1996 NBA playoffs
1996 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1995–96 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls defeating the Western Conference champion Seattle SuperSonics 4 games to 2. Michael Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP for a record fourth time.
By winning their fourth title, the Bulls capped what many consider to be the greatest season in NBA history, as they finished a record 72–10 in the regular season, eclipsing the 1972 Los Angeles Lakers record of 69–13, helped by the addition of another future Hall of Famer to the Bulls, Dennis Rodman. It was also redemption for Jordan after his first return to the playoffs in 1995 and the Bulls' disappointing second-round loss to the Orlando Magic, a team that would be swept in the NBA Finals. With him leading the way, the Bulls swept the defending Eastern Conference champion Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning the four games by an average of 17 points en route to a combined record of 87–13 in regular season and postseason play. As for the Magic, it ended a three-year run of dominance for the team, as Shaquille O'Neal went on to sign with the Lakers the following season. The Magic did not have another 50-win season, division title and first round playoff series victory until 2008, followed the season afterward by an Eastern Conference championship and the franchise's second NBA Finals appearance in 2009 to which they lost to the Lakers.
The SuperSonics were only the tenth team in NBA history to win 64 games during the regular season, but their feat went largely unnoticed due to Chicago's record 72 wins. They made their first trip to the NBA Finals since 1979, and vindicated them as well after their stunning first-round loss to the Denver Nuggets in 1994, when they had become the first #1 seed to lose to an eighth-seed.
This was the Sacramento Kings' first playoff appearance since 1986, but would be Mitch Richmond's only one as a King. The Kings did not make it back until 1999, which began their eight-year string of playoff appearances. Richmond would be traded to the Wizards in 1998 and would later win his first and only championship with the Lakers in 2002.
As for the two-time defending NBA champion Houston Rockets, their quest for a 3-peat was thwarted by Seattle. The Sonics swept the Rockets 4-0 in the Western Conference Semifinals. The Sonics were also the last team to defeat the Rockets in the playoffs before their two-year title run, in the 1993 Western Conference Semifinals. Also noted during their two-year title run, Houston never had to face Seattle in the playoffs as the Sonics were eliminated in the first round by both the Nuggets and the Lakers respectively.
After the Lakers' first round loss to Houston, Magic Johnson retired for good after a brief in-season comeback.
Though the Utah Jazz fell in 7 to the SuperSonics in the Western Conference Finals, in retrospect it kickstarted their own Finals run, which they ultimately accomplished in 1997 and 1998, but lost both times to the Bulls.
Bracket
Playoff qualifying
Western Conference
Best record in conference
The Seattle SuperSonics clinched the best record in the Western Conference, and had home court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs.Clinched a playoff berth
The following teams clinched a playoff berth in the West:- Seattle SuperSonics
- San Antonio Spurs
- Utah Jazz
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Houston Rockets
- Portland Trail Blazers
- Phoenix Suns
- Sacramento Kings
Eastern Conference
Best record in NBA
The Chicago Bulls clinched the best record in the NBA, and earned home court advantage throughout the entire playoffs.Clinched a playoff berth
The following teams clinched a playoff berth in the East:- Chicago Bulls
- Orlando Magic
- Indiana Pacers
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- New York Knicks
- Atlanta Hawks
- Detroit Pistons
- Miami Heat
Western Conference
First Round
(1) [Seattle SuperSonics] vs. (8) [Sacramento Kings]
| Seattle won 4–0 in the regular-season series |
This was the first playoff meeting between the Kings and the SuperSonics.
(4) [Los Angeles Lakers] vs. (5) [Houston Rockets]
Game 4 is Magic Johnson's final NBA game.| Houston won 3–1 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) [Portland Trail Blazers]
| Utah won 3–1 in the regular-season series |
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Trail Blazers winning two of the first three meetings.
| Portland leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series |
(2) [San Antonio Spurs] vs. (7) [Phoenix Suns]
| San Antonio won 3–1 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 |
Conference Semifinals
(1) [Seattle SuperSonics] vs. (5) [Houston Rockets]
| Seattle won 4–0 in the regular-season series |
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the SuperSonics winning the first four meetings.
| Seattle leads 4–0 in all-time playoff series |
(2) [San Antonio Spurs] vs. (3) [Utah Jazz]
| San Antonio won 3–1 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 |
Conference Finals
(1) [Seattle SuperSonics] vs. (3) [Utah Jazz]
The SuperSonics led the series 3-1 after an 88–86 victory at the Delta Center in Game 4. However, the Jazz shocked the Sonics in Seattle in Game 5 98-95 and would handily win Game 6 118-83, Seattle's worst playoff loss in team history. Game 7 was a close affair and the Sonics pulled away late to win 90-86 and advance to their first NBA Finals since 1979. This is the most recent conference final played entirely outside of Texas and California.| Seattle won 3–1 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 |
Eastern Conference
Champion: Chicago BullsFirst Round
(1) [Chicago Bulls] vs. (8) [Miami Heat]
| Chicago won 3–1 in the regular-season series |
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bulls winning the first meeting.
| Chicago leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series |
(4) [Cleveland Cavaliers] vs. (5) [New York Knicks]
| Cleveland 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 |
(3) [Indiana Pacers] vs. (6) [Atlanta Hawks]
| Indiana won 3–1 in the regular-season series |
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Pacers winning two of the first three meetings.
| Indiana leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series |
(2) [Orlando Magic] vs. (7) [Detroit Pistons]
| Orlando won 3–1 in the regular-season series |
This was the first playoff meeting between the Pistons and the Magic.
Conference Semifinals
(1) [Chicago Bulls] vs. (5) [New York Knicks]
- In Game 4, Bill Wennington hits the game-winner with 36.9 seconds left.
| Chicago won 3–1 in the regular-season series |
This was the seventh playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bulls winning five of the first six meetings.
| Chicago leads 5–1 in all-time playoff series |
(2) [Orlando Magic] vs. (6) [Atlanta Hawks]
| Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series |
This was the first playoff meeting between the Hawks and the Magic.
Conference Finals
(1) [Chicago Bulls] vs. (2) [Orlando Magic]
- In Game 2, the Bulls overcame an 18-point lead by the Magic to win.
| Chicago won 3–1 in the regular-season series |
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Magic winning the first meeting.
| Orlando leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series |
NBA Finals
[Chicago Bulls] vs. [Seattle SuperSonics]
- Seattle battled to a Game 6 after trailing 3-0 in the series, only the second team in NBA Finals history to do so.
| Tied 1–1 in the regular-season series |
This was the first playoff meeting between the Bulls and the SuperSonics.