This was also the first NBA postseason to not have any back-to-backs at all. (After 1988, they were still used in the conference semifinals.)
Overview
The San Antonio Spurs were the champions going into the playoffs, but following a season–ending injury to third–year star Tim Duncan, were eliminated by the Phoenix Suns in the first round, marking the first time since 1987 that a new champion would follow a team enjoying a single season championship tenure. They were also the first defending champion to be eliminated in the first round since the Philadelphia 76ers in 1984.
The Toronto Raptors made their NBA playoff debut, becoming the first Canadian team to do so. As such, Game 3 of their first round series against the New York Knicks was the first NBA Playoff game ever played outside the United States.
For the first time in franchise history, the Miami Heat swept a playoff opponent by beating the Detroit Pistons 3–0. It was also their first playoff series victory since 1997, when they made the Conference Finals.
Game 4 of the Trail Blazers-Timberwolves series was Malik Sealy's final NBA Game. He would lose his life in on May 20, when he was driving home after attending Kevin Garnett's birthday party and a drunk driver made a wrong-way turn and crashed into Sealy's car, killing him immediately.
In the conference semifinals, the Miami Heat and New York Knicks met for the fourth consecutive postseason. They would not meet again in the playoffs until 2012.
With their conference semifinals victory over the Utah Jazz, The Portland Trail Blazers advanced to their second consecutive Western Conference Finals. The Trail Blazers would not win another playoff series until 2014.
With a Game 7 win in the conference semifinals, the New York Knicks eliminated the Miami Heat for the third consecutive postseason. The Knicks would not win another playoff series until 2013.
In the Western Conference Finals, the Los Angeles Lakers took a 3–1 series lead, only for the Portland Trail Blazers to force a Game 7. By doing so, the Trail Blazers became the first team since 1981 to force a Game 7 in the Conference Finals despite trailing 3–1.
With their Eastern Conference Finals victory over the New York Knicks, the Indiana Pacers won their first Eastern Conference title after four previous appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals; however, after this season, the team was radically altered with key players Dale Davis, Derrick McKey and Mark Jackson moving to other teams and Rik Smits retiring. Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals was the last game Patrick Ewing ever played as a Knick. The Pacers would not win another playoff series until 2004.
In Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, the Los Angeles Lakers used an 15–0 fourth quarter run to overcome a fifteen-point deficit to defeat the Portland Trail Blazers and make their first NBA Finals since 1991. With the win, the Lakers also avoided the dubious distinction of becoming the seventh team in NBA History to lose a playoff series despite leading 3–1.
The Lakers' NBA Finals win over the Indiana Pacers was the first title for both Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, and the first Lakers championship since the 1988 NBA Finals. A.C. Green, the only player left from the Lakers' Showtime era, was in the Lakers starting lineup for this series as well.
Playoff qualifying
Eastern Conference
The following teams clinched a playoff berth in the East:
This was the outlook for the playoffs. Teams in italics have home court advantage. Teams in bold advance to the next round. Numbers to the left of each team indicate the team's original playoffs seeding in their respective conferences. Numbers to the right of each team indicate the number of games the team won in that round. The division champions possess an asterisk (*)
In Game 6, Reggie Miller scores 17 points in the 4th quarter to help the Pacers reach the NBA Finals. It was also Patrick Ewing's last Knicks game before being dealt to the defunct Seattle Supersonics during the off-season.
In Game 4, Kobe Bryant came back from his injury from Game 2 and after his teammate, Shaquille O'Neal fouled out of the game in OT, he took over the game. He followed in a missed shot by Brian Shaw with 5.9 seconds left to give the Lakers a 3-point lead, and after a potential game-winning three by Reggie Miller bounced off the rim, the Lakers took a 3–1 series lead.
