1994 NBA playoffs


The 1994 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1993-94 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets defeating the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals. Hakeem Olajuwon was named NBA Finals MVP.
This was also the first time that the Boston Celtics since 1979, and Los Angeles Lakers since 1976, missed the playoffs and their first absence since the playoff field expanded to 16 teams in 1984. This was the first time that both missed the playoffs in the same year. This would not occur again until 2014. It also marked the first time neither of the two Los Angeles-based NBA teams, the Lakers and Clippers missed the playoffs together.
The biggest upset came in the first round, when the Denver Nuggets came back from a 2–0 deficit to beat the Seattle SuperSonics in five games, marking the first time in NBA history that an eighth seed had defeated a #1 seed. Denver stretched their improbable playoff run with the Utah Jazz to seven games after being down 0–3, but Utah defeated them in Game 7 91–81.
The playoffs also featured the first playoff series victory for the Indiana Pacers in their 18-year NBA existence, as they swept the Orlando Magic in the first round, then eliminated the top-seeded Atlanta Hawks 4–2 in the second round. The Pacers advanced within one game of the NBA Finals, but lost Games 6 and 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals to the Knicks.
This was the first time since the ABA–NBA merger prior to the 1976–77 season that all former ABA teams made the playoffs in the same year.
The Chicago Bulls, who made the playoffs despite the retirement of Michael Jordan, swept the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round, but then lost in seven games to the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
The Knicks made history by playing a record 25 playoff games, the most postseason games an NBA team has played. The 2005 Detroit Pistons tied this record. However, it was broken by the 2008 Celtics. Their easiest series was the first-round 3–1 win over the Nets. New York then forced three consecutive Game 7s, eliminating the Bulls 4–3 in the Conference Semifinals, knocking off the Pacers 4–3 in the Conference Finals, both times at Madison Square Garden, before losing in Game 7 to the Rockets at The Summit in the NBA Finals, which meant New York was denied NBA and NHL titles. Game 4 of the Finals took place at the Garden a day after the New York Rangers won their first Stanley Cup in 54 years in Game 7 of the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals. Knicks coach Pat Riley made history by becoming the first person in NBA history to have coached a Game 7 in the NBA Finals for two teams, having been with the Lakers in and.
In the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors made their last playoff appearance until 2007.
Game 3 of the Bulls-Cavaliers series was the last game played at the Richfield Coliseum.
Game 6 of the Bulls-Knicks series was the last game played at Chicago Stadium.
Game 5 of the Nuggets-Sonics series was the last to be played at Seattle Center Coliseum before the renovations and renaming into KeyArena two years later. The Sonics played the intervening 1994–95 NBA season at Tacoma Dome in nearby Tacoma, Washington.

The Clock Incident

The Clock Incident happened in the last moments of Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals between the Rockets and Jazz. Tom Chambers inbounded the ball to Jeff Hornacek with 13.5 seconds left and Utah down 2. As play resumed, the Jazz timekeeper didn't start the clock as they were trying to look for an open shot. After 8 seconds, the clock finally started as Chambers got the ball down low. However, Utah didn't take advantage of the extra time they were given, and after Chambers attempted a shot and missed, there was a mad scramble for the ball. It ended up in Robert Horry's hands, who passed it to Kenny Smith; Houston ran out the clock to win 80–78.

Bracket

Western Conference

Champion: Houston Rockets
;1st Round
Seattle SuperSonics vs. Denver Nuggets: Nuggets 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


Houston Rockets vs. Portland Trail Blazers: Rockets win series 3–1
Houston won 4–0 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


Phoenix Suns vs. Golden State Warriors: Suns win series 3–0
Phoenix won 3–2 in the regular-season series


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


San Antonio Spurs vs. Utah Jazz: Jazz win series 3–1
Utah won 5–0 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Spurs and the Jazz.
;Conference Semifinals
Houston Rockets vs. Phoenix Suns: Rockets win series 4–3
Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Rockets and the Suns.
Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets: Jazz win series 4–3
Utah 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


;Conference Finals
Houston Rockets vs. Utah Jazz: Rockets win series 4–1
Tied 3–3 in the regular-season series


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

Eastern Conference

Champion: New York Knicks
;1st Round
Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat: Hawks win series 3–2
Atlanta won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Hawks and the Heat.
New York Knicks vs. New Jersey Nets: Knicks win series 3–1
New Jersey won 4–1 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


Chicago Bulls vs. Cleveland Cavaliers: Bulls win series 3–0
Cleveland won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bulls winning the first four meetings.
Chicago leads 4–0 in all-time playoff series


Orlando Magic vs. Indiana Pacers: Pacers win series 3–0
Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Pacers and the Magic.
;Conference Semifinals
Atlanta Hawks vs. Indiana Pacers: Pacers win series 4–2
Atlanta won 3–2 in the regular-season series


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


New York Knicks vs. Chicago Bulls: Knicks win series 4–3
New York won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bulls winning the first five meetings.
Chicago leads 5–0 in all-time playoff series


;Conference Finals
New York Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers: Knicks win series 4–3
New York won 4–0 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

NBA Finals

Houston Rockets vs. New York Knicks: Rockets win series 4–3
Houston won 2–0 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