1992 NBA playoffs


The 1992 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament following the National Basketball Association's 1991-92 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls defeating the Western Conference champion Portland Trail Blazers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. Michael Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP for the second straight year.
The Blazers won their second Western Conference title in the past three years, third overall in franchise history, behind the leadership of Clyde Drexler.
The Jazz made the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history. They returned in 1994 and 1996 before finally breaking through in 1997.
The fourth-year Miami Heat became the first of the 1988 and 1989 expansion teams to make the playoffs, though they were swept in the first round by the Bulls. In 2006, the Heat would become the first of these teams to win the NBA title.
This was the first year since 1987 that the Bulls and Pistons did not meet in the playoffs. They did not meet again until 2007.
The Clippers made it to the playoffs for the first time since 1976, when they were the Buffalo Braves. It was also the first time since the Clippers arrival in Los Angeles in 1984 that both of Los Angeles' NBA teams, the Clippers and Lakers, qualified for postseason play together.
Despite Magic Johnson's stunning retirement due to testing HIV positive prior to the start of the season, the Los Angeles Lakers still managed to make their 16th straight NBA playoff appearance. It was their first appearance since 1974 without Johnson, Michael Cooper, or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Two games were postponed due to the Los Angeles riots following the Rodney King verdict, one being the Trail Blazers at the Lakers and the other was the Jazz at the Clippers. For safety purposes, both the Lakers and Clippers decided to move their home games to a nearby alternate venue; the Lakers played at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada for Game 4, the Clippers at Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California for Game 4.
Game 4 of the Blazers-Suns series was the last game ever played at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum. It was a long game which lasted two overtimes and broke the NBA's playoff game record for points scored in one game, the Trail Blazers outlasting the Suns by a score of 153-151.
The Celtics' first round sweep of the Pacers would be their last playoff series win until 2002. After losing in the second round to Cleveland, Larry Bird retired after 13 seasons. As for the Cavs, it was their first Conference Finals appearance since 1976, but fell to the Bulls in 6 games. They would not return again until 2007.

Playoff seeds

Eastern Conference

  1. Chicago Bulls
  2. Boston Celtics
  3. Cleveland Cavaliers
  4. New York Knicks
  5. Detroit Pistons
  6. New Jersey Nets
  7. Indiana Pacers
  8. Miami Heat

    Western Conference

  9. Portland Trail Blazers
  10. Utah Jazz
  11. Golden State Warriors
  12. Phoenix Suns
  13. San Antonio Spurs
  14. Seattle SuperSonics
  15. Los Angeles Clippers
  16. Los Angeles Lakers

    Bracket

Western Conference

Champion: Portland Trail Blazers
;1st Round
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Los Angeles Lakers: Blazers win series 3–1
Due to 1992 Los Angeles riots
Portland won 4–1 in the regular-season series


This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning four of the first five meetings.
Los Angeles leads 4–1 in all-time playoff series


Utah Jazz vs. Los Angeles Clippers: Jazz win series 3–2
Due to 1992 Los Angeles riots
Utah won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Clippers and the Jazz.
Golden State Warriors vs. Seattle SuperSonics: SuperSonics win series 3–1
Golden State won 3–2 in the regular-season series


This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Warriors winning the first meeting.
Golden State leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series


Phoenix Suns vs. San Antonio Spurs: Suns win series 3–0
Phoenix won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Suns and the Spurs.
;Conference Semifinals
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Phoenix Suns: Blazers win series 4–1
Phoenix won 3–2 in the regular-season series


This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Suns winning two of the first three meetings.
Phoenix leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series


Utah Jazz vs. Seattle SuperSonics: Jazz win series 4–1
Seattle won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the SuperSonics and the Jazz.
;Conference Finals
Portland Trail Blazers vs. Utah Jazz: Blazers win series 4–2
Tied 2–2 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

Eastern Conference

Champion: Chicago Bulls
;1st Round
Chicago Bulls vs. Miami Heat: Bulls win series 3–0
Chicago won 4–0 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Bulls and the Heat.
Boston Celtics vs. Indiana Pacers: Celtics win series 3–0
Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series


This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first meeting.
Boston leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series


Cleveland Cavaliers vs. New Jersey Nets: Cavaliers win series 3–1
Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Cavaliers and the Nets.
New York Knicks vs. Detroit Pistons: Knicks win series 3–2
Tied 2–2 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


;Conference Semifinals
Chicago Bulls vs. New York Knicks: Bulls win series 4–3
Chicago won 4–0 in the regular-season series


This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bulls winning the first three meetings.
Chicago leads 3–0 in all-time playoff series


Boston Celtics vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: Cavaliers win series 4–3
Boston won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first two meetings.
Boston leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series


;Conference Finals
Chicago Bulls vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: Bulls win series 4–2
Chicago won 3–2 in the regular-season series


This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bulls winning the first two meetings.
Chicago leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series

NBA Finals

Chicago Bulls vs. Portland Trail Blazers: Bulls win series 4–2
Chicago won 2–0 in the regular-season series


This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Trail Blazers winning the first meeting.
Portland leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series