2010 NBA Playoffs
Encyclopedia
The 2010 NBA Playoffs was the postseason
for the National Basketball Association
's 2009–10 season
. The playoffs started on April 17, 2010 with ABC, ESPN, ESPN2
, TNT, and NBA TV
broadcasting the games in the United States
. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format.
The Cleveland Cavaliers
clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference by posting their second consecutive (and second ever) 60-win season; they also won the Central Division for the second year in a row. They also clinched the best record in the NBA on April 5, which guaranteed them home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.
For the second time in three seasons and the first time since the 2008 postseason, all 8 Western Conference playoff teams had at least 50 wins. The 7 games separating 1 from 8 was also tied for the smallest margin, also from the 2008 playoffs.
Cleveland's 61 in the NBA was the least win total for the best record since the Indiana Pacers
won 61 games in 2003–04. The Cavaliers' second round playoff exit (2–4 vs. Boston Celtics
) was the earliest for the top seed since the Dallas Mavericks
' first round loss to the Golden State Warriors
in 2007
.
Several teams would also avenge previous losses by defeating teams who defeated them in recent years. The Spurs would defeat the Mavericks who defeated them twice in the previous 4 seasons. The Cavaliers would defeat the Bulls for the first time since The Shot
. The Suns would defeat the Spurs who won the previous 4 meetings in the last decade. The Lakers would defeat the Suns who defeated them in the first round in 2006 and 2007. The Celtics would defeat the Magic who eliminated them last year. And in the finals, the Lakers defeated the Celtics who defeated them in the 2008 finals.
Game 5 of the Magic-Celtics Conference Finals was the last game played at Amway Arena (formerly Orlando Arena and TD Waterhouse Centre). The Magic, who last year upset the top-seeded Cavaliers in six games after they went 8-0 through the first two rounds, also went 8-0 through two playoff series, only to suffer the same fate as the Cavaliers last year, losing to the Celtics in six games.
The Charlotte Bobcats
made their first playoff appearance in franchise history. However, they failed to win a single playoff game in a loss to the Magic in the first round.
The Celtics-Cavaliers second round series marked the first time that each team lost a home playoff game by record margins: the Celtics lost by 29, 124-95, in Game 3 (May 7), while the Cavaliers lost by 32, 120-88, in Game 5 (May 11).
The Oklahoma City Thunder
made their first playoff appearance under that name; their last appearance was 2005
as the Seattle SuperSonics
. Games 3, 4 and 6 were the first playoff games played at Ford Center (the arena's former tenants, the New Orleans Hornets, didn't play a single playoff game in the building). The Thunder (and especially Kevin Durant
) would make the most of their debut playoff appearance, pushing the eventual champion Lakers to six games.
The Dallas Mavericks
would hold the dubious distinction of losing three first round series while holding the top two playoff seeds. The Mavericks lost to the seventh-seeded San Antonio Spurs
in six games. They have also lost a playoff series against the Seattle SuperSonics
(1987
, as the second seed) and the Golden State Warriors
(2007
, as the top seed).
If there were more than two teams tied, the team that wins the tiebreaker get the highest seed, while the other teams were "re-broken" from the first step until all ties were resolved. Since the three division winners were guaranteed a spot in the top four, ties to determine the division winners had to be broken before any other ties.
— = Not Applicable
Teams were tied 2–2 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 1994 Eastern Conference First Round
(Chicago won 3-0)
The Orlando Magic
lead games 3–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: Not available (first playoff series)
. But the Bucks managed to take the next 3 games, including a shocking Game 5 win in Atlanta, where they overcame a 9-point deficit in the final 4 minutes. However, Atlanta managed to stave off elimination in front of a raucous Bradley Center crowd, coming away with a 83–69 Game 6 victory. The Hawks then finished off the Bucks in Game 7 and advanced to the next round.
Regular-season series
The Atlanta Hawks
lead games 2–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 1989 Eastern Conference First Round
(Milwaukee won 3-2)
The Boston Celtics
lead games 3–0 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: Not available (first playoff series)
's 19 assists powered them past the Cavaliers to an 18 point victory. The Cavaliers struck back in Game 3 and handed the Celtics their worst home-playoff loss in franchise history. Cavaliers forward Lebron James
scored 21 points in the first quarter alone and 38 for the game. Antawn Jamison
added another 20. Celtics forward Paul Pierce
called the loss "embarrassing". Rajon Rondo's triple-double (29 points, a career playoff high 18 rebounds and 13 assists) pushed the Celtics to a Game 4 victory. The Celtics reciprocated their Game 3 humiliation with a 32 point victory in Cleveland during Game 5. Lebron James
was held to 3 of 14 shooting. The Celtics clinched the series in Game 6, holding James to 8 of 21 shooting.
The Cavaliers early-exit led to James's departure for the Miami Heat
during the offseason. Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert then accused James of quitting on the team during the series and also alleged that he did the same thing the previous year's Conference Finals.
Regular-season series
Teams were tied 2–2 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 2008 Eastern Conference Semifinals
(Boston won 4-3)
Regular-season series
The Orlando Magic
lead games 3–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 1996 Eastern Conference Semifinals
(Orlando won 4-1)
were able to hold off a late Magic
rally to steal home-court advantage in Game 1. They even used that momentum to grab Game 2 in Orlando to take a 2-0 lead going into Boston. After winning back-to-back road games to begin a series for the first time in franchise history, the Celtics would go on to blow out the Magic by 23 points in Game 3 to take a 3 to nothing lead. The Magic, however, would rally for a desperate Game 4 victory in overtime to force Game 5 in Orlando. Dwight Howard
poured in 32 points in that victory. The Celtics seemed to lose control of the series, as the Magic scored another victory in Game 5, making the series 3-2, to force it back to Boston. No team in NBA history has rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win a post-season series. Moreover, Orlando fell short as the Celtics were able to advance to the NBA Finals
for the second time in three years with a 12-point win in Game 6.
Regular-season series
The Orlando Magic
lead games 3–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 2009 Eastern Conference Semifinals
(Orlando won 4-3)
The Los Angeles Lakers
lead games 3–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 1998 Western Conference Semifinals
(Los Angeles won 4–1 over Seattle
, the predecessor to Oklahoma City)
as a No. 1 seed, and the 2008 Mavericks lost in the 1st round to the New Orleans Hornets. The Mavs took Game 1 in Dallas, but would go on to drop the next three games (including two in San Antonio) to wind up trailing 3 to 1. Dallas won Game 5 to keep their season alive, but the Spurs managed to finish them off with a 10-point win in Game 6.
Regular-season series
The Dallas Mavericks
lead games 3–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 2009 Western Conference First Round
(Dallas won 4-1)
The Portland Trail Blazers
lead games 2–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 1999 Western Conference First Round
(Portland won 3-0)
The Denver Nuggets
lead games 3–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 1994 Western Conference Semifinals
(Utah won 4-3)
The Los Angeles Lakers
lead games 3–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 2009 Western Conference First Round
(Los Angeles won 4-1)
The Phoenix Suns
lead games 2–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 2008 Western Conference First Round
(San Antonio won 4-1)
hit the game-winner as the clock ran out, the Suns found themselves trailing 3 to 2. Los Angeles held off a late Suns rally to steal game 6 in Phoenix, as Kobe Bryant
poured in 37 points, including a long jump shot in the final minute that put the game out of reach.
Regular-season series
The Los Angeles Lakers
lead games 3–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 2007 Western Conference First Round
(Phoenix won 4-1)
Last Playoff Meeting: 2008 NBA Finals
(Boston won 4-2)
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...
for 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 2009–10 season
2009–10 NBA season
The 2009–10 NBA season was the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and ended on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
. The playoffs started on April 17, 2010 with ABC, ESPN, ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
, TNT, and NBA TV
NBA TV
NBA TV is a television specialty channel that is dedicated to showcasing the sport of basketball in the United States. The network is financially backed by the National Basketball Association , which also uses NBA TV as a way of advertising their out of market package NBA League Pass, and partner...
broadcasting the games in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format.
The Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team...
clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference by posting their second consecutive (and second ever) 60-win season; they also won the Central Division for the second year in a row. They also clinched the best record in the NBA on April 5, which guaranteed them home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.
For the second time in three seasons and the first time since the 2008 postseason, all 8 Western Conference playoff teams had at least 50 wins. The 7 games separating 1 from 8 was also tied for the smallest margin, also from the 2008 playoffs.
Cleveland's 61 in the NBA was the least win total for the best record since the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
won 61 games in 2003–04. The Cavaliers' second round playoff exit (2–4 vs. 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...
) was the earliest for the top seed since the Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
' first round loss to the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in 2007
2007 NBA Playoffs
The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
.
Several teams would also avenge previous losses by defeating teams who defeated them in recent years. The Spurs would defeat the Mavericks who defeated them twice in the previous 4 seasons. The Cavaliers would defeat the Bulls for the first time since The Shot
The Shot
The Shot is the name of the series-winning basket made by Michael Jordan in the 5th game of the 1989 Eastern Conference First Round against the Cavs, in the Coliseum at Richfield...
. The Suns would defeat the Spurs who won the previous 4 meetings in the last decade. The Lakers would defeat the Suns who defeated them in the first round in 2006 and 2007. The Celtics would defeat the Magic who eliminated them last year. And in the finals, the Lakers defeated the Celtics who defeated them in the 2008 finals.
Game 5 of the Magic-Celtics Conference Finals was the last game played at Amway Arena (formerly Orlando Arena and TD Waterhouse Centre). The Magic, who last year upset the top-seeded Cavaliers in six games after they went 8-0 through the first two rounds, also went 8-0 through two playoff series, only to suffer the same fate as the Cavaliers last year, losing to the Celtics in six games.
The Charlotte Bobcats
Charlotte Bobcats
The Charlotte Bobcats is a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association. The Bobcats were established in 2004 as an expansion team, two seasons after Charlotte's previous NBA...
made their first playoff appearance in franchise history. However, they failed to win a single playoff game in a loss to the Magic in the first round.
The Celtics-Cavaliers second round series marked the first time that each team lost a home playoff game by record margins: the Celtics lost by 29, 124-95, in Game 3 (May 7), while the Cavaliers lost by 32, 120-88, in Game 5 (May 11).
The Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena....
made their first playoff appearance under that name; their last appearance was 2005
2005 NBA Playoffs
The 2005 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2004–05 season.The San Antonio Spurs, the number two ranked team in the Western Conference, won the 2005 NBA Playoffs by defeating the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, 4-3 in the NBA Finals...
as the Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
. Games 3, 4 and 6 were the first playoff games played at Ford Center (the arena's former tenants, the New Orleans Hornets, didn't play a single playoff game in the building). The Thunder (and especially Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant
Kevin Wayne Durant is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association . A 6'9" small forward/shooting guard who is also capable of playing power forward, Durant was the consensus 2007 National College Player of the Year and the...
) would make the most of their debut playoff appearance, pushing the eventual champion Lakers to six games.
The Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
would hold the dubious distinction of losing three first round series while holding the top two playoff seeds. The Mavericks lost to the seventh-seeded San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
in six games. They have also lost a playoff series against the Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
(1987
1987 NBA Playoffs
The 1987 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1986-1987 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics four games to two in the Finals...
, as the second seed) and the Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
(2007
2007 NBA Playoffs
The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
, as the top seed).
Format
The 3 division winners and 5 other teams with the most wins from each conference qualified for the playoffs. The seedings are based on each team's record; however, a division winner is guaranteed to be ranked at least fourth, regardless of their record.Tiebreak procedures
The tiebreakers that determine seedings were:- Division leader wins tie from team not leading a division
- Head-to-head record
- Division record (if the teams are in the same division)
- Conference record
- Record vs. playoff teams, own conference
- Record vs. playoff teams, other conference
- Point differentialGoal differenceIn sports such as ice hockey and association football, goal difference is often the first tiebreaker used to rank teams which finish a league competition with an equal number of points....
, all games
If there were more than two teams tied, the team that wins the tiebreaker get the highest seed, while the other teams were "re-broken" from the first step until all ties were resolved. Since the three division winners were guaranteed a spot in the top four, ties to determine the division winners had to be broken before any other ties.
Eastern Conference
| Seed | |Team | |Wins | |Clinched | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playoff berth | Division title | Best record in Conference | Best record in NBA |
|||
| 1 | Cleveland Cavaliers Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team... |
61 | March 8 | March 17 | April 2 | April 4 |
| 2 | Orlando Magic Orlando Magic The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy... |
59 | March 16 | April 5 | — | — |
| 3 | Atlanta Hawks Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:... |
53 | March 21 | — | — | — |
| 4 | 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... |
50 | March 24 | March 26 | — | — |
| 5 | Miami Heat Miami Heat The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami... |
47 | April 6 | — | — | — |
| 6 | Milwaukee Bucks Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center.... |
46 | April 6 | — | — | — |
| 7 | Charlotte Bobcats Charlotte Bobcats The Charlotte Bobcats is a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association. The Bobcats were established in 2004 as an expansion team, two seasons after Charlotte's previous NBA... |
44 | April 6 | — | — | — |
| 8 | 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... |
41 | April 14 | — | — | — |
Western Conference
| Seed | |Team | |Wins | |Tiebreaker | |Clinched | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Playoff berth | Division title | Best record in Conference |
||||
| 1 | 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... |
57 | — | March 19 | April 3 | April 9 |
| 2 | Dallas Mavericks Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011... |
55 | — | March 26 | April 9 | — |
| 3 | Phoenix Suns Phoenix Suns The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US... |
54 | — | March 30 | — | — |
| 4 | Denver Nuggets Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams... |
53 | 3–1 vs. UTA | March 28 | April 14 | — |
| 5 | Utah Jazz Utah Jazz The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association... |
53 | 1–3 vs. DEN | March 28 | — | — |
| 6 | Portland Trail Blazers Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the... |
50 | 6–1 vs. SA and OKC | March 31 | — | — |
| 7 | San Antonio Spurs San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association .... |
50 | 3–4 vs. POR and OKC | April 4 | — | — |
| 8 | Oklahoma City Thunder Oklahoma City Thunder The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena.... |
50 | 2–6 vs. POR and SA | April 3 | — | — |
— = Not Applicable
Home-court advantage
The team with the better record earned the home-court advantage through any playoff round, regardless of seeding. (The NBA is the only one of the four major North American leagues that awards home advantage based strictly on record.)| Rank | |Team | |Conference | |Division | |Wins | |Losses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cleveland Cavaliers Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers are a professional basketball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They began playing in the National Basketball Association in 1970 as an expansion team... |
Eastern Eastern Conference (NBA) The Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, organized in three divisions of five teams each.The three division winners and the non-division winner with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 for the playoffs in order of their records, with all... |
Central Central Division (NBA) The Central Division is one of the three divisions in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Chicago Bulls, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Detroit Pistons, the Indiana Pacers and the Milwaukee Bucks... |
61 | 21 |
| 2 | Orlando Magic Orlando Magic The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy... |
Eastern Eastern Conference (NBA) The Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, organized in three divisions of five teams each.The three division winners and the non-division winner with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 for the playoffs in order of their records, with all... |
Southeast Southeast Division (NBA) The Southeast Division is one of the three divisions in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Atlanta Hawks, the Charlotte Bobcats, the Miami Heat, the Orlando Magic and the Washington WizardsThe division was created at the start of... |
59 | 23 |
| 3 | 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... |
Western Western Conference (NBA) Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks.... |
Pacific Pacific Division (NBA) The Pacific Division is one of the three divisions in the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Golden State Warriors, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Phoenix Suns and the Sacramento Kings... |
57 | 25 |
| 4 | Dallas Mavericks Dallas Mavericks The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011... |
Western Western Conference (NBA) Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks.... |
Southwest Southwest Division (NBA) The Southwest Division is one of the three divisions in the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Dallas Mavericks, the Houston Rockets, the Memphis Grizzlies, the New Orleans Hornets and the San Antonio Spurs... |
55 | 27 |
| 5 | Phoenix Suns Phoenix Suns The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US... |
Western Western Conference (NBA) Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks.... |
Pacific Pacific Division (NBA) The Pacific Division is one of the three divisions in the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Golden State Warriors, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Phoenix Suns and the Sacramento Kings... |
54 | 28 |
| 6 | Denver Nuggets Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams... |
Western Western Conference (NBA) Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks.... |
Northwest Northwest Division (NBA) The Northwest Division is one of the three divisions in the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Denver Nuggets, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Portland Trail Blazers and the Utah JazzThe division was... |
53 | 29 |
| 7 | Atlanta Hawks Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:... |
Eastern Eastern Conference (NBA) The Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, organized in three divisions of five teams each.The three division winners and the non-division winner with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 for the playoffs in order of their records, with all... |
Southeast Southeast Division (NBA) The Southeast Division is one of the three divisions in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Atlanta Hawks, the Charlotte Bobcats, the Miami Heat, the Orlando Magic and the Washington WizardsThe division was created at the start of... |
53 | 29 |
| 8 | Utah Jazz Utah Jazz The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association... |
Western Western Conference (NBA) Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks.... |
Northwest Northwest Division (NBA) The Northwest Division is one of the three divisions in the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Denver Nuggets, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Portland Trail Blazers and the Utah JazzThe division was... |
53 | 29 |
| 9 | 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... |
Eastern Eastern Conference (NBA) The Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, organized in three divisions of five teams each.The three division winners and the non-division winner with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 for the playoffs in order of their records, with all... |
Atlantic Atlantic Division (NBA) The Atlantic Division is one of the three divisions in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Boston Celtics, the New Jersey Nets, the New York Knicks, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Toronto Raptors... |
50 | 32 |
| 10 | Portland Trail Blazers Portland Trail Blazers The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the... |
Western Western Conference (NBA) Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks.... |
Northwest Northwest Division (NBA) The Northwest Division is one of the three divisions in the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Denver Nuggets, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Portland Trail Blazers and the Utah JazzThe division was... |
50 | 32 |
| 11 | San Antonio Spurs San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association .... |
Western Western Conference (NBA) Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks.... |
Southwest Southwest Division (NBA) The Southwest Division is one of the three divisions in the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Dallas Mavericks, the Houston Rockets, the Memphis Grizzlies, the New Orleans Hornets and the San Antonio Spurs... |
50 | 32 |
| 12 | Oklahoma City Thunder Oklahoma City Thunder The Oklahoma City Thunder are a professional basketball franchise based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ; their home court is at Chesapeake Energy Arena.... |
Western Western Conference (NBA) Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks.... |
Northwest Northwest Division (NBA) The Northwest Division is one of the three divisions in the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Denver Nuggets, the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Portland Trail Blazers and the Utah JazzThe division was... |
50 | 32 |
| 13 | Miami Heat Miami Heat The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami... |
Eastern Eastern Conference (NBA) The Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, organized in three divisions of five teams each.The three division winners and the non-division winner with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 for the playoffs in order of their records, with all... |
Southeast Southeast Division (NBA) The Southeast Division is one of the three divisions in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Atlanta Hawks, the Charlotte Bobcats, the Miami Heat, the Orlando Magic and the Washington WizardsThe division was created at the start of... |
47 | 35 |
| 14 | Milwaukee Bucks Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center.... |
Eastern Eastern Conference (NBA) The Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, organized in three divisions of five teams each.The three division winners and the non-division winner with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 for the playoffs in order of their records, with all... |
Central Central Division (NBA) The Central Division is one of the three divisions in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Chicago Bulls, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Detroit Pistons, the Indiana Pacers and the Milwaukee Bucks... |
46 | 36 |
| 15 | Charlotte Bobcats Charlotte Bobcats The Charlotte Bobcats is a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association. The Bobcats were established in 2004 as an expansion team, two seasons after Charlotte's previous NBA... |
Eastern Eastern Conference (NBA) The Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, organized in three divisions of five teams each.The three division winners and the non-division winner with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 for the playoffs in order of their records, with all... |
Southeast Southeast Division (NBA) The Southeast Division is one of the three divisions in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Atlanta Hawks, the Charlotte Bobcats, the Miami Heat, the Orlando Magic and the Washington WizardsThe division was created at the start of... |
44 | 38 |
| 16 | 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... |
Eastern Eastern Conference (NBA) The Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, organized in three divisions of five teams each.The three division winners and the non-division winner with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 for the playoffs in order of their records, with all... |
Central Central Division (NBA) The Central Division is one of the three divisions in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . The division consists of five teams, the Chicago Bulls, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Detroit Pistons, the Indiana Pacers and the Milwaukee Bucks... |
41 | 41 |
Bracket
Teams in bold advanced to the next round. The numbers to the left of each team indicate the team's seeding in its conference, and the numbers to the right indicate the number of games the team won in that round. The division champions are marked by an asterisk. Home court advantage in the NBA Finals does not necessarily belong to the higher-seeded team, but instead the team with the better regular season record (for example, the 4th seed in the Western Conference could have a better regular season record than the 3rd seed in the Eastern Conference and would therefore have home court advantage if the two met in the Finals); teams with home court advantage are shown in italics.(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (8) Chicago Bulls
Regular-season seriesTeams were tied 2–2 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 1994 Eastern Conference First Round
1994 NBA Playoffs
The 1994 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1993-94 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets defeating the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals...
(Chicago won 3-0)
(2) Orlando Magic vs. (7) Charlotte Bobcats
Regular-season seriesThe Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
lead games 3–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: Not available (first playoff series)
(3) Atlanta Hawks vs. (6) Milwaukee Bucks
The Atlanta Hawks quickly took control of the series by winning the first 2 games against the Milwaukee Bucks, without star center Andrew BogutAndrew Bogut
Andrew Michael Bogut is an Australian professional basketball player. He plays for the Milwaukee Bucks of the United States' National Basketball Association....
. But the Bucks managed to take the next 3 games, including a shocking Game 5 win in Atlanta, where they overcame a 9-point deficit in the final 4 minutes. However, Atlanta managed to stave off elimination in front of a raucous Bradley Center crowd, coming away with a 83–69 Game 6 victory. The Hawks then finished off the Bucks in Game 7 and advanced to the next round.
Regular-season series
The Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
lead games 2–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 1989 Eastern Conference First Round
1989 NBA Playoffs
The 1989 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1988-89 NBA season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers, who were severely hampered by injuries, four...
(Milwaukee won 3-2)
(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Miami Heat
Regular-season seriesThe 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...
lead games 3–0 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: Not available (first playoff series)
(1) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (4) Boston Celtics
The Cavaliers were considered heavy favorites coming in, but had to rally from an 11-point halftime deficit to win in Game 1. The Celtics took home-court in Game 2, as Celtics point guard Rajon RondoRajon Rondo
Rajon Pierre Rondo is an American professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Rondo attended Eastern High School and Oak Hill Academy for his high-school basketball career, before receiving a...
's 19 assists powered them past the Cavaliers to an 18 point victory. The Cavaliers struck back in Game 3 and handed the Celtics their worst home-playoff loss in franchise history. Cavaliers forward Lebron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
scored 21 points in the first quarter alone and 38 for the game. Antawn Jamison
Antawn Jamison
Antawn Cortez Jamison is an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association . He currently plays power forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers and was a member of the USA National Team for the 2006 FIBA World Championships...
added another 20. Celtics forward Paul Pierce
Paul Pierce
Paul Anthony Pierce , nicknamed The Truth, is an American professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the NBA. He earned First Team All-America honors in his junior year at Kansas, and has been a starter every season since being selected by the Celtics with the 10th overall pick in the...
called the loss "embarrassing". Rajon Rondo's triple-double (29 points, a career playoff high 18 rebounds and 13 assists) pushed the Celtics to a Game 4 victory. The Celtics reciprocated their Game 3 humiliation with a 32 point victory in Cleveland during Game 5. Lebron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
was held to 3 of 14 shooting. The Celtics clinched the series in Game 6, holding James to 8 of 21 shooting.
The Cavaliers early-exit led to James's departure for the Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
during the offseason. Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert then accused James of quitting on the team during the series and also alleged that he did the same thing the previous year's Conference Finals.
Regular-season series
Teams were tied 2–2 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 2008 Eastern Conference Semifinals
2008 NBA Playoffs
The 2008 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2007–08 season which ended with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4–2....
(Boston won 4-3)
(2) Orlando Magic vs. (3) Atlanta Hawks
The Magic's victory was the most lopsided four game sweep in playoff history.Regular-season series
The Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
lead games 3–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 1996 Eastern Conference Semifinals
1996 NBA Playoffs
The 1996 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1995-1996 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning their first NBA championship in three years by defeating the Western Conference champion Seattle...
(Orlando won 4-1)
Conference Finals: (2) Orlando Magic vs. (4) Boston Celtics
The Boston CelticsBoston 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...
were able to hold off a late Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
rally to steal home-court advantage in Game 1. They even used that momentum to grab Game 2 in Orlando to take a 2-0 lead going into Boston. After winning back-to-back road games to begin a series for the first time in franchise history, the Celtics would go on to blow out the Magic by 23 points in Game 3 to take a 3 to nothing lead. The Magic, however, would rally for a desperate Game 4 victory in overtime to force Game 5 in Orlando. Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard
Dwight David Howard is an American basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association . Howard, who usually plays center but can also play power forward, had an outstanding high school career at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy...
poured in 32 points in that victory. The Celtics seemed to lose control of the series, as the Magic scored another victory in Game 5, making the series 3-2, to force it back to Boston. No team in NBA history has rallied from a 3-0 deficit to win a post-season series. Moreover, Orlando fell short as the Celtics were able to advance to the NBA Finals
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
for the second time in three years with a 12-point win in Game 6.
Regular-season series
The Orlando Magic
Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
lead games 3–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 2009 Eastern Conference Semifinals
2009 NBA Playoffs
The 2009 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2008–09 season. The playoffs started on April 18, 2009 with ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
(Orlando won 4-3)
(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Oklahoma City Thunder
Regular-season seriesThe 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...
lead games 3–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 1998 Western Conference Semifinals
1998 NBA Playoffs
The 1998 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1997-98 NBA season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning their sixth championship of the decade by defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazz four...
(Los Angeles won 4–1 over Seattle
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
, the predecessor to Oklahoma City)
(2) Dallas Mavericks vs. (7) San Antonio Spurs
The Mavs won 55 games and the Southwest Division title, but for the 3rd time in four years, they failed to escape the first round. The 2007 Mavericks were defeated by the Golden State WarriorsGolden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
as a No. 1 seed, and the 2008 Mavericks lost in the 1st round to the New Orleans Hornets. The Mavs took Game 1 in Dallas, but would go on to drop the next three games (including two in San Antonio) to wind up trailing 3 to 1. Dallas won Game 5 to keep their season alive, but the Spurs managed to finish them off with a 10-point win in Game 6.
Regular-season series
The Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks are a professional basketball team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association , and the reigning NBA champions, having defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.According to a 2011...
lead games 3–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 2009 Western Conference First Round
2009 NBA Playoffs
The 2009 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2008–09 season. The playoffs started on April 18, 2009 with ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
(Dallas won 4-1)
(3) Phoenix Suns vs. (6) Portland Trail Blazers
Regular-season seriesThe Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
lead games 2–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 1999 Western Conference First Round
1999 NBA Playoffs
The 1999 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1998-99 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs by defeating the eighth-seeded Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks four games to one...
(Portland won 3-0)
(4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) Utah Jazz
Regular-season seriesThe Denver Nuggets
Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association . They were founded as the Denver Rockets in 1967 as a charter franchise of the American Basketball Association, and became one of that league's more successful teams...
lead games 3–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 1994 Western Conference Semifinals
1994 NBA Playoffs
The 1994 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1993-94 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets defeating the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals...
(Utah won 4-3)
(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Utah Jazz
Regular-season seriesThe 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...
lead games 3–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 2009 Western Conference First Round
2009 NBA Playoffs
The 2009 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2008–09 season. The playoffs started on April 18, 2009 with ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States...
(Los Angeles won 4-1)
(3) Phoenix Suns vs. (7) San Antonio Spurs
Regular-season seriesThe Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
lead games 2–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 2008 Western Conference First Round
2008 NBA Playoffs
The 2008 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2007–08 season which ended with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4–2....
(San Antonio won 4-1)
Conference Finals: (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Phoenix Suns
The Lakers would put their home-court advantage to good use by winning the first two games in Los Angeles. The Suns would strike back to tie the series by taking games 3 & 4 in Phoenix, but after a heart-breaking loss in Game 5 in which Ron ArtestRon Artest
Metta World Peace is an American professional basketball player and rapper who is currently with the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA. World Peace gained a reputation as one of the league's premier defenders as he won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2004...
hit the game-winner as the clock ran out, the Suns found themselves trailing 3 to 2. Los Angeles held off a late Suns rally to steal game 6 in Phoenix, as Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
poured in 37 points, including a long jump shot in the final minute that put the game out of reach.
Regular-season series
The 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...
lead games 3–1 in the regular-season series:
Last Playoff Meeting: 2007 Western Conference First Round
2007 NBA Playoffs
The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
(Phoenix won 4-1)
NBA Finals: (W1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (E4) Boston Celtics
- All times are in Eastern Daylight TimeEastern Time ZoneThe Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time...
(UTC−4)
Last Playoff Meeting: 2008 NBA Finals
2008 NBA Finals
The 2008 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2007–08 NBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Boston Celtics, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, four games to two in a...
(Boston won 4-2)
Statistic leaders
| Category | |High | |Average | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | Total | Player | Team | Avg. | Games played | |
| Points Point (basketball) Points in basketball are used to keep track of the score in a game. Points can be accumulated by making field goals or free throws .... |
Dwyane Wade Dwyane Wade Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league... |
Miami Heat Miami Heat The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami... |
46 | Dwyane Wade Dwyane Wade Dwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. nicknamed Flash or D-Wade, is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat. Awarded 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Wade has established himself as one of the most well-known and popular players in the league... |
Miami Heat Miami Heat The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami... |
33.2 | 5 |
| Rebounds Rebound (basketball) A rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made... |
Carlos Boozer Carlos Boozer Carlos Austin Boozer, Jr. is an American professional basketball player with the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association... Joakim Noah Joakim Noah Joakim Simon Noah is a professional basketball player for the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association . Born in New York City to a Swedish mother and French father, he holds American, Swedish and French citizenship... |
Utah Jazz Utah Jazz The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association... 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... |
20 20 |
Carlos Boozer Carlos Boozer Carlos Austin Boozer, Jr. is an American professional basketball player with the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association... |
Utah Jazz Utah Jazz The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association... |
13.2 | 10 |
| Assists Assist (basketball) In basketball, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score by field goal, meaning that he or she was "assisting" in the basket. There is some judgment involved in deciding whether a passer should be credited with an assist... |
Rajon Rondo Rajon Rondo Rajon Pierre Rondo is an American professional basketball player who plays point guard for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Rondo attended Eastern High School and Oak Hill Academy for his high-school basketball career, before receiving a... |
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... |
19 | Deron Williams Deron Williams Deron Michael Williams , nicknamed D-Will, is an American basketball player currently with the New Jersey Nets of the National Basketball Association . Williams has also played for the Utah Jazz of the NBA and Beşiktaş of the Turkish Basketball League... |
Utah Jazz Utah Jazz The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association... |
10.2 | 10 |
| Steals Steal (basketball) In basketball, a steal occurs when a defensive player legally causes a turnover by his positive, aggressive action. This can be done by deflecting and controlling, catching, or batting to a teammate a pass or dribble of an offensive player... |
John Salmons John Salmons John Rashall Salmons is an American professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the NBA... |
Milwaukee Bucks Milwaukee Bucks The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center.... |
6 | Manu Ginóbili Manu Ginobili Emanuel David "Manu" Ginóbili is an Argentine professional basketball player. Coming from a family of professional basketball players, he is a member of the Argentine men's national basketball team and the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association .Ginóbili spent the early part of... |
San Antonio Spurs San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association .... |
2.6 | 10 |
| Blocks Block (basketball) In basketball, a block , not to be confused with blocking, occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a field goal attempt from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot... |
Dwight Howard Dwight Howard Dwight David Howard is an American basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association . Howard, who usually plays center but can also play power forward, had an outstanding high school career at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy... |
Orlando Magic Orlando Magic The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy... |
9 | Dwight Howard Dwight Howard Dwight David Howard is an American basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association . Howard, who usually plays center but can also play power forward, had an outstanding high school career at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy... |
Orlando Magic Orlando Magic The Orlando Magic is a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy... |
3.5 | 14 |