'The 1997
NBA Playoffs' was the postseason tournament of the
National Basketball Association's
1996-1997 season. The tournament concluded with the
Eastern Conference champion
Chicago Bulls winning their fifth NBA championship of the decade by defeating the
Western Conference champion
Utah Jazz four games to two.
This was the first Western Conference championship for the Jazz in their 22-year history.
The
Miami Heat's run to the Eastern Conference Finals marked the farthest the franchise had gotten in the playoffs up to that point; they would not return to the East Finals until
2005, but would win the NBA Championship in
2006.
The
Minnesota Timberwolves made their playoff debut after failing to win more than 30 games in any of their first seven seasons. Unfortunately for them, it was also the first of seven consecutive seasons in which they would make the playoffs only to lose in the opening round.
This was the first (and as of
2006, only) instance since the
ABA merger in
1976-77 that ''none'' of the four former ABA teams (
San Antonio,
Denver,
Indiana,
New Jersey) managed to make the playoffs, even more remarkable considering the rarity with which the Spurs have missed the playoffs at ''all'' (as of
2006, only four times since the merger).
Ironically, it was also the first season in which ''all'' four of the 1988 and 1989 expansion teams (Minnesota, Miami,
Orlando and
Charlotte) made the playoffs. This would happen again in
2001.
The two #8 seeds in this tournament (the
Washington Bullets and
Los Angeles Clippers) broke long playoff droughts with their appearances in the 1997 playoffs. (The Bullets' last playoff appearance had been in
1988; the Clippers', in
1993). Unfortunately for both teams, it would be a long time before either would appear in the playoffs again; the renamed Wizards made their return in
2005; the Clippers in
2006.
Bracket
Playoff qualifying
Western Conference
Best record in conference
The
Utah Jazz 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:
#
Utah Jazz (clinched Midwest division)
#
Seattle SuperSonics (clinched Pacific division)
#
Houston Rockets
#
Los Angeles Lakers
#
Portland Trail Blazers
#
Minnesota Timberwolves
#
Phoenix Suns
#
Los Angeles Clippers
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 (clinched Central division)
#
Miami Heat (clinched Atlantic division)
#
New York Knicks
#
Atlanta Hawks
#
Detroit Pistons
#
Charlotte Hornets
#
Orlando Magic
#
Washington Bullets
Notes
★ For the first time since the
1992 postseason, a #5 seed did not beat their #4 seeded opponent in the first round.
Western Conference
Champion: '
Utah Jazz'
First Round
(1)
Utah Jazz vs. (8)
Los Angeles Clippers
(4)
Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5)
Portland Trail Blazers
| Game | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Score | Record(LAL-POR) | Venue | Recap |
|---|
| 1 | April 25 | Portland | 77 | 'L.A. Lakers' | '95' | 1-0 | Great Western Forum, Los Angeles, California | 1 |
| 2 | April 27 | Portland | 93 | 'L.A. Lakers' | '107' | 2-0 | Great Western Forum, Los Angeles, California | 2 |
| 3 | April 30 | L.A. Lakers | 90 | 'Portland' | '98' | 2-1 | Rose Garden Arena, Portland, Oregon | 3 |
| 4 | May 2 | 'L.A. Lakers' | '95' | Portland | 91 | 3-1 | Rose Garden Arena, Portland, Oregon | 4 |
L.A. Lakers win series 3–1
|
|---|
(2)
Seattle SuperSonics vs. (7)
Phoenix Suns
| Game | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Score | Record(SEA-PHO) | Venue | Recap |
|---|
| 1 | April 25 | 'Phoenix' | '106' | Seattle | 101 | 0-1 | KeyArena, Seattle, Washington | 1 |
| 2 | April 27 | Phoenix | 78 | 'Seattle' | '122' | 1-1 | KeyArena, Seattle, Washington | 2 |
| 3 | April 29 | Seattle | 103 | 'Phoenix' | '110' | 1-2 | America West Arena, Phoenix, Arizona | 3 |
| 4 | May 1 | 'Seattle' | '122' | Phoenix | 115 | 2-2 | America West Arena, Phoenix, Arizona | 4 |
| 5 | May 3 | Phoenix | 92 | 'Seattle' | '116' | 3-2 | KeyArena, Seattle, Washington | 5 |
Seattle wins series 3–2
|
|---|
(3)
Houston Rockets vs. (6)
Minnesota Timberwolves
Conference Semifinals
(1)
Utah Jazz vs. (4)
Los Angeles Lakers
| Game | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Score | Record(UTAH-LAL) | Venue | Recap |
|---|
| 1 | May 4 | Los Angeles | 77 | 'Utah' | '93' | 1-0 | Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah | 1 |
| 2 | May 6 | Los Angeles | 101 | 'Utah' | '103' | 2-0 | Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah | 2 |
| 3 | May 8 | Utah | 84 | 'Los Angeles' | '104' | 2-1 | Great Western Forum, Los Angeles, California | 3 |
| 4 | May 10 | 'Utah' | '110' | Los Angeles | 95 | 3-1 | Great Western Forum, Los Angeles, California | 4 |
| 5 | May 12 | Los Angeles | 93 | 'Utah' | '98' | 4-1 | Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah | 5 |
Utah wins series 4–1
|
|---|
(2)
Seattle SuperSonics vs. (3)
Houston Rockets
| Game | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Score | Record(HOU-SEA) | Venue | Recap |
|---|
| 1 | May 5 | Seattle | 102 | 'Houston' | '112' | 1-0 | The Summit, Houston, Texas | 1 |
| 2 | May 7 | 'Seattle' | '106' | Houston | 101 | 1-1 | The Summit, Houston, Texas | 2 |
| 3 | May 9 | 'Houston' | '97' | Seattle | 93 | 2-1 | KeyArena, Seattle, Washington | 3 |
| 4 | May 11 | 'Houston' | '110' | Seattle | 106 | 3-1 | KeyArena, Seattle, Washington | 4 |
| 5 | May 13 | 'Seattle' | '100' | Houston | 94 | 3-2 | The Summit, Houston, Texas | 5 |
| 6 | May 15 | Houston | 96 | 'Seattle' | '99' | 3-3 | KeyArena, Seattle, Washington | 6 |
| 7 | May 17 | Seattle | 91 | 'Houston' | '96' | 4-3 | The Summit, Houston, Texas | 7 |
Houston wins series 4–3
|
|---|
Conference Finals
(1)
Utah Jazz vs. (3)
Houston Rockets
| Game | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Score | Record(UTAH-HOU) | Venue | Recap | Television |
|---|
| 1 | May 19 | Houston | 86 | 'Utah' | '101' | 1-0 | Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah | 1 | NBC |
| 2 | May 21 | Houston | 92 | 'Utah' | '104' | 2-0 | Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah | 2 | NBC |
| 3 | May 23 | Utah | 100 | 'Houston' | '118' | 2-1 | The Summit, Houston, Texas | 3 | NBC |
| 4 | May 25 | Utah | 92 | 'Houston' | '95' | 2-2 | The Summit, Houston, Texas | 4 | NBC |
| 5 | May 27 | Houston | 91 | 'Utah' | '96' | 3-2 | Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah | 5 | NBC |
| 6 | May 29 | 'Utah' | '103' | Houston | 100 | 4-2 | The Summit, Houston, Texas | 6 | NBC |
Utah wins series 4–2
|
|---|
Eastern Conference
Champion: '
Chicago Bulls'
First Round
(1)
Chicago Bulls vs. (8)
Washington Bullets
(4)
Atlanta Hawks vs. (5)
Detroit Pistons
| Game | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Score | Record(ATL-DET) | Venue | Recap |
|---|
| 1 | April 25 | Detroit | 75 | 'Atlanta' | '89' | 1-0 | Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, Georgia | 1 |
| 2 | April 27 | 'Detroit' | '93' | Atlanta | 80 | 1-1 | Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, Georgia | 2 |
| 3 | April 29 | Atlanta | 91 | 'Detroit' | '99' | 1-2 | Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan | 3 |
| 4 | May 2 | 'Atlanta' | '94' | Detroit | 82 | 2-2 | Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan | 4 |
| 5 | May 4 | Detroit | 79 | 'Atlanta' | '84' | 3-2 | Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, Georgia | 5 |
Atlanta wins series 3–2
|
|---|
(2)
Miami Heat vs. (7)
Orlando Magic
| Game | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Score | Record(MIA-ORL) | Venue | Recap |
|---|
| 1 | April 24 | Orlando | 64 | 'Miami' | '99' | 1-0 | Miami Arena, Miami, Florida | 1 |
| 2 | April 27 | Orlando | 87 | 'Miami' | '104' | 2-0 | Miami Arena, Miami, Florida | 2 |
| 3 | April 29 | Miami | 75 | 'Orlando' | '88' | 2-1 | Orlando Arena, Orlando, Florida | 3 |
| 4 | May 1 | Miami | 91 | 'Orlando' | '99' | 2-2 | Orlando Arena, Orlando, Florida | 4 |
| 5 | May 4 | Orlando | 83 | 'Miami' | '91' | 3-2 | Miami Arena, Miami, Florida | 5 |
Miami wins series 3–2
|
|---|
(3)
New York Knicks vs. (6)
Charlotte Hornets
Conference Semifinals
(1)
Chicago Bulls vs. (4)
Atlanta Hawks
| Game | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Score | Record(CHI-ATL) | Venue | Recap |
|---|
| 1 | May 6 | Atlanta | 97 | 'Chicago' | '100' | 1-0 | United Center, Chicago, Illinois | 1 |
| 2 | May 8 | 'Atlanta' | '103' | Chicago | 95 | 1-1 | United Center, Chicago, Illinois | 2 |
| 3 | May 10 | 'Chicago' | '100' | Atlanta | 80 | 2-1 | Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, Georgia | 3 |
| 4 | May 11 | 'Chicago' | '89' | Atlanta | 80 | 3-1 | Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, Georgia | 4 |
| 5 | May 13 | Atlanta | 92 | 'Chicago' | '107' | 4-1 | United Center, Chicago, Illinois | 5 |
Chicago wins series 4–1
|
|---|
(2)
Miami Heat vs. (3)
New York Knicks
| Game | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Score | Record(MIA-NYK) | Venue | Recap |
|---|
| 1 | May 7 | 'New York' | '88' | Miami | 79 | 0-1 | Miami Arena, Miami, Florida | 1 |
| 2 | May 9 | New York | 84 | 'Miami' | '88' | 1-1 | Miami Arena, Miami, Florida | 2 |
| 3 | May 11 | Miami | 73 | 'New York' | '77' | 1-2 | Madison Square Garden, New York, New York | 3 |
| 4 | May 12 | Miami | 76 | 'New York' | '89' | 1-3 | Madison Square Garden, New York, New York | 4 |
| 5 | May 14 | New York | 81 | 'Miami' | '96' | 2-3 | Miami Arena, Miami, Florida | 5 |
| 6 | May 16 | 'Miami' | '95' | New York | 90 | 3-3 | Madison Square Garden, New York, New York | 6 |
| 7 | May 18 | New York | 90 | 'Miami' | '101' | 4-3 | Miami Arena, Miami, Florida | 7 |
Miami wins series 4–3
|
|---|
Conference Finals
(1)
Chicago Bulls vs. (2)
Miami Heat
| Game | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Score | Record(CHI-MIA) | Venue | Recap | Television |
|---|
| 1 | May 20 | Miami | 77 | 'Chicago' | '84' | 1-0 | United Center, Chicago, Illinois | 1 | NBC |
| 2 | May 22 | Miami | 68 | 'Chicago' | '75' | 2-0 | United Center, Chicago, Illinois | 2 | NBC |
| 3 | May 24 | 'Chicago' | '98' | Miami | 74 | 3-0 | Miami Arena, Miami, Florida | 3 | NBC |
| 4 | May 26 | Chicago | 80 | 'Miami' | '87' | 3-1 | Miami Arena, Miami, Florida | 4 | NBC |
| 5 | May 28 | Miami | 87 | 'Chicago' | '100' | 4-1 | United Center, Chicago, Illinois | 5 | NBC |
Chicago wins series 4–1
|
|---|
NBA Finals
Main articles: 1997 NBA Finals
Chicago Bulls vs.
Utah Jazz
| Game | Date | Visitor | Score | Home | Score | Record(CHI-UTAH) | Venue | Recap | Television |
|---|
| 1 | June 1 | Utah | 82 | 'Chicago' | '84' | 1-0 | United Center, Chicago, Illinois | 1 | NBC |
| 2 | June 4 | Utah | 85 | 'Chicago' | '97' | 2-0 | United Center, Chicago, Illinois | 2 | NBC |
| 3 | June 6 | Chicago | 93 | 'Utah' | '104' | 2-1 | Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah | 3 | NBC |
| 4 | June 8 | Chicago | 73 | 'Utah' | '78' | 2-2 | Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah | 4 | NBC |
| 5 | June 11 | 'Chicago' | '90' | Utah | 88 | 3-2 | Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah | 5 | NBC |
| 6 | June 13 | Utah | 86 | 'Chicago' | '90' | 4-2 | United Center, Chicago, Illinois | 6 | NBC |
Chicago wins NBA Championship series 4–2
|
|---|
External links
★
Basketball-Reference.com's 1997 Playoffs section
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