2000 NBA Playoffs

The 2000 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1999-2000 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers winning their first championship in twelve years by defeating the Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers four games to two.

The Lakers' title marked the first championship for both Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, both considered to be future first-ballot Hall of Famers, and it was the first Lakers championship in the post-Magic Johnson, post-Kareem Abdul-Jabbar era. AC Green from the Lakers Showtime era was in the starting lineup for this team as well. This playoffs is also noted for the late game 7 double-digit collapse of the Portland Trailblazers.

For the Pacers it was their first Eastern Conference championship after three previous appearances in the Eastern Conference finals; however after this season the team would be radically altered with key players Rik Smits, Dale Davis, Derrick McKey and Mark Jackson moving on to other teams (or in the case of Smits, retiring).

The 2000 playoffs marked the postseason debut of the five-year-old expansion Toronto Raptors.

The San Antonio Spurs became the first team since the 1986-87 Boston Celtics to fail to repeat as NBA Champions (they fell to the Phoenix Suns 3-1 in the first round). However, it is worth noting that Tim Duncan did not participate in that series due to injury.

Bracket

16TeamBracket

RD1=First Round
RD2=Conference Semifinals
RD3=Conference Finals
RD4=NBA Finals
group1=Western Conference
group2=Eastern Conference
RD1-seed01=1
RD1-team01=L.A. Lakers
RD1-score01=3
RD1-seed02=8
RD1-team02=Sacramento
RD1-score02=2
RD1-seed03=4
RD1-team03=San Antonio
RD1-score03=1
RD1-seed04=5
RD1-team04=Phoenix
RD1-score04=3
RD1-seed05=3
RD1-team05=Portland
RD1-score05=3
RD1-seed06=6
RD1-team06=Minnesota
RD1-score06=1
RD1-seed07=2
RD1-team07=Utah
RD1-score07=3
RD1-seed08=7
RD1-team08=Seattle
RD1-score08=2
RD1-seed09=1
RD1-team09=Indiana
RD1-score09=3
RD1-seed10=8
RD1-team10=Milwaukee
RD1-score10=2
RD1-seed11=4
RD1-team11=Charlotte
RD1-score11=1
RD1-seed12=5
RD1-team12=Philadelphia
RD1-score12=3
RD1-seed13=3
RD1-team13=New York
RD1-score13=3
RD1-seed14=6
RD1-team14=Toronto
RD1-score14=0
RD1-seed15=2
RD1-team15=Miami
RD1-score15=3
RD1-seed16=7
RD1-team16=Detroit
RD1-score16=0
RD2-seed01=1
RD2-team01=L.A. Lakers
RD2-score01=4
RD2-seed02=5
RD2-team02=Phoenix
RD2-score02=1
RD2-seed03=3
RD2-team03=Portland
RD2-score03=4
RD2-seed04=2
RD2-team04=Utah
RD2-score04=1
RD2-seed05=1
RD2-team05=Indiana
RD2-score05=4
RD2-seed06=5
RD2-team06=Philadelphia
RD2-score06=2
RD2-seed07=3
RD2-team07=New York
RD2-score07=4
RD2-seed08=2
RD2-team08=Miami
RD2-score08=3
RD3-seed01=1
RD3-team01=L.A. Lakers
RD3-score01=4
RD3-seed02=3
RD3-team02=Portland
RD3-score02=3
RD3-seed03=1
RD3-team03=Indiana
RD3-score03=4
RD3-seed04=3
RD3-team04=New York
RD3-score04=2
RD4-seed02=E1
RD4-team02=Indiana
RD4-score02=2
RD4-seed01=W1
RD4-team01=L.A. Lakers
RD4-score01=4

Playoff qualifying

Western Conference

Best record in NBA

The Los Angeles Lakers 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 West:

# Los Angeles Lakers (clinched Pacific division)
# Utah Jazz (clinched Midwest division)
# Portland Trail Blazers
# San Antonio Spurs
# Phoenix Suns
# Minnesota Timberwolves
# Seattle SuperSonics
# Sacramento Kings

Eastern Conference

Best record in conference

The Indiana Pacers clinched the best record in the Eastern Conference, and had home court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Clinched a playoff berth

The following teams clinched a playoff berth in the East:

# Indiana Pacers (clinched Central division)
# Miami Heat (clinched Atlantic division)
# New York Knicks
# Charlotte Hornets
# Philadelphia 76ers
# Toronto Raptors
# Detroit Pistons
# Milwaukee Bucks

External links

* [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/2000/playoffs/ CNNSI.com's 2000 Playoffs coverage]