 | |
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | April 25 – June 16, 1996 |
| Season | 1995–96 |
| Teams | 16 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Chicago Bulls (4th title) |
| Runner-up | Seattle SuperSonics |
| Semifinalists | |
The 1996 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1995–96 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls defeating the Western Conference champion Seattle SuperSonics 4 games to 2. Michael Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP for a then record fourth time.
Overview
The Chicago Bulls entered the NBA playoffs with a record of 72–10 (the best regular season record until the 2016 Golden State Warriors went 73–9), eclipsing the 1972 Los Angeles Lakers record of 69–13, helped by Michael Jordan’s first full season back from his mid-1990’s retirement and the addition of another future Hall of Famer to the Bulls, Dennis Rodman. The SuperSonics were only the tenth team in NBA history to win 64 games during the regular season, but their feat went largely unnoticed due to Chicago's record 72 wins.
This was the Sacramento Kings' first playoff appearance since 1986, but would be Mitch Richmond's only one as a King (he previously appeared twice in the playoffs for the Golden State Warriors in 1989 and 1991). The Kings did not make it back until 1999, which began their eight-year string of playoff appearances. Richmond would be traded to the Wizards in 1998 and would later win his first and only championship with the Lakers in 2002 (he would retire shortly thereafter).
Game 4 of the Lakers-Rockets series was Magic Johnson’s final NBA game. He would retire for good after a brief in-season comeback following the loss.
As for the two-time defending NBA champion Houston Rockets, their quest for a 3-peat was thwarted by the Seattle SuperSonics, who 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 title run, in the 1993 Western Conference Semifinals (Seattle won 4–3). Also noted during their two-year title run, the Rockets never faced the SuperSonics in the playoffs as they were eliminated in the first round by both the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers, respectively.
The 1996 Eastern Conference Finals between the Chicago Bulls and Orlando Magic were redemption for Michael Jordan after his first return to the playoffs in 1995 and the Bulls' disappointing second-round loss to the 1995 Orlando Magic, a team that would be swept in last year’s finals. With Jordan leading the way, the Bulls swept the defending Eastern Conference champion Magic, winning all four games by an average of 17 points. As for the Magic, it ended a three-year run of dominance for the team, as Shaquille O'Neal went on to sign with the Lakers the following season. The Magic did 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 Lakers.
With their Western Conference Finals victory over the Utah Jazz, the Seattle SuperSonics made the NBA Finals for the first time since 1979. They wouldn't return ever again because the franchise was sold after drafting future Pro Basketball Hall of Famer, Kevin Durant. With the win, the SuperSonics vindicated themselves as well after their stunning first-round loss to the Denver Nuggets in 1994, when they had become the first top seeded team to lose to an eighth-seed in the NBA playoffs. Despite the Jazz losing in seven games to the SuperSonics in the Western Conference Finals (their third appearance in 5 years), in retrospect it kickstarted their own Finals run, which they ultimately accomplished in 1997 and 1998, but lost both times to the Bulls.
By winning their fourth title in six years, the Bulls capped what many consider to be the greatest season in NBA history, finishing with a combined 87–13 record, including 72–10 in the regular season and 15–3 in the postseason. In addition, they remain the first and only team to win 70+ games in the regular season and win the NBA championship.
Bracket
| First Round | Conference Semifinals | Conference Finals | NBA Finals | ||||||||||||||||
| E1 | Chicago* | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| E8 | Miami | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| E1 | Chicago* | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| E5 | New York | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| E4 | Cleveland | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| E5 | New York | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| E1 | Chicago* | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Conference | |||||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Orlando* | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| E3 | Indiana | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| E6 | Atlanta | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| E6 | Atlanta | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Orlando* | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Orlando* | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| E7 | Detroit | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| E1 | Chicago* | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| W1 | Seattle* | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| W1 | Seattle* | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| W8 | Sacramento | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| W1 | Seattle* | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| W5 | Houston | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| W4 | LA Lakers | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| W5 | Houston | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| W1 | Seattle* | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| Western Conference | |||||||||||||||||||
| W3 | Utah | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| W3 | Utah | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| W6 | Portland | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| W3 | Utah | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| W2 | San Antonio* | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| W2 | San Antonio* | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| W7 | Phoenix | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
- * Division winner
- Bold Series winner
- Italic Team with home-court advantage
Playoff qualifying
Western Conference
Best record in conference
The Seattle SuperSonics clinched the best record in the Western Conference, and had home court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs.
Clinched a playoff berth
The following teams clinched a playoff berth in the West:[1]
- Seattle SuperSonics (64-18, clinched Pacific division)
- San Antonio Spurs (59-23, clinched Midwest division)
- Utah Jazz (55-27)
- Los Angeles Lakers (53-29)
- Houston Rockets (48-34)
- Portland Trail Blazers (44-38)
- Phoenix Suns (41-41)
- Sacramento Kings (39-43)
Eastern Conference
Best record in NBA
The Chicago Bulls clinched the best record in the NBA, and earned home court advantage throughout the entire playoffs.
Clinched a playoff berth
The following teams clinched a playoff berth in the East:
- Chicago Bulls (72-10, clinched Central Division)
- Orlando Magic (60-22, clinched Atlantic division)
- Indiana Pacers (52-30)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (47-35)
- New York Knicks (47-35)
- Atlanta Hawks (46-36)
- Detroit Pistons (46-36)
- Miami Heat (42-40)
Notes
- For the fourth straight postseason, both #5 seeds beat their #4 seeded opponent in the first round.
First round
Eastern Conference first round
(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (8) Miami Heat
April 26 9:30 PM |
| Miami Heat 85, Chicago Bulls 102 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–29, 32–25, 13–25, 18–23 | ||
| Pts: Tim Hardaway 30 Rebs: Chris Gatling 9 Asts: Tim Hardaway 7 |
Pts: Michael Jordan 35 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 10 Asts: three players 3 each | |
| Chicago leads series, 1–0 | ||
April 28 5:30 PM |
| Miami Heat 75, Chicago Bulls 106 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 19–28, 19–35, 19–24, 18–19 | ||
| Pts: Sasha Danilovic 15 Rebs: Chris Gatling 11 Asts: Tim Hardaway 4 |
Pts: Michael Jordan 29 Rebs: Scottie Pippen 8 Asts: Scottie Pippen 8 | |
| Chicago leads series, 2–0 | ||
May 1 8:00 PM |
| Chicago Bulls 112, Miami Heat 91 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 37–23, 25–21, 27–22, 23–25 | ||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 26 Rebs: Scottie Pippen 18 Asts: Scottie Pippen 10 |
Pts: Alonzo Mourning 30 Rebs: Mourning, Thomas 8 each Asts: Tim Hardaway 6 | |
| Chicago wins series, 3–0 | ||
| Chicago won 3–1 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bulls winning the first meeting.
| Chicago leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
(2) Orlando Magic vs. (7) Detroit Pistons
April 26 7:00 PM |
| Detroit Pistons 92, Orlando Magic 112 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 18–24, 29–23, 17–33, 28–32 | ||
| Pts: Grant Hill 21 Rebs: Grant Hill 11 Asts: three players 4 each |
Pts: Dennis Scott 23 Rebs: Horace Grant 13 Asts: Brian Shaw 11 | |
| Orlando leads series, 1–0 | ||
April 28 12:30 PM |
| Detroit Pistons 77, Orlando Magic 92 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 19–25, 19–16, 19–24, 20–27 | ||
| Pts: Allan Houston 23 Rebs: Otis Thorpe 16 Asts: Otis Thorpe 3 |
Pts: Shaquille O'Neal 29 Rebs: Horace Grant 10 Asts: Penny Hardaway 8 | |
| Orlando leads series, 2–0 | ||
April 30 8:00 PM |
| Orlando Magic 101, Detroit Pistons 98 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 27–18, 24–30, 30–22, 20–28 | ||
| Pts: Penny Hardaway 24 Rebs: Horace Grant 16 Asts: Penny Hardaway 5 |
Pts: Allan Houston 33 Rebs: Otis Thorpe 13 Asts: Joe Dumars 7 | |
| Orlando wins series, 3–0 | ||
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan Attendance: 20,386 Referees: Nolan Fine, Hue Hollins, Ed Middleton |
| Orlando won 3–1 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the first playoff meeting between the Pistons and the Magic.[3]
(3) Indiana Pacers vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks
April 25 8:00 PM |
| Atlanta Hawks 92, Indiana Pacers 80 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–27, 28–13, 19–28, 24–12 | ||
| Pts: Steve Smith 27 Rebs: Grant Long 14 Asts: Mookie Blaylock 9 |
Pts: Rik Smits 19 Rebs: Dale Davis 12 Asts: Ricky Pierce 5 | |
| Atlanta leads series, 1–0 | ||
Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, Indiana Attendance: 16,438 Referees: Dan Crawford, David Jones, Bennett Salvatore |
April 27 8:00 PM |
| Atlanta Hawks 94, Indiana Pacers 102 (OT) | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 15–29, 27–24, 19–19, 26–15, Overtime: 7–15 | ||
| Pts: Steve Smith 25 Rebs: Christian Laettner 9 Asts: Mookie Blaylock 7 |
Pts: Rik Smits 29 Rebs: Dale Davis 12 Asts: Mark Jackson 9 | |
| Series tied, 1–1 | ||
Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, Indiana Attendance: 16,709 Referees: Joe DeRosa, Ron Garretson, Ed T. Rush |
April 29 8:00 PM |
| Indiana Pacers 83, Atlanta Hawks 90 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 20–21, 20–19, 25–29, 18–21 | ||
| Pts: McKey, Smits 13 each Rebs: Dale Davis 10 Asts: Mark Jackson 6 |
Pts: Steve Smith 26 Rebs: Christian Laettner 8 Asts: Mookie Blaylock 7 | |
| Atlanta leads series, 2–1 | ||
May 2 7:00 PM |
| Indiana Pacers 83, Atlanta Hawks 75 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 25–22, 25–19, 18–23, 15–11 | ||
| Pts: Rik Smits 17 Rebs: D. Davis, Smits 9 each Asts: Mark Jackson 5 |
Pts: Steve Smith 19 Rebs: Grant Long 12 Asts: Mookie Blaylock 5 | |
| Series tied, 2–2 | ||
May 5 12:30 PM |
| Atlanta Hawks 89, Indiana Pacers 87 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–25, 30–22, 15–16, 22–24 | ||
| Pts: Mookie Blaylock 23 Rebs: Christian Laettner 11 Asts: three players 3 each |
Pts: Reggie Miller 29 Rebs: Dale Davis 13 Asts: Mark Jackson 8 | |
| Atlanta wins series, 3–2 | ||
Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, Indiana Attendance: 16,731 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Bob Delaney, Jess Kersey |
| Indiana won 3–1 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Pacers winning two of the first three meetings.
| Indiana leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) New York Knicks
April 25 7:00 PM |
| New York Knicks 106, Cleveland Cavaliers 83 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–17, 18–23, 29–27, 37–16 | ||
| Pts: Patrick Ewing 23 Rebs: three players 7 each Asts: three players 7 each |
Pts: Terrell Brandon 18 Rebs: Michael Cage 8 Asts: Brandon, Majerle 5 each | |
| New York leads series, 1–0 | ||
April 27 1:00 PM |
| New York Knicks 84, Cleveland Cavaliers 80 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 17–21, 27–20, 18–18, 22–21 | ||
| Pts: Anthony Mason 23 Rebs: Mason, Ewing 12 each Asts: John Starks 7 |
Pts: Terrell Brandon 21 Rebs: Michael Cage 8 Asts: Terrell Brandon 12 | |
| New York leads series, 2–0 | ||
May 1 7:00 PM |
| Cleveland Cavaliers 76, New York Knicks 81 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 16–24, 16–26, 23–16, 21–15 | ||
| Pts: Terrell Brandon 19 Rebs: Michael Cage 12 Asts: Terrell Brandon 7 |
Pts: John Starks 22 Rebs: Patrick Ewing 10 Asts: three players 4 each | |
| New York wins series, 3–0 | ||
Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Attendance: 19,763 Referees: Mike Mathis, Jack Nies, Tommy Nunez Sr. |
| Cleveland won 3–1 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Knicks winning the first two meetings.
| New York leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
Western Conference first round
(1) Seattle SuperSonics vs. (8) Sacramento Kings
April 26 10:30 PM |
| Sacramento Kings 85, Seattle SuperSonics 97 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 13–24, 25–27, 26–24, 21–22 | ||
| Pts: Mitch Richmond 18 Rebs: Olden Polynice 9 Asts: Mitch Richmond 4 |
Pts: Gary Payton 29 Rebs: Ervin Johnson 10 Asts: Gary Payton 9 | |
| Seattle leads series, 1–0 | ||
April 28 9:00 PM |
| Sacramento Kings 90, Seattle SuperSonics 81 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–23, 21–26, 22–18, 25–14 | ||
| Pts: Mitch Richmond 37 Rebs: Olden Polynice 16 Asts: Owens, Marciulionis 5 each |
Pts: Shawn Kemp 21 Rebs: Shawn Kemp 8 Asts: Gary Payton 7 | |
| Series tied, 1–1 | ||
April 30 10:30 PM |
| Seattle SuperSonics 96, Sacramento Kings 89 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 26–28, 22–22, 16–23, 32–16 | ||
| Pts: Sam Perkins 17 Rebs: Shawn Kemp 9 Asts: Gary Payton 7 |
Pts: Mitch Richmond 24 Rebs: Olden Polynice 14 Asts: Billy Owens 6 | |
| Seattle leads series, 2–1 | ||
May 2 10:30 PM |
| Seattle SuperSonics 101, Sacramento Kings 87 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 25–22, 25–26, 27–21, 24–18 | ||
| Pts: Gary Payton 29 Rebs: Detlef Schrempf 10 Asts: Detlef Schrempf 9 |
Pts: Lionel Simmons 24 Rebs: Polynice, Smith 9 each Asts: Lionel Simmons 3 | |
| Seattle wins series, 3–1 | ||
ARCO Arena, Sacramento, California Attendance: 17,317 Referees: Ron Garretson, Steve Javie, Eddie F. Rush |
| Seattle won 4–0 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the first playoff meeting between the Kings and the SuperSonics.[6]
(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Phoenix Suns
April 26 8:00 PM |
| Phoenix Suns 98, San Antonio Spurs 120 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 26–28, 18–30, 29–37, 25–25 | ||
| Pts: Charles Barkley 26 Rebs: Charles Barkley 12 Asts: Kevin Johnson 11 |
Pts: Vinny Del Negro 29 Rebs: Will Perdue 9 Asts: Avery Johnson 18 | |
| San Antonio leads series, 1–0 | ||
April 28 3:00 PM |
| Phoenix Suns 105, San Antonio Spurs 110 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 25–23, 34–36, 25–26, 21–25 | ||
| Pts: Charles Barkley 30 Rebs: Charles Barkley 20 Asts: Kevin Johnson 16 |
Pts: David Robinson 40 Rebs: David Robinson 21 Asts: Avery Johnson 15 | |
| San Antonio leads series, 2–0 | ||
May 1 10:30 PM |
| San Antonio Spurs 93, Phoenix Suns 94 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 26–23, 28–29, 17–24, 22–18 | ||
| Pts: David Robinson 22 Rebs: Will Perdue 9 Asts: Vinny Del Negro 8 |
Pts: Charles Barkley 25 Rebs: Charles Barkley 13 Asts: Kevin Johnson 8 | |
| San Antonio leads series, 2–1 | ||
America West Arena, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 19,023 Referees: Bob Delaney, Ed T. Rush, Greg Willard |
May 3 9:00 PM |
| San Antonio Spurs 116, Phoenix Suns 98 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 28–26, 24–25, 33–18, 31–29 | ||
| Pts: David Robinson 30 Rebs: David Robinson 13 Asts: Avery Johnson 13 |
Pts: Charles Barkley 21 Rebs: Charles Barkley 9 Asts: Kevin Johnson 8 | |
| San Antonio wins series, 3–1 | ||
America West Arena, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 19,023 Referees: Hugh Evans, Bernie Fryer, Bennett Salvatore |
| San Antonio won 3–1 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Suns winning the first two meetings.
| Phoenix leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
(3) Utah Jazz vs. (6) Portland Trail Blazers
April 25 9:30 PM |
| Portland Trail Blazers 102, Utah Jazz 110 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 26–30, 30–14, 25–29, 21–37 | ||
| Pts: Rod Strickland 27 Rebs: Chris Dudley 10 Asts: Rod Strickland 12 |
Pts: Karl Malone 33 Rebs: Karl Malone 9 Asts: John Stockton 23 | |
| Utah leads series, 1–0 | ||
Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah Attendance: 19,614 Referees: Terry Durham, Hugh Evans, Bernie Fryer |
April 27 10:30 PM |
| Portland Trail Blazers 90, Utah Jazz 105 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 27–30, 23–20, 28–27, 12–28 | ||
| Pts: Arvydas Sabonis 26 Rebs: Arvydas Sabonis 12 Asts: Rod Strickland 7 |
Pts: Karl Malone 30 Rebs: Karl Malone 14 Asts: John Stockton 16 | |
| Utah leads series, 2–0 | ||
April 29 10:30 PM |
| Utah Jazz 91, Portland Trail Blazers 94 (OT) | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 17–11, 14–26, 28–26, 24–20, Overtime: 8–11 | ||
| Pts: Karl Malone 35 Rebs: David Benoit 11 Asts: John Stockton 11 |
Pts: Arvydas Sabonis 27 Rebs: Arvydas Sabonis 12 Asts: Rod Strickland 8 | |
| Utah leads series, 2–1 | ||
May 1 9:30 PM |
| Utah Jazz 90, Portland Trail Blazers 98 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 17–27, 23–27, 24–20, 26–24 | ||
| Pts: Jeff Hornacek 30 Rebs: Malone, Morris 6 each Asts: John Stockton 11 |
Pts: Rod Strickland 27 Rebs: Arvydas Sabonis 13 Asts: Rod Strickland 7 | |
| Series tied, 2–2 | ||
May 5 3:00 PM |
| Portland Trail Blazers 64, Utah Jazz 102 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 12–18, 12–28, 14–24, 26–32 | ||
| Pts: Arvydas Sabonis 14 Rebs: Arvydas Sabonis 8 Asts: Rod Strickland 8 |
Pts: Karl Malone 25 Rebs: Karl Malone 10 Asts: John Stockton 11 | |
| Utah wins series, 3–2 | ||
Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah Attendance: 19,682 Referees: Ron Garretson, Steve Javie, Ed T. Rush |
| Utah won 3–1 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Trail Blazers winning two of the first three meetings.
| Portland leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
(4) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Houston Rockets
April 25 10:30 PM |
| Houston Rockets 87, Los Angeles Lakers 83 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–22, 19–17, 25–27, 22–17 | ||
| Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 33 Rebs: Olajuwon, Horry 8 each Asts: Drexler, Smith 4 each |
Pts: Cedric Ceballos 22 Rebs: Cedric Ceballos 12 Asts: Nick Van Exel 8 | |
| Houston leads series, 1–0 | ||
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California Attendance: 17,505 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Ken Mauer, Ronnie Nunn |
April 27 3:30 PM |
| Houston Rockets 94, Los Angeles Lakers 104 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 11–24, 31–25, 27–25, 25–30 | ||
| Pts: Sam Cassell 22 Rebs: Horry, Olajuwon 7 each Asts: Sam Cassell 8 |
Pts: Magic Johnson 26 Rebs: Vlade Divac 12 Asts: Magic Johnson 5 | |
| Series tied, 1–1 | ||
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California Attendance: 17,505 Referees: Terry Durham, Hugh Evans, Bernie Fryer |
April 30 9:00 PM |
| Los Angeles Lakers 98, Houston Rockets 104 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 28–34, 27–22, 20–24, 23–24 | ||
| Pts: Elden Campbell 18 Rebs: Elden Campbell 10 Asts: Magic Johnson 13 |
Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 30 Rebs: Robert Horry 10 Asts: Clyde Drexler 11 | |
| Houston leads series, 2–1 | ||
May 2 9:30 PM |
| Los Angeles Lakers 94, Houston Rockets 102 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 29–35, 22–23, 25–25, 18–19 | ||
| Pts: Cedric Ceballos 25 Rebs: Cedric Ceballos 12 Asts: Nick Van Exel 11 |
Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 25 Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 11 Asts: Olajuwon, Drexler 7 each | |
| Houston wins series, 3–1 | ||
Game 4 is Magic Johnson's final NBA game.
| Houston won 3–1 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning two series apiece.
| Tied 2–2 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
Conference semifinals
Eastern Conference semifinals
(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (5) New York Knicks
May 5 5:30 PM |
| New York Knicks 84, Chicago Bulls 91 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 17–25, 30–29, 22–19, 15–18 | ||
| Pts: Patrick Ewing 21 Rebs: Patrick Ewing 16 Asts: Derek Harper 5 |
Pts: Michael Jordan 44 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 12 Asts: Scottie Pippen 7 | |
| Chicago leads series, 1–0 | ||
May 7 9:30 PM |
| New York Knicks 80, Chicago Bulls 91 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 19–22, 22–20, 18–19, 21–30 | ||
| Pts: Patrick Ewing 23 Rebs: Charles Oakley 11 Asts: Derek Harper 5 |
Pts: Michael Jordan 28 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 19 Asts: Scottie Pippen 6 | |
| Chicago leads series, 2–0 | ||
May 11 1:00 PM |
| Chicago Bulls 99, New York Knicks 102 (OT) | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 17–25, 21–18, 20–19, 30–26, Overtime: 11–14 | ||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 46 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 16 Asts: Scottie Pippen 6 |
Pts: John Starks 30 Rebs: Oakley, Ewing 13 each Asts: John Starks 6 | |
| Chicago leads series, 2–1 | ||
Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Attendance: 19,763 Referees: Joe DeRosa, Hue Hollins, Ed T. Rush |
May 12 5:30 PM |
| Chicago Bulls 94, New York Knicks 91 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–28, 27–22, 26–18, 17–23 | ||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 27 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 19 Asts: Michael Jordan 8 |
Pts: Patrick Ewing 29 Rebs: Patrick Ewing 10 Asts: Derek Harper 5 | |
| Chicago leads series, 3–1 | ||
Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Attendance: 19,763 Referees: Mike Mathis, Ed Middleton, Bill Oakes |
Bill Wennington hits the game-winner with 36.9 seconds left.
May 14 9:30 PM |
| New York Knicks 81, Chicago Bulls 94 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 18–18, 18–24, 23–26, 22–26 | ||
| Pts: Patrick Ewing 22 Rebs: Charles Oakley 13 Asts: Derek Harper 6 |
Pts: Michael Jordan 35 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 12 Asts: Jordan, R. Harper 5 each | |
| Chicago wins series, 4–1 | ||
| Chicago won 3–1 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the seventh playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bulls winning five of the first six meetings.
| Chicago leads 5–1 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
(2) Orlando Magic vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks
May 8 8:00 PM |
| Atlanta Hawks 105, Orlando Magic 117 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–29, 32–33, 24–30, 25–25 | ||
| Pts: Stacey Augmon 23 Rebs: Alan Henderson 8 Asts: Steve Smith 9 |
Pts: Shaquille O'Neal 41 Rebs: Shaquille O'Neal 13 Asts: O'Neal, Hardaway 6 each | |
| Orlando leads series, 1–0 | ||
Orlando Arena, Orlando, Florida Attendance: 17,248 Referees: Joe Crawford, Ronnie Nunn, Bennett Salvatore |
May 10 7:00 PM |
| Atlanta Hawks 94, Orlando Magic 120 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 19–36, 27–31, 20–22, 28–31 | ||
| Pts: Mookie Blaylock 25 Rebs: Christian Laettner 6 Asts: Steve Smith 5 |
Pts: Shaquille O'Neal 28 Rebs: Horace Grant 11 Asts: Penny Hardaway 7 | |
| Orlando leads series, 2–0 | ||
May 12 12:30 PM |
| Orlando Magic 103, Atlanta Hawks 96 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 31–30, 23–21, 28–31, 21–14 | ||
| Pts: Shaquille O'Neal 24 Rebs: Shaquille O'Neal 12 Asts: Penny Hardaway 6 |
Pts: Christian Laettner 26 Rebs: Grant Long 13 Asts: Mookie Blaylock 8 | |
| Orlando leads series, 3–0 | ||
May 13 8:00 PM |
| Orlando Magic 99, Atlanta Hawks 104 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 29–44, 18–23, 36–15, 16–22 | ||
| Pts: Grant, Hardaway 29 each Rebs: Horace Grant 20 Asts: Penny Hardaway 11 |
Pts: Steve Smith 35 Rebs: Grant Long 7 Asts: Mookie Blaylock 11 | |
| Orlando leads series, 3–1 | ||
May 15 8:00 PM |
| Atlanta Hawks 88, Orlando Magic 96 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 20–22, 27–30, 26–25, 15–19 | ||
| Pts: Grant Long 24 Rebs: Grant Long 13 Asts: Mookie Blaylock 7 |
Pts: Shaquille O'Neal 27 Rebs: Shaquille O'Neal 15 Asts: O'Neal, Scott 4 each | |
| Orlando wins series, 4–1 | ||
| Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the first playoff meeting between the Hawks and the Magic.[11]
Western Conference semifinals
(1) Seattle SuperSonics vs. (5) Houston Rockets
May 4 3:30 PM |
| Houston Rockets 75, Seattle SuperSonics 108 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 28–29, 16–15, 15–29, 16–35 | ||
| Pts: Robert Horry 18 Rebs: Clyde Drexler 9 Asts: Kenny Smith 5 |
Pts: Gary Payton 28 Rebs: Shawn Kemp 12 Asts: Gary Payton 7 | |
| Seattle leads series, 1–0 | ||
May 6 9:00 PM |
| Houston Rockets 101, Seattle SuperSonics 105 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 19–22, 32–27, 31–31, 19–25 | ||
| Pts: Clyde Drexler 19 Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 16 Asts: Kenny Smith 7 |
Pts: Detlef Schrempf 21 Rebs: Schrempf, Kemp 10 each Asts: Schrempf, Payton 5 each | |
| Seattle leads series, 2–0 | ||
May 10 9:30 PM |
| Seattle SuperSonics 115, Houston Rockets 112 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 28–37, 34–29, 28–18, 25–28 | ||
| Pts: Gary Payton 28 Rebs: Shawn Kemp 18 Asts: Gary Payton 8 |
Pts: Clyde Drexler 28 Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 13 Asts: Kenny Smith 11 | |
| Seattle leads series, 3–0 | ||
May 12 3:00 PM |
| Seattle SuperSonics 114, Houston Rockets 107 (OT) | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 26–18, 31–25, 26–23, 18–35, Overtime: 13–6 | ||
| Pts: Shawn Kemp 32 Rebs: Shawn Kemp 15 Asts: Gary Payton 11 |
Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 26 Rebs: Clyde Drexler 15 Asts: Drexler, Cassell 6 each | |
| Seattle wins series, 4–0 | ||
| Seattle won 4–0 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the SuperSonics winning the first four meetings.
| Seattle leads 4–0 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (3) Utah Jazz
May 7 7:00 PM |
| Utah Jazz 95, San Antonio Spurs 75 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 29–18, 17–23, 28–20, 21–14 | ||
| Pts: Karl Malone 23 Rebs: Karl Malone 7 Asts: John Stockton 19 |
Pts: David Robinson 29 Rebs: Will Perdue 7 Asts: Avery Johnson 5 | |
| Utah leads series, 1–0 | ||
Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas Attendance: 15,112 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Dan Crawford, Derrick Stafford |
May 9 8:00 PM |
| Utah Jazz 77, San Antonio Spurs 88 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 9–25, 29–11, 16–27, 23–25 | ||
| Pts: Karl Malone 24 Rebs: Malone, Ostertag 8 each Asts: John Stockton 13 |
Pts: David Robinson 24 Rebs: David Robinson 12 Asts: Avery Johnson 10 | |
| Series tied, 1–1 | ||
May 11 3:30 PM |
| San Antonio Spurs 75, Utah Jazz 105 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 20–32, 22–19, 16–32, 17–22 | ||
| Pts: Sean Elliott 17 Rebs: David Robinson 9 Asts: Avery Johnson 10 |
Pts: Karl Malone 32 Rebs: Karl Malone 11 Asts: John Stockton 7 | |
| Utah leads series, 2–1 | ||
Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah Attendance: 19,911 Referees: Terry Durham, Jess Kersey, Bennett Salvatore |
May 12 8:30 PM |
| San Antonio Spurs 86, Utah Jazz 101 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 20–24, 22–29, 32–30, 12–18 | ||
| Pts: Sean Elliott 22 Rebs: Chuck Person 6 Asts: Avery Johnson 8 |
Pts: Chris Morris 25 Rebs: Adam Keefe 7 Asts: John Stockton 10 | |
| Utah leads series, 3–1 | ||
May 14 9:00 PM |
| Utah Jazz 87, San Antonio Spurs 98 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 16–26, 19–19, 18–23, 34–30 | ||
| Pts: Karl Malone 24 Rebs: Karl Malone 12 Asts: John Stockton 8 |
Pts: David Robinson 24 Rebs: David Robinson 15 Asts: Sean Elliott 8 | |
| Utah leads series, 3–2 | ||
May 16 9:00 PM |
| San Antonio Spurs 81, Utah Jazz 108 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 17–22, 21–29, 23–27, 20–30 | ||
| Pts: Del Negro, Robinson 17 each Rebs: David Robinson 8 Asts: Avery Johnson 8 |
Pts: Karl Malone 25 Rebs: Karl Malone 13 Asts: John Stockton 13 | |
| Utah wins series, 4–2 | ||
| San Antonio won 3–1 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Jazz winning the first meeting.
| Utah leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
Conference finals
Eastern Conference finals
(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (2) Orlando Magic
May 19 3:30 PM |
| Orlando Magic 83, Chicago Bulls 121 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 19–32, 26–23, 14–26, 24–40 | ||
| Pts: Penny Hardaway 38 Rebs: Shaquille O'Neal 6 Asts: Shaquille O'Neal 6 |
Pts: Michael Jordan 21 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 21 Asts: Toni Kukoč 10 | |
| Chicago leads series, 1–0 | ||
United Center, Chicago, Illinois Attendance: 24,411 Referees: Hugh Evans, Ron Garretson, Bennett Salvatore |
May 21 8:30 PM |
| Orlando Magic 88, Chicago Bulls 93 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 23–20, 30–18, 16–29, 19–26 | ||
| Pts: Shaquille O'Neal 36 Rebs: Shaquille O'Neal 16 Asts: Brian Shaw 6 |
Pts: Michael Jordan 35 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 12 Asts: Scottie Pippen 9 | |
| Chicago leads series, 2–0 | ||
Chicago overcame an 18-point lead by the Magic to win (64–46).
May 25 3:30 PM |
| Chicago Bulls 86, Orlando Magic 67 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 23–20, 25–18, 15–19, 23–10 | ||
| Pts: Scottie Pippen 27 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 16 Asts: Scottie Pippen 7 |
Pts: Penny Hardaway 18 Rebs: Shaquille O'Neal 12 Asts: O'Neal, Hardaway 3 each | |
| Chicago leads series, 3–0 | ||
May 27 3:30 PM |
| Chicago Bulls 106, Orlando Magic 101 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 23–31, 24–25, 28–18, 31–27 | ||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 45 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 14 Asts: Scottie Pippen 8 |
Pts: Hardaway, O'Neal 28 each Rebs: Shaquille O'Neal 9 Asts: Penny Hardaway 8 | |
| Chicago wins series, 4–0 | ||
| Chicago won 3–1 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Magic winning the first meeting.
| Orlando leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
Western Conference finals
(1) Seattle SuperSonics vs. (3) Utah Jazz
The SuperSonics led the series 3-1 after an 88–86 victory at the Delta Center in Game 4. However, the Jazz shocked the Sonics in Seattle in Game 5 98-95 and would handily win Game 6 118-83, Seattle's worst playoff loss in team history. Game 7 was a close affair and the Sonics pulled away late to win 90-86 and advance to their first NBA Finals since 1979. This is the most recent conference final played entirely outside of Texas and California.
May 18 3:30 PM |
| Utah Jazz 72, Seattle SuperSonics 102 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 23–24, 16–30, 21–23, 12–25 | ||
| Pts: Karl Malone 21 Rebs: Karl Malone 8 Asts: John Stockton 7 |
Pts: Payton, Kemp 21 each Rebs: Shawn Kemp 11 Asts: Gary Payton 7 | |
| Seattle leads series, 1–0 | ||
May 20 9:00 PM |
| Utah Jazz 87, Seattle SuperSonics 91 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–17, 20–25, 31–23, 14–26 | ||
| Pts: Karl Malone 32 Rebs: Karl Malone 13 Asts: John Stockton 7 |
Pts: Gary Payton 18 Rebs: Nate McMillan 5 Asts: Gary Payton 8 | |
| Seattle leads series, 2–0 | ||
May 24 9:00 PM |
| Seattle SuperSonics 76, Utah Jazz 96 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 27–24, 20–27, 18–21, 11–24 | ||
| Pts: Gary Payton 25 Rebs: Payton, Hawkins 6 each Asts: Gary Payton 3 |
Pts: Malone, Hornacek 28 each Rebs: Karl Malone 18 Asts: Jeff Hornacek 8 | |
| Seattle leads series, 2–1 | ||
May 26 3:30 PM |
| Seattle SuperSonics 88, Utah Jazz 86 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 17–21, 32–23, 24–21, 15–21 | ||
| Pts: Gary Payton 19 Rebs: Shawn Kemp 8 Asts: Gary Payton 6 |
Pts: Karl Malone 25 Rebs: Karl Malone 12 Asts: Malone, Stockton 8 each | |
| Seattle leads series, 3–1 | ||
Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah Attendance: 19,911 Referees: Hugh Evans, Ron Garretson, Bennett Salvatore |
May 28 9:00 PM |
| Utah Jazz 98, Seattle SuperSonics 95 (OT) | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 17–26, 35–23, 19–22, 19–19, Overtime: 8–5 | ||
| Pts: Karl Malone 29 Rebs: Karl Malone 15 Asts: John Stockton 6 |
Pts: Gary Payton 31 Rebs: Shawn Kemp 13 Asts: Gary Payton 6 | |
| Seattle leads series, 3–2 | ||
May 30 9:00 PM |
| Seattle SuperSonics 83, Utah Jazz 118 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–35, 25–24, 20–27, 16–32 | ||
| Pts: Shawn Kemp 26 Rebs: Shawn Kemp 14 Asts: Gary Payton 7 |
Pts: Karl Malone 32 Rebs: Karl Malone 10 Asts: John Stockton 12 | |
| Series tied, 3–3 | ||
June 2 7:30 PM |
| Utah Jazz 86, Seattle SuperSonics 90 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–21, 20–23, 26–29, 19–17 | ||
| Pts: Malone, Stockton 22 each Rebs: John Stockton 8 Asts: Malone, Stockton 7 each |
Pts: Shawn Kemp 26 Rebs: Shawn Kemp 14 Asts: Gary Payton 5 | |
| Seattle wins series, 4–3 | ||
| Seattle won 3–1 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning one series apiece.
| Tied 1–1 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
NBA Finals: (E1) Chicago Bulls vs. (W1) Seattle SuperSonics
- Seattle battled to a Game 6 after trailing 3-0 in the series, only the second team in NBA Finals history to do so (1951 New York Knicks forced a Game 7).
June 5 9:00 PM |
| Seattle SuperSonics 90, Chicago Bulls 107 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 18–24, 30–29, 29–26, 13–28 | ||
| Pts: Shawn Kemp 32 Rebs: Gary Payton 10 Asts: Gary Payton 6 |
Pts: Michael Jordan 28 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 13 Asts: Ron Harper 7 | |
| Chicago leads series, 1–0 | ||
United Center, Chicago, Illinois Attendance: 24,544 Referees: Dan Crawford, Joe Crawford, Bennett Salvatore |
June 7 9:00 PM |
| Seattle SuperSonics 88, Chicago Bulls 92 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 27–23, 18–23, 20–30, 23–16 | ||
| Pts: Shawn Kemp 29 Rebs: Shawn Kemp 13 Asts: Payton, Schrempf 3 each |
Pts: Michael Jordan 29 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 20 Asts: Michael Jordan 8 | |
| Chicago leads series, 2–0 | ||
June 9 7:30 PM |
| Chicago Bulls 108, Seattle SuperSonics 86 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 34–16, 28–22, 13–23, 33–25 | ||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 36 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 10 Asts: Scottie Pippen 9 |
Pts: Detlef Schrempf 20 Rebs: Payton, Brickowski 7 each Asts: Gary Payton 9 | |
| Chicago leads series, 3–0 | ||
June 12 9:00 PM |
| Chicago Bulls 86, Seattle SuperSonics 107 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–25, 11–28, 31–31, 23–23 | ||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 23 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 14 Asts: Scottie Pippen 8 |
Pts: Shawn Kemp 25 Rebs: Shawn Kemp 11 Asts: Gary Payton 11 | |
| Chicago leads series, 3–1 | ||
June 14 9:00 PM |
| Chicago Bulls 78, Seattle SuperSonics 89 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 18–18, 24–25, 18–19, 18–27 | ||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 26 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 12 Asts: Scottie Pippen 5 |
Pts: Gary Payton 23 Rebs: Shawn Kemp 10 Asts: Gary Payton 6 | |
| Chicago leads series, 3–2 | ||
June 16 7:30 PM |
| Seattle SuperSonics 75, Chicago Bulls 87 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 18–24, 20–21, 20–22, 17–20 | ||
| Pts: Detlef Schrempf 23 Rebs: Shawn Kemp 14 Asts: Gary Payton 7 |
Pts: Michael Jordan 22 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 19 Asts: Michael Jordan 7 | |
| Chicago wins series, 4–2 | ||
| Tied 1–1 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the first playoff meeting between the Bulls and the SuperSonics.[16]
Statistical leaders
See also
References
- ↑ "1995-96 NBA Season Summary".
- ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Chicago Bulls versus Miami Heat (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Detroit Pistons versus Orlando Magic (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Atlanta Hawks versus Indiana Pacers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Cleveland Cavaliers versus New York Knicks (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Oklahoma City Thunder versus Sacramento Kings (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Phoenix Suns versus San Antonio Spurs (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Portland Trail Blazers versus Utah Jazz (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Houston Rockets versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Chicago Bulls versus New York Knicks (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Atlanta Hawks versus Orlando Magic (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Houston Rockets versus Oklahoma City Thunder (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — San Antonio Spurs versus Utah Jazz (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Chicago Bulls versus Orlando Magic (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Oklahoma City Thunder versus Utah Jazz (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
- ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Chicago Bulls versus Oklahoma City Thunder (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
External links
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