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1977 NBA playoffs

1977 basketball tournament

1977 basketball tournament

FieldValue
titleNBA playoffs
year1977
season[1976–77](1976-77-nba-season)
datesApril 12–June 5, 1977
num_teams12
winnersPortland Trail Blazers
count1
secondPhiladelphia 76ers
semifinal1Los Angeles Lakers
semifinal2Houston Rockets
prev_season[1976](1976-nba-playoffs)
next_season[1978](1978-nba-playoffs)

The 1977 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1976–77 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Portland Trail Blazers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. It was Portland's first (and , only) NBA title. Bill Walton was named NBA Finals MVP.

Portland won the NBA title in its first playoff appearance, something that had not taken place since the early days of the BAA (and has not since, as of 2022). The Trail Blazers went 10-0 at home in the playoffs.

This was the first NBA playoffs after the ABA-NBA merger; two of the former ABA teams (the San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets) made their playoff debuts in their first NBA season. The New Jersey Nets made their playoff debut in 1979, and the Indiana Pacers in 1981.

The NBA Playoffs added 1 more team from each conference, for a total of 12 contestants, up from 10 the previous year. Also, the two division winners in each conference were automatically given a first-round bye and started the playoffs in the conference semifinals.

This was the Detroit Pistons last playoff appearance of the decade and their last as a Western Conference team, as they would move to the East in 1978. They would not reach the postseason again until 1984.

After losing in the semifinals to Los Angeles, the Golden State Warriors wouldn't return to the playoffs again until 1987.

For the first time since 1956, the Eastern Conference Finals had neither the Celtics nor Knicks participating.

The referees went on strike during these playoffs. Two high-profile veterans, Richie Powers and Earl Strom, did not honor the strike and stayed on the job.

It was the first time since 1950 that the NBA Champion had to win 4 rounds.

Bracket

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

| RD1-seed01=E4 | RD1-team01=Boston | RD1-score01=2 | RD1-seed02=E5 | RD1-team02=San Antonio | RD1-score02=0

| RD1-seed03=E3 | RD1-team03=Washington | RD1-score03=2 | RD1-seed04=E6 | RD1-team04=Cleveland | RD1-score04=1

| RD1-seed05=W4 | RD1-team05=Golden State | RD1-score05=2 | RD1-seed06=W5 | RD1-team06=Detroit | RD1-score06=1

| RD1-seed07=W3 | RD1-team07=Portland | RD1-score07=2 | RD1-seed08=W6 | RD1-team08=Chicago | RD1-score08=1

| RD2-seed01=E1 | RD2-team01=Philadelphia* | RD2-score01=4 | RD2-seed02=E4 | RD2-team02=Boston | RD2-score02=3

| RD2-seed03=E3 | RD2-team03=Washington | RD2-score03=2 | RD2-seed04=E2 | RD2-team04=Houston* | RD2-score04=4

| RD2-seed05=W1 | RD2-team05=Los Angeles* | RD2-score05=4 | RD2-seed06=W4 | RD2-team06=Golden State | RD2-score06=3

| RD2-seed07=W3 | RD2-team07=Portland | RD2-score07=4 | RD2-seed08=W2 | RD2-team08=*Denver** | RD2-score08=2

| RD3-seed01=E1 | RD3-team01=Philadelphia* | RD3-score01=4 | RD3-seed02=E2 | RD3-team02=Houston* | RD3-score02=2

| RD3-seed03=W1 | RD3-team03=*Los Angeles** | RD3-score03=0 | RD3-seed04=W3 | RD3-team04=Portland | RD3-score04=4

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

First round

Eastern Conference first round

(3) [[1976–77 Washington Bullets season|Washington Bullets]] vs. (6) [[1976–77 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland Cavaliers]]

  • Nate Thurmond played for one minute and recorded a rebound off the bench in what was his final NBA game.

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Cavaliers winning the previous meeting.

Cleveland leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series

(4) [[1976–77 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]] vs. (5) [[1976–77 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio Spurs]]

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

Western Conference first round

(3) [[1976–77 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland Trail Blazers]] vs. (6) [[1976–77 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago Bulls]]

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

(4) [[1976–77 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]] vs. (5) [[1976–77 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit Pistons]]

  • This would be the last NBA playoff game in the city of Detroit until 2019.

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Warriors winning both previous encounters. The April 17 game saw a fistfight between Eric Money of the Pistons and Charles Dudley of the Warriors in the third quarter that turned into a ten-minute melee between coaches and fans. The referees (filling in as replacements due to a strike between NBA referees) assessed personal fouls on Money and Dudley and continued play.

Golden State leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series

Conference semifinals

Eastern Conference semifinals

(1) [[1976–77 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]] vs. (4) [[1976–77 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]]

  • Jo Jo White's buzzer-beater.

This was the 14th playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning eight of the first 13 meetings.

Boston leads 8–5 in all-time playoff series

(2) [[1976–77 Houston Rockets season|Houston Rockets]] vs. (3) [[1976–77 Washington Bullets season|Washington Bullets]]

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

Western Conference semifinals

(1) [[1976–77 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] vs. (4) [[1976–77 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]]

This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning three of the first four meetings.

Los Angeles leads 3–1 in all-time playoff series

(2) [[1976–77 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]] vs. (3) [[1976–77 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland Trail Blazers]]

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

Conference finals

Eastern Conference finals

(1) [[1976–77 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]] vs. (2) [[1976–77 Houston Rockets season|Houston Rockets]]

  • Controversial charging foul on John Lucas wipes out game-tying field goal with 5 seconds left.

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

Western Conference finals

(1) [[1976–77 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] vs. (3) [[1976–77 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland Trail Blazers]]

  • Bill Walton's famous dunk on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

NBA Finals: (E1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (W3) Portland Trail Blazers

Main article: 1977 NBA Finals

  • Notable for a brawl between the Blazers' Maurice Lucas and the 76ers' Darryl Dawkins.
  • Bill Walton's two famous plays of tipping the ball against Darryl Dawkins off an alley-oop from Bob Gross, then dunking the ball off of Dave Twardzik's steal and alley-oop pass.
  • Portland becomes the second team in finals history, after the 1969 Celtics, to overcome a 2–0 series deficit.

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

References

References

  1. "Nate Thurmond Playoffs Game Log".
  2. "Team Rivalry Finder — Cleveland Cavaliers versus Washington Wizards (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
  3. "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus San Antonio Spurs (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
  4. "Team Rivalry Finder — Chicago Bulls versus Portland Trail Blazers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
  5. (18 April 1977). "Warriors Oust Pistons As Brawl Erupts, 109-101".
  6. "Team Rivalry Finder — Detroit Pistons versus Golden State Warriors (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
  7. "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
  8. "Team Rivalry Finder — Houston Rockets versus Washington Wizards (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
  9. "Team Rivalry Finder — Golden State Warriors versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
  10. "Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Portland Trail Blazers (Playoffs)".
  11. "Team Rivalry Finder — Houston Rockets versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
  12. "Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Lakers versus Portland Trail Blazers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
  13. "Team Rivalry Finder — Philadelphia 76ers versus Portland Trail Blazers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
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