1982 NBA Playoffs

The 1982 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1981-82 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. Magic Johnson was named NBA Finals MVP for the second time.

It was the second NBA Finals meeting in three years between the Lakers and Sixers, and ended with the same result—a 4–2 Lakers victory—as the previous confrontation. The Lakers and Sixers met again in 1983, with Philadelphia getting their revenge in a four-game sweep. The Sixers beat the Celtics again in the Eastern Conference Finals, the second of their 3 series wins in a 4 year stretch.

The Bullets' two-game sweep of the Nets would be their last playoff series victory for 23 years; they would not advance to the second round again until 2005.

This was the third straight year the Bucks failed to advance to the third round with the #2 seed in spite of getting a first-round bye.

Bracket

Western Conference

First Round

(1) Los Angeles Lakers and (2) San Antonio Spurs have 1st-round byes.

(3) Seattle SuperSonics vs. (6) Houston Rockets: SuperSonics win series 2-1

• Game 1 @ Seattle: Seattle 102, Houston 87
• Game 2 @ Houston: Houston 91, Seattle 70
• Game 3 @ Seattle: Seattle 104, Houston 83

(4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) Phoenix Suns: Suns win series 2-1

• Game 1 @ Denver: Denver 129, Phoenix 113
• Game 2 @ Phoenix: Phoenix 126, Denver 110
• Game 3 @ Denver: Phoenix 124, Denver 119

Conference Semifinals

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Phoenix Suns: Lakers win series 4-0

• Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 115, Phoenix 96
• Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 117, Phoenix 98
• Game 3 @ Phoenix: Los Angeles 114, Phoenix 106
• Game 4 @ Phoenix: Los Angeles 112, Phoenix 107

(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (3) Seattle SuperSonics: Spurs win series 4-1

• Game 1 @ Seattle: San Antonio 95, Seattle 93
• Game 2 @ Seattle: Seattle 114, San Antonio 99
• Game 3 @ San Antonio: San Antonio 99, Seattle 97
• Game 4 @ San Antonio: San Antonio 115, Seattle 113
• Game 5 @ Seattle: San Antonio 109, Seattle 103

Conference Finals

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (2) San Antonio Spurs: Lakers win series 4-0

• Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 128, San Antonio 117
• Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 110, San Antonio 101
• Game 3 @ San Antonio: Los Angeles 118, San Antonio 108
• Game 4 @ San Antonio: Los Angeles 128, San Antonio 123

Eastern Conference

First Round

(1) Boston Celtics and (2) Milwaukee Bucks have first-round byes.

(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks: 76ers win series 2-0

• Game 1 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 111, Atlanta 76
• Game 2 @ Atlanta: Philadelphia 98, Atlanta 95

(4) New Jersey Nets vs. (5) Washington Bullets: Bullets win series 2-0

• Game 1 @ New Jersey: Washington 96, New Jersey 83
• Game 2 @ Washington: Washington 103, New Jersey 92

Conference Semifinals

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Washington Bullets: Celtics win series 4-1

• Game 1 @ Boston: Boston 109, Washington 91
• Game 2 @ Boston: Washington 103, Boston 102
• Game 3 @ Washington: Boston 92, Washington 83
• Game 4 @ Washington: Boston 103, Washington 99
• Game 5 @ Boston: Boston 131, Washington 126

(2) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers: 76ers win series 4-2

• Game 1 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 125, Milwaukee 122
• Game 2 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 120, Milwaukee 108
• Game 3 @ Milwaukee: Milwaukee 92, Philadelphia 91 (Sidney Moncrief hits the game-winning buzzer beater)
• Game 4 @ Milwaukee: Philadelphia 100, Milwaukee 93
• Game 5 @ Philadelphia: Milwaukee 110, Philadelphia 98
• Game 6 @ Milwaukee: Philadelphia 102, Milwaukee 90

Conference Finals

(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers: 76ers win series 4-3

• Game 1 @ Boston: Boston 121, Philadelphia 81
• Game 2 @ Boston: Philadelphia 121, Boston 113
• Game 3 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 99, Boston 97
• Game 4 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 119, Boston 94
• Game 5 @ Boston: Boston 114, Philadelphia 85
• Game 6 @ Philadelphia: Boston 88, Philadelphia 75
• Game 7 @ Boston: Philadelphia 120, Boston 106

The Celtics were not able to overcome a 3-1 series deficit, losing Game 7 at home. The Sixers became the 2nd team to ever beat the Celtics in a Game 7 in the Garden. The Boston Garden crowd in Game 7 chanted "Beat LA! Beat LA!" to the victorious Sixers.

NBA Finals

(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (1) Los Angeles Lakers: Lakers win series 4-2

• Game 1 @ Philadelphia: Los Angeles 124, Philadelphia 117
• Game 2 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 110, Los Angeles 94
• Game 3 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 129, Philadelphia 108
• Game 4 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 111, Philadelphia 101
• Game 5 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 135, Los Angeles 102
• Game 6 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 114, Philadelphia 104

External links

• Basketball-Reference.com's 1982 NBA Playoffs page