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1976 NBA playoffs

Postseason tournament

Postseason tournament

FieldValue
titleNBA playoffs
year1976
season[1975–76](1975-76-nba-season)
datesApril 13–June 6, 1976
num_teams10
winnersBoston Celtics
count13
secondPhoenix Suns
semifinal1Golden State Warriors
semifinal2Cleveland Cavaliers
prev_season[1975](1975-nba-playoffs)
next_season[1977](1977-nba-playoffs)

The 1976 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1975–76 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. The series was highlighted by Game 5, a 3-OT victory by Boston. The Celtics won their 13th NBA title, second in the Dave Cowens era. Jo Jo White was named NBA Finals MVP.

This is the last postseason that had a 10 team format before the 1977 playoffs expanded to 12 teams.

The Suns earned their first two playoff series victories in franchise history to advance to the NBA Finals; they won their second Western Conference title in 1993, and their third title in 2021.

The sixth-year Cleveland Cavaliers made their first playoff appearance and won their first playoff series. They wouldn't win another playoff series until 1992.

This was the final playoff appearance for the Buffalo Braves franchise in Buffalo until 1992, when they returned as the Los Angeles Clippers.

This would prove the last Conference Finals appearance for the Golden State Warriors until 2015 under the leadership of Steph Curry.

The Philadelphia 76ers made the playoffs for the first time since 1971, starting a 12-season run that included four NBA Finals appearances (1977, 1980, 1982, and 1983 (winning in the latter year)). The Sixers did not miss the playoffs again until 1988.

Despite winning their division with a losing record of 38–44, the Milwaukee Bucks were forced to play in the best of three first round against the Detroit Pistons.

This is also noted to be the most recent NBA Playoffs that did not include a sweep and the last time a team from Texas did not appear in the playoffs (until 2023).

Bracket

| RD2-group1 = Eastern Conference | RD2-group2 = Western Conference

| RD1-seed01=E4 | RD1-team01= Philadelphia | RD1-score01= 1 | RD1-seed02=E5 | RD1-team02= Buffalo | RD1-score02= 2

| RD1-seed05=W4 | RD1-team05=*Milwaukee** | RD1-score05= 1 | RD1-seed06=W5 | RD1-team06=Detroit | RD1-score06= 2

| RD2-seed01=E1 | RD2-team01=Boston* | RD2-score01=4 | RD2-seed02=E5 | RD2-team02=Buffalo | RD2-score02=2

| RD2-seed03=E3 | RD2-team03=Washington | RD2-score03=3 | RD2-seed04=E2 | RD2-team04=Cleveland* | RD2-score04=4

| RD2-seed05=W1 | RD2-team05=Golden State* | RD2-score05=4 | RD2-seed06=W5 | RD2-team06=Detroit | RD2-score06=2

| RD2-seed07=W3 | RD2-team07=Phoenix | RD2-score07=4 | RD2-seed08=W2 | RD2-team08=Seattle | RD2-score08=2

| RD3-seed01=E1 | RD3-team01=Boston* | RD3-score01=4 | RD3-seed02=E2 | RD3-team02=Cleveland* | RD3-score02=2

| RD3-seed03=W1 | RD3-team03=*Golden State** | RD3-score03=3 | RD3-seed04=W3 | RD3-team04=Phoenix | RD3-score04=4

| RD4-seed01=E1 | RD4-team01=Boston* | RD4-score01=4 | RD4-seed02=W3 | RD4-team02=Phoenix | RD4-score02=2 |* Division winner |Bold Series winner |Italic Team with home-court advantage}}

First round

Eastern Conference first round

(4) [[1975–76 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]] vs. (5) [[1975–76 Buffalo Braves season|Buffalo Braves]]

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

Western Conference first round

(4) [[1975–76 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]] vs. (5) [[1975–76 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit Pistons]]

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

Conference semifinals

Eastern Conference semifinals

(1) [[1975–76 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]] vs. (5) [[1975–76 Buffalo Braves season|Buffalo Braves]]

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first meeting.

Boston leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series

(2) [[1975–76 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland Cavaliers]] vs. (3) [[1975–76 Washington Bullets season|Washington Bullets]]

  • Bingo Smith hits game winning jumper to tie series.
  • Jim Cleamons hits game-winning tip-in.
  • Dick Snyder hits the series-winning shot with 4 seconds left.

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

Western Conference semifinals

(1) [[1975–76 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]] vs. (5) [[1975–76 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit Pistons]]

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Warriors winning the only meeting when both teams were based in Philadelphia and Fort Wayne respectively.

Golden State/ Philadelphia leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series

(2) [[1975–76 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle SuperSonics]] vs. (3) [[1975–76 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]]

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

Conference finals

Eastern Conference finals

(1) [[1975–76 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]] vs. (2) [[1975–76 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland Cavaliers]]

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

Western Conference finals

(1) [[1975–76 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]] vs. (3) [[1975–76 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]]

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

NBA Finals: (E1) Boston Celtics vs. (W3) Phoenix Suns

Main article: 1976 NBA Finals

  • As John Havlicek hit the clutch shot as time ran out for Boston in the second OT, the fans crowded the floor in celebration, thinking that the game was over. However, the clock was supposed to stop on the basket, and the referees had to bring the Celtics back onto the floor and put one second back on the clock. Meanwhile, Paul Westphal called a timeout that the Suns didn't have which would result in a technical foul, forcing Jo Jo White to shoot and make the technical free throw which put the Celtics up by 2, and then Gar Heard hit the game-tying buzzer-beater to force the third OT.

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

References

References

  1. "Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Clippers versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
  2. "Team Rivalry Finder — Detroit Pistons versus Milwaukee Bucks (Playoffs)".
  3. "Team Rivalry Finder — Detroit Pistons versus Golden State Warriors (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
  4. "Team Rivalry Finder — Cleveland Cavaliers versus Washington Wizards (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
  5. "Team Rivalry Finder — Detroit Pistons versus Golden State Warriors (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
  6. "Team Rivalry Finder — Oklahoma City Thunder versus Phoenix Suns (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
  7. "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Cleveland Cavaliers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
  8. "Team Rivalry Finder — Golden State Warriors versus Phoenix Suns (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
  9. "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston versus Phoenix Suns (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
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