1997 NBA playoffs

Tournament details
Dates	April 24–June 13, 1997
Season	1996–97
Teams	16
Final positions
Champions	Chicago Bulls(5th title)
Runner-up	Utah Jazz
Semifinalists	Houston Rockets Miami Heat
← 1996 1998 →

The1997 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of theNational Basketball Association's1996–97 season. The tournament concluded with the defending NBA champion andEastern Conference championChicago Bulls defeating theWestern Conference championUtah Jazz 4 games to 2. This was the Bulls' second straight title, and fifth overall (They completed the3-peat by beating Utah again in1998). Michael Jordan was namedNBA Finals MVP for the fifth time.

TheMinnesota Timberwolves made their playoff debut after failing to win more than 30 games in their first 7 seasons. It was also the first of 7 straight years in which they made the playoffs only to lose in the first round. They were the last of the 1988/89 expansion four to make their playoff debut.

ThePhoenix Suns made the playoffs despite starting the season with 13 straight losses. Their 0–13 start is an NBA record for the most losses to start a season by a team that went on to make the postseason.^[1]

All four 1988/89 expansion teams (Minnesota, Miami,Orlando andCharlotte) made the playoffs for the first time. This would happen again in2001.

Both eighth seeds in the 1997 Playoffs, theWashington Bullets and theLos Angeles Clippers, broke long playoff droughts (Bullets eight years, Clippers only just three) with this season's playoff appearances. (The Bullets' last playoff appearance was in1988; the Clippers in1993). Unfortunately for both teams, it would be a long time before they made the playoffs again; the renamed Wizards made their return in2005; the Clippers in2006). The Bullets qualified by defeating theCleveland Cavaliers in a regular season finale that saw both teams fighting for the #8 seed.^[2]

This season was the first, and to date only, season since theABA–NBA merger that none of the four former ABA teams (theSan Antonio Spurs, theDenver Nuggets, theIndiana Pacers, and theNew Jersey Nets) qualified for the playoffs. It was also one of only four times that the Spurs failed to make the playoffs since their admission to the NBA. The Spurs would not miss the playoffs again until2020.

TheLos Angeles Memorial Sports Arena hosted its final NBA playoff game in Game 3 of the Clippers–Jazz series. When the Clippers returned to the playoffs in 2006, they had moved to theStaples Center (Now Crypto.com Arena), their home since the1999–2000 season. The Sports Arena remained active until its closure and demolition in 2016; the site is nowBanc of California Stadium, home toMLS'Los Angeles FC.

Game 3 of the Bulls–Bullets series was the last playoff game ever played at theUSAir Arena. They moved intoa new arena in December of the next season. It was also the final game for the Washington Bullets. They changed their team name to the Wizards on May 15, making it the last time the team was officially named the "Bullets".

With their first round victory over theOrlando Magic, theMiami Heat won a playoff series for the first time in franchise history.

Game 4 of the Bulls–Hawks series was the last game ever played at theOmni Coliseum. The Hawks' home playoff games for1998 and1999 were played at theGeorgia Dome while the Omni was demolished to make way for what is nowState Farm Arena, which would open inSeptember 1999.

TheMiami Heat became the sixth team in NBA History to come back from a 3–1 series deficit with their conference semifinals win over theNew York Knicks. Ironically, their run to the Eastern Conference Finals marked the farthest they had reached in the playoffs up to that point; they did not return until2005, and won the NBA Finals in2006. They would not beat the Knicks again in a playoff series until2012.

This was the first Western Conference title for theJazz in their 23–year history, with their series win against theHouston Rockets. After losing in the Western Conference Finals to the Jazz, the Rockets would not win a playoff series until2009 and would not return to the Conference Finals until2015.

TheUtah Jazz clinched the best record in the Western Conference, and had home court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs.

The following teams clinched a playoff berth in the West:

1. Utah Jazz (64–18, clinched Midwest division)
2. Seattle SuperSonics (57–25, clinched Pacific division)
3. Houston Rockets (57–25)
4. Los Angeles Lakers (56–26)
5. Portland Trail Blazers (49–33)
6. Minnesota Timberwolves (40–42)
7. Phoenix Suns (40–42)
8. Los Angeles Clippers (36–46)

TheChicago Bulls clinched the best record in the NBA, and earned home court advantage throughout the entire playoffs.

The following teams clinched a playoff berth in the East:

1. Chicago Bulls (69–13, clinched Central division)
2. Miami Heat (61–21, clinched Atlantic division)
3. New York Knicks (57–25)
4. Atlanta Hawks (56–26)
5. Detroit Pistons (54–28)
6. Charlotte Hornets (54–28)
7. Orlando Magic (45–37)
8. Washington Bullets (44–38)

The 1997 NBA Playoffs featured numerous clutch shots and other moments.

• April 30: Chicago Bulls vs.Washington Bullets, Game 3

Scottie Pippen made the series-winning dunk with 7.4 seconds left as the Bulls swept the Bullets 96–95 and advanced.^[3]

• May 1:Seattle SuperSonics vs.Phoenix Suns, Game 4

With his team trailing 107–104 with 4.3 seconds left, Phoenix guardRex Chapman took the inbounds pass, launched a 3-point shot while falling out of bounds, and made the shot to tie the game. The Sonics would however win in OT 122–115.

• May 6: Chicago Bulls vs.Atlanta Hawks, Game 1

Scottie Pippen broke a 97–97 tie by making a 3-point shot with 43.9 seconds left. Neither team would score after that, and the Bulls beat Atlanta 100–97.

• May 14:New York Knicks vs.Miami Heat, Game 5

A courtside brawl erupted when Heat forward P.J. Brown body-slammed Knicks guard Charlie Ward causing both teams' benches to clear. For the Knicks, Patrick Ewing, John Starks, Allan Houston and Larry Johnson left the bench. All of the players involved were suspended. The Knicks, under-manned by the suspensions, lost the series in 7 games to start the Heat-Knicks rivalry. This was the first time in history where a New York-based major league sports team lost a playoff series after securing a 3–1 series lead; this would later be repeated when theNew York Yankees blew a 3–0 series lead against theBoston Red Sox in2004 and when theNew York Rangers blew a 3–1 series lead against theWashington Capitals in2009.

• May 25:Utah Jazz vs.Houston Rockets, Game 4

Eddie Johnson made a 3 as time expired to tie the Western Conference Finals at 2.

• May 29: Utah Jazz vs. Houston Rockets, Game 6

John Stockton scored 25 points and Karl Malone scored 24.John Stockton capped off a spectacular 4th quarter performance by hitting a 3 as time expired to send Utah to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.

• June 1: Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz, Game 1

With the game tied at 82 with 9.2 seconds left, Jazz forwardKarl Malone missed two crucial free throws. Chicago regained possession and Michael Jordan hit a jumper as time expired for the Bulls to win 84–82.

• June 13: Chicago Bulls vs. Utah Jazz, Game 6

With most NBC viewers thinking Jordan would take the last shot with the game tied at 86, he instead passed toSteve Kerr, who made a 17-foot shot with 5 seconds left. On the next play,Scottie Pippen stoleBryon Russell's inbound pass and rolled the ball toToni Kukoč, who clinched the title with a dunk.

• For the first time since1992, a #5 seed did not beat their #4 seeded opponent in the first round.
• This would be the last postseason until 2004 to feature teams with sub .500 records.
• Until2020, this is the most recent postseason where a Western Conference team (Minnesota, Phoenix, and the Los Angeles Clippers) qualified with a losing record.

Michael Jordan scores 20 of the Bulls' 23 points in the fourth quarter

Scottie Pippen stuffs in the series winning dunk with 7.0 seconds left

This was the first playoff meeting between the Bulls and the Bullets/Wizards franchise.^[4]

This was the first playoff meeting between the Heat and the Magic as well as the first postseason meeting between two Florida-basedprofessional sports teams.^[5]

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

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

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

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

This was the first playoff meeting between the Rockets and the Timberwolves.^[10]

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

Scottie Pippen hits the game winning 3 with 43.9 seconds remaining

Game 4 wasRobert Parish's final NBA game.

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

Patrick Ewing blocked a last second three pointer to preserve the victory.

This game featured a fight betweenP. J. Brown andCharlie Ward, withJohn Starks,Larry Johnson,Patrick Ewing, andAllan Houston leaving the bench. Brown was suspended for the rest of the series; Ewing, Houston, and Ward were suspended for Game 6; Johnson and Starks were suspended for Game 7.

Miami becomes the 6th team in NBA history to come back from a 3–1 series deficit.

This was the first playoff meeting between the Heat and the Knicks.^[13]

In Game 5,Kobe Bryant had an infamous rookie moment in which he airballed 4 jump shots from the end of regulation through the end of overtime.

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

• Seattle and Houston individually tie their regular season records with 57 wins apiece. Although the Sonics won the Pacific division, the Rockets won the regular season series over the Sonics 3–1, and gained home-court advantage.

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

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