1996 NBA Playoffs

The 1996 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1995-1996 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning their first NBA championship in three years by defeating the Western Conference champion Seattle SuperSonics four games to two.

By capturing their fourth championship, the Bulls put a cap on what many consider the greatest season in NBA history, as they finished a record 72-10 in the regular season, eclipsing the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers' record of 69-13. It was also redemption for Jordan after his first return to the playoffs the previous year and the Bulls' disappointing second-round loss to Orlando, a team that would go on to be swept in the NBA Finals. With Jordan leading the way, this year's Bulls would sweep the Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals, winning the four games by an average of 17 points, en route to an unprecedented combined record of 87-13 in regular season and postseason play.

For the SuperSonics, it was their first trip to the NBA Finals since winning the championship in 1979, and helped vindicate them as well after their startling first-round loss to the Denver Nuggets two years previous (the first time an eighth-seeded team had defeated a top seed in the playoffs).

This was the Sacramento Kings first playoff appearance since 1986.

As for the two-time defending NBA champion Houston Rockets, their quest for a three-peat was thwarted by the eventual Western Conference champion Supersonics. The Supersonics swept the Rockets 4-0 in the Western conference semifinals.

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=Seattle
RD1-score01=3
RD1-seed02=8
RD1-team02=Sacramento
RD1-score02=1

RD1-seed03=4
RD1-team03=L.A. Lakers
RD1-score03=1
RD1-seed04=5
RD1-team04=Houston
RD1-score04=3

RD1-seed05=3
RD1-team05=Utah
RD1-score05=3
RD1-seed06=6
RD1-team06=Portland
RD1-score06=2

RD1-seed07=2
RD1-team07=San Antonio
RD1-score07=3
RD1-seed08=7
RD1-team08=Phoenix
RD1-score08=1

RD1-seed09=1
RD1-team09=Chicago
RD1-score09=3
RD1-seed10=8
RD1-team10=Miami
RD1-score10=0

RD1-seed11=4
RD1-team11=Cleveland
RD1-score11=0
RD1-seed12=5
RD1-team12=New York
RD1-score12=3

RD1-seed13=3
RD1-team13=Indiana
RD1-score13=2
RD1-seed14=6
RD1-team14=Atlanta
RD1-score14=3

RD1-seed15=2
RD1-team15=Orlando
RD1-score15=3
RD1-seed16=7
RD1-team16=Detroit
RD1-score16=0

RD2-seed01=1
RD2-team01=Seattle
RD2-score01=4
RD2-seed02=5
RD2-team02=Houston
RD2-score02=0

RD2-seed03=3
RD2-team03=Utah
RD2-score03=4
RD2-seed04=2
RD2-team04=San Antonio
RD2-score04=2

RD2-seed05=1
RD2-team05=Chicago
RD2-score05=4
RD2-seed06=5
RD2-team06=New York
RD2-score06=1

RD2-seed07=6
RD2-team07=Atlanta
RD2-score07=1
RD2-seed08=2
RD2-team08=Orlando
RD2-score08=4

RD3-seed01=1
RD3-team01=Seattle
RD3-score01=4
RD3-seed02=3
RD3-team02=Utah
RD3-score02=3

RD3-seed03=1
RD3-team03=Chicago
RD3-score03=4
RD3-seed04=2
RD3-team04=Orlando
RD3-score04=0

RD4-seed01=W1
RD4-team01=Seattle
RD4-score01=2
RD4-seed02=E1
RD4-team02=Chicago
RD4-score02=4

Playoff qualifying

Western Conference

Best record in conference

The Seattle SuperSonics 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:

# Seattle SuperSonics (clinched Pacific division)
# San Antonio Spurs (clinched Midwest division)
# Utah Jazz
# Los Angeles Lakers
# Houston Rockets 2-time defending NBA Champions
# Portland Trail Blazers
# Phoenix Suns
# Sacramento Kings

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:

# Chicago Bulls (clinched Central division)
# Orlando Magic (clinched Atlantic division)
# Indiana Pacers
# Cleveland Cavaliers
# New York Knicks
# Atlanta Hawks
# Detroit Pistons
# Miami Heat

Notes

* For the fourth straight postseason, both #5 seeds beat their #4 seeded opponent in the first round.

Western Conference

Champion: Seattle SuperSonics

First Round

(1) Seattle SuperSonics vs. (8) Sacramento Kings

*Required overtime

(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Phoenix Suns

Conference Finals

(1) Seattle SuperSonics vs. (3) Utah Jazz

(3) Indiana Pacers vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks

*Required overtime

(2) Orlando Magic vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks

External links

* [http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1996.html Basketball-Reference.com's 1996 Playoffs section]