1968 NBA playoffs

The 1968 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1967-68 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals.

1968 NBA playoffs
DatesMarch 22–May 2, 1968
Season1967–68
Teams8
ChampionsBoston Celtics (10th title)
Runners-upLos Angeles Lakers (11th finals appearance)
Semifinalists
← 1967 1969 →

The Celtics won their 10th NBA title, first under player/coach Bill Russell after Red Auerbach's retirement.

In the Eastern Division Finals, the Celtics became the first team in NBA history to rally from a 3-1 series deficit to win, as they knocked off the defending champion 76ers in 7. In the West, the Lakers swept the Warriors in 4 games.

It was the first time since 1954 that the top team in a division failed to make the Division Finals; from 1955–1966 the league gave the regular-season division champion a first-round bye. This year also marked a change in that the Division Semifinals were changed from a Best-of-Five to a Best-of-Seven.

Bracket
  Division Semifinals Division Finals NBA Finals
                           
  1 St. Louis 2  
3 San Francisco 4  
  3 San Francisco 0  
Western Division
    2 L.A. Lakers 4  
4 Chicago 1
  2 L.A. Lakers 4  
    W2 L.A. Lakers 2
  E2 Boston 4
  1 Philadelphia 4  
3 New York 2  
1 Philadelphia 3
Eastern Division
    2 Boston 4  
4 Detroit 2
  2 Boston 4  

Western Division

Champion: Los Angeles Lakers

Division Semifinals

(1) St. Louis Hawks vs. (3) San Francisco Warriors: Warriors win series 4-2

  • Game 1 @ St. Louis (March 22): San Francisco 111, St. Louis 106
  • Game 2 @ St. Louis (March 23): St. Louis 111, San Francisco 103
  • Game 3 @ San Francisco (March 26): San Francisco 124, St. Louis 109
  • Game 4 @ San Francisco (March 29): San Francisco 108, St. Louis 107 (Jeff Mullins hits the game-winner)
  • Game 5 @ St. Louis (March 31): St. Louis 129, San Francisco 103
  • Game 6 @ San Francisco (April 2): San Francisco 111, St. Louis 106 (Final game for the Hawks before moving to Atlanta.)

Last Playoff Meeting: 1967 Western Division Finals (San Francisco won 4-2)

(2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Chicago Bulls: Lakers win series 4-1

  • Game 1 @ Los Angeles (March 24): Los Angeles 109, Chicago 101
  • Game 2 @ Los Angeles (March 25): Los Angeles 111, Chicago 106
  • Game 3 @ Chicago (March 27): Chicago 104, Los Angeles 98
  • Game 4 @ Chicago (March 29): Los Angeles 93, Chicago 87
  • Game 5 @ Los Angeles (March 31): Los Angeles 122, Chicago 99

This is the first playoff meeting between the Lakers and Bulls.

Division Finals

(2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) San Francisco Warriors: Lakers win series 4-0

  • Game 1 @ Los Angeles (April 5): Los Angeles 133, San Francisco 105
  • Game 2 @ Los Angeles (April 10): Los Angeles 115, San Francisco 112
  • Game 3 @ San Francisco (April 11): Los Angeles 128, San Francisco 124
  • Game 4 @ San Francisco (April 13): Los Angeles 106, San Francisco 100

Last Playoff Meeting: 1967 Western Division Semifinals (San Francisco won 3-0)

Eastern Division

Champion: Boston Celtics

Division Semifinals

(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (3) New York Knicks: 76ers win series 4-2

  • Game 1 @ Philadelphia (March 22): Philadelphia 118, New York 110
  • Game 2 @ New York (March 23): New York 128, Philadelphia 117
  • Game 3 @ Philadelphia (March 27): Philadelphia 138, New York 132 (2OT)
  • Game 4 @ New York (March 30): New York 107, Philadelphia 98
  • Game 5 @ Philadelphia (March 31): Philadelphia 123, New York 105
  • Game 6 @ New York (April 1): Philadelphia 113, New York 97

Last Playoff Meeting: 1959 Eastern Division Semifinals (Syracuse, the predecessor to Philadelphia, won 3-2)

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Detroit Pistons: Celtics win series 4-2

  • Game 1 @ Boston (March 24): Boston 123, Detroit 116
  • Game 2 @ Detroit (March 25): Detroit 126, Boston 116
  • Game 3 @ Boston (March 27): Detroit 109, Boston 98
  • Game 4 @ Detroit (March 28): Boston 135, Detroit 110
  • Game 5 @ Boston (March 31): Boston 110, Detroit 96
  • Game 6 @ Detroit (April 1): Boston 111, Detroit 103

This is the first playoff meeting between the Celtics and the Pistons.

Division Finals

(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (2) Boston Celtics: Celtics win series 4-3

  • Game 1 @ Philadelphia (April 5): Boston 127, Philadelphia 118
  • Game 2 @ Boston (April 10): Philadelphia 115, Boston 106
  • Game 3 @ Philadelphia (April 11): Philadelphia 122, Boston 114
  • Game 4 @ Boston (April 14): Philadelphia 110, Boston 105
  • Game 5 @ Philadelphia (April 15): Boston 122, Philadelphia 104
  • Game 6 @ Boston (April 17): Boston 114, Philadelphia 106
  • Game 7 @ Philadelphia (April 19): Boston 100, Philadelphia 96 (The Celtics become the first team in playoff history to come back from a 3-1 series deficit)

Last Playoff Meeting: 1967 Eastern Division Finals (Philadelphia won 4-1)

NBA Finals
Main article: 1968 NBA Finals

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Los Angeles Lakers: Celtics win series 4-2

  • Game 1 @ Boston (April 21): Boston 107, Los Angeles 101
  • Game 2 @ Boston (April 24): Los Angeles 123, Boston 113
  • Game 3 @ Los Angeles (April 26): Boston 127, Los Angeles 119
  • Game 4 @ Los Angeles (April 28): Los Angeles 118, Boston 105
  • Game 5 @ Boston (April 30): Boston 120, Los Angeles 117 (OT)
  • Game 6 @ Los Angeles (May 2): Boston 124, Los Angeles 109

Last Playoff Meeting: 1966 NBA Finals (Boston won 4-3)

See also
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