2001 NBA playoffs


The 2001 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2000-01 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 1. Shaquille O'Neal was named NBA Finals MVP for the second straight year.

Overview

The Dallas Mavericks made the playoffs for the first time since 1990. Along the way they had many abysmal seasons, including back–to–back years with 11 and 13 wins between 1993 and 1994.
The Los Angeles Lakers entered the postseason with an eight-game winning streak, while the Milwaukee Bucks entered the playoffs as division champions for the first time since 1986.
For the first time since 1997, all four late 80's expansion teams made the playoffs. As of 2024, this remains the most recent occurrence of all four expansion teams making the playoffs.
With their series win over the Orlando Magic, the Milwaukee Bucks won their first playoff series since 1989.
With their 3–2 series win over the Utah Jazz in the first round, the Dallas Mavericks won their first playoff series since 1988. This also marked the first time since 1995 that the Jazz failed to advance past the first round.
The Sacramento Kings won their first playoff series since 1981 and the first since moving to Sacramento. The Toronto Raptors also won their first playoff series in franchise history with their 3–2 first round victory over the New York Knicks. They would not win another playoff series until 2016.
For the first time since 1991, the Knicks failed to win a first–round playoff series. Coincidentally, this also marked the first time since 1996 that the Heat and the Knicks did not meet in the playoffs as both teams were eliminated in the first round by the Charlotte Hornets and the Toronto Raptors, respectively. The Heat and the Knicks would not return to the playoffs until 2004.
2001 also marked the closest the Charlotte Hornets came to making the Eastern Conference Finals, taking a 3–2 series lead over the Milwaukee Bucks before bowing out in seven games. As of 2024, the Hornets were one of two active teams to never advance to the Conference Finals. After eliminating the Hornets, the Milwaukee Bucks made the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1986. For the Bucks, this was their most recent playoff series win until 2019.
The Western Conference Semi–Finals series between the San Antonio Spurs and Dallas Mavericks also marked the start of the Mavericks–Spurs rivalry. The Spurs would win this playoff series, while the Mavericks won in 2006 and 2009. Game 4 of the series was the last NBA game ever played at Reunion Arena, as the Mavericks moved to the American Airlines Center the following season.
With their Western Conference Finals sweep of the San Antonio Spurs, the Lakers went 11–0 through the first three rounds, extending their winning streak to 19 games ). The Lakers also equaled the previous records set by their 1989 team by winning their first 11 post–season games and sweeping three series in the post-season. Their playoff dominance would be bested after the first round of playoffs was extended to a best of seven format instead of the best of five in the 2003 NBA playoffs by the 2016–17 Golden State Warriors who would go 16–1 on their way to their fifth championship.
With their Eastern Conference Finals victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, the Philadelphia 76ers made the NBA Finals for the first time since 1983, when Moses Malone and Julius Erving led the 1983 team to the NBA title in the famous "fo', fo', fo'" year. With the loss, the Bucks would not return to the Conference Finals until 2019.
Game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals was extremely notable for two things.
  • Allen Iverson's step over Tyronn Lue
  • The Philadelphia 76ers giving the Lakers their only loss of the postseason.
With their Game 5 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, the Los Angeles Lakers won their 13th NBA championship. With the win, the Lakers put together the most dominant postseason in NBA history, going 15–1. They set many records, including going undefeated in regulation and on the road. They were also the second NBA champion to defeat four 50–win or better teams on their way to the title as the Rockets did it first in 1995.

Bracket

Playoff qualifying

Western Conference

Best record in NBA

The San Antonio Spurs clinched the best record in the NBA, and they earned home-court advantage throughout the entire playoffs. However, when they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, the Lakers gained home-court advantage for the NBA Finals. San Antonio's 58 games remain tied for the lowest for a team with home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, being equal to the 2023 Milwaukee Bucks.

Clinched a playoff berth

The following teams clinched a playoff berth in the West:
  1. San Antonio Spurs – Midwest Division champions
  2. Los Angeles Lakers – Pacific Division champions, Western Conference regular season champions, NBA regular season champions
  3. Sacramento Kings
  4. Utah Jazz
  5. Dallas Mavericks
  6. Phoenix Suns
  7. Portland Trail Blazers
  8. Minnesota Timberwolves

    Eastern Conference

Best record in conference

The Philadelphia 76ers clinched the best record in the Eastern Conference and had home-court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Clinched a playoff berth

The following teams clinched a playoff berth in the East:
  1. Philadelphia 76ers – Atlantic Division champions, Eastern Conference regular season champions
  2. Milwaukee Bucks – Central Division champions
  3. Miami Heat
  4. New York Knicks
  5. Toronto Raptors
  6. Charlotte Hornets
  7. Orlando Magic
  8. Indiana Pacers

    First round

Eastern Conference first round

(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (8) Indiana Pacers

  • In Game 1, Reggie Miller hit the game-winning 3 with 2.9 seconds left.
Philadelphia won 3–0 in the regular-season series


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

(2) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (7) Orlando Magic

  • In Game 3, Ray Allen sends the game to overtime with a dunk over Tracy McGrady with 3.5 seconds left.
Milwaukee won 4–0 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Bucks and the Magic.

(3) Miami Heat vs. (6) Charlotte Hornets

Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Heat and the Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats franchise.

(4) New York Knicks vs. (5) Toronto Raptors

Toronto won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Knicks winning the first meeting. This was the first-ever playoff series win for the Raptors.
New York leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series

Western Conference first round

(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (8) Minnesota Timberwolves

San Antonio won 3–1 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

(2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (7) Portland Trail Blazers

Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series


This was the tenth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning seven of the first nine meetings.
Los Angeles leads 7–2 in all-time playoff series

(3) Sacramento Kings vs. (6) Phoenix Suns

Sacramento won 3–1 in the regular-season series


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

(4) Utah Jazz vs. (5) Dallas Mavericks

  • In Game 5, Calvin Booth made the series winning layup with 9.6 seconds left. The Mavs would then not only become the 8th team in playoff history to overcome an 0–2 deficit, but also win their first playoff series since 1988.
Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series


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

Conference semifinals

Eastern Conference semifinals

(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (5) Toronto Raptors

  • 76ers ended a 16-year drought by advancing to the conference finals when Vince Carter's long jumper at the buzzer bounced off the rim.
Toronto won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the 76ers and the Raptors.

(2) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (6) Charlotte Hornets

Charlotte won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Hornets and the Bucks.

Western Conference semifinals

(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (5) Dallas Mavericks

San Antonio won 3–1 in the regular-season series


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