1995–96 NBA season

1995 NBA lockout

Notable occurrences

• The NBA established its first Canadian teams since the 1946–47 Toronto Huskies, as the Toronto Raptors and the Vancouver Grizzlies made their debuts as the NBA's 28th and 29th franchises. The Grizzlies began play at GM Place as a member of the Midwest Division while the Raptors set up shop at the SkyDome, with some games also played at Maple Leaf Gardens, as a member of the Central Division. Each franchise won its first game, although Toronto would win only 21 games in the season, and Vancouver 15 games.
• The Chicago Bulls finished the season with a combined regular season and postseason record of 87–13, the best in NBA history. Chicago's 72 wins remained an NBA record until, when the Golden State Warriors, who were coached by ex-Bulls guard Steve Kerr, posted a 73–9 record, despite winning a combined 88 regular season and postseason games, they failed to win the championship. Prior to the start of the NBA Playoffs, the Bulls shocked the basketball world by wearing black socks, claiming this as redemption to the city's most infamous sports moment, the Black Sox Scandal of 1919. The socks would become a Bulls playoff tradition, which other teams soon follow. However, this was not the first time a team or a particular player wore black socks; earlier in the season, Orlando Magic forward Dennis Scott wore black socks while competing in the AT&T Three-Point Shootout at NBA All-Star Weekend.
• The Miami Heat hired Pat Riley as the team's new head coach and president of basketball operations. The hire caused controversy as the New York Knicks claimed that the Heat were guilty of tampering. After an investigation by the NBA, the Heat were found guilty and were forced to give the Knicks $1 million and a first round draft pick. Riley's first moves were the acquisition of Alonzo Mourning from the Charlotte Hornets for Glen Rice, and the trade for Tim Hardaway from the Golden State Warriors for Kevin Willis. Hardaway and Mourning would turn the struggling Heat into contenders in the coming seasons.
• NBA debuts for four future All-Stars Kevin Garnett, Michael Finley, Rasheed Wallace and Jerry Stackhouse. Toronto Raptors point guard Damon Stoudamire won Rookie of the Year.
• Michael Jordan became the only player to win the NBA Finals MVP Award at least four times. He would also become the second player to earn the MVP triple crown since Willis Reed in 1970, having won All-Star, Regular Season and NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award|Finals] MVP in the same season; an achievement he also accomplished in 1998, and later on by Shaquille O'Neal in 2000.
• Michael Jordan won his NBA record 8th scoring title.
• The Boston Celtics played their first season at the FleetCenter.
• The 1996 NBA All-Star Game was played at the Alamodome in San Antonio, with the East defeating the West 129–118. Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls was named the game's MVP. Los Angeles Clippers guard Brent Barry won the Slam Dunk Contest.
• Referees were locked out to begin the season, but reached an agreement to return to work in December 1995.
• Following the referee lockout, legendary official Jake O'Donnell retired after 27 seasons. O'Donnell, who also was an American League umpire from 1968 to 1971, worked the NBA Finals for 23 consecutive years. He remains the only official to work all-star games in two major professional sports.
• Magic Johnson comes out of retirement to play in 32 games for Los Angeles before retiring again at the end of the season.
• The Philadelphia 76ers play their final season at The Spectrum. At the time, it was named the CoreStates Spectrum; the CoreStates name was later added on their future home arena under construction at the time. The 76ers would return to the renamed Wachovia Spectrum for a farewell game in the 2008–09 season before its eventual demolition.
• Hakeem Olajuwon passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the all-time leader in blocked shots in the last game of the season. John Stockton also became the all-time steals and assists leader, passing Maurice Cheeks and Magic Johnson, respectively. Robert Parish also passed Abdul-Jabbar for the most games played in the NBA.
• Portland Trail Blazers' longest sellout streak by any team in professional sports ends at 814, during which the team played its first season at higher-capacity Rose Garden, now the Moda Center.
• The Sacramento Kings made their first playoff appearance since 1986.

1995–96 NBA changes

• The Atlanta Hawks changed their logo and uniforms, which featured the Hawks' logo on the front of the jerseys. The road jerseys were both red and black.
• The Boston Celtics moved into the FleetCenter.
• The Chicago Bulls got new black alternate uniforms with pinstripes.
• The Houston Rockets changed their logo and uniforms, adding pinstripes to their jerseys and navy to their color scheme.
• The Miami Heat added new red alternate uniforms.
• The Milwaukee Bucks added new green alternate uniforms.
• The New York Knicks added the "New York" script to their logo, and got new blue alternate uniforms, with black side panels on their jerseys.
• The Portland Trail Blazers moved into the Rose Garden.
• The Seattle SuperSonics changed their logo and uniforms, replacing their primary green and yellow colors with dark green and red with side panels on their jerseys.
• The expansion Toronto Raptors got a new logo and new pinstripe uniforms, adding purple and red to their color scheme.
• The expansion Vancouver Grizzlies got a new logo and new uniforms, adding teal and brown to their color scheme.

Standings

By conference

• z – Clinched home court advantage for the entire playoffs
• c – Clinched home court advantage for the conference playoffs
• y – Clinched division title
• x – Clinched playoff spot

Playoffs

NBA awards

Yearly awards

• All-NBA First Team:
• *F – Karl Malone, Utah Jazz
• *F – Scottie Pippen, Chicago Bulls
• *C – David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs
• *G – Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls
• *G – Penny Hardaway, Orlando MagicAll-NBA Second Team:
• * F – Shawn Kemp, Seattle SuperSonics
• * F – Grant Hill, Detroit Pistons
• * C – Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets
• * G – Gary Payton, Seattle SuperSonics
• * G – John Stockton, Utah JazzAll-NBA Third Team:
• * F – Charles Barkley, Phoenix Suns
• * F – Juwan Howard, Washington Bullets
• * C – Shaquille O'Neal, Orlando Magic
• * G – Mitch Richmond, Sacramento Kings
• * G – Reggie Miller, Indiana PacersNBA All-Defensive First Team:
• * F – Dennis Rodman, Chicago Bulls
• * F – Scottie Pippen, Chicago Bulls
• * C – David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs
• * G – Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls
• * G – Gary Payton, Seattle SuperSonicsNBA All-Defensive Second Team:
• * F – Horace Grant, Orlando Magic
• * F – Derrick McKey, Indiana Pacers
• * C – Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets
• * G – Bobby Phills, Cleveland Cavaliers
• * G – Mookie Blaylock, Atlanta Hawks
• NBA All-Rookie First Team:
• * Damon Stoudamire, Toronto Raptors
• * Joe Smith, Golden State Warriors
• * Jerry Stackhouse, Philadelphia 76ers
• * Antonio McDyess, Denver Nuggets
• * Arvydas Sabonis, Portland Trail Blazers
• * Michael Finley, Phoenix SunsAll-NBA Rookie Second Team:
• * Rasheed Wallace, Washington Bullets
• * Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves
• * Bryant Reeves, Vancouver Grizzlies
• * Brent Barry, Los Angeles Clippers
• * Tyus Edney, Sacramento Kings

Player of the week

Player of the month

Rookie of the month

Coach of the month