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. Michael Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP for the second straight year.

The Blazers won their second Western Conference title in the past 3 years, third overall in franchise history, behind the leadership of Clyde Drexler.

The Jazz made it to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history. They returned in 1994 and 1996 before finally breaking through in 1997 and 1998.

The fourth-year Heat became the first of the 1988 and 1989 expansion teams (the Magic, Timberwolves and Hornets were the other 3) 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.

The Clippers made it to the playoffs for the first time since 1976, when they were the Buffalo Braves.

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 1979 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 (later host to the 2007 NBA All-Star Game) for Game 4, the Clippers at Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California for Game 4 (the Clippers returned to Anaheim at Arrowhead Pond in 1994 as an alternate venue and played there until 1999 whenever the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena was unavailable).

Game 4 of the Blazers-Suns series was the last game ever played at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

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.

Bracket

Western Conference

Champion: Portland Trail Blazers

1st Round

(1) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (8) Los Angeles Lakers: Blazers win series 3-1

• Game 1 @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland (April 23): Portland 115, LA Lakers 102
• Game 2 @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland (April 25): Portland 101, LA Lakers 79
• Game 3 @ Great Western Forum, Los Angeles (April 29): LA Lakers 121, Portland 119 (OT)
• Game 4 @ Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas (May 3): Portland 102, LA Lakers 76*

(*) Due to 1992 Los Angeles Riots

Last Playoff Meeting: 1991 Western Conference Finals (Los Angeles won 4-2)

(2) Utah Jazz vs. (7) Los Angeles Clippers: Jazz win series 3-2

• Game 1 @ Delta Center, Salt Lake City (April 24): Utah 115, LA Clippers 97
• Game 2 @ Delta Center, Salt Lake City (April 26): Utah 103, LA Clippers 92
• Game 3 @ Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, Los Angeles (April 28): LA Clippers 98, Utah 88
• Game 4 @ Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim (May 3): LA Clippers 115, Utah 107*
• Game 5 @ Delta Center, Salt Lake City (May 4): Utah 98, LA Clippers 89

(*) Due to 1992 Los Angeles Riots

Last Playoff Meeting: Not available (first playoff series)

(3) Golden State Warriors vs. (6) Seattle SuperSonics: SuperSonics win series 3-1

• Game 1 @ Oakland Coliseum, Oakland (April 23): Seattle 117, Golden State 109
• Game 2 @ Oakland Coliseum, Oakland (April 25): Golden State 115, Seattle 101
• Game 3 @ Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle (April 28): Seattle 129, Golden State 128
• Game 4 @ Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle (April 30): Seattle 119, Golden State 116 (Shawn Kemp's famous dunk on Alton Lister)

Last Playoff Meeting: 1975 Western Conference Semifinals (Golden State won 4-2)

(4) Phoenix Suns vs. (5) San Antonio Spurs: Suns win series 3-0

• Game 1 @ Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix (April 24): Phoenix 117, San Antonio 111
• Game 2 @ Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix (April 26): Phoenix 119, San Antonio 107
• Game 3 @ HemisFair Arena, San Antonio (April 29): Phoenix 101, San Antonio 92

Last Playoff Meeting: Not available (first playoff series)

Conference Semifinals

(1) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (4) Phoenix Suns: Blazers win series 4-1

• Game 1 @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland (May 5): Portland 113, Phoenix 111
• Game 2 @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland (May 7): Portland 126, Phoenix 119
• Game 3 @ Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix (May 9): Phoenix 124, Portland 117
• Game 4 @ Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix (May 11): Portland 153, Phoenix 151 (2OT)
• Game 5 @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland (May 14): Portland 118, Phoenix 106

Last Playoff Meeting: 1990 Western Conference Finals (Portland won 4-2)

(2) Utah Jazz vs. (6) Seattle SuperSonics: Jazz win series 4-1

• Game 1 @ Delta Center, Salt Lake City (May 6): Utah 108, Seattle 100
• Game 2 @ Delta Center, Salt Lake City (May 8): Utah 103, Seattle 97
• Game 3 @ Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle (May 10): Seattle 104, Utah 98
• Game 4 @ Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle (May 12): Utah 89, Seattle 83
• Game 5 @ Delta Center, Salt Lake City (May 14): Utah 111, Seattle 100

Last Playoff Meeting: Not available (first playoff series)

Conference Finals

(1) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (2) Utah Jazz: Blazers win series 4-2

• Game 1 @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland (May 16): Portland 113, Utah 88
• Game 2 @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland (May 19): Portland 119, Utah 102
• Game 3 @ Delta Center, Salt Lake City (May 22): Utah 97, Portland 89
• Game 4 @ Delta Center, Salt Lake City (May 24): Utah 121, Portland 112
• Game 5 @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland (May 26): Portland 127, Utah 121 (OT)
• Game 6 @ Delta Center, Salt Lake City (May 28): Portland 105, Utah 97

Last Playoff Meeting: 1991 Western Conference Semifinals (Portland won 4-1)

Eastern Conference

Champion: Chicago Bulls

1st Round

(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (8) Miami Heat: Bulls win series 3-0

• Game 1 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (April 24): Chicago 113, Miami 94
• Game 2 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (April 26): Chicago 120, Miami 90
• Game 3 @ Miami Arena, Miami (April 29): Chicago 119, Miami 114

Last Playoff Meeting: Not available (first playoff series)

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Indiana Pacers: Celtics win series 3-0

• Game 1 @ Boston Garden, Boston (April 23): Boston 124, Indiana 113
• Game 2 @ Boston Garden, Boston (April 25): Boston 119, Indiana 112 (OT)
• Game 3 @ Market Square Arena, Indianapolis (April 27): Boston 102, Indiana 98

Last Playoff Meeting: 1991 Eastern Conference First Round (Boston won 3-2)

(3) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (6) New Jersey Nets: Cavaliers win series 3-1

• Game 1 @ The Coliseum, Richfield (April 23): Cleveland 120, New Jersey 113
• Game 2 @ The Coliseum, Richfield (April 25): Cleveland 118, New Jersey 96
• Game 3 @ Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford (April 28): New Jersey 109, Cleveland 104
• Game 4 @ Brendan Byrne Arena, East Rutherford (April 30): Cleveland 98, New Jersey 89

Last Playoff Meeting: Not available (first playoff series)

(4) New York Knicks vs. (5) Detroit Pistons: Knicks win series 3-2

• Game 1 @ Madison Square Garden, New York City (April 24): New York 109, Detroit 75
• Game 2 @ Madison Square Garden, New York City (April 26): Detroit 89, New York 88
• Game 3 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (April 28): New York 90, Detroit 87 (OT)
• Game 4 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (May 1): Detroit 86, New York 82
• Game 5 @ Madison Square Garden, New York City (May 3): New York 94, Detroit 87

Last Playoff Meeting: 1990 Eastern Conference Semifinals (Detroit won 4-1)

Conference Semifinals

(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (4) New York Knicks: Bulls win series 4-3

• Game 1 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (May 5): New York 94, Chicago 89
• Game 2 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (May 7): Chicago 86, New York 78
• Game 3 @ Madison Square Garden, New York City (May 9): Chicago 94, New York 86
• Game 4 @ Madison Square Garden, New York City (May 10): New York 93, Chicago 86
• Game 5 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (May 12): Chicago 96, New York 88
• Game 6 @ Madison Square Garden, New York City (May 14): New York 100, Chicago 86
• Game 7 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (May 17): Chicago 110, New York 81

Last Playoff Meeting: 1991 Eastern Conference First Round (Chicago won 3-0)

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Cleveland Cavaliers: Cavaliers win series 4-3

• Game 1 @ The Coliseum, Richfield (May 2): Cleveland 101, Boston 76
• Game 2 @ The Coliseum, Richfield (May 4): Boston 104, Cleveland 98
• Game 3 @ Boston Garden, Boston (May 8): Boston 110, Cleveland 107
• Game 4 @ Boston Garden, Boston (May 10): Cleveland 114, Boston 112 (OT)
• Game 5 @ The Coliseum, Richfield (May 13): Cleveland 114, Boston 98
• Game 6 @ Boston Garden, Boston (May 15): Boston 122, Cleveland 91
• Game 7 @ The Coliseum, Richfield (May 17): Cleveland 122, Boston 104 (Larry Bird's final NBA game)

Last Playoff Meeting: 1985 Eastern Conference First Round (Boston won 3-1)

Conference Finals

(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (3) Cleveland Cavaliers: Bulls win series 4-2

• Game 1 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (May 19): Chicago 103, Cleveland 89
• Game 2 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (May 21): Cleveland 107, Chicago 81
• Game 3 @ The Coliseum, Richfield (May 23): Chicago 105, Cleveland 96
• Game 4 @ The Coliseum, Richfield (May 25): Cleveland 99, Chicago 85
• Game 5 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (May 27): Chicago 112, Cleveland 89
• Game 6 @ The Coliseum, Richfield (May 29): Chicago 99, Cleveland 94

Last Playoff Meeting: 1989 Eastern Conference First Round (Chicago won 3-2)

NBA Finals

(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (1) Portland Trail Blazers: Bulls win series 4-2

• Game 1 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (June 3): Chicago 122, Portland 89 (MJ scores 35 points in the first half, along with a then-record 6 3-pointers)
• Game 2 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (June 5): Portland 115, Chicago 104 (OT) (Kevin Duckworth hits the game-tying shot with 17.3 seconds left to force OT)
• Game 3 @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland (June 7): Chicago 94, Portland 84
• Game 4 @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland (June 10): Portland 93, Chicago 88
• Game 5 @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland (June 12): Chicago 119, Portland 106
• Game 6 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (June 14): Chicago 97, Portland 93

Last Playoff Meeting: 1977 Western Conference First Round (Portland won 2-1)

External links

• Basketball-Reference's 1992 Playoffs page