1994 NBA Playoffs

The 1994 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1993-94 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets defeating the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals. Hakeem Olajuwon was named NBA Finals MVP.

This was also the first time that the Boston Celtics since 1979, and Los Angeles Lakers since 1976, missed the playoffs and their first-ever absence since the playoff field expanded to 16 teams in 1984. This was the first time that both missed the playoffs in the same year. This would not occur again until 2014.

The biggest upset came in the first round, when the Denver Nuggets came back from a 2–0 deficit to beat the Seattle SuperSonics in five games, marking the first time in NBA history that an eighth seed had defeated a #1 seed. Denver stretched their improbable playoff run with the Utah Jazz to seven games after being down 0–3, but Utah defeated them in Game 7 91–81.

The playoffs also featured the very first playoff series victory for the Indiana Pacers in their 18-year NBA existence, as they swept the Orlando Magic (who were making their first playoff appearance in franchise history) in the first round, then eliminated the top-seeded Atlanta Hawks 4–2 in the second round. The Pacers advanced within one game of the NBA Finals, but lost Games 6 and 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals to the Knicks.

This was the first time since the ABA–NBA merger prior to the 1976–77 season that all former ABA teams (Pacers, Nuggets, Spurs, and Nets) made the playoffs in the same year.

The Chicago Bulls, who made the playoffs despite the retirement of Michael Jordan, swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round, but then fell in seven to the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

For the Knicks, they made history by playing a record 25 playoff games (one short of the maximum), the most postseason games that an NBA team had ever played. The 2005 Detroit Pistons tied this record.[1] However, it was broken by the 2008 Celtics.[1] Their easiest series was the first-round 3–1 win over the Nets. New York then forced three consecutive Game 7's, eliminating the Bulls 4–3 in the Conference Semifinals, knocking off the Pacers 4–3 in the Conference Finals, both times at Madison Square Garden, before falling in Game 7 to the Rockets at The Summit in the NBA Finals, which meant New York was denied NBA and NHL titles. Game 4 of the Finals took place at the Garden a day after the New York Rangers won their first Stanley Cup in 54 years in Game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals. Knicks coach Pat Riley made history by becoming the first (and to this date, the only) person in NBA history to have coached a Game 7 in the NBA Finals for two different teams, having been with the Lakers in 1984 and 1988. However, he had the distinction to have become the first (and as of 2014, only) coach to lose a Game 7 in the NBA Finals on two different teams, as his Lakers lost to the Celtics in 1984. It also denied him the distinction of becoming the first coach to win a Game 7 in the NBA Finals with two different teams, as his Lakers defeated the Detroit Pistons in 1988.

In the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors made their last playoff appearance until 2007.

Game 3 of the Bulls-Cavaliers series was the last game ever played at the Coliseum at Richfield.

Game 6 of the Bulls-Knicks series was the last game ever played at Chicago Stadium.

Game 5 of the Nuggets-Sonics series was the last to be played at Seattle Center Coliseum before the renovations and renaming into KeyArena two years later. The Sonics played the intervening 1994–95 NBA season at Tacoma Dome in nearby Tacoma, Washington.

The Clock Incident

The Clock Incident happened in the last moments of Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals between the Rockets and Jazz. Tom Chambers inbounded the ball to Jeff Hornacek with 13.5 seconds left and Utah down 2. As play resumed, the Jazz timekeeper didn't start the clock as they were trying to look for an open shot. After 8 seconds, the clock finally started as Chambers attempted a shot. However, Utah didn't take advantage of the extra time they were given, and after Chambers missed the shot, there was a mad scramble for the ball. It ended up in Robert Horry's hands, who passed it to Kenny Smith as Houston ran out the clock and won 80-78 to take a 3-1 series lead. They won Game 5 at home 94-83 to clinch the series and eventually won the 1994 NBA Title in 7 against the Knicks.

Bracket

1st Round Conference Semifinals Conference Finals NBA Finals
            
1 Seattle 2
8 Denver 3
8 Denver 3
5 Utah 4
4 San Antonio 1
5 Utah 3
5 Utah 1
Western Conference
2 Houston 4
3 Phoenix 3
6 Golden State 0
3 Phoenix 3
2 Houston 4
2 Houston 3
7 Portland 1
W2 Houston 4
E2 New York 3
1 Atlanta 3
8 Miami 2
1 Atlanta 2
5 Indiana 4
4 Orlando 0
5 Indiana 3
5 Indiana 3
Eastern Conference
2 New York 4
3 Chicago 3
6 Cleveland 0
3 Chicago 3
2 New York 4
2 New York 3
7 New Jersey 1

Western Conference

Champion: Houston Rockets

1st Round

(1) Seattle SuperSonics vs. (8) Denver Nuggets: Nuggets win series 3–2

Last Playoff Meeting: 1988 Western Conference First Round (Denver won 3–2)

(2) Houston Rockets vs. (7) Portland Trail Blazers: Rockets win series 3–1

Last Playoff Meeting: 1987 Western Conference First Round (Houston won 3–1)

(3) Phoenix Suns vs. (6) Golden State Warriors: Suns win series 3–0

Last Playoff Meeting: 1989 Western Conference Semifinals (Phoenix won 4–1)

(4) San Antonio Spurs vs. (5) Utah Jazz: Jazz win series 3–1

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

Conference Semifinals

(2) Houston Rockets vs. (3) Phoenix Suns: Rockets win series 4–3

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

(5) Utah Jazz vs. (8) Denver Nuggets: Jazz win series 4–3

Last Playoff Meeting: 1985 Western Conference Semifinals (Denver won 4–1)

Conference Finals

(2) Houston Rockets vs. (5) Utah Jazz: Rockets win series 4–1

Last Playoff Meeting: 1985 Western Conference First Round (Utah won 3–2)

Eastern Conference

Champion: New York Knicks

1st Round

(1) Atlanta Hawks vs. (8) Miami Heat: Hawks win series 3–2

Last Playoff Meeting: This was the first meeting between the Hawks and Heat.

(2) New York Knicks vs. (7) New Jersey Nets: Knicks win series 3–1

Last Playoff Meeting: 1983 Eastern Conference First Round (New York won 2–0)

(3) Chicago Bulls vs. (6) Cleveland Cavaliers: Bulls win series 3–0

Last Playoff Meeting: 1993 Eastern Conference Semifinals (Chicago won 4–0)

(4) Orlando Magic vs. (5) Indiana Pacers: Pacers win series 3–0

Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first meeting between the Pacers and Magic.

Conference Semifinals

(1) Atlanta Hawks vs. (5) Indiana Pacers: Pacers win series 4–2

Last Playoff Meeting: 1987 Eastern Conference First Round (Atlanta won 3–1)

(2) New York Knicks vs. (3) Chicago Bulls: Knicks win series 4–3

Last Playoff Meeting: 1993 Eastern Conference Finals (Chicago won 4–2)

Conference Finals

(2) New York Knicks vs. (5) Indiana Pacers: Knicks win series 4–3

Last Playoff Meeting: 1993 Eastern Conference First Round (New York won 3–1)

NBA Finals

Main article: 1994 NBA Finals

(2) Houston Rockets vs. (2) New York Knicks: Rockets win series 4–3

Last Playoff Meeting: 1975 Eastern Conference First Round (Houston won 2–1)

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Beck, Howard (June 17, 2008). "Celtics Remain Mindful Of a Missed Opportunity". The New York Times. p. D2.

External links