The 1969 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1968–69 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals.
Despite finishing in 4th place, the Celtics won their second straight NBA title, marking their 11th overall as their era of 1960s dominance drew to a close. They upset Philadelphia and New York on the way to the Finals. Out west, the San Francisco Warriors stunned the Lakers by winning the first 2 in L.A., and Bay Area fans were thinking of avenging the prior year's sweep by the Lakers with a sweep of their own. But the Lakers won 4 straight to win the series in 6.
This year marked the debut of the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award; it was awarded to Jerry West of the Lakers, which marks the only time so far that the trophy has been given to a player on the losing team.
The second-year San Diego Rockets made their first playoff appearance; the next time they appeared was in 1975 as the Houston Rockets.
Champion: Los Angeles Lakers
Division Semifinals
(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) San Francisco Warriors: Lakers win series 4-2
Game 1 @ Los Angeles (March 26): San Francisco 99, Los Angeles 94
Game 2 @ Los Angeles (March 28): San Francisco 107, Los Angeles 101
Game 3 @ San Francisco (March 31): Los Angeles 115, San Francisco 98
Game 4 @ San Francisco (April 2): Los Angeles 103, San Francisco 88
Game 5 @ Los Angeles (April 4): Los Angeles 103, San Francisco 98
Game 6 @ San Francisco (April 5): Los Angeles 118, San Francisco 78 (The Lakers become the first team to win a playoff series after losing the first 2 games at home.)
(2) Atlanta Hawks vs. (4) San Diego Rockets: Hawks win series 4-2
Game 1 @ Atlanta (March 27): Atlanta 107, San Diego 98
Game 2 @ Atlanta (March 29): Atlanta 116, San Diego 114
Game 3 @ San Diego (April 1): San Diego 104, Atlanta 97
Game 4 @ San Diego (April 4): San Diego 114, Atlanta 112
Game 5 @ Atlanta (April 6): Atlanta 112, San Diego 101
Game 6 @ San Diego (April 7): Atlanta 108, San Diego 106
Division Finals
(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (2) Atlanta Hawks: Lakers win series 4-1
Game 1 @ Los Angeles (April 11): Los Angeles 95, Atlanta 93
Game 2 @ Los Angeles (April 13): Los Angeles 104, Atlanta 102
Game 3 @ Atlanta (April 15): Atlanta 99, Los Angeles 86
Game 4 @ Atlanta (April 17): Los Angeles 100, Atlanta 85
Game 5 @ Los Angeles (April 20): Los Angeles 104, Atlanta 96
Champion: Boston Celtics
Division Semifinals
(1) Baltimore Bullets vs. (3) New York Knicks: Knicks win series 4-0
Game 1 @ Baltimore (March 27): New York 113, Baltimore 101
Game 2 @ New York (March 29): New York 107, Baltimore 91
Game 3 @ Baltimore (March 30): New York 119, Baltimore 116
Game 4 @ New York (April 2): New York 115, Baltimore 108
(2) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (4) Boston Celtics: Celtics win series 4-1
Game 1 @ Philadelphia (March 26): Boston 114, Philadelphia 100
Game 2 @ Boston (March 28): Boston 134, Philadelphia 103
Game 3 @ Philadelphia (March 30): Boston 125, Philadelphia 118
Game 4 @ Boston (April 1): Philadelphia 119, Boston 116
Game 5 @ Philadelphia (April 4): Boston 93, Philadelphia 90
Division Finals
(3) New York Knicks vs. (4) Boston Celtics: Celtics win series 4-2
Game 1 @ New York (April 6): Boston 108, New York 100
Game 2 @ Boston (April 9): Boston 112, New York 97
Game 3 @ New York (April 10): New York 101, Boston 91
Game 4 @ Boston (April 13): Boston 97, New York 96
Game 5 @ New York (April 14): New York 112, Boston 104
Game 6 @ Boston (April 18): Boston 106, New York 105 (John Havlicek hits the series-winning shot)
(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Boston Celtics: Celtics win series 4-3
Game 1 @ Los Angeles (April 23): Los Angeles 120, Boston 118
Game 2 @ Los Angeles (April 25): Los Angeles 118, Boston 112
Game 3 @ Boston (April 27): Boston 111, Los Angeles 105
Game 4 @ Boston (April 29): Boston 89, Los Angeles 88 (Sam Jones hits the game-winner)
Game 5 @ Los Angeles (May 1): Los Angeles 117, Boston 104
Game 6 @ Boston (May 3): Boston 99, Los Angeles 90
Game 7 @ Los Angeles (May 5): Boston 108, Los Angeles 106 (Bill Russell and Sam Jones’ final NBA game; Celtics become the first team to come back from a 2-0 series deficit in the NBA Finals)
In Game 7, Don Nelson hit a foul-line jumper which dropped through the basket after hitting the back rim and bouncing several feet straight up. The shot gave the Celtics a 105-102 lead after the Lakers cut their lead to 103-102.
