Neha Patil (Editor)

1998 NBA Playoffs

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Season
  
1997–98

Teams
  
16

Champions
  
Chicago Bulls (6th title)

Runner-up
  
Utah Jazz (2nd finals appearance)

Semifinalists
  
Indiana Pacers Los Angeles Lakers

The 1998 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1997-98 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazz 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. The Bulls also achieved a second three peat, a goal unrivaled since the Boston Celtics in 1966. The 1998 playoffs was the last involving the Jordan-led Bulls (Chicago didn't make the playoffs again until 2005). Michael Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP for the sixth and final time.

Contents

The Indiana Pacers took the Bulls to the limit in the Eastern Conference Finals, becoming 1 of only 2 teams to force a Game 7 in the Bulls' title years (the Knicks achieved this in 1992). This team was later named by Pacers.com as the greatest in franchise history, even better than the 2000 team that won the Eastern Conference Title, primarily due to their record.

The New Jersey Nets made the playoffs for the first time since 1994, but did not appear again until 2002. Their presence was a mere asterisk compared to what they accomplished in 2002, getting swept by the eventual champion Bulls.

The Cleveland Cavaliers lost to Indiana in the first round 3–1 and did not appear again until 2006.

The Los Angeles Lakers advanced to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 1991. They were ultimately swept by the Jazz.

Game 5 of the Jazz-Rockets series would be the final game of Clyde Drexler's career.

Home court advantage

The Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls tied for the best record in the NBA. However, Utah won the season series 2–0 and was awarded home court advantage throughout the playoffs.

Clinched a playoff berth

The following teams clinched a playoff berth in the West:

  1. Utah Jazz (clinched Midwest division)
  2. Seattle SuperSonics (clinched Pacific division)
  3. Los Angeles Lakers
  4. Phoenix Suns
  5. San Antonio Spurs
  6. Portland Trail Blazers
  7. Minnesota Timberwolves
  8. Houston Rockets

Best record in conference

The Chicago Bulls clinched the best record in the East, and earned home court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Clinched a playoff berth

The following teams clinched a playoff berth in the East:

  1. Chicago Bulls (clinched Central division)
  2. Miami Heat (clinched Atlantic division)
  3. Indiana Pacers
  4. Charlotte Hornets
  5. Atlanta Hawks
  6. Cleveland Cavaliers
  7. New York Knicks
  8. New Jersey Nets

Western Conference

Champion: Utah Jazz

(1) Utah Jazz vs. (8) Houston Rockets

Game 5 is Clyde Drexler's final NBA game.

This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning two series apiece.

(4) Phoenix Suns vs. (5) San Antonio Spurs

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

(2) Seattle SuperSonics vs. (7) Minnesota Timberwolves

This was the first playoff meeting between the Timberwolves and the SuperSonics.

(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Portland Trail Blazers

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

(1) Utah Jazz vs. (5) San Antonio Spurs

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

(2) Seattle SuperSonics vs. (3) Los Angeles Lakers

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

(1) Utah Jazz vs. (3) Los Angeles Lakers

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning one series apiece.

Eastern Conference

Champion: Chicago Bulls

(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (8) New Jersey Nets

This was the first playoff meeting between the Bulls and the Nets.

(4) Charlotte Hornets vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks

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

(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) New York Knicks

Mourning-Johnson fight in Game 4.

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

(3) Indiana Pacers vs. (6) Cleveland Cavaliers

This was the first playoff meeting between the Cavaliers and the Pacers.

(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (4) Charlotte Hornets

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

(3) Indiana Pacers vs. (7) New York Knicks

In game 4 Reggie Miller hits the game tying 3 with 5.1 seconds remaining to force OT.

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

(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (3) Indiana Pacers

In Game 4, Reggie Miller hits the game-winning 3 with 0.7 left.

This was the first playoff meeting between the Bulls and the Pacers.

Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz

In Game 3, Utah scores the fewest points in any playoff game in NBA history (54) and loses by the biggest margin in NBA Finals history (42). In Game 6, Michael Jordan hits the game-winning shot with 5.2 seconds left. Game 6 was Jordan's final NBA game with the Bulls.

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

References

1998 NBA Playoffs Wikipedia
(Text) CC BY-SA