2006–07 NBA season

Infobox sports season
title =2006–07 NBA season
league =National Basketball Association
sport =Basketball
TV =ABC, TNT, ESPN, NBA TV
duration =October 31, 2006 – April 18, 2007
season =Regular season
season_champ =Dallas Mavericks
MVP =flagicon|GER Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas)
MVP_link =NBA MVP
top_scorer =flagicon|USA Kobe Bryant (L.A. Lakers)
playoffs =Playoffs
playoffs_link =2007 NBA Playoffs
conf1 =Eastern
conf1_link =Eastern Conference (NBA)
conf1_champ =Cleveland Cavaliers
conf1_runner-up =Detroit Pistons
conf2 =Western
conf2_link =Western Conference (NBA)
conf2_champ =San Antonio Spurs
conf2_runner-up =Utah Jazz
finals =Finals
finals_link =2007 NBA Finals
finals_champ =San Antonio Spurs
finals_runner-up =Cleveland Cavaliers
finals_MVP =flagicon|FRA Tony Parker (San Antonio)
finals_MVP_link =NBA Finals MVP
seasonslist =List of NBA seasons
seasonslistnames =NBA
prevseason_link =2005–06 NBA season
prevseason_year =2005–06
nextseason_link =2007–08 NBA season
nextseason_year =2007–08The 2006–07 NBA season was the 61st season of the National Basketball Association. The regular season began on October 31, 2006 and ran through April 18, 2007. The league fielded 30 teams, each playing an 82 game regular season schedule. The top eight seeds from each conference reached the NBA Playoffs, which began on April 21, 2007 and ended on June 14, 2007. The San Antonio Spurs were crowned the champions after sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Finals.

Notable occurrences

*A new design for the official NBA game ball was revealed on June 28, 2006, at the NBA Draft. Amid complaints by players and coaches, the league switched back to the previous ball on January 1, 2007.
*The 2007 NBA All-Star Game was played on February 18, 2007, at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, the first time the event was held in a non-NBA city. The West defeated the East 153-132, with Kobe Bryant winning the game's MVP award. [ [http://www.nba.com/allstar2007/allstar_game/index.html NBA All-Star Game] , nba.com/allstar2007, accessed 25 April 2007.]
*For the second straight year, the Hornets played a split home schedule between New Orleans, Louisiana and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, due to Hurricane Katrina.
*The Denver Nuggets and the New York Knicks entered into a brawl near the end of a December 16 match up. All ten players on the court at the time, including Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony (the league's leading scorer at the time), were ejected. Seven players were suspended as a result of the incident, the most notable of which was Carmelo Anthony's 15 game suspension.
*After 11 seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, All-Star guard Allen Iverson was traded to the Denver Nuggets. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=2702501 Miller, Smith go to Sixers in deal for Iverson] , sports.espn.go.com, 20 December 2006, accessed 25 April 2007.]
*After the 2006 Playoff controversy, the format of team seeds changed. Each division winner may be seeded no lower than 4th, but the top non-division-winning playoff team may seed higher than a divisional champ if they have a better win-loss record. Home court advantage is given to the team with the better record, regardless of seeding.
*The Phoenix Suns and the Dallas Mavericks notched multiple 12+ game win-streaks during the course of the regular season. The Suns rattled off streaks of 15 and 17 games straight (tied for fifth longest in NBA history), while the Mavericks' streaks stretched to 12, 13, and 17 games straight. [ [http://www.nba.com/news/winning_streaks.html All-Time Winning Streaks] , nba.com, 13 March 2007, accessed 1 May 2007.] The San Antonio Spurs joined these two teams by notching a 13 game winning streak.
*Kobe Bryant notched four consecutive 50+ point games against the Portland Trail Blazers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies and New Orleans Hornets; his streak ranks fourth behind streaks by Wilt Chamberlain. ["Associated Press". [http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=270323003 Kobe scores 50 (again), leads Lakers past Hornets] , scores.espn.go.com, 23 March 2007, accessed 1 May 2007.]
*Jason Kidd and Vince Carter of the New Jersey Nets become only the tenth pair of teammates in NBA history to record triple doubles in the same game. Nearly 20 years had passed since the last tandem, Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, performed this feat.
*The Toronto Raptors won their first division title in the franchise's twelve year history. It also marked the first time a Canadian-based NBA team had won a division title. ["Associated Press". Gelston, Dan, [http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2007040620&prov=ap Toronto 94, Philadelphia 85] , sports.yahoo.com, 6 April 2007, accessed 25 April 2007.]
*The Golden State Warriors, who had not qualified for the playoffs since 1994, became the first 8 seed to defeat a 1 seed in a best-of-seven playoff series, defeating the 67-win Dallas Mavericks in 6 games. [ [http://www.nba.com/playoffs2007/series/series_w1s1.html Warriors Make History, Close Out Mavs] , nba.com, 7 May 2007, accessed 16 November 2007.]
*Dirk Nowitzki won the NBA MVP Award and Tony Parker won the NBA Finals MVP Award, [ [http://www.nba.com/finals2007/series/index.html Parker, Spurs Close Out Cavs for Fourth Title] , nba.com, 15 June 2007, accessed 15 June 2007.] the first time either award was won by a European-born player.
*Long-time Boston Celtics coach and executive Red Auerbach died on October 28 of a heart attack at age 89.

Final standings

=Eastern Conference=

width="33%" valign="top"
width="33%" valign="top"

* x - Clinched playoff berth
* y - Clinched division title
* z - Clinched top conference record
* (1) - (8) - Playoff seedings
* C - NBA Champions [ [http://www.nba.com/standings/team_record_comparison/conferenceNew_Std_Div.html 2006-07 DIVISION STANDINGS] , nba.com, accessed 1 July 2007.]

2006–07 NBA statistics leaders

NBA awards

*Most Valuable Player: Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks [ [http://www.nba.com/news/dirkmvp_2007.html "Dirk Nowitzki Wins 2006-07 MVP Award"] , nba.com, 15 May 2007, accessed 15 May 2007.]
*Rookie of the Year: Brandon Roy, Portland Trail Blazers [http://www.nba.com/news/allrookie_070508.html Roy Headlines 2006-07 NBA T-Mobile All-Rookie Team] , nba.com, 8 May 2007, accessed 12 May 2007.]
*Defensive Player of the Year: Marcus Camby, Denver Nuggets [ [http://www.nba.com/news/camby_defensiveplayer_070427.html Nuggets’ Camby Wins NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award] , nba.com, 27 April 2007, accessed 27 April 2007.]
*Sixth Man of the Year: Leandro Barbosa, Phoenix Suns [ [http://www.nba.com/news/barbosa_sixthmanwinner_070423.html Phoenix’s Barbosa Wins 2006-07 NBA Sixth Man Award] , nba.com, 23 April 2007, accessed 25 April 2007.]
*Most Improved Player: Monta Ellis, Golden State Warriors [ [http://www.nba.com/news/ellis_mostimproved_070426.html Golden State’s Ellis Wins 2006-07 NBA Most Improved Player Award] , nba.com, 26 April 2007, accessed 26 April 2007.]
*Coach of the Year: Sam Mitchell, Toronto Raptors [ [http://www.nba.com/raptors/news/samcoy_042407.html Sam Mitchell Named 2006-07 Coach of the Year] , nba.com/raptors, 24 April 2007, accessed 24 April 2007.]
*Executive of the Year: Bryan Colangelo, Toronto Raptors [ [http://www.nba.com/news/bryancolangelo_070514.html Raptors’ Bryan Colangelo Named Executive of the Year] , nba.com, 14 May 2007, accessed 15 May 2007.]
*Sportsmanship Award: Luol Deng, Chicago Bulls [ [http://www.nba.com/news/deng_sportsmanship_070503.html Chicago's Deng wins sportsmanship award] , nba.com, 3 May 2007, accessed 8 May
2007.]

*All-NBA First Team:
**F Dirk Nowitzki - Dallas Mavericks
**F Tim Duncan - San Antonio Spurs
**C Amare Stoudemire - Phoenix Suns
**G Steve Nash - Phoenix Suns
**G Kobe Bryant - Los Angeles Lakers [http://www.nba.com/news/allnba_070510.html Phoenix Duo Highlights All-NBA First Team] , nba.com, 10 May 2007, accessed 12 May 2007.]
*All-NBA Second Team:
**F LeBron James - Cleveland Cavaliers
**F Chris Bosh - Toronto Raptors
**C Yao Ming - Houston Rockets
**G Gilbert Arenas - Washington Wizards
**G Tracy McGrady - Houston Rockets
*All-NBA Third Team:
**F Kevin Garnett - Minnesota Timberwolves
**F Carmelo Anthony - Denver Nuggets
**C Dwight Howard - Orlando Magic
**G Dwyane Wade - Miami Heat
**G Chauncey Billups - Detroit Pistons
*NBA All-Defensive First Team:
**F Tim Duncan - San Antonio Spurs
**F Bruce Bowen - San Antonio Spurs
**C Marcus Camby - Denver Nuggets
**G Kobe Bryant - Los Angeles Lakers
**G Raja Bell - Phoenix Suns [http://www.nba.com/news/alldefensive_070430.html San Antonio Teammates Bowen and Duncan Top 2006-07 NBA All-Defensive Team Selections] , nba.com, 30 April 2007, accessed 12 May 2007.]
*NBA All-Defensive Second Team:
**F Kevin Garnett - Minnesota Timberwolves
**F Tayshaun Prince - Detroit Pistons
**C Ben Wallace - Chicago Bulls
**G Kirk Hinrich - Chicago Bulls
**G Jason Kidd - New Jersey Nets
*All-NBA Rookie First Team:
**Brandon Roy - Portland Trail Blazers
**Andrea Bargnani - Toronto Raptors
**Randy Foye - Minnesota Timberwolves
**Rudy Gay - Memphis Grizzlies
**Jorge Garbajosa - Toronto Raptors (tie)
**LaMarcus Aldridge - Portland Trail Blazers (tie)
*All-NBA Rookie Second Team:
**Paul Millsap - Utah Jazz
**Adam Morrison - Charlotte Bobcats
**Tyrus Thomas - Chicago Bulls
**Craig Smith - Minnesota Timberwolves
**Rajon Rondo - Boston Celtics (tie)
**Wálter Herrmann - Charlotte Bobcats (tie)
**Marcus Williams - New Jersey Nets (tie)

See also

*2007 NBA All-Star Game
*2007 NBA Playoffs
*2007 NBA Finals

References

External links

* [http://www.nba.com/schedules/ Official 2006-07 season schedules] @ NBA.com