2001–02 (which included two early season games featuring the return of Michael Jordan with the Washington Wizards). NBC aired the NBA All-Star Game every year (with the exception of 1999, when the game was canceled due to the lockout), usually at 6:00 p.m., Eastern Time. In 2002, NBC aired the game an hour earlier (at 5:00 p.m., Eastern) due to the Winter Olympics later that evening. Starting in 2000, during the NBA Playoffs, NBC would air tripleheaders on Saturdays and

neg: 2004 NBA Playoffs the addition of the Charlotte Bobcats in the 2004–05 NBA season). Their playoff series with the Miami Heat, led by Dwyane Wade, was the last playoff series where the home team won all 7 games until 2008's Boston–Atlanta and Boston–Cleveland playoff series. 2004 was the first time in 14 years that all Texas teams made the playoffs, and the second time (first in 10 years) that all former ABA teams made the playoffs. The Rockets returned to the playoffs for the first time since 1999. They lost to the Lakers in five games of the opening round. This was Steve

neg: 2007–08 Cleveland Cavaliers season 2007–08 Cleveland Cavaliers season The 2007–08 Cleveland Cavaliers season was the 38th season of NBA basketball in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers were the defending Eastern Conference champions, and were coming off of an NBA Finals defeat to the San Antonio Spurs, where they were swept in four games. In the playoffs, the Cavaliers defeated the Washington Wizards in the First Round in six games, advancing to the Semifinals, where they would lose in seven games to the eventual NBA champion, the Boston Celtics. Cleveland did not have a draft pick in the 2007 NBA Draft due to trades from previous

neg: 2008 NBA Playoffs and the Lakers and Celtics' revitalization of their franchises, most especially after key trades during the preseason and regular season. The Celtics ended up playing 26 playoff games (2 games short of a full length postseason of 28), breaking the 25 game record of the 1994 Knicks and 2005 Pistons by 1 game for the most playoff games in a single season played by 1 NBA team. The Knicks, however, only played a Best-of-5 First Round, and so had 2 fewer games to accomplish that feat. Also, the top seeds from each Conference met in the NBA Finals for the

neg: 1957 NBA Playoffs 1957 NBA Playoffs The 1957 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1956-57 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion St. Louis Hawks 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals. It was the first title in Celtics history; as of 2017, they led the NBA in titles won with 17. The Celtics and Hawks met in 4 out of 5 NBA Finals from 1957–1961, with the Celtics winning 3 out of 4. While the Hawks' dominance of the Western Division was succeeded by the Los Angeles

neg: 2016 NBA Playoffs the NBA Finals. In Canada, the playoffs were carried on TSN Radio. 2016 NBA Playoffs The 2016 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 2015–16 season. The tournament ended with the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers defeating the Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors 4 games to 3 after the Warriors led the series 3 games to 1. In the NBA Finals, LeBron James was named NBA Finals MVP. The Cavaliers swept their first two series and won the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Raptors to become the fourth team

neg: 1980–81 Portland Trail Blazers season NBA game. (4) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (5) Kansas City Kings: "Kings win series 2-1" 1980–81 Portland Trail Blazers season The 1980–81 season was the 11th season of the Portland Trail Blazers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Blazers won seven more games than the previous season, ending with a record of 45–37 and making the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season. The Blazers were eliminated from the 1980 NBA Playoffs after losing their best-of-three first-round series to the Kansas City Kings, two games to one. Note: This is not a complete list; only the first two rounds are

neg: NBA 2K League 1-5, with the first weekly match ups taking place on May 11-12. There was be an additional two tournaments during the season before the playoffs began on August 17, concluding with the NBA 2K League Finals on August 25. All games will be live streamed on Twitch and available to view on demand after the live broadcasts. The league used Pro-Am mode for the games, which consisted of 5 on 5 matches where players used archetypes with preset skills instead of their own MyPlayer or NBA players to keep the ratings similar to everyone. The archetypes to choose from were:

neg: NBA on ABC series. TNT airs one Conference Final exclusively each year (the Western Conference Finals in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, a 20142016 and 2018. and the Eastern Conference Finals in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015)and 2017]], while ESPN will get the other. With the exception of 2004, 2010, 2012, and 2015 (when the network did not air any games from that round at all), ABC airs Conference Final matches – whichever one to which ESPN holds the rights in a given year – held on weekends. Due to the checkerboard schedule of the NBA Playoffs (in which games are

neg: 1978 NBA Finals was that we weren’t supposed to win it. We came a long way. Most people didn’t give us a chance, but I felt all along we could. I really did." Nationwide TV coverage of the 1978 NBA finals was broadcast by CBS Sports, with Brent Musburger (All Games) on play-by-play and Rick Barry (All Games), Steve Jones (Game 1), recently retired John Havlicek (Games 2, 4 and 7), Gus Johnson (Game 3) and Keith Erickson (Games 4 and 5) on color commentary. Locally, the 1978 NBA Finals was broadcast by CBS affiliates: WTOP-TV in Washington, D.C. and KIRO-TV in Seattle,

neg: 1994–95 Cleveland Cavaliers season the uniforms were slightly changed in 1997. Key Dates: Record: 8-5 ; Home: 5-2 ; Road: 3-3 Record: 12-3 ; Home: 6-2 ; Road: 6-1 Record: 6-8 ; Home: 2-5 ; Road: 4-3 Record: 7-6; Home: 4-1; Road: 3-5 Record: 8-9; Home: 5-3; Road: 1-6 Record: 4-8; Home: 4-2; Road: 0-6 "Note: GP= Games played; GS = Games started; MIN= Minutes; FG% = field goal %, FT% = free throw %, 3FG% = 3 point % STL= Steals; BLK = Blocks; AST = Assists; REB = Rebounds; PTS = Points" Regular Season Playoffs 1994–95 Cleveland Cavaliers season The 1994–95 NBA

neg: 2000–01 Cleveland Cavaliers season ; Home: 6-1 ; Road: 2-4 Record: 7-7 ; Home: 4-2 ; Road: 3-5 Record: 4-11 ; Home: 3-4 ; Road: 1-7 Record: 2-10; Home: 1-6; Road: 1-4 Record: ; Home: ; Road: Record: ; Home: ; Road: "Note: GP= Games played; GS = Games started; MIN= Minutes; FG% = field goal %, FT% = free throw %, 3FG% = 3 point % STL= Steals; BLK = Blocks; AST = Assists; REB = Rebounds; PTS = Points" Regular Season Playoffs 2000–01 Cleveland Cavaliers season The 2000–01 NBA season was the 31st season of the National Basketball Association in Cleveland, Ohio.

neg: 2015 NBA Playoffs They broadcast mostly ABC games during the first two rounds, all of the conference finals, and the NBA Finals. 2015 NBA Playoffs The 2015 NBA Playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2014–15 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors defeating the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. Andre Iguodala was named NBA Finals MVP. For the first time since 2005–06, all teams from a particular division made the playoffs (in this case, all five teams from the Southwest Division). The San Antonio Spurs made

neg: 2015 NBA Playoffs TV broadcast the NBA Playoffs nationally. In the first round the regional sports networks affiliated with the teams can also broadcast the games. Throughout the first two rounds, TNT televises games Saturday through Thursday, ESPN televises games on Friday and Sunday, and ABC televises select games on Saturday and Sunday, usually in the afternoon. NBA TV televises select games in the first round. TNT televises the Eastern Conference Finals and ESPN the Western Conference Finals. ABC televises the NBA Finals for the thirteenth consecutive year. ESPN Radio has exclusive national radio rights to broadcast the playoffs in the United States.

neg: 1994–95 Los Angeles Lakers season in the Pacific Division with a 48–34 record, and returned to the playoffs after a one-year absence. Harris was named Coach of The Year, top draft pick Eddie Jones made the All-Rookie First Team, and Ceballos was selected for the 1995 NBA All-Star Game, but did not play due to injury. In the first round of the playoffs, the Lakers defeated the 4th-seeded Seattle SuperSonics in four games. However, they would lose in the semifinals to the San Antonio Spurs in six games. Following the season, Sam Bowie and Kurt Rambis both retired. (4) Seattle SuperSonics vs. (5) Los Angeles

neg: 1989–90 Cleveland Cavaliers season playing below .500 for the first half of the season, but finished it on a strong note winning their final six games. The team finished the season with a 42–40 record, finishing 4th in the Central Division. Mark Price led the team in assists as the Cavs advanced to the playoffs. In the first round of the playoffs, the Cavaliers lost in five games to the Philadelphia 76ers. The team's season roster is featured in the video games "NBA 2K16" and NBA 2K17. Notes (2) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (7) Cleveland Cavaliers: "76ers win series 3-2" Last Playoff Meeting: Not available

neg: Strength of schedule each other at least twice in an 82-game regular season, although intra-division games are more frequent (as much as four times) than inter-conference games (twice). In the National Hockey League, prior to 2008, some teams did not meet each other in a given year, and intra-division games are more frequent (six times) when compared to the NBA. A strong team in a weak division or conference is capable of bloating their record in order to have a better seeding in the playoffs. In order to resolve differing strengths of schedule among teams, the playoffs are held after the season to

neg: 1981 NBA Playoffs 1981 NBA Playoffs The 1981 NBA Playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1980–81 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. Cedric Maxwell was named NBA Finals MVP. The playoffs are notable for being the second and final time to date that a team with a losing record advanced to the NBA Finals (the Minneapolis Lakers did it first in 1959 with a 33–39 record), as the Rockets won their first Western Conference title despite having a 40–42

neg: 1993 NBA Finals Jordan's father, James R. Jordan, Sr., was murdered. Distraught by the murder of his father, Jordan announced his retirement from basketball a few weeks before the 1993–94 NBA season began, citing a loss of desire to play basketball. Even without Jordan, the Bulls still managed to win 55 games behind the All-Star efforts of Scottie Pippen; however the loss of Jordan was steep to overcome, and following a controversial call that gave the New York Knicks a win in Game 5, the Bulls lost to Knicks in the conference semi-finals of the 1994 NBA Playoffs in Game 7. Jordan returned

neg: 1978 NBA Playoffs "Bullets win series 4-2" (3) Washington Bullets vs. (4) Seattle SuperSonics: "Bullets win series 4-3" Note: The 'Game 7' played marked the last time until the 2016 NBA Finals, that a road team defeated the home team. 1978 NBA Playoffs The 1978 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1977-78 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Washington Bullets defeating the Western Conference champion Seattle SuperSonics 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals. Wes Unseld was named NBA Finals MVP. To date, it remains the only NBA title that the Bullets (since renamed

neg: 1999–2000 Indiana Pacers season the game. The Pacers would have a 20-point lead in the 2nd quarter, and eventually won by 33 – it was the worst Lakers NBA Finals loss since the 148–114 loss to Boston in the 1985 NBA Finals, known as the "Memorial Day Massacre." With their loss in Game 5, the Lakers record in close-out games dropped to 3–6 in the 2000 NBA Playoffs (the other losses coming in Games 3 and 4 in the first round against Sacramento, Game 4 in the series against Phoenix, and Games 5 and 6 versus Portland). As a result, the series returned to

neg: 1998–99 NBA season 1998–99 NBA season The 1999 NBA season was the 53rd season of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Due to a lockout, the season did not start until February 5, 1999, after a new six-year Collective Bargaining Agreement was reached between the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association. All 29 teams played a shortened 50-game regular season schedule and the 16 teams who qualified for the playoffs played a full post-season schedule. That season's All-Star Game was also canceled. The season ended with the San Antonio Spurs winning the franchise's first NBA championship, beating the New York Knicks 4 games

neg: Stephen Jackson to the 2007–08 NBA season, Jackson (along with guard Baron Davis and forward Matt Barnes) was named a team captain of the Warriors. Jackson was the recipient of the NBA's Western Conference Player of the Week award (November 26 – December 2), averaging 23.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.8 steals. Despite winning 48 games, the Warriors missed the playoffs in a Western Conference where all eight playoff teams won at least 50 games (Their 48 wins are the most of a team that did not qualify for playoffs in NBA history). During the 2008–09 NBA season, Jackson registered

neg: Twin Towers (San Antonio Spurs) margin of 26-22 in Game 2 but despite that, the Spurs ended up losing both of the first two games heading back to San Antonio down 0-2. Malone would end up outscoring Duncan in the next three games, doing so by a margin of 18-10 in Game 3 (which the Spurs ended up winning), 34-22 in Game 4, and 24-14 in Game 5 to eliminate the Spurs from the playoffs in five games en route to winning the Western Conference championship. Before the start of the 1998–99 season, the NBA owners and NBA commissioner David Stern locked out the NBA

neg: 2016 NBA Playoffs 2016 NBA Playoffs The 2016 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 2015–16 season. The tournament ended with the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers defeating the Western Conference champion Golden State Warriors 4 games to 3 after the Warriors led the series 3 games to 1. In the NBA Finals, LeBron James was named NBA Finals MVP. The Cavaliers swept their first two series and won the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Raptors to become the fourth team in NBA history to open a post-season with 10 straight victories. They

neg: 1989–90 Utah Jazz season league in assists for the third year in a row averaging 14.5 assists per game. Both players were selected for the 1990 NBA All-Star Game. However, Malone did not play due to an injury despite playing all 82 games. The duo led the Jazz to an impressive 55–27 record, second in the Midwest Division. However, in the first round of the playoffs, they lost to the 5th-seeded Phoenix Suns in five games. (4) Utah Jazz vs. (5) Phoenix Suns: "Suns win series 3-2" Last Playoff Meeting: 1984 Western Conference Semifinals (Phoenix won 4-2) 1989–90 Utah Jazz season The 1989–90 NBA

neg: 1962 NBA Playoffs 1962 NBA Playoffs The 1962 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1961-62 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals. The Celtics won their 4th straight title to become the first (and as of 2018, only) NBA team to do so. Boston's Game 7 victory occurred in OT, with Bill Russell tying his own Finals record with 40 rebounds. This was the second NBA Finals played between the Celtics and Lakers, but it was the first

neg: 1971 NBA Playoffs 1971 NBA Playoffs The 1971 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1970–71 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Milwaukee Bucks defeating the Eastern Conference champion Baltimore Bullets 4 games to 0 in the NBA Finals. Led by Finals MVP and the previous season's Rookie of the Year Lew Alcindor and Oscar Robertson, the Bucks became the fastest expansion team in NBA history to win the championship (a record that they still hold as of 2018), and did so in dominating fashion, finishing 12-2 in the playoffs with a postseason average point differential

neg: NBA playoffs the speculation that the Clippers had lost intentionally. In the first round of the playoffs, the Clippers defeated the Nuggets in five games, while Memphis was swept by Dallas. Ultimately, Dallas and San Antonio did meet in the second round, with Dallas winning in seven games and advancing all the way to the NBA finals. There were no byes, or idle time, for the division champions – as there would be for higher-seeded playoff teams 1955–66 and 1975–83. All six 1947 participants played their first tournament games on Wednesday, April 2; in 1948 the two Eastern runners-up (E2, E3 in

neg: 2009 NBA Playoffs first playoff meeting between the Lakers and the Magic. 2009 NBA Playoffs The 2009 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2008–09 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant was named NBA Finals MVP. The Boston Celtics lost a best-of-7 series after leading 3–2 for the first time to the Magic in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Before that, their first round series with the Chicago Bulls set an NBA Playoff record for the most

neg: Detroit Pistons both overall and road victories (27). In addition, the team set an NBA record by starting the same lineup in 73 consecutive games from the start of the season. The top-seeded Pistons defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 4–1 in the first round of the 2006 NBA Playoffs, but struggled in the second round against the Cleveland Cavaliers, falling behind 3–2 before winning in seven games. Things did not improve against the second-seeded Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals. Miami defeated the Pistons in six games en route to the 2006 NBA championship. During the 2006 offseason, the Pistons offered Ben

neg:
2004 Boston Red Sox season Games 4 and 5, was named ALCS Most Valuable Player. Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, and the National Hockey League are three professional sports that feature best-of-seven games series in their playoffs. Coming back to win a seven-game series when down by three games has only been accomplished by four National Hockey League teams and only one Major League Baseball team in the history of the MLB, NBA, and NHL.
 The 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL) came back from being down by three games to the Detroit Red Wings to win the 1942 Stanley Cup.
 The 1975 New

neg: 1990 NBA Playoffs 1990 NBA Playoffs The 1990 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1989–90 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons defeating the Western Conference champion Portland Trail Blazers 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals. Isiah Thomas was named NBA Finals MVP. It was the Blazers' first trip to the NBA Finals since their stunning victory in the 1977 NBA Finals. The New York Knicks fell behind 2–0 to the Boston Celtics in their first round matchup, but took the series 3–2 by winning Game 5 124–117 in Boston Garden. The

neg: 1976 NBA Playoffs 1976 NBA Playoffs The 1976 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1975–76 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. The series was highlighted by Game 5, a 3-OT victory by Boston. The Celtics won their 13th NBA title, second in the Dave Cowens era. Jo Jo White was named NBA Finals MVP. The Suns earned their first two playoff series victories in franchise history to advance to the NBA Finals; they won their second (and ,

neg: 2016 NBA Playoffs second meeting in the NBA Finals between the Warriors and Cavaliers, with the Warriors winning the first meeting last season. ESPN, TNT, ABC, and NBA TV broadcast the NBA playoffs nationally in the United States. In the first round, regional sports networks affiliated with the teams can also broadcast the games, except for games televised on ABC. Throughout the first two rounds, TNT televised games Saturday through Thursday, ESPN televised games Friday and Saturday, and ABC televised select games on Saturday and Sunday, usually in the afternoon. NBA TV aired select weekday games in the first round. TNT televised the

neg: Eddie Jones (basketball) the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the playoffs but fell to the top seeded Utah Jazz in 5 games in the conference semifinals. Jones struggled in the playoffs, as his scoring average fell to 11.2 in the postseason. In the 1997–1998 season, Jones averaged 16.9 points with 2 steals a game, and scored 15 points with 11 rebounds in the 1998 NBA All-Star Game. His pesky defense also earned him a selection to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. The Lakers won 61 games and defeated Portland and Seattle in the first and second round of the playoffs.

neg: NBA on ABC during the first five weeks of the NBA playoffs, and is the exclusive broadcaster of the NBA Finals. ABC first signed a deal with the National Basketball Association to become the league's primary television partner in 1964; the network's first game telecast aired on January 3, 1965 (a game between the Boston Celtics and Cincinnati Royals). For much of the 1960s, ABC only televised Sunday afternoon games, including during the NBA Playoffs. This meant that ABC did not have to televise a potential NBA Finals deciding game if it were played on a weeknight. In 1969, ABC did televise Game

neg: 1996–97 Houston Rockets season second in the Midwest Division with a 57–25 record. Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler and head coach Rudy Tomjanovich represented the Western Conference during the 1997 NBA All-Star Game. However, Barkley and Drexler did not play due to injuries. In the first round of the playoffs, the Rockets swept the Minnesota Timberwolves in three straight games. In the semifinals, they jumped out to a 3–1 series lead over the Seattle SuperSonics. However, the Sonics would win the next two games to even the series at three games a piece. The Rockets would win Game 7 and advanced to the Western