query: when was the last time kobe was in the playoffs

pos: Kobe Bryant the U.S. men's basketball team, occasionally referred to as "The Redeem Team". He won another gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics. He led the Lakers to two more championships in 2009 and 2010, winning the Finals MVP award on both occasions. Bryant is an 18-time All-Star, which ranks second behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 19. He has been chosen a record 18 straight times, each time as a starter. On four occasions (2003, 2011, 2013, 2016) he was the leading vote-getter. Four times Bryant was named the All-Star MVP, a record he shares with Bob Pettit. He has been selected

pos: Kobe Bryant hard foul from Dwyane Wade. In April, Bryant missed seven games with a bruised left shin. He returned three games before the end of the regular season. In the last game of the regular season, against Sacramento, he chose not to go for a possible third NBA scoring title, having needed 38 points to surpass Kevin Durant. The Lakers were knocked out of the playoffs by Durant's Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the playoffs, losing in five games. The Lakers in 2012–13 acquired center Dwight Howard and point guard Steve Nash. On November 2, 2012, Bryant scored

pos: Lakers–Spurs rivalry 2012. Nash was acquired in a sign-and-trade deal with Phoenix, while Howard was acquired in a blockbuster trade from Orlando Magic that also involved the Philadelphia 76ers and the Denver Nuggets. In their first game of the 2012–13 season, Danny Green hit a game-winner for the Spurs to win 84-82. The Spurs and Lakers met in the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs, with the Spurs holding home-court advantage as they had a 58-24 record in contrast to the Lakers' 45-37 record. Unfortunately, Kobe Bryant was unable to play in this last series between the two teams due to

pos: 2012 CBA Playoffs 1–1 in the regular-season series: This was the first time Shanxi and Shanghai had met in the CBA Playoffs. Teams were tied 1–1 in the regular-season series: This was the first time Xinjiang and Dongguan had met in the CBA Playoffs. Guangdong won 2–0 in the regular-season series: Last Playoffs meeting: 2011 CBA Finals (Guangdong won 4–2). Teams were tied 1–1 in the regular-season series: This was the first time Beijing and Shanxi had met in the CBA Playoffs. Teams were tied 1–1 in the regular-season series: Last Playoffs meeting: 2003 CBA Semifinals (Guangdong won 3–0). 2012 CBA Playoffs The

pos: National Basketball Association Christmas games in 1986. Scottie Pippen performed a last-second block in 1994. The first showdown featuring Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal as opponents occurred on Christmas, 2004. 2009 and 2010 featured faceoffs between LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. Phil Jackson becoming the fastest coach to win 1,000 games (it happened on December 25, 2008). In 2012, Kobe Bryant became the all-time Christmas Day scorer with 383 points, surpassing Oscar Robertson who scored 377 points. As a result of a lockout in 2011, Christmas Day was also the season opener. ESPN/ABC analyst Jeff Van Gundy talked about that day, saying, "It's a different

pos: 2012 NBA Playoffs the road, becoming the 6th NBA road team to do so after leading series 3–1, to advance to the semifinals against the Spurs. This was the first playoff meeting between the Clippers and the Grizzlies. This is the first playoffs that the city of Los Angeles has both teams participating in the Conference Semifinals. The last time the Lakers and Clippers were in the Conference Semifinals was 1974, when the Clippers franchise was the Buffalo Braves. Also, another team based out of Staples Center, the National Hockey League's Los Angeles Kings, participated in the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs. As a

pos: Kobe beef Japanese beef to prevent the Japan foot-and-mouth outbreak from reaching US shores. The ban was relaxed in August 2012. Shortly thereafter, Kobe beef was imported into the US for the first time. Kobe beef in Japan is a registered trademark of the . It must fulfill all the following conditions: The cattle are fed on grain fodder and brushed sometimes for setting fur. The melting point of fat of Kobe beef (Tajima cattle) is lower than common beef fat. Kobe beef is expensive, as only about 3,000 head of cattle may qualify as Kobe. As of March 2018, imported Kobe

pos: Kobe Bryant quest for another three-peat was ended when they were swept by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the playoffs. The Mavericks would go on to win the 2011 NBA Finals. Bryant received experimental platelet-rich plasma therapy called Orthokine in Germany to treat the pain on his left knee and ankle, and Mike Brown replaced the retired Jackson as coach of the Lakers in the offseason. Bryant began the season playing with an injured wrist. On January 10, 2012, Bryant scored 48 points against the Suns, the most ever by a player in his 16th season. "Not bad for

pos: 1995 NBA Playoffs the Celtics-Magic series was the last game played at Boston Garden. Boston returned to the playoffs in 2002, this time in the new FleetCenter (now TD Garden). Game 3 of the Blazers-Suns series was the last game played at the then-Memorial Coliseum (renamed the Veterans Memorial Coliseum as of 2012). The Blazers continued their playoff streak at Rose Garden (now Moda Center) for the next 7 years. Game 3 of the Spurs-Nuggets series was the final playoff game at McNichols Sports Arena; the Nuggets missed the playoffs in each of the arena's final four years. Denver returned to the playoffs

neg: Kobe Bryant in NBA Courtside Kobe Bryant in NBA Courtside Kobe Bryant in NBA Courtside is a basketball simulation game for the Nintendo 64. It was released in 1998 and received a Player's Choice designation after selling one-million copies. At the time of the game's release, Kobe Bryant was in his second NBA season and at age 19, was the youngest player to have a game to his namesake. It was followed by a sequel, "", released in 1999. "Kobe Bryant in NBA Courtside" features 5-on-5 gameplay. There are three modes: Pre-Season (Exhibition), Season, and Playoffs. In both Season and Playoffs modes, players have the

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: 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: Kobe Bryant 1988. Statistically, the 2000–01 season saw Bryant perform similarly to the previous year, but he averaged 6 more points a game (28.5). It was also the year when disagreements between Bryant and O'Neal began to surface. Once again he led the team in assists with 5 per game. The Lakers, however, only won 56 games, an 11-game drop off from last year. The Lakers would respond by going 15–1 in the playoffs. They easily swept the Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, and San Antonio Spurs to advance to the Finals, before losing their first game against the Philadelphia 76ers in

neg: 2012 NBA Playoffs tied at 98, Russell Westbrook committed a crucial turnover when he slipped and lost the ball. However, Pau Gasol's pass was taken by Durant, setting up Durant's 3-pointer that gave the Thunder the lead for good. The Lakers still had one last chance to tie but Kobe Bryant's three missed, with Harden hitting two free-throws to effectively seal the deal. In Game 5, Lakers were able to keep the game close throughout the first three quarters before the Thunder closed the series on a flurry, starting with two threes by Kevin Durant. The Lakers were not able to respond as

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry December 30, 2015, the Boston Celtics honored the Los Angeles Lakers' star Kobe Bryant in his final game in TD Garden. The Lakers would beat the Celtics 112-104. Both the Celtics and Lakers missed the playoffs in the 2013–14 season, marking only the second time it has happened in the rivalry's history. With the New York Knicks also failing to make the playoffs that season, it marked the first time in NBA history that neither the Celtics, Lakers nor the Knicks qualified for the playoffs in the same season. But while the Celtics were able to return to the playoffs

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: 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: Michael Jordan Finals-winning shot against the Jazz, he was well known throughout the league as a clutch performer. In the regular season, Jordan was the Bulls' primary threat in the final seconds of a close game and in the playoffs; he would always ask for the ball at crunch time. Jordan's total of 5,987 points in the playoffs is the second-highest in NBA history. He retired with 32,292 points in regular season play, placing him fourth on the NBA's all-time scoring list behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, and Kobe Bryant. With five regular-season MVPs (tied for second place with Bill Russell—only Kareem

neg: 2003–04 NBA season the NBA. The All-Star Game was held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The West won 136-132; Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal was named Most Valuable Player. For the first time in 21 years the Portland Trail Blazers did not make the playoffs, ending the second longest streak in NBA history. For the first time in 20 years the Utah Jazz did not make the playoffs, ending the third longest streak in NBA history. Prior to the start of the season, Karl Malone and Gary Payton took major paycuts to leave their teams and join Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal

neg: Shaq–Kobe feud has to be ready for the second half run. I'm the one who has to close the middle down like I did last year.' ... He's not blaming everybody else." Fisher returned on March 13, upgrading the team's defense. The Lakers won their last eight games to finish the regular season with 56 wins. O'Neal averaged 33.7 points over the final 11 games. Bryant, upon returning from an injury, was willing to build off of O'Neal now that the center was in shape and playing defense. Bryant would play unselfishly in the playoffs. O'Neal referred to Bryant as "[his] idol"

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry after he was drafted in 1986. In 1994, neither the Lakers "nor" the Celtics made the playoffs, marking the first time in the history of the NBA that both teams missed the playoffs in the same season. However, the Lakers began the rebuilding process in 1996 by trading for Kobe Bryant, who was drafted from high school that year by the Charlotte Hornets. That same year, the Lakers signed Shaquille O'Neal. Meanwhile, in 1998, the Celtics drafted Paul Pierce, a native of Inglewood, California who had grown up as a Lakers fan. The following year, in 1999, Phil Jackson joined

neg: Los Angeles Lakers 2009 and 2010. From 1999 to 2004 the clubs' rivalry was often considered the premier rivalry in the NBA, and each time the clubs faced each other in the playoffs the winner advanced to the NBA Finals. In 2008 the teams met again in the Western Conference Finals where the Spurs were handily defeated only to beat LA when they met again in 2013 (though against a Lakers team without an injured Kobe Bryant). Berger and Chalfen purchased the NBL's disbanded Detroit Gems for $15,000 in 1947, changed their name to the Lakers and relocated them to Minnesota. Max Winter

neg: Kobe Bryant and praised for his performance in the 4th quarter of games, specifically the last 2 rounds of the playoffs. This cemented Bryant's reputation as a "clutch player". In the 2002–03 season, Bryant set an NBA record for three-pointers in a game on January 7, 2003, when he made 12 against the Seattle SuperSonics. He averaged 30 points per game and embarked on a historic run, posting 40 or more points in nine consecutive games while averaging 40.6 in the entire month of February. In addition, he averaged 6.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 2.2 steals per game, all career-highs to that

neg: 2013 in Japanese football first time since 2009. Oita Trinita, who had been promoted via the playoffs as sixth place, showed their poor preparation throughout the campaign and ended in bottom place. Júbilo Iwata was relegated as well after 20 seasons in Division 1, while Shonan Bellmare, who had been promoted with them in 1994 and was making a cameo appearance, went down with them as well. Kansai rivals Gamba Osaka and Vissel Kobe, having been both relegated from Division 1 in the previous season, contested a fierce battle for the second tier title, and Gamba was ultimately victorious. The playoffs were won by

neg: Kobe Bryant all appearances, the two men worked together well the second time around, leading the Lakers back into the playoffs. Bryant's individual scoring accomplishments posted resulted in the finest statistical season of his career. On December 20, 2005, Bryant scored 62 points in three quarters against the Dallas Mavericks. Entering the fourth quarter, Bryant outscored the entire Mavericks team 62–61, the only time a player has done this through three quarters since the introduction of the shot clock. When the Lakers faced the Miami Heat on January 16, 2006, Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal made headlines by engaging in handshakes and hugs

neg: Bruce Bowen Playoffs, Bowen was unable to stop Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant, who averaged 28.3 points and helped L.A. beat the Spurs in five games. Bowen started in every Spurs regular season and playoff game from 2001 to 2008. The 2008–09 NBA season was to be Bowen's last with the Spurs. Although he played in 80 regular season games, he was no longer a starter as was the case in the previous seven San Antonio campaigns. His minutes were also greatly reduced (from 30+ to 18.9 per game), although his shooting numbers remained consistent. The Spurs went into the 2009

neg: 2014 NBA Playoffs Playoffs were the last time a Game 7 wasn't played. This postseason and the previous year's postseason marked the first time since the 2000 and 2001 playoffs that both number 5 seeds knocked out both number 4 seeds in back-to-back years. This was the first postseason (and the seventh time since 1972, when the current playoff system was put in place) in which the top two seeds played in the Conference Finals both in the East and the West. When they defeated Indiana on the road in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Heat set an NBA record

neg: Los Angeles Lakers Kobe Bryant that ended his season after 78 games. The absence of Bryant was sorely felt as the Lakers were swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs. Nevertheless, Bryant passed Lakers legend Wilt Chamberlain to become the fourth all-time leading scorer in NBA history on March 30, 2013, against the Sacramento Kings. On March 25, 2014, the Lakers scored 51 points in the third quarter against the New York Knicks, the most points scored in a quarter in the history of the franchise. The Lakers went on to miss the NBA playoffs

neg: 2008–09 Los Angeles Lakers season Coach/Manager for Phil Jackson. Following the 2007–08 NBA season, the Lakers faced two key injuries in the offseason. Andrew Bynum, who missed the second half of the season and playoffs was rehabilitating and working on conditioning. Trevor Ariza, who also missed the second half of the season, but later returned in the playoffs also had to work back into shape. Both players played on opening day. During the 2007–08 season, Kobe Bryant suffered a tear in his right pinkie finger. At the time, Bryant decided to forgo surgery and play out the rest of the season and participate in the

neg: 2003–04 Houston Rockets season the playoffs for the first time since 1999 as the number 7 seed in the Western Conference. Second-year star Yao Ming and Steve Francis were both selected for the 2004 NBA All-Star Game. However, the Rockets were eliminated from the first round of the playoffs by the Los Angeles Lakers, who added Karl Malone and Gary Payton to join Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, in five games. This also marked Francis' only playoff appearance in his career. Following the season, he was traded along with Cuttino Mobley and Kelvin Cato to the Orlando Magic, and Mark Jackson retired. For the

neg: Shaq–Kobe feud between O'Neal and Bryant continued into the playoffs. While the Lakers defeated the Houston Rockets in the first round of that year's NBA Playoffs, they were ultimately swept 4–0 by the San Antonio Spurs in the second round. During the 1999 offseason, West and Lakers owner Jerry Buss agreed to sign the then six-time NBA champion Phil Jackson to a high-priced, 5-year $30 million contract to be the team's new head coach entering the 1999–2000 season. Buss was previously a believer in spending conservatively on coaches, but O'Neal and Bryant had both encouraged West to hire Jackson. Jackson decided that

neg: 1995 Stanley Cup playoffs the first time since 1970. The Canadiens and the Ottawa Senators missed the playoffs this year. Montreal and Ottawa would not miss the playoffs in the same year again until 2016, when all Canadian teams missed the playoffs. The Quebec Nordiques played their last ever playoff series during this time. They would move to Denver, Colorado during the summer. For the first time since 1980, no league semifinal/conference final games were played in Canada. The following teams qualified for the playoffs: This was the final playoff series played by the Quebec Nordiques, as they would move to Denver, Colorado as

neg: Tim Duncan round of the 2000 NBA Playoffs, losing 3–1 to the Phoenix Suns. Nonetheless, Duncan rebounded in the next season, and with strong regular-season averages of 22.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.3 blocks, earned himself yet another pair of All-NBA and All-Defensive First Team call-ups. In the 2001 NBA Playoffs, the Spurs eliminated the Timberwolves 3–1, defeated the Dallas Mavericks 4–1, but then bowed out against the Lakers led by superstars Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, losing in four straight games. "Sports Illustrated" described the series as a "[m]erciless mismatch", and Duncan was criticized as "silent when the Spurs

neg: 2013–14 NFL playoffs yards. It was the last playoff game for the Chargers before moving to Los Angeles in 2017. With the MLB Padres having not reached the postseason since 2006, this is also the last postseason appearance by any major league sports franchise in San Diego. For the first time since 2006, the Patriots played on the road in the playoffs, which was also the last time they faced Peyton Manning when he was with the Colts. But the story was all about Denver as their offense racked up 507 yards without turning the ball over or giving up any sacks as

neg: 2002 Stanley Cup playoffs retirement after the deciding game of the series. The Phoenix Coyotes would play their last playoff games at America West Arena and would miss the playoffs until 2010, when they played in Glendale. The 16 teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-seven series for conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and then the conference champions played a best-of-seven series for the Stanley Cup. A record 25 shutouts were recorded in the 2002 Playoffs and, for the first time since 1991, not a single team was swept in a playoff series. This is the last time that all three Eastern

neg: History of the Los Angeles Lakers seeing his Lakers beat. With 10 championships and 16 finals appearances during his tenure as owner beginning in 1979 until his death, Dr. Buss was the most successful owner in the history of North American sports. Despite all the struggles, including an injury to Kobe in a controversial March loss to Atlanta in which they were not awarded 2 free throws after Kobe's injury, while it was later admitted they should have, the Lakers made the playoffs as the 7th seed at 45-37, only clinching a playoff spot in the last game. Their first round matchup against San Antonio was

neg: 2014 Chicago Bears season history. The Bears entered the bye week with a 3–5 record, tied with the Vikings for last in the NFC North, two games behind the Packers, and four behind the Detroit Lions. The last time the Bears had been 3–5, yet made the playoffs was in 1979, and had also performed the feat in 1977, while the last time that Chicago had made the playoffs after having a record of two games below .500 occurred in 2005, when the team was 1–3, but finished the regular season 11–5. On offense, the Bears were tied for seventh in the league in

neg: 1996 Stanley Cup playoffs also the last time every California-based team missed the playoffs. The following teams qualified for the playoffs: This was the first playoff series between these two teams. This was the first time that the Tampa Bay area was represented in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Game four of this series is the fifth longest game in NHL history. Game six was the last playoff game at USAir Arena. This was the first and to date only playoff series between these two teams. This was the first time that Miami was represented in the Stanley Cup playoffs. This was the first playoff

neg: Kobe Bryant Bryant did not feel he was deserving of the selection, and some likened it to a career achievement award for his past performance. However, he missed playing in the game, still hampered by his knee. On March 12, 2014, the Lakers ruled Bryant out for the remainder of the season, citing his need for more rehab and the limited time remaining in the season. At the time, the team was 22–42 and tied for the worst record in the Western Conference. The Lakers finished 27–55 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2005. Bryant returned for the 2014–15

neg: 2004 Stanley Cup playoffs Cup Finals. The format was identical to the one introduced for the 1999 playoffs. These playoffs marked the first time the Nashville Predators qualified, being in their sixth season in the NHL. Champions Tampa Bay saw playoff action for the third time. This would be the last time that all eastern Canadian teams would make the playoffs together until 2013. Also, this is the last time that neither the Los Angeles Kings nor Anaheim Ducks made it to the playoffs. The Tampa Bay Lightning entered the playoffs as the Eastern Conference regular season and Southeast Division champions with 106 points.

neg: Sacramento Kings competitive in the NBA, climaxing when the two teams met in the 2002 Western Conference Finals. From that point on, injuries and trades would dull the rivalry, though it has begun to emerge again with the Kings drafting center DeMarcus Cousins, and the Lakers trading for center Dwight Howard. Both teams, however, have had a lack of success, with the Kings failing to make the playoffs and the Lakers being swept in the first round as the number 7 seed in the 2013 playoffs and losing many of their star players to injuries (Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash) or free

neg: 1991 NBA Playoffs 1991 NBA Playoffs The 1991 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1990–91 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals. Michael Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP. After the Pistons had ended their season the last three years, the Bulls got revenge in the Eastern Conference Finals by sweeping the two-time defending NBA champions. It was the first time the Bulls won a playoff series over the Pistons since 1974, when both teams were still part

neg: 1990 Stanley Cup playoffs 1990 Stanley Cup playoffs The 1990 Stanley Cup playoffs for the National Hockey League (NHL) championship began on April 5, 1990, following the 1989–90 regular season. The sixteen teams that qualified, from the top four teams of the four divisions, played best-of-seven series with re-seeding after the division finals. The Conference Champions played a best-of-seven series for the Stanley Cup. This was the last time that the Detroit Red Wings missed the playoffs until 2017. They would make the playoffs for 25 consecutive seasons from 1991 to 2016, excluding 2005, when the season was cancelled. Since entering the NHL as

neg: 2010 NBA Finals would decline in the years following Jackson's retirement. In the 2011–12 season, the Lakers under head coach Mike Brown made the playoffs with a 41–25 record, but lost to the Thunder in the conference semifinals. The following offseason, the Lakers added perennial All-Stars Dwight Howard and Steve Nash, but they only managed a 45–37 mark, and were swept by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round. The Lakers then missed the playoffs for the first time since , with Kobe Bryant playing only six games due to injuries. The Lakers would continue to decline to a franchise-worst 17–65 in

neg: 2005 NBA Playoffs be Boston's last playoff appearance until 2008. For the Los Angeles Lakers, it marked the first time in 11 seasons (dating back to 1994) and the fifth time in NBA history that they missed the playoffs. This is also the most recent time that the playoffs were played entirely outside of Los Angeles. This was the last time that the Seattle SuperSonics would be in the playoffs before they relocated to Oklahoma to become the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Phoenix Suns won their first playoff series since 2000 and advanced to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since

neg: Inside the NBA of Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant. After Game 6 of the Lakers' first round series against the Phoenix Suns (when Bryant scored 50 points and the Lakers lost in overtime), Barkley criticized him for scoring too much and not getting his teammates involved. After Game 7 of the same series (when Bryant did not score and hardly attempted any shots in the second half), Barkley ripped him for being unselfish. Some columnists thought that Barkley was being hypocritical. Bryant and Barkley exchanged several text messages about the issue, and during the second round of the playoffs, Bryant appeared on TNT's

neg: 2010 NBA Playoffs the series by taking Games 3 & 4 in Phoenix, but after a heart-breaking loss in Game 5 in which Ron Artest followed a missed airball by Kobe Bryant and hit the game-winner at the buzzer, the Suns found themselves trailing 3-2. Los Angeles held off a late Suns rally to steal Game 6 in Phoenix, as Kobe poured in 37 points, including a long jump shot in the final minute that put the game out of reach. This was the 12th playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning seven of the first 11 meetings. This was

neg: 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs playoffs. The Edmonton Oilers would miss the playoffs each year thereafter until 2017. This was also the last time that the Pittsburgh Penguins missed the playoffs. While the 2005–06 season introduced a shootout to break ties after five minutes of four-on-four overtime, the Stanley Cup playoffs retained their traditional format of unlimited 20-minute periods of five-on-five sudden-death overtime to break ties. The Western Conference made history in the first round when all four series were won by the lower-seeded teams (conversely, all four series in the Eastern Conference were won by the higher-seeded teams). The eighth- and lowest-seeded Oilers proceeded

neg: 1987 Stanley Cup playoffs by which time 3 of those teams had moved, the Quebec Nordiques to Denver, the Winnipeg Jets to Phoenix, and the Hartford Whalers to Raleigh, North Carolina. At the time the Philadelphia Flyers set an NHL playoff record by playing in 26 games during the playoffs. This record has since been equaled by three other teams (2004 Calgary Flames, 2014 Los Angeles Kings, and the 2015 Tampa Bay Lightning). The following teams qualified for the playoffs: This was the last series that the Nordiques/Avalanche franchise won in Quebec City, the franchise did not win another playoff series until 1996 when

neg: Mike Babcock reportedly earning $3 million per season. On February 4, 2016, Babcock coached his 1,000 NHL game against the New Jersey Devils. The Maple Leafs finished last in the entire league during Babcock's first year, compiling a record of 29–42–11 and 69 points. Despite this, praise was given to Babcock's coaching and patience with a team that was expected to do extremely poorly. This season was also the first time Babcock missed the playoffs since the 2004 playoffs when he was with the Mighty Ducks. The last place finish allowed the Maple Leafs to win the draft lottery, and the number

neg: 2008 NBA Playoffs time. This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first three meetings. In Pau Gasol's playoff debut with the Lakers, he scored 36 points, 16 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 blocks as the Lakers beat the Nuggets in Game 1. Kobe Bryant gave the fans a vintage performance in Game 2 by scoring 49 points and adding 10 assists in a blowout at Staples Center. The Nuggets were routed at home in Game 3, with Carmelo Anthony stating the team quit in the second half. Game 4 was closer, but Bryant led the

neg: Jordan Hill (basketball) possible labral tear. In 29 games, he was averaging 6.7 points and 5.7 rebounds in 15.8 minutes per game. His rebounds-per-minute average was among the league's best, prompting teammate Kobe Bryant to lament Hill's absence after the Lakers were outrebounded during a game. Hill was cleared to play during the first round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs. On November 12, 2013, in the ninth game of the 2013–14 season, Hill was a starter for the first time during the season and scored a career-high 21 points against the New Orleans Pelicans in a 116–95 Lakers' home win. On July 23,

neg: 1962 NBA Playoffs Semifinals (1) Boston Celtics have division semifinals byes. (2) Philadelphia Warriors vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals: "Warriors win series 3-2" Last Playoffs meeting: 1961 Eastern Division Semifinals (Syracuse won 3-0). Division Finals (1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Philadelphia Warriors: "Celtics win series 4-3" Last Playoffs meeting: 1960 Eastern Division Finals (Boston won 4-2). (1) Boston Celtics vs. (1) Los Angeles Lakers:"Celtics win series 4-3" Last Playoffs meeting: 1959 NBA Finals (Boston won 4-0; Lakers were in Minneapolis at the time). 1962 NBA Playoffs The 1962 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1961-62 season. The tournament concluded

neg: Jerry Stackhouse with Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, Dwyane Wade, LeBron James and others adopting pressure stockings the following season. Stackhouse was still coming off the bench as the 6th man for the Dallas Mavericks during the 2005–06 NBA season, however he was a significant factor in the NBA Finals series with the Dallas Mavericks against the Miami Heat. The Mavericks suffered, however, when Stackhouse was suspended for Game 5 for a flagrant foul on Shaquille O'Neal, and the Heat eventually won the series 4–2. Stackhouse was the third player from the Mavericks suspended during the 2006 playoffs. Stackhouse was traded

neg: 2004 NBA Playoffs 2005, 2006), before earning their first playoff game and series victories in 2011. This was the last playoff appearance for the New York Knicks until 2011, when they would be swept in the first round. The Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz missed the playoffs for the first time since 1982 and 1983, respectively. This was the Denver Nuggets' first playoff appearance since 1995. The New Orleans Hornets made their final postseason appearance as a member of the East. They would not make the playoffs again until 2008, as a member of the West (the result of a realignment with

neg: Shaq–Kobe feud divided by pettiness. Despite the rocky season, The Lakers won their third consecutive championship, defeating the New Jersey Nets, 4–0. It was the Lakers' first championship sweep in their history, and O'Neal won his third consecutive NBA Finals MVP. Bryant and O'Neal were complimentary of each other afterwards. The 2002–03 season began with the three-time defending champions getting off to one of their worst starts ever. The team was several games under .500 at 11–19 with their return to the playoffs questionable. O'Neal was sidelined with hallux rigidus, a degenerative arthritis in his toe. O'Neal could have had surgery on

neg: 2005–06 Los Angeles Lakers season Los Angeles lost three in a row and was eliminated from the playoffs. Phoenix got off to a good start by ending the first quarter with a 10-point lead. The Lakers trailed the Suns by as much as 14 points during the second quarter. Kobe Bryant had an off shooting night. Although he averaged more than 42 points against the Suns during the regular season, Kobe Bryant scored only 22 points on 7-21 shooting. During the late stages of the fourth quarter, the Lakers went on a 6-0 run to cut the lead to 98-95 with 2:12 remaining. However, Steve

neg: Shaq–Kobe feud say 'Duncan is the best,' and I can't have that." Kobe and Shaq would play each other one last time on January 30, 2011, with Shaq's Celtics prevailing over the Kobe's Lakers in a 109–96 victory. However, O'Neal was held scoreless, as he was now relegated to a role player. The teams would face again a week and a half later, but O'Neal would not play as he was dealing with an injury. O'Neal announced his retirement via social media on June 1, 2011. Two days later, O'Neal held a press conference at his home in Orlando to officially announce

neg: Kobe Bryant All-Star Game co-MVP with former teammate O'Neal. The Lakers finished the regular season with the best record in the west (65–17). Bryant was runner-up in the MVP voting behind LeBron James, and was selected to the All-NBA First Team and All-Defensive First Team for the seventh time in his career. In the playoffs, the Lakers defeated the Utah Jazz in five games and the Houston Rockets in seven games in the opening two rounds. After finishing off the Denver Nuggets in the Conference Finals in six games, the Lakers earned their second straight trip to the NBA Finals where they

neg: Masami Horikoshi thinking about getting employed to a life insurance company that promised him to go abroad in the United Kingdom, he chose to work for Kobe Steel, from the fact that a number of Japanese internationals worked there, including Seiji Hirao. For Kobe Steel, Horikoshi contributed to Kobe Steel's seventh consecutive victory in the Japanese championship after the fourth consecutive title, where Horikoshi was the captain. After that, his last match for Kobe Steel was on 28 February 1999, against Toshiba Fuchu. He was called up first for the Japan national team in 1988, during his university second year, earning a

neg: Kobe Bryant per game, but he was surrounded by a subpar supporting cast, and the Lakers went 34–48 and missed the playoffs for the first time in over a decade. The year signified a drop in Bryant's overall status in the NBA, as he did not make the NBA All-Defensive Team and was also demoted to the All-NBA Third Team. During the season, Bryant also engaged in public feuds with Malone and Ray Allen. The 2005–06 NBA season marked a crossroads in Bryant's basketball career. Despite past differences with Bryant, Jackson returned to coach the Lakers. Bryant endorsed the move, and by

neg: 2007 NBA Playoffs ones who were eliminated in the first round. Both 2006 NBA Finalists (Dallas and Miami) were eliminated in the first round. This was the first time since 1956 that this had happened. This was the 11th playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning seven of the first ten meetings. Kobe Bryant and the Lakers went up against the high powered Phoenix Suns in a rematch of the previous year's first round series, which saw the Lakers take a 3–1 lead before the Suns took the series in 7. Unlike the previous series, the Suns had near complete

neg: Charlotte Hornets Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for the rights to rookie Kobe Bryant, who the Hornets picked 13th overall. The new-look Hornets were successful, with Divac and Geiger providing the center combination, Mason averaging a double-double, Bogues back at the point, and Rice having the finest season of his career. The team achieved the best season in its history at the time, finishing 54–28, and making it back to the playoffs. Despite the success during the regular season, the Hornets went down rather meekly to the Knicks in three games. The 1997–98 season was also successful. Muggsy Bogues was traded two

neg: 2004 NBA Finals fifth time in the team's history. Jackson returned to the Lakers in the offseason; despite writing a book called "", in which he voiced disdain for Kobe Bryant by calling him 'uncoachable', he and Bryant would bury the hatchet once the season began. Jackson and Bryant would later produce three more NBA Finals appearances and two more NBA championships in six seasons before Jackson retired at the conclusion of the 2011 NBA Playoffs after the Lakers were swept by the Mavericks. The Pistons' win was the 21st championship among the four professional sports teams in Detroit (NFL's Lions, MLB's Tigers

neg: Smush Parker the Denver Nuggets and went on to score at least 20 points in four of his first five Laker games. This impressed Jackson, and Parker found himself in the starting line-up for the Lakers. From 2005 until 2007, Parker started 162 straight games averaging 11.5 points. During the last two games of the regular season and the playoffs (2006–2007), Parker lost his starting spot to rookie Jordan Farmar. While with the Lakers, Parker clashed with coaches and players, and has even admitted to looking off Kobe Bryant and not passing him the ball nearing the end of his second season.

neg: Kobe Bryant in the Rookie Challenge and won the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest, becoming the youngest dunk champion ever at the age of 18. Bryant's performance throughout the year earned him a spot on the NBA All-Rookie Second Team with fellow bench teammate Travis Knight. The Lakers advanced to the Western Conference semifinals in the playoffs against the Utah Jazz, when Bryant was pressed into a lead role at the end of Game 5. Byron Scott missed the game with a sprained wrist, Robert Horry was ejected for fighting with Utah's Jeff Hornacek, and Shaquille O'Neal fouled out with 1:46 remaining in

neg: 1999–2000 Seattle SuperSonics season the first round of the playoffs. Particularly, the seeding eliminated the possibility of unfavorable match-ups with a young Kobe Bryant and season MVP Shaquille O'Neal. The Sonics would lose their final game of the regular season and finish with a 45-37 record. (2) Utah Jazz vs. (7) Seattle SuperSonics Last Playoff Meeting: 1996 Western Conference Finals (Seattle won 4-3) Game 1 of the Western Conference first-round series between the Sonics and the Utah Jazz ended in a 104-93 victory for Utah. The game remained relatively close throughout the first half, with the Sonics leading 25-22 after the first quarter and

neg: Kobe Bryant of the playoffs, the Lakers did not have home court advantage against the Sacramento Kings. The series would stretch to 7 games, the first time this happened to the Lakers since the 2000 Western Conference Finals. However, the Lakers were able to beat their division rivals and make their third consecutive NBA Finals appearance. In the 2002 Finals against the New Jersey Nets, Bryant averaged 26.8 points, 51.4% shooting, 5.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists per game, which included scoring a quarter of the team's points. At age 23, Bryant became the youngest player to win three championships. Bryant's play was notable

neg: Masahiro Wada last nine games of relegation avoiding in Thai Premier League. Wada made the impressive run with Port but could not save them from relegation. He has maintained his role as the club head coach down in Division 1. Wada was sacked by Port F.C. on 11 July 2016 when the club was in third place and has 5 points away from leading position after 19 games. He was replaced by Jadet Meelarp. A win or loss by the penalty shoot-out is counted as the draw in time. Masahiro Wada Wada was born in Kobe on January 21, 1965. After graduating

neg: Gail Kobe in Palm Springs. While she resided at the Motion Picture Television Fund Home in Woodland Hills, California, she organized the program, "We've Got Mail", which airs on cable Channel 22. In 2008, a Golden Palm Star on the Walk of Stars was dedicated in Kobe's honor. For the last two years of her life, the twice-married Kobe resided at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, where she died on August 1, 2013, aged 81, from undisclosed causes. Gail Kobe Gail Kobe (March 19, 1932 – August 1, 2013) was an American actress and television

neg: 2005–06 New York Rangers season The Rangers missed out on winning the Atlantic Division on the last day of the regular season when the Devils defeated the Montreal Canadiens and the Rangers lost to the Ottawa Senators. The Rangers qualified for the playoffs as the sixth seed but were swept by their rivals the New Jersey Devils in the first round. The Rangers qualified for the playoffs for the first time since the 1997 Stanley Cup playoffs. Key: Win Loss Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Rangers. Stats reflect time with Rangers only. Traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with Rangers only. New

neg:
2017–18 Indian Super League playoffs the table. Chennaiyin, the 2015 ISL season champions, were the third side to confirm their qualification for the playoffs on 27 February. This was due to Mumbai City suffering defeat to Delhi Dynamos. The last spot in the playoffs was not decided until the last match day of the regular season when Jamshedpur hosted Goa at the Kalinga Stadium. Both Jamshedpur and Goa were the only two sides eligible for that last spot. Goa would go on to win the match 3–0 and thus became the final team to qualify for the playoffs.

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neg: 1996–97 NFL playoffs 26 yards. Irvin caught eight passes for 103 yards. Teague had five tackles, two forced fumbles, and an interception return for a touchdown. This was the last time the Cowboys won a playoff game until January 9, 2010, when they beat the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2009–10 Wild Card playoff 34–14 and last playoff win at Texas Stadium. Meanwhile, the Vikings fell to 0-4 in the playoffs under coach Dennis Green. The Steelers blew a 13-point lead in the first half but scored 29 unanswered points in the second half. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh held the Colts to 146 total yards of

neg: 2013–14 Los Angeles Lakers season 2013–14 Los Angeles Lakers season The 2013–14 Los Angeles Lakers season was the 66th season of the franchise, its 65th season in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and its 54th season in Los Angeles. With Dwight Howard's departure to Houston during the offseason, Kobe Bryant playing only six games, and numerous injuries to many of the players, they finished 27–55, the sixth-worst record in the league; it was the most losses in the franchise's history which would change in the 2014–15 season and later the 2015–16 season. The Lakers missed the playoffs for the first time since 2004–05. The Lakers

neg: 1989 NBA Playoffs Boston Celtics' first-round playoff sweep by the Pistons was the first time they failed to get past the round of 16. Boston's chances were hampered by the absence of Larry Bird during these playoffs due to a season-ending injury earlier in the season; the first and only time in Bird's NBA career he'd miss playing in the playoffs. Former Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan made the first of 19 playoff appearances in a 22-year tenure. The only time he missed the playoffs with Utah was 2004–2006. Prior to this, he had last appeared in the playoffs in 1981 with

neg: 2006–07 Los Angeles Lakers season 2006–07 Los Angeles Lakers season The 2006-07 Los Angeles Lakers season was the 59th in the NBA and 61st overall. The season ended with the Lakers being eliminated in five games in a rematch against the Phoenix Suns from the 2006 playoffs in the First Round, where the Lakers lost to the Suns in seven games despite having a 3-1 series lead. The Lakers finished in second place in the Pacific Division, 7th seed in the playoffs. Ultimately, even though team captain Kobe Bryant was the leading NBA scorer with 31.6 PPG, the Lakers were defeated in five games by

neg: Darryl Pearce 3 point record when he hit 11/12 in a game against Brisbane in 1996. The team slipped to 6th place in 1989 in Fox's last year as coach before missing the playoffs for the first time in seven years by finishing 9th in 1990 under new coach and long time team assistant Don Shipway. Despite Adelaide missing the playoffs in 1990, Pearce was selected to his only NBL All Star Game played at the Perth Entertainment Centre. The club was back in the Semi-finals in 1991, but once again fell short, losing the Semis to defending champions the Perth Wildcats.

neg: 2007–08 Los Angeles Lakers season the prior season has been attributed to the progress of the team's bench players and the mid-season trade for Pau Gasol. The Lakers sold out all 41 home games for the season. After 12 seasons in the NBA, Kobe Bryant was named the 2008 NBA Most Valuable Player for the first time in his career. In the playoffs, the Lakers swept the Denver Nuggets in four games in the First Round, defeated the Utah Jazz in six games in the Semifinals, and defeated the defending NBA champion San Antonio Spurs in five games in the Conference Finals to advance to

neg: Steve Nash the regular season. Nash received the most votes for first-team All-NBA and was joined by teammate Stoudemire; the two were the first teammates to make the first team since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal in . Nash received 129 first-place votes and 645 total points from the panel of 129 media members. He narrowly missed being MVP a third consecutive time, coming in second with 44 first place votes to 83 for Dirk Nowitzki. In the playoffs, the Suns eliminated the Lakers in five games before losing 4–2 to the Spurs in the Conference Semifinals. Nash played in 81 regular-season

neg: Metta World Peace was originally estimated to sideline him for six weeks. Despite the estimates, he returned 12 days after his surgery. In his absence, D'Antoni was using a reduced seven-man rotation with Kobe Bryant playing close to all 48 minutes each game. World Peace wanted to reduce his teammates' workload, if even for a few minutes, as the Lakers fought to qualify for the playoffs. The Lakers qualified for the playoffs as the seventh seed, but were swept 4–0 by San Antonio in the first round. Due to the Lakers' other injuries, World Peace played in Game 3 in spite of running

neg: Super Bowl 50 season and failed to qualify for the playoffs. The Panthers fell to 6–10 and finished in last place in the NFC South. The Broncos fell to 9–7 and came in third place in the AFC West. This was the first time the defending AFC and NFC champions would both miss the playoffs since the 2003 season, after Super Bowl XXXVII, when neither the Oakland Raiders nor the Tampa Bay Buccaneers qualified for the postseason, and the fifth time overall. Super Bowl 50 Super Bowl 50 was an American football game to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL)

neg: Los Angeles Lakers started the 2002–03 season 11–19. However, they finished the season 39–13 to finish 50–32. They defeated Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs, but the four-peat attempt ended as they were eliminated by San Antonio in six games in the second round. During the 2003–04 season, the team was the subject of intense media coverage generated by the teaming of four stars and the sexual-assault case involving Kobe Bryant. Before the season, the Lakers signed two-time MVP Karl Malone formerly of the Jazz, and former Seattle Defensive Player of the Year Gary Payton to join O'Neal and Bryant. Three

neg: 2005–06 Indiana Pacers season accepted, and Indiana finally cut ties with the troubled All-Star. On February 1, 2006, they managed to beat the Kobe Bryant-led Lakers, keeping the high-scorer below his average. Jermaine O'Neal was also sidelined with a torn left groin and missed two months. The Pacers finished the season 41-41. Despite the Artest saga and many key injuries the Pacers made the playoffs for the 14th time in 15 years. They also were the only road team to win Game 1 of a first-round playoff series. However New Jersey won game 2 to tie the series at 1-1 heading back to Indiana.

neg: Lakers–Clippers rivalry move the Clippers to Anaheim on a permanent basis was declined by the team in 1996, leading to the eventual decision to have the Clippers join the Lakers at the Staples Center when it opened in 1999. The Clippers did not finish ahead of the Lakers again until 2004–05. Lakers star Kobe Bryant almost joined the Clippers that season as a free agent before re-signing with the Lakers. The Clippers in 2005–06 won 47 games and finished two games ahead of the Lakers. During the season, Bryant said that "rivalries are made in the playoffs, not in the regular season".

neg: Pau Gasol nearly thirty-two minutes, registering 10 points, six rebounds and seven assists. He admitted to feeling limited with the swelling in his ankle still present. Gasol helped the Lakers finish the regular season with the best record in the Western Conference (57–25), with him in the starting lineup the Lakers went 22–5. Kobe Bryant has also stated that playing with Gasol clicked from the start. In the Lakers' opening game of the playoffs, he contributed 36 points, 16 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 blocked shots. When the Lakers swept the Denver Nuggets in the first round, it was Gasol's first trip

neg:
2010–11 Oklahoma City Thunder season NBA teams; in addition, Kevin Durant's individual jersey ranked as the seventh-most popular in the NBA. In the May/June 2011 issue of "Dime Magazine", Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook were featured on the cover and named "The NBA's best duo since Shaq and Kobe." c – clinched regular-season conference lead
 x – clinched playoff spot
 y – clinched division The opening series of the playoffs against the Denver Nuggets was given extra attention when Denver coach George Karl described the Thunder team as "cocky" in comments made before the series. Game 1 of the series featured promotions similar to the

neg: Kobe Bryant OT. They would go on to win the next 4 games and bring their second championship to Los Angeles in as many seasons. During the playoffs, Bryant played heavy minutes which brought his stats up to 29.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game. In the playoffs, teammate O'Neal declared Bryant the best player in the league. Bryant ended up making the All NBA Second team and All NBA Defensive Team for the second year in a row. In addition, he was also voted to start in the NBA All-Star Game for the 3rd year in a row (no

neg: 2016–17 Los Angeles Lakers season basketball operations and general manager respectively. Furthermore, it was the season where Jeanie Buss would officially be named the primary owner of the Lakers on March 27. On the anniversary of Kobe Bryant's 81 point game on January 22, 2017, the Lakers lost by 49 points to the Dallas Mavericks 122-73 at the American Airlines Center marking the Los Angeles Lakers' worst loss in franchise history surpassing their record set when the Utah Jazz won by 48 points 123-75 on March 28, 2016. Despite not making it to the playoffs, the Lakers managed to improve on their franchise worst 17-65

neg: Shin-Nagata Station Subway Shin-Nagata Station The JR West station opened under JNR ownership on April 1, 1954. After the privatization of JNR in 1987, the station became incorporated into the JR Kobe Line when it began services the next year. The Kobe Municipal Subway station opened in 1977 as part of the first phase of the Seishin-Yamate Line, initially serving as the terminus of the subway line (the line would be extended to in 1983). On January 17, 1995, the station was damaged in the Kobe earthquake. The station remained closed for a short amount of time as repairs were taking place.

neg: Shin-Nagata Station Shin-Nagata Station The JR West station opened under JNR ownership on April 1, 1954. After the privatization of JNR in 1987, the station became incorporated into the JR Kobe Line when it began services the next year. The Kobe Municipal Subway station opened in 1977 as part of the first phase of the Seishin-Yamate Line, initially serving as the terminus of the subway line (the line would be extended to in 1983). On January 17, 1995, the station was damaged in the Kobe earthquake. The station remained closed for a short amount of time as repairs were taking place. Normal

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: 1969 NFL playoffs 1969 NFL playoffs The NFL playoffs following the 1969 NFL season determined the league's representative in Super Bowl IV. This was the last NFL playoff tournament before the AFL–NFL merger and the last awarding of the Ed Thorp Memorial Trophy to the NFL champion, which was introduced in 1934. The four-team postseason format was introduced for the season, when the NFL expanded to 16 teams and realigned into four division with four teams each. Within each conference, the two division winners qualified for the playoffs. In the first round, the Capitol winner met the Century winner in the Eastern Conference

neg: 2014 NBA Playoffs this was the first time in NBA history that the Knicks, Celtics, and Lakers missed the playoffs in the same year (the Celtics last missed the playoffs in 2007) The Denver Nuggets also missed the playoffs for the first time since 2003. The first round of the 2014 Playoffs is generally considered one of the greatest postseason rounds in NBA history. The first 11 days of the playoffs saw at least one road team win on its opponent's home floor. That ended on April 30 with the Raptors, Spurs, and Houston Rockets all winning at home against the Brooklyn Nets,

neg: Edmond L. Browning Church, Okinawa, until 1963 when he and his wife went to Kobe to study at the Language School; they remained in Kobe until 1965. On returning to Okinawa, Bishop Browning served at St. Matthew's Church in Oruku until 1968. On January 5, 1968, Browning was consecrated the first Missionary Bishop of Okinawa. He remained in that post until May 16, 1971, when he left Japan for Nice to assume the post of Bishop of the Convocation of American Churches in Europe. At the time of his appointment to the European See by Presiding Bishop John Hines, he was the first

neg: 1999–2000 NFL playoffs 1999–2000 NFL playoffs The National Football League playoffs for the 1999 season began on January 8, 2000. The postseason tournament concluded with the St. Louis Rams defeating the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV, 23–16, on January 30, at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. These playoffs were notable in that all outdoor games were played with gametime temperatures of 50 °F or higher, making for one of the warmest playoff seasons of all time. It was also the first time since 1969 that no California-based NFL team made the playoffs. It also marked the last time all 3 Florida-based teams

neg: Shaquille O'Neal 58.4 field goal percentage, the first of five consecutive seasons in which he did so. The Lakers finished the season 61–21, first in the Pacific Division, and were the second seed in the western conference during the 1998 NBA Playoffs. After defeating the Portland Trail Blazers and Seattle SuperSonics in the first two rounds, the Lakers again fell to the Jazz, this time in a 4–0 sweep. With the tandem of O'Neal and teenage superstar Kobe Bryant, expectations for the Lakers increased. However, personnel changes were a source of instability during the 1998–99 season. Long-time Laker point guard Nick Van

neg: 2014 J.League Division 2 2014 J.League Division 2 The 2014 J. League Division 2 season was the 43rd season of the second-tier club football in Japan and the 16th season since the establishment of J2 League. The season commenced on 2 March and ended on 23 November. Post-season promotion and relegation playoffs will be played until 7 December. Gamba Osaka and Vissel Kobe have stayed in the second division for just a year, winning a promotion as champions and runners-up respectively. Fourth-placed Tokushima Vortis won the promotion playoffs and become the very first Shikoku club to play in the top flight since the establishment

neg: 2009 NBA Finals by many as a personal success for Finals MVP Kobe Bryant, winning his first championship and succeeding in the playoffs without the presence of former Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal where some people had previously speculated that Bryant could not "win one without Shaq". Head coach Phil Jackson captured his 10th NBA championship as a coach, surpassing Red Auerbach for most championships all-time by an NBA coach. Jackson also passed Auerbach and NHL coach Scotty Bowman for most championships all-time by a head coach in a major American sports league. Having achieved three Game 1 victories throughout the postseason (first round

neg: 1986 Stanley Cup playoffs 1986 Stanley Cup playoffs The 1986 Stanley Cup playoffs, the championship of the National Hockey League (NHL) began on April 9, after the conclusion of the 1985–86 NHL season. The playoffs concluded on May 24 with the champion Montreal Canadiens defeating the Calgary Flames 4–1 to win the series four games to one and win the Stanley Cup. This was the last time to date that all active Canadian teams have qualified in the same season. It is also the second time that all seven active teams at the time qualified, the first occurring three years earlier. The playoffs of

neg: Port of Kobe Hyōgo Port to foreigners. After the World War II pillars were occupied by the Allied Forces, later by United States Forces Japan. (Last one returned in 1973.) In the 1970s the port boasted it handled the most containers in the world. It was the world's busiest container port from 1973 to 1978. The 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake diminished much of the port city's prominence when it destroyed and halted much of the facilities and services there, causing approximately ten trillion yen or $102.5 billion in damage, 2.5% of Japan's GDP at the time. Most of the losses were uninsured, as