1991 NBA playoffs

1991 NBA playoffs
Tournament details
DatesApril 25–June 12, 1991
Season1990–91
Teams16
Final positions
ChampionsChicago Bulls (1st title)
Runner-upLos Angeles Lakers
Semifinalists
← 1990
1992 →
A ticket for Game 2 of the 1991 Western Conference First Round at the Great Western Forum.

The 1991 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1990–91 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals. Michael Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP.

The Lakers reached the Finals despite not being the top seed in the Western Conference for the first time since 1981, and for just the second time since drafting Magic Johnson first overall in 1979.

After the Pistons had ended their season the last three years, the Bulls got revenge in the Eastern Conference Finals by sweeping the two-time defending NBA champions. It was the first time the Bulls won a playoff series over the Pistons since 1974, when both teams were still part of the Western Conference. Game 4 ended with some of the Pistons walking off the court before time expired, refusing to shake the Bulls' hands. The Pistons were vilified for this, however it was later revealed that the Pistons refused to shake hands with the Bulls because of comments said by Michael Jordan in a pre-game interview before the start of Game 4.[1] In the 1989 NBA Finals, the Pistons themselves had swept the two-time defending champion Lakers. Detroit did not reach the conference finals again until 2003.

The seventh seeded Golden State Warriors stunned the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs, defeating them 3 games to 1. It would be Golden State's last playoff series win until 2007.

The 76ers and the Bucks met in the first round of the playoffs where the 76ers swept the series. It would be both teams last playoff appearance until 1999.

Game 4 of the Blazers–Jazz series was the last game ever played at the Salt Palace.

The Spectrum hosted its final NBA playoff game in Game 4 of the Bulls–76ers series. When the 76ers returned to the playoffs in 1999, they had moved to the CoreStates Center, their home since the 1996–97 season.

This was the first year that NBC aired the NBA Playoffs.

Bracket

First round Conference semifinals Conference finals Finals
            
E1 Chicago* 3
E8 New York 0
E1 Chicago* 4
E5 Philadelphia 1
E4 Milwaukee 0
E5 Philadelphia 3
E1 Chicago* 4
Eastern Conference
E3 Detroit 0
E3 Detroit 3
E6 Atlanta 2
E3 Detroit 4
E2 Boston* 2
E2 Boston* 3
E7 Indiana 2
E1 Chicago* 4
W3 LA Lakers 1
W1 Portland* 3
W8 Seattle 2
W1 Portland* 4
W5 Utah 1
W4 Phoenix 1
W5 Utah 3
W1 Portland* 2
Western Conference
W3 LA Lakers 4
W3 LA Lakers 3
W6 Houston 0
W3 LA Lakers 4
W7 Golden State 1
W2 San Antonio* 1
W7 Golden State 3
  • * Division winner
  • Bold Series winner
  • Italic Team with home-court advantage

First round

Eastern Conference first round

(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (8) New York Knicks

April 25
8:00 PM
New York Knicks 85, Chicago Bulls 126
Scoring by quarter: 19–29, 17–36, 21–28, 28–33
Pts: Kiki VanDeWeghe 19
Rebs: Charles Oakley 11
Asts: Maurice Cheeks 7		 Pts: Michael Jordan 28
Rebs: Horace Grant 8
Asts: B. J. Armstrong 10
Chicago leads series, 1–0
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
Attendance: 18,676
Referees: Nolan Fine, Jess Kersey, Wally Rooney
April 28
3:30 PM
New York Knicks 79, Chicago Bulls 89
Scoring by quarter: 26–27, 18–15, 19–19, 16–28
Pts: Patrick Ewing 24
Rebs: Ewing, Oakley 10 each
Asts: Trent Tucker 3		 Pts: Michael Jordan 26
Rebs: Scottie Pippen 8
Asts: Scottie Pippen 7
Chicago leads series, 2–0
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
Attendance: 18,676
Referees: Joe Forte, Ron Garretson, Jake O'Donnell
April 30
7:30 PM
Chicago Bulls 103, New York Knicks 94
Scoring by quarter: 25–31, 28–23, 30–17, 20–23
Pts: Michael Jordan 33
Rebs: Scottie Pippen 11
Asts: Michael Jordan 7		 Pts: Ewing, VanDeWeghe 20 each
Rebs: Patrick Ewing 14
Asts: Maurice Cheeks 7
Chicago wins series, 3–0
Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York
Attendance: 18,021
Referees: Darell Garretson, Steve Javie, Don Vaden

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bulls winning the first two meetings.

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Indiana Pacers

April 26
8:00 PM
Indiana Pacers 120, Boston Celtics 127
Scoring by quarter: 25–36, 31–25, 34–31, 30–35
Pts: Reggie Miller 24
Rebs: Detlef Schrempf 10
Asts: Chuck Person 7		 Pts: Reggie Lewis 28
Rebs: Larry Bird 12
Asts: Larry Bird 12
Boston leads series, 1–0
Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Attendance: 14,890
Referees: Bernie Fryer, Mike Mathis, Bill Saar
April 28
1:00 PM
Indiana Pacers 130, Boston Celtics 118
Scoring by quarter: 32–36, 32–25, 31–28, 35–29
Pts: Chuck Person 39
Rebs: Dreiling, Schrempf 7 each
Asts: Micheal Williams 10		 Pts: Lewis, Shaw 22 each
Rebs: Robert Parish 1
Asts: Larry Bird 10
Series tied, 1–1
Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Referees: Darell Garretson, Steve Javie, Ed T. Rush
May 1
8:00 PM
Boston Celtics 112, Indiana Pacers 105
Scoring by quarter: 29–21, 31–24, 18–24, 34–36
Pts: Kevin McHale 22
Rebs: Larry Bird 9
Asts: Brian Shaw 7		 Pts: Miller, Schrempf 20 each
Rebs: Detlef Schrempf 10
Asts: Micheal Williams 7
Boston leads series, 2–1
Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, Indiana
Attendance: 16,530
Referees: Bob Delaney, Hugh Evans, Lee Jones
May 3
8:00 PM
Boston Celtics 113, Indiana Pacers 116
Scoring by quarter: 36–36, 33–28, 26–24, 18–28
Pts: Kevin McHale 24
Rebs: Robert Parish 12
Asts: Larry Bird 8		 Pts: Chuck Person 30
Rebs: LaSalle Thompson 7
Asts: Micheal Williams 9
Series tied, 2–2
Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, Indiana
Attendance: 16,530
Referees: Jack Madden, Jack Nies, Bill Oakes
May 5
1:00 PM
Indiana Pacers 121, Boston Celtics 124
Scoring by quarter: 25–35, 33–23, 33–42, 30–24
Pts: Chuck Person 32
Rebs: LaSalle Thompson 9
Asts: Micheal Williams 10		 Pts: Larry Bird 32
Rebs: Larry Bird 9
Asts: Brian Shaw 9
Boston wins series, 3–2
Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Attendance: 14,890
Referees: Dick Bavetta, Jess Kersey, Ed T. Rush
  • Larry Bird came back in the middle of the third quarter despite suffering a concussion in the second and inspired the Celtics' rally.

This was the first playoff meeting between the Celtics and the Pacers.[3]

(3) Detroit Pistons vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks

April 26
7:30 PM
Atlanta Hawks 103, Detroit Pistons 98
Scoring by quarter: 26–26, 28–25, 26–19, 23–28
Pts: Dominique Wilkins 32
Rebs: Kevin Willis 8
Asts: Webb, Battle 3 each		 Pts: Joe Dumars 20
Rebs: Laimbeer, Rodman 11 each
Asts: Isiah Thomas 14
Atlanta leads series, 1–0
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
Attendance: 21,454
Referees: Dan Crawford, Ron Garretson, Jake O'Donnell
April 28
8:00 PM
Atlanta Hawks 88, Detroit Pistons 101
Scoring by quarter: 18–22, 18–25, 29–29, 23–25
Pts: Dominique Wilkins 20
Rebs: Kevin Willis 9
Asts: Dominique Wilkins 5		 Pts: Joe Dumars 28
Rebs: Dennis Rodman 16
Asts: Isiah Thomas 8
Series tied, 1–1
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
Attendance: 21,454
Referees: Bernie Fryer, Mike Mathis, Ronnie Nunn
April 30
7:30 PM
Detroit Pistons 103, Atlanta Hawks 91
Scoring by quarter: 15–30, 29–26, 32–15, 27–20
Pts: Joe Dumars 30
Rebs: Dennis Rodman 13
Asts: Isiah Thomas 13		 Pts: Kevin Willis 24
Rebs: Kevin Willis 10
Asts: Spud Webb 9
Detroit leads series, 2–1
Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, Georgia
Attendance: 13,571
Referees: Hue Hollins, Ed T. Rush, Bill Saar
May 2
8:00 PM
Detroit Pistons 111, Atlanta Hawks 123
Scoring by quarter: 22–25, 37–33, 21–27, 31–38
Pts: Vinnie Johnson 26
Rebs: Dennis Rodman 12
Asts: Isiah Thomas 12		 Pts: Doc Rivers 34
Rebs: Wilkins, Malone 11 each
Asts: Spud Webb 7
Series tied, 2–2
Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, Georgia
Attendance: 9,854
Referees: Dick Bavetta, Jess Kersey, Tommy Nunez Sr.
May 5
3:30 PM
Atlanta Hawks 81, Detroit Pistons 113
Scoring by quarter: 21–35, 21–24, 16–31, 23–23
Pts: Kevin Willis 13
Rebs: Kevin Willis 13
Asts: Jon Koncak 4		 Pts: Isiah Thomas 26
Rebs: Dennis Rodman 20
Asts: Isiah Thomas 11
Detroit wins series, 3–2
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
Attendance: 21,454
Referees: Joe Crawford, Jack Madden, Bill Oakes

This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Hawks winning three of the first five meetings.

(4) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (5) Philadelphia 76ers

April 25
Philadelphia 76ers 99, Milwaukee Bucks 90
Scoring by quarter: 24–21, 29–20, 25–23, 21–26
Pts: Hersey Hawkins 25
Rebs: Barkley, Mahorn 8 each
Asts: Charles Barkley 5		 Pts: Frank Brickowski 22
Rebs: Frank Brickowski 9
Asts: Jay Humphries 9
Philadelphia leads series, 1–0
Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Attendance: 13,587
Referees: Joe Crawford, Lee Jones, Blane Reichelt
April 27
Philadelphia 76ers 116, Milwaukee Bucks 112 (OT)
Scoring by quarter: 30–24, 20–28, 24–25, 28–25, Overtime: 14–10
Pts: Ron Anderson 24
Rebs: Charles Barkley 13
Asts: Charles Barkley 10		 Pts: Alvin Robertson 31
Rebs: Frank Brickowski 12
Asts: Jay Humphries 8
Philadelphia leads series, 2–0
Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Attendance: 15,623
Referees: Jess Kersey, Paul Mihalak, Don Vaden
April 30
Milwaukee Bucks 100, Philadelphia 76ers 121
Scoring by quarter: 24–30, 15–25, 30–27, 31–39
Pts: Alvin Robertson 26
Rebs: Robertson, Brickowski 5 each
Asts: Jay Humphries 8		 Pts: Charles Barkley 30
Rebs: Charles Barkley 12
Asts: Hawkins, Barkley 6 each
Philadelphia wins series, 3–0
Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 16,239
Referees: Joe Forte, Jack Madden, Ed T. Rush

This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the 76ers winning four of the first seven meetings.

Western Conference first round

(1) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (8) Seattle SuperSonics

April 26
Seattle SuperSonics 102, Portland Trail Blazers 110
Scoring by quarter: 23–31, 20–19, 29–28, 30–32
Pts: Eddie Johnson 33
Rebs: Benoit Benjamin 9
Asts: Gary Payton 8		 Pts: Clyde Drexler 39
Rebs: Kevin Duckworth 13
Asts: Clyde Drexler 9
Portland leads series, 1–0
Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon
Attendance: 12,884
Referees: Dick Bavetta, Jack Madden, Greg Willard
April 28
Seattle SuperSonics 106, Portland Trail Blazers 115
Scoring by quarter: 24–29, 25–24, 26–26, 31–36
Pts: Eddie Johnson 28
Rebs: Kemp, Cage 11 each
Asts: Payton, McMillan 6 each		 Pts: Clyde Drexler 22
Rebs: Kevin Duckworth 10
Asts: Clyde Drexler 10
Portland leads series, 2–0
Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon
Attendance: 12,884
Referees: Bruce Alexander, Tommy Nunez Sr., Ed T. Rush
April 30
Portland Trail Blazers 99, Seattle SuperSonics 102
Scoring by quarter: 24–25, 21–29, 32–25, 22–23
Pts: Clyde Drexler 23
Rebs: Buck Williams 11
Asts: Clyde Drexler 11		 Pts: Sedale Threatt 29
Rebs: Shawn Kemp 9
Asts: Nate McMillan 6
Portland leads series, 2–1
Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle, Washington
Attendance: 14,476
Referees: Mike Mathis, Ed Middleton, Bennett Salvatore
May 2
Portland Trail Blazers 89, Seattle SuperSonics 101
Scoring by quarter: 27–29, 17–23, 28–24, 17–25
Pts: Jerome Kersey 20
Rebs: Williams, Robinson 9 each
Asts: Jerome Kersey 5		 Pts: Eddie Johnson 34
Rebs: Benjamin, McKey 9 each
Asts: Gary Payton 7
Series tied, 2–2
Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle, Washington
Attendance: 13,367
Referees: Joe Crawford, Paul Mihalak, Ronnie Nunn
May 4
Seattle SuperSonics 107, Portland Trail Blazers 119
Scoring by quarter: 25–30, 18–33, 25–27, 39–29
Pts: Kemp, Johnson 17 each
Rebs: Benoit Benjamin 6
Asts: Gary Payton 7		 Pts: Terry Porter 23
Rebs: Buck Williams 12
Asts: Terry Porter 11
Portland wins series, 3–2

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the SuperSonics winning two of the first three meetings.

(2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Golden State Warriors

April 25
Golden State Warriors 121, San Antonio Spurs 130
Scoring by quarter: 30–24, 23–33, 19–36, 49–37
Pts: Mullin, Richmond 29 each
Rebs: Chris Mullin 8
Asts: Tim Hardaway 8		 Pts: Willie Anderson 38
Rebs: David Robinson 13
Asts: Rod Strickland 13
San Antonio leads series, 1–0
HemisFair Arena, San Antonio, Texas
Attendance: 15,908
Referees: Hugh Evans, Ronnie Nunn, Bill Oakes
April 27
Golden State Warriors 111, San Antonio Spurs 98
Scoring by quarter: 27–26, 28–21, 29–20, 27–31
Pts: Chris Mullin 27
Rebs: Chris Mullin 7
Asts: Tim Hardaway 9		 Pts: David Robinson 28
Rebs: David Robinson 15
Asts: Rod Strickland 7
Series tied, 1–1
May 1
San Antonio Spurs 106, Golden State Warriors 109
Scoring by quarter: 31–34, 28–31, 25–20, 22–24
Pts: David Robinson 27
Rebs: David Robinson 12
Asts: Rod Strickland 7		 Pts: Mitch Richmond 27
Rebs: Tim Hardaway 8
Asts: Tim Hardaway 11
Golden State leads series, 2–1
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland, California
Attendance: 15,025
Referees: Dan Crawford, Terry Durham, Jake O'Donnell
May 3
San Antonio Spurs 97, Golden State Warriors 110
Scoring by quarter: 28–25, 27–37, 18–20, 24–28
Pts: Sean Elliott 23
Rebs: David Robinson 14
Asts: Rod Strickland 8		 Pts: Tim Hardaway 32
Rebs: Mitch Richmond 11
Asts: Tim Hardaway 9
Golden State wins series, 3–1
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland, California
Attendance: 15,025
Referees: Joe Forte, Bernie Fryer, Ed T. Rush

This was the first playoff meeting between the Warriors and the Spurs.[7]

(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Houston Rockets

April 25
Houston Rockets 92, Los Angeles Lakers 94
Scoring by quarter: 18–25, 32–26, 16–20, 26–23
Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 22
Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 16
Asts: Maxwell, K. Smith 5 each		 Pts: Byron Scott 20
Rebs: Vlade Divac 11
Asts: Magic Johnson 10
LA Lakers lead series, 1–0
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California
Attendance: 17,505
Referees: Bruce Alexander, Dick Bavetta, Jack Madden
April 27
Houston Rockets 98, Los Angeles Lakers 109
Scoring by quarter: 16–23, 25–25, 29–26, 28–35
Pts: Vernon Maxwell 31
Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 11
Asts: Kenny Smith 7		 Pts: James Worthy 29
Rebs: Vlade Divac 10
Asts: Magic Johnson 21
LA Lakers lead series, 2–0
April 30
Los Angeles Lakers 94, Houston Rockets 90
Scoring by quarter: 23–24, 16–22, 27–19, 28–25
Pts: Magic Johnson 38
Rebs: Sam Perkins 13
Asts: Magic Johnson 7		 Pts: Thorpe, Olajuwon 21 each
Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 17
Asts: Kenny Smith 12
LA Lakers win series, 3–0
The Summit, Houston, Texas
Attendance: 16,611
Referees: Jess Kersey, Tommy Nunez Sr., Wally Rooney

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Rockets winning two of the first three meetings.

(4) Phoenix Suns vs. (5) Utah Jazz

April 25
Utah Jazz 129, Phoenix Suns 90
Scoring by quarter: 26–18, 27–22, 44–26, 32–24
Pts: Karl Malone 27
Rebs: Karl Malone 10
Asts: John Stockton 15		 Pts: Negele Knight 18
Rebs: Jeff Hornacek 5
Asts: Kevin Johnson 6
Utah leads series, 1–0
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona
Attendance: 14,487
Referees: Darell Garretson, Hue Hollins, Jack Nies
April 27
Utah Jazz 92, Phoenix Suns 102
Scoring by quarter: 23–23, 18–17, 19–26, 32–36
Pts: Jeff Malone 23
Rebs: Karl Malone 14
Asts: John Stockton 11		 Pts: Jeff Hornacek 25
Rebs: Andrew Lang 8
Asts: Kevin Johnson 12
Series tied, 1–1
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona
Attendance: 14,487
Referees: Hugh Evans, Ed Middleton, Bill Oakes
April 30
Phoenix Suns 98, Utah Jazz 107
Scoring by quarter: 27–19, 20–32, 26–23, 25–33
Pts: Tom Chambers 26
Rebs: Jeff Hornacek 10
Asts: Kevin Johnson 10		 Pts: Karl Malone 32
Rebs: Mike Brown 11
Asts: John Stockton 12
Utah leads series, 2–1
Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, Utah
Attendance: 12,616
Referees: Joe Crawford, Paul Mihalak, Greg Willard
May 2
Phoenix Suns 93, Utah Jazz 101
Scoring by quarter: 25–19, 23–24, 18–24, 27–34
Pts: Jeff Hornacek 30
Rebs: Tom Chambers 7
Asts: Kevin Johnson 11		 Pts: Karl Malone 38
Rebs: Karl Malone 13
Asts: John Stockton 13
Utah wins series, 3–1
Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, Utah
Attendance: 12,616
Referees: Dan Crawford, Mike Mathis, Bennett Salvatore

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Suns winning the first two meetings.

Conference semifinals

Eastern Conference semifinals

(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (5) Philadelphia 76ers

May 4
Philadelphia 76ers 92, Chicago Bulls 105
Scoring by quarter: 20–34, 22–25, 21–24, 29–22
Pts: Charles Barkley 34
Rebs: Charles Barkley 11
Asts: Hawkins, Anderson 3 each		 Pts: Michael Jordan 29
Rebs: Horace Grant 9
Asts: Scottie Pippen 7
Chicago leads series, 1–0
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
Attendance: 18,676
Referees: Hugh Evans, Ronnie Nunn, Bennett Salvatore
May 6
Philadelphia 76ers 100, Chicago Bulls 112
Scoring by quarter: 33–33, 20–29, 20–22, 27–28
Pts: Hersey Hawkins 30
Rebs: Charles Barkley 9
Asts: Hersey Hawkins 7		 Pts: Michael Jordan 29
Rebs: Scottie Pippen 11
Asts: Michael Jordan 9
Chicago leads series, 2–0
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
Attendance: 18,676
Referees: Bernie Fryer, Darell Garretson, Wally Rooney
May 10
Chicago Bulls 97, Philadelphia 76ers 99
Scoring by quarter: 26–26, 25–21, 25–28, 21–24
Pts: Michael Jordan 46
Rebs: Scottie Pippen 13
Asts: Pippen, Jordan 6 each		 Pts: Hersey Hawkins 29
Rebs: Armen Gilliam 11
Asts: Barkley, Turner 7 each
Chicago leads series, 2–1
Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 18,168
Referees: Hue Hollins, Jack Nies, Ed T. Rush
May 12
Chicago Bulls 101, Philadelphia 76ers 85
Scoring by quarter: 26–20, 26–18, 21–19, 28–28
Pts: Michael Jordan 25
Rebs: Horace Grant 11
Asts: Michael Jordan 12		 Pts: Charles Barkley 25
Rebs: Charles Barkley 14
Asts: Charles Barkley 6
Chicago leads series, 3–1
Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 17,514
Referees: Dan Crawford, Bob Delaney, Jake O'Donnell
  • 76ers final playoff game at the Spectrum.
May 14
Philadelphia 76ers 95, Chicago Bulls 100
Scoring by quarter: 29–30, 22–28, 20–23, 24–19
Pts: Charles Barkley 30
Rebs: Charles Barkley 8
Asts: Charles Barkley 7		 Pts: Michael Jordan 38
Rebs: Michael Jordan 19
Asts: Michael Jordan 7
Chicago wins series, 4–1
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
Attendance: 18,676
Referees: Dick Bavetta, Joe Crawford, Joe Forte

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bulls winning the first meeting.

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Detroit Pistons

May 7
Detroit Pistons 86, Boston Celtics 75
Scoring by quarter: 24–22, 16–15, 24–16, 22–22
Pts: James Edwards 18
Rebs: Dennis Rodman 16
Asts: Isiah Thomas 13		 Pts: Reggie Lewis 20
Rebs: Kevin McHale 10
Asts: Brian Shaw 5
Detroit leads series, 1–0
Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Attendance: 14,890
Referees: Dan Crawford, Jack Nies, Jake O'Donnell
May 9
Detroit Pistons 103, Boston Celtics 109
Scoring by quarter: 21–26, 27–24, 22–21, 33–38
Pts: Joe Dumars 29
Rebs: Bill Laimbeer 15
Asts: Joe Dumars 6		 Pts: Reggie Lewis 23
Rebs: Robert Parish 13
Asts: Dee Brown 8
Series tied, 1–1
Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Attendance: 14,896
Referees: Mike Mathis, Paul Mihalak, Bill Saar
May 11
Boston Celtics 115, Detroit Pistons 83
Scoring by quarter: 27–19, 27–22, 36–31, 25–21
Pts: Reggie Lewis 21
Rebs: Robert Parish 11
Asts: Brown, McHale 6 each		 Pts: James Edwards 13
Rebs: Laimbeer, Rodman 12 each
Asts: Vinnie Johnson 5
Boston leads series, 2–1
May 13
Boston Celtics 97, Detroit Pistons 104
Scoring by quarter: 28–31, 25–22, 23–29, 21–22
Pts: Reggie Lewis 20
Rebs: Robert Parish 10
Asts: Brian Shaw 6		 Pts: Mark Aguirre 34
Rebs: Dennis Rodman 18
Asts: Joe Dumars 8
Series tied, 2–2
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
Attendance: 21,454
Referees: Hue Hollins, Ed T. Rush, Bennett Salvatore
May 15
Detroit Pistons 116, Boston Celtics 111
Scoring by quarter: 32–31, 33–24, 23–20, 28–36
Pts: Joe Dumars 32
Rebs: Dennis Rodman 10
Asts: Joe Dumars 8		 Pts: Reggie Lewis 30
Rebs: Reggie Lewis 11
Asts: Dee Brown 10
Detroit leads series, 3–2
Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts
Attendance: 14,890
Referees: Hugh Evans, Lee Jones, Bill Oakes
May 17
Boston Celtics 113, Detroit Pistons 117 (OT)
Scoring by quarter: 23–29, 27–27, 25–26, 30–23, Overtime: 8–12
Pts: Kevin McHale 34
Rebs: Ed Pinckney 9
Asts: Reggie Lewis		 Pts: Joe Dumars 32
Rebs: Bill Laimbeer 14
Asts: Joe Dumars 10
Detroit wins series, 4–2
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
Attendance: 21,454
Referees: Dick Bavetta, Jack Madden, Mike Mathis

This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning three of the first five meetings.

Western Conference semifinals

(1) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (5) Utah Jazz

May 7
Utah Jazz 97, Portland Trail Blazers 117
Scoring by quarter: 25–30, 28–28, 16–24, 28–35
Pts: John Stockton 23
Rebs: Karl Malone 16
Asts: John Stockton 16		 Pts: Clyde Drexler 20
Rebs: Clyde Drexler 15
Asts: Terry Porter 9
Portland leads series, 1–0
Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon
Attendance: 12,884
Referees: Hugh Evans, Steve Javie, Ed Middleton
May 9
Utah Jazz 116, Portland Trail Blazers 118
Scoring by quarter: 25–28, 16–24, 30–35, 45–31
Pts: Karl Malone 40
Rebs: Karl Malone 16
Asts: John Stockton 12		 Pts: Jerome Kersey 34
Rebs: Jerome Kersey 6
Asts: Clyde Drexler 15
Portland leads series, 2–0
Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon
Attendance: 12,884
Referees: Dick Bavetta, Ron Garretson, Jack Madden
May 11
Portland Trail Blazers 101, Utah Jazz 107
Scoring by quarter: 28–28, 18–21, 19–28, 36–30
Pts: Terry Porter 28
Rebs: Drexler, Kersey 10 each
Asts: Clyde Drexler 7		 Pts: Karl Malone 30
Rebs: Karl Malone 21
Asts: John Stockton 15
Portland leads series, 2–1
Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, Utah
Attendance: 12,616
May 12
Portland Trail Blazers 104, Utah Jazz 101
Scoring by quarter: 26–22, 31–22, 25–24, 22–33
Pts: Kevin Duckworth 30
Rebs: Duckworth, Drexler 11 each
Asts: Clyde Drexler 10		 Pts: Karl Malone 31
Rebs: Karl Malone 12
Asts: John Stockton 16
Portland leads series, 3–1
Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, Utah
Attendance: 12,616
Referees: Jess Kersey, Paul Mihalak, Ronnie Nunn
May 14
Utah Jazz 96, Portland Trail Blazers 103
Scoring by quarter: 24–20, 28–31, 16–27, 28–25
Pts: Karl Malone 26
Rebs: K. Malone, Eaton 8 each
Asts: John Stockton 14		 Pts: Drexler, Porter 22 each
Rebs: Buck Williams 12
Asts: Clyde Drexler 8
Portland wins series, 4–1
Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon
Attendance: 12,884
Referees: Dan Crawford, Darell Garretson, Jack Nies

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Jazz winning the first meeting.

(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (7) Golden State Warriors

May 5
Golden State Warriors 116, Los Angeles Lakers 126
Scoring by quarter: 25–35, 26–25, 32–36, 33–30
Pts: Tim Hardaway 33
Rebs: Alton Lister 8
Asts: Hardaway, Marciulionis 9 each		 Pts: Byron Scott 27
Rebs: Magic Johnson 10
Asts: Magic Johnson 17
LA Lakers lead series, 1–0
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California
Attendance: 17,505
Referees: Steve Javie, Lee Jones, Mike Mathis
May 8
Golden State Warriors 125, Los Angeles Lakers 124
Scoring by quarter: 35–32, 23–35, 41–30, 26–27
Pts: Chris Mullin 41
Rebs: Jim Petersen 7
Asts: Tim Hardaway 14		 Pts: Magic Johnson 44
Rebs: Magic Johnson 12
Asts: Magic Johnson 9
Series tied, 1–1
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California
Attendance: 17,505
Referees: Joe Crawford, Tommy Nunez Sr., Bill Oakes
May 10
Los Angeles Lakers 115, Golden State Warriors 112
Scoring by quarter: 35–24, 22–26, 24–28, 34–34
Pts: James Worthy 36
Rebs: three players 7 each
Asts: Magic Johnson 15		 Pts: Richmond, Hardaway 24 each
Rebs: Chris Mullin 11
Asts: Tim Hardaway 12
LA Lakers lead series, 2–1
May 12
Los Angeles Lakers 123, Golden State Warriors 107
Scoring by quarter: 34–26, 27–30, 28–27, 34–24
Pts: Sam Perkins 27
Rebs: Byron Scott 11
Asts: Magic Johnson 11		 Pts: Mitch Richmond 26
Rebs: Richmond, Mullin 6 each
Asts: Tim Hardaway 9
LA Lakers lead series, 3–1
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland, California
Attendance: 15,025
Referees: Dick Bavetta, Ron Garretson, Jack Madden
May 14
Golden State Warriors 119, Los Angeles Lakers 124 (OT)
Scoring by quarter: 27–19, 26–27, 31–29, 24–33, Overtime: 11–16
Pts: Tim Hardaway 27
Rebs: Mullin, Lister 8 each
Asts: Tim Hardaway 20		 Pts: Magic Johnson 28
Rebs: Magic Johnson 14
Asts: Sam Perkins 15
LA Lakers win series, 4–1
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California
Attendance: 17,505
Referees: Ronnie Nunn, Jake O'Donnell, Wally Rooney
  • Sam Perkins hits the game-tying lay-up with 2.4 seconds left to force OT.

This was the seventh playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning five of the first six meetings.

Conference finals

Eastern Conference finals

(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (3) Detroit Pistons

May 19
3:30 PM
Detroit Pistons 83, Chicago Bulls 94
Scoring by quarter: 13–24, 24–21, 28–23, 18–26
Pts: Mark Aguirre 25
Rebs: Dennis Rodman 9
Asts: Isiah Thomas 8		 Pts: Michael Jordan 22
Rebs: Horace Grant 10
Asts: three players 6 each
Chicago leads series, 1–0
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
Attendance: 18,676
Referees: Jess Kersey, Jack Nies, Jake O'Donnell
May 21
8:00 PM
Detroit Pistons 97, Chicago Bulls 105
Scoring by quarter: 22–27, 19–22, 20–27, 36–29
Pts: Vinnie Johnson 29
Rebs: Dennis Rodman 11
Asts: Dumars, Thomas 5 each		 Pts: Michael Jordan 35
Rebs: Scottie Pippen 10
Asts: Michael Jordan 7
Chicago leads series, 2–0
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
Attendance: 18,676
Referees: Dan Crawford, Darell Garretson, Steve Javie
May 25
3:30 PM
Chicago Bulls 113, Detroit Pistons 107
Scoring by quarter: 24–16, 27–27, 31–31, 31–33
Pts: Michael Jordan 33
Rebs: Scottie Pippen 10
Asts: Michael Jordan 7		 Pts: Isiah Thomas 29
Rebs: four players 7 each
Asts: Isiah Thomas 6
Chicago leads series, 3–0
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
Attendance: 21,454
Referees: Bernie Fryer, Hue Hollins, Ed T. Rush
May 27
3:30 PM
Chicago Bulls 115, Detroit Pistons 94
Scoring by quarter: 32–26, 25–24, 30–20, 28–24
Pts: Michael Jordan 29
Rebs: Horace Grant 9
Asts: Scottie Pippen 10		 Pts: Isiah Thomas 16
Rebs: Thomas, Johnson 7 each
Asts: Isiah Thomas 5
Chicago wins series, 4–0
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
Attendance: 21,454
Referees: Joe Crawford, Mike Mathis, Bennett Salvatore
  • In their last show of defiance, Isiah Thomas, Bill Laimbeer, and Mark Aguirre of the Pistons walked off the court with 7.9 seconds left in Game 4 so as not to congratulate the Bulls. Only Joe Dumars and John Salley shook hands with any of the Bulls.[14][15] It was later revealed that the reason why the Pistons walked off the court without shaking hands with the Bulls was due to comments said by Michael Jordan in a pre-game interview, where he stated that “The Pistons are undeserving champions”, and that “The Bad Boys are bad for basketball.”[16]

This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Pistons winning three of the first four meetings.

Western Conference finals

(1) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (3) Los Angeles Lakers

May 18
3:30 PM
Los Angeles Lakers 111, Portland Trail Blazers 106
Scoring by quarter: 33–27, 22–35, 25–30, 31–14
Pts: James Worthy 28
Rebs: Sam Perkins 15
Asts: Magic Johnson 21		 Pts: Clyde Drexler 28
Rebs: Buck Williams 10
Asts: Clyde Drexler 12
LA Lakers lead series, 1–0
May 21
10:30 PM
Los Angeles Lakers 98, Portland Trail Blazers 109
Scoring by quarter: 23–32, 29–24, 25–25, 21–28
Pts: James Worthy 21
Rebs: Sam Perkins 10
Asts: Magic Johnson 12		 Pts: Terry Porter 26
Rebs: Buck Williams 11
Asts: Terry Porter 8
Series tied, 1–1
Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon
Attendance: 12,884
Referees: Dick Bavetta, Joe Crawford, Paul Mihalak
May 24
10:00 PM
Portland Trail Blazers 92, Los Angeles Lakers 106
Scoring by quarter: 22–27, 18–16, 19–27, 33–36
Pts: Jerome Kersey 19
Rebs: Buck Williams 11
Asts: Terry Porter 7		 Pts: James Worthy 25
Rebs: Perkins, Green 9 each
Asts: Magic Johnson 19
LA Lakers lead series, 2–1
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California
Attendance: 17,505
Referees: Joe Forte, Hue Hollins, Mike Mathis
May 26
3:30 PM
Portland Trail Blazers 95, Los Angeles Lakers 116
Scoring by quarter: 23–32, 19–30, 29–31, 24–23
Pts: Jerome Kersey 25
Rebs: Drexler, Williams 8 each
Asts: Terry Porter 10		 Pts: Magic Johnson 22
Rebs: Magic Johnson 9
Asts: Magic Johnson 9
LA Lakers lead series, 3–1
May 28
9:00 PM
Los Angeles Lakers 84, Portland Trail Blazers 95
Scoring by quarter: 25–23, 25–24, 18–28, 16–20
Pts: Magic Johnson 29
Rebs: A.C. Green 9
Asts: Magic Johnson 7		 Pts: Jerome Kersey 20
Rebs: Buck Williams 16
Asts: Clyde Drexler 7
LA Lakers lead series, 3–2
Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon
Attendance: 12,884
Referees: Jess Kersey, Jack Nies, Jake O'Donnell
May 30
9:00 PM
Portland Trail Blazers 90, Los Angeles Lakers 91
Scoring by quarter: 17–28, 26–22, 22–20, 25–21
Pts: Terry Porter 24
Rebs: Clyde Drexler 8
Asts: Clyde Drexler 6		 Pts: Sam Perkins 26
Rebs: Magic Johnson 11
Asts: Magic Johnson 8
LA Lakers win series, 4–2
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California
Attendance: 17,505
Referees: Dick Bavetta, Darell Garretson, Ed T. Rush

This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning three of the first four meetings.

NBA Finals: (E1) Chicago Bulls vs. (W3) Los Angeles Lakers

Main article: 1991 NBA Finals
June 2
Los Angeles Lakers 93, Chicago Bulls 91
Scoring by quarter: 29–30, 22–23, 24–15, 18–23
Pts: Perkins, Worthy 22 each
Rebs: Vlade Divac 14
Asts: Magic Johnson 11		 Pts: Michael Jordan 36
Rebs: Horace Grant 10
Asts: Michael Jordan 12
LA Lakers lead series, 1–0
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
Attendance: 18,676
Referees: Hugh Evans, Jack Madden, Hue Hollins
  • Sam Perkins hits the game-winning 3 with 14 seconds left.
June 5
Los Angeles Lakers 86, Chicago Bulls 107
Scoring by quarter: 23–28, 20–20, 26–38, 17–21
Pts: James Worthy 24
Rebs: Green, Johnson 7 each
Asts: Magic Johnson 10		 Pts: Michael Jordan 33
Rebs: Jordan, Perdue 7 each
Asts: Michael Jordan 13
Series tied, 1–1
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
Attendance: 18,676
Referees: Jake O'Donnell, Jess Kersey, Mike Mathis
June 7
Chicago Bulls 104, Los Angeles Lakers 96 (OT)
Scoring by quarter: 25–25, 23–22, 18–25, 26–20, Overtime: 12–4
Pts: Michael Jordan 29
Rebs: Scottie Pippen 13
Asts: Michael Jordan 9		 Pts: Sam Perkins 25
Rebs: Sam Perkins 9
Asts: Magic Johnson 10
Chicago leads series, 2–1
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California
Attendance: 17,506
Referees: Darell Garretson, Joey Crawford, Bill Oakes
  • Michael Jordan hits the game-tying shot with 3.4 seconds left to force OT.
June 9
Chicago Bulls 97, Los Angeles Lakers 82
Scoring by quarter: 27–28, 25–16, 22–14, 23–24
Pts: Michael Jordan 28
Rebs: Scottie Pippen 9
Asts: Michael Jordan 13		 Pts: Vlade Divac 27
Rebs: Vlade Divac 11
Asts: Magic Johnson 11
Chicago leads series, 3–1
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California
Attendance: 17,506
Referees: Dick Bavetta, Hugh Evans, Ed T. Rush
June 12
Chicago Bulls 108, Los Angeles Lakers 101
Scoring by quarter: 27–25, 21–24, 32–31, 28–21
Pts: Scottie Pippen 32
Rebs: Scottie Pippen 13
Asts: Michael Jordan 10		 Pts: Sam Perkins 22
Rebs: Magic Johnson 11
Asts: Magic Johnson 20
Chicago wins series, 4–1
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California
Attendance: 17,506
Referees: Jake O'Donnell, Jack Madden, Mike Mathis

This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first four meetings.

Statistical leaders

Category Game High Average
Player Team High Player Team Avg. GP
Points Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls 46 Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls 31.1 17
Rebounds Karl Malone Utah Jazz 21 Hakeem Olajuwon Houston Rockets 14.7 3
Assists Magic Johnson Los Angeles Lakers 21 John Stockton Utah Jazz 13.8 9
Steals Tim Hardaway Golden State Warriors 8 Tim Hardaway Golden State Warriors 3.1 9
Blocks David Robinson San Antonio Spurs 8 David Robinson San Antonio Spurs 3.8 4

See also

References

  1. ^ Sohi, Seerat (April 28, 2020). "The DNA of 'Bad Boys' Pistons lives on 30 years later". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  2. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Chicago Bulls versus New York Knicks (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  3. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Indiana Pacers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  4. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Atlanta Hawks versus Detroit Pistons (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  5. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Milwaukee Bucks versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  6. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Oklahoma City Thunder versus Portland Trail Blazers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  7. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Golden State Warriors versus San Antonio Spurs (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  8. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Houston Rockets versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  9. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Phoenix Suns versus Utah Jazz (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  10. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Chicago Bulls versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  11. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Detroit Pistons (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  12. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Portland Trail Blazers versus Utah Jazz (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  13. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Golden State Warriors versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  14. ^ Stone, Mike; Regner, Art (2008). The Great Book of Detroit Sports Lists. Running Press. p. 103. ISBN 978-0-7624-3354-4. Retrieved February 2, 2012. isiah thomas walk off bulls.
  15. ^ Banks, Lacy J. (March 12, 2011). "Amid Bulls celebration, Scottie Pippen has no regrets". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on April 17, 2014.
  16. ^ Goodwill, Vincent (April 27, 2020). "Don't buy into Michael Jordan's narrative: The 'Bad Boys' Pistons deserve your respect". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  17. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Chicago Bulls versus Detroit Pistons (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  18. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Lakers versus Portland Trail Blazers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 31, 2015.
  19. ^ "Team Rivalry Finder — Chicago Bulls versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 31, 2015.