1978 NBA playoffs

Bracket

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

| RD1-seed01=E4 | RD1-team01=Cleveland | RD1-score01=0 | RD1-seed02=E5 | RD1-team02=New York | RD1-score02=2

| RD1-seed03=E3 | RD1-team03=Washington | RD1-score03=2 | RD1-seed04=E6 | RD1-team04=Atlanta | RD1-score04=0

| RD1-seed05=W4 | RD1-team05=Seattle | RD1-score05=2 | RD1-seed06=W5 | RD1-team06=Los Angeles | RD1-score06=1

| RD1-seed07=W3 | RD1-team07=Phoenix | RD1-score07=0 | RD1-seed08=W6 | RD1-team08=Milwaukee | RD1-score08=2

| RD2-seed01=E1 | RD2-team01=Philadelphia* | RD2-score01=4 | RD2-seed02=E5 | RD2-team02=New York | RD2-score02=0

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

| RD2-seed05=W1 | RD2-team05=*Portland** | RD2-score05=2 | RD2-seed06=W4 | RD2-team06=Seattle | RD2-score06=4

| RD2-seed07=W6 | RD2-team07=Milwaukee | RD2-score07=3 | RD2-seed08=W2 | RD2-team08=Denver* | RD2-score08=4

| RD3-seed01=E1 | RD3-team01=*Philadelphia** | RD3-score01=2 | RD3-seed02=E3 | RD3-team02=Washington | RD3-score02=4

| RD3-seed03=W4 | RD3-team03=Seattle | RD3-score03=4 | RD3-seed04=W2 | RD3-team04=*Denver** | RD3-score04=2

| RD4-seed01=E3 | RD4-team01=Washington | RD4-score01=4 | RD4-seed02=W4 | RD4-team02=Seattle | RD4-score02=3 |* Division winner |Bold Series winner |Italic Team with home-court advantage}}

First round

Eastern Conference first round

(3) [[Washington Bullets]] vs. (6) [[Atlanta Hawks]]

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with both teams split the first two meetings while both teams were in Baltimore and St. Louis respectively.

(4) [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] vs. (5) [[New York Knicks]]

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

Western Conference first round

(3) [[Phoenix Suns]] vs. (6) [[Milwaukee Bucks]]

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

(4) [[Seattle SuperSonics]] vs. (5) [[Los Angeles Lakers]]

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

Conference semifinals

Eastern Conference semifinals

(1) [[Philadelphia 76ers]] vs. (5) [[New York Knicks]]

This was the seventh playoff meeting between these two teams, with the 76ers winning four of the first six meetings.

(2) [[San Antonio Spurs]] vs. (3) [[Washington Bullets]]

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

Western Conference semifinals

(1) [[Portland Trail Blazers]] vs. (4) [[Seattle SuperSonics]]

• Bill Walton's final game in a Portland Trail Blazer uniform.

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

(2) [[Denver Nuggets]] vs. (6) [[Milwaukee Bucks]]

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

Conference finals

Eastern Conference finals

(1) [[Philadelphia 76ers]] vs. (3) [[Washington Bullets]]

• After a jump ball with three seconds left, Doug Collins hits the game-tying shot at the buzzer to send it to OT.
• Wes Unseld is injured and misses the next three games of the series.
• Wes Unseld returns to the lineup.

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bullets winning the first meeting while in Baltimore.

Western Conference finals

(2) [[Denver Nuggets]] vs. (4) [[Seattle SuperSonics]]

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

NBA Finals: (W4) Seattle SuperSonics vs. (E3) Washington Bullets

Main article: 1978 NBA Finals

• "Downtown" Freddie Brown scores 16 of his points in the 4th quarter to lead the Sonics back from a 19-point deficit.
• This was the last time until 2016 that a road team defeated the home team in Game 7 of the Finals.

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.

References

References

1. "Team Rivalry Finder — Atlanta Hawks versus Washington Wizards (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
2. "Team Rivalry Finder — Cleveland Cavaliers versus New York Knicks (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
3. "Team Rivalry Finder — Milwaukee Bucks versus Phoenix Suns (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
4. "Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Lakers versus Oklahoma City Thunder (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
5. "Team Rivalry Finder — New York Knicks versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
6. "Team Rivalry Finder — San Antonio Spurs versus Washington Wizards (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
7. "Team Rivalry Finder — Oklahoma City Thunder versus Portland Trail Blazers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
8. "Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Milwaukee Bucks (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
9. "Team Rivalry Finder — Philadelphia 76ers versus Washington Wizards (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
10. "Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Oklahoma City Thunder (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
11. "Team Rivalry Finder — Oklahoma City Thunder versus Washington Wizards (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.