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.

It was the first NBA Finals meeting between the Celtics and Lakers since 1969; they met 7 times in the Finals from 1959–69, 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 first playoff series: the Utah Jazz (who joined the NBA for the 1974-75 season as the New Orleans Jazz) and Dallas Mavericks, a 1981 expansion team. The Jazz did not miss the playoffs again until 2004.

The Detroit Pistons made the playoffs for the first time since 1977; they did not miss the playoffs again until 1993.

The New Jersey Nets won a playoff series for the first time in their NBA history, upsetting the defending champion Philadelphia 76ers in 5. This was also the only time the road team won every game in a playoff series. The Nets would not win a playoff series again until 2002.

The 1984 Playoffs also involved two of the hottest games in NBA history. Game 5 of the First Round between the Knicks and Pistons was played at Joe Louis Arena, as the Pontiac Silverdome was unavailable, with temperatures reaching as high as 120°. Game 5 of the NBA Finals between the Celtics and Lakers at Boston Garden reached temperatures as high as 100°, as the Garden lacked air-conditioning, coupled with the sweltering outdoors conditions in Boston.

Bracket

First Round Conference Semifinals Conference Finals NBA Finals
            
1 Los Angeles 3
8 Kansas City 0
1 Los Angeles 4
4 Dallas 1
4 Dallas 3
5 Seattle 2
1 Los Angeles 4
Western Conference
6 Phoenix 2
3 Portland 2
6 Phoenix 3
6 Phoenix 4
2 Utah 2
2 Utah 3
7 Denver 2
W1 Los Angeles 3
E1 Boston 4
1 Boston 3
8 Washington 1
1 Boston 4
5 New York 3
4 Detroit 2
5 New York 3
1 Boston 4
Eastern Conference
2 Milwaukee 1
3 Philadelphia 2
6 New Jersey 3
6 New Jersey 2
2 Milwaukee 4
2 Milwaukee 3
7 Atlanta 2

Western Conference

Champion: Los Angeles Lakers

1st Round

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Kansas City Kings: Lakers win series 3-0

Last Playoff Meeting: 1955 Western Division Semifinals (Lakers won 2-1; Lakers were in Minneapolis, Kings were in Rochester, New York as the Royals)

(2) Utah Jazz vs. (7) Denver Nuggets: Jazz win series 3-2

Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first meeting between the Jazz and Nuggets.

(3) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (6) Phoenix Suns: Suns win series 3-2

Last Playoff Meeting: 1979 Western Conference First Round (Phoenix won 2-1)

(4) Dallas Mavericks vs. (5) Seattle SuperSonics: Mavericks win series 3-2

Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first meeting between the Mavericks and SuperSonics.

(*) Reunion Arena was booked because of a World Championship Tennis event

Conference Semifinals

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

Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first meeting between the Lakers and Mavericks.

(*)In Game 4, Derek Harper made a mistake by dribbling out the clock thinking Dallas was ahead by one, when the score was actually tied.

(2) Utah Jazz vs. (6) Phoenix Suns: Suns win series 4-2

Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first meeting between the Jazz and Suns.

Conference Finals

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Phoenix Suns: Lakers win series 4-2

Last Playoff Meeting: 1982 Western Conference Semifinals (Los Angeles won 4-0)

Eastern Conference

Champion: Boston Celtics

1st Round

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Washington Bullets: Celtics win series 3-1

Last Playoff Meeting: 1982 Eastern Conference Semifinals (Boston won 4-1)

(2) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (7) Atlanta Hawks: Bucks win series 3-2

Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first meeting between the Bucks and Hawks.

(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) New Jersey Nets: Nets win series 3-2

Last Playoff Meeting: 1979 Eastern Conference First Round (Philadelphia won 2-0)

(4) Detroit Pistons vs. (5) New York Knicks: Knicks win series 3-2

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

Conference Semifinals

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (5) New York Knicks: Celtics win series 4-3

Last Playoff Meeting: 1974 Eastern Conference Finals (Boston won 4-1)

(2) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (6) New Jersey Nets: Bucks win series 4-2

Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first meeting between the Bucks and Nets.

Conference Finals

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

Last Playoff Meeting: 1983 Eastern Conference Semifinals (Milwaukee won 4-0)

NBA Finals

Main article: 1984 NBA Finals

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (1) Los Angeles Lakers: Celtics win series 4-3

Last Playoff Meeting: 1969 NBA Finals (Boston won 4-3)

External links