1985 NBA playoffs

The 1985 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1984–85 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was named NBA Finals MVP for the second time (he had won the award under his birth name, Lew Alcindor, as a Buck in 1971).

1985 NBA playoffs
DatesApril 17–June 9, 1985
Season1984–85
Teams16
ChampionsLos Angeles Lakers (9th title)
Runners-upBoston Celtics (17th finals appearance)
Semifinalists
← 1984 1986 →

The Lakers had been unsuccessful in their previous eight attempts to defeat the Celtics in the NBA Finals, losing 7 times from 1959–1969 and 1984. The Lakers, moreover, won the title in Boston, something no other NBA team has ever accomplished.

The Cavaliers made the playoffs for the first time since 1978.

It was also the first time that all three teams from Texas made the playoffs in the same year.

The Denver Nuggets advanced to the conference finals for the first time since 1978 and would not advance that far again until 2009. The Philadelphia 76ers, on the other hand, advanced to the conference finals for the fifth time in six years, but would not reach that level again until 2001.

It was also the first time that Turner Broadcasting was covering the playoffs as TBS was the home for some playoff games.

Games 3 and 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals at the Spectrum forced a Phil Collins concert at the arena to be rescheduled to the fall of 1985, as noted by Charlie Van Dyke when he sub-hosted an episode of American Top 40 on July 6 of that year.

Bracket
  First Round Conference Semifinals Conference Finals NBA Finals
                                     
E1 Boston* 3  
E8 Cleveland 1  
  E1 Boston* 4  
  E4 Detroit 2  
E4 Detroit 3
E5 New Jersey 0  
  E1 Boston* 4  
Eastern Conference
  E3 Philadelphia 1  
E3 Philadelphia 3  
E6 Washington 1  
  E3 Philadelphia 4
  E2 Milwaukee* 0  
E2 Milwaukee* 3
E7 Chicago 1  
  E1 Boston* 2
  W1 LA Lakers* 4
W1 LA Lakers* 3  
W8 Phoenix 0  
  W1 LA Lakers* 4
  W5 Portland 1  
W4 Dallas 1
W5 Portland 3  
  W1 LA Lakers* 4
Western Conference
  W2 Denver* 1  
W3 Houston 2  
W6 Utah 3  
  W6 Utah 1
  W2 Denver* 4  
W2 Denver* 3
W7 San Antonio 2  


* Division winner
Bold Series winner
Italic Team with home-court advantage

First Round

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Cleveland Cavaliers

Celtics win series 3-1

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first meeting.

(2) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (7) Chicago Bulls
  • Game 1 @ The MECCA, Milwaukee (April 19): Milwaukee 109, Chicago 101
  • Game 2 @ The MECCA, Milwaukee (April 21): Milwaukee 122, Chicago 115
  • Game 3 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (April 24): Chicago 109, Milwaukee 107 (Michael Jordan hits his first playoff game-winner with 22 seconds left)
  • Game 4 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (April 26): Milwaukee 105, Chicago 97

Bucks win series 3-1

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bucks winning the first meeting.

(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) Washington Bullets
  • Game 1 @ The Spectrum, Philadelphia (April 17): Philadelphia 104, Washington 97
  • Game 2 @ The Spectrum, Philadelphia (April 21): Philadelphia 113, Washington 94
  • Game 3 @ Capital Centre, Landover (April 24): Washington 118, Philadelphia 100
  • Game 4 @ Capital Centre, Landover (April 26): Philadelphia 106, Washington 98

76ers win series 3-1

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bullets winning two of the first three meetings.

(4) Detroit Pistons vs. (5) New Jersey Nets

Pistons win series 3-0

This was the first playoff meeting between the Pistons and the Nets.[4]

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Phoenix Suns

Lakers win series 3-0

This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first four meetings.

(2) Denver Nuggets vs. (7) San Antonio Spurs

Nuggets win series 3-2

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Spurs winning the first meeting.

(3) Houston Rockets vs. (6) Utah Jazz

Jazz win series 3-2

This was the first playoff meeting between the Rockets and the Jazz.[7]

(4) Dallas Mavericks vs. (5) Portland Trail Blazers

Trail Blazers win series 3-1

This was the first playoff meeting between the Mavericks and the Trail Blazers.[8]

Conference Semifinals

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Detroit Pistons

Celtics win series 4-2

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first meeting.

(2) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers
  • Game 1 @ The MECCA, Milwaukee (April 28): Philadelphia 127, Milwaukee 105
  • Game 2 @ The MECCA, Milwaukee (April 30): Philadelphia 112, Milwaukee 108
  • Game 3 @ The Spectrum, Philadelphia (May 3): Philadelphia 109, Milwaukee 104
  • Game 4 @ The Spectrum, Philadelphia (May 5): Philadelphia 121, Milwaukee 112

76ers win series 4-0

This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the 76ers winning three of the first four meetings.

Western Conference Semifinals
A ticket for Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals between the Lakers and the Trail Blazers.

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Portland Trail Blazers
  • Game 1 @ The Forum, Los Angeles (April 27): Los Angeles 125, Portland 101
  • Game 2 @ The Forum, Los Angeles (April 30): Los Angeles 134, Portland 118
  • Game 3 @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland (May 3): Los Angeles 130, Portland 126
  • Game 4 @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland (May 5): Portland 115, Los Angeles 107
  • Game 5 @ The Forum, Los Angeles (May 7): Los Angeles 139, Portland 120

Lakers win series 4-1

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning one series apiece.

(2) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Utah Jazz

Nuggets win series 4-1

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Jazz winning the first meeting.

Conference Finals

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers
  • Game 1 @ Boston Garden, Boston (May 12): Boston 108, Philadelphia 93
  • Game 2 @ Boston Garden, Boston (May 14): Boston 106, Philadelphia 98
  • Game 3 @ The Spectrum, Philadelphia (May 18): Boston 105, Philadelphia 94
  • Game 4 @ The Spectrum, Philadelphia (May 19): Philadelphia 115, Boston 104
  • Game 5 @ Boston Garden, Boston (May 22): Boston 102, Philadelphia 100 (Larry Bird makes the game-saving steal to advance to the Finals for the Celtics)

Celtics win series 4-1

This was the 18th playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning nine of the first 17 meetings.

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (2) Denver Nuggets

Lakers win series 4-1

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first meeting.

NBA Finals: (E1) Boston Celtics vs. (W1) Los Angeles Lakers
Main article: 1985 NBA Finals
  • Game 1 @ Boston Garden, Boston (May 27): Boston 148, Los Angeles 114 ("Memorial Day Massacre")
  • Game 2 @ Boston Garden, Boston (May 30): Los Angeles 109, Boston 102
  • Game 3 @ The Forum, Los Angeles (June 2): Los Angeles 136, Boston 111 (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar breaks Jerry West's all-time playoff scoring record)
  • Game 4 @ The Forum, Los Angeles (June 5): Boston 107, Los Angeles 105 (Dennis Johnson hits the game-winner at the buzzer)
  • Game 5 @ The Forum, Los Angeles (June 7): Los Angeles 120, Boston 111
  • Game 6 @ Boston Garden, Boston (June 9): Los Angeles 111, Boston 100 (The Lakers become the first road team to win the NBA title in Boston Garden)

Lakers win series 4-2

This was the ninth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first eight meetings.

References
  1. "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Cleveland Cavaliers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  2. "Team Rivalry Finder — Chicago Bulls versus Milwaukee Bucks (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  3. "Team Rivalry Finder — Philadelphia 76ers versus Washington Wizards (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  4. "Team Rivalry Finder — Brooklyn Nets versus Detroit Pistons (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  5. "Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Lakers versus Phoenix Suns (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  6. "Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus San Antonio Spurs (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  7. "Team Rivalry Finder — Houston Rockets versus Utah Jazz (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  8. "Team Rivalry Finder — Dallas Mavericks versus Portland Trail Blazers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  9. "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Detroit Pistons (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  10. "Team Rivalry Finder — Milwaukee Bucks versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  11. "Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Lakers versus Portland Trail Blazers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  12. "Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Utah Jazz (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  13. "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  14. "Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
  15. "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015.
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