1986 NBA playoffs


The 1986 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1985–86 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics] defeating the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets season|Houston Rockets] 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. Larry Bird was named Bill Russell [NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award|NBA Finals MVP] for the second time.
This was the second NBA Finals meeting between the Celtics and Rockets; they met in the 1981 NBA Finals with the same result. It was the third of four straight Eastern Conference championships for Boston, who won 67 games that year, and went 40–1 at home. The Rockets, meanwhile had won just their second conference title in franchise history.
Second-year player Michael Jordan put on a record-setting performance in Game 2 of the Bulls' first-round series against the Celtics, scoring 63 points in a 2-OT loss, which surpassed Elgin Baylor's 61-point performance from the 1962 NBA Finals and still stands as the List of [National Basketball Association players with 50 or more points in a playoff game|NBA Playoff scoring record]. Jordan averaged 43.7 points per game in the series but was unable to prevent the Bulls from being swept by a more experienced, more talented Celtics team. The Bulls set a dubious mark by posting the second worst record for a playoff-qualifying team in history, going just 30–52 during the season. Game 2, where the record was set, was ranked by TV Guide as the 26th Most Memorable Moment in Television History, and is credited with boosting the NBA's popularity surge and eventual rise to near the top of the United States television sports market, trailing only football by the mid-90s.
The 1986 playoffs marked the third time in four years that the Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks] advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, but it would be their last appearance in the series until 2001. The Celtics avenged their 1983 sweep by sweeping the Bucks in four games.
As for the Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers], this was the last time they would play in a Game 7 until 2001. After their first round loss to the Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks], the Detroit Pistons season|Detroit Pistons] would advance past the first round in each of the next five seasons, which include all appearances in the conference finals, three NBA Finals, and two championships.
After moving from Kansas City, where the franchise played its previous thirteen seasons, the Sacramento Kings made their first postseason appearance in their first season in its new city.

Bracket

First round

Eastern Conference first round

(1) Boston Celtics">1985–86 Boston Celtics season">Boston Celtics vs. (8) Chicago Bulls">1985–86 Chicago Bulls season">Chicago Bulls

  • Michael Jordan hits the game-tying free throws with no time left in regulation to force the first OT; Danny Ainge hits the game-tying lay-up with 12 seconds left in the first OT to force the second OT.
  • Michael Jordan's 63 points scored is an NBA playoff record
  • As it turned out, this was George Gervin's final NBA game, as he played in Europe for a few seasons afterwards.
Boston won 5–1 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">1985–86 Milwaukee Bucks season">Milwaukee Bucks vs. (7) [1985–86 [New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey Nets]]

Milwaukee won 4–2 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">1985–86 Philadelphia 76ers season">Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) Washington Bullets">1985–86 Washington Bullets season">Washington Bullets

  • Dudley Bradley hits the game-winning 3 capping off a rally from 17 points down.
Tied 3–3 in the regular-season series


This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning two of the first four meetings.
Tied 2–2 in all-time playoff series

(4) Atlanta Hawks">1985–86 Atlanta Hawks season">Atlanta Hawks vs. (5) Detroit Pistons">1985–86 Detroit Pistons season">Detroit Pistons

Atlanta won 4–2 in the regular-season series


This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Hawks winning two of the first three meetings while in St. Louis.
Atlanta/ St. Louis leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series

Western Conference first round

(1) [1985–86 [Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] vs. (8) [1985–86 [San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio Spurs]]

Los Angeles won 4–1 in the regular-season series


This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first two meetings.
Los Angeles leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series

(2) Houston Rockets">1985–86 Houston Rockets season">Houston Rockets vs. (7) [1985–86 [Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento Kings]]

Houston won 4–2 in the regular-season series


This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Rockets winning the first meeting.
Houston leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series

(3) Denver Nuggets">1985–86 Denver Nuggets season">Denver Nuggets vs. (6) [1985–86 [Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland Trail Blazers]]

Denver won 3–2 in the regular-season series


This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Trail Blazers winning the first meeting.
Portland leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series

(4) Dallas Mavericks">1985–86 Dallas Mavericks season">Dallas Mavericks vs. (5) Utah Jazz">1985–86 Utah Jazz season">Utah Jazz

Dallas won 5–1 in the regular-season series


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

Conference semifinals

Eastern Conference semifinals

(1) Boston Celtics">1985–86 Boston Celtics season">Boston Celtics vs. (4) Atlanta Hawks">1985–86 Atlanta Hawks season">Atlanta Hawks

  • Hawks only scored 1 field goal in the third quarter.
Boston won 6–0 in the regular-season series


This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning six of the first seven meetings.
Boston leads 6–1 in all-time playoff series

(2) Milwaukee Bucks">1985–86 Milwaukee Bucks season">Milwaukee Bucks vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers">1985–86 Philadelphia 76ers season">Philadelphia 76ers

Milwaukee won 4–1 in the regular-season series


This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the 76ers winning four of the first five meetings.
Philadelphia leads 4–1 in all-time playoff series

Western Conference semifinals

(1) Los Angeles Lakers">1985–86 Los Angeles Lakers season">Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Dallas Mavericks">1985–86 Dallas Mavericks season">Dallas Mavericks

  • Derek Harper redeemed himself from his 1984 mistake by hitting the game-winning 3 with 3 seconds left.
Los Angeles won 4–1 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

(2) Houston Rockets">1985–86 Houston Rockets season">Houston Rockets vs. (3) Denver Nuggets">1985–86 Denver Nuggets season">Denver Nuggets

Tied 3–3 in the regular-season series


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

Conference finals

Eastern Conference finals

(1) Boston Celtics">1985–86 Boston Celtics season">Boston Celtics vs. (2) Milwaukee Bucks">1985–86 Milwaukee Bucks season">Milwaukee Bucks

Boston won 5–0 in the regular-season series


This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning two of the first three meetings.
Boston leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series

Western Conference finals

(1) Los Angeles Lakers">1985–86 Los Angeles Lakers season">Los Angeles Lakers vs. (2) Houston Rockets">1985–86 Houston Rockets season">Houston Rockets

Los Angeles won 4–1 in the regular-season series


This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Rockets winning the first meeting.
Houston leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series

NBA Finals: (E1) Boston Celtics vs. (W2) Houston Rockets

Boston won 2–0 in the regular-season series


This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first three meetings.
Boston leads 3–0 in all-time playoff series

Statistical leaders