The 1968 NBA Playoffs

NBA Playoffs

The National Basketball Association Playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament among sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference , ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the NBA Conference Finals.-Format:Following the NBA regular season, eight teams in...

was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association

National Basketball Association

The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...

's 1967–1968 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...

 defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...

, four games to two in the NBA Finals

1968 NBA Finals

The 1968 NBA Finals pitted the Boston Celtics from the East, against the Los Angeles Lakers from the West, for the sixth time in ten years. The Celtics won their tenth NBA Championship in twelve seasons, by defeating the Lakers in six games...

.

The Celtics won their 10th NBA championship, first under player/coach Bill Russell

Bill Russell

William Felton "Bill" Russell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association...

 after the retirement of Red Auerbach

Red Auerbach

Arnold Jacob "Red" Auerbach was an American basketball coach of the Washington Capitols, the Tri-Cities Blackhawks and the Boston Celtics. After he retired from coaching, he served as president and front office executive of the Celtics until his death...

.

In the Eastern Division Finals, the Celtics became the first team in NBA history to rally from a 3 games to 1 deficit to win a series, as they knocked off the defending champion Philadelphia 76ers in 7. In the West, The Lakers swept the San Francisco Warriors 4 games to none.

It was the first time since 1954

1953-54 NBA season

The 1953–54 NBA season was the 8th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Minneapolis Lakers winning their 5th NBA Championship in 6 years, beating the Syracuse Nationals 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals.- Notable occurrences :...

 that the top team in a division failed to make it to the division finals; from 1955

1955 NBA Playoffs

The 1955 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1954-1955 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Syracuse Nationals defeating the Western Conference champion Fort Wayne Pistons, four games to three in the NBA Finals.This...

 to 1967

1967 NBA Playoffs

The 1967 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1966-1967 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Philadelphia 76ers defeating the Western Division champion San Francisco Warriors, four games to two in the NBA Finals.It was...

 the league had given the regular-season division champion a first-round bye.

Western Division

Champion: Los Angeles Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...

Division Semifinals

(1) St. Louis Hawks vs. (3) San Francisco Warriors:
Warriors win series 4-2

• Game 1 @ St. Louis: San Francisco 111, St. Louis 106
• Game 2 @ St. Louis: St. Louis 111, San Francisco 103
• Game 3 @ San Francisco: San Francisco 124, St. Louis 109
• Game 4 @ San Francisco: San Francisco 108, St. Louis 107
• Game 5 @ St. Louis: St. Louis 129, San Francisco 103
• Game 6 @ San Francisco: San Francisco 111, St. Louis 106

(2) Los Angeles Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...

vs. (4) Chicago Bulls

Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...

:
Lakers win series 4-1

• Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 109, Chicago 101
• Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 113, Chicago 106
• Game 3 @ Chicago: Chicago 104, Los Angeles 98
• Game 4 @ Chicago: Los Angeles 93, Chicago 87
• Game 5 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 122, Chicago 99

Division Finals

(2) Los Angeles Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...

vs. (3) San Francisco Warriors:
Lakers win series 4-0

• Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 133, San Francisco 105
• Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 115, San Francisco 112
• Game 3 @ San Francisco: Los Angeles 128, San Francisco 124
• Game 4 @ San Francisco: Los Angeles 106, San Francisco 100

Eastern Division

Champion: Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...

Division Semifinals

(1) Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...

vs. (3) New York Knicks

New York Knicks

The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...

:
76ers win series 4-2

• Game 1 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 118, New York 110
• Game 2 @ New York: New York 128, Philadelphia 117
• Game 3 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 138, New York 132
• Game 4 @ New York: New York 107, Philadelphia 98
• Game 5 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 123, New York 105
• Game 6 @ New York: Philadelphia 113, New York 97

(2) Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...

vs. (4) Detroit Pistons

Detroit Pistons

The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...

:
Celtics win series 4-2

• Game 1 @ Boston: Boston 123, Detroit 116
• Game 2 @ Detroit: Detroit 126, Boston 116
• Game 3 @ Boston: Detroit 109, Boston 98
• Game 4 @ Detroit: Boston 135, Detroit 110
• Game 5 @ Boston: Boston 110, Detroit 96
• Game 6 @ Detroit: Boston 111, Detroit 103

Division Finals

(1) Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...

 vs. (2) Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...

 :
Celtics win series 4-3

• Game 1 @ Philadelphia: Boston 127, Philadelphia 118
• Game 2 @ Boston: Philadelphia 115, Boston 106
• Game 3 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 122, Boston 114
• Game 4 @ Boston: Philadelphia 110, Boston 105
• Game 5 @ Philadelphia: Boston 122, Philadelphia 104
• Game 6 @ Boston: Boston 114, Philadelphia 106
• Game 7 @ Philadelphia: Boston 100, Philadelphia 96 (Celtics become first team to come back from a 3–1 deficit in NBA Playoffs.)

NBA Finals

(2) Boston Celtics

Boston Celtics

The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...

VS. (2) Los Angeles Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...

:
76ers win series 4-2

• Game 1 @ Boston: Boston 107, Los Angeles 101
• Game 2 @ Boston: Los Angeles 123, Boston 113
• Game 3 @ Los Angeles: Boston 127, Los Angeles 119
• Game 4 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 118, Boston 105
• Game 5 @ Boston: Boston 120, Los Angeles 117
• Game 6 @ Los Angeles: Boston 124, Los Angeles 109

External links

• Basketball-Reference.com's 1968 NBA Playoffs page