1995 NBA playoffs
 | |
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | April 27 – June 14, 1995 |
| Season | 1994–95 |
| Teams | 16 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Houston Rockets (2nd title) |
| Runner-up | Orlando Magic |
| Semifinalists | |
The 1995 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1994–95 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets sweeping the Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic in the NBA Finals. Hakeem Olajuwon was named NBA Finals MVP for the second straight time.
As of 2024, the 1995 Rockets are the lowest-seeded team to win the NBA Championship.[1]
Houston became the eighth team to win back-to-back titles (after the Minneapolis Lakers of 1949 and 1950, and again 1952–54, and the Celtics dynasty of 1959–66 and again in 1968–69, as the LA Lakers of 1987 and 1988, Pistons of 1989 and 1990 and Bulls of 1991, 1992 and 1993). It would go on to happen five more times, with the Bulls winning 3 more from 1996 to 1998, the Lakers from 2000 to 2002 and 2009–2010, the Miami Heat from 2012 to 2013, and the Golden State Warriors from 2017 to 2018. The Rockets championships were also part of a run that saw 4 teams win consecutive titles (The Lakers 1987–88, Pistons 1989–90, Bulls 1991–93 and 1996–98, Rockets 1994–95). That streak was stopped by a Spurs franchise, who like the Celtics of the 1980s, didn't win back-to-back titles, but did win numerous championships and are considered a dynasty.
The sixth-seeded Rockets (47–35) took out four impressive opponents on their way to the title, defeating the 3rd-seeded Utah Jazz (60–22), 2nd-seeded Phoenix Suns (59–23), top-seeded San Antonio Spurs (62–20) and Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic (57–25) in the NBA Finals. In the first round against the Utah Jazz, the Houston Rockets came back from a 2-1 series deficit, winning Game 5 in Utah. In the second round against the Suns, the Rockets came back from a 2–0 and 3–1 series deficit without home-court advantage, winning Games 5 and 7 in Phoenix. Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon dominated league MVP David Robinson and Shaquille O'Neal in consecutive series to win the title. The Rockets 47 wins were the fewest by an NBA champion since the Washington Bullets tallied 44 in 1978.
The 1995 Playoffs featured the first three playoff series victories in Magic history, as they beat the Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, and Indiana Pacers to win their first Eastern Conference title.
It also featured the return of Michael Jordan to the playoffs after a year and a half absence, returning in March, and the only time the Bulls didn't win a title with him on the roster since they started their string of consecutive titles in 1991.
Game 4 of the Celtics-Magic series was the last game played at Boston Garden. Boston returned to the playoffs in 2002, this time in the new FleetCenter (now TD Garden).
Game 3 of the Blazers-Suns series was the last game played at the then-Memorial Coliseum (renamed the Veterans Memorial Coliseum as of 2012). The Blazers continued their playoff streak at Rose Garden (now Moda Center) for the next 7 years.
Game 3 of the Spurs-Nuggets series was the final playoff game at McNichols Sports Arena; the Nuggets missed the playoffs in each of the arena's final four years. Denver returned to the playoffs in 2004, this time in the new Pepsi Center (now Ball Arena).
The Pacers made the Eastern Conference Finals for the second straight year (and finally defeated the New York Knicks on their way to doing so), but found the Magic too powerful to overcome. Coincidentally, they met all three playoff opponents (Orlando, Atlanta, and New York) they had in 1994, just in a different order.
Since the NBA playoffs expanded to 16 teams in 1984, the Jazz became the second team (along with the 1994 SuperSonics) to win at least 60 regular season games and lose in the first round, when they lost to the eventual NBA champion Rockets.
This marked the first time that every first and second round game of the playoffs was televised nationally. In previous years, a few early round games were not picked up by the NBA's national TV partners.[2]
Bracket
| First Round | Conference Semifinals | Conference Finals | NBA Finals | ||||||||||||||||
| E1 | Orlando* | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| E8 | Boston | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| E1 | Orlando* | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| E5 | Chicago | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| E4 | Charlotte | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| E5 | Chicago | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| E1 | Orlando* | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Conference | |||||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Indiana* | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| E3 | New York | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| E6 | Cleveland | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| E3 | New York | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Indiana* | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Indiana* | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| E7 | Atlanta | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| E1 | Orlando* | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| W6 | Houston | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| W1 | San Antonio* | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| W8 | Denver | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| W1 | San Antonio* | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| W5 | LA Lakers | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| W4 | Seattle | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| W5 | LA Lakers | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| W1 | San Antonio* | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Western Conference | |||||||||||||||||||
| W6 | Houston | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| W3 | Utah | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| W6 | Houston | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| W6 | Houston | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| W2 | Phoenix* | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| W2 | Phoenix* | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| W7 | Portland | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
- * Division winner
- Bold Series winner
- Italic Team with home-court advantage
First round
Eastern Conference first round
(1) Orlando Magic vs. (8) Boston Celtics
April 28 7:00 PM |
| Boston Celtics 77, Orlando Magic 124 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 13–30, 23–24, 20–34, 21–36 | ||
| Pts: Dee Brown 20 Rebs: Dominique Wilkins 9 Asts: Sherman Douglas 6 |
Pts: Shaquille O'Neal 23 Rebs: Horace Grant 14 Asts: Penny Hardaway 5 | |
| Orlando leads series, 1–0 | ||
Orlando Arena, Orlando, Florida Attendance: 16,010 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Ken Mauer, Bennett Salvatore |
April 30 12:30 PM |
| Boston Celtics 99, Orlando Magic 92 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 29–22, 18–25, 26–25, 26–20 | ||
| Pts: Dominique Wilkins 24 Rebs: Brown, Radja 8 each Asts: Sherman Douglas 15 |
Pts: Penny Hardaway 26 Rebs: Horace Grant 14 Asts: Penny Hardaway 8 | |
| Series tied, 1–1 | ||
May 3 7:00 PM |
| Orlando Magic 82, Boston Celtics 77 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 19–24, 26–17, 21–22, 16–14 | ||
| Pts: Nick Anderson 24 Rebs: Shaquille O'Neal 21 Asts: Penny Hardaway 8 |
Pts: Brown, Wilkins 16 each Rebs: Pervis Ellison 10 Asts: Sherman Douglas 7 | |
| Orlando leads series, 2–1 | ||
Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts Attendance: 14,890 Referees: Nolan Fine, Jess Kersey, Eddie F. Rush |
May 5 7:00 PM |
| Orlando Magic 95, Boston Celtics 92 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–19, 30–27, 19–26, 22–20 | ||
| Pts: Shaquille O'Neal 25 Rebs: Shaquille O'Neal 13 Asts: Penny Hardaway 13 |
Pts: Dominique Wilkins 22 Rebs: Dominique Wilkins 18 Asts: Douglas, Brown 5 each | |
| Orlando wins series, 3–1 | ||
Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts Attendance: 14,890 Referees: Dan Crawford, Bob Delaney, Mike Mathis |
- Game 4 was the last game at Boston Garden.
| Orlando won 3–2 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the first playoff meeting between the Celtics and the Magic.[3]
(2) Indiana Pacers vs. (7) Atlanta Hawks
April 27 8:00 PM |
| Atlanta Hawks 82, Indiana Pacers 90 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–31, 23–13, 20–26, 15–20 | ||
| Pts: Grant Long 18 Rebs: Grant Long 11 Asts: Mookie Blaylock 9 |
Pts: Reggie Miller 24 Rebs: Derrick McKey 9 Asts: Mark Jackson 9 | |
| Indiana leads series, 1–0 | ||
Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, Indiana Attendance: 16,445 Referees: Hue Hollins, Jack Nies, Tommy Nunez Sr. |
April 29 7:00 PM |
| Atlanta Hawks 97, Indiana Pacers 105 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 18–31, 25–28, 26–24, 28–22 | ||
| Pts: Steve Smith 27 Rebs: Grant Long 13 Asts: Smith, Blaylock 3 each |
Pts: Reggie Miller 39 Rebs: Rik Smits 11 Asts: Mark Jackson 7 | |
| Indiana leads series, 2–0 | ||
Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, Indiana Attendance: 16,692 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Lee Jones, Bennett Salvatore |
May 2 7:00 PM |
| Indiana Pacers 105, Atlanta Hawks 89 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–28, 27–24, 34–20, 20–17 | ||
| Pts: Reggie Miller 32 Rebs: Rik Smits 14 Asts: Mark Jackson 7 |
Pts: Mookie Blaylock 20 Rebs: Grant Long 10 Asts: Mookie Blaylock 5 | |
| Indiana wins series, 3–0 | ||
| Indiana won 4–1 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 |
|---|
(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Cleveland Cavaliers
April 27 7:00 PM |
| Cleveland Cavaliers 79, New York Knicks 103 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–27, 14–20, 18–29, 23–27 | ||
| Pts: Danny Ferry 20 Rebs: Tyrone Hill 8 Asts: Mark Price 4 |
Pts: Patrick Ewing 21 Rebs: Charles Oakley 11 Asts: John Starks 7 | |
| New York leads series, 1–0 | ||
Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Attendance: 19,763 Referees: Joe Crawford, Paul Mihalak, Eddie F. Rush |
April 29 1:00 PM |
| Cleveland Cavaliers 90, New York Knicks 84 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–18, 23–24, 22–19, 24–23 | ||
| Pts: Mills, Phills 21 each Rebs: Hot Rod Williams 6 Asts: Mark Price 7 |
Pts: Ewing, Starks 21 each Rebs: Patrick Ewing 12 Asts: Charles Oakley 5 | |
| Series tied, 1–1 | ||
Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Attendance: 19,763 Referees: Hue Hollins, Jack Nies, Tommy Nunez Sr. |
May 1 8:00 PM |
| New York Knicks 83, Cleveland Cavaliers 81 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 12–20, 25–18, 20–21, 26–22 | ||
| Pts: Patrick Ewing 23 Rebs: Patrick Ewing 10 Asts: Derek Harper 5 |
Pts: Mark Price 21 Rebs: Michael Cage 8 Asts: Mark Price 6 | |
| New York leads series, 2–1 | ||
May 4 6:00 PM |
| New York Knicks 93, Cleveland Cavaliers 80 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 27–17, 27–26, 24–19, 15–18 | ||
| Pts: Derek Harper 30 Rebs: Patrick Ewing 13 Asts: Charles Oakley 8 |
Pts: Bobby Phills 20 Rebs: Hot Rod Williams 7 Asts: Mark Price 9 | |
| New York wins series, 3–1 | ||
| Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Knicks winning the first meeting.
| New York leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
(4) Charlotte Hornets vs. (5) Chicago Bulls
April 28 8:00 PM |
| Chicago Bulls 108, Charlotte Hornets 100 (OT) | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 31–30, 20–19, 20–18, 21–25, Overtime: 16–8 | ||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 48 Rebs: Michael Jordan 9 Asts: Toni Kukoč 9 |
Pts: Alonzo Mourning 32 Rebs: Alonzo Mourning 13 Asts: Muggsy Bogues 10 | |
| Chicago leads series, 1–0 | ||
Charlotte Coliseum, Charlotte, North Carolina Attendance: 23,859 Referees: Joe DeRosa, Hugh Evans, Bill Oakes |
April 30 5:30 PM |
| Chicago Bulls 89, Charlotte Hornets 106 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 28–25, 26–27, 20–27, 15–27 | ||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 32 Rebs: Scottie Pippen 8 Asts: Michael Jordan 7 |
Pts: Larry Johnson 25 Rebs: Alonzo Mourning 20 Asts: Muggsy Bogues 7 | |
| Series tied, 1–1 | ||
May 2 8:00 PM |
| Charlotte Hornets 80, Chicago Bulls 103 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–24, 20–26, 18–34, 20–19 | ||
| Pts: Larry Johnson 22 Rebs: Alonzo Mourning 7 Asts: four players 3 each |
Pts: Michael Jordan 25 Rebs: Jordan, Perdue 6 each Asts: Scottie Pippen 9 | |
| Chicago leads series, 2–1 | ||
May 4 8:30 PM |
| Charlotte Hornets 84, Chicago Bulls 85 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 25–30, 19–24, 24–11, 16–20 | ||
| Pts: Alonzo Mourning 20 Rebs: Alonzo Mourning 13 Asts: Wingate, Bogues 5 each |
Pts: Jordan, Pippen 24 each Rebs: Toni Kukoč 11 Asts: Scottie Pippen 6 | |
| Chicago wins series, 3–1 | ||
United Center, Chicago, Illinois Attendance: 24,221 Referees: Joe Crawford, Ronnie Nunn, Bennett Salvatore |
Michael Jordan made the series winning free throws with 1:07 left
| Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the first playoff meeting between the Hornets and the Bulls.[6]
Western Conference first round
(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (8) Denver Nuggets
April 28 9:30 PM |
| Denver Nuggets 88, San Antonio Spurs 104 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 29–25, 14–23, 17–30, 28–26 | ||
| Pts: Bryant Stith 16 Rebs: Bison Dele 12 Asts: three players 3 each |
Pts: Sean Elliott 21 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 11 Asts: Avery Johnson 8 | |
| San Antonio leads series, 1–0 | ||
Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas Attendance: 25,235 Referees: Joe Forte, Jake O'Donnell, Derrick Stafford |
April 30 8:00 PM |
| Denver Nuggets 96, San Antonio Spurs 122 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 23–26, 16–34, 28–31, 29–31 | ||
| Pts: Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf 21 Rebs: Dale Ellis 10 Asts: Jalen Rose 10 |
Pts: Robinson, Rodman 19 each Rebs: Dennis Rodman 16 Asts: Avery Johnson 9 | |
| San Antonio leads series, 2–0 | ||
May 2 9:30 PM |
| San Antonio Spurs 99, Denver Nuggets 95 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 27–24, 30–26, 24–21, 18–24 | ||
| Pts: Robinson, Johnson 24 each Rebs: Dennis Rodman 13 Asts: David Robinson 5 |
Pts: Rogers, Smith 18 each Rebs: Rodney Rogers 9 Asts: Jalen Rose 7 | |
| San Antonio wins series, 3–0 | ||
McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, Colorado Attendance: 17,171 Referees: Dan Crawford, Joe Crawford, Paul Mihalak |
- Game 3 was the final playoff game at McNichols Sports Arena.
| San Antonio won 4–1 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Spurs winning two of the first three meetings.
| San Antonio leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (7) Portland Trail Blazers
April 28 10:30 PM |
| Portland Trail Blazers 102, Phoenix Suns 129 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 31–30, 31–32, 16–30, 24–37 | ||
| Pts: Rod Strickland 23 Rebs: Grant, Dudley 7 each Asts: Rod Strickland 13 |
Pts: Charles Barkley 29 Rebs: Charles Barkley 16 Asts: Kevin Johnson 10 | |
| Phoenix leads series, 1–0 | ||
America West Arena, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 19,023 Referees: Steve Javie, Ed T. Rush, Greg Willard |
April 30 3:00 PM |
| Portland Trail Blazers 94, Phoenix Suns 103 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 27–30, 30–23, 17–27, 20–23 | ||
| Pts: Rod Strickland 26 Rebs: Buck Williams 7 Asts: Rod Strickland 12 |
Pts: Kevin Johnson 28 Rebs: A.C. Green 15 Asts: Kevin Johnson 6 | |
| Phoenix leads series, 2–0 | ||
May 2 10:30 PM |
| Phoenix Suns 117, Portland Trail Blazers 109 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 34–25, 29–29, 27–24, 27–31 | ||
| Pts: Charles Barkley 47 Rebs: Charles Barkley 12 Asts: Kevin Johnson 11 |
Pts: Rod Strickland 21 Rebs: Clifford Robinson 10 Asts: Rod Strickland 12 | |
| Phoenix wins series, 3–0 | ||
- Game 3 was the Blazers' final game at Memorial Coliseum.
| Phoenix won 5–0 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 |
|---|
(3) Utah Jazz vs. (6) Houston Rockets
April 27 9:30 PM |
| Houston Rockets 100, Utah Jazz 102 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–19, 28–29, 23–22, 27–32 | ||
| Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 45 Rebs: Pete Chilcutt 9 Asts: Hakeem Olajuwon 6 |
Pts: John Stockton 28 Rebs: Karl Malone 14 Asts: John Stockton 10 | |
| Utah leads series, 1–0 | ||
- John Stockton made the game-winning lay-up with 2.4 seconds left.
April 29 9:30 PM |
| Houston Rockets 140, Utah Jazz 126 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 39–32, 30–32, 39–21, 32–41 | ||
| Pts: Kenny Smith 32 Rebs: Olajuwon, Horry 7 each Asts: Kenny Smith 9 |
Pts: Karl Malone 28 Rebs: Karl Malone 17 Asts: John Stockton 12 | |
| Series tied, 1–1 | ||
Delta Center, Salt Lake City, Utah Attendance: 19,911 Referees: Bernie Fryer, Jess Kersey, Ronnie Nunn |
May 3 9:30 PM |
| Utah Jazz 95, Houston Rockets 82 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 20–23, 26–18, 24–24, 25–17 | ||
| Pts: Karl Malone 32 Rebs: Karl Malone 19 Asts: John Stockton 13 |
Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 30 Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 10 Asts: Horry, Smith 5 each | |
| Utah leads series, 2–1 | ||
May 5 9:30 PM |
| Utah Jazz 106, Houston Rockets 123 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 27–32, 26–35, 25–32, 28–24 | ||
| Pts: Karl Malone 31 Rebs: David Benoit 7 Asts: John Stockton 11 |
Pts: Clyde Drexler 41 Rebs: Clyde Drexler 9 Asts: Drexler, Smith 6 each | |
| Series tied, 2–2 | ||
May 7 3:00 PM |
| Houston Rockets 95, Utah Jazz 91 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 19–18, 23–26, 22–27, 31–20 | ||
| Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 33 Rebs: Olajuwon, Drexler 10 each Asts: Olajuwon, Cassell 4 each |
Pts: Karl Malone 35 Rebs: Karl Malone 10 Asts: Jeff Hornacek 6 | |
| Houston wins series, 3–2 | ||
| Utah won 3–2 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 |
|---|
(4) Seattle SuperSonics vs. (5) Los Angeles Lakers
April 27 10:30 PM |
| Los Angeles Lakers 71, Seattle SuperSonics 96 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–29, 20–21, 15–18, 14–28 | ||
| Pts: Nick Van Exel 29 Rebs: Divac, Campbell 6 each Asts: four players 2 each |
Pts: Shawn Kemp 21 Rebs: Kemp, Perkins 7 each Asts: Nate McMillan 8 | |
| Seattle leads series, 1–0 | ||
April 29 3:30 PM |
| Los Angeles Lakers 84, Seattle SuperSonics 82 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 30–22, 13–14, 26–35, 15–11 | ||
| Pts: Cedric Ceballos 25 Rebs: Vlade Divac 7 Asts: Vlade Divac 6 |
Pts: Shawn Kemp 22 Rebs: Shawn Kemp 12 Asts: Gary Payton 6 | |
| Series tied, 1–1 | ||
May 1 10:30 PM |
| Seattle SuperSonics 101, Los Angeles Lakers 105 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 22–34, 25–22, 25–25, 29–24 | ||
| Pts: Shawn Kemp 30 Rebs: Shawn Kemp 11 Asts: Nate McMillan 10 |
Pts: Cedric Ceballos 24 Rebs: Vlade Divac 9 Asts: Van Exel, Ceballos 6 each | |
| LA Lakers lead series, 2–1 | ||
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California Attendance: 17,505 Referees: Bernie Fryer, Hue Hollins, Ronnie Nunn |
May 4 11:00 PM |
| Seattle SuperSonics 110, Los Angeles Lakers 114 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 35–26, 24–29, 31–27, 20–32 | ||
| Pts: Gary Payton 27 Rebs: Shawn Kemp 18 Asts: three players 6 each |
Pts: Nick Van Exel 34 Rebs: Vlade Divac 11 Asts: Nick Van Exel 9 | |
| LA Lakers win series, 3–1 | ||
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California Attendance: 17,505 Referees: Hugh Evans, Paul Mihalak, Bill Oakes |
| Los Angeles won 4–1 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning three of the first five meetings.
| Los Angeles leads 3–2 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
Conference semifinals
Eastern Conference semifinals
(1) Orlando Magic vs. (5) Chicago Bulls
May 7 5:30 PM |
| Chicago Bulls 91, Orlando Magic 94 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 19–22, 24–21, 22–26, 26–25 | ||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 19 Rebs: Scottie Pippen 10 Asts: Jordan, Pippen 7 each |
Pts: Shaquille O'Neal 26 Rebs: Shaquille O'Neal 12 Asts: Hardaway, Shaw 6 each | |
| Orlando leads series, 1–0 | ||
- Nick Anderson's clutch steal off Michael Jordan led to his comments on Jordan's jersey number 45, saying he thought Jordan was playing like a 45-year-old. Meanwhile, Horace Grant went up for the game-winning dunk with 6.2 seconds remaining.
May 10 8:00 PM |
| Chicago Bulls 104, Orlando Magic 94 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–20, 28–28, 31–23, 24–23 | ||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 38 Rebs: Kukoč, Perdue 8 each Asts: Scottie Pippen 5 |
Pts: Shaquille O'Neal 25 Rebs: Horace Grant 15 Asts: Penny Hardaway 7 | |
| Series tied, 1–1 | ||
- Jordan returned to his more familiar jersey number 23.
May 12 8:00 PM |
| Orlando Magic 110, Chicago Bulls 101 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 32–37, 33–24, 15–20, 30–20 | ||
| Pts: Shaquille O'Neal 28 Rebs: Horace Grant 14 Asts: Penny Hardaway 8 |
Pts: Michael Jordan 40 Rebs: Scottie Pippen 12 Asts: Toni Kukoč 7 | |
| Orlando leads series, 2–1 | ||
May 14 5:30 PM |
| Orlando Magic 95, Chicago Bulls 106 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 20–34, 28–25, 24–21, 23–26 | ||
| Pts: Horace Grant 21 Rebs: Horace Grant 13 Asts: Shaquille O'Neal 9 |
Pts: Michael Jordan 26 Rebs: Jordan, Pippen 7 each Asts: Toni Kukoč 9 | |
| Series tied, 2–2 | ||
May 16 6:00 PM |
| Chicago Bulls 95, Orlando Magic 103 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 29–25, 21–18, 20–35, 25–25 | ||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 39 Rebs: Scottie Pippen 11 Asts: Toni Kukoč 6 |
Pts: Horace Grant 24 Rebs: Shaquille O'Neal 22 Asts: Penny Hardaway 11 | |
| Orlando leads series, 3–2 | ||
May 18 7:00 PM |
| Orlando Magic 108, Chicago Bulls 102 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 31–36, 32–25, 22–22, 23–19 | ||
| Pts: Shaquille O'Neal 27 Rebs: Shaquille O'Neal 13 Asts: Penny Hardaway 7 |
Pts: Scottie Pippen 26 Rebs: Scottie Pippen 12 Asts: Michael Jordan 7 | |
| Orlando wins series, 4–2 | ||
| Orlando won 3–1 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the first playoff meeting between the Bulls and the Magic.[11]
(2) Indiana Pacers vs. (3) New York Knicks
May 7 12:30 PM |
| Indiana Pacers 107, New York Knicks 105 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 29–27, 25–32, 26–18, 27–28 | ||
| Pts: Rik Smits 34 Rebs: Dale Davis 13 Asts: Mark Jackson 7 |
Pts: John Starks 21 Rebs: Oakley, Ewing 10 each Asts: John Starks 7 | |
| Indiana leads series, 1–0 | ||
Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Attendance: 19,763 Referees: Joe Crawford, Bill Oakes, Eddie F. Rush |
- Reggie Miller scored 8 points in 8.9 seconds, including 2 straight 3's in 5.5 seconds, to rally from a 105–99 deficit.
May 9 8:00 PM |
| Indiana Pacers 77, New York Knicks 96 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 23–28, 27–20, 13–30, 14–18 | ||
| Pts: Dale Davis 13 Rebs: Dale Davis 9 Asts: Jackson, Workman 4 each |
Pts: Derek Harper 24 Rebs: Anthony Mason 8 Asts: Derek Harper 8 | |
| Series tied, 1–1 | ||
Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Attendance: 19,763 Referees: Bernie Fryer, Steve Javie, Mike Mathis |
May 11 8:00 PM |
| New York Knicks 95, Indiana Pacers 97 (OT) | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 29–24, 20–21, 24–20, 15–23, Overtime: 7–9 | ||
| Pts: Oakley, Starks 23 each Rebs: Charles Oakley 7 Asts: John Starks 9 |
Pts: Reggie Miller 26 Rebs: Reggie Miller 11 Asts: Mark Jackson 4 | |
| Indiana leads series, 2–1 | ||
Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, Indiana Attendance: 16,675 Referees: Dan Crawford, Bob Delaney, Ed T. Rush |
- Rik Smits hit the game-tying jumper with 34 seconds left to force OT.
May 13 3:30 PM |
| New York Knicks 84, Indiana Pacers 98 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–24, 23–19, 17–34, 23–21 | ||
| Pts: Patrick Ewing 25 Rebs: Charles Oakley 10 Asts: Derek Harper 10 |
Pts: Rik Smits 25 Rebs: Rik Smits 11 Asts: Mark Jackson 11 | |
| Indiana leads series, 3–1 | ||
Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, Indiana Attendance: 16,678 Referees: Ron Garretson, Hue Hollins, Tommy Nunez Sr. |
May 17 8:00 PM |
| Indiana Pacers 95, New York Knicks 96 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 28–34, 22–19, 24–17, 21–26 | ||
| Pts: Rik Smits 28 Rebs: Antonio Davis 9 Asts: Reggie Miller 6 |
Pts: Patrick Ewing 19 Rebs: Charles Oakley 13 Asts: John Starks 7 | |
| Indiana leads series, 3–2 | ||
Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Attendance: 19,763 Referees: Hugh Evans, Ed Middleton, Bennett Salvatore |
- Patrick Ewing hit the game-winner with 1.8 seconds left.
May 19 8:00 PM |
| New York Knicks 92, Indiana Pacers 82 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–21, 18–22, 27–13, 23–26 | ||
| Pts: Patrick Ewing 25 Rebs: Patrick Ewing 15 Asts: Derek Harper 7 |
Pts: Rik Smits 21 Rebs: Antonio Davis 8 Asts: Derrick McKey 6 | |
| Series tied, 3–3 | ||
Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, Indiana Attendance: 16,679 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Joe Crawford, Jack Nies |
May 21 3:30 PM |
| Indiana Pacers 97, New York Knicks 95 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 34–28, 22–24, 25–24, 16–19 | ||
| Pts: Reggie Miller 29 Rebs: Mark Jackson 8 Asts: Mark Jackson 8 |
Pts: Patrick Ewing 29 Rebs: Patrick Ewing 14 Asts: Harper, Oakley 6 each | |
| Indiana wins series, 4–3 | ||
Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Attendance: 19,763 Referees: Steve Javie, Jess Kersey, Ed T. Rush |
- Ewing missed the game tying lay-up at the buzzer; the Pacers became the 4th NBA road team to win Game 7 after leading series 3–1.
| New York 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 semifinals
(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (5) Los Angeles Lakers
May 6 |
| Los Angeles Lakers 94, San Antonio Spurs 110 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 30–30, 18–28, 25–22, 21–30 | ||
| Pts: Elden Campbell 29 Rebs: Vlade Divac 11 Asts: Nick Van Exel 12 |
Pts: David Robinson 33 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 12 Asts: Avery Johnson 12 | |
| San Antonio leads series, 1–0 | ||
Alamodome, San Antonio, Texas Attendance: 24,002 Referees: Ed T. Rush, Bennett Salvatore, Greg Willard |
May 8 |
| Los Angeles Lakers 90, San Antonio Spurs 97 (OT) | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 20–26, 20–23, 20–14, 23–20, Overtime: 7–14 | ||
| Pts: Elden Campbell 25 Rebs: Elden Campbell 18 Asts: Nick Van Exel 10 |
Pts: Robinson, Rodman 22 each Rebs: Dennis Rodman 22 Asts: Avery Johnson 9 | |
| San Antonio leads series, 2–0 | ||
May 12 |
| San Antonio Spurs 85, Los Angeles Lakers 92 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 11–28, 32–25, 22–23, 20–16 | ||
| Pts: David Robinson 34 Rebs: David Robinson 13 Asts: Avery Johnson 8 |
Pts: Nick Van Exel 25 Rebs: Vlade Divac 13 Asts: Nick Van Exel 8 | |
| San Antonio leads series, 2–1 | ||
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California Attendance: 17,505 Referees: Mike Mathis, Jack Nies, Don Vaden |
May 14 |
| San Antonio Spurs 80, Los Angeles Lakers 71 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 27–17, 19–22, 15–12, 19–20 | ||
| Pts: David Robinson 26 Rebs: David Robinson 22 Asts: Avery Johnson 7 |
Pts: Vlade Divac 14 Rebs: George Lynch 8 Asts: Van Exel, Peeler 5 each | |
| San Antonio leads series, 3–1 | ||
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California Attendance: 17,505 Referees: Hugh Evans, Bill Oakes, Eddie F. Rush |
May 16 |
| Los Angeles Lakers 98, San Antonio Spurs 96 (OT) | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 29–24, 26–25, 21–20, 12–19, Overtime: 10–8 | ||
| Pts: Nick Van Exel 22 Rebs: Vlade Divac 15 Asts: Nick Van Exel 7 |
Pts: David Robinson 34 Rebs: David Robinson 17 Asts: Avery Johnson 12 | |
| San Antonio leads series, 3–2 | ||
- Nick Van Exel hit the game-tying 3 with 10.2 seconds left in regulation, then the game-winning 3 with 5 tenths left in OT.
May 18 |
| San Antonio Spurs 100, Los Angeles Lakers 88 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–18, 23–26, 32–24, 21–20 | ||
| Pts: David Robinson 31 Rebs: David Robinson 15 Asts: Avery Johnson 11 |
Pts: Elden Campbell 21 Rebs: Elden Campbell 8 Asts: Nick Van Exel 11 | |
| San Antonio wins series, 4–2 | ||
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California Attendance: 17,505 Referees: Dan Crawford, Bernie Fryer, Hue Hollins |
| San Antonio won 3–1 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first four meetings.
| Los Angeles leads 4–0 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (6) Houston Rockets
May 9 |
| Houston Rockets 108, Phoenix Suns 130 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 30–32, 27–43, 24–31, 27–24 | ||
| Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 18 Rebs: Chucky Brown 6 Asts: Kenny Smith 10 |
Pts: Charles Barkley 26 Rebs: A.C. Green 15 Asts: Kevin Johnson 13 | |
| Phoenix leads series, 1–0 | ||
America West Arena, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 19,023 Referees: Joe Forte, Tommy Nunez Sr., Jake O'Donnell |
May 11 |
| Houston Rockets 94, Phoenix Suns 118 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 19–35, 21–26, 30–25, 24–32 | ||
| Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 25 Rebs: Robert Horry 8 Asts: Clyde Drexler 7 |
Pts: Charles Barkley 30 Rebs: A.C. Green 14 Asts: Kevin Johnson 12 | |
| Phoenix leads series, 2–0 | ||
America West Arena, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 19,023 Referees: Joe Crawford, Terry Durham, Ronnie Nunn |
May 13 |
| Phoenix Suns 85, Houston Rockets 118 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–29, 19–33, 18–25, 27–31 | ||
| Pts: Kevin Johnson 14 Rebs: A.C. Green 9 Asts: three players 4 each |
Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 36 Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 11 Asts: Clyde Drexler 8 | |
| Phoenix leads series, 2–1 | ||
May 14 |
| Phoenix Suns 114, Houston Rockets 110 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–28, 30–36, 37–24, 23–22 | ||
| Pts: Kevin Johnson 43 Rebs: A.C. Green 12 Asts: Kevin Johnson 9 |
Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 38 Rebs: Robert Horry 17 Asts: Sam Cassell 9 | |
| Phoenix leads series, 3–1 | ||
May 16 |
| Houston Rockets 103, Phoenix Suns 97 (OT) | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 28–24, 21–27, 27–28, 16–13, Overtime: 11–5 | ||
| Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 31 Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 16 Asts: Kenny Smith 7 |
Pts: Kevin Johnson 28 Rebs: A.C. Green 20 Asts: Kevin Johnson 8 | |
| Phoenix leads series, 3–2 | ||
America West Arena, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 19,023 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Terry Durham, Steve Javie |
May 18 |
| Phoenix Suns 103, Houston Rockets 116 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 30–33, 28–22, 26–32, 19–29 | ||
| Pts: Charles Barkley 34 Rebs: Charles Barkley 14 Asts: Kevin Johnson 10 |
Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 30 Rebs: Olajuwon, Drexler 8 each Asts: Hakeem Olajuwon 10 | |
| Series tied, 3–3 | ||
May 20 |
| Houston Rockets 115, Phoenix Suns 114 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 13–26, 28–25, 40–28, 34–35 | ||
| Pts: Olajuwon, Drexler 29 each Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 11 Asts: Sam Cassell 7 |
Pts: Kevin Johnson 46 Rebs: Charles Barkley 23 Asts: Kevin Johnson 10 | |
| Houston wins series, 4–3 | ||
America West Arena, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 19,023 Referees: Hugh Evans, Hue Hollins, Bennett Salvatore |
- After Mario Elie's game-winning "Kiss of Death" three-pointer with 7.1 seconds left, the Rockets became the 5th team in NBA history to overcome a 3–1 series deficit. The Rockets would also overcome a 3–1 deficit 20 years later against the Los Angeles Clippers.
| Houston won 3–1 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 |
|---|
Conference finals
Eastern Conference finals
(1) Orlando Magic vs. (2) Indiana Pacers
May 23 8:00 PM |
| Indiana Pacers 101, Orlando Magic 105 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 27–23, 26–25, 21–35, 27–22 | ||
| Pts: Reggie Miller 26 Rebs: Dale Davis 8 Asts: Mark Jackson 7 |
Pts: Shaquille O'Neal 32 Rebs: Horace Grant 12 Asts: Penny Hardaway 14 | |
| Orlando leads series, 1–0 | ||
May 25 8:00 PM |
| Indiana Pacers 114, Orlando Magic 119 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 23–34, 29–27, 31–28, 31–30 | ||
| Pts: Reggie Miller 37 Rebs: Dale Davis 13 Asts: Rik Smits 6 |
Pts: Shaquille O'Neal 39 Rebs: Horace Grant 12 Asts: Penny Hardaway 15 | |
| Orlando leads series, 2–0 | ||
Orlando Arena, Orlando, Florida Attendance: 16,010 Referees: Jess Kersey, Paul Mihalak, Bennett Salvatore |
May 27 3:30 PM |
| Orlando Magic 100, Indiana Pacers 105 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 23–29, 33–26, 24–27, 20–23 | ||
| Pts: Penny Hardaway 29 Rebs: Jeff Turner 7 Asts: three players 4 each |
Pts: Reggie Miller 26 Rebs: Antonio Davis 10 Asts: Mark Jackson 13 | |
| Orlando leads series, 2–1 | ||
Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, Indiana Attendance: 16,477 Referees: Hue Hollins, Bill Oakes, Eddie F. Rush |
May 29 3:30 PM |
| Orlando Magic 93, Indiana Pacers 94 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 26–26, 21–27, 24–22, 22–19 | ||
| Pts: Penny Hardaway 26 Rebs: Horace Grant 12 Asts: Brian Shaw 5 |
Pts: Reggie Miller 23 Rebs: Jackson, Smits 7 each Asts: Rik Smits 7 | |
| Series tied, 2–2 | ||
Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, Indiana Attendance: 16,477 Referees: Steve Javie, Mike Mathis, Jack Nies |
- Four straight go-ahead shots to end the game: 1st, Brian Shaw's 3 with 13.3 seconds left; 2nd, Reggie Miller's 3 with 5.2 seconds left; 3rd, Penny Hardaway's 3 with 1.3 seconds left; finally, Rik Smits' buzzer-beating 2.
May 31 9:00 PM |
| Indiana Pacers 106, Orlando Magic 108 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 32–26, 18–32, 22–25, 34–25 | ||
| Pts: Miller, McKey 21 each Rebs: Derrick McKey 9 Asts: Mark Jackson 11 |
Pts: Shaquille O'Neal 35 Rebs: Shaquille O'Neal 13 Asts: Penny Hardaway 8 | |
| Orlando leads series, 3–2 | ||
June 2 9:00 PM |
| Orlando Magic 96, Indiana Pacers 123 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 20–31, 20–34, 22–29, 34–29 | ||
| Pts: Shaquille O'Neal 26 Rebs: Horace Grant 9 Asts: Nick Anderson 5 |
Pts: Reggie Miller 36 Rebs: Smits, D. Davis 10 each Asts: Mark Jackson 12 | |
| Series tied, 3–3 | ||
Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, Indiana Attendance: 16,477 Referees: Dan Crawford, Ron Garretson, Ed T. Rush |
June 4 7:00 PM |
| Indiana Pacers 81, Orlando Magic 105 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 24–27, 21–25, 18–28, 18–25 | ||
| Pts: Dale Davis 15 Rebs: Dale Davis 14 Asts: Mark Jackson 5 |
Pts: Shaquille O'Neal 25 Rebs: Shaquille O'Neal 11 Asts: Nick Anderson 7 | |
| Orlando wins series, 4–3 | ||
| Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Pacers winning the first meeting.
| Indiana leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
Western Conference finals
(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (6) Houston Rockets
May 22 9:00 PM |
| Houston Rockets 94, San Antonio Spurs 93 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 26–23, 26–30, 22–15, 20–25 | ||
| Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 27 Rebs: Clyde Drexler 12 Asts: Hakeem Olajuwon 6 |
Pts: Sean Elliott 24 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 20 Asts: Avery Johnson 9 | |
| Houston leads series, 1–0 | ||
- Robert Horry hits the game-winner with 6.5 seconds left.
May 24 9:00 PM |
| Houston Rockets 106, San Antonio Spurs 96 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–16, 28–25, 25–27, 32–28 | ||
| Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 41 Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 16 Asts: Elie, Cassell 7 each |
Pts: David Robinson 32 Rebs: David Robinson 12 Asts: Elliott, Anderson 5 each | |
| Houston leads series, 2–0 | ||
May 26 9:00 PM |
| San Antonio Spurs 107, Houston Rockets 102 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 31–37, 21–24, 27–19, 28–22 | ||
| Pts: David Robinson 29 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 14 Asts: Avery Johnson 13 |
Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 43 Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 11 Asts: Clyde Drexler 9 | |
| Houston leads series, 2–1 | ||
May 28 3:30 PM |
| San Antonio Spurs 103, Houston Rockets 81 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 26–22, 28–23, 24–13, 25–23 | ||
| Pts: David Robinson 20 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 19 Asts: Johnson, Del Negro 4 each |
Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 20 Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 14 Asts: Hakeem Olajuwon 5 | |
| Series tied, 2–2 | ||
May 30 9:00 PM |
| Houston Rockets 111, San Antonio Spurs 90 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 32–18, 18–27, 32–28, 29–17 | ||
| Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 42 Rebs: Robert Horry 13 Asts: Sam Cassell 12 |
Pts: David Robinson 22 Rebs: Robinson, Rodman 12 each Asts: Avery Johnson 7 | |
| Houston leads series, 3–2 | ||
June 1 9:00 PM |
| San Antonio Spurs 95, Houston Rockets 100 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–21, 23–23, 31–32, 20–24 | ||
| Pts: Robinson, Johnson 19 each Rebs: Dennis Rodman 17 Asts: Avery Johnson 10 |
Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 39 Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 17 Asts: Clyde Drexler 7 | |
| Houston wins series, 4–2 | ||
| San Antonio won 5–1 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Rockets winning the first two meetings.
| Houston leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series |
|---|
NBA Finals: (E1) Orlando Magic vs. (W6) Houston Rockets
June 7 |
| Houston Rockets 120, Orlando Magic 118 (OT) | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 19–30, 31–31, 37–19, 23–30, Overtime: 10–8 | ||
| Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 31 Rebs: Clyde Drexler 11 Asts: Kenny Smith 9 |
Pts: Hardaway, O'Neal 26 each Rebs: Grant, O'Neal 16 each Asts: Shaquille O'Neal 9 | |
| Houston leads series, 1–0 | ||
- Nick Anderson missed 4 straight free throws to set up Kenny Smith's game-tying 3 with 1.6 seconds left; Robert Horry blocked Dennis Scott's game-winning 3-point attempt at the buzzer in regulation; Hakeem Olajuwon tipped in Clyde Drexler's missed layup with 3 tenths left in OT.
June 9 |
| Houston Rockets 117, Orlando Magic 106 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 28–19, 35–22, 27–30, 27–35 | ||
| Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 34 Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 11 Asts: Clyde Drexler 5 |
Pts: Shaquille O'Neal 33 Rebs: Shaquille O'Neal 12 Asts: Penny Hardaway 8 | |
| Houston leads series, 2–0 | ||
- Orlando became the 2nd team in NBA Finals history to lose the first two games at home while having home-court advantage.
June 11 |
| Orlando Magic 103, Houston Rockets 106 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 30–28, 23–26, 22–21, 28–31 | ||
| Pts: Shaquille O'Neal 28 Rebs: three players 10 each Asts: Penny Hardaway 14 |
Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 31 Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 14 Asts: Drexler, Olajuwon 7 each | |
| Houston leads series, 3–0 | ||
- Robert Horry's clutch 3 with 14.1 seconds left put Houston up 104–100.
June 14 |
| Orlando Magic 101, Houston Rockets 113 | ||
| Scoring by quarter: 21–23, 30–24, 25–30, 25–36 | ||
| Pts: Hardaway, O'Neal 25 each Rebs: Grant, O'Neal 12 each Asts: Penny Hardaway 5 |
Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 35 Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 15 Asts: Clyde Drexler 8 | |
| Houston wins series, 4–0 | ||
- Hakeem Olajuwon brought the Finals to a close by hitting a three-pointer over Shaquille O'Neal with 11.5 seconds left.
| Orlando won 2–0 in the regular-season series |
|---|
This was the first playoff meeting between the Rockets and the Magic.[17]
Statistical leaders
| Category | Game High | Average | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Team | High | Player | Team | Avg. | GP | |
| Points | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls | 48 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Houston Rockets | 33.0 | 22 |
| Rebounds | Charles Barkley | Phoenix Suns | 23 | Dennis Rodman | San Antonio Spurs | 14.8 | 14 |
| Assists | Anfernee Hardaway Sherman Douglas |
Orlando Magic Boston Celtics |
15 | Rod Strickland | Portland Trail Blazers | 9.8 | 3 |
| Steals | Robert Horry | Houston Rockets | 7 | Nate McMillan | Seattle SuperSonics | 2.5 | 4 |
| Blocks | Alonzo Mourning | Charlotte Hornets | 7 | Alonzo Mourning | Charlotte Hornets | 3.3 | 4 |
Notes
- Both #5 seeds beat their #4 seeded opponent in the first round for the third straight year.
- The Rockets are the lowest seeded team to win a title (#6).
- In the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Pacers had earned the #2 seed via the Central Division title, but the Knicks had homecourt advantage because of a better regular season record.
- Jordan changed his number back to 23 after the game 1 loss to the Orlando Magic, which led to him being fined.
See also
References
- ^ Getz, Vin. "NBA Finals: Winners by Seed". Sports List of the Day. Archived from the original on September 18, 2016. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
- ^ Miller, Tony. "1994-95 NBA Season national TV schedule". 506 Sports. Retrieved August 17, 2024.
- ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Orlando Magic (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
- ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Atlanta Hawks versus Indiana Pacers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
- ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Cleveland Cavaliers versus New York Knicks (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
- ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Charlotte Hornets versus Chicago Bulls (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
- ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus San Antonio Spurs (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
- ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Phoenix Suns versus Portland Trail Blazers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
- ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Houston Rockets versus Utah Jazz (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
- ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Lakers versus Oklahoma City Thunder (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
- ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Chicago Bulls versus Orlando Magic (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
- ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Indiana Pacers versus New York Knicks (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
- ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Lakers versus San Antonio Spurs (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
- ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Houston Rockets versus Phoenix Suns (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
- ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Indiana Pacers versus Orlando Magic (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
- ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Houston Rockets versus San Antonio Spurs (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 2, 2015.
- ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Houston Rockets versus Orlando Magic (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved June 2, 2015.