Postseason tournament
The 1985 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association 's 1984–85 season . The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals . Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was named NBA Finals MVP for the second time (he had won the award under his birth name, Lew Alcindor, as a Buck in 1971 ).
The Lakers had been unsuccessful in their previous eight attempts to defeat the Celtics in the NBA Finals , losing 7 times from 1959 –1969 and 1984 . The Lakers, moreover, won the title in Boston, something no other NBA team would accomplish until 2022 , and would be the only road team to clinch the title at Boston Garden .
The Cavaliers made the playoffs for the first time since 1978 .
It was also the first time that all three teams from Texas made the playoffs in the same year.
The Denver Nuggets advanced to the conference finals for the first time since 1978 and would not advance that far again until 2009 . The Philadelphia 76ers , on the other hand, advanced to the conference finals for the fifth time in six years, but would not reach that level again until 2001 .
It was also the first time that Turner Broadcasting was covering the playoffs as TBS was the home for some playoff games.
Games 3 and 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals at the Spectrum forced a Phil Collins concert at the arena to be rescheduled to the fall of 1985, as noted by Charlie Van Dyke when he sub-hosted an episode of American Top 40 July 6 of that year.
A ticket for Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals between the Lakers and the Trail Blazers.
Bracket
* Division winner Bold Series winnerItalic Team with home-court advantage
First round
Eastern Conference first round
Regular-season series
Boston won 6–0 in the regular-season series
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first meeting.
Previous playoff series[ 1]
Boston leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
Michael Jordan hits his first playoff game-winner with 22 seconds left.
Regular-season series
Tied 3–3 in the regular-season series
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bucks winning the first meeting.
Previous playoff series[ 2]
Milwaukee leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
Regular-season series
Philadelphia won 4–2 in the regular-season series
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bullets winning two of the first three meetings.
Previous playoff series[ 3]
Washington leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series
Regular-season series
New Jersey won 5–1 in the regular-season series
This was the first playoff meeting between the Pistons and the Nets.[ 4]
Western Conference first round
Regular-season series
Los Angeles won 5–1 in the regular-season series
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first four meetings.
Previous playoff series[ 5]
Los Angeles leads 4–0 in all-time playoff series
Regular-season series
Tied 3–3 in the regular-season series
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Spurs winning the first meeting.
Previous playoff series[ 6]
San Antonio leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
Regular-season series
Tied 3–3 in the regular-season series
This was the first playoff meeting between the Rockets and the Jazz.[ 7]
Regular-season series
Dallas won 4–1 in the regular-season series
This was the first playoff meeting between the Mavericks and the Trail Blazers.[ 8]
Conference semifinals
Eastern Conference semifinals
Regular-season series
Boston won 4–2 in the regular-season series
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first meeting.
Previous playoff series[ 9]
Boston leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
Regular-season series
Tied 3–3 in the regular-season series
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the 76ers winning three of the first four meetings.
Previous playoff series[ 10]
Philadelphia leads 3–1 in all-time playoff series
Western Conference semifinals
The CBS coverage of this game would mark the final on-air assignment for Frank Glieber (calling the game alongside James Brown ); as Glieber died from a heart attack three days later at the age of 51.
Regular-season series
Los Angeles won 5–1 in the regular-season series
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning one series apiece.
Previous playoff series[ 11]
Tied 1–1 in all-time playoff series
Regular-season series
Denver won 4–2 in the regular-season series
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Jazz winning the first meeting.
Previous playoff series[ 12]
Utah leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
Conference finals
Eastern Conference finals
Larry Bird makes the game-saving steal to advance to the Finals for the Celtics.
Regular-season series
Tied 3–3 in the regular-season series
This was the 18th playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning nine of the first 17 meetings.
Previous playoff series[ 13]
Boston leads 9–8 in all-time playoff series
Western Conference finals
Regular-season series
Los Angeles won 3–2 in the regular-season series
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first meeting.
Previous playoff series[ 14]
Los Angeles leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
Regular-season series
Tied 1–1 in the regular-season series
This was the ninth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first eight meetings.
Previous playoff series[ 15]
Boston leads 8–0 in all-time playoff series
Statistical leaders
See also
References
^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Cleveland Cavaliers (Playoffs)" . basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015 .^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Chicago Bulls versus Milwaukee Bucks (Playoffs)" . basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015 .^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Philadelphia 76ers versus Washington Wizards (Playoffs)" . basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015 .^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Brooklyn Nets versus Detroit Pistons (Playoffs)" . basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015 .^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Lakers versus Phoenix Suns (Playoffs)" . basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015 .^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus San Antonio Spurs (Playoffs)" . basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015 .^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Houston Rockets versus Utah Jazz (Playoffs)" . basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015 .^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Dallas Mavericks versus Portland Trail Blazers (Playoffs)" . basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015 .^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Detroit Pistons (Playoffs)" . basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015 .^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Milwaukee Bucks versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)" . basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015 .^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Lakers versus Portland Trail Blazers (Playoffs)" . basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015 .^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Utah Jazz (Playoffs)" . basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015 .^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)" . basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015 .^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)" . basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015 .^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)" . basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 25, 2015 .
External links
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