1985 NBA playoffs


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.
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 canceled so that he would play the Philadelphia half of Live Aid, as noted by Charlie Van Dyke when he sub-hosted an episode of American Top 40 on July 6 of that year.

Bracket

First round

Eastern Conference first round

(1) [Boston Celtics] vs. (8) [Cleveland Cavaliers]

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.
Boston leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series

(2) [Milwaukee Bucks] vs. (7) [Chicago Bulls]

  • Michael Jordan hits his first playoff game-winner with 22 seconds left.
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.
Milwaukee leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series

(3) [Philadelphia 76ers] vs. (6) [Washington Bullets]

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.
Washington leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series

(4) [Detroit Pistons] vs. (5) [New Jersey Nets]

New Jersey won 5–1 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Pistons and the Nets.

Western Conference first round

(1) [Los Angeles Lakers] vs. (8) [Phoenix Suns]

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.
Los Angeles leads 4–0 in all-time playoff series

(2) [Denver Nuggets] vs. (7) [San Antonio Spurs]

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.
San Antonio leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series

(3) [Houston Rockets] vs. (6) [Utah Jazz]

Tied 3–3 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Rockets and the Jazz.

(4) [Dallas Mavericks] vs. (5) [Portland Trail Blazers]

Dallas won 4–1 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Mavericks and the Trail Blazers.

Conference semifinals

Eastern Conference semifinals

(1) [Boston Celtics] vs. (4) [Detroit Pistons]

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.
Boston leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series

(2) [Milwaukee Bucks] vs. (3) [Philadelphia 76ers]

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.
Philadelphia leads 3–1 in all-time playoff series

Western Conference semifinals

(1) [Los Angeles Lakers] vs. (5) [Portland Trail Blazers]

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.
Tied 1–1 in all-time playoff series

(2) [Denver Nuggets] vs. (6) [Utah Jazz]

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.
Utah leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series

Conference finals

Eastern Conference finals

(1) [Boston Celtics] vs. (3) [Philadelphia 76ers]

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.
Boston leads 9–8 in all-time playoff series

Western Conference finals

(1) [Los Angeles Lakers] vs. (2) [Denver Nuggets]

  • Dan Issel's final NBA game.
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.
Los Angeles leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series

NBA Finals: (E1) Boston Celtics vs. (W1) Los Angeles Lakers

  • "Memorial Day Massacre"
  • Kareem Abdul-Jabbar breaks Jerry West's all-time playoff scoring record.
  • Dennis Johnson hits the game-winner at the buzzer.
  • The Lakers become the only road team to win the NBA title in Boston Garden. They were the last visitor to win the title in Boston until the Golden State Warriors did it in the 2022 NBA Finals at TD Garden.
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.
Boston leads 8–0 in all-time playoff series

Statistical leaders