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1987 NBA Playoffs
The 1987 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1986–87 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. The Lakers earned their 10th NBA championship, and Magic Johnson was named NBA Finals MVP for a then-record third time. This was the last time the Celtics would appear in the NBA Finals until 2008. Boston only advanced as far as the Conference Finals twice in that stretch: losing the following year to the Detroit Pistons in six games and in 2002 to the New Jersey Nets, also in 6 games. The Pistons appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals was the franchise's first (and their first Division/Conference Final appearance since 1962). It would be the first of five straight Conference Finals appearances for Detroit. They would make their first NBA Finals appearance since 1956 the following seas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1986–87 NBA Season
The 1986–87 NBA season was the 41st season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Los Angeles Lakers winning their fourth championship of the decade, beating the Boston Celtics 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. Notable occurrences * Boston Celtics' top draft pick Len Bias died of a cocaine overdose barely two days after the draft. In the wake of Micheal Ray Richardson's lifetime suspension, several NBA players were suspended for violations of the anti-drug policy; among them Houston Rockets forward Lewis Lloyd and guard Mitchell Wiggins. *On April 17, three Phoenix Suns players ( James Edwards, Jay Humphries, and Grant Gondrezick) and two former players ( Gar Heard and Mike Bratz) were indicted for cocaine trafficking at a popular Phoenix nightclub. Several other players were also involved in the scandal. * When Mychal Thompson joined the Lakers this season alongside the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and James Worthy, the Lakers ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1956 NBA Finals
The 1956 NBA World Championship Series was the championship series played at the conclusion of the 1955–56 National Basketball Association (NBA) season. The Philadelphia Warriors defeated the Fort Wayne Pistons four games to one. The series is notable for being one of only two Finals in which the two teams alternated home games, the other being in . Series summary ''Warriors win series 4–1'' Team rosters Philadelphia Warriors Fort Wayne Pistons Box scores See also * 1956 NBA playoffs References1955-56 NBA Season Summary ''basketball-reference.com''. Retrieved March 29, 2014. External links {{DEFAULTSORT:1956 Nba Finals Finals NBA Finals NBA Finals NBA Finals The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern and Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven series to determine the league ... March 1956 s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dennis Johnson
Dennis Wayne Johnson (September 18, 1954 – February 22, 2007), nicknamed "DJ", was an American professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Seattle SuperSonics, Phoenix Suns, and Boston Celtics. He was a coach of the Los Angeles Clippers and an alumnus of Dominguez High School, Los Angeles Harbor College and Pepperdine University. A prototypical late bloomer, Johnson overcame early struggles and had a successful NBA playing career. Drafted 29th overall in 1976 by the Seattle SuperSonics, Johnson began his professional career as a shooting guard. He eventually led the Sonics to their only NBA championship in 1979 winning the Finals MVP Award. After three seasons with the Phoenix Suns, he became the starting point guard for the Boston Celtics, with whom he won two more championships. Johnson was voted into five All-Star Teams, one All-NBA First and one Second Team, and nine consecutive All-Defensive First and Second Teams. Apart from h ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Larry Bird
Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend" Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. He is the only person in NBA history to be named NBA Rookie of the Year Award, Rookie of the Year, NBA Most Valuable Player Award, Most Valuable Player, Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award, Finals MVP, 1982 NBA All-Star Game, All-Star MVP, NBA Coach of the Year Award, Coach of the Year, and NBA Executive of the Year Award, Executive of the Year. Growing up in French Lick, Indiana, Bird was a local basketball star. Highly college recruiting, recruited, he initially signed to play college basketball for coach Bob Knight of the Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball, Indiana Hoosiers. However, Bird dropped out after one month and returned to French Lick and attended a local colle ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Isiah Thomas
Isiah Lord Thomas III ( ; born April 30, 1961), also known as "Zeke", is an American former professional basketball player who is head coach of the Saginaw Soul of the Basketball Super League, and also an analyst for NBA TV and Fox Sports. He played his entire professional career for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely regarded as one of the greatest point guards of all-time, Thomas was a two-time NBA champion, an NBA Finals MVP recipient, a five-time All-NBA Team member, a 12-time NBA All-Star with two All-Star Game MVP awards and the 1985 NBA assist leader. He was named to the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams, and inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000. From 2000 to 2012 he coached the Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, and FIU. Thomas played college basketball for the Indiana Hoosiers, leading them to the 1981 NCAA championship as a sophomore and declaring for the NBA draft. He was taken as the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2023 NBA Playoffs
The 2023 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2022–23 season. The playoffs began on April 15 and concluded on June 12 with the Denver Nuggets winning the 2023 NBA Finals over the Miami Heat. The 2023 title was the Nuggets' first title in franchise history. Overview Updates to postseason appearances * The Milwaukee Bucks entered the postseason for the seventh consecutive season and also clinched the best record in the NBA for the third time in the last five seasons, winning the inaugural Maurice Podoloff Trophy. * The Denver Nuggets entered the postseason for the fifth consecutive season and also clinched the best record in the Western Conference for the first time in franchise history. ** The Nuggets also advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. * The Boston Celtics entered the postseason for the ninth consecutive season, currently the longest such streak in the NBA and the second-longest playoffs stre ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2010 NBA Playoffs
The 2010 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2009-10 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals. Kobe Bryant was named NBA Finals MVP for the second straight year. Overview Western Conference For the 2nd time in 3 seasons and the first time since 2008, all Western Conference playoff teams had at least 50 wins. The 7 games separating 1–8 was tied for the smallest margin, also from 2008. The Phoenix Suns returned to the playoffs after a one-season absence. The Oklahoma City Thunder made their first playoff appearance since relocating from Seattle in 2008; the team's last appearance was as the Seattle SuperSonics in 2005. They made the most of their debut playoff appearance, pushing the eventual champion Lakers to six games. The Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, and Oklahoma City T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1998 NBA Playoffs
The 1998 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1997–98 season. The tournament concluded with the two-time defending NBA champion and Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazz 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. The Bulls achieved a second three peat, a goal unrivaled since the Boston Celtics in 1966. Michael Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP for the sixth and final time. Overview The Indiana Pacers entered the postseason with a franchise record 58 wins. Although they would lose to the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals, this team was later named by Pacers.com as the greatest in franchise history, even better than the 2000 team that won the Eastern Conference Title, primarily due to their record. The New Jersey Nets made the playoffs for the first time since 1994, but did not appear again until 2002. Their presence was a mere asterisk compared to what they accomplished in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1991 NBA Playoffs
The 1991 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1990–91 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals. Michael Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP. The Lakers reached the Finals despite not being the top seed in the Western Conference for the first time since 1981, and for just the second time since drafting Magic Johnson first overall in 1979. After the Detroit Pistons had ended their season the last three years, the Bulls got revenge in the Eastern Conference Finals by sweeping the two-time defending NBA champions. It was the first time the Bulls won a playoff series over the Pistons since 1974, when both teams were still part of the Western Conference. Game 4 ended with some of the Pistons walking off the court before time expired, refusing to shake the Bulls' hands. This edition marked the first ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1989 NBA Playoffs
The 1989 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1988–89 NBA season, 1988–89 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference champion 1988–89 Detroit Pistons season, Detroit Pistons defeating the Western Conference (NBA), Western Conference champion 1988–89 Los Angeles Lakers season, Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 0 in the 1989 NBA Finals, NBA Finals. Joe Dumars was named Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award, NBA Finals MVP. The Pistons had one of the most dominant playoff runs in NBA history, finishing 15–2 with their only losses to the 1988–89 Chicago Bulls season, Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals. This NBA playoffs also holds the record for the most sweeps in an entire NBA playoffs with 9 out of 15 series being decided in just 3 or 4 games. The Lakers won the Western Conference title without losing a game, and entered the NBA Finals as the heavy favorites ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1984 NBA Playoffs
The 1984 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1983–84 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals. Larry Bird was named NBA Finals MVP. This was the first postseason allowing 16 teams to qualify, a format still in use though the NBA used a play-in tournment to determine the 7th and 8th seeds since 2021. The first round format was also changed from best-of-3 to best-of 5. It was the first NBA Finals meeting between the Celtics and Lakers since 1969; they met 7 times in the Finals from 1959 to 1969, with Boston coming out on top each year. Going into the 1984 playoffs, the Lakers had already won 2 titles in the 1980s and the Celtics 1, making the revival of the Celtics–Lakers rivalry arguably inevitable and certainly highly anticipated. Two teams made their playoff debuts and won their firs ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Julius Erving
Julius Winfield Erving II (born February 22, 1950), commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is an American former professional basketball player. Erving helped legitimize the American Basketball Association (ABA), and he was the best-known player in that league when it merged into the National Basketball Association (NBA) after the 1975–1976 season. Erving won three championships, four Most Valuable Player awards and three scoring titles with the ABA's Virginia Squires and New York Nets (now the NBA's Brooklyn Nets) and the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers. During his 16 seasons as a player, none of his teams ever missed the postseason. He is the eighth-highest scorer in ABA/NBA history with 30,026 points (NBA and ABA combined). He was well known for slam dunking from the free-throw line in Slam Dunk Contests and was the only player voted Most Valuable Player in both the ABA and the NBA. The basketball slang of being posterized was first coined to describe his moves. In 1980, Erving ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
