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.
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. 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.
This was the first year that NBC aired the NBA Playoffs.
Champion: Los Angeles Lakers
1st Round
(1) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (8) Seattle SuperSonics: Blazers win series 3-2
Game 1 @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland (April 26): Portland 110, Seattle 102
Game 2 @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland (April 28): Portland 115, Seattle 106
Game 3 @ Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle (April 30): Seattle 102, Portland 99
Game 4 @ Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle (May 2): Seattle 101, Portland 89
Game 5 @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland (May 4): Portland 119, Seattle 107
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: Warriors win series 3-1
Game 1 @ HemisFair Arena, San Antonio (April 25): San Antonio 130, Golden State 121
Game 2 @ HemisFair Arena, San Antonio (April 27): Golden State 111, San Antonio 98
Game 3 @ Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland (May 1): Golden State 109, San Antonio 106
Game 4 @ Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland (May 3): Golden State 110, San Antonio 97
This was the first playoff meeting between the Warriors and the Spurs.
(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Houston Rockets: Lakers win series 3-0
Game 1 @ Great Western Forum, Los Angeles (April 25): Los Angeles 94, Houston 92
Game 2 @ Great Western Forum, Los Angeles (April 27): Los Angeles 109, Houston 98
Game 3 @ The Summit, Houston (April 30): Los Angeles 94, Houston 90 (Byron Scott hits the game-winner with 15 seconds left)
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: Jazz win series 3-1
Game 1 @ Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix (April 25): Utah 129, Phoenix 90
Game 2 @ Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix (April 27): Phoenix 102, Utah 92
Game 3 @ Salt Palace, Salt Lake City (April 30): Utah 107, Phoenix 98
Game 4 @ Salt Palace, Salt Lake City (May 2): Utah 101, Phoenix 93
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Suns winning the first two meetings.
Conference Semifinals
(1) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (5) Utah Jazz: Blazers win series 4-1
Game 1 @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland (May 7): Portland 117, Utah 97
Game 2 @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland (May 9): Portland 118, Utah 116
Game 3 @ Salt Palace, Salt Lake City (May 11): Utah 107, Portland 101
Game 4 @ Salt Palace, Salt Lake City (May 12): Portland 104, Utah 101
Game 5 @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland (May 14): Portland 103, Utah 96
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: Lakers win series 4-1
Game 1 @ Great Western Forum, Los Angeles (May 5): Los Angeles 126, Golden State 116
Game 2 @ Great Western Forum, Los Angeles (May 8): Golden State 125, Los Angeles 124
Game 3 @ Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland (May 10): Los Angeles 115, Golden State 112
Game 4 @ Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland (May 12): Los Angeles 123, Golden State 107
Game 5 @ Great Western Forum, Los Angeles (May 14): Los Angeles 124, Golden State 119 (OT)
This was the seventh playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning five of the first six meetings.
Conference Finals
(1) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (3) Los Angeles Lakers: Lakers win series 4-2
Game 1 @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland (May 18): Los Angeles 111, Portland 106
Game 2 @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland (May 21): Portland 109, Los Angeles 98
Game 3 @ Great Western Forum, Los Angeles (May 24): Los Angeles 106, Portland 92
Game 4 @ Great Western Forum, Los Angeles (May 26): Los Angeles 116, Portland 95
Game 5 @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland (May 28): Portland 95, Los Angeles 84
Game 6 @ Great Western Forum, Los Angeles (May 30): Los Angeles 91, Portland 90
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning three of the first four meetings.
Champion: Chicago Bulls
1st Round
(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (8) New York Knicks: Bulls win series 3-0
Game 1 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (April 25): Chicago 126, New York 85
Game 2 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (April 28): Chicago 89, New York 79
Game 3 @ Madison Square Garden, New York City (April 30): Chicago 103, New York 94 (Michael Jordan's famous dunk on Patrick Ewing)
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: Celtics win series 3-2
Game 1 @ Boston Garden, Boston (April 26): Boston 127, Indiana 120
Game 2 @ Boston Garden, Boston (April 28): Indiana 130, Boston 118
Game 3 @ Market Square Arena, Indianapolis (May 1): Boston 112, Indiana 105
Game 4 @ Market Square Arena, Indianapolis (May 3): Indiana 116, Boston 113
Game 5 @ Boston Garden, Boston (May 5): Boston 124, Indiana 121 (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) Detroit Pistons vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks: Pistons win series 3-2
Game 1 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (April 26): Atlanta 103, Detroit 98
Game 2 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (April 28): Detroit 101, Atlanta 88
Game 3 @ The Omni, Atlanta (April 30): Detroit 103, Atlanta 91
Game 4 @ The Omni, Atlanta (May 2): Atlanta 123, Detroit 111
Game 5 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (May 5): Detroit 113, Atlanta 81
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: 76ers win series 3-0
Game 1 @ Bradley Center, Milwaukee (April 25): Philadelphia 99, Milwaukee 90
Game 2 @ Bradley Center, Milwaukee (April 27): Philadelphia 116, Milwaukee 112 (OT)
Game 3 @ The Spectrum, Philadelphia (April 30): Philadelphia 121, Milwaukee 100
This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the 76ers winning four of the first seven meetings.
Conference Semifinals
(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (5) Philadelphia 76ers: Bulls win series 4-1
Game 1 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (May 4): Chicago 105, Philadelphia 92
Game 2 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (May 6): Chicago 112, Philadelphia 100
Game 3 @ The Spectrum, Philadelphia (May 10): Philadelphia 99, Chicago 97
Game 4 @ The Spectrum, Philadelphia (May 12): Chicago 101, Philadelphia 85
Game 5 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (May 14): Chicago 100, Philadelphia 95
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bulls winning the first meeting.
(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Detroit Pistons: Pistons win series 4-2
Game 1 @ Boston Garden, Boston (May 7): Detroit 86, Boston 75
Game 2 @ Boston Garden, Boston (May 9): Boston 109, Detroit 103
Game 3 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (May 11): Boston 115, Detroit 83
Game 4 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (May 13): Detroit 104, Boston 97
Game 5 @ Boston Garden, Boston (May 15): Detroit 116, Boston 111
Game 6 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (May 17): Detroit 117, Boston 113 (OT)
This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning three of the first five meetings.
Conference Finals
(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (3) Detroit Pistons: Bulls win series 4-0
Game 1 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (May 19): Chicago 94, Detroit 83
Game 2 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (May 21): Chicago 105, Detroit 97
Game 3 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (May 25): Chicago 113, Detroit 107
Game 4 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (May 27): Chicago 115, Detroit 94
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Pistons winning three of the first four meetings.
(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (3) Los Angeles Lakers: Bulls win series 4-1
Game 1 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (June 2): Los Angeles 93, Chicago 91 (Sam Perkins hits the game-winning 3 with 14 seconds left)
Game 2 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (June 5): Chicago 107, Los Angeles 86 (MJ does "The Move")
Game 3 @ Great Western Forum, Los Angeles (June 7): Chicago 104, Los Angeles 96 (OT) (MJ hits the game-tying shot with 3.4 seconds left to force OT)
Game 4 @ Great Western Forum, Los Angeles (June 9): Chicago 97, Los Angeles 82
Game 5 @ Great Western Forum, Los Angeles (June 12): Chicago 108, Los Angeles 101
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first four meetings.
