BasketBall nba finals

: Chicago Bulls vs. LA Lakers 4-1: Bully

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1991: Chicago Bulls vs. LA Lakers 4-1: Bully Was Bulls 1^st championship. Michael Jordan of the Bulls was named NBA Finals MVP. After having their previous three seasons ended by the Detroit Pistons, the Bulls exacted a measure of revenge in the Eastern Conference Finals by sweeping the two-time defending NBA champions. The final game ended with the Detroit Pistons walking off the court before time had officially expired, refusing to shake the Bulls' hands. In the 1989 NBA Finals, the Pistons themselves had defeated the two-time defending champion Lakers in a four-game sweep. The Pistons would not reach the conference finals again until 2003, followed by a season in which they would go on to defeat the Lakers in the NBA Finals in 2004 to earn their first championship in 14 years. After losing their Eastern Conference semifinal series to the Bulls, the Philadelphia 76ers would not return to the playoffs until 1999. After losing their Eastern Conference first round series to the 76ers, the Milwaukee Bucks would not return to the playoffs until 1999. Game 4 of the Trail Blazers–Jazz series was the last game ever played at the Salt Palace. This also was the first year that NBC aired the NBA Playoffs.

1992: Chicago Bulls vs. Portland Trail Blazers 4-2: Bitter Chicago Bulls won second consecutive NBA championship. Bulls superstar Michael Jordan won his second NBA Finals MVP award. The Trail Blazers won their second Western Conference title in the past three years, third overall in franchise history, behind the leadership of Clyde Drexler. The Utah Jazz made it to the Western Conference finals for the first time in their 18-year franchise history. They would return in 1994 and 1996 before finally breaking through to the NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998. The fourth-year Miami Heat became the first of the 1988 and 1989 expansion teams (the Orlando Magic, Minnesota Timberwolves and Charlotte Hornets were the other three) to make the playoffs, though they were swept in the first round by the Bulls. In 2006 the Heat would become the first of these teams to win the NBA championship. The Los Angeles Clippers made it to the playoffs for the first time since 1976, when they were the Buffalo Braves. Despite Magic Johnson's stunning retirement due to testing HIV positive prior to the start of the season, the Los Angeles Lakers still managed to make their 16th straight NBA playoff appearance. It was their first appearance since 1979 without Johnson, Michael Cooper, or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Two games were postponed due to the Los Angeles riots, one being the Trail Blazers at the Lakers and the other, the Jazz at the Clippers, due to the riots in Los Angeles following the Rodney King verdict. For safety purposes, both the Lakers and Clippers decided to move their home games to a nearby alternate venue; the Lakers played at Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada for Game 4, the Clippers at Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California for Game 4 (the Clippers returned to Anaheim at Arrowhead Pond in 1994 as an alternate venue and played there until 1999 whenever the Los Angeles Sports Arena was unavailable). Game 4 of the Blazers-Suns series was the last game ever played at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The Boston Celtics' first round sweep of the Indiana Pacers would be their last playoff series win until 2002. After losing in the second round to the Cleveland Cavaliers, Larry Bird retired after 13 seasons. As for the Cavaliers, it would be their first Conference Finals appearance since 1976, but fell to the Bulls in six games. They would not return again until 2007.

1993: Chicago Bulls vs. Phoenix Suns 4-2: Boasts Was Bulls 3^rd consecutive championship. The Phoenix Suns and the Chicago Bulls squared off in a thrilling series in which the visiting team prevailed in all but one (Game 4 at Chicago). Phoenix fell behind 2–0 in the series, but a triple overtime victory in Game 3, allowed the Suns back into contention. Still, it would be John Paxson's clutch three pointer in Game 6 that would seal the game, the series and the Bulls' first three-peat. For the third consecutive year, the Bulls' Michael Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP. This was the Suns' second Western Conference championship; they made their first NBA Finals appearance in 1976, losing to the Boston Celtics. The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the New Jersey Nets in the first round, which would prove to be their last win in a playoff series until 2006. The fifth-year Charlotte Hornets made their postseason debut in the 1993 playoffs, and became the first of the 1988 and 1989 expansion teams (Charlotte, Orlando, Minnesota and Miami) to win a playoff series, stunning the Boston Celtics in four games. Game 6 of the Suns-Spurs series was the last game ever played at the Hemisfair Arena. The Knicks-Pacers rivalry started in their first round encounter, where the Knicks won in four games. But it wasn't until the next two meetings (1994, 1995) that the rivalry became even more intense, particularly with Reggie Miller's heroics at Madison Square Garden that made him and the Pacers not only household names, but also legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference.

1994: Houston Rockets vs. NY Knicks 4-3: The Knicks took a 3–2 lead on the Houston Rockets and had a chance to clinch it in Game 6 but John Starks' final shot was blocked by Hakeem Olajuwon. The Rockets would win game 7 and win their first NBA Championship. Game 4 (June 15, 1994) took place at Madison Square Garden less than 24 hours after hosting the New York Rangers' first Stanley Cup celebration in 54 years, following their 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of the their finals. During Game 5 (June 17, 1994), which took place hours after the parade in New York honoring the Stanley Cup Champions, most NBC affiliates (with the noted exception being the network's own flagship station, WNBC-TV out of New York) split the coverage of the game between NFL Hall of Famer O.J. Simpson's low speed freeway chase with the LAPD. A visibly confused and distraught Bob Costas (NBC's anchor for their NBA Finals coverage) said during the telecast from the Garden that the Simpson situation was "not just tragic but now surreal." Pat Riley became the first coach in NBA history to coach in Game 7 NBA Finals with two different teams, having been coach of the Los Angeles Lakers in 1984 and 1988. It was the first NBA Championship for the Rockets after two previous Finals appearances in 1981 and 1986, both losses to the Boston Celtics in six games. The biggest shocker of the tournament came in the first round, when the Denver Nuggets came back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Seattle SuperSonics in 5 games, marking the first time in NBA history that an 8th-seeded team had defeated a top seed. The Nuggets stretched their second-round playoff series with the Utah Jazz out to seven games but the Jazz defeated them in Game 7. 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 playoffs appearance in franchise history) in the first round, and then eliminated the top-seeded Atlanta Hawks 4-2 in the second round. The Pacers advanced within one game of the NBA Finals but dropped 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 four former ABA teams (Indiana, Denver, San Antonio and New Jersey) made the playoffs in the same year. For the Chicago Bulls, this was their first (and as it would turn out, only) playoff run they would accomplish between the first retirement of Michael Jordan and his return on March 17, 1995. After sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round, they fell in seven games to the Knicks in the Eastern Conference semi-finals. For the Knicks, they made history by playing a record 25 playoff games (one game short of a full length postseason), the most postseason games that an NBA team had ever played. The Detroit Pistons team of 2005 had tied this record.^[1] However, it was broken by the 2008 Boston Celtics championship team.^[1] Their easiest series was the first-round 3-1 advancement over the Nets. The Knicks then forced three straight Game 7 series, 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 both NBA and NHL titles. Game 4 of the Finals (June 15, 1994) took place at the Garden, a day after hosting the New York Rangers first Stanley Cup celebration in 54 years , following their 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of the 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 in a Game 7 NBA Finals on two different teams, having been with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1984 and 1988. However, he had the unfortunate distinction to have become the first (and to this date, the only) coach to lose a Game 7 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 NBA Finals on two different teams, as his Lakers defeated the Detroit Pistons in 1988. This would be the last playoff appearance for the Golden State Warriors until the 2006-07 NBA Season. This was also the first time that the Boston Celtics, since 1979, and the Los Angeles Lakers, since 1976, did not make the playoffs and their first-ever absence since the playoff field expanded to 16 teams in 1984. This was the first and (as of 2011) only time that both the Lakers and Celtics missed the playoffs in the same year. Game 3 of the Bulls-Cavaliers series would be the last game ever played at the Coliseum at Richfield. Game 6 of the Knicks-Bulls series would be the last game ever played at Chicago Stadium. Game 5 of the Nuggets-Supersonics first round series was the last to be played at Seattle Center Coliseum before the renovations and its renaming into KeyArena at Seattle Center two years later. The Sonics played the intervening 1994-95 NBA season at Tacoma Dome in nearby Tacoma, Washington.

1995: Houston Rockets vs. Orlando Magic 4-0: Rockets 2^nd consecutive championship. The Rockets became the fourth consecutive team to win championships back-to-back (after the Los Angeles Lakers of 1987 and '88, Detroit Pistons of '89 and '90 and Chicago Bulls of '91, '92 and '93). It would happen a fifth time, with the Bulls winning three more starting the next year. The sixth-seeded Rockets (47-35) took out four very impressive opponents on their way to the title, defeating the third-seeded Utah Jazz (60-22), the second-seeded Phoenix Suns (59-23), the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs (62-20) and the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic (57-25) in the NBA Finals. In the second round against the Suns, the Rockets came back from a 3-1 series deficit and did it without the benefit of home-court advantage, winning Games 5 and 7 in Phoenix. Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon dominated league MVP David Robinson and Shaquille O'Neal in consecutive series to bring home the championship. The 1995 playoffs featured the first three playoff series victories in the history of the Magic, as they defeated the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, and Indiana Pacers to win their first Eastern Conference championship. The 1995 playoffs featured the return of Michael Jordan to the playoff stage after a year's absence, and the only time the Bulls would fail to win a championship with him on board since they started their string of titles in 1991. After this tournament the Bulls would win three more titles in '96, '97 and '98. Game 4 of the Celtics-Magic first round series marked the final NBA game played in the legendary Boston Garden. However, it would be seven years before the Celtics returned to the playoffs, this time in the new FleetCenter (now TD Garden). Game 3 of the Blazers-Suns series was the last game ever played at the Memorial Coliseum. The Blazers continued their playoff streak at Rose Garden for the next seven years. The Indiana Pacers made it to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second consecutive year (and finally defeated the New York Knicks on their way to doing so), but this time found the Magic too powerful to overcome as they had the previous year. Coincidentally, in this postseason the Pacers met all three of the playoff opponents (Orlando, Atlanta and New York) as they had the previous year-- just in a different order. The Utah Jazz became just the second team (along with the 1994 Seattle SuperSonics) to win at least 60 regular season games, only to lose in the first round of the NBA Playoffs, when they were felled by the eventual NBA champion Houston Rockets.

1996: Chicago Bulls vs. Seatle Supersonics 4-2: Was Bulls 1^st championship after 3 years. By capturing their fourth championship, the Bulls put a cap on what many consider the greatest season in NBA history, as they finished a record 72-10 in the regular season, eclipsing the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers' record of 69-13. It was also redemption for Jordan after his first return to the playoffs the previous year and the Bulls' disappointing second-round loss to Orlando, a team that would go on to be swept in the NBA Finals. With Jordan leading the way, this year's Bulls would sweep the Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning the four games by an average of 17 points, en route to an unprecedented combined record of 87-13 in regular season and postseason play. For the SuperSonics, it was their first trip to the NBA Finals since winning the championship in 1979, and helped vindicate them as well after their startling first-round loss to the Denver Nuggets two years previous (the first time an eighth-seeded team had defeated a top seed in the playoffs). This was the Sacramento Kings' first playoff appearance since 1986, but would be Mitch Richmond's only playoff appearance as a King (he previously appeared twice in the playoffs for the Golden State Warriors in 1989 and 1991). The Kings would not make it back until 1999, which began their seven-year string of playoff appearances. As for the two-time defending NBA champion Houston Rockets, their quest for a three-peat was thwarted by the eventual Western Conference champion Supersonics. The Supersonics swept the Rockets 4-0 in the Western conference semifinals. The Supersonics were also the last team to defeat the Rockets in the playoffs, before their two-year championship run, during the 1993 Western Conference Semi-finals (Sonics won in seven games). After the Los Angeles Lakers' first round loss to the Rockets, Magic Johnson retired for good following a brief in-season comeback. Though the Utah Jazz fell in seven games to the Supersonics in the Western Conference Finals (their third appearance in five years), in retrospect it kick-started their own Finals run, which they ultimately accomplished in 1997 and 1998, but lost both times to the Bulls. As for the Magic, it ended an era of dominance for the team, as Shaquille O'Neal joined the Lakers the following season. The Magic would not have another 50-win season, division title and first round playoff series victory until 2008, followed the season afterward by an eastern conference championship and the franchise's second NBA finals appearance in 2009 to which they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers.

1997: Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz 4-2: In Game 5, Michael Jordan, the star player on the Chicago Bulls, was sick and weakened due to a stomach virus. But that didn't matter to Jordan as he still managed to score 38 points. Soon, Jordan would capture his fifth NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award, bringing the Bulls to their fifth title in seven years. Not to be forgotten is Jordan's buzzer beater in Game 1, and his pass to Steve Kerr for the latter's crucial series-clinching jumper in Game 6. This was the Bulls second championship in a row, and fifth overall (They would complete a three-peat by defeating the Utah Jazz in the 1998 NBA Finals). This was the first Western Conference championship for the Jazz in their 22-year history. The Miami Heat's run to the Eastern Conference Finals marked the farthest the franchise had reached in the playoffs up to that point; they would not return to the East Finals until 2005, but would win the NBA Championship in 2006. The Minnesota Timberwolves made their playoff debut after failing to win more than 30 games in any of their first seven seasons. For them, it was also the first of seven consecutive seasons in which they would make the playoffs only to lose in the opening round. This was the first (and as of 2010, only) instance since the ABA-NBA merger prior to the 1976-77 season that none of the four former ABA teams (San Antonio, Denver, Indiana, New Jersey) managed to make the playoffs, even more remarkable considering the rarity with which the Spurs have missed the playoffs at all (as of 2010, only four times since the merger). It was also the first season in which all four of the 1988 and 1989 expansion teams (Minnesota, Miami, Orlando and Charlotte) made the playoffs. This would happen again in 2001. The two #8 seeds in this tournament (the Washington Bullets and Los Angeles Clippers) broke long playoff droughts with their appearances in the 1997 playoffs. (The Bullets' last playoff appearance had been in 1988; the Clippers', in 1993). Unfortunately for both teams, it would be a long time before either would appear in the playoffs again; the renamed Wizards made their return in 2005; the Clippers in 2006. Game 4 of the Atlanta Hawks-Chicago Bulls Conference Semifinals series was the last game played at The Omni. The Hawks home playoff games for 1998 and 1999 were played at Georgia Dome while the Omni was demolished to make way for Philips Arena. Game 3 of the Bulls-Bullets was the last game ever played at the Capital Centre (was named US Air Arena at the time).

1998: Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz 4-2: The Chicago Bulls held a 3–2 lead but nearly lost Game 6. Michael Jordan made two key baskets in the final minute for a one-point win and the championship. It would be Jordan's last game for the Bulls. Was Bulls 6^th championship tin the decade and was the 2^nd in a row. The Bulls had also achieved a second threepeat, a feat unrivaled since the Boston Celtics of 1966. The 1998 playoffs were the last involving the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls (the Bulls would not return to the playoffs until 2005). The Indiana Pacers pushed the Bulls to the very limit in the Eastern Conference Finals, becoming one of only two teams to force Chicago to a Game 7 in the Bulls' championship years (the New York Knicks achieved this in 1992). This Pacers team was later named by Pacers.com as the greatest Pacers team in franchise history, even better than the 2000 team that won the Eastern Conference championship. The New Jersey Nets appeared in the playoffs for the first time since 1994, but would not appear again until 2002. Their presence was a mere asterisk compared to what they would accomplish in 2002, getting swept by the eventual champion Bulls. The Cleveland Cavaliers made their last playoff appearance (1-3 loss to the Pacers in the first round) and would not appear again until 2006 under LeBron James.

1999: San Antonio Spurs vs. NY Knicks(8^th seed) 4-1: The Knicks, who fell to the San Antonio Spurs in 5, made NBA history by becoming the first (and to this date, the only) 8th seed to ever make the NBA Finals. San Antonio Spurs become the first former ABA team to win NBA Finals. The 1999 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1998-99 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs by defeating the eighth-seeded Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks four games to one. The 1999 playoffs are memorable for the fact that a number eight seed made it to the Finals for the only time in history, as well as the fact that it came after a lockout-shortened fifty game season. The 1999 playoffs featured the Philadelphia 76ers' first trip to the postseason since their 1991 second-round playoff loss to the Chicago Bulls, and their first appearance since drafting Allen Iverson with the first overall pick in 1996. Iverson would later lead the Sixers to the 2001 NBA Finals. The Bulls, despite being defending champions, failed to make the playoffs (owing mostly to the retirement of Michael Jordan). The Milwaukee Bucks also ended a long playoff drought in this tournament, advancing to the postseason for the first time since 1991. After losing their Eastern Conference semifinal series to the Knicks, the Atlanta Hawks would not return to the playoffs until 2008. Game 5 of the Knicks-Pacers series would be the last NBA game ever played at Market Square Arena. For the first time since 1991, no series went the full seven games. After spending their first 13 seasons in mediocrity (two playoff appearances in 1986 and 1996), the Sacramento Kings would make the first of eight straight playoff appearances, which would include a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2002.

2000: LA Lakers vs. Indiana Pacers 4-2: Was 1^st LA victory in 12 years. The Los Angeles Lakers, under new head coach Phil Jackson, are led to a 67–15 regular season record, and to a Finals appearance against Reggie Miller and the Indiana Pacers. Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, and Glen Rice led the Lakers to the franchise's 12th championship, with Shaquille O'Neal winning the Finals MVP trophy, averaging 38 points and 16.6 rebounds. The Lakers could have easily have gone to a Game 7, but Shaq along with teammates Kobe Bryant and Glen Rice scored a combined 83 points to win Game 6 in Los Angeles, 116 to 111. The 2000 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1999–2000 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers win their first championship in twelve years by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers four games to two. The Lakers' win marked the first championship for both Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, both considered to be future first-ballot Hall of Famers, and it was the 11th Lakers win in the post-Magic Johnson, post-Kareem Abdul-Jabbar era. A. C. Green from the Lakers Showtime era was in the starting lineup for this team as well. This playoffs is also noted for the late game 7 double-digit collapse of the Portland Trail Blazers. An explanation for this collapse due to referee manipulation is given in Tim Donaghy's book Personal Foul. For the Pacers it was their first Eastern Conference championship after four previous appearances in the Eastern Conference finals; however after this season the team would be radically altered with key players Rik Smits, Dale Davis, Derrick McKey and Mark Jackson moving on to other teams (or in the case of Smits, retiring). Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals was the last game Patrick Ewing ever played as a member of the New York Knicks. The 2000 playoffs marked the postseason debut of the five-year-old expansion Toronto Raptors.

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