- 1981 NBA Playoffs
The 1981
NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament followNational Basketball Association 's 1980-1981 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference championBoston Celtics winning their 14th overall championship by defeating the Western Conference championHouston Rockets in the1981 NBA Finals . Boston'sCedric Maxwell was awardedNBA Finals MVP .The playoffs were notable for being the only time, to date, a team with a losing record ever advanced as far as the
NBA Finals , as the Rockets won their very first Western Conference championship despite finishing with a record of 40-42 (the other Western Conference Finalist, the Kansas City Kings, also had a 40-42 record).The
Indiana Pacers became the fourth and final formerAmerican Basketball Association team to make their postseason debut, though two straight losses to thePhiladelphia 76ers put a quick end to the Pacers' first playoff run.Bracket
4RoundBracket-Byes | RD1=1st Round
RD1=First Round
RD2=Conference Semifinals
RD3=Conference Finals
RD4=NBA Finals
group1=Western Conference
group2=Eastern ConferenceRD1-seed03=4
RD1-team03=Portland
RD1-score03=1
RD1-seed04=5
RD1-team04=Kansas City
RD1-score04=2RD1-seed05=3
RD1-team05=Los Angeles
RD1-score05=1
RD1-seed06=6
RD1-team06=Houston
RD1-score06=2RD1-seed11=4
RD1-team11=New York
RD1-score11=0
RD1-seed12=5
RD1-team12=Chicago
RD1-score12=2RD1-seed13=3
RD1-team13=Philadelphia
RD1-score13=2
RD1-seed14=6
RD1-team14=Indiana
RD1-score14=0RD2-seed01=1
RD2-team01=Phoenix
RD2-score01=3
RD2-seed02=5
RD2-team02=Kansas City
RD2-score02=4RD2-seed03=6
RD2-team03=Houston
RD2-score03=4
RD2-seed04=2
RD2-team04=San Antonio
RD2-score04=3RD2-seed05=1
RD2-team05=Boston
RD2-score05=4
RD2-seed06=5
RD2-team06=Chicago
RD2-score06=0RD2-seed07=3
RD2-team07=Philadelphia
RD2-score07=4
RD2-seed08=2
RD2-team08=Milwaukee
RD2-score08=3RD3-seed01=5
RD3-team01=Kansas City
RD3-score01=1
RD3-seed02=6
RD3-team02=Houston
RD3-score02=4RD3-seed03=1
RD3-team03=Boston
RD3-score03=4
RD3-seed04=3
RD3-team04=Philadelphia
RD3-score04=3RD4-seed01=W6
RD4-team01=Houston
RD4-score01=2
RD4-seed02=E1
RD4-team02=Boston
RD4-score02=4External links
* [http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1981.html Basketball-Reference.com]
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