1997 NBA playoffs


The 1997 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1996–97 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazz 4 games to 2. This was the Bulls' second straight title, and fifth overall. Michael Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP for the fifth time.
This was the first Western Conference title for the Jazz in their 23-year history.
The Miami Heat's run to the Eastern Conference Finals marked the farthest they had reached in the playoffs up to that point; they did not return until 2005, and won the NBA Finals in 2006.
The Minnesota Timberwolves made their playoff debut after failing to win more than 30 games in their first 7 seasons. It was also the first of 7 straight years in which they made the playoffs only to lose in the first round. They were the last of the 1988/89 expansion four to make their playoff debut
This season was the first, and to date only, season since the ABA–NBA merger that none of the four former ABA teams qualified for the playoffs. It was also one of only four times that the Spurs failed to make the playoffs since their admission to the NBA.
All four 1988/89 expansion teams made the playoffs for the first time. This would happen again in 2001.
The two #8 seeds in this tournament, the Washington Bullets and the Los Angeles Clippers, broke long playoff droughts with their appearances in the 1997 Playoffs.. The Bullets qualified by defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers in a regular season finale that saw both teams fighting for the #8 seed.
Game 4 of the Bulls–Hawks series was the last game ever played at The Omni. The Hawks' home playoff games for 1998 and 1999 were played at the Georgia Dome while the Omni was demolished to make way for Philips Arena, which would open in September 1999.
The Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena hosted its final NBA playoff game in Game 3 of the Clippers–Jazz series. When the Clippers returned to the playoffs in 2006, they had moved to the Staples Center, their home since the 1999–2000 season. The Sports Arena remained active until its closure and demolition in 2016.
Game 3 of the Bulls–Bullets series was the last playoff game ever played at the Capital Centre. They moved into a new arena the next season.
In addition, the Bullets changed their team name to the Wizards on May 15, making it the last time the team was officially named the "Bullets".
After losing in the Western Conference Finals, the Houston Rockets would not win a playoff series until 2009 and would not return to the Conference Finals until 2015.

Bracket

Playoff qualifying

Western Conference

Best record in conference

The Utah Jazz 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:
  1. Utah Jazz
  2. Seattle SuperSonics
  3. Houston Rockets
  4. Los Angeles Lakers
  5. Portland Trail Blazers
  6. Minnesota Timberwolves
  7. Phoenix Suns
  8. Los Angeles Clippers

    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:
  1. Chicago Bulls
  2. Miami Heat
  3. New York Knicks
  4. Atlanta Hawks
  5. Detroit Pistons
  6. Charlotte Hornets
  7. Orlando Magic
  8. Washington Bullets

    Memorable moments

The 1997 NBA Playoffs featured numerous clutch shots and other moments.
Scottie Pippen made the series-winning dunk with 7.4 seconds left as the Bulls swept the Bullets 96–95 and advanced.
With his team trailing 107–104 with 4.3 seconds left, Phoenix guard Rex Chapman took the inbounds pass, launched a 3-point shot while falling out of bounds, and made the shot to tie the game. The Sonics would however win in OT 122-115.
Scottie Pippen broke a 97-97 tie by making a 3-point shot with 43.9 seconds left. Neither team would score after that, and the Bulls beat Atlanta 100–97.
A courtside brawl erupted when Heat forward P.J. Brown body-slammed Knicks guard Charlie Ward causing both teams' benches to clear. For the Knicks, Patrick Ewing, John Starks, Allan Houston and Larry Johnson left the bench. All of the players involved were suspended. The Knicks, under-manned by the suspensions, lost the series in 7 games to start the Heat-Knicks rivalry.
Eddie Johnson made a 3 as time expired to tie the Western Conference Finals at 2.
John Stockton scored 25 points and Karl Malone scored 24. John Stockton capped off a spectacular 4th quarter performance by hitting a 3 as time expired to send Utah to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.
With the game tied at 82 with 9.2 seconds left, Jazz forward Karl Malone missed two crucial free throws. Chicago regained possession and Michael Jordan hit a jumper as time expired for the Bulls to win 84–82.
With most NBC viewers thinking Jordan would take the last shot with the game tied at 86, he instead passed to Steve Kerr, who made a 17-foot shot with 5 seconds left. On the next play, Scottie Pippen stole Bryon Russell's inbound pass and rolled the ball to Toni Kukoč, who clinched the title with a dunk.

Western Conference

Champion: Utah Jazz

First Round

(1) [Utah Jazz] vs. (8) [Los Angeles Clippers]

Utah 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

(4) [Los Angeles Lakers] vs. (5) [Portland Trail Blazers]

Portland won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the seventh playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning four of the first six meetings.
Los Angeles leads 4–2 in all-time playoff series

(2) [Seattle SuperSonics] vs. (7) [Phoenix Suns]

Tied 2–2 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

(3) [Houston Rockets] vs. (6) [Minnesota Timberwolves]

Houston won 4–0 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Rockets and the Timberwolves.

Conference Semifinals

(1) [Utah Jazz] vs. (4) [Los Angeles Lakers]

In Game 5, Kobe Bryant had an infamous rookie moment in which he airballed 4 jump shots from the end of regulation through the end of overtime.
Utah won 3–1 in the regular-season series


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

(2) [Seattle SuperSonics] vs. (3) [Houston Rockets]

Houston won 3–1 in the regular-season series


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

Conference Finals

(1) [Utah Jazz] vs. (3) [Houston Rockets]

Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series


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

Eastern Conference

Champion: Chicago Bulls

First Round

(1) [Chicago Bulls] vs. (8) [Washington Bullets]

Chicago won 2–1 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Bulls and the Bullets/Wizards franchise.

(4) [Atlanta Hawks] vs. (5) [Detroit Pistons]

Detroit won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the seventh playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning three series apiece.
Tied 3–3 in all-time playoff series

(2) [Miami Heat] vs. (7) [Orlando Magic]

Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Heat and the Magic.

(3) [New York Knicks] vs. (6) [Charlotte Hornets]

Charlotte won 3–1 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

Conference Semifinals

(1) [Chicago Bulls] vs. (4) [Atlanta Hawks]

Game 4 is Robert Parish's final NBA game.
Chicago won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Hawks winning two of the first three meetings.
Atlanta/St. Louis leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series

(2) [Miami Heat] vs. (3) [New York Knicks]

New York won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Heat and the Knicks.

Conference Finals

(1) [Chicago Bulls] vs. (2) [Miami Heat]

Tied 2–2 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. [Utah Jazz]

Tied 1–1 in the regular-season series


This was the first NBA Finals meeting between the Bulls and the Jazz.