Season 2002–03 | Teams 16 | |
Champions San Antonio Spurs (2nd title) Runner-up New Jersey Nets (2nd finals appearance) Semifinalists Dallas Mavericks
Detroit Pistons | ||
The 2003 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2002–03 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs defeating the Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Nets 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. Tim Duncan was named NBA Finals MVP for the second time.
Contents
- Western Conference
- 1 San Antonio Spurs vs 8 Phoenix Suns
- 2 Sacramento Kings vs 7 Utah Jazz
- 3 Dallas Mavericks vs 6 Portland Trail Blazers
- 4 Minnesota Timberwolves vs 5 Los Angeles Lakers
- 1 San Antonio Spurs vs 5 Los Angeles Lakers
- 2 Sacramento Kings vs 3 Dallas Mavericks
- 1 San Antonio Spurs vs 3 Dallas Mavericks
- Eastern Conference
- 1 Detroit Pistons vs 8 Orlando Magic
- 2 New Jersey Nets vs 7 Milwaukee Bucks
- 3 Indiana Pacers vs 6 Boston Celtics
- 4 Philadelphia 76ers vs 5 New Orleans Hornets
- 1 Detroit Pistons vs 4 Philadelphia 76ers
- 2 New Jersey Nets vs 6 Boston Celtics
- 1 Detroit Pistons vs 2 New Jersey Nets
- W1 San Antonio Spurs vs E2 New Jersey Nets
- References
This postseason was notable for being the first time all series were conducted in a best-of-7 format. It was also the only time in playoff history that no team was swept in a first-round series. From 1984–2002, the first-round series was best-of-5.
This is the first time that the NBA Playoffs carried more games on cable television than regular broadcast television. This also marks the debut for the NBA Playoffs to be aired on NBA TV, and the return broadcast on ESPN & ABC after the NBA departed from NBC and TBS.
The Detroit Pistons advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since the Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars-led team were swept by the Chicago Bulls in 1991, ending the Pistons' quest for a third consecutive title. The Pistons would go on to appear in six consecutive Eastern Conference Finals through 2008, the most consecutive appearances for any Eastern Conference team since the Bill Russell-led Boston Celtics (1956–69).
The Dallas Mavericks also ended a long conference finals drought by making it there for the first time since 1988.
As of 2016, the 49-win Nets are the most recent NBA Finals participant to win fewer than 50 games in a 82-game season.
The Boston Celtics were swept in a postseason series for the first time since 1983.
Western Conference
Champion: San Antonio Spurs
(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (8) Phoenix Suns
Stephon Marbury hits the game-winning 3 at the buzzer in Game 1.
This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Suns winning three of the first five meetings.
(2) Sacramento Kings vs. (7) Utah Jazz
Game 5 is John Stockton's final NBA game.
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning one series apiece.
(3) Dallas Mavericks vs. (6) Portland Trail Blazers
The Trail Blazers became the third NBA team to force a Game 7 after being down 0–3.
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Trail Blazers winning the first two meetings.
(4) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (5) Los Angeles Lakers
This was the first playoff meeting between the Lakers and the Timberwolves.
(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (5) Los Angeles Lakers
This was the ninth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning six of the first eight meetings.
(2) Sacramento Kings vs. (3) Dallas Mavericks
**Required double-overtime.
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Kings winning the first meeting.
(1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (3) Dallas Mavericks
Steve Kerr puts on a shooting performance for the ages connecting on 4 3-pointers closing out Dallas in game 6.
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Spurs winning the first meeting.
Eastern Conference
Champion: New Jersey Nets
(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Orlando Magic
The Pistons became the 7th team in NBA history to overcome a 3–1 series deficit.
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Magic winning the first meeting.
(2) New Jersey Nets vs. (7) Milwaukee Bucks
*Required overtime.
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bucks winning the first two meetings.
(3) Indiana Pacers vs. (6) Boston Celtics
*Required overtime.
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first two meetings.
(4) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (5) New Orleans Hornets
This was the first playoff meeting between the 76ers and the New Orleans Pelicans/Hornets franchise.
(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (4) Philadelphia 76ers
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the 76ers winning the first meeting. All previous series took place while the Nationals/76ers franchise were in Syracuse and the Pistons franchise were in Fort Wayne.
*Required overtime.
(2) New Jersey Nets vs. (6) Boston Celtics
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Nets winning the first meeting.
(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (2) New Jersey Nets
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Pistons winning the first meeting.
(W1) San Antonio Spurs vs. (E2) New Jersey Nets
This was the first NBA playoff meeting between the Nets and the Spurs. As members of the ABA, both teams met in the 1976 ABA Semifinals, where the Nets won 4–3.