1986 NBA Playoffs

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, four games to two, in the NBA Finals. The Celtics won their 16th NBA championship, their last until 2008. Larry Bird was awarded his second NBA Finals MVP trophy. The Rockets made the NBA Finals when Ralph Sampson made an off balance jumper at the buzzer against the Lakers at The Forum in Game 5 of the Western Finals.

This was the second NBA Finals meeting between the Celtics and Rockets; the teams also met in the 1981 series, with the same result. It was the third of four consecutive Eastern Conference championships for the Celtics, who won an impressive 67 games that year, and lost just one game in the regular season at home out of 41 played. The Rockets, meanwhile had won just their second conference title in franchise history.

Second-year player Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls put on an ageless performance in game two of the Bulls' first-round series against the Celtics, scoring 63 points in an overtime loss, which still stands as the All-Time NBA Playoffs 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 considered by many among the greatest of all-time. 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-1990s.

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 the ghosts of its 1983 sweep by sweeping the Bucks in four games.

As for the Philadelphia 76ers, this would be the last time they would play in a Game 7 until the 2001 NBA Playoffs. After their humiliating 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.

Contents

Bracket

  First Round Conference Semifinals Conference Finals NBA Finals
                                     
1  L.A. Lakers 3  
8  San Antonio Spurs 0  
  1  L.A. Lakers 4  
 
  4  Dallas 2  
4  Dallas Mavericks 3
5  Utah Jazz 1  
  1  L.A. Lakers 1  
Western Conference
  2  Houston 4  
3  Denver Nuggets 3  
6  Portland Trail Blazers 1  
  3  Denver 2
 
  2  Houston 4  
2  Houston Rockets 3
7  Sacramento Kings 0  
  W2  Houston 2
  E1  Boston 4
1  Boston Celtics 3  
8  Chicago Bulls 0  
  1  Boston 4
 
  4  Atlanta 1  
4  Atlanta Hawks 3
5  Detroit Pistons 1  
  1  Boston 4
Eastern Conference
  2  Milwaukee 0  
3  Philadelphia 76ers 3  
6  Washington Bullets 2  
  3  Philadelphia 3
 
  2  Milwaukee 4  
2  Milwaukee Bucks 3
7  New Jersey Nets 0  

Western Conference

Champion: Houston Rockets

1st Round

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

Last Playoff Meeting: 1983 Western Conference Finals (Los Angeles won 4-2)

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

Last Playoff Meeting: 1981 Western Conference Finals (Houston won 4-1; Kings were in Kansas City, Missouri)

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

Last Playoff Meeting: 1977 Western Conference Semifinals (Portland won 4-2)

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

Last Playoff Meeting: Not available (first playoff series)

Conference Semifinals

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

Last Playoff Meeting: 1984 Western Conference Semifinals (Los Angeles won 4-1)

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

Last Playoff Meeting: Not available (first playoff series)

Conference Finals

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

Last Playoff Meeting: 1981 Western Conference First Round (Houston won 2-1)

Eastern Conference

Champion: Boston Celtics

1st Round

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

Last Playoff Meeting: 1981 Eastern Conference Semifinals (Boston won 4-0)

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

Last Playoff Meeting: 1984 Eastern Conference Semifinals (Milwaukee won 4-2)

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

Last Playoff Meeting: 1985 Eastern Conference First Round (Philadelphia won 3-1)

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

Last Playoff Meeting: 1963 Western Division Semifinals (Hawks won 3-1; they were in St. Louis, Missouri)

Conference Semifinals

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

Last Playoff Meeting: 1983 Eastern Conference First Round (Boston won 2-1)

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

Last Playoff Meeting: 1985 Eastern Conference Semifinals (Philadelphia won 4-0)

Conference Finals

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

Last Playoff Meeting: 1984 Eastern Conference Finals (Boston won 4-1)

NBA Finals

Main article: 1986 NBA Finals

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

Last Playoff Meeting: 1981 NBA Finals (Boston won 4-2)

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