1993 NBA Playoffs

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The 1993 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1992-93 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls defeating the Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. Michael Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP for the third straight year.

This was the Suns' second Western Conference title; they made their first NBA Finals appearance in 1976, losing to the Celtics.

The Cavaliers defeated the Nets in the first round, which was their last win in a playoff series until 2006.

The fifth-year Charlotte Hornets made their playoff debut, and became the first of the 1988/89 expansion teams (Charlotte, Orlando, Minnesota and Miami) to win a playoff series, beating Boston 3-1.

Game 6 of the Suns-Spurs series was the last game ever played at the HemisFair Arena.

The Knicks–Pacers rivalry started in their first round encounter, which New York won 3-1. But it wasn't until the next two meetings (1994, 1995) that the rivalry became even more intense, particularly due to Reggie Miller's heroics in the Garden that made him and Indiana household names and legitimate contenders in the East.

Contents

Bracket[edit]

  First Round Conference Semifinals Conference Finals NBA Finals
                                     
1  Phoenix 3  
8  L.A. Lakers 2  
  1  Phoenix 4  
   
  5  San Antonio 2  
4  Portland 1
 
5  San Antonio 3  
  1  Phoenix 4  
Western Conference
  3  Seattle 3  
3  Seattle 3  
 
6  Utah 2  
  3  Seattle 4
   
  2  Houston 3  
2  Houston 3
 
7  L.A. Clippers 2  
  W1  Phoenix 2
  E2  Chicago 4
1  New York 3  
8  Indiana 1  
  1  New York 4
   
  5  Charlotte 1  
4  Boston 1
 
5  Charlotte 3  
  1  New York 2
Eastern Conference
  2  Chicago 4  
3  Cleveland 3  
6  New Jersey 2  
  3  Cleveland 0
   
  2  Chicago 4  
2  Chicago 3
7  Atlanta 0  

Western Conference[edit]

Champion: Phoenix Suns

1st Round

(1) Phoenix Suns vs. (8) Los Angeles Lakers: Suns win series 3-2

Last Playoff Meeting: 1990 Western Conference Semifinals (Phoenix won 4-1)

(2) Houston Rockets vs. (7) Los Angeles Clippers: Rockets win series 3-2

Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first playoff meeting between the Clippers and Rockets.

(3) Seattle SuperSonics vs. (6) Utah Jazz: Sonics win series 3-2

Last Playoff Meeting: 1992 Western Conference Semifinals (Utah won 4-1)

(4) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (5) San Antonio Spurs: Spurs win series 3-1

Last Playoff Meeting: 1990 Western Conference Semifinals (Portland won 4-3)

Conference Semifinals

(1) Phoenix Suns vs. (5) San Antonio Spurs: Suns win series 4-2

Last Playoff Meeting: 1992 Western Conference First Round (Phoenix won 3-0)

(2) Houston Rockets vs. (3) Seattle SuperSonics: Sonics win series 4-3

Last Playoff Meeting: 1989 Western Conference First Round (Seattle won 3-0)

Conference Finals

(1) Phoenix Suns vs. (3) Seattle SuperSonics: Suns win series 4-3

Last Playoff Meeting: 1979 Western Conference Finals (Seattle won 4-3)

Eastern Conference[edit]

Champion: Chicago Bulls

1st Round

(1) New York Knicks vs. (8) Indiana Pacers: Knicks win series 3-1

Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first playoff meeting between the Pacers and Knicks.

(2) Chicago Bulls vs. (7) Atlanta Hawks: Bulls win series 3-0

  • Game 1 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (April 30): Chicago 114, Atlanta 90
  • Game 2 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (May 2): Chicago 117, Atlanta 102
  • Game 3 @ The Omni, Atlanta (May 4): Chicago 98, Atlanta 88

Last Playoff Meeting: 1970 Western Division Semifinals (Atlanta won 4-1)

(3) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (6) New Jersey Nets: Cavaliers win series 3-2

Last Playoff Meeting: 1992 Eastern Conference First Round (Cleveland won 3-1)

(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Charlotte Hornets: Hornets win series 3-1

  • Game 1 @ Boston Garden, Boston (April 29): Boston 112, Charlotte 101 (Celtics forward Reggie Lewis collapses on the court and did not play for the rest of the series. He dies 3 months later from a heart defect.)
  • Game 2 @ Boston Garden, Boston (May 1): Charlotte 99, Boston 98 (2OT)
  • Game 3 @ Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte (May 3): Charlotte 119, Boston 89
  • Game 4 @ Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte (May 5): Charlotte 104, Boston 103 (Alonzo Mourning hits the series-winning shot with 0.4 seconds left; this was Kevin McHale's final NBA game)

Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first playoff meeting between the Hornets and Celtics.

Conference Semifinals

(1) New York Knicks vs. (5) Charlotte Hornets: Knicks win series 4-1

Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first playoff meeting between the Hornets and Knicks.

(2) Chicago Bulls vs. (3) Cleveland Cavaliers: Bulls win series 4-0

Last Playoff Meeting: 1992 Eastern Conference Finals (Chicago won 4-2)

Conference Finals

(1) New York Knicks vs. (2) Chicago Bulls: Bulls win series 4-2

Last Playoff Meeting: 1992 Eastern Conference Semifinals (Chicago won 4-3)

NBA Finals[edit]

Main article: 1993 NBA Finals

(1) Phoenix Suns vs. (2) Chicago Bulls: Bulls win series 4-2

Notes[edit]

  • The league's best team during the regular season, the Phoenix Suns were on the verge of playoff elimination after losing the first two games at home against the #8 seeded Los Angeles Lakers. However, they recovered to win Games 3 and 4 in Los Angeles to tie the series at 2. In Game 5, Dan Majerie hit a 3-pointer to force OT. The Suns eventually pulled away to win Game 5 112-104 at home to avoid becoming the first #1 seed to lose to a #8 seed. This would happen the following postseason, when the #8 Denver Nuggets defeated the #1 Seattle SuperSonics 3-2 (The Nuggets came back from a 2-0 series deficit to pull it off).
  • Both #5 seeds Charlotte and San Antonio beat their #4 seeded opponent in the First Round.
  • The New York Knicks take a 2-0 series lead over the Chicago Bulls in the Conference Finals. However, headlines in New York papers and tabloids angered and energized Bulls superstar Michael Jordan, who torched the Knicks for 54 points in Game 4 after going 3-18 in Game 3 to even up the series. The Bulls went to Madison Square Garden and won Game 5 97-94 and clinched the series at home in Game 6 with a 96-88 victory.
  • Celtics' star Reggie Lewis fainted on the court during Game 1 against the Hornets. He briefly returned to the game before sitting out the rest of the series. He passed away less than three months later from a heart condition.
  • After the Suns defeated the Sonics in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, there were complaints about the free throw comparison between the two teams.
  • Dražen Petrović played his last game in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference First Round. He died in a car accident 5 weeks later.

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