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1986 NBA playoffs
Postseason tournament
Postseason tournament
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| image | 1986NBAPlayoffsofficiallogo.png |
| title | NBA playoffs |
| year | 1986 |
| season | [1985–86](1985-86-nba-season) |
| dates | April 17–June 8, 1986 |
| num_teams | 16 |
| winners | Boston Celtics |
| count | 16 |
| second | Houston Rockets |
| semifinal1 | Los Angeles Lakers |
| semifinal2 | Milwaukee Bucks |
| prev_season | [1985](1985-nba-playoffs) |
| next_season | [1987](1987-nba-playoffs) |
The 1986 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1985–86 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. Larry Bird was named NBA Finals MVP for the second time.
This was the second NBA Finals meeting between the Celtics and Rockets; they met in the 1981 NBA Finals with the same result. It was the third of four straight Eastern Conference championships for Boston, who won 67 games that year, and went 40–1 at home. The Rockets, meanwhile had won just their second conference title in franchise history.
Second-year player Michael Jordan put on a record-setting performance in Game 2 of the Bulls' first-round series against the Celtics, scoring 63 points in a 2-OT loss, which surpassed Elgin Baylor's 61-point performance from the 1962 NBA Finals and still stands as the NBA Playoff scoring record. Jordan averaged 43.7 points per game in the series but was unable to prevent the Bulls from being swept by a more experienced, more talented Celtics team. The Bulls set a dubious mark by posting the second worst record for a playoff-qualifying team in history, going just 30–52 during the season. Game 2, where the record was set, was ranked by TV Guide as the 26th Most Memorable Moment in Television History, and is credited with boosting the NBA's popularity surge and eventual rise to near the top of the United States television sports market, trailing only football by the mid-90s.
The 1986 playoffs marked the third time in four years that the Milwaukee Bucks advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, but it would be their last appearance in the series until 2001. The Celtics avenged their 1983 sweep by sweeping the Bucks in four games.
As for the Philadelphia 76ers, this was the last time they would play in a Game 7 until 2001. After their first round loss to the Atlanta Hawks, the Detroit Pistons would advance past the first round in each of the next five seasons (1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991), which include all appearances in the conference finals, three NBA Finals, and two championships.
After moving from Kansas City, where the franchise played its previous thirteen seasons, the Sacramento Kings made their first postseason appearance in their first season in its new city.
Bracket
| RD2-group1=Eastern Conference | RD2-group2=Western Conference
| RD1-seed01=E1 | RD1-team01=Boston* | RD1-score01=3 | RD1-seed02=E8 | RD1-team02=Chicago | RD1-score02=0 | RD1-seed03=E4 | RD1-team03=Atlanta | RD1-score03=3 | RD1-seed04=E5 | RD1-team04=Detroit | RD1-score04=1 | RD1-seed05=E3 | RD1-team05=Philadelphia | RD1-score05=3 | RD1-seed06=E6 | RD1-team06=Washington | RD1-score06=2 | RD1-seed07=E2 | RD1-team07=Milwaukee* | RD1-score07=3 | RD1-seed08=E7 | RD1-team08=New Jersey | RD1-score08=0 | RD1-seed09=W1 | RD1-team09=LA Lakers* | RD1-score09=3 | RD1-seed10=W8 | RD1-team10=San Antonio | RD1-score10=0 | RD1-seed11=W4 | RD1-team11=Dallas | RD1-score11=3 | RD1-seed12=W5 | RD1-team12=Utah | RD1-score12=1 | RD1-seed13=W3 | RD1-team13=Denver | RD1-score13=3 | RD1-seed14=W6 | RD1-team14=Portland | RD1-score14=1 | RD1-seed15=W2 | RD1-team15=Houston* | RD1-score15=3 | RD1-seed16=W7 | RD1-team16=Sacramento | RD1-score16=0 | RD2-seed01=E1 | RD2-team01=Boston* | RD2-score01=4 | RD2-seed02=E4 | RD2-team02=Atlanta | RD2-score02=1 | RD2-seed03=E3 | RD2-team03=Philadelphia | RD2-score03=3 | RD2-seed04=E2 | RD2-team04=Milwaukee* | RD2-score04=4 | RD2-seed05=W1 | RD2-team05=LA Lakers* | RD2-score05=4 | RD2-seed06=W4 | RD2-team06=Dallas | RD2-score06=2 | RD2-seed07=W3 | RD2-team07=Denver | RD2-score07=2 | RD2-seed08=W2 | RD2-team08=Houston* | RD2-score08=4 | RD3-seed01=E1 | RD3-team01=Boston* | RD3-score01=4 | RD3-seed02=E2 | RD3-team02=Milwaukee* | RD3-score02=0 | RD3-seed03=W1 | RD3-team03=LA Lakers** | RD3-score03=1 | RD3-seed04=W2 | RD3-team04=Houston | RD3-score04=4
| RD4-seed01=E1 | RD4-team01=Boston* | RD4-score01=4 | RD4-seed02=W2 | RD4-team02=Houston* | RD4-score02=2 |* Division winner |Bold Series winner |Italic Team with home-court advantage}}
First round
Eastern Conference first round
(1) [[1985–86 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]] vs. (8) [[1985–86 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago Bulls]]
- Michael Jordan hits the game-tying free throws with no time left in regulation to force the first OT; Danny Ainge hits the game-tying lay-up with 12 seconds left in the first OT to force the second OT.
- Michael Jordan's 63 points scored is an NBA playoff record
- As it turned out, this was George Gervin's final NBA game, as he played in Europe for a few seasons afterwards.
| Boston won 5–1 in the regular-season series |
|---|
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) [[1985–86 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]] vs. (7) [[1985–86 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey Nets]]
| Milwaukee won 4–2 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bucks winning the first meeting.
| Milwaukee leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
(3) [[1985–86 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]] vs. (6) [[1985–86 Washington Bullets season|Washington Bullets]]
- Dudley Bradley hits the game-winning 3 capping off a rally from 17 points down.
| Tied 3–3 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning two of the first four meetings.
| Tied 2–2 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
(4) [[1985–86 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks]] vs. (5) [[1985–86 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit Pistons]]
| Atlanta won 4–2 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Hawks winning two of the first three meetings while in St. Louis.
| Atlanta/ St. Louis leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
Western Conference first round
(1) [[1985–86 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] vs. (8) [[1985–86 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio Spurs]]
| Los Angeles won 4–1 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first two meetings.
| Los Angeles leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
(2) [[1985–86 Houston Rockets season|Houston Rockets]] vs. (7) [[1985–86 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento Kings]]
| Houston won 4–2 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Rockets winning the first meeting.
| Houston leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
(3) [[1985–86 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]] vs. (6) [[1985–86 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland Trail Blazers]]
| Denver won 3–2 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Trail Blazers winning the first meeting.
| Portland leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
(4) [[1985–86 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas Mavericks]] vs. (5) [[1985–86 Utah Jazz season|Utah Jazz]]
| Dallas won 5–1 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the first playoff meeting between the Mavericks and the Jazz.
Conference semifinals
Eastern Conference semifinals
(1) [[1985–86 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]] vs. (4) [[1985–86 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks]]
- Hawks only scored 1 field goal in the third quarter.
| Boston won 6–0 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning six of the first seven meetings.
| Boston leads 6–1 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
(2) [[1985–86 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]] vs. (3) [[1985–86 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]]
- Charles Barkley's goaltending on Craig Hodges with 29 seconds left; Bob McAdoo's and Bobby Jones' final NBA game.
| Milwaukee won 4–1 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the 76ers winning four of the first five meetings.
| Philadelphia leads 4–1 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
Western Conference semifinals
(1) [[1985–86 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] vs. (4) [[1985–86 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas Mavericks]]
- Derek Harper redeemed himself from his 1984 mistake by hitting the game-winning 3 with 3 seconds left.
| Los Angeles won 4–1 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first meeting.
| Los Angeles leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
(2) [[1985–86 Houston Rockets season|Houston Rockets]] vs. (3) [[1985–86 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]]
| Tied 3–3 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the first playoff meeting between the Nuggets and the Rockets.
Conference finals
Eastern Conference finals
(1) [[1985–86 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]] vs. (2) [[1985–86 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]]
| Boston won 5–0 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning two of the first three meetings.
| Boston leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
Western Conference finals
(1) [[1985–86 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] vs. (2) [[1985–86 Houston Rockets season|Houston Rockets]]
- Ralph Sampson hits the famous off-balanced series winner at the buzzer; Hakeem Olajuwon was ejected in the fourth quarter for fighting Lakers forward Mitch Kupchak.
| Los Angeles won 4–1 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Rockets winning the first meeting.
| Houston leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
NBA Finals: (E1) Boston Celtics vs. (W2) Houston Rockets
Main article: 1986 NBA Finals
| Boston won 2–0 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first three meetings.
| Boston leads 3–0 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
Statistical leaders
| Category | Game high | Average | Player | Team | High | Player | Team | Avg. | GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls | 63 | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls | 43.7 | 3 | ||
| Rebounds | Ralph Sampson | ||||||||
| Charles Barkley | Houston Rockets | ||||||||
| Philadelphia 76ers | 22 | Charles Barkley | Philadelphia 76ers | 15.8 | 12 | ||||
| Assists | Magic Johnson | Los Angeles Lakers | 20 | Magic Johnson | Los Angeles Lakers | 15.1 | 14 | ||
| Steals | Craig Hodges | Milwaukee Bucks | 8 | Artis Gilmore | |||||
| Michael Jordan | |||||||||
| Alvin Robertson | San Antonio Spurs | ||||||||
| Chicago Bulls | |||||||||
| San Antonio Spurs | 2.3 | 3 | |||||||
| Blocks | Manute Bol | Washington Bullets | 9 | Manute Bol | Washington Bullets | 5.8 | 5 |
References
References
- "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Chicago Bulls (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
- "Team Rivalry Finder — Brooklyn Nets versus Milwaukee Bucks (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
- "Team Rivalry Finder — Philadelphia 76ers versus Washington Wizards (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
- "Team Rivalry Finder — Atlanta Hawks versus Detroit Pistons (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
- "Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Lakers versus San Antonio Spurs (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
- "Team Rivalry Finder — Houston Rockets versus Sacramento Kings (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
- "Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Portland Trail Blazers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
- "Team Rivalry Finder — Dallas Mavericks versus Utah Jazz (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
- "Team Rivalry Finder — Atlanta Hawks versus Boston Celtics (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
- "Team Rivalry Finder — Milwaukee Bucks versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
- "Team Rivalry Finder — Dallas Mavericks versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
- "Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Houston Rockets (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
- "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Milwaukee Bucks (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
- "Team Rivalry Finder — Houston Rockets versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
- "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Houston Rockets (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com.
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