1986 NBA Playoffs

1986 NBA playoffs
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The 1986 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1985–86 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. Larry Bird was named NBA Finals MVP for the second time.

This was the second NBA Finals meeting between the Celtics and Rockets; they met in the 1981 NBA Finals with the same result. It was the third of four straight Eastern Conference championships for Boston, who won 67 games that year, and went 40–1 at home. The Rockets, meanwhile had won just their second conference title in franchise history.

Second-year player Michael Jordan put on a record-setting performance in Game 2 of the Bulls' first-round series against the Celtics, scoring 63 points in a 2-OT loss, which surpassed Elgin Baylor's 61-point performance from the 1962 NBA Finals and still stands as the NBA Playoff scoring record. Jordan averaged 43.7 points per game in the series, but was unable to prevent the Bulls from being swept by a more experienced, more talented Celtics team. The Bulls set a dubious mark by posting the second worst record for a playoff-qualifying team in history, going just 30–52 during the season. Game 2, where the record was set, was ranked by TV Guide as the 26th Most Memorable Moment in Television History, and is credited with boosting the NBA's popularity surge and eventual rise to near the top of the United States television sports market, trailing only football by the mid-90s.

The 1986 playoffs marked the third time in four years that the Milwaukee Bucks advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, but it would be their last appearance in the series until 2001. The Celtics avenged their 1983 sweep by sweeping the Bucks in four games.

As for the Philadelphia 76ers, this was the last time they would play in a Game 7 until 2001. After their first round loss to the Atlanta Hawks, the Detroit Pistons would advance past the first round in each of the next five seasons (1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991), which include all appearances in the conference finals, three NBA Finals, and two championships.

Bracket

First Round Conference Semifinals Conference Finals NBA Finals
            
1 LA Lakers 3
8 San Antonio 0
1 LA Lakers 4
4 Dallas 2
4 Dallas 3
5 Utah 1
1 LA Lakers 1
Western Conference
2 Houston 4
3 Denver 3
6 Portland 1
3 Denver 2
2 Houston 4
2 Houston 3
7 Sacramento 0
W2 Houston 2
E1 Boston 4
1 Boston 3
8 Chicago 0
1 Boston 4
4 Atlanta 1
4 Atlanta 3
5 Detroit 1
1 Boston 4
Eastern Conference
2 Milwaukee 0
3 Philadelphia 3
6 Washington 2
3 Philadelphia 3
2 Milwaukee 4
2 Milwaukee 3
7 New Jersey 0

Western Conference

Champion: Houston Rockets

1st Round

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) San Antonio Spurs: Lakers win series 3–0

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first two meetings.

(2) Houston Rockets vs. (7) Sacramento Kings:Rockets win series 3–0

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Rockets winning the first meeting.

(3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Portland Trail Blazers: Nuggets win series 3–1

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Trail Blazers winning the first meeting.

(4) Dallas Mavericks vs. (5) Utah Jazz: Mavericks win series 3–1

This was the first playoff meeting between the Mavericks and the Jazz.[4]

Conference Semifinals

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Dallas Mavericks: Lakers win series 4–2

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first meeting.

(2) Houston Rockets vs. (3) Denver Nuggets: Rockets win series 4–2

This was the first playoff meeting between the Nuggets and the Rockets.[6]

Conference Finals

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (2) Houston Rockets: Rockets win series 4–1

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Rockets winning the first meeting.

Eastern Conference

Champion: Boston Celtics

1st Round

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Chicago Bulls: Celtics win series 3–0

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first meeting.

(2) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (7) New Jersey Nets: Bucks win series 3–0

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bucks winning the first meeting.

(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) Washington Bullets: 76ers win series 3–2

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bullets winning two of the first three meetings.

(4) Atlanta Hawks vs. (5) Detroit Pistons: Hawks win series 3–1

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Hawks winning two of the first three meetings.

Conference Semifinals

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Atlanta Hawks: Celtics win series 4–1

This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning six of the first seven meetings.

(2) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers: Bucks win series 4–3

This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the 76ers winning four of the first five meetings.

Conference Finals

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Milwaukee Bucks: Celtics win series 4–0

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning two of the first three meetings.

NBA Finals

Main article: 1986 NBA Finals

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Houston Rockets: Celtics win series 4–2

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first three meetings.

References

  1. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Lakers versus San Antonio Spurs (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Houston Rockets versus Sacramento Kings (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Portland Trail Blazers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Dallas Mavericks versus Utah Jazz (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Dallas Mavericks versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Houston Rockets (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Houston Rockets versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Chicago Bulls (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Brooklyn Nets versus Milwaukee Bucks (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Philadelphia 76ers versus Washington Wizards (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Atlanta Hawks versus Detroit Pistons (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Atlanta Hawks versus Boston Celtics (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Milwaukee Bucks versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Milwaukee Bucks (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Houston Rockets (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 26, 2015.

External links

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