1993 NBA playoffs
The 1993 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1992–93 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls season|Chicago Bulls] defeating the Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns] 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. Michael Jordan was named NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award|NBA Finals MVP] for the third straight year. This was the Suns' second Western Conference title; they made their first NBA Finals appearance since 1976, losing to the Boston Celtics. John Paxson made the series-clinching three-point shot in Game Six of the NBA Finals, securing the Bulls' first of two three-peats during the decade. However, Michael Jordan would retire following the season due to the death of his father.
This edition of the playoffs featured the third of four straight seasons the Bulls and the 1992-93 [New York Knicks|Knicks] faced off. This time the tables were turned as the Bulls had the lower seed in the playoffs as the previous two seasons had Chicago as the higher seed. The Knicks were seeded 8th in 1991 and 4th in 1992. But the result was about the same as the Bulls outlasted the Knicks 4 games to 2 in the 1993 Eastern Conference Finals.
The Knicks–Pacers rivalry started in their first-round encounter, which New York won, 3–1. But it wasn't until the next two meetings that the rivalry became even more intense, particularly due to Reggie Miller's heroics in the Garden that made him a household name and Indiana legitimate contenders in the East.
The Charlotte Hornets made their playoff debut. Their opening-round series versus Boston was also the last time the Celtics made the playoffs with Kevin McHale, who retired after the series, and Robert Parish, who left as a free agent. Game 1 of the series was the final game of Reggie Lewis' career, as he collapsed during the first quarter and did not play for the rest of the series; he died in July of a heart attack.
This was the first edition of the playoffs since 1983 to not feature the Detroit Pistons, who previously made nine straight appearances from 1984 to 1992.
Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals saw the Suns attempt sixty-four free throws while connecting on fifty-seven of them, both NBA postseason records.
First round
Eastern Conference first round
(1) New York Knicks">1992–93 New York Knicks season">New York Knicks vs. (8) Indiana Pacers">1992–93 Indiana Pacers season">Indiana Pacers
- John Starks is ejected after headbutting Reggie Miller.
| New York won 3–1 in the regular-season series |
This was the first playoff meeting between the Pacers and the Knicks.
(2) Chicago Bulls">1992–93 Chicago Bulls season">Chicago Bulls vs. (7) Atlanta Hawks">1992–93 Atlanta Hawks season">Atlanta Hawks
- Michael Jordan hits the half-court shot at the buzzer to end the first half.
| Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series |
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Hawks winning both meetings.
| Atlanta leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series |
(3) Cleveland Cavaliers">1992–93 Cleveland Cavaliers season">Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (6) New Jersey Nets">1992–93 New Jersey Nets season">New Jersey Nets
- Bernard King's final NBA game.
- Maurice Cheeks and Dražen Petrović's final NBA game; Petrović dies a month later in a car crash.
- This would be the last playoff series victory for Cleveland without LeBron James until 2024.
| Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series |
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Cavaliers winning the first meeting.
| Cleveland leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series |
(4) Boston Celtics">1992–93 Boston Celtics season">Boston Celtics vs. (5) Charlotte Hornets">1992–93 Charlotte Hornets season">Charlotte Hornets
- Celtics forward Reggie Lewis' final NBA game, he collapses on the court and did not play for the rest of the series; he dies 3 months later from a heart defect.
- Xavier McDaniel hits the game-tying jumper with 25.8 seconds left in regulation to force the first OT; Kevin McHale hits the game-tying jumper with 6 seconds left in the first OT to force the second OT.
- Alonzo Mourning hits the series-winning shot with 4 tenths left; also Kevin McHale's final NBA game.
| Boston won 3–1 in the regular-season series |
This was the first playoff meeting between the Celtics and the Hornets.
Western Conference first round
(1) Phoenix Suns">1992–93 Phoenix Suns season">Phoenix Suns vs. (8) [1992–93 [Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]]
- Dan Majerle hits the game-tying shot with 13.6 seconds left to force OT; After losing the first two games of the series, at the post game press conference Suns head coach Paul Westphal said that they would go to LA and win the next two games and then come back to Phoenix and win game 5, "and everyone will say what a great series it was."
| Phoenix won 5–0 in the regular-season series |
This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning six of the first seven meetings.
| Los Angeles leads 6–1 in all-time playoff series. |
(2) Houston Rockets">1992–93 Houston Rockets season">Houston Rockets vs. (7) Los Angeles Clippers">1992–93 Los Angeles Clippers season">Los Angeles Clippers
| Houston won 4–0 in the regular-season series. |
This was the first playoff meeting between the Rockets and the Clippers.
(3) Seattle SuperSonics">1992–93 Seattle SuperSonics season">Seattle SuperSonics vs. (6) Utah Jazz">1992–93 Utah Jazz season">Utah Jazz
| Tied 2–2 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 |
(4) Portland Trail Blazers">1992–93 Portland Trail Blazers season">Portland Trail Blazers vs. (5) San Antonio Spurs">1992–93 San Antonio Spurs season">San Antonio Spurs
- Sean Elliott hits the game-tying lay-up with 1:27 left to force OT.
| Tied 2–2 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 |
Conference semifinals
Eastern Conference semifinals
(1) New York Knicks">1992–93 New York Knicks season">New York Knicks vs. (5) Charlotte Hornets">1992–93 Charlotte Hornets season">Charlotte Hornets
- Alonzo Mourning hits the game-tying shot with 30.9 seconds left in regulation to force the first OT, then hits the game-tying free throws with 12 seconds left in the first OT to force the second OT.
| New York won 3–1 in the regular-season series |
This was the first playoff meeting between the Hornets and the Knicks.
(2) Chicago Bulls">1992–93 Chicago Bulls season">Chicago Bulls vs. (3) Cleveland Cavaliers">1992–93 Cleveland Cavaliers season">Cleveland Cavaliers
- Michael Jordan hits the series-winning shot at the buzzer against Cleveland for the second time in his career.
| Cleveland won 3–2 in the regular-season series |
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bulls winning the first three meetings.
| Chicago leads 3–0 in all-time playoff series |
Western Conference semifinals
(1) Phoenix Suns">1992–93 Phoenix Suns season">Phoenix Suns vs. (5) San Antonio Spurs">1992–93 San Antonio Spurs season">San Antonio Spurs
- Charles Barkley hits the series-winning shot with 1.8 seconds left, also the Spurs played their final game at the HemisFair Arena before moving to the Alamodome the following season.
| Phoenix won 3–1 in the regular-season series. |
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Suns winning the first meeting.
| Phoenix leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series. |
(2) Houston Rockets">1992–93 Houston Rockets season">Houston Rockets vs. (3) Seattle SuperSonics">1992–93 Seattle SuperSonics season">Seattle SuperSonics
- This game marked the final time the NBA Playoffs aired exclusively on local TV.
- Ricky Pierce hits the game-tying shot with 23.9 seconds left to force OT.
| Seattle won 3–1 in the regular-season series |
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the SuperSonics winning the first three meetings.
| Seattle leads 3–0 in all-time playoff series |
Conference finals
Eastern Conference finals
(1) New York Knicks">1992–93 New York Knicks season">New York Knicks vs. (2) Chicago Bulls">1992–93 Chicago Bulls season">Chicago Bulls
- John Starks' famous dunk on Horace Grant with 47.3 seconds left in the game.
- Michael Jordan scores 54 points, the most against the Knicks in a playoff game by any player.
- B. J. Armstrong hits the clutch three with 1:16 left; Charles Smith gets denied four straight times near the end of the game.
| New York won 3–1 in the regular-season series. |
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bulls winning the first four meetings.
| Chicago leads 4–0 in all-time playoff series |
Western Conference finals
(1) Phoenix Suns">1992–93 Phoenix Suns season">Phoenix Suns vs. (3) Seattle SuperSonics">1992–93 Seattle SuperSonics season">Seattle SuperSonics
| Seattle won 3–2 in the regular-season series. |
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning one series.
| Tied 1–1 in all-time playoff series |
NBA Finals: (W1) Phoenix Suns vs. (E2) Chicago Bulls
- The team with home-court advantage in the NBA Finals loses the first two games at home for the first time ever.
- This game marks the second time in NBA Finals history that a game goes to triple OT after game 5 of the 1976 NBA Finals ; Horace Grant hits the game-tying 3-point play with 1:33 left in regulation to force the first OT; Tom Chambers hits the game-tying lay-up with 50.9 seconds left in the first OT to force the second OT; Dan Majerle hits the game-tying shot with 3.2 seconds left in the second OT to force the third OT.
- The last NBA Finals game in Chicago Stadium.
- John Paxson hits the title-winning 3 with 3.9 seconds left; Horace Grant then blocks Kevin Johnson just before the buzzer.
| Tied 1–1 in the regular-season series |
This was the first playoff meeting between the Bulls and the Suns.