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Bulls–Knicks rivalry

2024-08-14T14:40:30Z

Rangers00: Updated with players winning the NBA title along with the Olympic gold in 2016, 2021 and 2024

{{short description|National Basketball Association rivalry}}
{{more citations needed|date=March 2019}}
{{Infobox sports rivalry
| name = Bulls–Knicks rivalry
| team1 = Chicago Bulls
| team2 = New York Knicks
| team1logo = Chicago Bulls wordmark.gif
| team2logo = KnicksWordmark.gif
| image = NBA shot clock.jpg
| caption = Bulls vs. Knicks regular season game at the [[United Center]] in 2007
| first contested = October 23, 1966 Knicks 124, Bulls 105
| mostrecent = April 9, 2024 Knicks 128, Bulls 117
| nextmeeting = TBA
| total = 280
| currentstreak = NYK W2
| longeststreak = CHI W11
| series = 151–129 (CHI)
| regularseason = 127–117 (CHI)
| postseason = 24–12 (CHI)
| section_header = Postseason history
| section_info = *'''[[1981 NBA playoffs|1981 Eastern Conference First Round]]''': Bulls won, 2–0
*'''[[1989 NBA playoffs|1989 Eastern Conference Semifinals]]''': Bulls won, 4–2
*'''[[1991 NBA playoffs|1991 Eastern Conference First Round]]''': Bulls won, 3–0
*'''[[1992 NBA playoffs|1992 Eastern Conference Semifinals]]''': Bulls won, 4–3
*'''[[1993 NBA playoffs|1993 Eastern Conference Finals]]''': Bulls won, 4–2
*'''[[1994 NBA playoffs|1994 Eastern Conference Semifinals]]''': Knicks won, 4–3
*'''[[1996 NBA playoffs|1996 Eastern Conference Semifinals]]''': Bulls won, 4–1
}}
The '''Bulls–Knicks rivalry''' is a rivalry between the [[Chicago Bulls]] and the [[New York Knicks]] of the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA). The two basketball teams have played each other every year since the Bulls first joined the NBA in 1966.

The rivalry peaked in intensity from the late 1980s to the mid 1990s, when both teams became huge playoff contenders.<ref>{{cite web |last=B |first=Mike |date=April 8, 2010 |title=NBA in the 1990s: Revisiting the Chicago Bulls–New York Knicks Rivalry |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/375506-nba-in-the-1990s-revisiting-the-chicago-bulls-new-york-knicks-rivalry |access-date=2022-07-23 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref> This was due to a variety of factors: the great frequency in which the teams competed against each other in high-stakes contests and playoff series; well-known players such as [[Michael Jordan]], [[Scottie Pippen]], [[Patrick Ewing]], and [[John Starks (basketball)|John Starks]]; the reputations of the team's respective cities; and personnel changes and conflicts between the teams.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mathur |first=Ashish |date=2021-12-27 |title=Michael Jordan Loved Beating Knicks Because He Knew They Were Trying to Take His Throne: 'It's Like Fighting Your Big Brother or Little Brother, You Gotta Let 'Em Know Who You Are' |url=https://www.sportscasting.com/michael-jordan-loved-beating-knicks-trying-take-throne/ |access-date=2022-07-23 |website=Sportscasting {{!}} Pure Sports |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Helin |first=Kurt |date=2020-05-04 |title=Last Dance Bulls Knicks rivalry: 'We hated each other' |url=https://nba.nbcsports.com/2020/05/04/last-dance-bulls-knicks-rivalry/ |access-date=2022-07-23 |website=ProBasketballTalk {{!}} NBC Sports |language=en-US}}</ref> The two teams met in the playoffs during six of the eight years from 1989 to 1996, with the Bulls winning five of those series.

==History==
===Early years===
Between 1966 and 1980, the Bulls and Knicks were inter-conference rivals, as the Bulls played in the [[Western Conference (NBA)|Western Division/Conference]] during this period. Both teams were regularly present in the NBA playoffs during the late 1960s to mid-1970s, but neither met in the [[NBA Finals]].

The Bulls of that era, led by [[Jerry Sloan]], [[Bob Love]], [[Norm Van Lier]], [[Chet Walker]], and [[Tom Boerwinkle]], struggled to advance deep in the playoffs as they regularly lost to powerhouse teams like the [[Jerry West]]-led [[Los Angeles Lakers]] and [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]]'s [[Milwaukee Bucks]]. The Knicks, on the other hand, made three finals and won two championships featuring players such as [[Willis Reed]], [[Walt Frazier]], [[Bill Bradley]], [[Dave DeBusschere]], [[Jerry Lucas]], [[Earl Monroe]], and future Bulls coach [[Phil Jackson]].

===1981–1988: First playoff meeting and aftermath===
In the 1980 offseason, the Bulls moved to the [[Eastern Conference (NBA)|Eastern Conference]], making their rivalry with the Knicks an intra-conference affair.

The two teams' first playoff meeting was in first round of the [[1981 NBA playoffs]], a best-of-three series. Chicago, under head coach Jerry Sloan, won both games to sweep the series against New York 2–0. Chicago would be swept in the next round by the [[Boston Celtics]], the eventual champions, in a best-of-seven series. Sloan was fired during [[1981–82 NBA season|the following season]].

In the [[1984 NBA draft]], the Chicago Bulls used their first-round pick (3rd overall) to select shooting guard [[Michael Jordan]], who would eventually lead Chicago to six NBA Championships in the 1990s with teammates [[Scottie Pippen]] and [[Dennis Rodman]], under the direction of head coach Phil Jackson. The next year, the New York Knicks used their first-round pick (1st overall) in the [[1985 NBA draft]] to select center [[Patrick Ewing]], who would go on to become one of the Knicks' most notable players over the next 15 years.

===1988–1993: Chicago Bulls first dynasty===
The Knicks and Bulls met in the playoffs for the second time in [[1989 NBA playoffs|1989]]. This time, the rivalry was much more pronounced, as the Knicks had just won their first Atlantic Division title since 1971 with a 52–30 record and clinched the 2nd seed in the East. Meanwhile, 6th-seeded Chicago won just 47 games, but was led by reigning NBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year Michael Jordan. The Bulls won Game 1 in New York, and all three in Chicago to upset the Knicks 4–2 and qualify for the Eastern Conference Finals, which they lost in six games to the eventual champion [[Detroit Pistons]].

When the two teams met again in 1991, their roles were reversed. Chicago led the East with a then franchise-best 61 wins to capture the Central Division title. On the opposite end, the Knicks limped into the playoffs at 39–43 with the 8th seed. Chicago cruised past New York in a 3-game sweep, winning each game by an average of 20 points. They would go on to claim the first NBA Championship in franchise history.

In {{nbay|1991|end}}, the Bulls (having won six more games than the previous season), led by Jordan and Pippen, were on their way to their second straight title when they met the Knicks led by Ewing and new head coach [[Pat Riley]] in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The series went to a decisive [[List of NBA game sevens|Game 7]], which the Bulls won 110–81 to advance. This kick-started the intense rivalry and made the Knicks into an Eastern Conference powerhouse, replacing the Pistons and Celtics. This was the first of two Game 7's that the Bulls faced in the six seasons they won a championship, the other with the Pacers in the [[1998 NBA playoffs|1998 Eastern Conference Finals]]. This particular series became intense, with several players, particularly Michael Jordan, [[Xavier McDaniel]], Scottie Pippen, and [[Greg Anthony]] getting into arguments.

Shortly afterwards, there was a moment of peace in the rivalry, with Ewing, Jordan, and Pippen winning gold medals as members of the "Dream Team" at the [[1992 Summer Olympics]]. Ewing, Jordan, and [[Chris Mullin (basketball)|Chris Mullin]] are the only basketball players to win gold medals as amateurs and professionals, having won at the [[1984 Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/national/moly_1992.html |title=Games of the XXV Olympiad – 1992 |publisher=USA Basketball Inc. |access-date=February 16, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100718073041/http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/national/moly_1992.html |archive-date=July 18, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/national/moly_1984.html |title=Games of the XXIII Olympiad – 1984 |publisher=USA Basketball, Inc. |access-date=February 16, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100716093231/http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/national/moly_1984.html |archive-date=July 16, 2010 }}</ref> Jordan and Pippen, along with [[LeBron James]] in 2012, [[Kyrie Irving]] in 2016, [[Jrue Holiday]] and [[Khris Middleton]] in 2021, [[Jayson Tatum]], [[Jrue Holiday]] and [[Derrick White]] in 2024, are the eight players to have won an NBA championship and Olympic gold medal in the same year. Pippen and Holiday are the only players to accomplish this feat twice, as Pippen played for the Bulls in {{nbafy|1996}} and Team USA at the [[1996 Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Dream Team's Sleepwalk Ends with Gold Medal|date=August 4, 1996|first=Sam|last=Smith|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|page=1}}</ref>, while Holiday played for the Bucks in {{nbafy|2021}} and Team USA at the [[2021 Summer Olympics]], and the Celtics in {{nbafy|2024}} and Team USA at the [[2024 Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/40574845/players-won-nba-title-olympic-gold-medal-same-year-lebron-james-michael-jordan|title=Players who won NBA title, Olympic gold medal in the same year|publisher=ESPN|date=August 11, 2024 |first=Keith|last=Jenkins}}</ref>

In the [[1992–93 NBA season|1992–93 season]], the Knicks finished ahead of Chicago in the regular season and had home court advantage in the Eastern Conference Finals. The series had the notable highlight of Starks dunking over Horace Grant in front of Michael Jordan late in Game 2. However, despite being down 2–0, the Bulls came back and won the next 4 (by doing so, they became the 1st team in NBA history to overcome a 2–0 series deficit in a best-of-7 series, the 2nd team that year, and 4th overall), including a 97–94 Game 5 victory in New York. The game was notable as Knicks forward Charles Smith was stopped 4 straight times by a series of blocks and strips in the final seconds while trying to score. The Bulls won Game 6 96–88 to advance to the [[1993 NBA Finals]], where they beat the Suns in 6 games for their first [[three-peat]].

===1993–1998: Chicago Bulls second dynasty===
With Jordan's absence in {{nbay|1993}} the Knicks had the upper hand and compiled the second best record in the East. The Bulls, led by Pippen and newcomer [[Toni Kukoč]], met the Knicks in the second round, where the series went 7 games. Game 3 of the series was marred by a brawl between [[Jo Jo English]] and [[Derek Harper]] in which both players rolled into the stands. What made things worse was that the brawl took place with [[NBA Commissioner]] [[David Stern]] in attendance. The Bulls had a 19-point lead entering the 4th, but the Knicks tied it with 1.8 seconds left on a Patrick Ewing hook shot. Scottie Pippen famously refused to take the floor after Phil Jackson drew the final play for Kukoc, who hit a buzzer-beater to win the game. In one of the most argued calls in NBA history, a questionable foul was called by [[Hue Hollins]] in the closing seconds of Game 5 against Pippen, which gave [[Hubert Davis]] two free throws to turn a one-point deficit into a one-point victory for the Knicks.

After a blowout Bulls win in Game 6, the Knicks advanced past the Bulls with a series-clinching 87–77 win, but eventually lost to the Rockets in the [[1994 NBA Finals]]. This was the only time the Knicks were able to beat the Bulls in the playoffs during this era. Also, all the games in the series were won by the home team, and the Knicks had home court advantage in the series.

In {{nbay|1994}}, Jordan returned in the latter half of the regular season. In his return to the Garden, his 5th game back, Jordan scored 55 in a Chicago win. This game lifted Jordan's confidence after a mediocre performance in his "comeback game" against the Pacers. They didn't meet in the playoffs that season, but the animosity between the teams still grew.

During the Bulls' record-setting [[1995–96 Chicago Bulls season|1995–96 season]], they suffered their worst loss of the season to the Knicks, 102–74 in March.<ref>{{cite news|title=So Much for Karma. Knicks Stomp Bulls|date=March 11, 1996|first=Mike|last=Wise|newspaper=New York Times|page=C1}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=New York Nightmare: Knicks Return to Old Ways in Rout of Bulls|date=March 11, 1996|first=Terry|last=Armour|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|page=1}}</ref> Two months later, they defeated the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 5 games.

During the Bulls' second three-peat, they only met in the playoffs once; in 1996 when the Bulls defeated the Knicks. It was also during this period that other teams in the East grew to be contenders, such as the [[Indiana Pacers]], [[Orlando Magic]], and [[Miami Heat]]. All of these teams had their own heated battles with either the Bulls or Knicks in the playoffs.

In the 1990s, both Knicks Finals appearances (1994 and their [[Cinderella (sports)|Cinderella]] march of {{nbafy|1999}}) followed a Bulls' 3-peat, but the Knicks lost both times to a team from Texas (Rockets & Spurs).

===Later years===
The departures of Jordan, Pippen and Ewing led to the decline of both the Bulls and Knicks, and neither team was able to recapture the same success they enjoyed in the 1990s.

During this era, the only times both teams were in the playoffs took place in the {{nbapy|2011}}, {{nbapy|2012}} and {{nbapy|2013}} seasons, neither of which resulted in the Bulls and Knicks meeting in a playoff series.

On January 18, 2005, [[Ben Gordon]] scored a game-winning layup to lead the Bulls past the Knicks at [[Madison Square Garden]]. Then on April 8, 2012, [[Carmelo Anthony]]'s three-point shot in overtime gave the Knicks the win at home over Chicago. Finally, on October 31, 2013, [[Derrick Rose]] banked in a game-winning field goal to beat the Knicks at the [[United Center]]. On June 22, 2016, the Bulls traded Rose, [[Justin Holiday]], and a 2017 draft pick to the Knicks for [[Robin Lopez]], [[Jerian Grant]], and [[José Calderón (basketball)|José Calderón]], who was soon traded to the [[Los Angeles Lakers]].

==Causes==
The significance of the rivalry was due partly to the bragging rights of the two biggest cities in the East: the [[New York City|Big Apple]] vs. the [[Chicago|Windy City]]. The physical play of the teams made it intense, especially in the playoffs. The matchup between Jordan and Starks brought some drama as they were both intense players who showcased a number of highlight dunks on the opposing team. Despite the Knicks not winning an NBA title or beating the Bulls in a postseason series while Jordan was in the league, this rivalry was considered the most contentious of the 1990s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/375506-nba-in-the-1990s-revisiting-the-chicago-bulls-new-york-knicks-rivalry|title=NBA in the 1990s: Revisiting the Chicago Bulls–New York Knicks Rivalry|author=Mike B.|publisher=Bleacher Report Inc.|date=April 8, 2010|website=BleacherReport.com|accessdate=June 6, 2024}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Bulls–Pistons rivalry]]
* [[Heat–Knicks rivalry]]
* [[Bears–Giants rivalry]], a similar rivalry in the [[National Football League|NFL]] between [[Chicago]] and [[New York City]]-based teams
* [[National Basketball Association rivalries]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Navboxes|list1=
{{Chicago Bulls}}
{{New York Knicks}}
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}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bulls-Knicks Rivalry}}
[[Category:NBA rivalries]]
[[Category:Chicago Bulls]]
[[Category:New York Knicks]]

Bulls–Knicks rivalry

2024-08-14T14:13:47Z

Rangers00: Undid revision 1240273464 by Rangers00 (talk)

{{short description|National Basketball Association rivalry}}
{{more citations needed|date=March 2019}}
{{Infobox sports rivalry
| name = Bulls–Knicks rivalry
| team1 = Chicago Bulls
| team2 = New York Knicks
| team1logo = Chicago Bulls wordmark.gif
| team2logo = KnicksWordmark.gif
| image = NBA shot clock.jpg
| caption = Bulls vs. Knicks regular season game at the [[United Center]] in 2007
| first contested = October 23, 1966 Knicks 124, Bulls 105
| mostrecent = April 9, 2024 Knicks 128, Bulls 117
| nextmeeting = TBA
| total = 280
| currentstreak = NYK W2
| longeststreak = CHI W11
| series = 151–129 (CHI)
| regularseason = 127–117 (CHI)
| postseason = 24–12 (CHI)
| section_header = Postseason history
| section_info = *'''[[1981 NBA playoffs|1981 Eastern Conference First Round]]''': Bulls won, 2–0
*'''[[1989 NBA playoffs|1989 Eastern Conference Semifinals]]''': Bulls won, 4–2
*'''[[1991 NBA playoffs|1991 Eastern Conference First Round]]''': Bulls won, 3–0
*'''[[1992 NBA playoffs|1992 Eastern Conference Semifinals]]''': Bulls won, 4–3
*'''[[1993 NBA playoffs|1993 Eastern Conference Finals]]''': Bulls won, 4–2
*'''[[1994 NBA playoffs|1994 Eastern Conference Semifinals]]''': Knicks won, 4–3
*'''[[1996 NBA playoffs|1996 Eastern Conference Semifinals]]''': Bulls won, 4–1
}}
The '''Bulls–Knicks rivalry''' is a rivalry between the [[Chicago Bulls]] and the [[New York Knicks]] of the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA). The two basketball teams have played each other every year since the Bulls first joined the NBA in 1966.

The rivalry peaked in intensity from the late 1980s to the mid 1990s, when both teams became huge playoff contenders.<ref>{{cite web |last=B |first=Mike |date=April 8, 2010 |title=NBA in the 1990s: Revisiting the Chicago Bulls–New York Knicks Rivalry |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/375506-nba-in-the-1990s-revisiting-the-chicago-bulls-new-york-knicks-rivalry |access-date=2022-07-23 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref> This was due to a variety of factors: the great frequency in which the teams competed against each other in high-stakes contests and playoff series; well-known players such as [[Michael Jordan]], [[Scottie Pippen]], [[Patrick Ewing]], and [[John Starks (basketball)|John Starks]]; the reputations of the team's respective cities; and personnel changes and conflicts between the teams.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mathur |first=Ashish |date=2021-12-27 |title=Michael Jordan Loved Beating Knicks Because He Knew They Were Trying to Take His Throne: 'It's Like Fighting Your Big Brother or Little Brother, You Gotta Let 'Em Know Who You Are' |url=https://www.sportscasting.com/michael-jordan-loved-beating-knicks-trying-take-throne/ |access-date=2022-07-23 |website=Sportscasting {{!}} Pure Sports |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Helin |first=Kurt |date=2020-05-04 |title=Last Dance Bulls Knicks rivalry: 'We hated each other' |url=https://nba.nbcsports.com/2020/05/04/last-dance-bulls-knicks-rivalry/ |access-date=2022-07-23 |website=ProBasketballTalk {{!}} NBC Sports |language=en-US}}</ref> The two teams met in the playoffs during six of the eight years from 1989 to 1996, with the Bulls winning five of those series.

==History==
===Early years===
Between 1966 and 1980, the Bulls and Knicks were inter-conference rivals, as the Bulls played in the [[Western Conference (NBA)|Western Division/Conference]] during this period. Both teams were regularly present in the NBA playoffs during the late 1960s to mid-1970s, but neither met in the [[NBA Finals]].

The Bulls of that era, led by [[Jerry Sloan]], [[Bob Love]], [[Norm Van Lier]], [[Chet Walker]], and [[Tom Boerwinkle]], struggled to advance deep in the playoffs as they regularly lost to powerhouse teams like the [[Jerry West]]-led [[Los Angeles Lakers]] and [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]]'s [[Milwaukee Bucks]]. The Knicks, on the other hand, made three finals and won two championships featuring players such as [[Willis Reed]], [[Walt Frazier]], [[Bill Bradley]], [[Dave DeBusschere]], [[Jerry Lucas]], [[Earl Monroe]], and future Bulls coach [[Phil Jackson]].

===1981–1988: First playoff meeting and aftermath===
In the 1980 offseason, the Bulls moved to the [[Eastern Conference (NBA)|Eastern Conference]], making their rivalry with the Knicks an intra-conference affair.

The two teams' first playoff meeting was in first round of the [[1981 NBA playoffs]], a best-of-three series. Chicago, under head coach Jerry Sloan, won both games to sweep the series against New York 2–0. Chicago would be swept in the next round by the [[Boston Celtics]], the eventual champions, in a best-of-seven series. Sloan was fired during [[1981–82 NBA season|the following season]].

In the [[1984 NBA draft]], the Chicago Bulls used their first-round pick (3rd overall) to select shooting guard [[Michael Jordan]], who would eventually lead Chicago to six NBA Championships in the 1990s with teammates [[Scottie Pippen]] and [[Dennis Rodman]], under the direction of head coach Phil Jackson. The next year, the New York Knicks used their first-round pick (1st overall) in the [[1985 NBA draft]] to select center [[Patrick Ewing]], who would go on to become one of the Knicks' most notable players over the next 15 years.

===1988–1993: Chicago Bulls first dynasty===
The Knicks and Bulls met in the playoffs for the second time in [[1989 NBA playoffs|1989]]. This time, the rivalry was much more pronounced, as the Knicks had just won their first Atlantic Division title since 1971 with a 52–30 record and clinched the 2nd seed in the East. Meanwhile, 6th-seeded Chicago won just 47 games, but was led by reigning NBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year Michael Jordan. The Bulls won Game 1 in New York, and all three in Chicago to upset the Knicks 4–2 and qualify for the Eastern Conference Finals, which they lost in six games to the eventual champion [[Detroit Pistons]].

When the two teams met again in 1991, their roles were reversed. Chicago led the East with a then franchise-best 61 wins to capture the Central Division title. On the opposite end, the Knicks limped into the playoffs at 39–43 with the 8th seed. Chicago cruised past New York in a 3-game sweep, winning each game by an average of 20 points. They would go on to claim the first NBA Championship in franchise history.

In {{nbay|1991|end}}, the Bulls (having won six more games than the previous season), led by Jordan and Pippen, were on their way to their second straight title when they met the Knicks led by Ewing and new head coach [[Pat Riley]] in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The series went to a decisive [[List of NBA game sevens|Game 7]], which the Bulls won 110–81 to advance. This kick-started the intense rivalry and made the Knicks into an Eastern Conference powerhouse, replacing the Pistons and Celtics. This was the first of two Game 7's that the Bulls faced in the six seasons they won a championship, the other with the Pacers in the [[1998 NBA playoffs|1998 Eastern Conference Finals]]. This particular series became intense, with several players, particularly Michael Jordan, [[Xavier McDaniel]], Scottie Pippen, and [[Greg Anthony]] getting into arguments.

Shortly afterwards, there was a moment of peace in the rivalry, with Ewing, Jordan, and Pippen winning gold medals as members of the "Dream Team" at the [[1992 Summer Olympics]]. Ewing, Jordan, and [[Chris Mullin (basketball)|Chris Mullin]] are the only basketball players to win gold medals as amateurs and professionals, having won at the [[1984 Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/national/moly_1992.html |title=Games of the XXV Olympiad – 1992 |publisher=USA Basketball Inc. |access-date=February 16, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100718073041/http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/national/moly_1992.html |archive-date=July 18, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/national/moly_1984.html |title=Games of the XXIII Olympiad – 1984 |publisher=USA Basketball, Inc. |access-date=February 16, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100716093231/http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/national/moly_1984.html |archive-date=July 16, 2010 }}</ref> Jordan and Pippen, along with [[LeBron James]] in 2012, are the only players to have won an NBA championship and Olympic gold medal in the same year, though Pippen is the only player to accomplish this feat twice, as he played for the Bulls in {{nbafy|1996}} and Team USA at the [[1996 Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Dream Team's Sleepwalk Ends with Gold Medal|date=August 4, 1996|first=Sam|last=Smith|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|page=1}}</ref>

In the [[1992–93 NBA season|1992–93 season]], the Knicks finished ahead of Chicago in the regular season and had home court advantage in the Eastern Conference Finals. The series had the notable highlight of Starks dunking over Horace Grant in front of Michael Jordan late in Game 2. However, despite being down 2–0, the Bulls came back and won the next 4 (by doing so, they became the 1st team in NBA history to overcome a 2–0 series deficit in a best-of-7 series, the 2nd team that year, and 4th overall), including a 97–94 Game 5 victory in New York. The game was notable as Knicks forward Charles Smith was stopped 4 straight times by a series of blocks and strips in the final seconds while trying to score. The Bulls won Game 6 96–88 to advance to the [[1993 NBA Finals]], where they beat the Suns in 6 games for their first [[three-peat]].

===1993–1998: Chicago Bulls second dynasty===
With Jordan's absence in {{nbay|1993}} the Knicks had the upper hand and compiled the second best record in the East. The Bulls, led by Pippen and newcomer [[Toni Kukoč]], met the Knicks in the second round, where the series went 7 games. Game 3 of the series was marred by a brawl between [[Jo Jo English]] and [[Derek Harper]] in which both players rolled into the stands. What made things worse was that the brawl took place with [[NBA Commissioner]] [[David Stern]] in attendance. The Bulls had a 19-point lead entering the 4th, but the Knicks tied it with 1.8 seconds left on a Patrick Ewing hook shot. Scottie Pippen famously refused to take the floor after Phil Jackson drew the final play for Kukoc, who hit a buzzer-beater to win the game. In one of the most argued calls in NBA history, a questionable foul was called by [[Hue Hollins]] in the closing seconds of Game 5 against Pippen, which gave [[Hubert Davis]] two free throws to turn a one-point deficit into a one-point victory for the Knicks.

After a blowout Bulls win in Game 6, the Knicks advanced past the Bulls with a series-clinching 87–77 win, but eventually lost to the Rockets in the [[1994 NBA Finals]]. This was the only time the Knicks were able to beat the Bulls in the playoffs during this era. Also, all the games in the series were won by the home team, and the Knicks had home court advantage in the series.

In {{nbay|1994}}, Jordan returned in the latter half of the regular season. In his return to the Garden, his 5th game back, Jordan scored 55 in a Chicago win. This game lifted Jordan's confidence after a mediocre performance in his "comeback game" against the Pacers. They didn't meet in the playoffs that season, but the animosity between the teams still grew.

During the Bulls' record-setting [[1995–96 Chicago Bulls season|1995–96 season]], they suffered their worst loss of the season to the Knicks, 102–74 in March.<ref>{{cite news|title=So Much for Karma. Knicks Stomp Bulls|date=March 11, 1996|first=Mike|last=Wise|newspaper=New York Times|page=C1}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=New York Nightmare: Knicks Return to Old Ways in Rout of Bulls|date=March 11, 1996|first=Terry|last=Armour|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|page=1}}</ref> Two months later, they defeated the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 5 games.

During the Bulls' second three-peat, they only met in the playoffs once; in 1996 when the Bulls defeated the Knicks. It was also during this period that other teams in the East grew to be contenders, such as the [[Indiana Pacers]], [[Orlando Magic]], and [[Miami Heat]]. All of these teams had their own heated battles with either the Bulls or Knicks in the playoffs.

In the 1990s, both Knicks Finals appearances (1994 and their [[Cinderella (sports)|Cinderella]] march of {{nbafy|1999}}) followed a Bulls' 3-peat, but the Knicks lost both times to a team from Texas (Rockets & Spurs).

===Later years===
The departures of Jordan, Pippen and Ewing led to the decline of both the Bulls and Knicks, and neither team was able to recapture the same success they enjoyed in the 1990s.

During this era, the only times both teams were in the playoffs took place in the {{nbapy|2011}}, {{nbapy|2012}} and {{nbapy|2013}} seasons, neither of which resulted in the Bulls and Knicks meeting in a playoff series.

On January 18, 2005, [[Ben Gordon]] scored a game-winning layup to lead the Bulls past the Knicks at [[Madison Square Garden]]. Then on April 8, 2012, [[Carmelo Anthony]]'s three-point shot in overtime gave the Knicks the win at home over Chicago. Finally, on October 31, 2013, [[Derrick Rose]] banked in a game-winning field goal to beat the Knicks at the [[United Center]]. On June 22, 2016, the Bulls traded Rose, [[Justin Holiday]], and a 2017 draft pick to the Knicks for [[Robin Lopez]], [[Jerian Grant]], and [[José Calderón (basketball)|José Calderón]], who was soon traded to the [[Los Angeles Lakers]].

==Causes==
The significance of the rivalry was due partly to the bragging rights of the two biggest cities in the East: the [[New York City|Big Apple]] vs. the [[Chicago|Windy City]]. The physical play of the teams made it intense, especially in the playoffs. The matchup between Jordan and Starks brought some drama as they were both intense players who showcased a number of highlight dunks on the opposing team. Despite the Knicks not winning an NBA title or beating the Bulls in a postseason series while Jordan was in the league, this rivalry was considered the most contentious of the 1990s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/375506-nba-in-the-1990s-revisiting-the-chicago-bulls-new-york-knicks-rivalry|title=NBA in the 1990s: Revisiting the Chicago Bulls–New York Knicks Rivalry|author=Mike B.|publisher=Bleacher Report Inc.|date=April 8, 2010|website=BleacherReport.com|accessdate=June 6, 2024}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Bulls–Pistons rivalry]]
* [[Heat–Knicks rivalry]]
* [[Bears–Giants rivalry]], a similar rivalry in the [[National Football League|NFL]] between [[Chicago]] and [[New York City]]-based teams
* [[National Basketball Association rivalries]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Navboxes|list1=
{{Chicago Bulls}}
{{New York Knicks}}
{{NBA on NBC}}
{{NBA rivalries}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bulls-Knicks Rivalry}}
[[Category:NBA rivalries]]
[[Category:Chicago Bulls]]
[[Category:New York Knicks]]

Bulls–Knicks rivalry

2024-08-14T14:08:34Z

Rangers00: Updated after the 2024 Olympics

{{short description|National Basketball Association rivalry}}
{{more citations needed|date=March 2019}}
{{Infobox sports rivalry
| name = Bulls–Knicks rivalry
| team1 = Chicago Bulls
| team2 = New York Knicks
| team1logo = Chicago Bulls wordmark.gif
| team2logo = KnicksWordmark.gif
| image = NBA shot clock.jpg
| caption = Bulls vs. Knicks regular season game at the [[United Center]] in 2007
| first contested = October 23, 1966 Knicks 124, Bulls 105
| mostrecent = April 9, 2024 Knicks 128, Bulls 117
| nextmeeting = TBA
| total = 280
| currentstreak = NYK W2
| longeststreak = CHI W11
| series = 151–129 (CHI)
| regularseason = 127–117 (CHI)
| postseason = 24–12 (CHI)
| section_header = Postseason history
| section_info = *'''[[1981 NBA playoffs|1981 Eastern Conference First Round]]''': Bulls won, 2–0
*'''[[1989 NBA playoffs|1989 Eastern Conference Semifinals]]''': Bulls won, 4–2
*'''[[1991 NBA playoffs|1991 Eastern Conference First Round]]''': Bulls won, 3–0
*'''[[1992 NBA playoffs|1992 Eastern Conference Semifinals]]''': Bulls won, 4–3
*'''[[1993 NBA playoffs|1993 Eastern Conference Finals]]''': Bulls won, 4–2
*'''[[1994 NBA playoffs|1994 Eastern Conference Semifinals]]''': Knicks won, 4–3
*'''[[1996 NBA playoffs|1996 Eastern Conference Semifinals]]''': Bulls won, 4–1
}}
The '''Bulls–Knicks rivalry''' is a rivalry between the [[Chicago Bulls]] and the [[New York Knicks]] of the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA). The two basketball teams have played each other every year since the Bulls first joined the NBA in 1966.

The rivalry peaked in intensity from the late 1980s to the mid 1990s, when both teams became huge playoff contenders.<ref>{{cite web |last=B |first=Mike |date=April 8, 2010 |title=NBA in the 1990s: Revisiting the Chicago Bulls–New York Knicks Rivalry |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/375506-nba-in-the-1990s-revisiting-the-chicago-bulls-new-york-knicks-rivalry |access-date=2022-07-23 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref> This was due to a variety of factors: the great frequency in which the teams competed against each other in high-stakes contests and playoff series; well-known players such as [[Michael Jordan]], [[Scottie Pippen]], [[Patrick Ewing]], and [[John Starks (basketball)|John Starks]]; the reputations of the team's respective cities; and personnel changes and conflicts between the teams.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mathur |first=Ashish |date=2021-12-27 |title=Michael Jordan Loved Beating Knicks Because He Knew They Were Trying to Take His Throne: 'It's Like Fighting Your Big Brother or Little Brother, You Gotta Let 'Em Know Who You Are' |url=https://www.sportscasting.com/michael-jordan-loved-beating-knicks-trying-take-throne/ |access-date=2022-07-23 |website=Sportscasting {{!}} Pure Sports |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Helin |first=Kurt |date=2020-05-04 |title=Last Dance Bulls Knicks rivalry: 'We hated each other' |url=https://nba.nbcsports.com/2020/05/04/last-dance-bulls-knicks-rivalry/ |access-date=2022-07-23 |website=ProBasketballTalk {{!}} NBC Sports |language=en-US}}</ref> The two teams met in the playoffs during six of the eight years from 1989 to 1996, with the Bulls winning five of those series.

==History==
===Early years===
Between 1966 and 1980, the Bulls and Knicks were inter-conference rivals, as the Bulls played in the [[Western Conference (NBA)|Western Division/Conference]] during this period. Both teams were regularly present in the NBA playoffs during the late 1960s to mid-1970s, but neither met in the [[NBA Finals]].

The Bulls of that era, led by [[Jerry Sloan]], [[Bob Love]], [[Norm Van Lier]], [[Chet Walker]], and [[Tom Boerwinkle]], struggled to advance deep in the playoffs as they regularly lost to powerhouse teams like the [[Jerry West]]-led [[Los Angeles Lakers]] and [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]]'s [[Milwaukee Bucks]]. The Knicks, on the other hand, made three finals and won two championships featuring players such as [[Willis Reed]], [[Walt Frazier]], [[Bill Bradley]], [[Dave DeBusschere]], [[Jerry Lucas]], [[Earl Monroe]], and future Bulls coach [[Phil Jackson]].

===1981–1988: First playoff meeting and aftermath===
In the 1980 offseason, the Bulls moved to the [[Eastern Conference (NBA)|Eastern Conference]], making their rivalry with the Knicks an intra-conference affair.

The two teams' first playoff meeting was in first round of the [[1981 NBA playoffs]], a best-of-three series. Chicago, under head coach Jerry Sloan, won both games to sweep the series against New York 2–0. Chicago would be swept in the next round by the [[Boston Celtics]], the eventual champions, in a best-of-seven series. Sloan was fired during [[1981–82 NBA season|the following season]].

In the [[1984 NBA draft]], the Chicago Bulls used their first-round pick (3rd overall) to select shooting guard [[Michael Jordan]], who would eventually lead Chicago to six NBA Championships in the 1990s with teammates [[Scottie Pippen]] and [[Dennis Rodman]], under the direction of head coach Phil Jackson. The next year, the New York Knicks used their first-round pick (1st overall) in the [[1985 NBA draft]] to select center [[Patrick Ewing]], who would go on to become one of the Knicks' most notable players over the next 15 years.

===1988–1993: Chicago Bulls first dynasty===
The Knicks and Bulls met in the playoffs for the second time in [[1989 NBA playoffs|1989]]. This time, the rivalry was much more pronounced, as the Knicks had just won their first Atlantic Division title since 1971 with a 52–30 record and clinched the 2nd seed in the East. Meanwhile, 6th-seeded Chicago won just 47 games, but was led by reigning NBA MVP and Defensive Player of the Year Michael Jordan. The Bulls won Game 1 in New York, and all three in Chicago to upset the Knicks 4–2 and qualify for the Eastern Conference Finals, which they lost in six games to the eventual champion [[Detroit Pistons]].

When the two teams met again in 1991, their roles were reversed. Chicago led the East with a then franchise-best 61 wins to capture the Central Division title. On the opposite end, the Knicks limped into the playoffs at 39–43 with the 8th seed. Chicago cruised past New York in a 3-game sweep, winning each game by an average of 20 points. They would go on to claim the first NBA Championship in franchise history.

In {{nbay|1991|end}}, the Bulls (having won six more games than the previous season), led by Jordan and Pippen, were on their way to their second straight title when they met the Knicks led by Ewing and new head coach [[Pat Riley]] in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The series went to a decisive [[List of NBA game sevens|Game 7]], which the Bulls won 110–81 to advance. This kick-started the intense rivalry and made the Knicks into an Eastern Conference powerhouse, replacing the Pistons and Celtics. This was the first of two Game 7's that the Bulls faced in the six seasons they won a championship, the other with the Pacers in the [[1998 NBA playoffs|1998 Eastern Conference Finals]]. This particular series became intense, with several players, particularly Michael Jordan, [[Xavier McDaniel]], Scottie Pippen, and [[Greg Anthony]] getting into arguments.

Shortly afterwards, there was a moment of peace in the rivalry, with Ewing, Jordan, and Pippen winning gold medals as members of the "Dream Team" at the [[1992 Summer Olympics]]. Ewing, Jordan, and [[Chris Mullin (basketball)|Chris Mullin]] are the only basketball players to win gold medals as amateurs and professionals, having won at the [[1984 Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/national/moly_1992.html |title=Games of the XXV Olympiad – 1992 |publisher=USA Basketball Inc. |access-date=February 16, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100718073041/http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/national/moly_1992.html |archive-date=July 18, 2010 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/national/moly_1984.html |title=Games of the XXIII Olympiad – 1984 |publisher=USA Basketball, Inc. |access-date=February 16, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100716093231/http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/national/moly_1984.html |archive-date=July 16, 2010 }}</ref> Jordan and Pippen, along with [[LeBron James]] in 2012, [[Jayson Tatum]], [[Jrue Holiday]] and [[Derrick White]] in 2024, are the only players to have won an NBA championship and Olympic gold medal in the same year, though Pippen is the only player to accomplish this feat twice, as he played for the Bulls in {{nbafy|1996}} and Team USA at the [[1996 Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Dream Team's Sleepwalk Ends with Gold Medal|date=August 4, 1996|first=Sam|last=Smith|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|page=1}}</ref>

In the [[1992–93 NBA season|1992–93 season]], the Knicks finished ahead of Chicago in the regular season and had home court advantage in the Eastern Conference Finals. The series had the notable highlight of Starks dunking over Horace Grant in front of Michael Jordan late in Game 2. However, despite being down 2–0, the Bulls came back and won the next 4 (by doing so, they became the 1st team in NBA history to overcome a 2–0 series deficit in a best-of-7 series, the 2nd team that year, and 4th overall), including a 97–94 Game 5 victory in New York. The game was notable as Knicks forward Charles Smith was stopped 4 straight times by a series of blocks and strips in the final seconds while trying to score. The Bulls won Game 6 96–88 to advance to the [[1993 NBA Finals]], where they beat the Suns in 6 games for their first [[three-peat]].

===1993–1998: Chicago Bulls second dynasty===
With Jordan's absence in {{nbay|1993}} the Knicks had the upper hand and compiled the second best record in the East. The Bulls, led by Pippen and newcomer [[Toni Kukoč]], met the Knicks in the second round, where the series went 7 games. Game 3 of the series was marred by a brawl between [[Jo Jo English]] and [[Derek Harper]] in which both players rolled into the stands. What made things worse was that the brawl took place with [[NBA Commissioner]] [[David Stern]] in attendance. The Bulls had a 19-point lead entering the 4th, but the Knicks tied it with 1.8 seconds left on a Patrick Ewing hook shot. Scottie Pippen famously refused to take the floor after Phil Jackson drew the final play for Kukoc, who hit a buzzer-beater to win the game. In one of the most argued calls in NBA history, a questionable foul was called by [[Hue Hollins]] in the closing seconds of Game 5 against Pippen, which gave [[Hubert Davis]] two free throws to turn a one-point deficit into a one-point victory for the Knicks.

After a blowout Bulls win in Game 6, the Knicks advanced past the Bulls with a series-clinching 87–77 win, but eventually lost to the Rockets in the [[1994 NBA Finals]]. This was the only time the Knicks were able to beat the Bulls in the playoffs during this era. Also, all the games in the series were won by the home team, and the Knicks had home court advantage in the series.

In {{nbay|1994}}, Jordan returned in the latter half of the regular season. In his return to the Garden, his 5th game back, Jordan scored 55 in a Chicago win. This game lifted Jordan's confidence after a mediocre performance in his "comeback game" against the Pacers. They didn't meet in the playoffs that season, but the animosity between the teams still grew.

During the Bulls' record-setting [[1995–96 Chicago Bulls season|1995–96 season]], they suffered their worst loss of the season to the Knicks, 102–74 in March.<ref>{{cite news|title=So Much for Karma. Knicks Stomp Bulls|date=March 11, 1996|first=Mike|last=Wise|newspaper=New York Times|page=C1}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=New York Nightmare: Knicks Return to Old Ways in Rout of Bulls|date=March 11, 1996|first=Terry|last=Armour|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|page=1}}</ref> Two months later, they defeated the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 5 games.

During the Bulls' second three-peat, they only met in the playoffs once; in 1996 when the Bulls defeated the Knicks. It was also during this period that other teams in the East grew to be contenders, such as the [[Indiana Pacers]], [[Orlando Magic]], and [[Miami Heat]]. All of these teams had their own heated battles with either the Bulls or Knicks in the playoffs.

In the 1990s, both Knicks Finals appearances (1994 and their [[Cinderella (sports)|Cinderella]] march of {{nbafy|1999}}) followed a Bulls' 3-peat, but the Knicks lost both times to a team from Texas (Rockets & Spurs).

===Later years===
The departures of Jordan, Pippen and Ewing led to the decline of both the Bulls and Knicks, and neither team was able to recapture the same success they enjoyed in the 1990s.

During this era, the only times both teams were in the playoffs took place in the {{nbapy|2011}}, {{nbapy|2012}} and {{nbapy|2013}} seasons, neither of which resulted in the Bulls and Knicks meeting in a playoff series.

On January 18, 2005, [[Ben Gordon]] scored a game-winning layup to lead the Bulls past the Knicks at [[Madison Square Garden]]. Then on April 8, 2012, [[Carmelo Anthony]]'s three-point shot in overtime gave the Knicks the win at home over Chicago. Finally, on October 31, 2013, [[Derrick Rose]] banked in a game-winning field goal to beat the Knicks at the [[United Center]]. On June 22, 2016, the Bulls traded Rose, [[Justin Holiday]], and a 2017 draft pick to the Knicks for [[Robin Lopez]], [[Jerian Grant]], and [[José Calderón (basketball)|José Calderón]], who was soon traded to the [[Los Angeles Lakers]].

==Causes==
The significance of the rivalry was due partly to the bragging rights of the two biggest cities in the East: the [[New York City|Big Apple]] vs. the [[Chicago|Windy City]]. The physical play of the teams made it intense, especially in the playoffs. The matchup between Jordan and Starks brought some drama as they were both intense players who showcased a number of highlight dunks on the opposing team. Despite the Knicks not winning an NBA title or beating the Bulls in a postseason series while Jordan was in the league, this rivalry was considered the most contentious of the 1990s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/375506-nba-in-the-1990s-revisiting-the-chicago-bulls-new-york-knicks-rivalry|title=NBA in the 1990s: Revisiting the Chicago Bulls–New York Knicks Rivalry|author=Mike B.|publisher=Bleacher Report Inc.|date=April 8, 2010|website=BleacherReport.com|accessdate=June 6, 2024}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Bulls–Pistons rivalry]]
* [[Heat–Knicks rivalry]]
* [[Bears–Giants rivalry]], a similar rivalry in the [[National Football League|NFL]] between [[Chicago]] and [[New York City]]-based teams
* [[National Basketball Association rivalries]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Navboxes|list1=
{{Chicago Bulls}}
{{New York Knicks}}
{{NBA on NBC}}
{{NBA rivalries}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bulls-Knicks Rivalry}}
[[Category:NBA rivalries]]
[[Category:Chicago Bulls]]
[[Category:New York Knicks]]

User talk:Rangers00

2023-12-26T02:31:00Z

Rangers00: /* December 2023 */ Reply

'''Welcome!'''

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== December 2023 ==

[[File:Information.svg|25px|alt=Information icon]] Hello, I'm [[User:Bagumba|Bagumba]]. I noticed that you added or changed content in an article, [[:2000–01 Los Angeles Lakers season]], but you didn't provide a [[Wikipedia:Reliable sources|reliable source]]. It's been removed and archived in the page history for now, but if you'd like to [[Wikipedia:Citing sources|include a citation]] and re-add it, please do so. You can have a look at [[Help:Referencing for beginners|referencing for beginners]]. If you think I made a mistake, you can leave me a message on [[User talk:Bagumba|my talk page]]. Thank you.  —[[User:Bagumba|Bagumba]] ([[User talk:Bagumba|talk]]) 04:24, 17 December 2023 (UTC)

:Hi, why can't simple arithmetic be a reliable source?
:The Lakers' 23-1 finish (regular season + playoffs) is never mentioned anywhere (I followed the NBA for 40+ years). It's something I observed. The reason is simple. It can only happen when a team losing only 0 or 1 game in the playoffs.
:In the NBA, there has never been a team losing 0 game in the playoff. There were 3 teams losing 1 game in the playoffs.
:1983 76ers (12-1 in the playoffs, lost their last game in the regular season, thus they finished 12-1)
:2017 Warriors (16-1 in the playoffs, lost their penultimate game in the regular season, thus they finished 17-1)
:2021 Lakers (15-1 in the playoffs, won their last 8 games in the regular season, thus they finished 23-1).
:In other words, this 23-1 finish, a simple FACT, is NEVER observed by any fans/journalist in the NBA. [[User:Rangers00|Rangers00]] ([[User talk:Rangers00#top|talk]]) 06:50, 18 December 2023 (UTC)

[[File:Information orange.svg|25px|alt=Information icon]] Please do not add [[Wikipedia:No original research|original research]] or [[Wikipedia:No original research#Synthesis of published material that advances a position|novel syntheses]] of published material to articles as you apparently did to [[:2000–01 Los Angeles Lakers season]]. Please cite a [[Wikipedia:Reliable sources|reliable source]] for all of your contributions. Thank you. —[[User:Bagumba|Bagumba]] ([[User talk:Bagumba|talk]]) 17:08, 21 December 2023 (UTC)

:What is novel synthesis? The Lakers 23-1 finish in a season, best ever in NBA history, is a FACT!!! It's not original research. I explain how this FACT come from. [[User:Rangers00|Rangers00]] ([[User talk:Rangers00#top|talk]]) 14:33, 23 December 2023 (UTC)

[[File:Nuvola apps important.svg|25px|alt=Warning icon]] Please stop. If you continue to violate Wikipedia's [[Wikipedia:No original research|no original research policy]] by adding your personal analysis or [[Wikipedia:No original research#Synthesis of published material that advances a position|synthesis]] into articles, as you did at [[:2000–01 Los Angeles Lakers season]], you may be [[Wikipedia:Blocking policy|blocked from editing]].  —[[User:Bagumba|Bagumba]] ([[User talk:Bagumba|talk]]) 14:38, 23 December 2023 (UTC)

:Please don't restore unsourced material. Feel free to establish [[WP:CONSENSUS|consensus]] for your additions at the article's talk page. Thanks. —[[User:Bagumba|Bagumba]] ([[User talk:Bagumba|talk]]) 14:40, 23 December 2023 (UTC)
:Please note that in your quoted "no original research policy", it's stated:
:Routine calculations
:Routine calculations do not count as original research, provided there is consensus among editors that the results of the calculations are correct, and a meaningful reflection of the sources.
:Do you have objections if I add this:
:"Legacy
:By winning the final eight games of the regular season and achieving a postseason record of 15-1, the Lakers finished the 2020-21 season with a 23-1 record"?
:Now both "won their final eight games" and "had achieved the best ever NBA postseason record of 15-1" are explicitly stated on the page, in the first paragraph and in the "NBA Finals" section, respectively. My conclusion of 23-1 is just a routine calculation, which is not count as original research.
:I'll try to establish "consensus" later on. [[User:Rangers00|Rangers00]] ([[User talk:Rangers00#top|talk]]) 15:24, 23 December 2023 (UTC)
::Hi there. Unless a reliable source is cited, it's [[WP:OR]] to consider a "best finish" to be a combination or regular season and playoffs. Statsmuse is an AI front for a stats database, so it's not considered a reliable secondary source. Those other team's records were also uncited. Regards. —[[User:Bagumba|Bagumba]] ([[User talk:Bagumba|talk]]) 15:49, 23 December 2023 (UTC)
:::I propose to say
:::"Legacy
:::By winning the final eight games of the regular season and achieving a postseason record of 15-1, the Lakers finished the 2020-21 season with a 23-1 record"
:::Both of these facts are mentioned in the page itself. I am not mentioning "best finish".
:::Is it OK? [[User:Rangers00|Rangers00]] ([[User talk:Rangers00#top|talk]]) 16:39, 23 December 2023 (UTC)
::::Personally, I'd only put 23–1 if another reliable secondary source thought it was significant enough to remember. But it's not the end of the world if you insist on it being there as a "simple calculation". However, comparisons to other teams require reliable sources making the explicit comparison to this Lakers team. It's not a standard record that editors should solely rely on database searches for. —[[User:Bagumba|Bagumba]] ([[User talk:Bagumba|talk]]) 02:21, 24 December 2023 (UTC)
:::::First, I didn't know about Wikipedia's "no original research policy", so I thought you were just another Wiki user making trouble. My apologies.
:::::When I looked at many Wikipedia pages, say, of the NBA, there were numerous claims without citations. Please take a look at the 20XX NBA Playoffs pages. For example, in the Overview section of the 2020 NBA Playoff page (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_NBA_playoffs):
:::::* Lebron James became the first player with 20+ points, 15+ rebounds, and 15+ assist in a playoff game*.
:::::* Luguentz Dort became the youngest player and first undrafted player to score 30+ points in a Game 7.
:::::* Donovan Mitchell and Jamal Murray joined Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson as the only players to have multiple 50–point games in a single playoff series.
:::::* Anthony Davis joined Kevin Durant, Michael Jordan, Rick Barry, and Hal Greer as the only players in NBA History to score 30+ points in their first two career NBA Finals games.
:::::No citation. These claims have historical perspective as these are comparisons with all other players in NBA history. How do we verify these facts? In other words, unless there is a source listing out the point tallies of their first two Finals games for all the players in NBA history, we won't know, as a fact, that only Durant, MJ, Barry and Greer were the 4 players who scored 30+ in their first 2 final games.
:::::Furthermore, look at the claims on teams:
:::::* Despite all the games being in the same location, the Celtics–Raptors series was the first series in NBA history where the (designated) road team won every game of a best–of–seven series.
:::::* This was the first time that the top two seeds in a conference (the Milwaukee Bucks and the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference) were both down 0–2 in a best of 7 series.
:::::* This was the first time that neither the first seed nor the second seed were in the Eastern Conference finals. By coincidence, this would happen again the very next year.
:::::Again, no citation. And these are comparisons with all other teams in NBA playoff history, so someone doing their own research is not allowed.
:::::Every year's playoff page has some "fun facts" without citation. If citation is mandatory and original "research" is not allowed, my complaint is that why the Wiki policy is not enforced consistently. [[User:Rangers00|Rangers00]] ([[User talk:Rangers00#top|talk]]) 17:54, 25 December 2023 (UTC)
::::::I don't know where those quotes come from, but they look like they're quotes from the lead, which should then be verified later on in the article; see [[MOS:LEADCITE]]. [[User:Drmies|Drmies]] ([[User talk:Drmies|talk]]) 17:57, 25 December 2023 (UTC)
:::::::Nope, no such citations from the lead. [[User:Rangers00|Rangers00]] ([[User talk:Rangers00#top|talk]]) 18:18, 25 December 2023 (UTC)
:::::As for "significant enough to remember" as the criteria to put up facts, lots of the facts in the Overview section of the 20xx NBA Playoffs are, in my personal opinion, not significant. There are no other sources putting up these facts neither. For example, who cares whether LeBron is the only one in NBA history to record a 20+/15+/15+, or whether the top two seeds fail to make it the Eastern Conference Finals, ... However, these facts are comfortably sitting on the 2020 NBA Playoff page.
:::::I am a sports historian. I put up a lot of fun facts in basketball, football, hockey and soccer on my Twitter page. You may want to check it out (https://twitter.com/2016majic). In the current world with lots of crisis, these things are insignificant in the grand scheme of things, but neither are the Overview facts on Wiki's NBA playoff pages, such as Lebron's 20/15/15, the top two seeds failing to make it to the ECF, or Anthony Davis scoring 30+ in his first 2 Finals games, etc. [[User:Rangers00|Rangers00]] ([[User talk:Rangers00#top|talk]]) 02:31, 26 December 2023 (UTC)

User talk:Rangers00

2023-12-25T18:18:11Z

Rangers00: /* December 2023 */ Reply

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2023-12-25T17:54:48Z

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2023-12-23T16:39:48Z

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2023-12-23T15:24:44Z

Rangers00: /* December 2023 */ Reply

2000–01 Los Angeles Lakers season

2023-12-23T14:35:17Z

Rangers00: Undid revision 1191121296 by Bagumba (talk) Most of it is simple FACT, as explained in my contribution.

{{Short description|Pro basketball team season (won NBA championship)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{NBA season
| team = Los Angeles Lakers
| end_year = 2001
| DivisionWin = yes
| ConferenceWin = yes
| ChampionshipWin = yes
| wins = 56
| losses = 26
| division = Pacific
| division_place = 1
| conf_place = 2
| coach = [[Phil Jackson]]
| gm = [[Mitch Kupchak]]
| owner = [[Jerry Buss]]
| arena = [[Staples Center]]
| television = [[Bally Sports West|Fox Sports Net West]], [[KCAL-TV|KCAL]]
| radio = [[KLAC|AM 570 KLAC]]
| playoffs = [[2001 NBA Finals|'''NBA Champions''']] (Defeated [[2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers season|76ers]] 4–1)
| bbr_team = LAL
}}
The '''[[2000–01 NBA season]]''' was the Lakers' 53rd season in the [[National Basketball Association]], and 41st in the city of Los Angeles.<ref>[https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/2001.html 2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers]</ref> The Lakers entered the season as the defending NBA champions, having defeated the [[1999-2000 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana Pacers]] in the [[2000 NBA Finals]] in six games, winning their twelfth NBA championship. During the off-season, the Lakers acquired [[Horace Grant]] from the [[1999–2000 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle SuperSonics]].<ref>{{cite news | last = Broussard | first = Chris | title = Knicks Send Ewing to Sonics as 4-Team Deal Ends an Era | work = The New York Times | date = September 21, 2000 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/21/sports/knicks-send-ewing-to-sonics-as-4-team-deal-ends-an-era.html | access-date = May 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Heisler | first = Mark | title = Lakers Move Forward | work = Los Angeles Times | date = September 21, 2000 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-sep-21-sp-24481-story.html | access-date = August 1, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = One-Horace Town | work = Los Angeles Times | date = December 13, 2000 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-dec-13-sp-64947-story.html | access-date = October 25, 2022}}</ref> Grant won three championships with the [[Chicago Bulls]] in the early 1990s. The team also signed free agent [[Isaiah Rider]], who was released by the [[1999–2000 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks]] during the previous season due to off the court troubles,<ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = PLUS: PRO BASKETBALL; Rider Signs with Lakers | work = The New York Times | date = August 26, 2000 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2000/08/26/sports/plus-pro-basketball-rider-signs-with-lakers.html | access-date = July 23, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Kawakami | first = Tim | title = Lakers Take Flier on Rider | work = Los Angeles Times | date = August 26, 2000 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-aug-26-sp-10740-story.html | access-date = May 29, 2022}}</ref> and signed [[Greg Foster (basketball)|Greg Foster]], who had two NBA Finals appearances with the [[Utah Jazz]].<ref>{{cite news | last = Wise | first = Mike | title = PRO BASKETBALL; West Side Story, the Sequel | work = The New York Times | date = October 30, 2000 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2000/10/30/sports/pro-basketball-west-side-story-the-sequel.html | access-date = July 16, 2022}}</ref> [[Derek Fisher]] only played just 20 games due to a stress fracture in his right foot, which forced him to miss the first 62 games of the regular season.<ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Surgery to Sideline Fisher Up to Six Months | work = Los Angeles Times | date = September 21, 2000 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-sep-21-sp-24506-story.html | access-date = May 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Fisher Rebounds Strong from Broken Foot | work = ESPN | date = May 30, 2001 | url = https://www.espn.com/nba/playoffs2001/2001/0523/1203652.html | access-date = June 17, 2021 }}</ref> The Lakers held a 31–16 record at the All-Star break,<ref>{{cite news | title = NBA Games Played on February 8, 2001 | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/?month=2&day=8&year=2001 | access-date = September 12, 2022}}</ref> and won their final eight games,<ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | title = L.A. Lakers 108, Denver 91 | work = United Press International | date = April 18, 2001 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/04/18/LA-Lakers-108-Denver-91/7769987566400/ | access-date = July 2, 2022}}</ref> finishing the regular season with a 56–26 record, and won the Pacific Division over the rival [[2000–01 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento Kings]] by one game.<ref>{{cite web|title=2000–01 Los Angeles Lakers Schedule and Results|publisher=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/2001_games.html|access-date=June 21, 2021}}</ref>

[[Kobe Bryant]] and [[Shaquille O'Neal]] were both selected for the [[2001 NBA All-Star Game]],<ref>{{cite news | agency = NBA.com Staff | title = 2001 NBA All-Star Recap | work = NBA.com | date = September 13, 2021 | url = https://www.nba.com/news/history-all-star-recap-2001 | access-date = May 14, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = 2001 All-Star Weekend - at Washington: February 9-11 | work = Eskimo North | date = | url = https://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/misc/all-star01.txt | access-date = May 14, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = 2001 NBA All-Star Game: East 111, West 110 | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/allstar/NBA_2001.html | access-date = November 24, 2021}}</ref> but O'Neal did not play due to a foot injury.<ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = O'Neal's Injury May Be a Real Pain | work = Los Angeles Times | date = January 29, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jan-29-sp-18539-story.html?_amp=true | access-date = January 11, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Foot Injury Sidelines Shaq Again | work = ESPN | date = January 30, 2001 | url = https://www.espn.com/nba/news/2001/0130/1050858.html | access-date = November 26, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = O'Neal Injury Improves Marginally | work = Los Angeles Times | date = January 31, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jan-31-sp-19275-story.html | access-date = October 19, 2022}}</ref> The Lakers clinched the #2 seed in the [[2001 NBA Playoffs|playoffs]]. O’Neal averaged 28.7 points, 12.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA First Team, while Bryant averaged 28.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team. In addition, Fisher provided the team with 11.5 points and 4.4 assists per game, while [[Rick Fox]] contributed 9.6 points per game, and Grant provided with 8.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.<ref name="roster">{{cite web|title=2000–01 Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats|publisher=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/2001.html|access-date=June 21, 2021}}</ref> Both O'Neal and Bryant were also selected to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, as O'Neal finished in third place in [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player]] voting with 7 first-place votes.<ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Clifton | title = PRO BASKETBALL; 76ers' Fans Called It: Iverson Is Most Valuable Player | work = The New York Times | date = May 16, 2001 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/16/sports/pro-basketball-76ers-fans-called-it-iverson-is-most-valuable-player.html | access-date = May 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = MVP Runaway Is Special to Iverson | work = Los Angeles Times | date = May 16, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-may-16-sp-64210-story.html | access-date = July 13, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = 2000–01 NBA Awards Voting | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_2001.html | access-date = October 16, 2021}}</ref>

In the playoffs, the Lakers swept the [[2000–01 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland Trail Blazers]] in three straight games in the Western Conference First Round,<ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = A Sweeping Giant | work = Los Angeles Times | date = April 30, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-apr-30-sp-57549-story.html | access-date = May 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Lakers Demonstrate Dominance | work = Deseret News | date = April 30, 2001 | url = https://www.deseret.com/2001/4/30/19583661/lakers-demonstrate-dominance | access-date = November 26, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | title = L.A. Lakers 99, Portland 86 | work = United Press International | date = April 29, 2001 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/04/29/LA-Lakers-99-Portland-86/6953988516800/ | access-date = June 3, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = 2001 NBA Western Conference First Round: Trail Blazers vs. Lakers | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2001-nba-western-conference-first-round-trail-blazers-vs-lakers.html | access-date = May 14, 2023}}</ref> swept the 3rd-seeded Kings in four straight games in the Western Conference Semi-finals,<ref>{{cite news | last = Wise | first = Mike | title = PRO BASKETBALL; O'Neal Gives Kings' Fans False Hope | work = The New York Times | date = May 14, 2001 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/14/sports/pro-basketball-o-neal-gives-kings-fans-false-hope.html | access-date = May 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = Kobe Lowers Broom | work = Los Angeles Times | date = May 14, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-may-14-sp-63364-story.html | access-date = May 30, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | title = L.A. Lakers 119, Sacramento 113 | work = United Press International | date = May 13, 2001 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/05/13/LA-Lakers-119-Sacramento-113/7313989726400/ | access-date = November 26, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = 2001 NBA Western Conference Semifinals: Kings vs. Lakers | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2001-nba-western-conference-semifinals-kings-vs-lakers.html | access-date = May 14, 2023}}</ref> then swept the top–seeded [[2000–01 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio Spurs]] also in four straight games in the Western Conference Finals.<ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Lakers Sweep Spurs for Spot in N.B.A. Finals | work = The New York Times | date = May 27, 2001 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/27/sports/lakers-sweep-spurs-for-spot-in-nba-finals.html | access-date = May 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Adande | first = J.A. | title = After This Laker Domination, Rest Is History | work = Los Angeles Times | date = May 28, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-may-28-sp-3603-story.html | access-date = May 29, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | title = L.A. Lakers 111, San Antonio 82 | work = United Press International | date = May 28, 2001 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/05/28/LA-Lakers-111-San-Antonio-82/9340991022400/ | access-date = November 26, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = 2001 NBA Western Conference Finals: Lakers vs. Spurs | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2001-nba-western-conference-finals-lakers-vs-spurs.html | access-date = May 14, 2023}}</ref> They went on to win the [[2001 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]], 4–1 against regular season MVP [[Allen Iverson]] and the [[2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]], earning the franchise its 13th NBA championship. O'Neal was named Finals MVP for the second straight year.<ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Lakers Beat Sixers to Win N.B.A. Title | work = The New York Times | date = June 15, 2001 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/15/sports/lakers-beat-sixers-to-win-nba-title.html | access-date = May 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Lakers Capture NBA Crown | work = CBS News | date = June 15, 2001 | url = https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lakers-capture-nba-crown/ | access-date = May 14, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = Baq to Baq | work = Los Angeles Times | date = June 16, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jun-16-ss-11272-story.html | access-date = August 22, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | title = L.A. Lakers 108, Philadelphia 96 | work = United Press International | date = June 16, 2001 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/06/16/LA-Lakers-108-Philadelphia-96/1111992664000/ | access-date = July 2, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = 2001 NBA Finals: 76ers vs. Lakers | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2001-nba-finals-76ers-vs-lakers.html | access-date = May 14, 2023}}</ref> It was the second of the Lakers' [[three-peat]] championships to begin the millennium. The Lakers would finish with the then-best postseason record in NBA history, posting a 15–1 record, suffering their only loss in a Game 1 overtime home loss to the 76ers in the NBA Finals, 107–101.<ref>{{cite news | last = Wise | first = Mike | title = PRO BASKETBALL; Throw Away the Brooms: Sixers Stun Lakers | work = The New York Times | date = June 7, 2001 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/07/sports/pro-basketball-throw-away-the-brooms-sixers-stun-lakers.html | access-date = December 31, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = Lakers Let Very Big One Get Away as 76ers End Streak at 19 | work = Los Angeles Times | date = June 7, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jun-07-ss-7651-story.html | access-date = May 29, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Wilbon | first = Michael | title = Iverson's Ablaze | newspaper = The Washington Post | date = June 7, 2001 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2001/06/07/iversons-ablaze/59f8f5e2-5980-4d69-aeb2-4032fedaed29/ | access-date = November 26, 2022}}</ref> That record would last for 16 years until the [[2016–17 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]] went 16–1 in the [[2017 NBA Playoffs|2017 playoffs]].<ref>{{cite news | title = Ranking the 10 Best NBA Playoff Runs Ever | work = Bleacher Report | date = | url = https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2894314-ranking-the-10-best-nba-playoff-runs-ever | access-date = July 23, 2021}}</ref>

Following the season, Grant re-signed as a free agent with his former team, the [[2001–02 Orlando Magic season|Orlando Magic]],<ref>{{cite news | last = Schmitz | first = Brian | title = Grant Set to Rejoin Magic | work = Orlando Sentinel | date = July 18, 2001 | url = https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2001-07-18-0107180278-story.html | access-date = July 13, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Magic Adds Grant, Size | work = Tampa Bay Times | date = July 20, 2001 | url = https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2001/07/20/magic-adds-grant-size/ | accessdate = July 23, 2021}}</ref> while Rider signed with the [[2001–02 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]],<ref>{{cite news | last = Services | first = Wire | title = Rider Gets Cut Quickly by Nuggets | work = Los Angeles Times | date = November 21, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-nov-21-sp-6774-story.html | access-date = October 19, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Nuggets Waive Isiah Rider | work = United Press International | date = November 20, 2001 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/11/20/Nuggets-waive-Isiah-Rider/7381006232400/ | access-date = January 11, 2022}}</ref> [[Tyronn Lue]] signed with the [[2001–02 Washington Wizards season|Washington Wizards]],<ref>{{cite news | last = Wyche | first = Steve | title = Wizards Get Closer to Lue | newspaper = The Washington Post | date = July 4, 2001 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2001/07/04/wizards-get-closer-to-lue/1fc53002-6abb-469a-97f5-23c4e1bb7957/ | access-date = October 25, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Free Agent Lue Signs with Wizards | work = United Press International | date = July 18, 2001 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/07/18/Free-agent-Lue-signs-with-Wizards/9792995428800/ | access-date = January 22, 2022}}</ref> Foster was traded to the [[2001–02 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]],<ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = Trade to L.A. Lifts Hunter Out of Funk | work = Los Angeles Times | date = July 3, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jul-03-sp-18156-story.html | access-date = October 25, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Lakers Trade Foster for Hunter | work = Deseret News | date = June 29, 2001 | url = https://www.deseret.com/platform/amp/2001/6/29/19593847/lakers-trade-foster-for-hunter | access-date = July 16, 2022}}</ref> and [[Ron Harper]], who only played just 47 games due to knee injuries, retired.<ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = Harper Scheduled for Knee Surgery | work = Los Angeles Times | date = March 21, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-mar-21-sp-40593-story.html | access-date = October 25, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = Harper's Not the Retiring Type Yet | work = Los Angeles Times | date = April 25, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-apr-25-sp-56070-story.html | access-date = July 27, 2021}}</ref>

==Draft picks==
{{main|2000 NBA draft}}
{| class="wikitable sortable sortable"
! style="background:#5c2f83; color:#fcb926" width="10%"| Round
! style="background:#5c2f83; color:#fcb926" width="10%"| Pick
! style="background:#5c2f83; color:#fcb926" width="20%"| Player
! style="background:#5c2f83; color:#fcb926" width="15%"| Position
! style="background:#5c2f83; color:#fcb926" width="15%"| Nationality
! style="background:#5c2f83; color:#fcb926" width="20%"| College
|-
| 1
| 29
| [[Mark Madsen (basketball)|Mark Madsen]]
| PF
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[Stanford Cardinal|Stanford]]
|-
|}

==Roster==
{{NBA roster header|team=Los Angeles Lakers|season=2000–01}}

{{player2 | num = 8 | first = Kobe | last = Bryant | pos = G/F | ft = 6 | in = 6 | lbs = 205 | DOB = 1978–08–23 | school = [[Lower Merion High School|Lower Merion HS]]}}
{{player2 | num = 2 | first = Derek | last = Fisher | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 1 | lbs = 210 | DOB = 1974–08–09 | college = Little Rock}}
{{player2 | num = 40 | first = Greg | last = Foster | dab = basketball | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 11 | lbs = 240 | DOB = 1968–10–03 | college = UTEP}}
{{player2 | num = 17 | first = Rick | last = Fox | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 7 | lbs = 230 | DOB = 1969–07–24 | college = North Carolina}}
{{player2 | num = 3 | first = Devean | last = George | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 8 |lbs = 235 | DOB = 1977–08–29 | college = Augsburg}}
{{player2 | num = 54 | first = Horace | last = Grant | pos = F/C | ft = 6 | in = 10 | lbs = 245 | DOB = 1965–07–04 | college = Clemson}}
{{player2 | num = 4 | first = Ron | last = Harper | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 6 | lbs = 185 | DOB = 1964–01–20 | college = Miami (OH)}}
{{player2 | num = 5 | first = Robert | last = Horry | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 10 | lbs = 240 | DOB = 1970–08–25 | college = Alabama}}
{{player2 | num = 10 | first = Tyronn | last = Lue | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 0 | lbs = 175 | DOB = 1977–05–03 | college = Nebraska}}
{{player2 | num = 35 | first = Mark | last = Madsen | dab = basketball| pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 9 | lbs = 240 | DOB = 1976–01–28 | college = Stanford}}
{{player2 | num = 14 | first = Slava | last = Medvedenko | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 10 | lbs = 253 | DOB = 1979–04–04 | from = Ukraine}}
{{player2 | num = 34 | first = Shaquille | last = O'Neal | pos = C | ft = 7 | in = 1 | lbs = 325 | DOB = 1972–03–06 | college = LSU}}
{{player2 | num = 12 | first = Mike | last = Penberthy | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 3 | lbs = 180 | DOB = 1974–11–29 | school = The Master's College}}
{{player2 | num = 7 | first = Isaiah | last = Rider | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 5 | lbs = 215 | DOB = 1971–03–12 | college = UNLV}}
{{player2 | num = 20 | first = Brian | last = Shaw | dab = basketball | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 6 | lbs = 190 | DOB = 1966–03–22 | college = UC Santa Barbara}}

{{NBA roster footer
| head_coach =
* [[Phil Jackson]]
| asst_coach =
* [[Bill Bertka]]
* [[Jim Cleamons]]
* [[Frank Hamblen]]
* [[Tex Winter]]
| roster_url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/2001.html
| accessdate = October 2, 2000
}}

==Regular season==

===Season standings===
{{2000–01 NBA Pacific standings|team=LAL}}
{{2000–01 NBA West standings|team=LAL}}

===Record vs. opponents===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"
|-
!colspan=30|2000–01 NBA records
|-
!width=100|Team
!style="background:#FF0000;color:#FFFFFF;width=35"|ATL
!style="background:#006400;color:#FFFFFF;width=35"|BOS
!style="background:#008080;color:#800080;width=35"|CHA
!style="background:#FF0000;color:#000000;width=35"|CHI
!style="background:#000000;color:#5787DC;width=35"|CLE
!style="background:#00008B;color:#008000;width=35"|DAL
!style="background:#141A44;color:#BC2224;width=35"|DEN
!style="background:#0C7674;color:#BB222C;width=35"|DET
!style="background:#072E63;color:#DC5A34;width=35"|GSW
!style="background:#002366;color:#FF0000;width=35"|HOU
!style="background:#000080;color:#FFD700;width=35"|IND
!style="background:#F9160D;color:#1A2E8B;width=35"|LAC
!style="background:#800080;color:#FFD700;width=35"|LAL
!style="background:#000000;color:#8B0000;width=35"|MIA
!style="background:#00471B;color:#5C378A;width=35"|MIL
!style="background:#044D80;color:#000000;width=35"|MIN
!style="background:#12305B;color:#C4CED4;width=35"|NJN
!style="background:#0000FF;color:#FF8C00;width=35"|NYK
!style="background:#0000FF;color:#000000;width=35"|ORL
!style="background:#000000;color:#BB9754;width=35"|PHI
!style="background:#800080;color:#FF4500;width=35"|PHO
!style="background:#000000;color:#FF0000;width=35"|POR
!style="background:#6846A8;color:#FFFFFF;width=35"|SAC
!style="background:#000000;color:#C0C0C0;width=35"|SAS
!style="background:#005831;color:#992634;width=35"|SEA
!style="background:#7436BF;color:#BE0F34;width=35"|TOR
!style="background:#644A9C;color:#149BC7;width=35"|UTA
!style="background:#000000;color:#0CB2AC;width=35"|VAN
!style="background:#044D7D;color:#BC7A44;width=35"|WAS
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta]]
|| – || 1–3 || 0–4 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 0–4 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 0–3 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 0–3 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 2–2
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|| 3–1 || – || 0–4 || 2–1 || 2–1 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 4–0 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 0–4 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 3–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Charlotte Hornets season|Charlotte]]
|| 4–0 || 4–0 || – || 3–1 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 4–0 || 1–2 || 2–1 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–2
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
|| 2–2 || 1–2 || 1–3 || – || 1–3 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 2–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
|| 2–2 || 1–2 || 2–2 || 3–1 || – || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 3–0 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–4 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–2
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
|| 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 1–1 || – || 3–1 || 1–1 || 4–0 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 4–0 || 0–4 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 2–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
|| 1–1 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–3 || – || 1–1 || 4–0 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 0–4 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 4–0 || 1–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
|| 4–0 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 4–0 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || – || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–4 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 4–0 || 1–2 || 2–2 || 0–4 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–2
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]
|| 0–2 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 0–4 || 0–4 || 1–1 || – || 1–3 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 0–4 || 0–4 || 0–4 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 0–2
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
|| 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 2–0 || 3–1 || – || 2–0 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 0–4 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 4–0 || 2–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]]
|| 2–2 || 3–1 || 1–3 || 4–0 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || – || 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–2 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 0–3 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 4–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Los Angeles Clippers season|L.A. Clippers]]
|| 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 0–4 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 0–2 || – || 1–3 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 0–4 || 0–4 || 1–1 || 0–4 || 2–2 || 1–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | L.A. Lakers
|| 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 4–0 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 3–1 || – || 1–1 || 0–2 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 0–4 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 4–0 || 2–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Miami Heat season|Miami]]
|| 3–0 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 4–0 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || – || 1–2 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 2–3 || 3–1 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 4–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]
|| 3–1 || 3–1 || 1–3 || 4–0 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–1 || – || 0–2 || 4–0 || 1–2 || 4–0 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 3–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
|| 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 2–0 || – || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 1–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
|| 3–1 || 0–4 || 0–4 || 2–2 || 0–3 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 0–4 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 0–4 || 1–1 || – || 2–2 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 3–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 New York Knicks season|New York]]
|| 2–2 || 3–1 || 2–1 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–1 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 3–2 || 2–1 || 2–0 || 2–2 || – || 3–1 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 4–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Orlando Magic season|Orlando]]
|| 3–1 || 3–1 || 1–2 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 0–4 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 1–3 || – || 3–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–1 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 3–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
|| 3–0 || 4–0 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 4–0 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 4–0 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 3–0 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 1–3 || – || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 4–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
|| 2–0 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 4–0 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || – || 3–1 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 1–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
|| 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 4–0 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–3 || – || 1–3 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 2–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
|| 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 4–0 || 4–0 || 0–2 || 3–1 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 3–1 || – || 2–2 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 4–0 || 2–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
|| 2–0 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 4–0 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 4–0 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 2–2 || – || 3–1 || 1–1 || 4–0 || 4–0 || 2–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle]]
|| 1–1 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 4–0 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 4–0 || 4–0 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 1–3 || – || 0–2 || 0–4 || 3–1 || 2–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Toronto Raptors season|Toronto]]
|| 2–2 || 3–1 || 1–3 || 4–0 || 4–0 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 4–0 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 2–1 || 3–1 || 1–2 || 3–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 2–0 || – || 1–1 || 2–0 || 4–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
|| 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 4–0 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 4–0 || 1–3 || 0–2 || – || 4–0 || 2–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Vancouver Grizzlies season|Vancouver]]
|| 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 0–4 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 0–4 || 0–4 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 0–4 || – || 2–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Washington Wizards season|Washington]]
|| 2–2 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 1–2 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 2–1 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 0–4 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–4 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 0–4 || 1–3 || 0–4 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 0–2 || —
|}

==Game log==
===Pre-season===
{{NBA game log start|Los Angeles Lakers|preseason=yes|end_year=2001|record=Total: 3–5}}
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|Preseason|first=yes
| wins = 3
| losses = 5
}}
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 1
| October 11
| [[2000-01 Charlotte Hornets season|Charlotte]]
| [https://assets.espn.go.com/nba/2001/20001011/recap/chalal.html L 90-103]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (19)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (9)
| [[Tyronn Lue]] (5)
| [[Lakefront Arena]] (New Orleans, LA) 16,994
| 0-1
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 2
| October 12
| [[2000-01 Washington Wizards season|Washington]]
| [https://assets.espn.go.com/nba/2001/20001012/boxscore/waslal.html L 87-90]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (19)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (6)
| [[Shawn Respert]] (4)
| [[Pyramid Arena]] (Memphis, TN) 16,529
| 0-2
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 3
| October 17
| [[2000-01 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| [https://assets.espn.go.com/nba/2001/20001017/boxscore/pholal.html L 78-86]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (28)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (10)
| [[Isaiah Rider]] (4)
| [[Arrowhead Pond]] (Anaheim, CA) 16,512
| 0-3
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 4
| October 19
| [[2000-01 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| [https://assets.espn.go.com/nba/2001/20001019/boxscore/clelal.html L 84-91]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (18)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (8)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (4)
| [[Staples Center]] 15,717
| 0-4
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 5
| October 20
| [[2000-01 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle]]
| [https://assets.espn.go.com/nba/2001/20001020/boxscore/sealal.html W 103-98]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (22)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (19)
| [[Rick Fox|Fox]] & [[Isaiah Rider|Rider]] (4)
| [[Staples Center]] 15,570
| 1-4
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 6
| October 22
| [[2000-01 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]
| [https://assets.espn.go.com/nba/2001/20001022/boxscore/gswlal.html W 94-87]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (25)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (10)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (5)
| [[San Diego Sports Arena]] (San Diego, CA) 13,252
| 2-4
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 7
| October 23
| [[2000-01 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://assets.espn.go.com/nba/2001/20001023/boxscore/saclal.html L 111-118]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (29)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (10)
| [[Ron Harper]] (4)
| [[Thomas & Mack Center]] (Las Vegas, NV) 17,561
| 2-5
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 8
| October 26
| @ [[2000-01 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| [https://assets.espn.go.com/nba/2001/20001026/boxscore/lalpho.html W 98-84]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (22)
| [[Horace Grant]] (11)
| [[Rick Fox]] (7)
| [[American West Arena]] 17,308
| 3-5
{{NBA game log end|lal|end_year=2001}}

===Regular season===
{{NBA game log start|Los Angeles Lakers|end_year=2001|record=Total: 56–26 (Home: 31–10; Road: 25–16)}}
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|October|first=yes
| home_wins = 0
| home_losses = 0
| road_wins = 1
| road_losses = 0
}}
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 1
| October 31
| @ [[2000–01 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200010310POR.html W 96–86]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (36)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Ron Harper]] (6)
| [[Rose Garden Arena|Rose Garden]] 20,270
| 1–0
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|November|
| home_wins = 7
| home_losses = 1
| road_wins = 3
| road_losses = 4
}}
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 2
| November 1
| [[2000–01 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011010LAL.html L 92–97]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (34)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| [[Isaiah Rider]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 1–1
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 3
| November 4
| @ [[2000–01 Vancouver Grizzlies season|Vancouver]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011040VAN.html W 98–89]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (27)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| 3 players tied (5)
| [[General Motors Place]] 18,183
| 2–1
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 4
| November 5
| [[2000–01 Los Angeles Clippers season|L.A. Clippers]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011050LAL.html W 108–103]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (39)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (14)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 3–1
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 5
| November 7
| @ [[2000–01 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011070HOU.html L 74–84]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (24)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (7)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (5)
| [[Compaq Center (Houston)|Compaq Center]] 14,473
| 3–2
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 6
| November 8
| @ [[2000–01 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011080SAS.html L 81–91]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (32)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (17)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (8)
| [[Alamodome]] 26,065
| 3–3
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 7
| November 12
| [[2000–01 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011120LAL.html W 105–99]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (37)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (10)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (4)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 4–3
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 8
| November 14
| [[2000–01 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011140LAL.html W 119–103]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (34)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (19)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (9)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 5–3
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 9
| November 16
| @ [[2000–01 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011160SAC.html W 112–110 (OT)]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (33)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (16)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (9)
| [[ARCO Arena]] 17,317
| 6–3
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 10
| November 18
| @ [[2000–01 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011180DEN.html L 86–87]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (32)
| [[Horace Grant]] (12)
| 4 players tied (4)
| [[Pepsi Center]] 19,513
| 6–4
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 11
| November 19
| [[2000–01 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011190LAL.html W 104–96]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (22)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (12)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 7–4
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 12
| November 22
| [[2000–01 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011220LAL.html W 111–91]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (31)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (14)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,208
| 8–4
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 13
| November 24
| [[2000–01 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011240LAL.html W 115–108]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (29)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (16)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 9–4
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 14
| November 27
| @ [[2000–01 Los Angeles Clippers season|L.A. Clippers]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011270LAC.html W 98–83]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (29)
| 3 players tied (7)
| [[Rick Fox]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 20,039
| 10–4
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 15
| November 28
| [[2000–01 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana Pacers]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011280LAL.html W 124–107]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (37)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (14)
| [[Rick Fox|Fox]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 11–4
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 16
| November 30
| @ [[2000–01 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011300SEA.html L 88–121]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (23)
| [[Horace Grant]] (9)
| [[Rick Fox]] (5)
| [[KeyArena]] 17,072
| 11–5
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|December|
| home_wins = 5
| home_losses = 3
| road_wins = 6
| road_losses = 2
}}
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 17
| December 1
| [[2000–01 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012010LAL.html W 109–100]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (43)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (16)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Shaw]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 12–5
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 18
| December 3
| [[2000–01 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012030LAL.html W 99–97]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (38)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (14)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 13–5
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 19
| December 5
| [[2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012050LAL.html W 96–85]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (36)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (20)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 14–5
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 20
| December 6
| @ [[2000–01 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012060GSW.html L 122–125 (OT)]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (51)
| [[Ron Harper|Harper]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (10)
| [[Ron Harper]] (10)
| [[The Arena in Oakland]] 19,273
| 14–6
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 21
| December 8
| [[2000–01 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012080LAL.html L 95–103]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (26)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (17)
| [[Horace Grant|Grant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 14–7
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 22
| December 10
| [[2000–01 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012100LAL.html W 112–88]
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (26)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (12)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Rick Fox|Fox]] (9)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 15–7
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 23
| December 12
| [[2000–01 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012120LAL.html L 105–109]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (26)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (17)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 15–8
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 24
| December 13
| @ [[2000–01 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012130POR.html L 86–96]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (35)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (13)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[Rose Garden Arena|Rose Garden]] 20,491
| 15–9
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 25
| December 15
| [[2000–01 Vancouver Grizzlies season|Vancouver]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012150LAL.html W 98–76]
| [[Horace Grant]] (19)
| [[Horace Grant]] (13)
| [[Horace Grant|Grant]] & [[Ron Harper|Harper]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,211
| 16–9
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 26
| December 17
| @ [[2000–01 Toronto Raptors season|Toronto]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012170TOR.html W 104–101 (OT)]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (40)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (8)
| [[Rick Fox]] (5)
| [[Air Canada Centre]] 19,800
| 17–9
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 27
| December 19
| @ [[2000–01 Miami Heat season|Miami]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012190MIA.html W 81–79]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (23)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (14)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[American Airlines Arena]] 19,600
| 18–9
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 28
| December 21
| @ [[2000–01 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012210HOU.html W 99–94]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (45)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (12)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (7)
| [[Compaq Center (Houston)|Compaq Center]] 16,285
| 19–9
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 29
| December 22
| @ [[2000–01 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012220DAL.html W 108–103]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (35)
| [[Rick Fox]] (12)
| [[Isaiah Rider]] (5)
| [[Reunion Arena]] 18,201
| 20–9
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 30
| December 25
| [[2000–01 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012250LAL.html L 104–109]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (32)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 20–10
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 31
| December 28
| @ [[2000–01 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012280PHO.html W 115–78]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (38)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (4)
| [[America West Arena]] 19,023
| 21–10
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 32
| December 30
| @ [[2000–01 Los Angeles Clippers season|L.A. Clippers]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012300LAC.html W 116–114 (OT)]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (29)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| [[Rick Fox]] (9)
| [[Staples Center]] 20,327
| 22–10
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|January|
| home_wins = 5
| home_losses = 2
| road_wins = 1
| road_losses = 4
}}
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 33
| January 3
| [[2000–01 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101030LAL.html W 82–71]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (31)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (17)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Rick Fox|Fox]] (4)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 23–10
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 34
| January 7
| [[2000–01 Los Angeles Clippers season|L.A. Clippers]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101070LAL.html L 95–118]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (33)
| [[Horace Grant]] (10)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 23–11
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 35
| January 12
| [[2000–01 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101120LAL.html W 101–98]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (34)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (23)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Shaw]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 24–11
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 36
| January 13
| @ [[2000–01 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101130UTA.html L 103–111]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (30)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (12)
| [[Ron Harper|Harper]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (5)
| [[Delta Center]] 19,911
| 24–12
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 37
| January 15
| [[2000–01 Vancouver Grizzlies season|Vancouver]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101150LAL.html W 113–112 (OT)]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (31)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (11)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,318
| 25–12
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 38
| January 19
| [[2000–01 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101190LAL.html W 114–101]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (41)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 26–12
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 39
| January 21
| [[2000–01 Miami Heat season|Miami]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101210LAL.html L 92–103]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (34)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (8)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (3)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 26–13
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 40
| January 23
| @ [[2000–01 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101230SEA.html L 80–91]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (29)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (9)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (5)
| [[KeyArena]] 17,072
| 26–14
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 41
| January 26
| [[2000–01 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101260LAL.html W 113–101]
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (26)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (9)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (8)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 27–14
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 42
| January 28
| @ [[2000–01 New York Knicks season|New York]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101280NYK.html L 81–91]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (33)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Robert Horry|Horry]] (11)
| [[Tyronn Lue]] (4)
| [[Madison Square Garden]] 19,763
| 27–15
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 43
| January 30
| @ [[2000–01 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101300CLE.html W 102–96]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (47)
| [[Horace Grant]] (14)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Ron Harper|Harper]] (3)
| [[Gund Arena]] 20,253
| 28–15
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 44
| January 31
| @ [[2000–01 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101310MIN.html L 83–96]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (24)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (9)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Robert Horry|Horry]] (5)
| [[Target Center]] 19,006
| 28–16
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|February|
| home_wins = 5
| home_losses = 0
| road_wins = 4
| road_losses = 3
}}
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 45
| February 2
| [[2000–01 Charlotte Hornets season|Charlotte]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102020LAL.html W 93–87]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (44)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (9)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (4)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,710
| 29–16
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 46
| February 4
| [[2000–01 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102040LAL.html W 100–94]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (26)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (11)
| [[Rick Fox|Fox]] & [[Horace Grant|Grant]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 30–16
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 47
| February 7
| [[2000–01 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102070LAL.html W 85–83]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (32)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (8)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (9)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 31–16
|- align="center"
|colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|'''[[2001 NBA All-Star Game|All-Star Break]]'''
|- style="background:#cfc;"
|- bgcolor="#bbffbb"
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 48
| February 13
| @ [[2000–01 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102130NJN.html W 113–110 (OT)]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (38)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (14)
| [[Rick Fox|Fox]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (6)
| [[Continental Airlines Arena]] 20,049
| 32–16
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 49
| February 14
| @ [[2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102140PHI.html L 97–112]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (29)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[First Union Center]] 21,005
| 32–17
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 50
| February 16
| @ [[2000–01 Charlotte Hornets season|Charlotte]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102160CHH.html W 99–94]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (38)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (12)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (10)
| [[Charlotte Coliseum]] 19,925
| 33–17
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 51
| February 18
| @ [[2000–01 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102180IND.html L 109–110]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (35)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (9)
| [[Conseco Fieldhouse]] 18,345
| 33–18
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 52
| February 20
| @ [[2000–01 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102200DAL.html W 119–109]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (29)
| [[Horace Grant]] (12)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[Reunion Arena]] 18,287
| 34–18
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 53
| February 21
| @ [[2000–01 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102210SAS.html W 101–99]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (22)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (10)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (7)
| [[Alamodome]] 29,849
| 35–18
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 54
| February 23
| [[2000–01 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102230LAL.html W 113–106]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (30)
| [[Robert Horry|Horry]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (8)
| [[Rick Fox|Fox]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (8)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 36–18
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 55
| February 25
| [[2000–01 Orlando Magic season|Orlando]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102250LAL.html W 106–100]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (37)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (19)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 37–18
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 56
| February 28
| @ [[2000–01 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102280DEN.html L 101–107]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (38)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Rick Fox]] (8)
| [[Pepsi Center]] 19,566
| 37–19
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|March|
| home_wins = 5
| home_losses = 3
| road_wins = 6
| road_losses = 3
}}
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 57
| March 3
| @ [[2000–01 Vancouver Grizzlies season|Vancouver]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103030VAN.html W 98–88]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (34)
| [[Horace Grant]] (15)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (9)
| [[General Motors Place]] 19,193
| 38–19
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 58
| March 4
| [[2000–01 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103040LAL.html W 110–95]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (26)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 39–19
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 59
| March 6
| @ [[2000–01 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103060GSW.html W 97–85]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (29)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (17)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (9)
| [[The Arena in Oakland]] 20,181
| 40–19
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 60
| March 7
| [[2000–01 Toronto Raptors season|Toronto]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103070LAL.html W 97–85]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (29)
| 3 players tied (10)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Shaw]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 41–19
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 61
| March 9
| [[2000–01 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103090LAL.html L 89–93 (OT)]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (38)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (16)
| 4 players tied (2)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 41–20
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 62
| March 11
| [[2000–01 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103110LAL.html L 97–109 (OT)]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (29)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (10)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 41–21
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 63
| March 13
| [[2000–01 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103130LAL.html W 112–107]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (28)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (12)
| [[Derek Fisher]] (8)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 42–21
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 64
| March 15
| @ [[2000–01 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103150DET.html W 125–119 (OT)]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (39)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (10)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[The Palace of Auburn Hills]] 22,076
| 43–21
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 65
| March 16
| @ [[2000–01 Washington Wizards season|Washington]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103160WAS.html W 101–89]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (26)
| [[Robert Horry]] (9)
| [[Derek Fisher]] (6)
| [[MCI Center]] 20,674
| 44–21
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 66
| March 18
| @ [[2000–01 Orlando Magic season|Orlando]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103180ORL.html W 95–90]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (33)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (17)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[TD Waterhouse Centre]] 17,248
| 45–21
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 67
| March 19
| @ [[2000–01 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103190ATL.html L 106–108]
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (27)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (13)
| [[Derek Fisher]] (6)
| [[Philips Arena]] 17,248
| 45–22
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 68
| March 21
| @ [[2000–01 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103210MIL.html L 100–107]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (36)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (13)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (8)
| [[Bradley Center]] 18,717
| 45–23
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 69
| March 23
| [[2000–01 Washington Wizards season|Washington]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103230LAL.html W 104–91]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (40)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (17)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (8)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 46–23
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 70
| March 25
| @ [[2000–01 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103250SAC.html W 84–72]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (23)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| [[Rick Fox|Fox]] & [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Shaw]] (4)
| [[ARCO Arena]] 17,317
| 47–23
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 71
| March 26
| @ [[2000–01 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103260PHO.html L 83–104]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (27)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (12)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] & [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Shaw]] (3)
| [[America West Arena]] 19,023
| 47–24
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 72
| March 28
| [[2000–01 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103280LAL.html L 84–108]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (33)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Rick Fox]] (8)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 47–25
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 73
| March 30
| [[2000–01 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103300LAL.html W 98–89]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (35)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (13)
| [[Rick Fox]] (8)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 48–25
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|April|
| home_wins = 4
| home_losses = 1
| road_wins = 4
| road_losses = 0
}}
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 74
| April 1
| [[2000–01 New York Knicks season|New York]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104010LAL.html L 78–79]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (31)
| [[Horace Grant]] (12)
| [[Rick Fox]] (4)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 48–26
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 75
| April 3
| @ [[2000–01 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104030UTA.html W 96–88]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (31)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| 3 players tied (5)
| [[Delta Center]] 19,911
| 49–26
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 76
| April 5
| @ [[2000–01 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104050CHI.html W 100–88]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (39)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (10)
| [[Derek Fisher]] (7)
| [[United Center]] 23,217
| 50–26
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 77
| April 6
| @ [[2000–01 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104060BOS.html W 100–96]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (39)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (14)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (9)
| [[FleetCenter (Boston)|FleetCenter]] 18,624
| 51–26
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 78
| April 8
| @ [[2000–01 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104080MIN.html W 104–99]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (34)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (7)
| [[Target Center]] 20,099
| 52–26
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 79
| April 10
| [[2000–01 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104100LAL.html W 106–80]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (32)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (13)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (10)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 53–26
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 80
| April 12
| [[2000–01 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104120LAL.html W 119–102]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (31)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (12)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (9)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 54–26
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 81
| April 15
| [[2000–01 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104150LAL.html W 105–100]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (33)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (18)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 55–26
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 82
| April 17
| [[2000–01 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104170LAL.html W 108–91]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (33)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (13)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 56–26
{{NBA game log end|lal|end_year=2001}}

===Playoffs===

{{NBA game log start|Los Angeles Lakers|playoffs=yes|end_year=2001|record=Total: 15–1 (Home: 7–1; Road: 8–0)}}
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|First round|first=yes|playoffs=yes|show=no
| home_wins = 2
| home_losses = 0
| road_wins = 1
| road_losses = 0
}}
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 1
| April 22
| [[2000–01 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104220LAL.html W 106–93]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (28)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (20)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 1–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 2
| April 26
| [[2000–01 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104260LAL.html W 106–88]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (32)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (12)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 2–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 3
| April 29
| @ [[2000–01 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104290POR.html W 99–86]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (25)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (9)
| [[Rose Garden Arena|Rose Garden]] 20,580
| 3–0
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|Conference Semi-finals|playoffs=yes|show=no
| home_wins = 2
| home_losses = 0
| road_wins = 2
| road_losses = 0
}}
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 1
| May 6
| [[2000–01 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200105060LAL.html W 108–105]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (44)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (21)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 1–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 2
| May 8
| [[2000–01 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200105080LAL.html W 96–90]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (43)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (20)
| [[Rick Fox]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 2–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 3
| May 11
| @ [[2000–01 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200105110SAC.html W 103–81]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (36)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (18)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (6)
| [[ARCO Arena]] 17,317
| 3–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 4
| May 13
| @ [[2000–01 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200105130SAC.html W 119–113]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (48)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (16)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (5)
| [[ARCO Arena]] 17,317
| 4–0
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|Conference Finals|playoffs=yes|show=no
| home_wins = 2
| home_losses = 0
| road_wins = 2
| road_losses = 0
}}
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 1
| May 19
| @ [[2000–01 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200105190SAS.html W 104–90]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (45)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Horace Grant]] (6)
| [[Alamodome]] 36,068
| 1–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 2
| May 21
| @ [[2000–01 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200105210SAS.html W 88–81]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (28)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (14)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[Alamodome]] 35,574
| 2–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 3
| May 25
| [[2000–01 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200105250LAL.html W 111–72]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (36)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (17)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (8)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 3–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 4
| May 27
| [[2000–01 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200105270LAL.html W 111–82]
| [[Derek Fisher]] (28)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (10)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (11)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 4–0
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|NBA Finals|playoffs=yes|show=no
| home_wins = 1
| home_losses = 1
| road_wins = 3
| road_losses = 0
}}
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
| 1
| June 6
| [[2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200106060LAL.html L 101–107 (OT)]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (44)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (20)
| 3 players tied (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 0–1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 2
| June 8
| [[2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200106080LAL.html W 98–89]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (31)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (20)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (9)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 1–1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 3
| June 10
| @ [[2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200106100PHI.html W 96–91]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (32)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (12)
| 4 players tied (3)
| [[First Union Center]] 20,900
| 2–1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 4
| June 13
| @ [[2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200106130PHI.html W 100–86]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (34)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (14)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (9)
| [[First Union Center]] 20,896
| 3–1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 5
| June 15
| @ [[2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200106150PHI.html W 108–96]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (29)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (13)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Rick Fox|Fox]] (6)
| [[First Union Center]] 20,890
| 4–1
{{NBA game log end|bbr_team=LAL|playoffs=yes|end_year=2001}}

==NBA Finals==
* By winning the Finals MVP award, [[Shaquille O'Neal]] joined the list of [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]], [[Magic Johnson]], [[Larry Bird]], [[Michael Jordan]], and [[Hakeem Olajuwon]] as the only players to win the award at least twice. [[Tim Duncan]], [[Kobe Bryant]], [[LeBron James]], [[Kevin Durant]], and [[Kawhi Leonard]] have since joined the list. Jordan, Olajuwon, O'Neal, Bryant, James, and Durant are the only six to win the award in back-to-back years.
* The Lakers at the time had achieved the best ever NBA postseason record of 15-1, sweeping the Western Conference and then sweeping the 76ers after their Game 1 loss in the Finals. On June 12, 2017, the [[Golden State Warriors]] had surpassed this feat, as they would go 16-1, after beating the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] in the [[2017 NBA Finals]]. The Lakers' postseason record was made before the first round of playoffs was extended to be the best-of-7 format which was implemented in the [[2003 NBA Playoffs]].

===Summary===
The following scoring summary is written in a [[line score]] format, except that the quarter numbers are replaced by game numbers.
{| border=1 cellspacing=0 width=425 style="margin-left:3em;"
|- style="text-align:center; background-color:#e6e6e6;"
!align=left width=28%|Team
!width=6%|Game 1*
!width=6%|Game 2
!width=6%|Game 3
!width=6%|Game 4
!width=6%|Game 5
!width=6%|Wins
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align=left|'''Los Angeles (West)'''
|101||'''98'''||'''96'''||'''100'''||'''108'''||4
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align=left|Philadelphia (East)
|'''107'''||89||91||86||96||1
|- style="text-align:center;"
|}

∗ denotes a game that required [[overtime (sports)|overtime]].

==Player statistics==
{{NBA roster statistics legend}}

===Regular season===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"
|-
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="10%" | Player
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | GP
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | GS
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | MPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | FG%
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | 3P%
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | FT%
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | RPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | APG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | SPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | BPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | PPG
|-
| {{sort|Bryant, Kobe|[[Kobe Bryant]]}}
| 68 || 68 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 40.9 || .464 || .305 || .853 || 5.9 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 5.0 || 1.68 || .63 || 28.5
|-
| {{sort|Fisher, Derek|[[Derek Fisher]]}}
| 20 || 20 || 35.5 || .412 || .397 || .806 || 3.0 || 4.4 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 1.95 || .10 || 11.5
|-
| {{sort|Foster, Greg|[[Greg Foster (basketball)|Greg Foster]]}}
| 62 || 8 || 7.3 || .421 || .333 || .714 || 1.8 || .5 || .15 || .19 || 2.0
|-
| {{sort|Fox, Rick|[[Rick Fox]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 82 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 77 || 27.9 || .444 || .393 || .779 || 4.0 || 3.2 || .85 || .35 || 9.6
|-
| {{sort|George, Devean|[[Devean George]]}}
| 59 || 1 || 10.1 || .309 || .221 || .709 || 1.9 || .3 || .25 || .25 || 3.1
|-
| {{sort|Grant, Horace|[[Horace Grant]]}}
| 77 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 77 || 31.0 || .462 || .000 || .775 || 7.1 || 1.6 || .66 || .79 || 8.5
|-
| {{sort|Harper, Ron|[[Ron Harper]]}}
| 47 || 46 || 24.2 || .469 || .264 || .708 || 3.5 || 2.4 || .83 || .53 || 6.5
|-
| {{sort|Horry, Robert|[[Robert Horry]]}}
| 79 || 1 || 20.1 || .387 || .346 || .711 || 3.7 || 1.6 || .68 || .68 || 5.2
|-
| {{sort|Lue, Tyronn|[[Tyronn Lue]]}}
| 38 || 1 || 12.3 || .427 || .324 || .792 || .8 || 1.2 || .50 || .00 || 3.4
|-
| {{sort|Madsen, Mark|[[Mark Madsen (basketball)|Mark Madsen]]}}
| 70 || 3 || 9.2 || .487 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 1.000 || .703 || 2.2 || .3 || .11 || .11 || 2.0
|-
| {{sort|Medvedenko, Slava|[[Slava Medvedenko]]}}
| 7 || 0 || 5.6 || .480 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 1.000 || .583 || 1.3 || .3 || .14 || .14 || 4.6
|-
| {{sort|O'Neal, Shaquille|[[Shaquille O'Neal]]}}
| 74 || 74 || 39.5 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | .572 || .000 || .513 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 12.7 || 3.7 || .64 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 2.76 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 28.7
|-
| {{sort|Penberthy, Mike|[[Mike Penberthy]]}}
| 53 || 0 || 16.1 || .414 || .396 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | .903 || 1.2 || 1.3 || .42 || .04 || 5.0
|-
| {{sort|Rider, Isaiah|[[Isaiah Rider]]}}
| 67 || 6 || 18.0 || .426 || .370 || .855 || 2.3 || 1.7 || .40 || .10 || 7.6
|-
| {{sort|Shaw, Brian|[[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]]}}
| 80 || 28 || 22.9 || .399 || .311 || .797 || 3.8 || 3.2 || .61 || .34 || 5.3
|}

===Playoffs===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"
|-
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="10%" | Player
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | GP
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | GS
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | MPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | FG%
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | 3P%
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | FT%
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | RPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | APG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | SPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | BPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | PPG
|-
| {{sort|Bryant, Kobe|[[Kobe Bryant]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 43.4 || .469 || .324 || .821 || 7.3 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 6.1 || 1.56 || .75 || 29.4
|-
| {{sort|Fisher, Derek|[[Derek Fisher]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || 36.0 || .484 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | .515 || .765 || 3.8 || 3.0 || 1.31 || .06 || 13.4
|-
| {{sort|Foster, Greg|[[Greg Foster (basketball)|Greg Foster]]}}
| 1 || 0 || 3.0 || .000 || .000 || .000 || 1.0 || .0 || .00 || .00 || .0
|-
| {{sort|Fox, Rick|[[Rick Fox]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || 35.8 || .450 || .316 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | .867 || 4.9 || 3.6 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 1.94 || .44 || 10.0
|-
| {{sort|George, Devean|[[Devean George]]}}
| 7 || 0 || 3.9 || .500 || .500 || .500 || .7 || .1 || .00 || .00 || 2.0
|-
| {{sort|Grant, Horace|[[Horace Grant]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || 26.4 || .385 || .000 || .733 || 6.0 || 1.2 || .94 || .81 || 6.0
|-
| {{sort|Harper, Ron|[[Ron Harper]]}}
| 6 || 0 || 7.0 || .500 || .250 || .667 || 1.3 || .7 || .67 || .17 || 2.2
|-
| {{sort|Horry, Robert|[[Robert Horry]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || 0 || 23.9 || .368 || .362 || .591 || 5.2 || 1.9 || 1.38 || 1.00 || 5.9
|-
| {{sort|Lue, Tyronn|[[Tyronn Lue]]}}
| 15 || 0 || 8.7 || .345 || .385 || .800 || .7 || .7 || .80 || .07 || 1.9
|-
| {{sort|Madsen, Mark|[[Mark Madsen (basketball)|Mark Madsen]]}}
| 13 || 0 || 3.7 || .077 || .000 || .600 || .8 || .3 || .00 || .15 || .4
|-
| {{sort|O'Neal, Shaquille|[[Shaquille O'Neal]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || 42.3 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | .555 || .000 || .525 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 15.4 || 3.2 || .44 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 2.38 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 30.4
|-
| {{sort|Shaw, Brian|[[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || 0 || 18.1 || .375 || .345 || .667 || 3.4 || 2.7 || .63 || .06 || 4.4
|}

==Award winners==
* [[Kobe Bryant]], All-NBA Second Team
* Kobe Bryant, All-NBA Defensive Second Team
* [[Shaquille O'Neal]], Center, NBA Finals Most Valuable Player
* Shaquille O'Neal, League Leader, FG%, 57.2
* Shaquille O'Neal, All-NBA First Team
* Shaquille O'Neal, All-NBA Defensive Second Team

==Legacy==
By closing out with a 8-0 record in the regular season and a 15-1 record in the playoffs, the Lakers finished the 2000-01 season with a 23-1 record. This was the best ever finish of a season in NBA history. Only teams losing 0 or 1 game in the playoffs can finish the season with 1 loss. By 2001, there was no team going through the playoffs unbeaten, and only two teams lost 1 game, the 1983 76ers and the 2001 Lakers.<ref>{{cite web | title = The Golden State Warriors, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Philadelphia 76ers are tied for losing the fewest games in a single NBA playoff run, with 1 loss. | url = https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask/which-team-has-the-fewest-losses-in-a-postseason | work = statmuse | access-date = December 22, 2023}}</ref>. The [[1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers season|1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers]] closed out the regular season with a loss, thus achieving only a 12-1 finish (regular season + playoffs). Sixteen years later, the [[2016-17 Golden State Warriors season|2016-17 Golden State Warriors]] finished the playoffs 16-1, but only had a 1-game winning streak at the end of the regular season to finish 17-1 (regular season + playoffs).

==Transactions==

{{Empty section|date=July 2021}}

==References==
{{reflist}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071121063711/http://www.databasebasketball.com/teams/teamyear.htm?tm=LAL&lg=N&yr=2000 Lakers on Database Basketball]
* [https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/2001.html Lakers on Basketball Reference]
* {{YouTube|nvJkXyGJarY|Documentary on the 2000–01 Los Angeles Lakers}}

{{Los Angeles Lakers 2000–01 NBA champions}}
{{NBA Champions}}
{{Los Angeles Lakers}}
{{Los Angeles Lakers seasons}}
{{2000–01 NBA season by team}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers Season}}
[[Category:2000–01 NBA season by team|Los]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Lakers seasons]]
[[Category:NBA championship seasons]]
[[Category:Western Conference (NBA) championship seasons]]
[[Category:2000 in sports in California|Los Angeles Lakers]]
[[Category:2001 in sports in California|Los Angeles Lakers]]

User talk:Rangers00

2023-12-23T14:33:22Z

Rangers00: /* December 2023 */ Reply

2000–01 Los Angeles Lakers season

2023-12-21T16:25:28Z

Rangers00: Undid revision 1190307294 by Bagumba (talk); elaborate on the Lakers' legacy

User talk:Rangers00

2023-12-18T06:50:45Z

Rangers00: /* December 2023 */ Reply

2001–02 Los Angeles Lakers season

2023-12-17T03:59:29Z

Rangers00: Add a "Legacy" section

{{Short description|Pro basketball team season (won NBA championship)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{NBA season
| team = Los Angeles Lakers
| end_year = 2002
| ConferenceWin = yes
| ChampionshipWin = yes
| wins = 58
| losses = 24
| division = Pacific
| division_place = 2
| conf_place = 3
| coach = [[Phil Jackson]]
| gm = [[Mitch Kupchak]]
| owner = [[Jerry Buss]]
| arena = [[Staples Center]]
| television =
* [[KCAL-TV]]
* [[Fox Sports Net West]]
| radio = [[KLAC]]
| playoffs = [[2002 NBA Finals|'''NBA Champions''']] (Defeated [[2001–02 New Jersey Nets season|Nets]] 4–0)
| bbr_team = LAL
}}

The '''[[2001–02 NBA season]]''' was the Lakers' 54th season in the [[National Basketball Association]], and 42nd in the city of Los Angeles.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/2002.html|title=2001-02 Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats - Basketball-Reference.com|website=Basketball-Reference.com|access-date=27 April 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180424181059/https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/2002.html|archive-date=24 April 2018}}</ref> The Lakers entered the season as the two-time defending NBA champions, having defeated the [[2000-01 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]] in five games in the [[2001 NBA Finals]], winning their thirteenth NBA championship.

==Off-season==
During the off-season, the Lakers signed free agents, All-Star guard [[Mitch Richmond]] and [[Samaki Walker]],<ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = Walker, Richmond Top Laker List | work = Los Angeles Times | date = July 7, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jul-07-sp-19590-story.html | access-date = May 28, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | title = N.B.A.: ROUNDUP; Richmond Goes West to Lakers | work = The New York Times | date = July 21, 2001 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2001/07/21/sports/nba-roundup-richmond-goes-west-to-lakers.html | access-date = May 28, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | title = Former Wizards G Richmond Signs with Lakers | newspaper = The Washington Post | date = July 21, 2001 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2001/07/21/former-wizards-g-richmond-signs-with-lakers/b1cdaffa-9140-40ba-a325-8fbe337efa7b/ | access-date = October 24, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Plaschke | first = Bill | title = It Could Be a Rich Deal for Lakers | work = Los Angeles Times | date = July 24, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jul-24-sp-25996-story.html | access-date = May 5, 2023}}</ref> and acquired [[Lindsey Hunter]] from the [[2000–01 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]].<ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = Trade to L.A. Lifts Hunter Out of Funk | work = Los Angeles Times | date = July 3, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jul-03-sp-18156-story.html | access-date = October 25, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Lakers Trade Foster for Hunter | work = Deseret News | date = June 29, 2001 | url = https://www.deseret.com/platform/amp/2001/6/29/19593847/lakers-trade-foster-for-hunter | access-date = July 24, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Wise | first = Mike | title = PRO BASKETBALL; Jordan Against the New Generation, Lakers Against the World | work = The New York Times | date = October 30, 2001 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2001/10/30/sports/pro-basketball-jordan-against-the-new-generation-lakers-against-the-world.html | access-date = July 16, 2022}}</ref> For the season, they added new logo changed from a lighter purple to a darker purple still remained with the gold and black color. They remained in use as of 2023.

==Results==
The team got off to a fast start winning their first seven games, leading to a successful 16–1 start after a nine-game winning streak between November and December, and holding a 33–13 record at the All-Star break.<ref>{{cite news | title = NBA Games Played on February 7, 2002 | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/?month=2&day=7&year=2002 | access-date = September 11, 2022}}</ref> The Lakers finished second in the Pacific Division with a 58–24 record.<ref>{{cite web|title=2001–02 Los Angeles Lakers Schedule and Results|publisher=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/2002_games.html|access-date=June 21, 2021}}</ref> [[Kobe Bryant]] and [[Shaquille O'Neal]] were both selected for the [[2002 NBA All-Star Game]], in which Bryant won MVP honors despite being booed by the hometown crowd in [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia]],<ref>{{cite news | last = Wise | first = Mike | title = PRO BASKETBALL; As Fans Show No Love, Bryant Shows No Mercy | work = The New York Times | date = February 11, 2002 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2002/02/11/sports/pro-basketball-as-fans-show-no-love-bryant-shows-no-mercy.html | access-date = July 26, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Wyche | first = Steve | title = Jordan's All-Star Effort Is No Slam Dunk | newspaper = The Washington Post | date = February 11, 2002 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2002/02/11/jordans-all-star-effort-is-no-slam-dunk/40a70e4e-5d36-4d7d-ac90-43ac975c82b1/ | access-date = November 26, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Patrick | first = Dan | title = Booing Kobe? I Don't Get It | work = ESPN | date = February 11, 2002 | url = https://www.espn.com/talent/danpatrick/s/2002/0211/1327536.html | access-date = July 26, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = NBA & ABA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award Winners | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/all_star_mvp.html | access-date = November 29, 2022}}</ref> but O'Neal did not participate in the All-Star game due to an injury for the second year in a row.<ref>{{cite news | agency = NBA.com Staff | title = 2002 NBA All-Star Recap | work = NBA.com | date = September 13, 2021 | url = https://www.nba.com/news/history-all-star-recap-2002 | access-date = May 4, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = 2002 All-Star Weekend - at Philadelphia: February 8-10 | work = Eskimo North | date = | url = https://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/misc/all-star02.txt | access-date = May 4, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = 2002 NBA All-Star Game: West 135, East 120 | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/allstar/NBA_2002.html | access-date = November 24, 2021}}</ref>

After sweeping the [[2001–02 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland Trail Blazers]], 3–0 in the Western Conference First Round of the [[2002 NBA Playoffs|playoffs]],<ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = N.B.A.: ROUNDUP; Lakers and Mavs Advance | work = The New York Times | date = April 29, 2002 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2002/04/29/sports/nba-roundup-lakers-and-mavs-advance.html | access-date = July 24, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = Portland Stoppers | work = Los Angeles Times | date = April 29, 2002 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-apr-29-sp-lakers29-story.html | access-date = June 2, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | title = L.A. Lakers 92, Portland 91 | work = United Press International | date = April 29, 2002 | url = https://www.upi.com/Sports_News/2002/04/29/LA-Lakers-92-Portland-91/46641020088834/ | access-date = November 26, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = 2002 NBA Western Conference First Round: Trail Blazers vs. Lakers | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2002-nba-western-conference-first-round-trail-blazers-vs-lakers.html | access-date = May 4, 2023}}</ref> then defeating the 2nd-seeded [[2001–02 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio Spurs]], 4–1 in the Western Conference Semi-finals,<ref>{{cite news | last = Arkush | first = Michael | title = PRO BASKETBALL; Lakers Stick to Script and Eliminate the Spurs | work = The New York Times | date = May 15, 2002 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/15/sports/pro-basketball-lakers-stick-to-script-and-eliminate-the-spurs.html | access-date = July 24, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = Kings Get the Kings | work = Los Angeles Times | date = May 15, 2002 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-may-15-sp-lakers15-story.html | access-date = June 2, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | title = L.A. Lakers 93, San Antonio 87 | work = United Press International | date = May 15, 2002 | url = https://www.upi.com/Sports_News/2002/05/15/LA-Lakers-93-San-Antonio-87/86431021452960/ | access-date = November 26, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = 2002 NBA Western Conference Semifinals: Spurs vs. Lakers | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2002-nba-western-conference-semifinals-spurs-vs-lakers.html | access-date = May 4, 2023}}</ref> the Lakers were pushed to the brink once more in the Western Conference Finals by the top-seeded [[2001–02 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento Kings]], trailing 3–2,<ref>{{cite news | last = Wise | first = Mike | title = PRO BASKETBALL; With Late Shot, Bibby Puts Kings Step from Finals | work = The New York Times | date = May 29, 2002 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/29/sports/pro-basketball-with-late-shot-bibby-puts-kings-step-from-finals.html | access-date = January 11, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Booth | first = William | title = Lakers Pushed to Brink | work = The Washington Post | date = May 29, 2002 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2002/05/29/lakers-pushed-to-brink/7bfc4667-6859-4e9a-a4d1-8da13de373a3/ | access-date = May 4, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Kreidler | first = Mark | title = No Need to Fear, Underdog's Here | work = Los Angeles Times | date = May 30, 2002 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-may-30-sp-view30-story.html | access-date = May 29, 2022}}</ref> but managed to win the series in seven games.<ref>{{cite news | last = Wise | first = Mike | title = PRO BASKETBALL; Lakers Remain West's Royalty | work = The New York Times | date = June 3, 2002 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/03/sports/pro-basketball-lakers-remain-west-s-royalty.html | access-date = May 28, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = An Epic Hurdle | work = Los Angeles Times | date = June 3, 2002 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-jun-03-sp-lakers03-story.html | access-date = May 28, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Wilbon | first = Michael | title = Lakers Toe the Line in Game 7 | newspaper = The Washington Post | date = June 3, 2002 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2002/06/03/lakers-toe-the-line-in-game-7/fdc3dda2-f5a0-4d40-b6d8-2b790a3047c7/ | access-date = November 26, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = 2002 NBA Western Conference Finals: Lakers vs. Kings | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2002-nba-western-conference-finals-lakers-vs-kings.html | access-date = May 4, 2023}}</ref> Game 6 of the Lakers-Kings series was one of the most controversial games in NBA history, due to the calls made by the referees (most of which were to the detriment of the Kings), and with the Lakers winning, 106–102 at home.<ref>{{cite news | last = Wise | first = Mike | title = PRO BASKETBALL; Lakers vs. Kings, Game 7: Time for Winning, Not Whining | work = The New York Times | date = June 2, 2002 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/02/sports/pro-basketball-lakers-vs-kings-game-7-time-for-winning-not-whining.html | access-date = December 31, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Wilbon | first = Michael | title = Officials' Work Is Disturbing | work = Los Angeles Times | date = June 2, 2002 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-jun-02-sp-view02-story.html | access-date = May 28, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Wilbon | first = Michael | title = Lakers Hang on Tight to Force Kings to Game 7 | newspaper = The Washington Post | date = June 2, 2002 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2002/06/02/lakers-hang-on-tight-to-force-kings-to-game-7/9ce7d686-1dd8-4c4c-867f-7e890e0d4924/ | access-date = October 20, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Sheridan | first = Chris | title = 2002 Lakers-Kings Game 6 at Heart of Donaghy Allegations | work = ESPN | date = June 10, 2008 | url = https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=3436401 | access-date = May 4, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Beck | first = Howard | title = Series in 2002 Was Rigged, Says Disgraced Former NBA Referee | work = The New York Times | date = June 11, 2008 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/11/sports/11iht-REF.1.13635698.html | access-date = May 13, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Goldman | first = Tom | title = Ex-Referee Says 2002 NBA Playoff Was Rigged | work = NPR | date = June 12, 2008 | url = https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91415111 | access-date = June 26, 2021}}</ref> Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals on June 2 brought in a total of 23.8 million viewers, making it the most-watched Western Conference Finals game in NBA history.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Schneider|first1=Michael|last2=Adalian|first2=Josef|url=https://variety.com/2002/tv/news/playoffs-power-peacock-1117868178/|title=Playoffs power Peacock|publisher=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=June 9, 2002|access-date=October 15, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-conference-finals-ratings-eastern-western/#:~:text=NBA%20Conference%20Finals%20ratings%20dating,23.8%20million%20viewers%20on%20NBC.|title=NBA Conference Finals Ratings History (2000–present)|publisher=Sports Media Watch|accessdate=October 15, 2021}}</ref> The Lakers then went on to win the [[2002 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]], defeating and sweeping the [[2001–02 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey Nets]] in four straight games for their second [[three-peat]] in franchise history, the first since [[1951-52 Minneapolis Lakers season|1952]]–[[1953-54 Minneapolis Lakers season|54]]. The season marked the third and last of the Lakers' three-peat championships into the new millennium. O’Neal was named Finals MVP for the third straight year.<ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Lakers Sweep Nets for Another Title | work = The New York Times | date = June 13, 2002 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/13/sports/basketball/lakers-sweep-nets-for-another-title.html | access-date = May 28, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = O'Neal Is a Three-Peat MVP as Lakers Finally Cut Down the Nets | work = Los Angeles Times | date = June 13, 2002 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-jun-13-sp-lakers13-story.html | access-date = May 28, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Wyche | first = Steve | title = O'Neal, Lakers Cut Down Nets | newspaper = The Washington Post | date = June 13, 2002 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2002/06/13/oneal-lakers-cut-down-nets/669c495a-cf7d-445a-8026-a0617989606e/ | access-date = July 2, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | title = L.A. Lakers 113, New Jersey 107 | work = United Press International | date = June 13, 2002 | url = https://www.upi.com/Sports_News/2002/06/13/LA-Lakers-113-New-Jersey-107/64841023940897/ | access-date = May 4, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = 2002 NBA Finals: Nets vs. Lakers | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2002-nba-finals-nets-vs-lakers.html | access-date = May 4, 2023}}</ref>

==Player statistics==
Bryant averaged 25.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists and 1.5 steals per game, while O’Neal averaged 27.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game, and [[Derek Fisher]] provided the team with 11.2 points per game. In addition, [[Rick Fox]] contributed 7.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game, while [[Robert Horry]] provided with 6.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, and Walker averaged 6.7 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.<ref name="roster">{{cite web|title=2001–02 Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats|publisher=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/2002.html|access-date=June 21, 2021}}</ref> Both Bryant and O'Neal were named to the All-NBA First Team, while Bryant was selected to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team. Shaq finished in third place in [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player]] voting with 15 first-place votes (696 points),<ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Duncan Wins Close MVP Race | work = Los Angeles Times | date = May 10, 2002 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-may-10-sp-nbanote15-story.html | access-date = July 13, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | title = Duncan Edges Kidd to Capture NBA MVP | work = The Washington Post | date = May 10, 2002 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2002/05/10/duncan-edges-kidd-to-capture-nba-mvp/f6b9bb47-9628-4fec-b47d-d4aaac806697/ | access-date = May 4, 2023}}</ref> and Kobe finished in fifth place in MVP voting with 1 first-place vote.<ref>{{cite news | title = 2001–02 NBA Awards Voting | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_2002.html | access-date = December 28, 2021}}</ref> Bryant also finished tied in third place in [[NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award|Defensive Player of the Year]] voting.<ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Ben Wallace Named NBA's Top Defender | work = Deseret News | date = April 21, 2002 | url = https://www.deseret.com/2002/4/21/19650620/ben-wallace-named-nba-s-top-defender | access-date = May 5, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Pistons' Wallace Wins Award in a Landslide | work = ESPN | date = April 23, 2002 | url = https://www.espn.com/nba/news/2002/0420/1371387.html | access-date = October 20, 2022}}</ref>

==Aftermath==
Following the season, Richmond retired ending his fourteen-year career in the NBA,<ref>{{cite news | last = Heisler | first = Mark | title = West Capsules in Predicted Order of Finish | work = Los Angeles Times | date = October 28, 2002 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-oct-28-sp-1westcap28-story.html | access-date = October 20, 2022}}</ref> and Hunter was traded to the [[2002–03 Toronto Raptors season|Toronto Raptors]].<ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = Lakers Still Real Deal | work = Los Angeles Times | date = June 27, 2002 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-jun-27-sp-lakers27-story.html | access-date = October 20, 2022}}</ref> The Lakers would not win another title until [[2009 NBA Finals|2009]], in which they defeated the [[2008–09 Orlando Magic season|Orlando Magic]] in five games. As of 2022, the Lakers are the most recent NBA team to have accomplished a [[three-peat]].

==Draft picks==
{{main|2001 NBA draft}}
* The Los Angeles Lakers did not have any Draft Picks.
* The Lakers owned the 27th Pick Overall and it was sent to New York.
* They also owned the 56th Pick Overall and it was sent to San Antonio.

==Roster==
{{NBA roster header|team=Los Angeles Lakers|season=2001–02}}

{{player2 | num = 8 | first = Kobe | last = Bryant | pos = G/F | ft = 6 | in = 6 | lbs = 205 | DOB = 1978–08–23 | school = [[Lower Merion High School|Lower Merion HS (PA)]] | note = C}}
{{player2 | num = 2 | first = Derek | last = Fisher | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 1 | lbs = 210 | DOB = 1974–08–09 | college = Arkansas-Little Rock}}
{{player2 | num = 17 | first = Rick | last = Fox | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 7 | lbs = 230 | DOB = 1969–07–24 | college = North Carolina}}
{{player2 | num = 3 | first = Devean | last = George | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 8 |lbs = 235 | DOB = 1977–08–29 | college = Augsburg}}
{{player2 | num = 5 | first = Robert | last = Horry | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 10 | lbs = 240 | DOB = 1970–08–25 | college = Alabama}}
{{player2 | num = 10 | first = Lindsey | last = Hunter | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 2 | lbs = 195 | DOB = 1970–12–03 | college = Jackson State}}
{{player2 | num = 35 | first = Mark | last = Madsen |dab=basketball| pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 9 | lbs = 240 | DOB = 1976–01–28 | college = Stanford}}
{{player2 | num = 6 | first = Jelani | last = McCoy | pos = F/C | ft = 6 | in = 10 | lbs = 245 | DOB = 1977–12–06 | college = UCLA | inj = yes}}
{{player2 | num = 14 | first = Slava | last = Medvedenko | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 10 | lbs = 253 | DOB = 1979–04–04 | from = Ukraine}}
{{player2 | num = 34 | first = Shaquille | last = O'Neal | pos = C | ft = 7 | in = 1 | lbs = 325 | DOB = 1972–03–06 | college = LSU | note = C}}
{{player2 | num = 23 | first = Mitch | last = Richmond | pos = G/F | ft = 6 | in = 5 | lbs = 215 | DOB = 1965–06–30 | college = Kansas State}}
{{player2 | num = 20 | first = Brian | last = Shaw | dab = basketball | pos = G |ft = 6 | in = 6 | lbs = 190 | DOB = 1966–03–22 | college = UC Santa Barbara}}
{{player2 | num = 52 | first = Samaki | last = Walker | pos = F/C | ft = 6 | in = 9 | lbs = 250 | DOB = 1976–02–25 | college = Louisville}}

{{NBA roster footer
| head_coach =
* [[Phil Jackson]]
| asst_coach =
* [[Jim Cleamons]]
* [[Frank Hamblen]]
* [[Kurt Rambis]]
* [[Tex Winter]]
* [[Gary Vitti]] (trainer)
| roster_url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/2002.html
| accessdate = November 24, 2001
}}

==Regular season==

===Season standings===
{{2001–02 NBA Pacific standings|team=LAL}}
{{2001–02 NBA West standings|team=LAL}}

===Record vs. opponents===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"
|-
!colspan=30|2001–02 NBA records
|-
!width=100|Team
!style="background:#FF0000;color:#FFFFFF;width=35"|ATL
!style="background:#006400;color:#FFFFFF;width=35"|BOS
!style="background:#008080;color:#800080;width=35"|CHA
!style="background:#FF0000;color:#000000;width=35"|CHI
!style="background:#000000;color:#5787DC;width=35"|CLE
!style="background:#0055BA;color:#898D8F;width=35"|DAL
!style="background:#141A44;color:#BC2224;width=35"|DEN
!style="background:#006BB7;color:#ED164B;width=35"|DET
!style="background:#072E63;color:#DC5A34;width=35"|GSW
!style="background:#002366;color:#FF0000;width=35"|HOU
!style="background:#000080;color:#FFD700;width=35"|IND
!style="background:#F9160D;color:#1A2E8B;width=35"|LAC
!style="background:#800080;color:#FFD700;width=35"|LAL
!style="background:#000000;color:#0CB2AC;width=35"|MEM
!style="background:#000000;color:#8B0000;width=35"|MIA
!style="background:#00471B;color:#5C378A;width=35"|MIL
!style="background:#044D80;color:#000000;width=35"|MIN
!style="background:#12305B;color:#C4CED4;width=35"|NJN
!style="background:#0000FF;color:#FF8C00;width=35"|NYK
!style="background:#0000FF;color:#000000;width=35"|ORL
!style="background:#000000;color:#BB9754;width=35"|PHI
!style="background:#800080;color:#FF4500;width=35"|PHO
!style="background:#000000;color:#FF0000;width=35"|POR
!style="background:#6846A8;color:#FFFFFF;width=35"|SAC
!style="background:#000000;color:#C0C0C0;width=35"|SAS
!style="background:#005831;color:#FFC322;width=35"|SEA
!style="background:#7436BF;color:#BE0F34;width=35"|TOR
!style="background:#644A9C;color:#149BC7;width=35"|UTA
!style="background:#044D7D;color:#BC7A44;width=35"|WAS
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta]]
|| – || 2–2 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 2–1 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–4 || 1–1 || 0–3
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|| 2–2 || – || 2–1 || 2–2 || 4–0 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 3–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 4–0 || 3–1 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 3–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Charlotte Hornets season|Charlotte]]
|| 2–2 || 1–2 || – || 4–0 || 3–1 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 3–0 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 1–3 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 3–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
|| 1–3 || 2–2 || 0–4 || – || 1–3 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 0–4 || 3–1 || 0–3 || 1–2 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 1–3
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
|| 1–3 || 0–4 || 1–3 || 3–1 || – || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 0–3 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 1–2
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
|| 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || – || 4–0 || 1–1 || 4–0 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 4–0 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 1–3 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 1–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
|| 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 0–4 || – || 0–2 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 3–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 0–4 || 0–4 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 0–2
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
|| 3–1 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || – || 1–1 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 2–1 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 2–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 4–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]
|| 0–2 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 0–4 || 3–1 || 1–1 || – || 1–3 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 3–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 0–4 || 2–2 || 0–4 || 0–4 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 0–4 || 1–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
|| 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 3–1 || – || 0–2 || 1–3 || 0–4 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 0–4 || 0–4 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 1–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]]
|| 3–1 || 0–3 || 1–3 || 4–0 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 2–0 || 2–0 || – || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 2–1 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 3–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Los Angeles Clippers season|L.A. Clippers]]
|| 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 1–1 || – || 1–3 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 3–1 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 0–4 || 1–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | L.A. Lakers
|| 1–1 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 4–0 || 2–0 || 3–1 || – || 3–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 2–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis]]
|| 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 0–4 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 1–3 || – || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 0–4 || 0–4 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 0–2
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Miami Heat season|Miami]]
|| 1–3 || 1–3 || 0–3 || 3–1 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–2 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || – || 3–1 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 2–2
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]
|| 3–1 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 1–3 || – || 0–2 || 1–2 || 1–3 || 2–1 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 4–0 || 2–0 || 3–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
|| 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 4–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || – || 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 2–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
|| 1–2 || 1–3 || 3–1 || 4–0 || 3–1 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 2–1 || 1–1 || – || 4–0 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 3–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 New York Knicks season|New York]]
|| 3–1 || 0–4 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 0–2 || 0–4 || – || 0–4 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 3–0 || 1–1 || 1–3
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Orlando Magic season|Orlando]]
|| 3–1 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 3–0 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 1–2 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 4–0 || – || 3–1 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 2–2
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
|| 3–1 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 2–1 || 3–0 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 1–3 || – || 2–0 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 2–3
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
|| 1–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 4–0 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || – || 2–2 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 0–2
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
|| 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–2 || – || 2–2 || 1–3 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 2–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
|| 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 4–0 || 2–0 || 4–0 || 4–0 || 0–2 || 3–1 || 1–3 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 2–2 || – || 3–1 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 4–0 || 1–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
|| 2–0 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 4–0 || 2–0 || 4–0 || 4–0 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 1–3 || 4–0 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 1–3 || – || 2–2 || 1–1 || 4–0 || 2–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle]]
|| 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 4–0 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 1–3 || 4–0 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 2–2 || – || 2–0 || 1–3 || 1–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Toronto Raptors season|Toronto]]
|| 4–0 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 4–0 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 0–4 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 0–3 || 1–3 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 0–2 || – || 1–1 || 1–2
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
|| 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 4–0 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 4–0 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 0–4 || 0–4 || 3–1 || 1–1 || – || 2–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2001–02 Washington Wizards season|Washington]]
|| 3–0 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 3–1 || 2–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 0–4 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 3–2 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 2–1 || 0–2 || —
|}

==Game log==
===Pre-season===
{{NBA game log start|Los Angeles Lakers|preseason=yes|end_year=2002|record=Total: 4–4}}
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|Preseason|first=yes
| wins = 4
| losses = 4
}}
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 1
| October 7
| [[2001-02 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]
| [https://web.archive.org/web/20011212192119/http://www.nba.com/games/20011007/GSWLAL/boxscore.html L 89-99]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (30)
| [[Robert Horry]] (7)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (5)
| [[Stan Sheriff Center]] (Honolulu, HI) 10,300
| 0-1
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 2
| October 9
| [[2001-02 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]
| [https://web.archive.org/web/20011201235911/http://www.nba.com/games/20011009/GSWLAL/boxscore.html L 88-113]
| [[Lindsey Hunter]] (13)
| [[Dickey Simpkins]] (9)
| [[Isaac Fontaine]] (4)
| [[Stan Sheriff Center]] (Honolulu, HI) 9,227
| 0-2
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 3
| October 16
| [[2001-02 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]
| [https://web.archive.org/web/20011025231957/http://www.nba.com/games/20011016/GSWLAL/boxscore.html W 114-97]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (23)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (10)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Lindsey Hunter|Hunter]] (6)
| [[Centennial Garden]] (Bakersfield, CA)
| 1-2
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 4
| October 19
| [[2001-02 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| L 101-112
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (25)
| [[Rick Fox|Fox]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (6)
|
| [[San Diego Sports Arena]] (San Diego, CA)
| 1-3
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 5
| October 20
| [[2001-02 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://web.archive.org/web/20011201190603/http://www.nba.com/games/20011020/SACLAL/boxscore.html L 104-109]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (30)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (10)
| 3 players tied (4)
| [[Thomas & Mack Center]] (Las Vegas, NV) 17,982
| 1-4
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 6
| October 23
| [[2001-02 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis]]
| [https://web.archive.org/web/20011026102028/http://nba.com/games/20011023/MEMLAL/boxscore.html W 128-94]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (24)
| [[Samaki Walker]] (10)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (9)
| [[Arrowhead Pond]] (Anaheim, CA) 17,457
| 2-4
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 7
| October 25
| [[2001-02 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]
| [https://web.archive.org/web/20011028003452/http://www.nba.com/games/20011025/MILLAL/boxscore.html W 109-107]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (31)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] & [[Samaki Walker|Walker]] (7)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 15,062
| 3-4
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 8
| October 26
| [[2001-02 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| [https://web.archive.org/web/20011218212042/http://www.nba.com/games/20011026/PHOLAL/boxscore.html W 90-71]
| [[Devean George|George]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (15)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (12)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 16,287
| 4-4
{{NBA game log end|lal|end_year=2002}}

===Regular season===
{{NBA game log start|Los Angeles Lakers|end_year=2002|record=Total: 58–24 (Home: 34–7; Road: 24–17)}}
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|October|first=yes
| home_wins = 1
| home_losses = 0
| road_wins = 0
| road_losses = 0
}}
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 1
| October 30
| [[2001–02 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200110300LAL.html W 98–87]
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (29)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (18)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 1–0
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|November|
| home_wins = 8
| home_losses = 0
| road_wins = 5
| road_losses = 1
}}
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 2
| November 1
| @ [[2001–02 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200111010UTA.html W 105–101]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (39)
| [[Rick Fox]] (8)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (8)
| [[Delta Center]] 19,539
| 2–0
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 3
| November 2
| [[2001–02 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200111020LAL.html W 117–94]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (36)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (13)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (9)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 3–0
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 4
| November 4
| [[2001–02 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200111040LAL.html W 100–96]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (38)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (8)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 4–0
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 5
| November 9
| [[2001–02 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200111090LAL.html W 100–86]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (20)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (8)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 5–0
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 6
| November 11
| [[2001–02 Orlando Magic season|Orlando]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200111110LAL.html W 108–95]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (38)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (18)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (8)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 6–0
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 7
| November 15
| @ [[2001–02 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200111150HOU.html W 98–97 (OT)]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (31)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (13)
| [[Rick Fox]] (6)
| [[Compaq Center (Houston)|Compaq Center]] 16,285
| 7–0
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 8
| November 16
| @ [[2001–02 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200111160PHO.html L 83–95]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (28)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (12)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (5)
| [[America West Arena]] 19,023
| 7–1
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 9
| November 18
| [[2001–02 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200111180LAL.html W 93–85]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (29)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (8)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 8–1
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 10
| November 20
| @ [[2001–02 Los Angeles Clippers season|L.A. Clippers]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200111200LAC.html W 98–93]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (25)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (12)
| [[Staples Center]] 20,316
| 9–1
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 11
| November 21
| @ [[2001–02 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200111210DEN.html W 89–68]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (24)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (13)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[Pepsi Center]] 19,521
| 10–1
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 12
| November 23
| [[2001–02 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200111230LAL.html W 106–90]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (28)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (10)
| [[Rick Fox]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 11–1
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 13
| November 25
| [[2001–02 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200111250LAL.html W 105–98]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (25)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 12–1
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 14
| November 27
| [[2001–02 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200111270LAL.html W 104–85]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (33)
| [[Samaki Walker]] (11)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 13–1
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 15
| November 30
| @ [[2001–02 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200111300SEA.html W 107–92]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (30)
| [[Slava Medvedenko]] (7)
| [[Robert Horry]] (8)
| [[KeyArena]] 17,072
| 14–1
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|December|
| home_wins = 6
| home_losses = 2
| road_wins = 1
| road_losses = 3
}}
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 16
| December 1
| [[2001–02 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200112010LAL.html W 102–76]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (23)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (9)
| 3 players tied (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 15–1
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 17
| December 5
| [[2001–02 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200112050LAL.html W 98–94]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (46)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| [[Rick Fox]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 16–1
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 18
| December 7
| @ [[2001–02 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200112070SAC.html L 91–97]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (31)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (16)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (5)
| [[ARCO Arena]] 17,317
| 16–2
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 19
| December 11
| [[2001–02 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200112110LAL.html L 93–104]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (37)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (16)
| [[Derek Fisher]] (8)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 16–3
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 20
| December 14
| [[2001–02 Los Angeles Clippers season|L.A. Clippers]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200112140LAL.html W 110–80]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (28)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 17–3
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 21
| December 16
| [[2001–02 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200112160LAL.html W 101–85]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (28)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (7)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 18–3
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 22
| December 20
| @ [[2001–02 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200112200HOU.html W 107–101]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (27)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (14)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Robert Horry|Horry]] (5)
| [[Compaq Center (Houston)|Compaq Center]] 16,285
| 19–3
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 23
| December 21
| @ [[2001–02 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200112210MEM.html L 108–114]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (36)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] & [[Samaki Walker|Walker]] (9)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Rick Fox|Fox]] (6)
| [[Memphis Pyramid|Pyramid Arena]] 19,405
| 19–4
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 24
| December 25
| [[2001–02 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200112250LAL.html W 88–82]
| [[Samaki Walker]] (18)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Robert Horry|Horry]] (11)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (9)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 20–4
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 25
| December 26
| @ [[2001–02 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200112260GSW.html L 90–101]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (39)
| [[Slava Medvedenko]] (8)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (5)
| [[The Arena in Oakland]] 20,036
| 20–5
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 26
| December 28
| [[2001–02 Toronto Raptors season|Toronto]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200112280LAL.html L 86–89]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (26)
| [[Samaki Walker]] (14)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 20–6
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 27
| December 30
| [[2001–02 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200112300LAL.html W 114–90]
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Rick Fox|Fox]] (16)
| [[Robert Horry]] (11)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (11)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 21–6
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|January|
| home_wins = 3
| home_losses = 2
| road_wins = 7
| road_losses = 4
}}
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 28
| January 2
| @ [[2001–02 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200201020DEN.html W 87–86]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (28)
| [[Samaki Walker]] (11)
| [[Rick Fox]] (6)
| [[Pepsi Center]] 17,932
| 22–6
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 29
| January 4
| [[2001–02 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200201040LAL.html W 118–86]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (24)
| [[Samaki Walker]] (10)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 23–6
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 30
| January 6
| @ [[2001–02 Toronto Raptors season|Toronto]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200201060TOR.html W 109–89]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (31)
| [[Samaki Walker]] (10)
| 3 players tied (4)
| [[Air Canada Centre]] 19,800
| 24–6
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 31
| January 8
| @ [[2001–02 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200201080DET.html W 121–92]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (28)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (10)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[The Palace of Auburn Hills]] 22,076
| 25–6
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 32
| January 9
| @ [[2001–02 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200201090IND.html W 109–90]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (31)
| [[Samaki Walker]] (13)
| [[Derek Fisher]] (6)
| [[Conseco Fieldhouse]] 18,345
| 26–6
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 33
| January 11
| @ [[2001–02 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200201110MIN.html L 102–120]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (29)
| [[Samaki Walker]] (9)
| [[Rick Fox]] (9)
| [[Target Center]] 19,806
| 26–7
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 34
| January 12
| @ [[2001–02 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200201120CHI.html L 104–106 (OT)]
| [[Derek Fisher]] (28)
| [[Robert Horry]] (13)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (9)
| [[United Center]] 23,147
| 26–8
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 35
| January 14
| [[2001–02 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200201140LAL.html W 120–81]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (56)
| [[Robert Horry]] (11)
| [[Rick Fox]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 27–8
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 36
| January 16
| [[2001–02 Miami Heat season|Miami]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200201160LAL.html L 96–102]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (29)
| [[Samaki Walker]] (13)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 27–9
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 37
| January 19
| @ [[2001–02 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200201190SAS.html W 98–81]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (28)
| 3 players tied (7)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (5)
| [[Alamodome]] 33,544
| 28–9
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 38
| January 22
| [[2001–02 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200201220LAL.html L 91–107]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (40)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 28–10
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 39
| January 23
| @ [[2001–02 Los Angeles Clippers season|L.A. Clippers]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200201230LAC.html L 90–95]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (27)
| [[Samaki Walker]] (12)
| [[Derek Fisher]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 20,309
| 28–11
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 40
| January 25
| [[2001–02 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200201250LAL.html W 94–91]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (27)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 29–11
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 41
| January 27
| @ [[2001–02 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200201270PHI.html L 87–93]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (26)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Rick Fox]] (6)
| [[First Union Center]] 20,909
| 29–12
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 42
| January 29
| @ [[2001–02 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200201290ATL.html W 127–93]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (32)
| [[Samaki Walker]] (12)
| [[Rick Fox|Fox]] & [[Lindsey Hunter|Hunter]] (4)
| [[Philips Arena]] 19,742
| 30–12
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 43
| January 30
| @ [[2001–02 Orlando Magic season|Orlando]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200201300ORL.html W 111–93]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (30)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (14)
| [[Rick Fox]] (5)
| [[TD Waterhouse Centre]] 17,248
| 31–12
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|February|
| home_wins = 1
| home_losses = 3
| road_wins = 7
| road_losses = 2
}}
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 44
| February 1
| @ [[2001–02 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200202010MEM.html W 100–85]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (26)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (10)
| [[Rick Fox]] (7)
| [[Memphis Pyramid|Pyramid Arena]] 19,405
| 32–12
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 45
| February 3
| @ [[2001–02 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200202030DAL.html W 101–94]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (31)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (13)
| [[Robert Horry]] (8)
| [[American Airlines Center]] 20,179
| 33–12
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 46
| February 6
| [[2001–02 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200202060LAL.html L 89–97]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (38)
| [[Samaki Walker]] (14)
| [[Rick Fox]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 33–13
|- align="center"
|colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|'''[[2002 NBA All-Star Game|All-Star Break]]'''
|- style="background:#cfc;"
|- bgcolor="#bbffbb"
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 47
| February 12
| [[2001–02 Washington Wizards season|Washington]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200202120LAL.html W 103–94]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (23)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (11)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (15)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 34–13
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 48
| February 14
| @ [[2001–02 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200202140SEA.html W 92–87]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (23)
| [[Rick Fox|Fox]] & [[Devean George|George]] (8)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (10)
| [[KeyArena]] 17,072
| 35–13
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 49
| February 15
| [[2001–02 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200202150LAL.html L 90–93]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (21)
| 3 players tied (7)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (10)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 35–14
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 50
| February 17
| @ [[2001–02 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200202170POR.html L 105–111]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (28)
| [[Robert Horry]] (8)
| [[Lindsey Hunter]] (7)
| [[Rose Garden Arena|Rose Garden]] 20,580
| 35–15
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 51
| February 19
| [[2001–02 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200202190LAL.html L 108–109]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (27)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (17)
| [[Lindsey Hunter]] (9)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 35–16
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 52
| February 21
| @ [[2001–02 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200202210CLE.html W 104–97]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (32)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Robert Horry|Horry]] (6)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[Gund Arena]] 20,562
| 36–16
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 53
| February 22
| @ [[2001–02 Charlotte Hornets season|Charlotte]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200202220CHH.html W 96–94]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (31)
| [[Rick Fox]] (11)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[Charlotte Coliseum]] 23,799
| 37–16
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 54
| February 24
| @ [[2001–02 New York Knicks season|New York]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200202240NYK.html W 107–91]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (30)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (5)
| [[Madison Square Garden]] 19,763
| 38–16
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 55
| February 26
| @ [[2001–02 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200202260MIL.html W 99–89]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (28)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (13)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[Bradley Center]] 18,717
| 39–16
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 56
| February 27
| @ [[2001–02 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200202270MIN.html L 101–112]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (27)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (8)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (11)
| [[Target Center]] 19,769
| 39–17
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|March|
| home_wins = 11
| home_losses = 0
| road_wins = 2
| road_losses = 4
}}
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 57
| March 1
| [[2001–02 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200203010LAL.html W 96–84]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (33)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (12)
| [[Robert Horry]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,897
| 40–17
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 58
| March 3
| [[2001–02 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200203030LAL.html W 95–79]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (36)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (14)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 41–17
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 59
| March 5
| [[2001–02 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200203050LAL.html W 101–92]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (40)
| [[Robert Horry]] (13)
| [[Robert Horry|Horry]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (4)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 42–17
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 60
| March 6
| @ [[2001–02 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200203060UTA.html L 84–92]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (28)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (12)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Lindsey Hunter|Hunter]] (4)
| [[Delta Center]] 19,911
| 42–18
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 61
| March 10
| [[2001–02 New York Knicks season|New York]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200203100LAL.html W 117–103]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (40)
| [[Robert Horry]] (13)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 43–18
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 62
| March 12
| [[2001–02 Charlotte Hornets season|Charlotte]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200203120LAL.html W 107–66]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (23)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (10)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Mitch Richmond|Richmond]] (4)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 44–18
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 63
| March 14
| @ [[2001–02 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200203140GSW.html W 110–102]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (40)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (13)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Rick Fox|Fox]] (6)
| [[The Arena in Oakland]] 20,042
| 45–18
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 64
| March 15
| [[2001–02 Los Angeles Clippers season|L.A. Clippers]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200203150LAL.html W 98–92]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (33)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (13)
| [[Rick Fox|Fox]] & [[Robert Horry|Horry]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 46–18
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 65
| March 17
| [[2001–02 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200203170LAL.html W 105–103]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (28)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (9)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (11)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 47–18
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 66
| March 19
| @ [[2001–02 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200203190DAL.html L 98–114]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (32)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (10)
| [[Robert Horry|Horry]] & [[Mitch Richmond|Richmond]] (4)
| [[American Airlines Center]] 20,112
| 47–19
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 67
| March 20
| @ [[2001–02 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200203200SAS.html L 90–108]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (20)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (10)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (5)
| [[Alamodome]] 30,775
| 47–20
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 68
| March 22
| [[2001–02 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200203220LAL.html W 94–82]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (28)
| [[Robert Horry|Horry]] & [[Samaki Walker|Walker]] (10)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 48–20
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 69
| March 24
| @ [[2001–02 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200203240SAS.html W 97–96]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (29)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] & [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Shaw]] (7)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (6)
| [[ARCO Arena]] 17,317
| 49–20
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 70
| March 26
| [[2001–02 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200203260LAL.html W 121–116]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (19)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (8)
| [[Robert Horry]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 50–20
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 71
| March 27
| @ [[2001–02 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200203270PHO.html L 106–118]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (36)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Robert Horry]] (6)
| [[America West Arena]] 19,023
| 50–21
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 72
| March 29
| [[2001–02 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200203290LAL.html W 91–79]
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (34)
| [[Samaki Walker]] (17)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 51–21
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 73
| March 31
| [[2001–02 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200203310LAL.html W 96–95]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (31)
| 3 players tied (9)
| [[Robert Horry]] (4)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 52–21
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|April|
| home_wins = 4
| home_losses = 0
| road_wins = 2
| road_losses = 3
}}
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 74
| April 2
| @ [[2001–02 Washington Wizards season|Washington]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200204020WAS.html W 113–93]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (22)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (18)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[MCI Center]] 20,674
| 53–21
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 75
| April 3
| @ [[2001–02 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200204030NJN.html L 92–94]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (33)
| [[Samaki Walker]] (14)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Shaw]] (3)
| [[Continental Airlines Arena]] 20,049
| 53–22
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 76
| April 5
| @ [[2001–02 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200204050BOS.html L 81–99]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (26)
| [[Robert Horry]] (9)
| 5 players tied (2)
| [[FleetCenter (Boston)|FleetCenter]] 18,624
| 53–23
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 77
| April 7
| @ [[2001–02 Miami Heat season|Miami]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200204070MIA.html W 96–88]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (40)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Robert Horry]] (7)
| [[American Airlines Arena]] 19,600
| 54–23
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 78
| April 9
| [[2001–02 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200204090LAL.html W 112–82]
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (22)
| [[Robert Horry]] (11)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 55–23
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 79
| April 11
| [[2001–02 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200204110LAL.html W 96–83]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (32)
| [[Samaki Walker]] (10)
| [[Derek Fisher]] (4)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 56–23
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 80
| April 14
| @ [[2001–02 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200204140POR.html L 120–128 (2OT)]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (36)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (9)
| [[Rose Garden Arena|Rose Garden]] 20,580
| 56–24
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 81
| April 15
| [[2001–02 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200204150LAL.html W 111–104]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (41)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 57–24
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 82
| April 17
| [[2001–02 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200204170LAL.html W 109–95]
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (21)
| [[Samaki Walker]] (15)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 58–24
{{NBA game log end|lal|end_year=2002}}

===Playoffs===

{{NBA game log start|Los Angeles Lakers|end_year=2002|record=Total: 15–4 (Home: 8–2; Road: 7–2)}}
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|First round|first=yes|playoffs=yes|show=no
| home_wins = 2
| home_losses = 0
| road_wins = 1
| road_losses = 0
}}
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 1
| April 21
| [[2001–02 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200204210LAL.html W 95–87]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (34)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (9)
| [[Rick Fox]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 1–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 2
| April 25
| [[2001–02 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200204250LAL.html W 103–96]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (31)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (14)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 2–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 3
| April 28
| @ [[2001–02 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200204280POR.html W 92–91]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (25)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (7)
| [[Rose Garden Arena|Rose Garden]] 20,580
| 3–0
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|Conference Semi-finals|playoffs=yes|show=no
| home_wins = 2
| home_losses = 1
| road_wins = 2
| road_losses = 0
}}
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 1
| May 5
| [[2001–02 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200205050LAL.html W 86–80]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (23)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (17)
| 3 players tied (4)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 1–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
| 2
| May 7
| [[2001–02 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200205070LAL.html L 85–88]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (26)
| [[Robert Horry]] (11)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 1–1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 3
| May 10
| @ [[2001–02 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200205100SAS.html W 99–89]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (31)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[Alamodome]] 35,520
| 2–1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 4
| May 12
| @ [[2001–02 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200205120SAS.html W 87–85]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (28)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (5)
| [[Alamodome]] 32,342
| 3–1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 5
| May 14
| [[2001–02 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200205140LAL.html W 93–87]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (26)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Rick Fox]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 4–1
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|Conference Finals|playoffs=yes|show=no
| home_wins = 2
| home_losses = 1
| road_wins = 2
| road_losses = 2
}}
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 1
| May 18
| @ [[2001–02 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200205180SAC.html W 106–99]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (30)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (9)
| 3 players tied (5)
| [[ARCO Arena]] 17,317
| 1–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
| 2
| May 20
| @ [[2001–02 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200205200SAC.html L 90–96]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (35)
| [[Robert Horry]] (20)
| [[Derek Fisher|Fisher]] & [[Robert Horry|Horry]] (4)
| [[ARCO Arena]] 17,317
| 1–1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
| 3
| May 24
| [[2001–02 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200205240LAL.html L 90–103]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (22)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (19)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 1–2
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 4
| May 26
| [[2001–02 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200205260LAL.html W 100–99]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (27)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (18)
| [[Robert Horry]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 2–2
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
| 5
| May 28
| @ [[2001–02 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200205280SAC.html L 91–92]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (30)
| [[Robert Horry]] (11)
| 3 players tied (3)
| [[ARCO Arena]] 17,317
| 2–3
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 6
| May 31
| [[2001–02 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200205310LAL.html W 106–102]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (41)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (17)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Robert Horry|Horry]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 3–3
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 7
| June 2
| @ [[2001–02 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200206020SAC.html W 112–106 (OT)]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (35)
| [[Rick Fox]] (14)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Rick Fox|Fox]] (7)
| [[ARCO Arena]] 17,317
| 4–3
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|NBA Finals|playoffs=yes|show=no
| home_wins = 2
| home_losses = 0
| road_wins = 2
| road_losses = 0
}}
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 1
| June 5
| [[2001–02 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200206050LAL.html W 99–94]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (36)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (16)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 1–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 2
| June 7
| [[2001–02 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200206070LAL.html W 106–83]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (40)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (12)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (8)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 2–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 3
| June 9
| @ [[2001–02 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200206090NJN.html W 106–103]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (36)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Derek Fisher]] (6)
| [[Continental Airlines Arena]] 19,215
| 3–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 4
| June 12
| @ [[2001–02 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200206120NJN.html W 113–107]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (34)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (10)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (8)
| [[Continental Airlines Arena]] 19,296
| 4–0
{{NBA game log end|bbr_team=LAL|playoffs=yes|end_year=2002}}

==NBA Finals==

===Summary===
The following scoring summary is written in a [[line score]] format, except that the quarter numbers are replaced by game numbers.
{| border=1 cellspacing=0 width=425 style="margin-left:3em;"
|- style="text-align:center; background-color:#e6e6e6;"
!align=left width=28%|Team
!width=6%|Game 1
!width=6%|Game 2
!width=6%|Game 3
!width=6%|Game 4
!width=6%|Wins
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align=left|'''Los Angeles (West)'''
|'''99'''||'''106'''||'''106'''||'''113'''||4
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align=left|New Jersey (East)
|94||83||103||107||0
|- style="text-align:centre;"
|}

===Aspects===
[[Shaq–Kobe feud|Amid tensions]] between co-captains [[Shaquille O'Neal]] and [[Kobe Bryant]], the franchise had another stellar season, finishing 58–24 (.707), good for second in the [[Pacific Division (NBA)|Pacific Division]] and earning the third seed in the [[Western Conference (NBA)|Western Conference]]. Bryant and O'Neal were voted starters in the [[2002 NBA All-Star Game]], where Bryant won the [[NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award|game MVP trophy]] in his hometown [[Philadelphia]].<ref>[http://www.nba.com/games/20020210/WSTEST/recap.html West Wins! Kobe Stakes Claim in All-Star Lore] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081226193631/http://www.nba.com/games/20020210/WSTEST/recap.html |date=2008-12-26 }} NBA.com</ref> The duo appeared on the [[All-NBA First Team]] and Bryant was honored with an [[NBA All-Defensive Second Team]] selection.<ref name="nba1st"/><ref name="nbadef"/>

Entering the 2001–02 season, the New Jersey Nets were enduring a three-year playoff drought and had a 73–141 record over that span. In 1999, the Nets hired [[Rod Thorn]] as team president and immediately, he hired the recently retired [[Byron Scott (basketball)|Byron Scott]] to coach New Jersey. Thorn then dealt for [[Stephon Marbury]] in a three-team trade with the [[Milwaukee Bucks]] and [[Minnesota Timberwolves]], trading [[Sam Cassell]] away to the Bucks.<ref name="njtradehis">[http://www.nba.com/nets/history/trade_history.html Nets Trade History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070420121153/http://www.nba.com/nets/history/trade_history.html |date=2007-04-20 }} NBA.com/nets</ref> Due to the Nets' 31–51 season in [[1999–00 NBA season|1999–00 season]], they had the first overall pick in the [[2000 NBA draft]], which they used to select [[Power forward (basketball)|power forward]] [[Kenyon Martin]] out of the [[Cincinnati Bearcats|University of Cincinnati]].<ref>[http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/2000/nba_draft/news/2000/06/28/nba_draft/ Holding to form: Nets take Martin with first pick] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100206170442/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/2000/nba_draft/news/2000/06/28/nba_draft/ |date=2010-02-06 }} SportsIllustrated.com</ref> Despite the reshuffling of the roster and a [[NBA Rookie of the Year|Rookie of the Year]] season for Martin, New Jersey struggled, ending the season with a 26–56 (.317) record, and were bestowed the 7th pick in the [[2001 NBA draft|upcoming draft]].

With another lottery pick, Thorn dealt it to the [[Houston Rockets]] for draftees [[Richard Jefferson]], [[Jason Collins]] and [[Brandon Armstrong]].<ref name ="njtradehis"/> The next day, [[Phoenix Suns]] owner [[Jerry Colangelo]] announced a franchise-shaking trade; Phoenix would swap their point guard [[Jason Kidd]] for his New Jersey counterpart Stephon Marbury.<ref>[https://www.usatoday.com/sports/nba/suns/2001-06-28-trade.htm Kidd, Marbury primary players in trade] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090209030353/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nba/suns/2001-06-28-trade.htm |date=2009-02-09 }}, ''USA Today''</ref>

With the [[Princeton offense]] installed from the coaching staff,<ref>{{cite web|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/2002/playoffs/news/2002/06/05/nets_sider_ap/|title=PRO BASKETBALL; Nets Get a New Read From the Old School|author=Liz Robbins|date=2002-02-02|access-date=2009-05-16|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908012026/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/2002/playoffs/news/2002/06/05/nets_sider_ap|archive-date=2008-09-08}}</ref> the Nets rebounded to a 52–30 (.634) mark, a twenty-six-win improvement from the last season, and clinched the number-one seed in the [[Eastern Conference (NBA)|Eastern Conference]]. Kidd finished the season awarded with first team spots on both the [[All-NBA Team|All-NBA]]<ref name="nba1st">[https://www.usatoday.com/sports/nba/stories/2002-05-01-all-nba.htm Bryant, McGrady are first-time All-NBA selections] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110212014226/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nba/stories/2002-05-01-all-nba.htm |date=2011-02-12 }}, ''USA Today''</ref> and [[NBA All-Defensive Team|All-Defensive Team]]s<ref name="nbadef">[https://www.usatoday.com/sports/nba/stories/2002-04-30-defensive.htm Payton ties mark with ninth All-Defensive slot] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110212014053/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nba/stories/2002-04-30-defensive.htm |date=2011-02-12 }} ''USA Today''</ref> and was selected for his fifth [[2002 NBA All-Star Game|All-Star game]]. He also finished runner-up to [[San Antonio Spurs]] power forward [[Tim Duncan]] in the [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player]] voting.<ref name="mvpresults">[https://www.usatoday.com/sports/nba/spurs/2002-05-09-duncan-mvp.htm It's official: Duncan captures MVP award] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111221093023/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nba/spurs/2002-05-09-duncan-mvp.htm |date=2011-12-21 }} USA Today. Retrieved December 28, 2008</ref> Richard Jefferson was an [[NBA All-Rookie Team|All-Rookie]] second team selection and Thorn, the architect of the franchise's resurgence, was awarded [[NBA Executive of the Year]].<ref>[http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/sports/2002/05/22/2002-05-22_title_goes_to_one_sharp_thor.html Title goes to one sharp Thorn: Nets GM honored as wheeler-deeler], ''New York Daily-News''. Accessed 2009-04-14. [https://www.webcitation.org/5glx1l0Z2?url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/sports/2002/05/22/2002-05-22_title_goes_to_one_sharp_thor.html Archived] 2009-05-14.</ref>

===Game One===
''Wednesday, June 5, 2002, 6:00 at the [[Staples Center]].''

Los Angeles's [[Staples Center]] sold out for the inaugural game of the 2002 NBA Finals, with nearly 19,000 on hand. The Nets trotted out a lineup of Kidd, Kittles, Martin, Van Horn and MacCulloth to hold up against the two-time defending and heavily favored champions. The Lakers brought out Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, Shaquille O'Neal, Robert Horry, and Kobe Bryant, who drew the assignment of guarding Kidd. New Jersey head coach [[Byron Scott (basketball)|Byron Scott]], a member of the [[Showtime Lakers]], received a standing ovation.

Taking advantage of a late arrival to the arena by New Jersey, L.A. dominated the first 17 minutes of play with a 42-19 score by the 6:41 mark in the second quarter. From that point on, the Nets went on a 17–6 to close the lead to a respectable 12. They had no answer for O'Neal, however, who had bullied MacCulloth into 16 points and 6 rebounds by half-time. The Nets outscored the Lakers in the third but stood steadfast as Bryant scored 11 of his 22 in the third.

{{quote box|width=23em|" You can't dig yourself a hole, get down by 19 or 20 points and expect to win. We just dug ourselves a hole against the champions. "|—Lucious Harris, Sports Illustrated<ref name="nbah">{{cite web|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/2002/playoffs/news/2002/06/05/nets_sider_ap/|title=Nets' slow start costs them dearly in Game 1|website=cnn.com|access-date=27 April 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024210956/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/2002/playoffs/news/2002/06/05/nets_sider_ap/|archive-date=24 October 2012}}</ref>}}
New Jersey battled back, coming as close as three several times in the final quarter. Desperate to take the lead, they utilized the "[[Hack-a-Shaq]]" strategy midway in the fourth. It backfired, as O'Neal was 5–8 from the free throw line and had 16 points and 9 rebounds in the period alone.

New Jersey was doomed by their late start and poor shooting. The Nets, who shot 45% from the field and 74% on free throws were 39% and 57% respectively.<ref>{{cite web|work=[[Sports Illustrated]]|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/2002/playoffs/news/2002/06/05/nets_sider_ap/|title=Nets' slow start costs them dearly in Game 1|agency=Associated Press|date=2002-06-06|access-date=2009-05-16|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908012026/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/2002/playoffs/news/2002/06/05/nets_sider_ap|archive-date=2008-09-08}}</ref> Kidd finished with a triple–double, the 26th in Finals history and the first since [[Charles Barkley]]'s in the [[1993 NBA Finals|1993 series]].

[http://www.nba.com/games/20020605/NJNLAL/recap.html Recap]

{| border=1 cellspacing=0 width=425 style="margin-left:3em;"
|- style="text-align:center; background-color:#e6e6e6;"
!align=left width=16%|Team
!width=6%|1st Qt.
!width=6%|2nd Qt.
!width=6%|3rd Qt.
!width=6%|4th Qt.
!width=6%|Total
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align=left|New Jersey
|14||22||27
|31||94
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align=left|'''Los Angeles'''
|29||19||24
|27||'''99'''
|- style="text-align:center;"
|}

===Game Two===
''Friday, June 7, 2002, 6:00 at the Staples Center.''

The second game was more of statement as the Lakers clobbered the Nets by a score of 106-83 thanks to [[Shaquille O'Neal]]'s 40 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists.

[http://www.nba.com/games/20020607/NJNLAL/recap.html Recap]

{| border=1 cellspacing=0 width=425 style="margin-left:3em;"
|- style="text-align:center; background-color:#e6e6e6;"
!align=left width=16%|Team
!width=6%|1st Qt.
!width=6%|2nd Qt.
!width=6%|3rd Qt.
!width=6%|4th Qt.
!width=6%|Total
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align=left|New Jersey
|21||22||18
|22||83
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align=left|'''Los Angeles'''
|27||22||28
|29||'''106'''
|- style="text-align:center;"
|}

===Game Three===
''Sunday, June 9, 2002, 8:30 at the [[Continental Airlines Arena]].''

Game Three would prove to a hard fought game (much like the first game of the series) as the Lakers and Nets would trade leads throughout the game but thanks to [[Kobe Bryant]]'s 36 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 blocks the Lakers prevail by a score of 106-103 to take a commanding 3-0 series lead.

[http://www.nba.com/games/20020609/LALNJN/recap.html Recap]

{| border=1 cellspacing=0 width=425 style="margin-left:3em;"
|- style="text-align:center; background-color:#e6e6e6;"
!align=left width=16%|Team
!width=6%|1st Qt.
!width=6%|2nd Qt.
!width=6%|3rd Qt.
!width=6%|4th Qt.
!width=6%|Total
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align=left|'''Los Angeles'''
|31||21||26
|28||'''106'''
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align=left|New Jersey
|23||23||32
|25||103
|- style="text-align:center;"
|}

===Game Four===
''Wednesday, June 12, 2002, 9:00 at the Continental Airlines Arena.''

Despite this being a hard fought battle (much like the previous game and as well as the first game of the series) the Lakers still won game four and the championship, giving Phil Jackson his [[Red Auerbach]]-tying ninth title and the Lakers their third consecutive title (and fourteenth overall) making them the fifth team to win three consecutive titles and denying the Nets their first ever championship since the franchise moved to [[East Rutherford]].

[http://www.nba.com/games/20020612/LALNJN/recap.html Recap]

{| border=1 cellspacing=0 width=425 style="margin-left:3em;"
|- style="text-align:center; background-color:#e6e6e6;"
!align=left width=16%|Team
!width=6%|1st Qt.
!width=6%|2nd Qt.
!width=6%|3rd Qt.
!width=6%|4th Qt.
!width=6%|Total
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align=left|'''Los Angeles'''
|27||31||26
|29||'''113'''
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align=left|New Jersey
|34||23||23
|27||107
|- style="text-align:center;"
|}

==Player statistics==
{{NBA roster statistics legend}}

===Season===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"
|-
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="10%" | Player
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | GP
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | GS
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | MPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | FG%
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | 3P%
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | FT%
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | RPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | APG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | SPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | BPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | PPG
|-
| {{sort|Bryant, Kobe|[[Kobe Bryant]]}}
| 80 || 80 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 38.3 || .469 || .250 || .829 || 5.5 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 5.5 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 1.48 || .44 || 25.2
|-
| {{sort|Fisher, Derek|[[Derek Fisher]]}}
| 70 || 35 || 28.2 || .411 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | .413 || .847 || 2.1 || 2.6 || .94 || .13 || 11.2
|-
| {{sort|Fox, Rick|[[Rick Fox]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 82 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 82 || 27.9 || .421 || .313 || .824 || 4.7 || 3.5 || .82 || .26 || 7.9
|-
| {{sort|George, Devean|[[Devean George]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 82 || 1 || 21.5 || .411 || .371 || .675 || 3.7 || 1.4 || .87 || .51 || 7.1
|-
| {{sort|Horry, Robert|[[Robert Horry]]}}
| 81 || 23 || 26.4 || .398 || .374 || .783 || 5.9 || 2.9 || .95 || 1.10 || 6.8
|-
| {{sort|Hunter, Lindsey|[[Lindsey Hunter]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 82 || 47 || 19.7 || .382 || .380 || .500 || 1.5 || 1.6 || .80 || .23 || 5.8
|-
| {{sort|Madsen, Mark|[[Mark Madsen (basketball)|Mark Madsen]]}}
| 59 || 5 || 11.0 || .452 || .000 || .648 || 2.7 || .7 || .27 || .22 || 2.8
|-
| {{sort|McCoy, Jelani|[[Jelani McCoy]]}}
| 21 || 0 || 5.0 || .571 || .000 || .250 || 1.2 || .3 || .00 || .24 || 1.2
|-
| {{sort|Medvedenko, Slava|[[Slava Medvedenko]]}}
| 71 || 6 || 10.3 || .477 || .000 || .661 || 2.2 || .6 || .41 || .15 || 4.7
|-
| {{sort|O'Neal, Shaquille|[[Shaquille O'Neal]]}}
| 67 || 66 || 36.1 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | .579 || .000 || .555 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 10.7 || 3.0 || .61 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 2.04 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 27.2
|-
| {{sort|Penberthy, Mike|[[Mike Penberthy]]}}
| 3 || 0 || 4.0 || .500 || .000 || .750 || .7 || .7 || .67 || .00 || 1.7
|-
| {{sort|Richmond, Mitch|[[Mitch Richmond]]}}
| 64 || 2 || 11.1 || .405 || .290 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | .955 || 1.5 || .9 || .28 || .09 || 4.1
|-
| {{sort|Shaw, Brian|[[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]]}}
| 58 || 0 || 10.9 || .353 || .330 || .692 || 1.9 || 1.5 || .43 || .05 || 2.9
|-
| {{sort|Walker, Samaki|[[Samaki Walker]]}}
| 69 || 63 || 24.0 || .512 || .000 || .667 || 7.0 || .9 || .41 || 1.28 || 6.7
|}

===Playoffs===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"
|-
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="10%" | Player
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | GP
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | GS
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | MPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | FG%
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | 3P%
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | FT%
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | RPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | APG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | SPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | BPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | PPG
|-
| {{sort|Bryant, Kobe|[[Kobe Bryant]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 19 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 19 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 43.8 || .434 || .379 || .759 || 5.8 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 4.6 || 1.42 || .89 || 26.6
|-
| {{sort|Fisher, Derek|[[Derek Fisher]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 19 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 19 || 34.2 || .357 || .358 || .786 || 3.3 || 2.7 || 1.00 || .05 || 10.2
|-
| {{sort|Fox, Rick|[[Rick Fox]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 19 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 19 || 34.3 || .482 || .349 || .755 || 5.4 || 3.4 || 1.11 || .32 || 9.8
|-
| {{sort|George, Devean|[[Devean George]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 19 || 0 || 17.2 || .365 || .229 || .733 || 3.6 || .6 || .58 || .53 || 5.0
|-
| {{sort|Horry, Robert|[[Robert Horry]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 19 || 14 || 37.0 || .449 || .387 || .789 || 8.1 || 3.2 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 1.74 || .84 || 9.3
|-
| {{sort|Hunter, Lindsey|[[Lindsey Hunter]]}}
| 18 || 0 || 7.3 || .311 || .276 || .000 || .4 || .6 || .11 || .00 || 2.0
|-
| {{sort|Madsen, Mark|[[Mark Madsen (basketball)|Mark Madsen]]}}
| 7 || 0 || 1.4 || .000 || .000 || .000 || .3 || .0 || .00 || .00 || .0
|-
| {{sort|Medvedenko, Slava|[[Slava Medvedenko]]}}
| 7 || 0 || 3.0 || .600 || .000 || .000 || .6 || .0 || .00 || .00 || .9
|-
| {{sort|O'Neal, Shaquille|[[Shaquille O'Neal]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 19 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 19 || 40.8 || .529 || .000 || .649 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 12.6 || 2.8 || .53 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 2.53 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 28.5
|-
| {{sort|Richmond, Mitch|[[Mitch Richmond]]}}
| 2 || 0 || 2.0 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 1.000 || .000 || .500 || .5 || .0 || .00 || .00 || 1.5
|-
| {{sort|Shaw, Brian|[[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 19 || 0 || 12.5 || .333 || .281 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 1.000 || 1.8 || 1.6 || .26 || .32 || 2.9
|-
| {{sort|Walker, Samaki|[[Samaki Walker]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 19 || 5 || 12.6 || .462 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 1.000 || .765 || 4.1 || .2 || .11 || .32 || 3.3
|}

==Award winners==
* [[Shaquille O'Neal]], [[NBA Finals Most Valuable Player]]
* [[Shaquille O'Neal]], [[All-NBA First Team]]
* [[Shaquille O'Neal]], League Leader, FG%, 57.9
* [[Kobe Bryant]], [[All-NBA First Team]]
* [[Kobe Bryant]], [[NBA All-Defensive Second Team]]
* [[Kobe Bryant]], [[NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award]]

==Legacy==
* By winning the third straight [[NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award|Finals MVP]], Shaquille O'Neill became only the second player to achieve this feat, after [[Michael Jordan]] doing it twice in 1991-93 and 1996-98.
* By closing out the [[2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers season|2000-01 season]] with a 23-1 record (regular season + playoffs) and starting the 2001-02 season 16-1, the Lakers achieved a 39-2 record in a 41-game stretch, the best ever in NBA history. This record was later tied by the Warriors, at the end of the [[2015 NBA Finals]] (3-0) and a historical start (36-2) in the [[2015-16 Golden State Warriors season|2015-16 regular season]].

==Transactions==

{{Empty section|date=July 2021}}

==References==
{{reflist}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071121063719/http://www.databasebasketball.com/teams/teamyear.htm?tm=LAL&lg=N&yr=2001 Lakers on Database Basketball]
* [https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/2002.html Lakers on Basketball Reference]

{{Los Angeles Lakers 2001–02 NBA champions}}
{{NBA champions}}
{{Los Angeles Lakers}}
{{Los Angeles Lakers seasons}}
{{2001–02 NBA season by team}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2001-02 Los Angeles Lakers Season}}
[[Category:2001–02 NBA season by team|Los]]
[[Category:NBA championship seasons]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Lakers seasons]]
[[Category:Western Conference (NBA) championship seasons]]
[[Category:2001 in sports in California|Los Angle]]
[[Category:2002 in sports in California|Los Angle]]

2000–01 Los Angeles Lakers season

2023-12-17T03:41:51Z

Rangers00: Add a "Legacy" section

{{Short description|Pro basketball team season (won NBA championship)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{NBA season
| team = Los Angeles Lakers
| end_year = 2001
| DivisionWin = yes
| ConferenceWin = yes
| ChampionshipWin = yes
| wins = 56
| losses = 26
| division = Pacific
| division_place = 1
| conf_place = 2
| coach = [[Phil Jackson]]
| gm = [[Mitch Kupchak]]
| owner = [[Jerry Buss]]
| arena = [[Staples Center]]
| television = [[Bally Sports West|Fox Sports Net West]], [[KCAL-TV|KCAL]]
| radio = [[KLAC|AM 570 KLAC]]
| playoffs = [[2001 NBA Finals|'''NBA Champions''']] (Defeated [[2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers season|76ers]] 4–1)
| bbr_team = LAL
}}
The '''[[2000–01 NBA season]]''' was the Lakers' 53rd season in the [[National Basketball Association]], and 41st in the city of Los Angeles.<ref>[https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/2001.html 2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers]</ref> The Lakers entered the season as the defending NBA champions, having defeated the [[1999-2000 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana Pacers]] in the [[2000 NBA Finals]] in six games, winning their twelfth NBA championship. During the off-season, the Lakers acquired [[Horace Grant]] from the [[1999–2000 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle SuperSonics]].<ref>{{cite news | last = Broussard | first = Chris | title = Knicks Send Ewing to Sonics as 4-Team Deal Ends an Era | work = The New York Times | date = September 21, 2000 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2000/09/21/sports/knicks-send-ewing-to-sonics-as-4-team-deal-ends-an-era.html | access-date = May 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Heisler | first = Mark | title = Lakers Move Forward | work = Los Angeles Times | date = September 21, 2000 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-sep-21-sp-24481-story.html | access-date = August 1, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = One-Horace Town | work = Los Angeles Times | date = December 13, 2000 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-dec-13-sp-64947-story.html | access-date = October 25, 2022}}</ref> Grant won three championships with the [[Chicago Bulls]] in the early 1990s. The team also signed free agent [[Isaiah Rider]], who was released by the [[1999–2000 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks]] during the previous season due to off the court troubles,<ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = PLUS: PRO BASKETBALL; Rider Signs with Lakers | work = The New York Times | date = August 26, 2000 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2000/08/26/sports/plus-pro-basketball-rider-signs-with-lakers.html | access-date = July 23, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Kawakami | first = Tim | title = Lakers Take Flier on Rider | work = Los Angeles Times | date = August 26, 2000 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-aug-26-sp-10740-story.html | access-date = May 29, 2022}}</ref> and signed [[Greg Foster (basketball)|Greg Foster]], who had two NBA Finals appearances with the [[Utah Jazz]].<ref>{{cite news | last = Wise | first = Mike | title = PRO BASKETBALL; West Side Story, the Sequel | work = The New York Times | date = October 30, 2000 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2000/10/30/sports/pro-basketball-west-side-story-the-sequel.html | access-date = July 16, 2022}}</ref> [[Derek Fisher]] only played just 20 games due to a stress fracture in his right foot, which forced him to miss the first 62 games of the regular season.<ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Surgery to Sideline Fisher Up to Six Months | work = Los Angeles Times | date = September 21, 2000 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-sep-21-sp-24506-story.html | access-date = May 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Fisher Rebounds Strong from Broken Foot | work = ESPN | date = May 30, 2001 | url = https://www.espn.com/nba/playoffs2001/2001/0523/1203652.html | access-date = June 17, 2021 }}</ref> The Lakers held a 31–16 record at the All-Star break,<ref>{{cite news | title = NBA Games Played on February 8, 2001 | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/?month=2&day=8&year=2001 | access-date = September 12, 2022}}</ref> and won their final eight games,<ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | title = L.A. Lakers 108, Denver 91 | work = United Press International | date = April 18, 2001 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/04/18/LA-Lakers-108-Denver-91/7769987566400/ | access-date = July 2, 2022}}</ref> finishing the regular season with a 56–26 record, and won the Pacific Division over the rival [[2000–01 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento Kings]] by one game.<ref>{{cite web|title=2000–01 Los Angeles Lakers Schedule and Results|publisher=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/2001_games.html|access-date=June 21, 2021}}</ref>

[[Kobe Bryant]] and [[Shaquille O'Neal]] were both selected for the [[2001 NBA All-Star Game]],<ref>{{cite news | agency = NBA.com Staff | title = 2001 NBA All-Star Recap | work = NBA.com | date = September 13, 2021 | url = https://www.nba.com/news/history-all-star-recap-2001 | access-date = May 14, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = 2001 All-Star Weekend - at Washington: February 9-11 | work = Eskimo North | date = | url = https://www.eskimo.com/~pbender/misc/all-star01.txt | access-date = May 14, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = 2001 NBA All-Star Game: East 111, West 110 | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/allstar/NBA_2001.html | access-date = November 24, 2021}}</ref> but O'Neal did not play due to a foot injury.<ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = O'Neal's Injury May Be a Real Pain | work = Los Angeles Times | date = January 29, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jan-29-sp-18539-story.html?_amp=true | access-date = January 11, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Foot Injury Sidelines Shaq Again | work = ESPN | date = January 30, 2001 | url = https://www.espn.com/nba/news/2001/0130/1050858.html | access-date = November 26, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = O'Neal Injury Improves Marginally | work = Los Angeles Times | date = January 31, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jan-31-sp-19275-story.html | access-date = October 19, 2022}}</ref> The Lakers clinched the #2 seed in the [[2001 NBA Playoffs|playoffs]]. O’Neal averaged 28.7 points, 12.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game, and was named to the All-NBA First Team, while Bryant averaged 28.5 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team. In addition, Fisher provided the team with 11.5 points and 4.4 assists per game, while [[Rick Fox]] contributed 9.6 points per game, and Grant provided with 8.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.<ref name="roster">{{cite web|title=2000–01 Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats|publisher=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/2001.html|access-date=June 21, 2021}}</ref> Both O'Neal and Bryant were also selected to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, as O'Neal finished in third place in [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player]] voting with 7 first-place votes.<ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Clifton | title = PRO BASKETBALL; 76ers' Fans Called It: Iverson Is Most Valuable Player | work = The New York Times | date = May 16, 2001 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/16/sports/pro-basketball-76ers-fans-called-it-iverson-is-most-valuable-player.html | access-date = May 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = MVP Runaway Is Special to Iverson | work = Los Angeles Times | date = May 16, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-may-16-sp-64210-story.html | access-date = July 13, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = 2000–01 NBA Awards Voting | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_2001.html | access-date = October 16, 2021}}</ref>

In the playoffs, the Lakers swept the [[2000–01 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland Trail Blazers]] in three straight games in the Western Conference First Round,<ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = A Sweeping Giant | work = Los Angeles Times | date = April 30, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-apr-30-sp-57549-story.html | access-date = May 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Lakers Demonstrate Dominance | work = Deseret News | date = April 30, 2001 | url = https://www.deseret.com/2001/4/30/19583661/lakers-demonstrate-dominance | access-date = November 26, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | title = L.A. Lakers 99, Portland 86 | work = United Press International | date = April 29, 2001 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/04/29/LA-Lakers-99-Portland-86/6953988516800/ | access-date = June 3, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = 2001 NBA Western Conference First Round: Trail Blazers vs. Lakers | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2001-nba-western-conference-first-round-trail-blazers-vs-lakers.html | access-date = May 14, 2023}}</ref> swept the 3rd-seeded Kings in four straight games in the Western Conference Semi-finals,<ref>{{cite news | last = Wise | first = Mike | title = PRO BASKETBALL; O'Neal Gives Kings' Fans False Hope | work = The New York Times | date = May 14, 2001 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/14/sports/pro-basketball-o-neal-gives-kings-fans-false-hope.html | access-date = May 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = Kobe Lowers Broom | work = Los Angeles Times | date = May 14, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-may-14-sp-63364-story.html | access-date = May 30, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | title = L.A. Lakers 119, Sacramento 113 | work = United Press International | date = May 13, 2001 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/05/13/LA-Lakers-119-Sacramento-113/7313989726400/ | access-date = November 26, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = 2001 NBA Western Conference Semifinals: Kings vs. Lakers | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2001-nba-western-conference-semifinals-kings-vs-lakers.html | access-date = May 14, 2023}}</ref> then swept the top–seeded [[2000–01 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio Spurs]] also in four straight games in the Western Conference Finals.<ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Lakers Sweep Spurs for Spot in N.B.A. Finals | work = The New York Times | date = May 27, 2001 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2001/05/27/sports/lakers-sweep-spurs-for-spot-in-nba-finals.html | access-date = May 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Adande | first = J.A. | title = After This Laker Domination, Rest Is History | work = Los Angeles Times | date = May 28, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-may-28-sp-3603-story.html | access-date = May 29, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | title = L.A. Lakers 111, San Antonio 82 | work = United Press International | date = May 28, 2001 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/05/28/LA-Lakers-111-San-Antonio-82/9340991022400/ | access-date = November 26, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = 2001 NBA Western Conference Finals: Lakers vs. Spurs | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2001-nba-western-conference-finals-lakers-vs-spurs.html | access-date = May 14, 2023}}</ref> They went on to win the [[2001 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]], 4–1 against regular season MVP [[Allen Iverson]] and the [[2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]], earning the franchise its 13th NBA championship. O'Neal was named Finals MVP for the second straight year.<ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Lakers Beat Sixers to Win N.B.A. Title | work = The New York Times | date = June 15, 2001 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/15/sports/lakers-beat-sixers-to-win-nba-title.html | access-date = May 27, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Lakers Capture NBA Crown | work = CBS News | date = June 15, 2001 | url = https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lakers-capture-nba-crown/ | access-date = May 14, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = Baq to Baq | work = Los Angeles Times | date = June 16, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jun-16-ss-11272-story.html | access-date = August 22, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = | first = | title = L.A. Lakers 108, Philadelphia 96 | work = United Press International | date = June 16, 2001 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/06/16/LA-Lakers-108-Philadelphia-96/1111992664000/ | access-date = July 2, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = 2001 NBA Finals: 76ers vs. Lakers | work = Basketball-Reference | date = | url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/2001-nba-finals-76ers-vs-lakers.html | access-date = May 14, 2023}}</ref> It was the second of the Lakers' [[three-peat]] championships to begin the millennium. The Lakers would finish with the then-best postseason record in NBA history, posting a 15–1 record, suffering their only loss in a Game 1 overtime home loss to the 76ers in the NBA Finals, 107–101.<ref>{{cite news | last = Wise | first = Mike | title = PRO BASKETBALL; Throw Away the Brooms: Sixers Stun Lakers | work = The New York Times | date = June 7, 2001 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/07/sports/pro-basketball-throw-away-the-brooms-sixers-stun-lakers.html | access-date = December 31, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = Lakers Let Very Big One Get Away as 76ers End Streak at 19 | work = Los Angeles Times | date = June 7, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jun-07-ss-7651-story.html | access-date = May 29, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Wilbon | first = Michael | title = Iverson's Ablaze | newspaper = The Washington Post | date = June 7, 2001 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2001/06/07/iversons-ablaze/59f8f5e2-5980-4d69-aeb2-4032fedaed29/ | access-date = November 26, 2022}}</ref> That record would last for 16 years until the [[2016–17 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]] went 16–1 in the [[2017 NBA Playoffs|2017 playoffs]].<ref>{{cite news | title = Ranking the 10 Best NBA Playoff Runs Ever | work = Bleacher Report | date = | url = https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2894314-ranking-the-10-best-nba-playoff-runs-ever | access-date = July 23, 2021}}</ref>

Following the season, Grant re-signed as a free agent with his former team, the [[2001–02 Orlando Magic season|Orlando Magic]],<ref>{{cite news | last = Schmitz | first = Brian | title = Grant Set to Rejoin Magic | work = Orlando Sentinel | date = July 18, 2001 | url = https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-xpm-2001-07-18-0107180278-story.html | access-date = July 13, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Magic Adds Grant, Size | work = Tampa Bay Times | date = July 20, 2001 | url = https://www.tampabay.com/archive/2001/07/20/magic-adds-grant-size/ | accessdate = July 23, 2021}}</ref> while Rider signed with the [[2001–02 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]],<ref>{{cite news | last = Services | first = Wire | title = Rider Gets Cut Quickly by Nuggets | work = Los Angeles Times | date = November 21, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-nov-21-sp-6774-story.html | access-date = October 19, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Nuggets Waive Isiah Rider | work = United Press International | date = November 20, 2001 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/11/20/Nuggets-waive-Isiah-Rider/7381006232400/ | access-date = January 11, 2022}}</ref> [[Tyronn Lue]] signed with the [[2001–02 Washington Wizards season|Washington Wizards]],<ref>{{cite news | last = Wyche | first = Steve | title = Wizards Get Closer to Lue | newspaper = The Washington Post | date = July 4, 2001 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2001/07/04/wizards-get-closer-to-lue/1fc53002-6abb-469a-97f5-23c4e1bb7957/ | access-date = October 25, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | title = Free Agent Lue Signs with Wizards | work = United Press International | date = July 18, 2001 | url = https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/07/18/Free-agent-Lue-signs-with-Wizards/9792995428800/ | access-date = January 22, 2022}}</ref> Foster was traded to the [[2001–02 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]],<ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = Trade to L.A. Lifts Hunter Out of Funk | work = Los Angeles Times | date = July 3, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-jul-03-sp-18156-story.html | access-date = October 25, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | title = Lakers Trade Foster for Hunter | work = Deseret News | date = June 29, 2001 | url = https://www.deseret.com/platform/amp/2001/6/29/19593847/lakers-trade-foster-for-hunter | access-date = July 16, 2022}}</ref> and [[Ron Harper]], who only played just 47 games due to knee injuries, retired.<ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = Harper Scheduled for Knee Surgery | work = Los Angeles Times | date = March 21, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-mar-21-sp-40593-story.html | access-date = October 25, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last = Brown | first = Tim | title = Harper's Not the Retiring Type Yet | work = Los Angeles Times | date = April 25, 2001 | url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-apr-25-sp-56070-story.html | access-date = July 27, 2021}}</ref>

==Draft picks==
{{main|2000 NBA draft}}
{| class="wikitable sortable sortable"
! style="background:#5c2f83; color:#fcb926" width="10%"| Round
! style="background:#5c2f83; color:#fcb926" width="10%"| Pick
! style="background:#5c2f83; color:#fcb926" width="20%"| Player
! style="background:#5c2f83; color:#fcb926" width="15%"| Position
! style="background:#5c2f83; color:#fcb926" width="15%"| Nationality
! style="background:#5c2f83; color:#fcb926" width="20%"| College
|-
| 1
| 29
| [[Mark Madsen (basketball)|Mark Madsen]]
| PF
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[Stanford Cardinal|Stanford]]
|-
|}

==Roster==
{{NBA roster header|team=Los Angeles Lakers|season=2000–01}}

{{player2 | num = 8 | first = Kobe | last = Bryant | pos = G/F | ft = 6 | in = 6 | lbs = 205 | DOB = 1978–08–23 | school = [[Lower Merion High School|Lower Merion HS]]}}
{{player2 | num = 2 | first = Derek | last = Fisher | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 1 | lbs = 210 | DOB = 1974–08–09 | college = Little Rock}}
{{player2 | num = 40 | first = Greg | last = Foster | dab = basketball | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 11 | lbs = 240 | DOB = 1968–10–03 | college = UTEP}}
{{player2 | num = 17 | first = Rick | last = Fox | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 7 | lbs = 230 | DOB = 1969–07–24 | college = North Carolina}}
{{player2 | num = 3 | first = Devean | last = George | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 8 |lbs = 235 | DOB = 1977–08–29 | college = Augsburg}}
{{player2 | num = 54 | first = Horace | last = Grant | pos = F/C | ft = 6 | in = 10 | lbs = 245 | DOB = 1965–07–04 | college = Clemson}}
{{player2 | num = 4 | first = Ron | last = Harper | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 6 | lbs = 185 | DOB = 1964–01–20 | college = Miami (OH)}}
{{player2 | num = 5 | first = Robert | last = Horry | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 10 | lbs = 240 | DOB = 1970–08–25 | college = Alabama}}
{{player2 | num = 10 | first = Tyronn | last = Lue | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 0 | lbs = 175 | DOB = 1977–05–03 | college = Nebraska}}
{{player2 | num = 35 | first = Mark | last = Madsen | dab = basketball| pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 9 | lbs = 240 | DOB = 1976–01–28 | college = Stanford}}
{{player2 | num = 14 | first = Slava | last = Medvedenko | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 10 | lbs = 253 | DOB = 1979–04–04 | from = Ukraine}}
{{player2 | num = 34 | first = Shaquille | last = O'Neal | pos = C | ft = 7 | in = 1 | lbs = 325 | DOB = 1972–03–06 | college = LSU}}
{{player2 | num = 12 | first = Mike | last = Penberthy | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 3 | lbs = 180 | DOB = 1974–11–29 | school = The Master's College}}
{{player2 | num = 7 | first = Isaiah | last = Rider | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 5 | lbs = 215 | DOB = 1971–03–12 | college = UNLV}}
{{player2 | num = 20 | first = Brian | last = Shaw | dab = basketball | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 6 | lbs = 190 | DOB = 1966–03–22 | college = UC Santa Barbara}}

{{NBA roster footer
| head_coach =
* [[Phil Jackson]]
| asst_coach =
* [[Bill Bertka]]
* [[Jim Cleamons]]
* [[Frank Hamblen]]
* [[Tex Winter]]
| roster_url = https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/2001.html
| accessdate = October 2, 2000
}}

==Regular season==

===Season standings===
{{2000–01 NBA Pacific standings|team=LAL}}
{{2000–01 NBA West standings|team=LAL}}

===Record vs. opponents===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"
|-
!colspan=30|2000–01 NBA records
|-
!width=100|Team
!style="background:#FF0000;color:#FFFFFF;width=35"|ATL
!style="background:#006400;color:#FFFFFF;width=35"|BOS
!style="background:#008080;color:#800080;width=35"|CHA
!style="background:#FF0000;color:#000000;width=35"|CHI
!style="background:#000000;color:#5787DC;width=35"|CLE
!style="background:#00008B;color:#008000;width=35"|DAL
!style="background:#141A44;color:#BC2224;width=35"|DEN
!style="background:#0C7674;color:#BB222C;width=35"|DET
!style="background:#072E63;color:#DC5A34;width=35"|GSW
!style="background:#002366;color:#FF0000;width=35"|HOU
!style="background:#000080;color:#FFD700;width=35"|IND
!style="background:#F9160D;color:#1A2E8B;width=35"|LAC
!style="background:#800080;color:#FFD700;width=35"|LAL
!style="background:#000000;color:#8B0000;width=35"|MIA
!style="background:#00471B;color:#5C378A;width=35"|MIL
!style="background:#044D80;color:#000000;width=35"|MIN
!style="background:#12305B;color:#C4CED4;width=35"|NJN
!style="background:#0000FF;color:#FF8C00;width=35"|NYK
!style="background:#0000FF;color:#000000;width=35"|ORL
!style="background:#000000;color:#BB9754;width=35"|PHI
!style="background:#800080;color:#FF4500;width=35"|PHO
!style="background:#000000;color:#FF0000;width=35"|POR
!style="background:#6846A8;color:#FFFFFF;width=35"|SAC
!style="background:#000000;color:#C0C0C0;width=35"|SAS
!style="background:#005831;color:#992634;width=35"|SEA
!style="background:#7436BF;color:#BE0F34;width=35"|TOR
!style="background:#644A9C;color:#149BC7;width=35"|UTA
!style="background:#000000;color:#0CB2AC;width=35"|VAN
!style="background:#044D7D;color:#BC7A44;width=35"|WAS
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta]]
|| – || 1–3 || 0–4 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 0–4 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 0–3 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 0–3 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 2–2
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
|| 3–1 || – || 0–4 || 2–1 || 2–1 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 4–0 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 0–4 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 3–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Charlotte Hornets season|Charlotte]]
|| 4–0 || 4–0 || – || 3–1 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 4–0 || 1–2 || 2–1 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–2
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
|| 2–2 || 1–2 || 1–3 || – || 1–3 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 2–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
|| 2–2 || 1–2 || 2–2 || 3–1 || – || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 3–0 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–4 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–2
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
|| 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 1–1 || – || 3–1 || 1–1 || 4–0 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 4–0 || 0–4 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 2–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
|| 1–1 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–3 || – || 1–1 || 4–0 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 0–4 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 4–0 || 1–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
|| 4–0 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 4–0 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || – || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–4 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 4–0 || 1–2 || 2–2 || 0–4 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–2
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]
|| 0–2 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 0–4 || 0–4 || 1–1 || – || 1–3 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 0–4 || 0–4 || 0–4 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 0–2
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
|| 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 2–0 || 3–1 || – || 2–0 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 0–4 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 4–0 || 2–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]]
|| 2–2 || 3–1 || 1–3 || 4–0 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || – || 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–2 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 0–3 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 4–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Los Angeles Clippers season|L.A. Clippers]]
|| 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 0–4 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 0–2 || – || 1–3 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 0–4 || 0–4 || 1–1 || 0–4 || 2–2 || 1–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | L.A. Lakers
|| 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 4–0 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 3–1 || – || 1–1 || 0–2 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 0–4 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 4–0 || 2–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Miami Heat season|Miami]]
|| 3–0 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 4–0 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || – || 1–2 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 2–3 || 3–1 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 4–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]
|| 3–1 || 3–1 || 1–3 || 4–0 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–1 || – || 0–2 || 4–0 || 1–2 || 4–0 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 3–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
|| 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 2–0 || – || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 1–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
|| 3–1 || 0–4 || 0–4 || 2–2 || 0–3 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 0–4 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 0–4 || 1–1 || – || 2–2 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 3–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 New York Knicks season|New York]]
|| 2–2 || 3–1 || 2–1 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–1 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 3–2 || 2–1 || 2–0 || 2–2 || – || 3–1 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 4–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Orlando Magic season|Orlando]]
|| 3–1 || 3–1 || 1–2 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 0–4 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 1–3 || – || 3–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–1 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 3–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
|| 3–0 || 4–0 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 4–0 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 4–0 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 3–0 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 1–3 || – || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 4–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
|| 2–0 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 4–0 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || – || 3–1 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 1–1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
|| 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 4–0 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–3 || – || 1–3 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 2–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
|| 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 4–0 || 4–0 || 0–2 || 3–1 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 3–1 || – || 2–2 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 4–0 || 2–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
|| 2–0 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 4–0 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 4–0 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 3–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 2–2 || – || 3–1 || 1–1 || 4–0 || 4–0 || 2–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle]]
|| 1–1 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 4–0 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 4–0 || 4–0 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 2–2 || 1–3 || – || 0–2 || 0–4 || 3–1 || 2–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Toronto Raptors season|Toronto]]
|| 2–2 || 3–1 || 1–3 || 4–0 || 4–0 || 0–2 || 2–0 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 4–0 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 2–1 || 3–1 || 1–2 || 3–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 2–0 || – || 1–1 || 2–0 || 4–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
|| 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 3–1 || 3–1 || 2–0 || 4–0 || 2–2 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 2–2 || 1–3 || 1–3 || 4–0 || 1–3 || 0–2 || – || 4–0 || 2–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Vancouver Grizzlies season|Vancouver]]
|| 1–1 || 2–0 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 0–4 || 1–1 || 3–1 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 2–2 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 0–4 || 0–4 || 1–3 || 0–2 || 0–4 || – || 2–0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" | [[2000–01 Washington Wizards season|Washington]]
|| 2–2 || 1–3 || 2–2 || 1–2 || 2–2 || 0–2 || 1–1 || 2–1 || 2–0 || 0–2 || 0–4 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–4 || 1–3 || 1–1 || 1–3 || 0–4 || 1–3 || 0–4 || 1–1 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–2 || 0–4 || 0–2 || 0–2 || —
|}

==Game log==
===Pre-season===
{{NBA game log start|Los Angeles Lakers|preseason=yes|end_year=2001|record=Total: 3–5}}
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|Preseason|first=yes
| wins = 3
| losses = 5
}}
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 1
| October 11
| [[2000-01 Charlotte Hornets season|Charlotte]]
| [https://assets.espn.go.com/nba/2001/20001011/recap/chalal.html L 90-103]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (19)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (9)
| [[Tyronn Lue]] (5)
| [[Lakefront Arena]] (New Orleans, LA) 16,994
| 0-1
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 2
| October 12
| [[2000-01 Washington Wizards season|Washington]]
| [https://assets.espn.go.com/nba/2001/20001012/boxscore/waslal.html L 87-90]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (19)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (6)
| [[Shawn Respert]] (4)
| [[Pyramid Arena]] (Memphis, TN) 16,529
| 0-2
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 3
| October 17
| [[2000-01 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| [https://assets.espn.go.com/nba/2001/20001017/boxscore/pholal.html L 78-86]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (28)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (10)
| [[Isaiah Rider]] (4)
| [[Arrowhead Pond]] (Anaheim, CA) 16,512
| 0-3
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 4
| October 19
| [[2000-01 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| [https://assets.espn.go.com/nba/2001/20001019/boxscore/clelal.html L 84-91]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (18)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (8)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (4)
| [[Staples Center]] 15,717
| 0-4
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 5
| October 20
| [[2000-01 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle]]
| [https://assets.espn.go.com/nba/2001/20001020/boxscore/sealal.html W 103-98]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (22)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (19)
| [[Rick Fox|Fox]] & [[Isaiah Rider|Rider]] (4)
| [[Staples Center]] 15,570
| 1-4
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 6
| October 22
| [[2000-01 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]
| [https://assets.espn.go.com/nba/2001/20001022/boxscore/gswlal.html W 94-87]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (25)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (10)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (5)
| [[San Diego Sports Arena]] (San Diego, CA) 13,252
| 2-4
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 7
| October 23
| [[2000-01 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://assets.espn.go.com/nba/2001/20001023/boxscore/saclal.html L 111-118]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (29)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (10)
| [[Ron Harper]] (4)
| [[Thomas & Mack Center]] (Las Vegas, NV) 17,561
| 2-5
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 8
| October 26
| @ [[2000-01 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| [https://assets.espn.go.com/nba/2001/20001026/boxscore/lalpho.html W 98-84]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (22)
| [[Horace Grant]] (11)
| [[Rick Fox]] (7)
| [[American West Arena]] 17,308
| 3-5
{{NBA game log end|lal|end_year=2001}}

===Regular season===
{{NBA game log start|Los Angeles Lakers|end_year=2001|record=Total: 56–26 (Home: 31–10; Road: 25–16)}}
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|October|first=yes
| home_wins = 0
| home_losses = 0
| road_wins = 1
| road_losses = 0
}}
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 1
| October 31
| @ [[2000–01 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200010310POR.html W 96–86]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (36)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Ron Harper]] (6)
| [[Rose Garden Arena|Rose Garden]] 20,270
| 1–0
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|November|
| home_wins = 7
| home_losses = 1
| road_wins = 3
| road_losses = 4
}}
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 2
| November 1
| [[2000–01 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011010LAL.html L 92–97]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (34)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| [[Isaiah Rider]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 1–1
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 3
| November 4
| @ [[2000–01 Vancouver Grizzlies season|Vancouver]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011040VAN.html W 98–89]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (27)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| 3 players tied (5)
| [[General Motors Place]] 18,183
| 2–1
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 4
| November 5
| [[2000–01 Los Angeles Clippers season|L.A. Clippers]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011050LAL.html W 108–103]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (39)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (14)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 3–1
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 5
| November 7
| @ [[2000–01 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011070HOU.html L 74–84]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (24)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (7)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (5)
| [[Compaq Center (Houston)|Compaq Center]] 14,473
| 3–2
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 6
| November 8
| @ [[2000–01 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011080SAS.html L 81–91]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (32)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (17)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (8)
| [[Alamodome]] 26,065
| 3–3
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 7
| November 12
| [[2000–01 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011120LAL.html W 105–99]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (37)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (10)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (4)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 4–3
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 8
| November 14
| [[2000–01 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011140LAL.html W 119–103]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (34)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (19)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (9)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 5–3
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 9
| November 16
| @ [[2000–01 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011160SAC.html W 112–110 (OT)]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (33)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (16)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (9)
| [[ARCO Arena]] 17,317
| 6–3
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 10
| November 18
| @ [[2000–01 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011180DEN.html L 86–87]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (32)
| [[Horace Grant]] (12)
| 4 players tied (4)
| [[Pepsi Center]] 19,513
| 6–4
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 11
| November 19
| [[2000–01 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011190LAL.html W 104–96]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (22)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (12)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 7–4
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 12
| November 22
| [[2000–01 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011220LAL.html W 111–91]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (31)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (14)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,208
| 8–4
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 13
| November 24
| [[2000–01 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011240LAL.html W 115–108]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (29)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (16)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 9–4
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 14
| November 27
| @ [[2000–01 Los Angeles Clippers season|L.A. Clippers]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011270LAC.html W 98–83]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (29)
| 3 players tied (7)
| [[Rick Fox]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 20,039
| 10–4
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 15
| November 28
| [[2000–01 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana Pacers]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011280LAL.html W 124–107]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (37)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (14)
| [[Rick Fox|Fox]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 11–4
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 16
| November 30
| @ [[2000–01 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200011300SEA.html L 88–121]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (23)
| [[Horace Grant]] (9)
| [[Rick Fox]] (5)
| [[KeyArena]] 17,072
| 11–5
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|December|
| home_wins = 5
| home_losses = 3
| road_wins = 6
| road_losses = 2
}}
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 17
| December 1
| [[2000–01 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012010LAL.html W 109–100]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (43)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (16)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Shaw]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 12–5
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 18
| December 3
| [[2000–01 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012030LAL.html W 99–97]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (38)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (14)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 13–5
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 19
| December 5
| [[2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012050LAL.html W 96–85]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (36)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (20)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 14–5
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 20
| December 6
| @ [[2000–01 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012060GSW.html L 122–125 (OT)]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (51)
| [[Ron Harper|Harper]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (10)
| [[Ron Harper]] (10)
| [[The Arena in Oakland]] 19,273
| 14–6
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 21
| December 8
| [[2000–01 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012080LAL.html L 95–103]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (26)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (17)
| [[Horace Grant|Grant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 14–7
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 22
| December 10
| [[2000–01 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012100LAL.html W 112–88]
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (26)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (12)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Rick Fox|Fox]] (9)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 15–7
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 23
| December 12
| [[2000–01 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012120LAL.html L 105–109]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (26)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (17)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 15–8
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 24
| December 13
| @ [[2000–01 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012130POR.html L 86–96]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (35)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (13)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[Rose Garden Arena|Rose Garden]] 20,491
| 15–9
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 25
| December 15
| [[2000–01 Vancouver Grizzlies season|Vancouver]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012150LAL.html W 98–76]
| [[Horace Grant]] (19)
| [[Horace Grant]] (13)
| [[Horace Grant|Grant]] & [[Ron Harper|Harper]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,211
| 16–9
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 26
| December 17
| @ [[2000–01 Toronto Raptors season|Toronto]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012170TOR.html W 104–101 (OT)]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (40)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (8)
| [[Rick Fox]] (5)
| [[Air Canada Centre]] 19,800
| 17–9
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 27
| December 19
| @ [[2000–01 Miami Heat season|Miami]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012190MIA.html W 81–79]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (23)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (14)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[American Airlines Arena]] 19,600
| 18–9
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 28
| December 21
| @ [[2000–01 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012210HOU.html W 99–94]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (45)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (12)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (7)
| [[Compaq Center (Houston)|Compaq Center]] 16,285
| 19–9
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 29
| December 22
| @ [[2000–01 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012220DAL.html W 108–103]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (35)
| [[Rick Fox]] (12)
| [[Isaiah Rider]] (5)
| [[Reunion Arena]] 18,201
| 20–9
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 30
| December 25
| [[2000–01 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012250LAL.html L 104–109]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (32)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 20–10
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 31
| December 28
| @ [[2000–01 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012280PHO.html W 115–78]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (38)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (4)
| [[America West Arena]] 19,023
| 21–10
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 32
| December 30
| @ [[2000–01 Los Angeles Clippers season|L.A. Clippers]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200012300LAC.html W 116–114 (OT)]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (29)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| [[Rick Fox]] (9)
| [[Staples Center]] 20,327
| 22–10
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|January|
| home_wins = 5
| home_losses = 2
| road_wins = 1
| road_losses = 4
}}
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 33
| January 3
| [[2000–01 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101030LAL.html W 82–71]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (31)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (17)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Rick Fox|Fox]] (4)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 23–10
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 34
| January 7
| [[2000–01 Los Angeles Clippers season|L.A. Clippers]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101070LAL.html L 95–118]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (33)
| [[Horace Grant]] (10)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 23–11
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 35
| January 12
| [[2000–01 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101120LAL.html W 101–98]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (34)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (23)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Shaw]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 24–11
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 36
| January 13
| @ [[2000–01 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101130UTA.html L 103–111]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (30)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (12)
| [[Ron Harper|Harper]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (5)
| [[Delta Center]] 19,911
| 24–12
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 37
| January 15
| [[2000–01 Vancouver Grizzlies season|Vancouver]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101150LAL.html W 113–112 (OT)]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (31)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (11)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,318
| 25–12
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 38
| January 19
| [[2000–01 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101190LAL.html W 114–101]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (41)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 26–12
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 39
| January 21
| [[2000–01 Miami Heat season|Miami]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101210LAL.html L 92–103]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (34)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (8)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (3)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 26–13
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 40
| January 23
| @ [[2000–01 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101230SEA.html L 80–91]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (29)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (9)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (5)
| [[KeyArena]] 17,072
| 26–14
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 41
| January 26
| [[2000–01 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101260LAL.html W 113–101]
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (26)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (9)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (8)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 27–14
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 42
| January 28
| @ [[2000–01 New York Knicks season|New York]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101280NYK.html L 81–91]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (33)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Robert Horry|Horry]] (11)
| [[Tyronn Lue]] (4)
| [[Madison Square Garden]] 19,763
| 27–15
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 43
| January 30
| @ [[2000–01 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101300CLE.html W 102–96]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (47)
| [[Horace Grant]] (14)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Ron Harper|Harper]] (3)
| [[Gund Arena]] 20,253
| 28–15
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 44
| January 31
| @ [[2000–01 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200101310MIN.html L 83–96]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (24)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (9)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Robert Horry|Horry]] (5)
| [[Target Center]] 19,006
| 28–16
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|February|
| home_wins = 5
| home_losses = 0
| road_wins = 4
| road_losses = 3
}}
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 45
| February 2
| [[2000–01 Charlotte Hornets season|Charlotte]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102020LAL.html W 93–87]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (44)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (9)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (4)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,710
| 29–16
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 46
| February 4
| [[2000–01 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102040LAL.html W 100–94]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (26)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (11)
| [[Rick Fox|Fox]] & [[Horace Grant|Grant]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 30–16
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 47
| February 7
| [[2000–01 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102070LAL.html W 85–83]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (32)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (8)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (9)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 31–16
|- align="center"
|colspan="9" bgcolor="#bbcaff"|'''[[2001 NBA All-Star Game|All-Star Break]]'''
|- style="background:#cfc;"
|- bgcolor="#bbffbb"
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 48
| February 13
| @ [[2000–01 New Jersey Nets season|New Jersey]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102130NJN.html W 113–110 (OT)]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (38)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (14)
| [[Rick Fox|Fox]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (6)
| [[Continental Airlines Arena]] 20,049
| 32–16
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 49
| February 14
| @ [[2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102140PHI.html L 97–112]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (29)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[First Union Center]] 21,005
| 32–17
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 50
| February 16
| @ [[2000–01 Charlotte Hornets season|Charlotte]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102160CHH.html W 99–94]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (38)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (12)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (10)
| [[Charlotte Coliseum]] 19,925
| 33–17
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 51
| February 18
| @ [[2000–01 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102180IND.html L 109–110]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (35)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (9)
| [[Conseco Fieldhouse]] 18,345
| 33–18
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 52
| February 20
| @ [[2000–01 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102200DAL.html W 119–109]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (29)
| [[Horace Grant]] (12)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[Reunion Arena]] 18,287
| 34–18
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 53
| February 21
| @ [[2000–01 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102210SAS.html W 101–99]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (22)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (10)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (7)
| [[Alamodome]] 29,849
| 35–18
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 54
| February 23
| [[2000–01 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102230LAL.html W 113–106]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (30)
| [[Robert Horry|Horry]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (8)
| [[Rick Fox|Fox]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (8)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 36–18
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 55
| February 25
| [[2000–01 Orlando Magic season|Orlando]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102250LAL.html W 106–100]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (37)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (19)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (6)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 37–18
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 56
| February 28
| @ [[2000–01 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200102280DEN.html L 101–107]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (38)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Rick Fox]] (8)
| [[Pepsi Center]] 19,566
| 37–19
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|March|
| home_wins = 5
| home_losses = 3
| road_wins = 6
| road_losses = 3
}}
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 57
| March 3
| @ [[2000–01 Vancouver Grizzlies season|Vancouver]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103030VAN.html W 98–88]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (34)
| [[Horace Grant]] (15)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (9)
| [[General Motors Place]] 19,193
| 38–19
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 58
| March 4
| [[2000–01 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103040LAL.html W 110–95]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (26)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 39–19
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 59
| March 6
| @ [[2000–01 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103060GSW.html W 97–85]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (29)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (17)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (9)
| [[The Arena in Oakland]] 20,181
| 40–19
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 60
| March 7
| [[2000–01 Toronto Raptors season|Toronto]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103070LAL.html W 97–85]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (29)
| 3 players tied (10)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Shaw]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 41–19
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 61
| March 9
| [[2000–01 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103090LAL.html L 89–93 (OT)]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (38)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (16)
| 4 players tied (2)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 41–20
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 62
| March 11
| [[2000–01 Seattle SuperSonics season|Seattle]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103110LAL.html L 97–109 (OT)]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (29)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (10)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 41–21
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 63
| March 13
| [[2000–01 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103130LAL.html W 112–107]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (28)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (12)
| [[Derek Fisher]] (8)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 42–21
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 64
| March 15
| @ [[2000–01 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103150DET.html W 125–119 (OT)]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (39)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (10)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[The Palace of Auburn Hills]] 22,076
| 43–21
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 65
| March 16
| @ [[2000–01 Washington Wizards season|Washington]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103160WAS.html W 101–89]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (26)
| [[Robert Horry]] (9)
| [[Derek Fisher]] (6)
| [[MCI Center]] 20,674
| 44–21
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 66
| March 18
| @ [[2000–01 Orlando Magic season|Orlando]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103180ORL.html W 95–90]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (33)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (17)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[TD Waterhouse Centre]] 17,248
| 45–21
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 67
| March 19
| @ [[2000–01 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103190ATL.html L 106–108]
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] (27)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (13)
| [[Derek Fisher]] (6)
| [[Philips Arena]] 17,248
| 45–22
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 68
| March 21
| @ [[2000–01 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103210MIL.html L 100–107]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (36)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (13)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (8)
| [[Bradley Center]] 18,717
| 45–23
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 69
| March 23
| [[2000–01 Washington Wizards season|Washington]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103230LAL.html W 104–91]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (40)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (17)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (8)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 46–23
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 70
| March 25
| @ [[2000–01 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103250SAC.html W 84–72]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (23)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| [[Rick Fox|Fox]] & [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Shaw]] (4)
| [[ARCO Arena]] 17,317
| 47–23
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 71
| March 26
| @ [[2000–01 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103260PHO.html L 83–104]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (27)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (12)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal|O'Neal]] & [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Shaw]] (3)
| [[America West Arena]] 19,023
| 47–24
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 72
| March 28
| [[2000–01 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103280LAL.html L 84–108]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (33)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Rick Fox]] (8)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 47–25
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 73
| March 30
| [[2000–01 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200103300LAL.html W 98–89]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (35)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (13)
| [[Rick Fox]] (8)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 48–25
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|April|
| home_wins = 4
| home_losses = 1
| road_wins = 4
| road_losses = 0
}}
|- style="background:#fcc;"
| 74
| April 1
| [[2000–01 New York Knicks season|New York]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104010LAL.html L 78–79]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (31)
| [[Horace Grant]] (12)
| [[Rick Fox]] (4)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 48–26
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 75
| April 3
| @ [[2000–01 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104030UTA.html W 96–88]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (31)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| 3 players tied (5)
| [[Delta Center]] 19,911
| 49–26
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 76
| April 5
| @ [[2000–01 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104050CHI.html W 100–88]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (39)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (10)
| [[Derek Fisher]] (7)
| [[United Center]] 23,217
| 50–26
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 77
| April 6
| @ [[2000–01 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104060BOS.html W 100–96]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (39)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (14)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (9)
| [[FleetCenter (Boston)|FleetCenter]] 18,624
| 51–26
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 78
| April 8
| @ [[2000–01 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104080MIN.html W 104–99]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (34)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (7)
| [[Target Center]] 20,099
| 52–26
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 79
| April 10
| [[2000–01 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104100LAL.html W 106–80]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (32)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (13)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (10)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 53–26
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 80
| April 12
| [[2000–01 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104120LAL.html W 119–102]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (31)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (12)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (9)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 54–26
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 81
| April 15
| [[2000–01 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104150LAL.html W 105–100]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (33)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (18)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 55–26
|- style="background:#cfc;"
| 82
| April 17
| [[2000–01 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104170LAL.html W 108–91]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (33)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (13)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 56–26
{{NBA game log end|lal|end_year=2001}}

===Playoffs===

{{NBA game log start|Los Angeles Lakers|playoffs=yes|end_year=2001|record=Total: 15–1 (Home: 7–1; Road: 8–0)}}
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|First round|first=yes|playoffs=yes|show=no
| home_wins = 2
| home_losses = 0
| road_wins = 1
| road_losses = 0
}}
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 1
| April 22
| [[2000–01 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104220LAL.html W 106–93]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (28)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (20)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 1–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 2
| April 26
| [[2000–01 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104260LAL.html W 106–88]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (32)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (12)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 2–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 3
| April 29
| @ [[2000–01 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200104290POR.html W 99–86]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (25)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (15)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (9)
| [[Rose Garden Arena|Rose Garden]] 20,580
| 3–0
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|Conference Semi-finals|playoffs=yes|show=no
| home_wins = 2
| home_losses = 0
| road_wins = 2
| road_losses = 0
}}
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 1
| May 6
| [[2000–01 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200105060LAL.html W 108–105]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (44)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (21)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 1–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 2
| May 8
| [[2000–01 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200105080LAL.html W 96–90]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (43)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (20)
| [[Rick Fox]] (7)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 2–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 3
| May 11
| @ [[2000–01 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200105110SAC.html W 103–81]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (36)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (18)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (6)
| [[ARCO Arena]] 17,317
| 3–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 4
| May 13
| @ [[2000–01 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200105130SAC.html W 119–113]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (48)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (16)
| [[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]] (5)
| [[ARCO Arena]] 17,317
| 4–0
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|Conference Finals|playoffs=yes|show=no
| home_wins = 2
| home_losses = 0
| road_wins = 2
| road_losses = 0
}}
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 1
| May 19
| @ [[2000–01 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200105190SAS.html W 104–90]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (45)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (11)
| [[Horace Grant]] (6)
| [[Alamodome]] 36,068
| 1–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 2
| May 21
| @ [[2000–01 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200105210SAS.html W 88–81]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (28)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (14)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (6)
| [[Alamodome]] 35,574
| 2–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 3
| May 25
| [[2000–01 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200105250LAL.html W 111–72]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (36)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (17)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (8)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 3–0
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 4
| May 27
| [[2000–01 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200105270LAL.html W 111–82]
| [[Derek Fisher]] (28)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (10)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (11)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 4–0
{{NBA game log section|Los Angeles Lakers|NBA Finals|playoffs=yes|show=no
| home_wins = 1
| home_losses = 1
| road_wins = 3
| road_losses = 0
}}
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ffcccc"
| 1
| June 6
| [[2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200106060LAL.html L 101–107 (OT)]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (44)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (20)
| 3 players tied (5)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 0–1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 2
| June 8
| [[2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200106080LAL.html W 98–89]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (31)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (20)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (9)
| [[Staples Center]] 18,997
| 1–1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 3
| June 10
| @ [[2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200106100PHI.html W 96–91]
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (32)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (12)
| 4 players tied (3)
| [[First Union Center]] 20,900
| 2–1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 4
| June 13
| @ [[2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200106130PHI.html W 100–86]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (34)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (14)
| [[Kobe Bryant]] (9)
| [[First Union Center]] 20,896
| 3–1
|- align="center" bgcolor="#ccffcc"
| 5
| June 15
| @ [[2000–01 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| [https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/200106150PHI.html W 108–96]
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (29)
| [[Shaquille O'Neal]] (13)
| [[Kobe Bryant|Bryant]] & [[Rick Fox|Fox]] (6)
| [[First Union Center]] 20,890
| 4–1
{{NBA game log end|bbr_team=LAL|playoffs=yes|end_year=2001}}

==NBA Finals==
* By winning the Finals MVP award, [[Shaquille O'Neal]] joined the list of [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]], [[Magic Johnson]], [[Larry Bird]], [[Michael Jordan]], and [[Hakeem Olajuwon]] as the only players to win the award at least twice. [[Tim Duncan]], [[Kobe Bryant]], [[LeBron James]], [[Kevin Durant]], and [[Kawhi Leonard]] have since joined the list. Jordan, Olajuwon, O'Neal, Bryant, James, and Durant are the only six to win the award in back-to-back years.
* The Lakers at the time had achieved the best ever NBA postseason record of 15-1, sweeping the Western Conference and then sweeping the 76ers after their Game 1 loss in the Finals. On June 12, 2017, the [[Golden State Warriors]] had surpassed this feat, as they would go 16-1, after beating the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] in the [[2017 NBA Finals]]. The Lakers' postseason record was made before the first round of playoffs was extended to be the best-of-7 format which was implemented in the [[2003 NBA Playoffs]].

===Summary===
The following scoring summary is written in a [[line score]] format, except that the quarter numbers are replaced by game numbers.
{| border=1 cellspacing=0 width=425 style="margin-left:3em;"
|- style="text-align:center; background-color:#e6e6e6;"
!align=left width=28%|Team
!width=6%|Game 1*
!width=6%|Game 2
!width=6%|Game 3
!width=6%|Game 4
!width=6%|Game 5
!width=6%|Wins
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align=left|'''Los Angeles (West)'''
|101||'''98'''||'''96'''||'''100'''||'''108'''||4
|- style="text-align:center;"
|align=left|Philadelphia (East)
|'''107'''||89||91||86||96||1
|- style="text-align:center;"
|}

∗ denotes a game that required [[overtime (sports)|overtime]].

==Player statistics==
{{NBA roster statistics legend}}

===Regular season===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"
|-
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="10%" | Player
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | GP
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | GS
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | MPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | FG%
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | 3P%
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | FT%
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | RPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | APG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | SPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | BPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | PPG
|-
| {{sort|Bryant, Kobe|[[Kobe Bryant]]}}
| 68 || 68 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 40.9 || .464 || .305 || .853 || 5.9 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 5.0 || 1.68 || .63 || 28.5
|-
| {{sort|Fisher, Derek|[[Derek Fisher]]}}
| 20 || 20 || 35.5 || .412 || .397 || .806 || 3.0 || 4.4 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 1.95 || .10 || 11.5
|-
| {{sort|Foster, Greg|[[Greg Foster (basketball)|Greg Foster]]}}
| 62 || 8 || 7.3 || .421 || .333 || .714 || 1.8 || .5 || .15 || .19 || 2.0
|-
| {{sort|Fox, Rick|[[Rick Fox]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 82 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 77 || 27.9 || .444 || .393 || .779 || 4.0 || 3.2 || .85 || .35 || 9.6
|-
| {{sort|George, Devean|[[Devean George]]}}
| 59 || 1 || 10.1 || .309 || .221 || .709 || 1.9 || .3 || .25 || .25 || 3.1
|-
| {{sort|Grant, Horace|[[Horace Grant]]}}
| 77 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 77 || 31.0 || .462 || .000 || .775 || 7.1 || 1.6 || .66 || .79 || 8.5
|-
| {{sort|Harper, Ron|[[Ron Harper]]}}
| 47 || 46 || 24.2 || .469 || .264 || .708 || 3.5 || 2.4 || .83 || .53 || 6.5
|-
| {{sort|Horry, Robert|[[Robert Horry]]}}
| 79 || 1 || 20.1 || .387 || .346 || .711 || 3.7 || 1.6 || .68 || .68 || 5.2
|-
| {{sort|Lue, Tyronn|[[Tyronn Lue]]}}
| 38 || 1 || 12.3 || .427 || .324 || .792 || .8 || 1.2 || .50 || .00 || 3.4
|-
| {{sort|Madsen, Mark|[[Mark Madsen (basketball)|Mark Madsen]]}}
| 70 || 3 || 9.2 || .487 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 1.000 || .703 || 2.2 || .3 || .11 || .11 || 2.0
|-
| {{sort|Medvedenko, Slava|[[Slava Medvedenko]]}}
| 7 || 0 || 5.6 || .480 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 1.000 || .583 || 1.3 || .3 || .14 || .14 || 4.6
|-
| {{sort|O'Neal, Shaquille|[[Shaquille O'Neal]]}}
| 74 || 74 || 39.5 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | .572 || .000 || .513 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 12.7 || 3.7 || .64 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 2.76 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 28.7
|-
| {{sort|Penberthy, Mike|[[Mike Penberthy]]}}
| 53 || 0 || 16.1 || .414 || .396 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | .903 || 1.2 || 1.3 || .42 || .04 || 5.0
|-
| {{sort|Rider, Isaiah|[[Isaiah Rider]]}}
| 67 || 6 || 18.0 || .426 || .370 || .855 || 2.3 || 1.7 || .40 || .10 || 7.6
|-
| {{sort|Shaw, Brian|[[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]]}}
| 80 || 28 || 22.9 || .399 || .311 || .797 || 3.8 || 3.2 || .61 || .34 || 5.3
|}

===Playoffs===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"
|-
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="10%" | Player
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | GP
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | GS
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | MPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | FG%
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | 3P%
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | FT%
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | RPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | APG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | SPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | BPG
! style="background:#6137ad;color:#ffcd35;" width="6%" | PPG
|-
| {{sort|Bryant, Kobe|[[Kobe Bryant]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 43.4 || .469 || .324 || .821 || 7.3 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 6.1 || 1.56 || .75 || 29.4
|-
| {{sort|Fisher, Derek|[[Derek Fisher]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || 36.0 || .484 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | .515 || .765 || 3.8 || 3.0 || 1.31 || .06 || 13.4
|-
| {{sort|Foster, Greg|[[Greg Foster (basketball)|Greg Foster]]}}
| 1 || 0 || 3.0 || .000 || .000 || .000 || 1.0 || .0 || .00 || .00 || .0
|-
| {{sort|Fox, Rick|[[Rick Fox]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || 35.8 || .450 || .316 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | .867 || 4.9 || 3.6 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 1.94 || .44 || 10.0
|-
| {{sort|George, Devean|[[Devean George]]}}
| 7 || 0 || 3.9 || .500 || .500 || .500 || .7 || .1 || .00 || .00 || 2.0
|-
| {{sort|Grant, Horace|[[Horace Grant]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || 26.4 || .385 || .000 || .733 || 6.0 || 1.2 || .94 || .81 || 6.0
|-
| {{sort|Harper, Ron|[[Ron Harper]]}}
| 6 || 0 || 7.0 || .500 || .250 || .667 || 1.3 || .7 || .67 || .17 || 2.2
|-
| {{sort|Horry, Robert|[[Robert Horry]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || 0 || 23.9 || .368 || .362 || .591 || 5.2 || 1.9 || 1.38 || 1.00 || 5.9
|-
| {{sort|Lue, Tyronn|[[Tyronn Lue]]}}
| 15 || 0 || 8.7 || .345 || .385 || .800 || .7 || .7 || .80 || .07 || 1.9
|-
| {{sort|Madsen, Mark|[[Mark Madsen (basketball)|Mark Madsen]]}}
| 13 || 0 || 3.7 || .077 || .000 || .600 || .8 || .3 || .00 || .15 || .4
|-
| {{sort|O'Neal, Shaquille|[[Shaquille O'Neal]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || 42.3 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | .555 || .000 || .525 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 15.4 || 3.2 || .44 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 2.38 || style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 30.4
|-
| {{sort|Shaw, Brian|[[Brian Shaw (basketball)|Brian Shaw]]}}
| style="background:#ffcd35;color:#6137ad;" | 16 || 0 || 18.1 || .375 || .345 || .667 || 3.4 || 2.7 || .63 || .06 || 4.4
|}

==Award winners==
* [[Kobe Bryant]], All-NBA Second Team
* Kobe Bryant, All-NBA Defensive Second Team
* [[Shaquille O'Neal]], Center, NBA Finals Most Valuable Player
* Shaquille O'Neal, League Leader, FG%, 57.2
* Shaquille O'Neal, All-NBA First Team
* Shaquille O'Neal, All-NBA Defensive Second Team

==Legacy==
By closing out with a 8-0 record in the regular season and a 15-1 record in the playoffs, the Lakers finished the 2000-01 season with a 23-1 record. This is the best finish of a season in NBA history. Of the teams that lost only 1 game in the playoffs, the [[1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers season|1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers]] closed out the regular season with a loss, thus achieving only a 12-1 finish (regular season + playoffs), while the [[2016-17 Golden State Warriors season|2016-17 Golden State Warriors]] only had a 1-game winning streak at the end of the regular season to finish 17-1 (regular season + playoffs).

==Transactions==

{{Empty section|date=July 2021}}

==References==
{{reflist}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071121063711/http://www.databasebasketball.com/teams/teamyear.htm?tm=LAL&lg=N&yr=2000 Lakers on Database Basketball]
* [https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/2001.html Lakers on Basketball Reference]
* {{YouTube|nvJkXyGJarY|Documentary on the 2000–01 Los Angeles Lakers}}

{{Los Angeles Lakers 2000–01 NBA champions}}
{{NBA Champions}}
{{Los Angeles Lakers}}
{{Los Angeles Lakers seasons}}
{{2000–01 NBA season by team}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers Season}}
[[Category:2000–01 NBA season by team|Los]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Lakers seasons]]
[[Category:NBA championship seasons]]
[[Category:Western Conference (NBA) championship seasons]]
[[Category:2000 in sports in California|Los Angeles Lakers]]
[[Category:2001 in sports in California|Los Angeles Lakers]]

UCLA Bruins men's basketball

2023-12-17T03:11:39Z

Rangers00: Mention the Bruins on the NBA 75th Anniversary Team

{{short description|College men's basketball team representing the University of California, Los Angeles}}
{{Redirect|UCLA Bruins basketball|the women's team|UCLA Bruins women's basketball}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox college basketball team
| name = UCLA Bruins men's basketball
| logo = UCLA Bruins primary logo.svg
| logo_size = 200
| current = 2023–24 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team
| university = University of California, Los Angeles
| conference = [[Pac-12 Conference|Pac-12]]
| location = [[Westwood, Los Angeles|Westwood]], [[Los Angeles]]
| coach = [[Mick Cronin (basketball)|Mick Cronin]]
| tenure = 5th
| arena = [[Pauley Pavilion]]
| capacity = 13,800
| nickname = [[UCLA Bruins|Bruins]]
| record = {{Winning percentage|1,931|877|record=y}}
| studentsection = The Den
| NCAAchampion = 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1995
| NCAArunnerup = 1980*, 2006
| NCAAfinalfour = 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1980*, 1995, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2021
| NCAAeliteeight = 1950, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980*, 1992, 1995, 1997, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2021
| NCAAsweetsixteen = 1952, 1956, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980*, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023
| NCAAtourneys = 1950, 1952, 1956, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980*, 1981, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999*, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023 
'''<nowiki>*</nowiki>vacated by NCAA''
| nit_champion = 1985
| conference_tournament = 1987, 2006, 2008, 2014
| conference_season = 1921, 1922, 1923, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1945, 1950, 1952, 1956, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1983, 1987, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2013, 2023
| h_body = 2774AE
| h_pattern_b = _thinsidesonwhite
| h_shorts = 2774AE
| h_pattern_s = _blanksides2
| a_body = 2774AE
| a_pattern_b = _thingoldsides2
| a_shorts = 2774AE
| a_pattern_s = _thingoldsides
}}

The '''UCLA Bruins men's basketball''' program represents the [[University of California, Los Angeles]] in the sport of men's [[basketball]] as a member of the [[Pac-12 Conference]]. Established in 1919, the program has won a record 11 [[NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship|NCAA title]]s. Coach [[John Wooden]] led the Bruins to 10 national titles in 12 seasons, from 1964 to 1975, including seven straight from 1967 to 1973. UCLA went undefeated a record four times (1964, 1967, 1972, and 1973). Coach [[Jim Harrick]] led the team to another NCAA title in 1995. Former coach [[Ben Howland]] led UCLA to three consecutive [[Final Four]] appearances from 2006 to 2008.<ref>[http://uclabruins.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/ucla-m-baskbl-body.html UCLA Men's Basketball Team] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090318060110/http://uclabruins.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/ucla-m-baskbl-body.html |date=March 18, 2009 }}</ref> As a member of the AAWU, Pacific-8 and then Pacific-10, UCLA set an NCAA Division I record with 13 consecutive regular season conference titles between 1967 and 1979 which stood until tied by [[Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball|Kansas]] in 2017.<ref>{{cite web|title=No. 3 Kansas routs TCU 87-68 to clinch share of Big 12 title|url=http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=400916252|website=ESPN.com}}</ref> UCLA is scheduled to join the [[Big Ten Conference]] in 2024.<ref>{{cite news|first1=J. Brady|last1=McCollough|first2=Bill|last2=Plaschke|first3=Ryan|last3=Kartje|first4=Ben|last4=Bolch|title=USC and UCLA rock college sports by leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten|date=June 30, 2022|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2022-06-30/usc-ucla-are-negotiating-to-leave-the-pac-12-for-the-big-ten|access-date=July 6, 2022}}</ref>

==NCAA records==
UCLA men's basketball has set several NCAA records.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ncaa.org/library/records/basketball/m_basketball_records_book/2006/2006_m_basketball_records.pdf |title=Official 2006 NCAA® Men's Basketball Records Book |access-date=June 14, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060411194046/http://www.ncaa.org/library/records/basketball/m_basketball_records_book/2006/2006_m_basketball_records.pdf |archive-date=April 11, 2006 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.laalmanac.com/sports/sp10rda.htm |title=UCLA Mens Basketball Historical Win-Loss Record |website=www.laalmanac.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060110084752/http://www.laalmanac.com/sports/sp10rda.htm |archive-date=2006-01-10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://prweb.com/releases/2007/2/prweb504690.htm|title=Kentucky, N. Carolina, UCLA, Kansas, and Duke "The Phat 5" of College Basketball at 500 Report Volume #8 (NBA All-Star Week)|access-date=July 31, 2018}}</ref>

*11 NCAA titles
*7 consecutive NCAA titles (1967–1973)
*13 NCAA title game appearances*
*10 consecutive Final Four appearances (1967–1976)
*25 Final Four wins*
*38 game NCAA Tournament winning streak (1964–1974)
*134 weeks ranked No. 1 in AP Top 25 Poll
*54 consecutive winning seasons (1949–2002)
*88 game men's regular season [[basketball winning streaks|winning streak]] (1971–1974)
*4 undefeated seasons (1964, 1967, 1972, 1973)
*13 straight conference championships (Tied with [[Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball|Kansas]])

<nowiki>*</nowiki> 1980 tournament final vacated by NCAA

==History==

===Early UCLA basketball (1919–1948)===
In 1919, [[Fred Cozens]] became the first head coach of the UCLA basketball and football teams. Cozens coached the basketball team for two seasons, finishing with an overall record of 21–4. [[Caddy Works]] was the head coach of the Bruins from 1921 to 1939, guiding them to a 173–159 record. Works was a lawyer by profession and coached the team only during the evenings. According to UCLA player and future Olympian [[Frank Lubin]], Works was "more of an honorary coach" with little basketball knowledge.<ref>{{cite web|title=An Olympian's Oral History|url=http://library.la84.org/6oic/OralHistory/OHLubin.pdf|access-date=April 26, 2017}}</ref> [[Dick Linthicum]] was UCLA's first [[All-American]] in any sport, earning selections in [[1930–31 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|1931]] and [[1931–32 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|1932]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Thomas|last=Bonk|title=Barksdale, One of a Kind, Is One of Eight Being Inducted Into UCLA Hall of Fame|date=February 22, 1987|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-02-22-sp-5146-story.html|access-date=June 30, 2023}}</ref> [[Wilbur Johns]] was the UCLA basketball head coach from 1939 to 1948, guiding the Bruins to a 93–120 record.

===The John Wooden era (1948–1975)===
[[File:John Wooden.JPG|thumb|upright|[[John Wooden]] coached UCLA to 10 national championships.]]
From 1948 to 1975, [[John Wooden]], nicknamed the "Wizard of [[Westwood, Los Angeles|Westwood]]", served as UCLA's head coach. He won ten [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] national championships in a 12-year period, including a run of seven in a row that shattered the previous record of only two consecutive titles; to this day, no other team has won more than two straight titles.<ref name=UCLABruins>{{cite web |url=http://uclabruins.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/ucla-wooden-page.html |title=John Wooden: A Coaching Legend |publisher=UCLABruins.com (official athletic site of the UCLA Bruins) |access-date=January 24, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417061928/http://uclabruins.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/ucla-wooden-page.html |archive-date=April 17, 2009 }}</ref><ref name="Puma">{{cite web |url = http://espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/Wooden_John.html |title = Sportscentury Biography: Wizard of Westwood |author = Mike Puma |publisher = ESPN |year = 2007 |access-date = January 25, 2010}}</ref> Within this period, his teams won a men's basketball-record 88 consecutive games.

Prior to Wooden's arrival, UCLA had only won two conference championships in the previous 18 years. In his first season, Wooden guided a UCLA team that had finished with a 12–13 record the previous year to a 22–7 record—then the most wins in a season in program history—and the [[Pacific Coast Conference]] (PCC) Southern Division championship.<ref name="Puma"/><ref name="UCLA History">{{cite web |url= http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ucla/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/MBB_History_99-128.pdf |title = UCLA History |publisher = UCLA |pages = 118–126 |year = 2007 |access-date = January 29, 2010}}</ref> In his second season, Wooden led the Bruins to a 24–7 record and the PCC championship. The Bruins would win the division title in each of the next two seasons and the conference title in the latter season. Up to that time, UCLA had won only two division titles since the PCC began divisional play, and it had not won a conference title of any kind since winning the [[Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference]] in 1927.

In 1955–56, Wooden guided the Bruins to their first undefeated PCC conference title and a 17-game winning streak that only came to an end in the 1956 NCAA Tournament at the hands of a [[University of San Francisco]] team that featured [[Bill Russell]]. However, UCLA was unable to maintain this level of performance over the immediate ensuing seasons, finding itself unable to return to the NCAA Tournament as the [[Pete Newell]]-coached [[California Golden Bears men's basketball|California]] teams took control of the conference at the end of the decade. Also hampering the fortunes of Wooden's team during that time period was a probation imposed on all UCLA sports in the aftermath of a [[Pacific Coast Conference#The crisis|scandal]] involving illegal payments made to players on the school's football team, along with USC, Cal and Stanford, resulting in the dismantling of the PCC conference.<ref name="Wolff">{{cite news | author = Alex Wolff | date=June 4, 2010 | url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/alexander_wolff/06/03/wooden.1964/index.html | title=How '64 Bruins made John Wooden | work=[[SI.com]] |access-date = July 21, 2010}}</ref>

[[File:Lew Alcindor Kareem Abdul-Jabbar UCLA.jpg|thumb|upright|left|Lew Alcindor (later [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]]) makes a reverse two hand [[Slam dunk|dunk]].]]
By 1962 the probation was no longer in place and Wooden had returned the Bruins to the top of their conference (now the [[Pac-12 Conference]]). This time, however, they would take the next step, and go on to unleash a run of dominance unparalleled in the history of college sports. A narrow loss due largely to a controversial foul call in the semifinal of the 1962 NCAA Tournament convinced Wooden that his Bruins were ready to contend for national championships.<ref name="Wolff"/> Two seasons later, the final piece of the puzzle fell into place when assistant coach [[Jerry Norman (basketball)|Jerry Norman]] persuaded Wooden that the team's small-sized players and fast-paced offense would be complemented by the adoption of a zone press defense.<ref name="Wolff"/> The result was a dramatic increase in scoring, giving UCLA a powerhouse team led by [[Walt Hazzard]] and [[Gail Goodrich]] that went undefeated on its way to the school's first basketball national championship.

Wooden's team repeated as national champions the following season before the squad fell briefly in 1966 when it finished second in the conference to [[Oregon State]]. UCLA was ineligible to play in the NCAA tournament that year because in those days only conference champions went to the tournament. However, the Bruins' incarnation returned with a vengeance in 1967 with the arrival of sophomore All-America and MVP [[Lew Alcindor]]. The team reclaimed not only the conference title but the national crown with an undefeated season.

In January 1968, UCLA took its 47-game winning streak to the [[Astrodome]] in [[Houston]], where Alcindor squared off against [[Elvin Hayes]] in the [[Game of the Century (college basketball)|Game of the Century]], which was the nation's first nationally televised regular season college basketball game. Houston upset UCLA 71–69 behind Hayes' 39 points. In a post-game interview, Wooden stated, "We have to start over." They did, and went undefeated the rest of the year, avenging Houston 101–69 in the semi-final rematch of the NCAA tournament en route to the national championship. Hayes, who had been averaging 37.7 points per game, was held to only 10 points. Wooden credited Norman for devising the diamond-and-one defense that contained the Houston center.<ref>{{cite news|last=Esper |first=Dwain|title=Bruins Hope Norman Stays|date=March 25, 1968|newspaper=The Independent|location=Pasadena, California|page=15|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2860094/ |via=Newspapers.com|access-date=July 22, 2015}}{{open access}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Gasaway|first=John|title=John Wooden's Century|date=June 7, 2010|work=Basketball Prospectus|url=http://basketballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=798|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723062332/http://basketballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=798|archive-date=July 23, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Bill Walton 1974 cropped.JPG|thumb|upright|left|[[Bill Walton]] taking a shot]]
The emergence of the Bruins under Wooden vastly increased the program's popularity. Since 1932, the Bruins had played at the [[Men's Gym (UCLA)|Men's Gym]]. It normally seated 2,400, but had been limited to 1,500 since 1955 by order of the city fire marshal. This forced games to be moved to [[Pan Pacific Auditorium]], the [[Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena]] and other venues around Los Angeles when larger crowds were expected—an increasing inconvenience since the Bruins' first national title. At Wooden's urging, a much larger on-campus facility was built in time for the 1965–66 season, the nearly 13,000 seat [[Pauley Pavilion]], .

Wooden coached his final game in Pauley Pavilion on March 1, 1975, when UCLA trounced [[Stanford Cardinal men's basketball|Stanford]] 93–59. Four weeks later, following a 75–74 overtime victory over [[Louisville Cardinals men's basketball|Louisville]] in the 1975 NCAA Tournament semifinal game, Wooden announced that he would retire at age 64 immediately after the [[1975 NCAA Division I basketball championship game|championship game]].<ref>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | date=March 30, 1975 | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YLITAAAAIBAJ&pg=4232,7431027&hl=en | title=Wooden hangs 'em up | work=[[Eugene Register-Guard]] |access-date = July 23, 2010}}</ref> His legendary coaching career concluded triumphantly, as his team responded with a win over [[Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball|Kentucky]] to claim Wooden's first career coaching victory over the Wildcats and his unprecedented 10th national championship in a twelve-year span.

During his tenure with the Bruins, Wooden became known as the "Wizard of [[Westwood, Los Angeles|Westwood]]", although he personally disdained the nickname. He gained lasting fame at UCLA by winning 620 games in 27 seasons and 10 NCAA titles during his last 12 seasons, which included seven in a row from 1967 to 1973.<ref name =UCLABruins/> His UCLA teams also had a then-record winning streak of 88 games<ref>{{cite news |url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/31/AR2006033101991.html |title = A Tradition Lacking Swagger: Storied UCLA Fails to Worry Frisky LSU |author = Mark Schlabach |newspaper = Washington Post |date = April 1, 2006 |access-date = February 7, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/print?id=2932885&type=story |title = Trinity squash nears decade with nation's longest winning streak |author = Brendan Murphy |publisher = ESPN |date = July 11, 2007 |access-date = February 7, 2010}}</ref> and four perfect 30–0 seasons.<ref name =UCLABruins/> They also won 38 straight games in NCAA Tournaments<ref name =UCLABruins/> and 98 straight home game wins at [[Pauley Pavilion]]. Wooden was named NCAA College Basketball's "Coach of the Year" in 1964, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973. In 1967, he was named the [[Henry Iba Award]] USBWA College Basketball Coach of the Year. In 1972, he shared ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' magazine's "[[Sportsman of the Year]]" award with [[Billie Jean King]]. He was named to the Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach in 1973,<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/tag/john-r-wooden-coach |publisher = Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame |title = John R. Wooden (coach) |access-date = January 24, 2010 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090831071100/http://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/tag/john-r-wooden-coach |archive-date = August 31, 2009 }}</ref> becoming the first to be honored as both a player and a coach.<ref name="Puma"/>

===Post-Wooden era (1975–1988)===
From 1975 to 1977, [[Gene Bartow]] served as the head coach of [[University of California, Los Angeles|UCLA]]. He guided them to a 52–9 record, including a berth in the 1976 [[Final Four]]. He coached the 1977 College Player of the Year, [[Marques Johnson]].

[[Gary Cunningham]] became the head coach at UCLA in 1977. He coached two seasons, winning the Pacific-8 and Pacific-10 conference championships and leading UCLA to a #2 ranking in the final polls both seasons.

[[File:Larry Brown, 1979.jpg|thumb|upright|Larry Brown being announced as UCLA coach, 1979]]
[[Larry Brown (basketball)|Larry Brown]] then moved on to coach UCLA from 1979 to 1981, leading his freshman-dominated 1979–80 team to the NCAA title game before falling to [[Louisville Cardinals men's basketball|Louisville]], 59–54. However, that runner-up finish was later vacated by the NCAA after two players were found to be ineligible. This was one of the few times a Final Four squad had its record vacated (Villanova had its runner-up finish vacated in 1971 because [[Howard Porter (basketball)|Howard Porter]] had signed a pro contract).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newtown100.heraldtribune.com/2014/12/14/finally-forgiven-howard-porter-story/|title=Finally forgiven: The Howard Porter story - Newtown 100|date=December 14, 2014|access-date=July 31, 2018}}</ref>

[[Larry Farmer (basketball)|Larry Farmer]] was the head coach of UCLA from 1981 to 1984, guiding them to a 61–23 ({{winpct|61|23}}) record. He had recruited [[Magic Johnson|Earvin "Magic" Johnson]] to come play at UCLA, but then told Johnson (was drafted into the NBA in 1979) to hold off on a visit as he was more interested in [[Albert King (basketball)|Albert King]].<ref name="BirdJohnson2009">{{cite book |author1=Larry Bird|author2=Earvin Johnson|author3=Jackie MacMullan|title=When the Game Was Ours|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4kLJkLerSaAC&pg=PA13|date=November 4, 2009 |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt|isbn=978-0-547-41681-6|pages=13–}}</ref> Farmer signed neither King nor Johnson, and neither recruit played for UCLA.

In 1984, [[Walt Hazzard]] was named the UCLA basketball coach 20 years after he was an All-America when UCLA won its first national championship. He coached for four seasons, winning 77 out of 125 games. The 1984–1985 UCLA Bruin basketball team won the [[National Invitation Tournament|NIT]] championship. The 1986–1987 UCLA Bruin basketball team won both the [[Pacific-10 Conference men's basketball|Pac-10]] regular season championship as well as the inaugural [[Pacific-10 Conference men's basketball tournament]].

===The Jim Harrick era (1988–1996)===
In 1988, [[Jim Harrick]] returned to UCLA (he had spent two years as an assistant coach from 1978 to 1979) to assume head coaching duties after the firing of [[Walt Hazzard]]. During the recruiting period before his first season, he recruited [[Don MacLean (basketball)|Don MacLean]], the most significant recruit to commit to UCLA in several years. McLean's arrival helped start a revival of the basketball program. Within four years, the Bruins were in the Elite Eight--"officially" their deepest advance in the tournament in 13 years, and only the second time they had gone that far since Wooden's departure.

During the [[1994–95 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|1994–1995 season]], he led UCLA to a 32–1 record (a loss to California was subsequently forfeited to the Bruins) and the school's [[1995 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|eleventh national championship]], its first since the [[1974–75 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|1974–75 season]]. The 31 actual wins would stand as a school record until the 2005–06 season. In 1996, Harrick's Bruins were upset in the first round by [[Princeton Tigers|Princeton]]. Shortly before the 1997 season, UCLA fired Harrick for lying about who attended a recruiting dinner. At the time, Harrick was the second-winningest coach in school history and the only coach to achieve a National Championship at UCLA post John Wooden to date.

===The Steve Lavin era (1996–2003)===
After the sacking of Harrick and with the departure of assistants [[Mark Gottfried]] and [[Lorenzo Romar]] for head coaching jobs shortly after the 1995 NCAA Championship season, [[Steve Lavin]], as the assistant with the longest tenure at UCLA, was selected as interim head coach.

Later that season on February 11, 1997, with the Bruins tied for first place in the Pac-10 with an 8–3 record, UCLA removed the "interim" tag from Lavin's title and formally named him as its 11th head coach. The Bruins then won their next 11 games en route to the Pac-10 title, before being eliminated by the [[Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball|Minnesota Gophers]] in the NCAA Midwest Regional Final. In seven seasons as head coach Lavin's record was 12–4 in games involving overtime. Additionally Lavin's Bruins had a 10–4 record against the rival [[USC Trojans men's basketball|USC Trojans]]. During the period 1997–2002, Lavin's Bruins compiled nine consecutive overtime victories. These included victories over [[Arizona Wildcats|Arizona]], [[Cincinnati Bearcats|Cincinnati]] (2002 NCAA second round double overtime victory over No. 1 West Region seed), [[Kentucky Wildcats|Kentucky]], and [[Stanford Cardinal|Stanford]] (then ranked No 1). The Stanford win was sealed by a last second jumper by star sophomore guard [[JaRon Rush]].

At UCLA from 1996 to 2003, Lavin compiled a record of 145–78. As both an assistant and head coach, Lavin participated in 13 consecutive NCAA tournament appearances (1990–2002), while working at Purdue and UCLA. During Lavin's tenure as a head coach, he was one of only two coaches in the country to lead his team to five NCAA "Sweet 16s" in six years (1997, 1998, 2000–2002), the other coach being [[Duke University|Duke's]] [[Mike Krzyzewski]]. Lavin guided UCLA to six consecutive seasons of 20 or more wins, as well as six consecutive NCAA tournament appearances.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aolnews.com/2010/08/01/steve-lavin-takes-new-york-by-storm/ |title=Steve Lavin Takes New York by Storm |first=Brett |last=McMurphy |work=aolnews.com |year=2011 |access-date=March 20, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005172750/http://www.aolnews.com/2010/08/01/steve-lavin-takes-new-york-by-storm/ |archive-date=October 5, 2012 }}</ref>

Lavin signed seven McDonald's High School All-Americans. Seven of Lavin's former Bruin recruits became roster members of NBA teams: [[Trevor Ariza]], [[Matt Barnes]], [[Baron Davis]], [[Dan Gadzuric]], [[Ryan Hollins]], [[Jason Kapono]], and [[Earl Watson]].

During Lavin's tenure as head coach, the Bruins qualified for six consecutive NCAA Tournaments (1997–2002). Lavin's record in the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament is 10–1. His winning percentage (90.9%) in the first two rounds is second only to Dean Smith in NCAA Tournament history. However, Lavin also coached the Bruins to their only loss in an NCAA tournament game played in the State of California (a 2002 loss to Missouri in San Jose).

In seven seasons as head coach Lavin's record was 12–4 in games involving overtime. The Bruins defeated the No. 1 team in the country in four consecutive collegiate seasons: Stanford in 2000 and 2001, Kansas in 2002 and Arizona in 2003.

In March 2003, following UCLA's first losing season (10–19) in 55 years, Lavin was fired.

Despite some success under the watch of Steve Lavin, the program wanted to regain its position in the college basketball upper echelon. Even the success in the NCAA tournament belied the fact that UCLA had earned no better than a number 4 seed with the exception of the 1997 season. The [[2002–03 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2002–03]] season turned out to be the back-breaker for Lavin as the Bruins stumbled to a 10–19 record and a 6–12 record in the conference. It was the first losing season for UCLA in over five decades. Lavin was dismissed following the season.

===Ben Howland era (2003–2013)===
[[File:Russell Westbrook guarding OJ Mayo cropped.jpg|thumb|[[Russell Westbrook]] (left) and [[Kevin Love]] defend against [[USC Trojans men's basketball|USC]]]]
UCLA looked to find a coach that could move the Bruins back to the elite ranks of the Pac-10 and the country. [[Ben Howland]]'s success at the University of Pittsburgh and his southern California roots made him an attractive candidate. In 2003, he left Pitt and accepted the head coaching duties at UCLA.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06314/737223-198.stm | title=Anderson: Howland still calls Pitt family | first=Shelly | last=Anderson | date=November 10, 2006 | newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | access-date=January 15, 2010}}</ref>

Howland remedied this disappointment in his recruiting efforts. Howland produced a top tier recruiting class from athletes in southern California that fit his Big East style. Behind Lavin hold-over Dijon Thompson and Howland recruits [[Jordan Farmar]] and [[Arron Afflalo]], UCLA produced a winning season for the first time in three years and returned to the tournament, where they lost in the first round.

Starting the [[2005–06 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2005–06 season]] with the majority of the roster made over in Howland's image and with the Lavin hold-overs (e.g., [[Ryan Hollins]] and [[Cedric Bozeman]]), the Bruins produced an excellent campaign. They finished the regular season 24–6, winning the Pac-10 Conference title. They then roared through the [[2006 Pacific-10 Conference men's basketball tournament|Pac-10 tournament]], winning each game by double digits en route to only the second Pac-10 tournament championship in school history. The momentum continued into the NCAA tournament as the second-seeded Bruins defeated [[Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball|Gonzaga]] in the Sweet Sixteen. They then upset top-seeded Memphis to reach the school's first Final Four in 11 years. The run ended in the championship game against [[2005–06 Florida Gators men's basketball team|Florida]], whose imposing front-line proved to be a matchup problem for the Bruins.

Howland continued his success at UCLA the following year. The [[2006–07 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|Bruins]] finished undefeated at home for the first time in 22 years, winning the Pac-10 conference title. However they lost in their first [[2007 Pacific-10 Conference men's basketball tournament|Pac-10 tournament game]] and were seeded second in the NCAA Tournament West Region. After a close second-round win over [[Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball|Indiana]], Howland led the Bruins to a win over his former team, [[Pittsburgh Panthers men's basketball|Pitt]] in the Sweet Sixteen. The Bruins then again upset the top seed in the West Region, [[2006–07 Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball team|Kansas]], and reached the second of UCLA's first consecutive Final Fours since the [[John Wooden]] era, only to lose again to [[2006–07 Florida Gators men's basketball team|Florida]] in the national semifinal.

At the start of the [[2007–08 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|2007–08 season]], expectations for [[2007–08 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|UCLA]] were the highest ever with the arrival of [[Kevin Love]], one of the best low-post prospects in the high school class of 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espn.com/college-sports/recruiting/news/story?id=2529652|title=Love-fest: Hoop phenom says he'll attend UCLA|date=July 25, 2006|website=ESPN.com|access-date=July 31, 2018}}</ref> Combined with the emergence of [[Russell Westbrook]] and [[Darren Collison]] in the back-court, the Bruins won their 3rd consecutive Pac-10 conference title, and their second [[2008 Pacific-10 Conference men's basketball tournament|Pac-10 tournament title]] in three years. They received their first No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament since 1995, and once again reached the Final Four, where they faced another top seed, the [[Memphis Tigers men's basketball|Memphis Tigers]]. Memphis got the better of the Bruins, who returned to Westwood without a championship once again.

However, the Bruins program under Howland began to struggle in subsequent seasons. After 2008, UCLA did not advance past the first weekend of the NCAA tourney, and did not qualify for the tournament in [[2009–10 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|2010]] and [[2011–12 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|2012]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Goodman|first=Jeff|title=Ben Howland interested in job|date=March 23, 2014|work=ESPN|url=http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10658826/marquette-golden-eagles-contact-ben-howland|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140323231848/http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10658826/marquette-golden-eagles-contact-ben-howland|archive-date=March 23, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> With a 77–73 victory over [[Penn Quakers men's basketball|Penn]] on December 10, 2011; Howland passed [[Jim Harrick]] for second on UCLA's all-time wins list behind [[John Wooden]]. Nonetheless, questions about how Howland was running the program began to come into focus. In February 2012, a ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' article portrayed UCLA player [[Reeves Nelson]] as a bully on and off the court, who at times intentionally tried to injure his teammates. According to the article, Howland looked the other way and did not discipline Nelson for over two years.<ref name=dohrmann>{{cite news |last=Dohrmann |first=George |title=Special Report: Not the UCLA Way |date=March 5, 2012 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |url=http://cnnsi.printthis.clickability.com/pt/cpt?expire=&title=Partying%2C+players+disrespecting+program+led+to+problems+at+UCLA+-+SI.com+-+Magazine&urlID=471392035&action=cpt&partnerID=678912&fb=Y&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsportsillustrated.cnn.com%2F2012%2Fmagazine%2F02%2F28%2Fucla%2Findex.html }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Foster|first=Chris|title=UCLA disputes Sports Illustrated depiction of basketball program|date=February 29, 2012|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|url=https://articles.latimes.com/2012/feb/29/sports/la-sp-0301-ucla-basketball-howland-20120301|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140304053457/http://articles.latimes.com/2012/feb/29/sports/la-sp-0301-ucla-basketball-howland-20120301|archive-date=March 4, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> From 2008—the Bruins' last Final Four appearance—through 2012, at least 11 players left the UCLA program.<ref>{{cite news|last=Holmes|first=Baxter|title=Joshua Smith calls it quits at UCLA|date=November 28, 2012|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|url=https://articles.latimes.com/2012/nov/28/sports/la-sp-1129-ucla-northridge-20121129|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140306165426/http://articles.latimes.com/2012/nov/28/sports/la-sp-1129-ucla-northridge-20121129|archive-date=March 6, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref>

Although the 2012–2013 Bruins won the Pac-12 regular season championship, they quickly bowed out in the first round of the NCAA tournament. On March 25, 2013, three days after being eliminated by 11th seed Minnesota, UCLA fired Howland.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/college/basketball/la-sp-plaschke-ben-howland-20130325,0,7489477.column |title=UCLA wants more than Ben Howland could deliver—and it's entitled to |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=March 24, 2013 |first=Bill |last=Plaschke }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Ben Howland fired at UCLA after 10 seasons with Bruins, coach says he was 'blessed' to lead program for a decade|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/college/ucla-howland-boot-article-1.1298686#ixzz2ObCD71Ti|publisher=NY Daily News|access-date=March 25, 2013}}</ref>

===Steve Alford era (2013–2019)===
On March 30, 2013, [[Steve Alford]] signed a seven-year, $18.2-million contract to become the head coach of UCLA, replacing the fired Ben Howland.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/college/basketball/la-sp-0331-ucla-steve-alford-20130331,0,2466041.story |title=UCLA hires Steve Alford as basketball coach; he has big job ahead |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=March 30, 2013 }}</ref> In his first year as head coach Alford led UCLA to a Pac-12 tournament championship, a feat not accomplished since 2008. The team later went on to the Sweet Sixteen of the [[NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament]] as a 4 seed in the South regional before losing to the 1 seed Florida.

In his second year, the team was controversially chosen to participate in the [[2015 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament]] as an 11 seed in the South Region, where they upset the 6 seed [[Southern Methodist Mustangs men's basketball|SMU]] on a game-winning goaltending call. The Bruins went on to defeat the [[UAB Blazers men's basketball|University of Alabama at Birmingham Blazers]] before losing to [[Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball|Gonzaga]] in the Sweet Sixteen.

After a disappointing third season in which UCLA suffered their fourth losing record since 1948, the team rebounded in the following season, going 31-5 before falling to [[Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball|Kentucky]], again in the Sweet Sixteen, considered an underachievement given the talent level and overall record of the team. Freshman point guard [[Lonzo Ball]], as well as the program in general, garnered national media attention for the outspoken behavior of his father [[LaVar Ball]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bruinsnation.com/ucla_basketball/2016/11/25/13745642/lavar-ball-predicts-ucla-bruins-will-win-the-national-championship|title=WATCH: LaVar Ball Predicts UCLA Will Win the National Championship|date=November 25, 2016|access-date=July 31, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/la-sp-lavar-ball-white-guys-comment-20170406-story.html|title=LaVar Ball on UCLA basketball: 'Can't win no championship with three white guys'|first=Eduardo|last=Gonzalez|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=April 7, 2017|access-date=July 31, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/02/19/move-over-stephen-curry-lonzo-ball-or-his-dad-is-coming-to-take-your-place/|title=Move over, Stephen Curry. Lonzo Ball — or his Dad — is coming to take your place.|date=February 19, 2017|access-date=July 31, 2018}}</ref>

Prior to the beginning of the [[2017–18 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|2017–18 season]], the team travelled to China to participate in the annual Pac-12 China Game. On November 6 in [[Hangzhou]], during a block of free time allotted to the players, freshmen [[LiAngelo Ball]], [[Cody Riley]] and Jalen Hill shoplifted sunglasses from a [[Louis Vuitton]] department store. They were placed under house arrest by local police the next day and required to hand over their passports.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-ucla-basketball-china-arrests-20171107-story.html |title=Three UCLA basketball players, including LiAngelo Ball, are questioned by police in China about shoplifting |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=November 7, 2017 }}</ref> The controversy garnered immense attention due to the reputation of LiAngelo as a member of the [[Ball in the Family|Ball family]] and received significant media coverage. President [[Donald Trump]], who was concurrently visiting China, reportedly asked General Secretary [[Xi Jinping]] to pardon the three men, and they were released back to the United States shortly after, although Ball's family questioned if the President's request was a direct reason for the release.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2017/11/13/politics/ucla-arrests-china/index.html |title=Trump asked Xi to look at cases of UCLA basketball players |newspaper=CNN |date=November 14, 2017 }}</ref> Xi himself later reportedly denied that Trump had asked him about pardoning the UCLA players and that the General Secretary had nothing to do with their release. The players were placed on suspension from basketball activities, and were eventually suspended for the entirety of the season on December 22.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/ucla-suspends-cody-riley-jalen-hill-for-season-for-china-shoplifting/ |title=UCLA suspends Cody Riley, Jalen Hill for season for China shoplifting |newspaper=CBS Sports|date=December 23, 2017 }}</ref> LaVar Ball maintained that his son had not deserved suspension; LiAngelo Ball withdrew from UCLA and signed with a [[sports agent]], making him ineligible for further NCAA competition.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nypost.com/2017/12/04/lavar-ball-pulls-suspended-liangelo-out-of-ucla/ |title=LaVar Ball pulls suspended LiAngelo out of UCLA |newspaper=New York Post|date=December 4, 2017 }}</ref>

UCLA finished the regular season in a three-way tie for third (tied with Utah and Stanford) in the Pac-12 (21–10, 11–7), disappointingly falling to St. Bonaventure in the NCAA First Four Play-in Round. Junior guard [[Aaron Holiday]] was named to the First-team [[List of All-Pac-12 Conference men's basketball teams|All-Pac-12]] and the Pac-12 All Defensive Team, the first player to do so in the Alford era.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/la-sp-la-pac-12-awards-20180305-story.html |title=UCLA's Aaron Holiday is a big winner on All-Pac-12 teams |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=March 5, 2018 }}</ref> Holiday was drafted 23 by the Indiana Pacers in the First Round of the 2018 NBA Draft.

UCLA started the [[2018–19 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|2018–19 season]] ranked No. 21 in the AP Poll and won seven of its first nine games. However, they concluded non-conference play with four consecutive losses, including back-to-back home losses to [[mid-major]] teams [[2018–19 Belmont Bruins men's basketball team|Belmont]] and [[2018–19 Liberty Flames men's basketball team|Liberty]]. The 73–58 loss to Liberty on December 29 was UCLA's most lopsided home loss in Alford's tenure. Two days after that loss, UCLA announced that Alford had been [[Dismissal (employment)|fired]] and that assistant coach [[Murry Bartow]] would serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uclabruins.com/news/2018/12/31/mens-basketball-ucla-head-coach-steve-alford-relieved-of-duties.aspx|title = UCLA Head Coach Steve Alford Relieved of Duties| date=December 31, 2018 }}</ref> They failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, and ended the decade without a Final Four appearance for the first time since the 1950s.<ref>{{cite news|last=Thamel|first=Pete |author-link=Pete Thamel |title=UCLA's latest Final Four appearance comes as a punchline|date=April 3, 2019|work=Yahoo! Sports|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/ucl-as-latest-final-four-appearance-comes-as-a-punchline-170651383.html|access-date=April 5, 2019}}</ref>

===Mick Cronin era (2019–present)===

On April 9, 2019, UCLA announced the hiring of [[Mick Cronin (basketball)|Mick Cronin]] as the program's 14th head coach.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uclabruins.com/news/2019/4/9/mens-basketball-ucla-names-mick-cronin-new-mens-head-basketball-coach.aspx|title=UCLA Names Mick Cronin New Men's Head Basketball Coach|date=April 9, 2019 }}</ref> He was named [[Pac-12 Conference Men's Basketball Coach of the Year|Pac-12 Coach of the Year]] in his first season in [[2019–20 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|2019–20]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Gold|first=Jon|title=A decade later, UCLA's Mick Cronin is following Sean Miller's playbook to rebuild Bruins|date=March 11, 2020|newspaper=Arizona Daily Star|url=https://tucson.com/sports/arizonawildcats/basketball/jon-gold-a-decade-later-ucla-s-mick-cronin-is/article_f49278a6-0f20-5090-ac87-03fe0cccb405.html|access-date=March 13, 2020}}</ref> However, due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in the United States|COVID-19 pandemic]], the Pac-12 Tournament and NCAA Tournament were cancelled.<ref>{{cite news|last=Bolch|first=Ben|title=UCLA deals with loss of tournament experiences for its basketball teams|date=March 12, 2020|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/story/2020-03-12/ucla-pac-12-tournament-loss-coronavirus-disappointment|access-date=March 13, 2020}}</ref> The following season in [[2020–21 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|2020–21]], the Bruins opened the NCAA Tournament in the First Four, advancing to the Final Four after defeating No. 1 seed [[Michigan Wolverines men's basketball team|Michigan]]. No. 11 seed UCLA became the second First Four team to reach the Final Four, the school's first national semifinal since [[2007–08 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|2008]],<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/story/2021-03-30/ucla-michigan-ncaa-tournament-live-updates-score-odds|title=UCLA defeats No. 1 Michigan to go from First Four to Final Four|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=March 30, 2021}}</ref> which had also been their last trip to the Elite Eight.<ref>{{cite news|first=Tarek|last=Fattel|title=UCLA advances to Elite Eight with victory over Alabama in overtime thriller|date=March 28, 2021|newspaper=Los Angeles Daily News|url=https://www.dailynews.com/2021/03/28/ucla-advances-to-elite-eight-with-victory-over-alabama-in-overtime-thriller/|access-date=March 29, 2021}}</ref> In [[2022–23 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|2022–23]], the Bruins received a No. 2 seed in the [[2023 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|2023 NCAA tournament]], their highest seeding since they were placed No. 1 in [[2008 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|2008]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Ben|last=Bolch|title=March Madness: UCLA's seniors ready for their last chance to dance|date=March 12, 2023|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/story/2023-03-12/ucla-basketball-ncaa-tournament-seeded-second-west-regional|access-date=March 12, 2023}}</ref> They advance to the Sweet Sixteen for the third straight season,<ref>{{cite web|first=Tarek|last=Fattal|title=UCLA edges Northwestern to advance to 3rd straight Sweet Sixteen|date=March 18, 2023|work=Los Angeles Daily News|url=https://www.dailynews.com/2023/03/18/ucla-edges-northwestern-to-advance-to-third-straight-sweet-sixteen/|access-date=March 20, 2023}}</ref> but they were eliminated from the tournament for the second time in three years by Gonzaga.<ref>{{cite web|first=Ben|last=Bolch|title=Jubilation turns into heartbreak as UCLA loses to Gonzaga again in NCAA tournament|date=March 23, 2023|work=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/story/2023-03-23/ucla-basketball-gonzaga-ncaa-tournament-sweet-16-recap|access-date=March 24, 2023}}</ref>

==Season-by-season results==
{{Main|List of UCLA Bruins men's basketball seasons}}

==Facilities==
The men's basketball team played in the 2,400 seat [[Men's Gym (UCLA)|Men's Gym]] from 1932 to 1965. They also played at other venues around Los Angeles, including the [[Pan-Pacific Auditorium]] and [[Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena]], when larger crowds were expected for games.

===Pauley Pavilion===
[[File:Pauley Pavilion 2013.JPG|thumb|[[2012–13 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|UCLA Bruins]] vs. [[2012–13 Oregon State Beavers men's basketball team|Oregon State Beavers]], January 2013, in the "New Pauley Pavilion"]]
Following UCLA's second championship in 1965, the idea of constructing a new arena to accommodate increased interest in the team was proposed. In 1965, [[Pauley Pavilion]], named for oil magnate Ed Pauley, was built on campus and has been the home of the Bruins basketball programs since that time. During the 2011–12 season, Pauley Pavilion underwent a complete, $136 million renovation, both inside and out, earning it the nickname of "New Pauley."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uclabruins.com/news/2013/4/17/208271486.aspx|title=Facilities - Pauley Pavilion - UCLA|website=UCLA|access-date=July 31, 2018}}</ref> A new attendance record was set on March 2, 2013, when 13,727 fans watched the Bruins defeating the Arizona Wildcats 74–69.

===Mo Ostin Basketball Center===
The Mo Ostin Basketball Center south of the Los Angeles Tennis Center and close to Pauley Pavilion, the basketball team's home court was completed in 2017 to serve as a practice facility and hub for the basketball team. On December 14, 2015, [[Russell Westbrook]] had donated a "significant" sum to the construction of the center, for which the facility's court was named in his honor.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/ucla/uclanow/la-sp-sn-russell-westbrook-ucla-donation-20151214-story.html|title=Russell Westbrook makes largest donation ever to UCLA by a former Bruins basketball player|first=Chuck|last=Schilken|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=December 14, 2015|access-date=July 31, 2018}}</ref> Westbrook's former teammate, [[Kevin Love]], matched his contribution on September 20, 2016, for which the strength and conditioning center was named after him.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ocregister.com/2016/09/20/kevin-love-matches-russell-westbrooks-record-setting-donation-to-ucla-basketball-facility/|title=Kevin Love matches Russell Westbrook's record-setting donation to UCLA basketball facility|date=September 20, 2016|access-date=July 31, 2018}}</ref>

==Coaches==
[[File:Pauley Pavilion, exterior.JPG|thumb|250px|[[Pauley Pavilion]], home court of the Bruins prior to the 2012 renovation]]
{{main|List of UCLA Bruins men's basketball head coaches}}

The team has had 12 [[head coaches]] in its history, and they have won 11 [[NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship|NCAA Championships]], the most of any school.<ref name=top10>{{cite web |title=Top 10 Colleges to Produce NBA Pros |date=June 21, 2011 |url=http://www.realclearsports.com/lists/colleges_nba_draft/ucla_bruins.html |publisher=RealClearSports |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323184813/http://www.realclearsports.com/lists/colleges_nba_draft/ucla_bruins.html |archive-date=March 23, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[John Wooden]] won 10 national championships between [[1963–64 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|1964]] and [[1974–75 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|1975]], and [[Jim Harrick]] won the other in [[1994–95 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|1995]]. The ''[[New York Times]]'' wrote that Wooden "made UCLA the most successful team in college basketball."<ref name=litsky>{{cite news |last=Litsky |first=Frank |title=Formality Is Reality As U.C.L.A. Fires Lavin |date=March 18, 2003 |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/18/sports/2003-ncaa-tournament-formality-is-reality-as-ucla-fires-lavin.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131220094229/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/18/sports/2003-ncaa-tournament-formality-is-reality-as-ucla-fires-lavin.html |archive-date=December 20, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> After Wooden retired, the four coaches that succeeded him resigned, and the following three—Harrick included—were fired. The average tenure of those coaches after Wooden was four years.<ref>{{cite news |last=Wetzel |first=Dan |title=Westwood's new look |date=March 29, 2006 |work=yahoo.com |publisher=Yahoo! Sports |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=dw-ucla032906 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215230320/http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=dw-ucla032906 |archive-date=December 15, 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref group=lower-alpha>There were 28 seasons from 1975–76 to 2002–03 and 7 coaches, an average of 4 years. The Yahoo article said 3.9.</ref> Former coach [[Ben Howland]] led the Bruins to three consecutive [[Final Four (college basketball)|Final Four]] appearances from [[2005–06 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|2006]] to [[2007–08 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|2008]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Dwyre |first=Bill |title=Ben Howland keeps cool on the UCLA basketball hot seat |date=February 11, 2011 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |url=https://articles.latimes.com/2011/feb/11/sports/la-sp-dwyre-20110212 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110419123424/http://articles.latimes.com/2011/feb/11/sports/la-sp-dwyre-20110212 |archive-date=April 19, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Rivals==

===USC===
{{see also|UCLA–USC rivalry}}
When [[John Wooden]] became the coach, UCLA turned into a national basketball powerhouse. UCLA has won 11 [[NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament]]s and has dominated the conference, winning two games for every one that USC won. As of the 2013–2014 season, UCLA has won or shared the conference title 31 times, and USC has won or shared the title 7 times.<ref>2014–15 PAC-12 MEN'S BASKETBALL Media Guide</ref> There have been a number of [[UCLA–USC rivalry#Men.27s|significant games]] in this rivalry.

===Arizona===

{{see also|Arizona-UCLA basketball rivalry}}
Since the mid-1980s, UCLA has also had a basketball rivalry with [[Arizona Wildcats men's basketball|Arizona]] under coach [[Lute Olson]], as the two schools competed for the Pac-10 Championship every year. Since 1985 the two teams have combined to win 21 out of the 29 conference titles. The UCLA–Arizona basketball rivalry still is seen as the match up of the two premier teams in the conference. Also, the performance of the two schools influences the national opinion of the conference.<ref>Foster, Chris – [https://articles.latimes.com/2013/mar/02/sports/la-sp-0302-ucla-arizona-pac-12-20130302 UCLA, Arizona need to raise Pac-12 level]. Los Angeles Times, March 2, 2013. Quote: California Coach [[Mike Montgomery]], "...If those two are not good, the conference is not perceived as being good. People don't give credit to the schools across the board in the league."</ref>

===Notre Dame===
{{see also|Notre Dame-UCLA rivalry}}
UCLA had a basketball rivalry with [[Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's basketball|Notre Dame]] that started when [[Digger Phelps]] was the Notre Dame coach and [[John Wooden]] was the UCLA coach. UCLA and Notre Dame played a home-and-home meeting for several seasons, which is otherwise uncommon outside conference play. This rivalry existed from the desire of the Notre Dame athletic department to schedule the top schools for intersectional competition. UCLA and Notre Dame played 42 times between 1966 and 1995, and the height of the rivalry was when Notre Dame ended UCLA's consecutive-game winning streak at 88 on January 19, 1974. UCLA also broke a 60-game Notre Dame winning streak in South Bend. Previous UCLA head coach [[Ben Howland]] scheduled Notre Dame four times: in 2004, 2005, 2008, and 2009.<ref name="latimes.com">{{cite web|url=https://articles.latimes.com/2009/feb/07/sports/sp-dufresne--ucla-notre-dame7|title=UCLA vs. Notre Dame: A rivalry the way they used to be|first=CHRIS|last=DUFRESNE|date=February 7, 2009|access-date=July 31, 2018|via=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> After Notre Dame's victory on December 14, 2019, UCLA leads the all-time series 29–21.<ref name="uclabruins.com">[http://www.uclabruins.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/020609aaa.html UCLA Renews Historical Rivalry with Notre Dame on CBS] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323121557/http://www.uclabruins.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/020609aaa.html |date=March 23, 2012 }}</ref>

==By the numbers==

* National titles – 11
* Final Four – 19*
* Elite Eights – 23*
* Sweet Sixteens – 35*
* Conference titles – 31
* Conference tournament titles – 4
* Undefeated conference seasons – 11
* Undefeated seasons – 4
* 20-win seasons – 72
* 30-win seasons – 69
* Winning seasons – 72
* Non-losing seasons (.500 or better) – 74
* NCAA tourney bids – 47
* All-Americans – 38
* All-conference (1st team) – 119
* [[NBA MVP]] winners – 8<ref name="SA">Steve Aschburner, [http://www.nba.com/2011/news/features/03/25/race-to-the-mvp-week-22/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpt1 School is often out when it comes to picking an MVP], ''NBA.com'', March 25, 2011</ref>
* NBA 1st round draft picks – 36
* Olympians – 8
* McDonald's All-Americans – 31
* Naismith Hall of Famers – 9<ref name="HofF"/>

<nowiki>*</nowiki> Includes 1980 tournament results vacated by NCAA

==Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame==

===UCLA players===
[[File:Gail Goodrich 1964.jpeg|thumb|upright|Two-time national champion [[Gail Goodrich]] (1964)]]
All individuals were (or will be) inducted as players unless otherwise noted.
* Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1995)
* Don Barksdale (2012), contributor<ref name="HofF">[http://www.pac-12.org/BasketballM/Tabid/1449/Article/151177/UCLAs-Miller-Highlights-Class-Of-2012.aspx UCLA's Miller Highlights Class Of 2012], Pac-12.org, April 2, 2012</ref>
* Gail Goodrich (1996)
* Reggie Miller (2012)<ref name="HofF"/>
* Bill Walton (1993)
* Jamaal Wilkes (2012)<ref name="HofF"/>

===UCLA coaches===
All individuals were inducted as coaches, though not necessarily for their service at UCLA.
* [[Larry Brown (basketball)|Larry Brown]] (2002)
* [[Denny Crum]] (1994)
* John Wooden (1972) – Also inducted separately as a player in 1961 for his career at [[Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball|Purdue]] and in early professional leagues.

==Notable players==
{{category see also|UCLA Bruins men's basketball players}}
{{see also|UCLA Bruins in the NBA}}
[[File:Ed OBannon real.jpg|thumb|[[Ed O'Bannon]], a member of the [[1994–95 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team|1995 Championship team]], was player-of-the-year]]
Six former UCLA Bruins went on to be named to the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]]: [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]], [[Reggie Miller]], [[Gail Goodrich]], [[Jamaal Wilkes]], [[Bill Walton]] and [[Don Barksdale]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/psl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=combined&type=totals&per_minute_base=36&per_poss_base=100&season_start=1&season_end=-1&lg_id=NBA&age_min=0&age_max=99&is_playoffs=N&height_min=0&height_max=99&birth_country_is=Y&is_hof=Y&college_id=ucla&as_comp=gt&pos_is_g=Y&pos_is_gf=Y&pos_is_f=Y&pos_is_fg=Y&pos_is_fc=Y&pos_is_c=Y&pos_is_cf=Y&force:pos_is=1&c6mult=1.0&order_by=ws|title=Player Season Finder - Basketball-Reference.com|website=Basketball-Reference.com|access-date=July 31, 2018}}</ref> Barksdale was also notable as the first player to break many color barriers, including being the first African American to be named an [[NCAA All-American]] and [[NBA All-Star]], and the first to be selected to the [[United States men's national basketball team|US Olympic basketball team]].

In 2021, when the NBA named its [[NBA 75th Anniversary Team|75th Anniversary Team]], four former Bruins were included: [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]], [[Bill Walton]], [[Reggie Miller]] and [[Russell Westbrook]]. UCLA is tied with the [[North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball|University of North Carolina]] for the most players on the list.

All 14 players who have played on three [[NCAA]] Division I Championship basketball teams are from UCLA: Abdul-Jabbar, [[Sidney Wicks]], [[Curtis Rowe]], [[Lynn Shackelford]], [[Larry Farmer (basketball)|Larry Farmer]], [[Henry Bibby]], [[Steve Patterson (basketball)|Steve Patterson]], [[Kenny Heitz]], Jon Chapman, [[John Ecker (basketball)|John Ecker]], [[Andy Hill (basketball)|Andy Hill]], [[Terry Schofield]], [[Bill Sweek]], and [[Larry Hollyfield]].{{efn|Hollyfield is generally credited with being on three championship teams (1971–1973).<ref>{{cite news |last=Haylock |first=Rahshaun |title=Former Bruin Hollyfield still winning|date=May 30, 2012|work=FoxSports.com|url=http://www.foxsports.com/west/story/former-bruin-hollyfield-still-winning-053012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150530065539/http://www.foxsports.com/west/story/former-bruin-hollyfield-still-winning-053012|archive-date=May 30, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Crowe|first=Jerry|title=It's hard to disagree with TV analyst's take on the Lakers|date=May 14, 2009|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|url=https://articles.latimes.com/2009/may/14/sports/sp-crowe14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222214601/http://articles.latimes.com/2009/may/14/sports/sp-crowe14|archive-date=February 22, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=40th_anniv>{{cite press release|title=1971 Men's Basketball Team Celebrates 40th Anniversary|date=February 26, 2011|publisher=UCLA Athletics|url=http://www.uclabruins.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30500&ATCLID=207904960|access-date=April 23, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150529070053/http://www.uclabruins.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30500&ATCLID=207904960|archive-date=May 29, 2015}}</ref> While he played in 1970–71, he was ineligible to play in the 1971 postseason due to NCAA restrictions on junior college transfers.<ref>{{cite news|last=Berger|first=Dan|title=Don't Count Wooden's Whiz Kids Out Next Season|date=April 8, 1971|newspaper=The Sun|location=San Bernardino, California |agency=Associated Press|page=D-6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2514331/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=May 30, 2015}}{{open access}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Watts|first=Joe|title=Tournament Committee Replies to Questions|date=February 28, 1973|newspaper=The Daily Herald|page=6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2514345/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=May 30, 2015}}{{open access}}</ref>}}<ref>{{cite news|last=Crowe|first=Jerry|title=Kobe Bryant vs. Ron Artest is worth hearing|date=April 3, 2009|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|url=https://articles.latimes.com/2009/apr/03/sports/sp-crowe3|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150529051810/http://articles.latimes.com/2009/apr/03/sports/sp-crowe3|archive-date=May 29, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Patton|first=Robes|title=Parks Recovers|date=April 5, 1994|newspaper=Sun Sentinel|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1994-04-05/sports/9404050081_1_hog-heaven-ken-biley-duke|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150530142012/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1994-04-05/sports/9404050081_1_hog-heaven-ken-biley-duke|archive-date=May 30, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

UCLA became the first school to have a top winner in both basketball and football in the same year with [[Gary Beban]] winning the Heisman Trophy and [[Lew Alcindor]] (now [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]]) winning the [[Oscar Robertson Trophy|U.S. Basketball Writers Association]] player of the year award in 1968.

UCLA has produced the most [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award]] winners, six of them by Abdul-Jabbar, one to Walton, who was Abdul-Jabbar's successor, and one to Russell Westbrook.<ref name="SA"/> {{As of |2023|10|alt=As of the {{NBA Year|2023|app=NBA season}}}}, 104 former [[List of UCLA Bruins in the NBA|UCLA players have played in the NBA]].<ref name=br_bruins_in_nba>{{cite web |title=NBA & ABA Players Who Attended University of California, Los Angeles |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/friv/colleges.cgi?college=ucla |work=basketball-reference.com |access-date=April 6, 2012}}</ref>

At the [[2015 NBA All-Star Game]] and the [[2016 NBA All-Star Game]], former Bruins [[Russell Westbrook]] of the [[Oklahoma City Thunder]] was the MVP and [[Zach LaVine]] of the [[Minnesota Timberwolves]] was the winner of the [[Slam Dunk Contest]].

===Retired numbers===
{{main|UCLA Bruins men's basketball retired numbers}}
[[File:Marques johnson ucla.JPG|thumb|upright|[[Marques Johnson]]]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
| colspan="5" style= "{{CollegePrimaryStyle|UCLA Bruins|border=0}}" | '''UCLA Bruins retired numbers'''
|-
! width=40px style="{{CollegeSecondaryStyle|UCLA Bruins|border=0}}" | No.
! width=150px style="{{CollegeSecondaryStyle|UCLA Bruins|border=0}}" |Player
! width=40px style="{{CollegeSecondaryStyle|UCLA Bruins|border=0}}" |Position
! width=100px style="{{CollegeSecondaryStyle|UCLA Bruins|border=0}}" |Career
|-
| '''11''' || [[Don Barksdale]] || [[Forward (basketball)|F]] || 1946–47
|-
| '''25''' || [[Gail Goodrich]] || [[Guard (basketball)|G]] || 1962–65
|-
| rowspan=2| '''31''' || [[Ed O'Bannon]] || [[Power forward (basketball)|PF]] || 1991–95
|-
| [[Reggie Miller]] || [[Shooting guard|SG]] || 1983–87
|-
| '''32''' || [[Bill Walton]] || [[Center (basketball)|C]] || 1971–74
|-
| '''33''' || [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]] || [[Center (basketball)|C]] || 1966–69
|-
| '''35''' || [[Sidney Wicks]] || [[Power forward (basketball)|PF]] || 1968–71
|-
| '''42''' || [[Walt Hazzard]] || [[Guard (basketball)|G]] || 1961–64
|-
| '''52''' || [[Jamaal Wilkes]] || [[Small forward|SF]] || 1971–74
|-
| '''54''' || [[Marques Johnson]] || [[Small forward|SF]] || 1973–77
|}

===Consensus All-Americans===
[[File:Jamaal Wilkes 1971–72.png|thumb|upright|[[Jamaal Wilkes]]]]
[[File:Kevin Love Den.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Kevin Love]]]]
The following Bruins have been named consensus first-team [[NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-Americans]]:<ref>{{cite web|title=Award Winners|page=7|year=2014|work=NCAA.org|url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/2015/Awards.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402101412/http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_basketball_RB/2015/Awards.pdf|archive-date=April 2, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=UCLA Bruins|Year|Player}}
|-
| 1964 || {{sortname|Walt|Hazzard}}
|-
| 1965 || {{sortname|Gail|Goodrich}}
|-
| 1967 || {{sortname|Kareem|Abdul-Jabbar}}
|-
| 1968 || {{sortname|Kareem|Abdul-Jabbar}}
|-
| 1969 || {{sortname|Kareem|Abdul-Jabbar}}
|-
| 1971 || {{sortname|Sidney|Wicks}}
|-
|rowspan=2|1972 || {{sortname|Bill|Walton}}
|-
| {{sortname|Henry|Bibby}}
|-
|rowspan=2|1973 || {{sortname|Bill|Walton}}
|-
| {{sortname|Jamaal|Wilkes}}
|-
|rowspan=2|1974 || {{sortname|Bill|Walton}}
|-
| {{sortname|Jamaal|Wilkes}}
|-
| 1975 || {{sortname|Dave|Meyers|dab=basketball}}
|-
| 1976 || {{sortname|Richard|Washington}}
|-
| 1977 || {{sortname|Marques|Johnson}}
|-
| 1978 || {{sortname|David|Greenwood}}
|-
| 1979 || {{sortname|David|Greenwood}}
|-
| 1995 || {{sortname|Ed|O'Bannon}}
|-
| 2007|| {{sortname|Arron|Afflalo}}
|-
| 2008|| {{sortname|Kevin|Love}}
|-
| 2017|| {{sortname|Lonzo|Ball}}
|}

==School records==

===Individual career===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=UCLA Bruins|Record|Player|Total|Years|Ref}}
|-
|Most points
|{{sortname|Don|MacLean|dab=basketball}}
|2,608
|1988–1992
|rowspan=5|<ref>{{cite web |title=UCLA Records from 2011–12 UCLA Men's Basketball Media Guide |publisher=UCLA Athletic Department |page=80 |url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ucla/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/1112_MBB_MG_Records.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114001947/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ucla/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/1112_MBB_MG_Records.pdf |archive-date=November 14, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
|Highest scoring average
|{{sortname|Kareem|Abdul-Jabbar}}
|26.4
|1966–1969
|-
|Most rebounds
|{{sortname|Bill|Walton}}
|1,370
|1971–1974
|-
|Highest rebounding average
|{{sortname|Bill|Walton}}
|15.7
|1971–1974
|-
|Most assists
|{{sortname|Pooh|Richardson}}
|833
|1985–1989
|}

===Team season records===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=UCLA Bruins|Record|Total|Year}}
|-
|Field Goals Made
|1210
|2017
|-
|Field Goals %
|55.5
|1979
|-
|Free Throws Made
|642
|1956 1991
|-
|Free Throw %
|75.6
|1979
|-
|3-pt. Field Goals Made
|354
|2017
|-
|3-pt. Field Goal %
|42.6
|1989
|-
|Rebounds
|1670
|1964
|-
|Assists
|771
|2017
|-
|Blocked Shots
|199
|2011
|-
|}

==Career leaders==
{{See also|UCLA Bruins men's basketball statistical leaders}}
:''Updated through 2016–17 season''
{{col-begin|width=auto}}
{{col-break}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Points<ref>{{cite web|last=Timiraos|first=Alex|title=2014–15 UCLA Men's Basketball Media Guide|work=UCLABruins.com|publisher=UCLA Sports Information Office|pages=122–123|year=2014|url=http://www.uclabruins.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30500&ATCLID=209713697|access-date=March 18, 2015|ref=201415mg}}</ref>
|-
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=UCLA Bruins|Player|Year|Points}}
|-
| {{sortname|Don|MacLean|dab=basketball}} || 1988–1992 || 2,608
|-
| {{sortname|Kareem|Abdul-Jabbar}} ||1966–1969 || 2,325
|-
| {{sortname|Jason|Kapono}} || 1999–2003 || 2,095
|-
| {{sortname|Reggie|Miller}} || 1983–1987 || 2,095
|-
| {{sortname|Bryce|Alford}} ||2013–2017 || 1,922
|-
| {{sortname|Toby|Bailey}} || 1994–1998 || 1,846
|-
| {{sortname|Ed|O'Bannon}} ||1991–1995 || 1,815
|-
| {{sortname|J. R.|Henderson}} || 1994–1998 || 1,801
|-
| {{sortname|Trevor|Wilson|dab=basketball}} || 1986–1990 || 1,798
|-
| {{sortname|Tracy|Murray}} || 1989–1992 || 1,792
|}
{{col-break|gap=2px}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Rebounds<ref name=timiraos2014_p131>[[#201415mg|Timiraos 2014]], p. 131.</ref>
|-
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=UCLA Bruins|Player|Year|Rebounds}}
|-
| {{sortname|Bill|Walton}} || 1971–1974 || 1,370
|-
| {{sortname|Kareem|Abdul-Jabbar}} || 1966–1969 || 1,367
|-
| {{sortname|David|Greenwood}} || 1975–1979 || 1,022
|-
| {{sortname|Trevor|Wilson|dab=basketball}} || 1986–1990 || 1,001
|-
| {{sortname|Don|MacLean|dab=basketball}} ||1988–1992 || 992
|-
| {{sortname|Willie|Naulls}} || 1953–1956 || 900
|-
| {{sortname|Marques|Johnson}} || 1973–1977 || 897
|-
| {{sortname|Dan|Gadzuric}} || 1998–2002 || 896
|-
| {{sortname|Sidney|Wicks}} || 1968–1971 || 894
|-
| {{sortname|Ed|O'Bannon}} || 1991–1995 || 820
|}
{{col-break|gap=2px}}
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+Assists<ref name=timiraos2014_p131/>
|-
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=UCLA Bruins|Player|Year|Assists}}
|-
| {{sortname|Pooh|Richardson}} || 1985–1989 || 833
|-
| {{sortname|Tyus|Edney}} ||1991–1995 || 652
|-
| {{sortname|Darrick|Martin}} || 1988–1992 || 636
|-
| {{sortname|Earl|Watson}} || 1997–2001 || 607
|-
| {{sortname|Darren|Collison}} || 2005–2009 || 577
|-
| {{sortname|Ralph|Jackson}} || 1980–1984 || 523
|-
| {{sortname|Roy|Hamilton|dab=basketball}} || 1975–1979 || 512
|-
| {{sortname|Toby|Bailey}} || 1994–1998 || 458
|-
| {{sortname|Cameron|Dollar}} || 1993–1997 || 451
|-
| {{sortname|Gerald|Madkins}} || 1987–1992 || 404
|}
{{col-end}}

==Conferences==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=UCLA Bruins|Years|Conferences|Win–loss|Pct.}}
|-
|1919–1920 || None || — || —
|-
|1920–1927 || [[Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference|Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC)]]|| 63–6 ||.913
|-
|1927–1959 || [[Pacific Coast Conference|Pacific Coast Conference (PCC)]] || ||
|-
|1959–1968|| [[Pac-12 Conference#AAWU (Big Five and Big Six)|Athletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU)]]|| 99–21 ||.825
|-
|1968–1978 || [[Pac-12 Conference#Pacific-8|Pacific-8 Conference]] || 129–11 ||.921
|-
|1978–2011 || [[Pac-12 Conference#Pacific-10|Pacific-10 Conference]] || 365–166 ||.687
|-
|2011–2024 || [[Pac-12 Conference]] || ||
|}

===Record vs. Pac-12 opponents===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
{{CollegePrimaryHeader|team=UCLA Bruins|Opponent|Wins|Losses|Pct.|Streak}}
|-
|[[Arizona Wildcats men's basketball|Arizona]]
|63
|48
|.568
|Arizona 1
|-
|[[Arizona State Sun Devils men's basketball|Arizona St.]]
|74
|24
|.755
|UCLA 3
|-
|[[California Golden Bears men's basketball|Cal]]
|146
|103
|.586
|UCLA 11
|-
|[[Colorado Buffaloes men's basketball|Colorado]]
|19
|7
|.731
|UCLA 5
|-
|[[Oregon Ducks men's basketball|Oregon]]
|93
|39
|.705
|UCLA 3
|-
|[[Oregon State Beavers men's basketball|Oregon St.]]
|102
|40
|.718
|UCLA 3
|-
|[[Stanford Cardinal men's basketball|Stanford]]
|151
|97
|.609
|UCLA 4
|-
|[[USC Trojans men's basketball|USC]]
|148
|113
|.567
|USC 1
|-
|[[Utah Utes men's basketball|Utah]]
|18
|10
|.643
|UCLA 7
|-
|[[Washington Huskies men's basketball|Washington]]
|107
|43
|.713
|UCLA 8
|-
|[[Washington State Cougars men's basketball|Washington St.]]
|112
|19
|.855
|UCLA 4
|}
*Note all-time series includes non-conference matchups and the Pac-12 Tournament.
Updated March 20, 2022

==See also==
* [[NCAA Men's Division I Final Four appearances by coaches]]
* [[NCAA Men's Division I Final Four appearances by school]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{commons}}
* {{Official website}}

{{UCLA Bruins men's basketball navbox}}
{{UCLA}}
{{Pac-12 Conference men's basketball navbox}}
{{Big Ten Conference men's basketball navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ucla Bruins Men's Basketball}}
[[Category:UCLA Bruins men's basketball| ]]

2015–16 Golden State Warriors season

2023-12-16T18:12:48Z

Rangers00: Add one more Warrior achievement: the best record in a 41-game stretch in NBA history.

{{short description|NBA professional basketball team season}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox NBA season
| team = Golden State Warriors
| DivisionWin = Yes
| ConferenceWin = yes
| end_year = 2016
| wins = 73
| losses = 9
| division = Pacific
| division_place = 1
| conf_place = 1
| coach = [[Steve Kerr]] [[Luke Walton]]{{efn|Luke Walton served as interim head coach from October 27, 2015 to January 20, 2016 while Steve Kerr recovered from back surgery complications. He led Golden State to a 39–4 start.<ref name="COTY"/>}} (interim)
| gm = [[Bob Myers]]
| owners = [[Peter Guber]] [[Joe Lacob]]
| arena = [[Oracle Arena]]
| playoffs = [[2016 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]] (lost to [[2015–16 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cavaliers]] 3–4)
| bbr_team = GSW
| television = [[CSN Bay Area|Comcast SportsNet Bay Area]]
| radio = [[KNBR (AM)|KNBR]]
}}
The '''2015–16 [[Golden State Warriors]] season''' was the 70th season of the franchise in the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA), and its 54th in the [[San Francisco Bay Area]].<ref>{{cite web|title=NBA.com Warriors History|url=http://www.nba.com/warriors/team_history_index.html|website=[[Golden State Warriors]]|publisher=[[National Basketball Association]]|access-date=June 24, 2015}}</ref> The Warriors entered the season as the defending [[2015 NBA Finals|NBA champions]] and they set the [[List of NBA teams by single season win percentage|best ever regular-season record of {{Win–loss record|w=73|l=9}}]], breaking the [[1995–96 Chicago Bulls season|1995–96 Chicago Bulls]] record of {{Win–loss record|w=72|l=10}}.<ref name="best records">{{cite web|title=Best NBA starts|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_best_records.html|access-date=November 24, 2015|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref> Golden State broke over [[2015–16 Golden State Warriors season#NBA records|twenty-five NBA records]] and more than [[2015–16 Golden State Warriors season#Franchise records|ten franchise records]] that season, including most wins ever recorded in a season (regular-season and postseason combined); with 88.<ref name="dubs stats">{{cite web|title=Warriors|url=http://www.nba.com/gamenotes/warriors.pdf|access-date=March 18, 2016|work=nba.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Are the Golden State Warriors the Greatest Team Ever?|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/sports/features/are-the-golden-state-warriors-the-greatest-team-ever-20160414|magazine=Rolling Stone|publisher=Rolling Stone|access-date=April 15, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The Golden State Warriors are the Greatest NBA Team Ever and the Most Likable|url=http://www.slate.com/articles/sports/sports_nut/2016/04/the_golden_state_warriors_are_the_greatest_nba_team_ever_and_the_most_likable.html|publisher=Slate|access-date=April 15, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Are the Warriors the best regular season pro team in sports history?|url=https://www.si.com/nba/2016/04/13/golden-state-warriors-bulls-patriots-yankees-regular-season-history|magazine=Sports Illustrated|access-date=April 15, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The Warriors Are Officially The Best Team in NBA Regular Season History|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/golden-state-warriors-73-9-chicago-bulls_us_570eb9fde4b08a2d32b8f373|work=The Huffington Post|access-date=April 15, 2016}}</ref> However, they were defeated in the [[2016 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]] by the [[2015–16 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland Cavaliers]] in seven games, having lost the series after leading 3–1.<ref name="FinalsGame7">{{cite web|url=http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=400878160 |title=Cavaliers become first team to rally from 3–1 series deficit in NBA Finals |website=ESPN.com |access-date=June 19, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160627180622/http://espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=400878160 |archive-date=June 27, 2016 |df=mdy }}</ref>

The Warriors began the 2015–16 season by winning their first 24 games, eclipsing the previous best start in NBA history, set by the [[1993–94 Houston Rockets season|1993–94 Houston Rockets]] and the [[1948–49 BAA season|1948–49 Washington Capitols]] at {{Win–loss record|w=15|l=0}}.<ref name="best records" /><ref>{{cite news|date=November 25, 2015|title=Warriors Make History With 16th "Straight Win"|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/26/sports/basketball/golden-state-warriors-make-nba-history-with-16th-straight-win.html}}</ref> Their record-setting start ended when they were defeated by the [[Milwaukee Bucks]] on December 12, 2015.<ref>{{cite news|date=December 12, 2015|title=It's Over|work=[[National Basketball Association|NBA.com]]|url=http://www.nba.com/games/20151212/GSWMIL/gameinfo.html?ls=iref:nbahpt3a|url-status=dead|access-date=December 13, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170525172319/http://www.nba.com/games/20151212/GSWMIL/gameinfo.html?ls=iref:nbahpt3a|archive-date=May 25, 2017}}</ref> The Warriors broke a 131-year-old record of {{Win–loss record|w=20|l=0}} set by the [[1884 St. Louis Maroons season|1884 St. Louis Maroons]] baseball team, to claim the best start to a season in all of the [[Major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada|major professional sports in America]]. They also won 28 consecutive regular-season games dating back to the [[2014–15 Golden State Warriors season|2014–15 season]], eclipsing the [[2012–13 Miami Heat season|2012–13 Miami Heat]] for the [[List of National Basketball Association longest winning streaks|second longest winning streak in NBA history]].<ref name="best records" /> The team set an NBA record 54-straight regular-season home-game winning streak, which spanned from January 31, 2015, to March 29, 2016. The previous record of 44 was held by the 1995–96 Chicago Bulls.<ref>{{cite web|title=Longest Home Win Streaks|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/tstreak.cgi?request=1&lg_id=NBA&year_min=&year_max=&team_id=&opp_id=&is_playoffs=N&game_location=H&is_overtime=&c1stat=pts&c1comp=gt&c1val=opp_pts&c2stat=&c2comp=ge&c2val=&c3stat=&c3comp=ge&c3val=&c4stat=&c4comp=ge&c4val=&m1stat1=&m1math=s&m1stat2=&m1comp=ge&m1val=|access-date=December 29, 2015|work=basketball-reference.com}}</ref> Golden State broke their franchise record of 28 road wins in a season which they set in 2014–15; they ended the season with 34, passing the same mid-1990s [[Chicago Bulls]] team led by [[Michael Jordan]] for the most road wins in NBA history.<ref name="dubs stats" /> The team became the first in NBA history to go the entire regular season without back-to-back losses and without losing to the same team twice.<ref name="1516records">{{cite web|title=The Daily Dish|url=http://www.nba.com/warriors/weekly-dish/20160411|access-date=April 11, 2016|work=NBA}}</ref>

[[Steve Kerr]] was named [[NBA Coach of the Year Award|Coach of the Year]], the third coach in Warriors history to win the award.<ref name="COTY" /> [[Stephen Curry]] was named [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player]] for a second successive season and was the first unanimous winner in NBA history.<ref name="MVP">{{cite news |title=Stephen Curry Named 2015-16 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player |publisher=Warriors.com |date=May 10, 2016 |url=http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/curry-mvp-20160510}}</ref> Curry, [[Draymond Green]] and [[Klay Thompson]] were all named to the [[2016 NBA All-Star Game|All-Star Game]], the first time the Warriors have had three All-Stars since [[1976 NBA All-Star Game|1976]]. Along with the All-Star selection, Klay Thompson was also named to the [[All-NBA Third Team]]. Draymond Green was named to the [[All-NBA Second Team]] while also being selected as an All-Star. Green was named to the [[All-Defensive First Team]] and he finished in second place in DPOY voting with 44 first-place votes. [[Andre Iguodala]] finished in second place in [[Sixth Man of the Year]] voting with 33 first-place votes. Curry broke his own NBA record for made [[List of National Basketball Association annual three-point field goals leaders|three-pointers in a season]] of 286, finishing with 402. Curry won the [[List of National Basketball Association annual scoring leaders|scoring title]], averaging 30.1 points per game and [[List of National Basketball Association annual steals leaders|led the league in steals]] and had the best [[List of National Basketball Association annual free throw percentage leaders|free throw percentage]]. He became the seventh player to enter the [[50–40–90 club]] (he shot 50% for [[field goal percentage|field goals]], 45% for three-pointers and 91% for [[free throw percentage|free throws]] during the entire regular season).

==Season Synopsis==

===Preseason===
The [[2015 NBA draft]] took place on June 25 at [[Barclays Center]] in [[Brooklyn, New York]]. Golden State chose power forward [[Kevon Looney]] with the 30th pick of the first round. On July 27, the Warriors traded [[David Lee (basketball)|David Lee]] to the [[Boston Celtics]] for [[Gerald Wallace]] and [[Chris Babb]]. Four days later, Wallace was traded to the [[Philadelphia 76ers]] for [[Jason Thompson (basketball)|Jason Thompson]].

===Regular season===

====October/November====
[[File:Stephen Curry dribbling 2016 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|130px|[[Stephen Curry]] made 402 [[Three-point field goal|three-pointers]] this season, breaking [[List of National Basketball Association annual three-point field goals leaders|his own NBA record]] of 286.<ref name="73wins"/>]] The Warriors opened the regular season on October 27 with assistant coach [[Luke Walton]] coaching for the team after it was confirmed that coach [[Steve Kerr]]'s back would not heal in time for the beginning of the regular season. Before the opener, the Golden State Warriors revealed their first title banner in 40 years and received their championship rings during a ceremony acknowledging the 2014–15 champions. Every player on the roster, with the exception of traded player David Lee, was in attendance with also the full coaching staff to celebrate the winningest season for the franchise.<ref>{{cite news |title=Golden State Warriors receive 2015 title rings, raise 1st banner in 40 years |work=Yahoo! Sports |date=October 27, 2015 |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/golden-state-warriors-receive-2015-title-rings--raise-1st-banner-in-40-years-033135510.html }}</ref> Golden State opened the season with a 111–95 win over the visiting New Orleans Pelicans. In that game, Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 40 points.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400827890|title=Stephen Curry scores 40 as Warriors win to open title defense|work=ESPN.com|date=October 28, 2015|access-date=August 4, 2019}}</ref> On their third game of the season, they were once again up against the Pelicans, this time, they were on the road. On their first meeting, Curry scored 40 points, this time, Curry scored a season-high 53 points to lead the Warriors towards their third straight win.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400827922|title=Stephen Curry outscores Pelicans 28-26 in the 3rd; Warriors improve to 3-0|work=ESPN.com|date=November 1, 2015|access-date=August 4, 2019}}</ref> The Warriors opened their season with four wins and a combined margin-of-victory of 100 points, surpassing the [[1961–62 Boston Celtics season|1961–62 Boston Celtics]] (99 points) for the largest win-margin over the first four games.<ref>{{cite news |title=With 50-point win over Grizzlies, Warriors set NBA record |work=NBC Sports |date=November 3, 2015 |url=http://origin.nbcbayarea.nbcsports.com/warriors/50-point-win-over-grizzlies-warriors-set-nba-record |access-date=November 25, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151126100819/http://origin.nbcbayarea.nbcsports.com/warriors/50-point-win-over-grizzlies-warriors-set-nba-record |archive-date=November 26, 2015 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> On November 4, the Warriors won their fifth straight win after handing their division rival, the [[2015-16 Los Angeles Clippers season|LA Clippers]], their first loss of the season. Curry led the Warriors with 31 points.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400827956|title=Stephen Curry's 31 points buoy Warriors in tight win over rival Clippers|work=ESPN.com|date=November 4, 2015|access-date=August 4, 2019}}</ref> Eight days later, the Warriors won their tenth straight game after beating the Timberwolves, recording their first ever 10–0 start in a season in franchise history.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400828012|title=Stephen Curry scores 46 as Warriors tops Wolves for first 10-0 start|work=ESPN.com|date=November 13, 2015|access-date=August 4, 2019}}</ref> On November 17, the Warriors have won their 12th straight game to start a season with 115–110 win over the visiting [[2015-16 Toronto Raptors season|Toronto Raptors]]. They became the first defending champions to have won their first 12 games of a season since the [[1996-97 Chicago Bulls season|1996-97 Chicago Bulls]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400828051|title=Stephen Curry scores 37 as Warriors stave off Raptors' rally, move to 12-0|work=ESPN.com|date=November 18, 2015|access-date=August 5, 2019}}</ref> Three days later, the Warriors opened up the season with a 14–0 record after beating the visiting [[2015-16 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago Bulls]], 106–94. They also became the first defending champions to start their season with a 14–0 record since the [[1957-58 Boston Celtics season|1957-58 Boston Celtics]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400828074|title=Steph Curry leads Warriors to 14-0 start as they hold off Bulls|work=ESPN.com|date=November 21, 2015|access-date=August 5, 2019}}</ref> On November 24, the Warriors won at home, 111–77, against the visiting Lakers and became the first team in NBA History to start a season with a 16–0 record, besting the 15–0 record set by the [[1947-48 Washington Capitols season|1947-48 Capitols]] and [[1993-94 Houston Rockets season|1993-94 Rockets]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=400828101|title=Golden State Warriors first NBA team to start a season 16-0|work=ESPN.com|date=November 25, 2015|access-date=August 5, 2019}}</ref> On November 27, the Warriors set new franchise records for longest winning streak (17) and three-point field goals made (22) in a 135–116 victory over the [[Phoenix Suns]].<ref name ="phoenix3rec">{{cite news |title=Warriors drain franchise-record 22 3-pointers, torch Suns, improve to 17-0 |work=Yahoo! Sports |date=November 27, 2015 |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/warriors-drain-franchise-record-22-3-pointers--torch-suns--improve-to-17-0-193340430.html }}</ref> They also extended their streak of scoring at least 100 points in a game for 17 straight games, the first team to do since the [[2009-10 Phoenix Suns season|2009-10 Suns]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/PHO/2010_games.html|title=2009-10 Phoenix Suns Schedule and Results|publisher=Basketball-Reference.com|access-date=August 5, 2019}}</ref>

====December====
On December 5, the Warriors beat the [[Toronto Raptors]] 112–109 to improve to 21–0 and set a new record for the best start to a season in all [[Major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada|major professional sports in America]], eclipsing the 20–0 mark set by the [[1884 St. Louis Maroons season|1884 St. Louis Maroons]] baseball team of the [[Union Association]]. Also, with this 11th straight road victory, the Warriors set a new franchise-record for the longest road winning streak in their history.<ref>{{cite web |last=Markazi |first=Arash |url=http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14177996/golden-state-warriors-focused-repeating-champs-not-their-potentially-historic-win-streak |title=Warriors focused on repeating as champs, not a start that rivals best in sports history |publisher=[[ESPN]] |date=December 5, 2015 |access-date=December 6, 2015 }}</ref> Golden State's 131–123 win on December 8 over the [[Indiana Pacers|Pacers]] in [[Indianapolis]] improved their road record to 13–0, the best such start to a season in NBA history. The win improved their overall record to 23–0.<ref>{{cite news|author=|url=http://www.sfexaminer.com/thompson-warriors-improve-to-23-0-beat-pacers-131-123/|title=Thompson, Warriors improve to 23-0, beat Pacers 131-123|agency=Associated Press|via=[[The San Francisco Examiner]]|date=December 8, 2015|access-date=December 8, 2015}}</ref> On December 11, Golden State defeated the Boston Celtics 124–119 (2OT) to improve to 24–0 and move into second place on the NBA's longest winning streaks list (28), five games behind the [[Los Angeles Lakers]]' 33-game win streak. During this game [[Draymond Green]] recorded a [[Double (basketball)#NBA 4|five-by-five game]], with 24 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, 5 steals and 5 blocks. The feat of recording at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, five steals and five blocks has only been achieved seven times by three different players (including five times by [[Hakeem Olajuwon]]).{{efn|Statistics for steals and blocks were not kept in the NBA until the 1973–74 season, so NBA five-by-fives were only possible from that season onward. Stat based on records since 1983–84 season. There may be other players who achieved this before that date.}} Since the [[1983–84 NBA season]], only 16 players have recorded a 5x5 line.<ref>{{cite web |last=Moore |first=Matt |url=http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on-basketball/25410876/draymond-green-joins-rare-5x5-club-vs-celtics-continues-to-look-underpaid |title=Draymond Green joins rare '5X5' club vs. Celtics, continues ascent into elite |work=CBS Sports |date=December 12, 2015 |access-date=December 12, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Moore |first=Matt |url=https://www.si.com/nba/2015/12/11/draymond-green-5-x-5-golden-state-warriors-boston-celtics-nicolas-batum |title=Draymond Green records first 5x5 line since 2012 in Warriors' 2OT win |publisher=SI |date=December 11, 2015 |access-date=December 11, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/pgl_finder.cgi?request=1&player_id=&match=game&year_min=&year_max=&age_min=0&age_max=99&team_id=&opp_id=&is_playoffs=N&round_id=&game_num_type=&game_num_min=&game_num_max=&game_month=&game_day=&game_location=&game_result=&is_starter=&is_active=&is_hof=&pos_is_g=Y&pos_is_gf=Y&pos_is_f=Y&pos_is_fg=Y&pos_is_fc=Y&pos_is_c=Y&pos_is_cf=Y&c1stat=blk&c1comp=gt&c1val=5&c2stat=trb&c2comp=gt&c2val=5&c3stat=ast&c3comp=gt&c3val=5&c4stat=stl&c4comp=gt&c4val=5&order_by=pts |title=Player game finder (5x5) |publisher=Basketball-reference |access-date=April 12, 2015 }}</ref> The winning streak to start the season ended at 24 games when they were beaten by the [[Milwaukee Bucks]], 108–95. The loss also ended their 28-game winning streak (dating to the 2014–15 regular season), [[List of National Basketball Association longest winning streaks|the second-longest in NBA history]].{{efn|The longest, 33 games won by the [[Los Angeles Lakers]], also ended in [[Milwaukee]].<ref name=its-over/>}}<ref name=its-over>{{cite news|last=Simmons|first=Rusty|url=http://www.sfchronicle.com/warriors/article/Warriors-fall-to-Bucks-as-win-streak-ends-at-28-6694927.php|title=Warriors fall to Bucks as win streak ends at 28 games|work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|date=December 12, 2015|access-date=December 12, 2015}}</ref> The Warriors finished the 2015 calendar year with a 72–12 (.857) record between two seasons, the second-best winning percentage in NBA history. They went 88–17 (.838) including play-off games.<ref name="72 wins in 2015">{{cite web |last=Lou |first=William |url=https://www.thescore.com/nba/news/916519 |title=Warriors beat Rockets, improve to 72–12 for 2015 |publisher=The Score |date=December 31, 2015 |access-date=December 31, 2015 }}</ref>

====January/February====
[[File:Brack Obama with the 2015 NBA Champions Golden State Warriors.jpg|thumb|right|200px|President [[Barack Obama]] welcomed the Golden State Warriors to the [[White House]] on February 4, 2016, to honor their [[2015 NBA Finals|2015 NBA Championship]] win.<ref>{{cite news |title=The President Honors the Golden State Warriors, 2015 NBA Champions |date=February 4, 2016 |via=[[NARA|National Archives]] |work=[[whitehouse.gov]] |url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/photos-and-video/video/2016/02/04/president-honors-golden-state-warriors-2015-nba-champions }}</ref>]]In a win against the [[New York Knicks]] on January 31, Green tied [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame|Hall of Famer]] [[Tom Gola]]'s franchise record of nine triple-doubles in a season.<ref>{{cite news |title=Best of NBA: Green ties Gola for Warriors' triple-double record |work=CSN Philly |date= January 31, 2016 |url=http://www.csnphilly.com/basketball-philadelphia-76ers/best-nba-draymond-green-ties-tom-gola-warriors-triple-double-record-win-knicks }}</ref> Golden State reached the [[NBA All-Star Game|NBA All-Star break]] at 48–4, the best start to an NBA season at this juncture.<ref name="best records"/> On February 13, [[Klay Thompson]] won the [[Three-Point Contest]] at the All-Star weekend, beating Stephen Curry 27–23 in the final round. The 27 points tied Curry's record set the previous year for most points scored in a round.<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Klay Thompson edges Stephen Curry in Three-Point Contest |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=February 13, 2016 |url=https://www.si.com/nba/2016/02/13/klay-thompson-stephen-curry-three-point-contest-all-star }}</ref> By defeating the [[Atlanta Hawks]] on February 22, the Warriors became the fastest team to reach 50 wins in a season, accomplishing this in just 55 games. Golden State also had 30 assists in a game for the 29th time this season, setting a new franchise record.<ref>{{cite news |title=Warriors slip past Hawks, become fastest team to 50 wins in NBA history |work=USA Today |date=February 23, 2016 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2016/02/22/curry-leads-warriors-to-50th-win-102-92-over-hawks/80785374/ }}</ref> On February 27, the Warriors defeated the [[Oklahoma City Thunder]] and won their 29th road game of the season, breaking the franchise record of 28 which they set last season. They also became the fastest team ever in NBA history to clinch a playoff berth, accomplishing it in just 58 games.{{citation needed|date=April 2019}} They bettered the [[1985–86 Boston Celtics season|1985–86 Boston Celtics]] by just one day.{{citation needed|date=April 2019}} This was also the earliest a team had clinched a playoff spot in February since the [[1987–88 Los Angeles Lakers season|1987–88 Los Angeles Lakers]] (although the {{nbay|2015}} season started almost two weeks earlier than the {{nbay|1987}} season did within their respective calendar years).{{citation needed|date=April 2019}} In this game [[Stephen Curry]] also broke the [[List of National Basketball Association annual three-point field goals leaders|single season three-point record]] (286), a record that he himself held, by making his 287th and 288th three-pointers of the season as two of his 12 three-pointers of the game, tying the single game NBA three-point record (jointly holding it with [[Kobe Bryant]] and [[Donyell Marshall]]).

====March====
On March 3, the Warriors tied the 1995–1996 [[Chicago Bulls]] for the longest regular-season home-game winning streak in NBA history (44 games), with a 121–106 victory at home against the [[Oklahoma City Thunder]]. The Warriors' win streak dated back to the [[2014–15 NBA season|previous year]]. Entering the game on March 6, the [[Los Angeles Lakers]] (.190) and Golden State (.917) had a .727 difference in win percentage, making the Lakers' blowout 112–95 win the biggest upset in NBA history.<ref>{{cite news |title=Kobe, Lakers take down Steph Curry and the Warriors in Golden State upset |work=FOX Sports |date=March 6, 2016 |url=http://www.foxsports.com/nba/story/los-angeles-lakers-golden-state-warriors-kobe-bryant-stephen-curry-030616 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Lakers stun Warriors for one of largest upsets in NBA history |publisher=ESPN |date=March 6, 2016 |url=http://www.espn.co.uk/nba/recap?gameId=400828818 }}</ref> On March 7, the Warriors won their 45th-straight regular season home game over the [[Orlando Magic]], eclipsing the [[1995–96 Chicago Bulls season|1995–96 Chicago Bulls]] 44 wins in a row, to claim the NBA record.<ref name="best records"/> [[Stephen Curry]] became the first player in NBA history to score 300 [[Three-point field goal|three-pointers]] in a single season. In a 128–112 win over the [[Portland Trail Blazers]] on March 11, both teams combined for 37 made three-pointers (18 by the Warriors, 19 by the Blazers), an all-time NBA record.<ref>{{cite news |title=Warriors Out-splash Trailblazers on Record Setting Night |publisher=Warriors.com |date=March 12, 2016 |url=http://www.nba.com/warriors/gameday/20160311/recap/ }}</ref> With a [[Los Angeles Clippers]]' loss to the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] on March 13, the Warriors officially clinched the [[Pacific Division (NBA)|Pacific Division]] title for second consecutive season and fourth time overall. By defeating the [[New Orleans Pelicans]] on March 14, the Warriors became the fastest team to reach 60 wins in a season, accomplishing this in just 66 games. With a road win over the [[Minnesota Timberwolves]] on March 21, Golden State became only the ninth team in NBA history to achieve 31 wins on the road in the regular season. The Warriors finished the [[Pacific Division (NBA)|Pacific Division]] with a 15–1 (.938) record, the best intradivisional record in franchise history.

In a 128–120 win over the [[Dallas Mavericks]] on March 25, both teams combined for 39 made three-pointers (21 by the Warriors, 18 by the Mavericks), an all-time NBA record, which beat the 37 set by the Warriors and Blazers two weeks earlier. Golden State also eclipsed the previous record for most three-pointers in a single season by a team in NBA history (933) that had been set by the [[Houston Rockets]] the previous year.<ref name="3pt team record"/> The Warriors dished out 32 assists against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 27, the 39th time this season the team has had a 30-assist game; the most in the NBA since the [[1991–92 Chicago Bulls season|1991–92 Chicago Bulls]] finished with 40. With their 102–94 win against the [[Washington Wizards]] on March 29, the Warriors tied their franchise record of most wins in a single season (67) which had been set the previous year. The Warriors earned their franchise record 68th victory of the season with a 103–96 win in overtime against the [[Utah Jazz]] on March 30. They improved to 6–0 in overtime this season, extending a franchise record for OT wins in a single season. Draymond Green became the first player in NBA history with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 500 assists, 100 steals and 100 blocks in a season.

====April====
On April 1, Golden State lost at home for the first time since January 27, 2015. They fell to the Boston Celtics 109–106 and snapped a 54-game regular-season home winning streak. Their home record for this season dropped to 36–1 with the loss. Golden State became the first team in NBA history to score 1,000 [[Three-point field goal|three-pointers]] in a single season during their 136–111 win against the [[Portland Trail Blazers]]. The win was Golden State's 69th of the season, making them the fourth team in NBA history to record at least 69 wins in a season, along with the [[1971–72 Los Angeles Lakers season|1971–72 Los Angeles Lakers]] and 1995–96/[[1996–97 Chicago Bulls season|1996–97 Chicago Bulls]] teams. The Warriors became the first team since the 1991–92 Chicago Bulls to record 40 games with at least 30 assists in a single season. By defeating the [[San Antonio Spurs]] on April 7, the Warriors became only the 2nd team in NBA history to reach 70 wins in a season, joining the 72-win [[1995–96 Chicago Bulls season|1995–96 Chicago Bulls]]. After defeating the Spurs again on April 10, the Warriors tied the NBA record for most regular-season wins with 72, previously set by the 1995–96 Chicago Bulls. Golden State snapped a 33-game regular season losing streak against the Spurs in San Antonio (lasting since February 14, 1997), the second longest such streak against one team in NBA history. The Warriors also ended the Spurs' NBA record 39 home wins to start the season (in total a 48-game home winning streak dating back to [[2014–15 San Antonio Spurs season|the previous season]].) Golden State became the first team in NBA history to go the entire regular season without back-to-back losses and the first team in NBA history to go the entire regular season without losing to the same team twice.<ref name="1516records"/>

The Warriors broke the 1995–96 Chicago Bulls' record for best regular season in NBA history after defeating the Memphis Grizzlies 125–104 on April 13, finishing with a record of 73–9. With the win, Golden State tied their franchise record for home wins with 39, which they set last season.<ref name="73wins"/> The Warriors finished the season at an NBA-record 64 games above .500. Curry made 10 three-pointers against Memphis, making him the first player in NBA history to hit 400 threes in a single season; he finished with 402.<ref name="73wins"/> Curry finished the season averaging 30.1 points per game, making him the first Warriors [[List of National Basketball Association annual scoring leaders|NBA scoring champion]] since [[Rick Barry]] in the [[1966–67 NBA season]].<ref name="73wins"/> Curry became the seventh player to enter the [[50–40–90 club]], where he shot 50% for [[field goal percentage|field goals]], 45% for three-pointers and 91% for [[free throw percentage|free throws]] during an entire regular season. This feat has only been achieved eleven times by seven players ([[Steve Nash]] having done it four times).<ref name="73wins">{{cite news |title=Warriors Set NBA Record With 73rd Win of the Regular Season |publisher=Warriors.com |date=April 14, 2016 |url=http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/73-wins-20160413}}</ref>

===Postseason===
[[File:Steve Kerr (16453076458) cropped.jpg|thumb|right|130px|Coach [[Steve Kerr]] led the Warriors to an NBA record 73–9 regular season, eclipsing the 72–10 of the [[1995–96 Chicago Bulls season|1995–96 Chicago Bulls]] team he was a player on.<ref name="COTY"/>]]Golden State beat the Houston Rockets 121–94 on April 24 to go up 3–1 in the first round series, in doing so they set the NBA record for threes made in a playoff game, hitting 21-of-40 (.525). [[Steve Kerr]] was named [[NBA Coach of the Year Award|Coach of the Year]] on April 26, the third Warriors coach to win the award after [[Alex Hannum]] in [[1963–64 San Francisco Warriors season|1963–64]] and [[Don Nelson]] in [[1991–92 Golden State Warriors season|1991–92]]. Under Kerr's leadership the Warriors led the league in scoring (114.9 points), field goal percentage (.487), three-point percentage (.416), assists (28.9), point differential (+10.8) and offensive rating (112.5 points per 100 possessions), while becoming the first team in league history to hit 1,000 three-pointers in a single season with an NBA-record 1,077 triples. Kerr held an overall regular-season record of 140–24 (.854) in his first two seasons with the Warriors.<ref name="COTY">{{cite news |title=Steve Kerr Named 2015-16 NBA Coach of the Year |publisher=Warriors.com |date=April 1, 2016 |url=http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/steve-kerr-named-2015-16-nba-coach-year}}</ref> The Warriors eliminated the Houston Rockets on April 27 with a blowout victory of 114–81, winning the series 4–1 and progressing to the Western Conference Semi-finals to face the [[Portland Trail Blazers]]. Klay Thompson became the first player in NBA history to make at least seven three-pointers in consecutive playoff games.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/_/id/117414/how-to-replace-superstars-warriors-find-a-way-clippers-struggle |title=How to replace superstars? Warriors find a way. Clippers struggle. |publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=April 27, 2016 }}</ref>

====May====
On May 9, a 132–125 OT win over the Portland Trail Blazers put Golden State up 3–1 in the series, Steph Curry scored 40 points in his first game back after being out injured for 15 days with an [[Medial collateral ligament|MCL]] sprain.<ref>{{cite news |title=Curry Carries Warriors to Dramatic Game 4 Victory |publisher=Warriors.com |date=May 9, 2016 |url=http://www.nba.com/warriors/gameday/20160509/recap }}</ref> He scored 17 of his points in overtime, which broke the NBA record of 16 held by [[Gilbert Arenas]] for most points scored in an overtime period (regular-season or postseason).<ref name="playoffrecord">{{cite news |title=Most points scored in an overtime period by a single player |publisher=Official Warriors Stats Twitter |date=May 9, 2016 |url=https://twitter.com/WarriorsPR/status/729912493951193089}}</ref><ref name="points records">{{cite web |work=basketball-reference.com |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/player_pts.html |title=NBA Individual Regular Season Records for Points |access-date=May 10, 2016 }}</ref> Stephen Curry was named [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player]] on May 10, making it the third time a Warrior had won the award after [[Wilt Chamberlain]] won in the [[1959–60 NBA season]] and Curry in 2014–15. Curry is the 11th player to win back-to-back MVP honors and is the first unanimous winner in NBA history with all 131 first-place votes.<ref name="MVP"/> On May 11, the Warriors beat the Trail Blazers 125–121 in Game 5 to clinch the series and advance to the Western Conference finals for the second consecutive year, where they faced the [[Oklahoma City Thunder]]. In the game, Curry continued his streak of making a three-pointer in every playoff game he's ever played in and tied the NBA playoff record set by [[Reggie Miller]] of 44-straight.

In their 95th and 96th games of the season, Golden State lost back-to-back games for the first time all season (105–133 and 94–118 losses to the Thunder, putting them down 1–3 in the Western Conference finals). On May 26, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson were named to the 2015–16 [[All-NBA Team]], the first time three Warriors have earned the accolade since the [[1955–56 NBA season|1955–56 season]] when [[Neil Johnston]], [[Paul Arizin]], and [[Jack George]] were selected. Curry was unanimously selected for first team honors, Green for the second team and Thompson got third team recognition.<ref name="allnba">{{cite news |title=Stephen Curry, Draymond Green & Klay Thompson Named to 2015-16 All-NBA Team |publisher=Warriors.com |date=May 26, 2016 |url=http://www.nba.com/warriors/stephen-curry-draymond-green-klay-thompson-named-2015-16-all-nba-team}}</ref> The Warriors tied the Western Conference finals series at 3–3 on May 28, with a 108–101 road win over the Thunder. Klay Thompson made eleven three-pointers, breaking the NBA playoff record of nine.<ref name="game6"/> Golden State tied their franchise record for most three-pointers made in a playoff game with 21. Golden State also set a new franchise record for wins with their 84th of the season (regular-season and postseason combined), surpassing the 83 from the 2014–15 season.<ref name="game6">{{cite news |title=Warriors Stay Alive After Game 6 Thriller |publisher=Warriors.com |date=May 28, 2016 |url=http://www.nba.com/warriors/gameday/20160528/recap}}</ref> In Game 7, the Warriors defeated the Thunder 96–88, becoming only the 10th team (out of 233 teams) in NBA history to overcome a 3–1 series deficit.<ref name="game7"/> The win was their 85th of the year.<ref name="dubs stats"/> It was the second time in NBA history that the defending champions came back from a 3–1 deficit in the conference finals, after the [[1978–79 Washington Bullets season|1978–79 Washington Bullets]]. Golden State reached the NBA Finals for the second straight year, making this the franchise's first appearances in back-to-back NBA Finals since the [[1946–47 Philadelphia Warriors season|1946–47 season]] and [[1947–48 Philadelphia Warriors season|1947–48 season]]. The Warriors faced the Cleveland Cavaliers in a rematch of the [[2015 NBA Finals]].<ref name="game7">{{cite news |title=Warriors Silence the Thunder in Game 7, Series |publisher=Warriors.com |date=May 30, 2016 |url=http://www.nba.com/warriors/gameday/20160530/recap}}</ref>

====June====

=====NBA Finals=====
{{Further|2016 NBA Finals}}
In Game 1 on June 2, Golden State beat Cleveland 104–89. The Warriors were led by their bench, with [[Shaun Livingston]] scoring a team-high 20 points. The 35-point bench advantage (45–10) the Warriors had over the Cavs is the largest by any team in the Finals in the last 50 years.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfexaminer.com/livingston-paces-dubs-drubbing-cavs/ |title=Livingston paces Dubs in drubbing of Cavs |publisher=SF Examiner|access-date=June 3, 2016 }}</ref> The Warriors won Game 2 by a blowout 110–77, to go up 2–0 in the series. Golden State won the first 2 games by a combined 48 points, the largest point-differential through first 2 games in NBA Finals history.<ref name = "finalsgame2">{{cite web|url=http://www.sacbee.com/sports/nba/article81988922.html |title=Warriors tie more Bulls records in Game 2 rout of Cavaliers |publisher=Sacramento Bee|access-date=June 5, 2016 }}</ref> After Golden State lost Game 3 by a blowout 120–90, they came back in Game 4 to win 108–97, to take a 3–1 series lead.<ref name = "finalsgame4">{{cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/games/20160610/GSWCLE/gameinfo.html |title=Splish, splash: Curry, Thompson lead Warriors to Game 4 win |work=NBA.com |access-date=June 10, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160610213505/http://www.nba.com/games/20160610/GSWCLE/gameinfo.html |archive-date=June 10, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Warriors made 17 three-pointers, an NBA record for a single Finals game.<ref name = "finalsgame4"/> The Warriors' win in Game 4 was their 88th of the season, which broke the 1995–96 Chicago Bulls record of 87 for most wins in an NBA season (regular-season and postseason combined).<ref name="dubs stats"/> Late in the fourth quarter of Game 4, Draymond Green and [[LeBron James]] got into a scuffle. Green was retroactively charged with a [[Flagrant Foul 1]] for swiping James in the groin and received a one-game suspension for Game 5, after accumulating his fourth flagrant foul point in the playoffs, and James was given a technical foul for taunting Green. The Cavaliers capitalized on Green's absence by beating the Warriors in Game 5 by a score of 112–97.<ref name="New York Times">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/14/sports/basketball/cleveland-cavs-golden-state-warriors-nba-finals.html|title= Cavaliers Stave Off Elimination in N.B.A. Finals|date=14 June 2016|work=The New York Times|access-date=14 June 2016}}</ref>

After serving his suspension, Green returned to play in Game 6. Game 6 was played on June 16, exactly one year after Golden State won Game 6 of the [[2015 NBA Finals]], which was also played in Cleveland. Unlike in the 2015 NBA Finals, however, the Warriors failed to clinch the title in Game 6. The Warriors were outscored 31–11 by the Cavaliers in the first quarter, and Cleveland never relinquished their lead as Golden State lost 115–101. This was only the second time in 105 games this season (regular-season and postseason) that the Warriors lost consecutive games. The loss evened the series at three games apiece, forcing a Game 7, the first Game 7 in an NBA Finals appearance in Golden State franchise history.<ref name="dubs stats"/> During the fourth quarter of Game 6, Stephen Curry, who set the record for most three-pointers in an NBA Finals series during the game (28),<ref name="dubs stats"/> fouled out with his sixth personal foul. Curry angrily responded by throwing his [[mouthguard]] into the stands and hit a fan, which resulted in a technical foul and the first ejection of his career. It was the first time in 20 years that a player had been ejected from an NBA Finals game. After the game, Curry received a $25,000 fine for his actions, but was not suspended for Game 7. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr also received a $25,000 fine for his criticism of the officiating, which he felt was biased against Curry, in the post-game press conference.

On June 19, 2016, Golden State lost Game 7, 93–89, becoming the first team in NBA history to squander a 3–1 lead in the NBA Finals. They also became the first team in NBA history to overcome a 1–3 deficit and lose a 3–1 lead in the same playoffs. The Warriors are the 11th team in NBA history to lose a 3–1 series lead and just the fourth team in NBA history to lose an NBA Finals' Game 7 on their home court. The loss marked the first time since Steve Kerr became head coach that the Warriors had lost three straight games. Golden State became the first team in NBA history to finish with the same number of regular-season and postseason losses (9). They also became the first team in NBA history with 69 or more regular season wins that failed to win the NBA Championship.

==Records==
{{See also|NBA regular season records|NBA post-season records}}
Golden State broke numerous regular-season, postseason, and franchise records this year, both as a team and individually.[[File:Klay Thompson vs. Jared Dudley (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|150px|[[Klay Thompson]] set an NBA record for most [[Three-point field goal|three-pointers]] made in a playoff game with eleven.<ref name="game6"/>]]

===NBA records===

====Team====
* '''Best regular-season record''': 73–9<ref name="best records"/>
* '''Most wins (regular-season and postseason combined)''': 88 (88–18 overall record (0.830), the [[1995–96 Chicago Bulls season|1995–96 Chicago Bulls]] went 87–13 (.870), holding a better win percentage with only 3 postseason losses.)<ref name="dubs stats"/>
* '''Most road wins in a regular season''': 34<ref name="COTY"/>
* '''Most road wins (regular-season and postseason combined)''': 38 (tied with the 1995–96 Chicago Bulls)<ref name="dubs stats"/>
* '''Best start''': 24–0<ref name="COTY"/>
* '''Best road start''': 14–0<ref>{{cite web |work=basketball-reference.com |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/tstreak.cgi?request=1&lg_id=NBA&year_min=1947&year_max=2016&team_id=&opp_id=&is_playoffs=N&game_location=A&is_overtime=&c1stat=pts&c1comp=gt&c1val=opp_pts&c2stat=&c2comp=ge&c2val=&c3stat=&c3comp=ge&c3val=&c4stat=&c4comp=ge&c4val=&m1stat1=&m1math=s&m1stat2=&m1comp=ge&m1val= |title=Longest Road Win Streaks |access-date=December 29, 2015 }}</ref>
* '''Best start (number of losses)''': Golden State has the best start in NBA history for every number of losses from 0 to 9 except 3.<ref name="best records"/> The Warriors stand alone holding the best record in NBA history for 51 of the total 82 games in the regular season.<ref name="best records"/> They slipped off their record setting pace for only four games of the regular season, and were tied for the other 27 games with the pace of such championship winning teams as the [[1966–67 Philadelphia 76ers season|1966–67 Philadelphia 76ers]], [[1971–72 Los Angeles Lakers season|1971–72 Los Angeles Lakers]], and 1995–96 Chicago Bulls.<ref name="best records"/>
:* '''0''': 24–0 (1.000)
:* '''1''': 29–1 (.967)
:* '''2''': 36–2 (.947)
:* '''4''': 48–4 (.923)
:* '''5''': 55–5 (.917)
:* '''6''': 62–6 (.912)
:* '''7''': 68–7 (.907)
:* '''8''': 69–8 (.896)
:* '''9''': 73–9 (.890)
* '''Longest home winning streak''': 54 (dating back to [[2014–15 Golden State Warriors season|2014–15 season]])<ref name="COTY"/>
* '''Most home wins (regular-season and postseason combined)''': 50 (tied with the [[1985–86 Boston Celtics season|1985–86]] and [[1986–87 Boston Celtics season|1986–87 Boston Celtics]])<ref name="dubs stats"/>
* '''Most three-pointers made in a regular season''': 1,077 (averaging an NBA record 13.1 per game, while shooting .416)<ref name="3pt team record">{{cite web |work=CSN Bay Area |url=http://www.csnbayarea.com/warriors/warriors-break-all-time-record-3-pointers-one-season |title=Warriors break all-time record for 3-pointers in one season|access-date=February 25, 2016 }}</ref>
* '''Most three-pointers made in a postseason''': 306 (surpassing their own playoff record of 240 from their [[2015 NBA Finals|2015 Championship]] run)<ref name="dubs stats"/>
* '''Most three-pointers made in a playoff game''': 21 (on April 24, 2016, against the [[Houston Rockets]]. The [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] broke the record by making 25 against the [[Atlanta Hawks]] two weeks later.)
* '''Most three-pointers made in a seven-game series''': 90 (against the [[Oklahoma City Thunder]])<ref name="dubs stats"/>
* '''Most three-pointers made in a single NBA Finals game''': 17 (Game 4 against the Cavaliers)<ref name = "finalsgame4"/>
* '''Back-to-back losses in regular season''': 0 (only team in NBA history to go the whole regular season without consecutive losses.)<ref name="COTY"/>
* '''Multiple losses to same opponent in regular season''': 0 (only team in NBA history to go the whole regular season without losing to the same opponent more than once.)<ref name="COTY"/>
* '''Best record in a 41-game stretch (including playoffs)''': 39-2 (last 3 games in the [[2015 NBA Finals]], plus by January 11, 2016, a 36-2 start of the 2015-16 season. That tied the Lakers as the best record in a 41-game stretch in NBA history. The Lakers went 23-1 at the end of the [[2000-01 Los Angeles Lakers season|2000-01 regular season and playoffs]], then went 16-1 to start the [[2001-02 Los Angeles Lakers season|2001-02 season]].

====Individual====
* '''Most three-pointers made in a regular season''': 402 ([[Stephen Curry]])<ref name="3pt indiv rec">{{cite web |work=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/player_fg3.html |title=NBA Individual Regular Season Records for 3-Point Field Goals|access-date=February 11, 2016 }}</ref>
* '''Most three-pointers made in a single playoff game''': 11 ([[Klay Thompson]])<ref name="game6"/>
* '''Most consecutive games (regular-season and postseason combined) with a made three-pointer''': 191 (Stephen Curry, finished season with streak still active)<ref name="dubs stats"/>
* '''Most consecutive regular-season games with a made three-pointer''': 152 (Stephen Curry, previous record of 127 held by [[Kyle Korver]]. Finished season with streak still active)<ref name="3pt indiv rec"/>
* '''Most consecutive playoff games with a made three-pointer''': 58 (Stephen Curry, previous record of 44 held by [[Reggie Miller]]. Finished season with streak still active)<ref name="dubs stats"/>
* '''Most three-pointers made in a playoff series''': 32 (Stephen Curry)<ref name="dubs stats"/> (accomplished in both Western Conference finals and again in NBA Finals)
* '''Most three-pointers made in an NBA Finals series''': 32 (Stephen Curry)<ref name="dubs stats"/>
* '''Most three-pointers made in an NBA Finals Game 7''': 6 ([[Draymond Green]], tied with [[Shane Battier]])<ref name="dubs stats"/>
* '''Most points scored in an overtime period''': 17 (Stephen Curry)<ref name="dubs stats"/>

===Franchise records===
[[File:Draymond Green against Washington (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|130px|[[Draymond Green]] had thirteen [[triple-double]]s this season, which broke the Golden State franchise record of nine.<ref name="dray">{{cite web|url=http://espn.go.com/nba/player/stats/_/id/6589/draymond-green |title=Draymond Green stats |publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=April 29, 2016 }}</ref>]]

====Team====
* '''Most home wins in a regular season''': 39 (tied with 2014–15 season)<ref name="dubs stats"/>
* '''Best home start in a regular season''': 36–0<ref name="dubs stats"/>
* '''Most consecutive road wins''': 14<ref name="dubs stats"/>
* '''Most wins in a single month''': 16 in November, 2015 (tied with March, 2015)<ref name="dubs stats"/>
* '''Best intradivisional record''': 15–1 (.938) in the [[Pacific Division (NBA)|Pacific Division]]<ref name="dubs stats"/>
* '''Most assists in a regular season''': 2,373 (28.9 assists per game), the 13th most in NBA history.<ref name="dubs stats"/>
* '''Most games with 30+ assists in a regular season''': 43 (record was 28 set in 2014–15 season)<ref name="dubs stats"/>
* '''Point-differential per game in regular season''': +10.76 (the 6th largest winning margin in NBA history)<ref name="dubs stats"/>
* '''Points per game in regular season''': 114.5 (the 12th best points average per game in NBA history)<ref name="dubs stats"/>
* '''Most overtime wins in a regular season''': 6 (6–1 overall record)<ref name="dubs stats"/>
* '''Most three-pointers made in a single game''': 22 (against the [[Phoenix Suns]] on November 29, 2015)<ref name ="phoenix3rec"/>
* '''Three-point field goal percentage''': .416 (second best in NBA history behind the [[1996–97 Charlotte Hornets season|1996–97 Charlotte Hornets]]' .428)<ref name="dubs stats"/>

====Individual====
* '''Most triple-doubles in a regular season''': 13 (Draymond Green)<ref name="dubs stats"/>

==Draft==
{{main|2015 NBA draft}}

{| class="wikitable sortable sortable"
|-
! style="background:#006bb6; color:#fdb927; width:10%;"| Round
! style="background:#006bb6; color:#fdb927; width:10%;"| Pick
! style="background:#006bb6; color:#fdb927; width:20%;"| Player
! style="background:#006bb6; color:#fdb927; width:15%;"| Position
! style="background:#006bb6; color:#fdb927; width:15%;"| Nationality
! style="background:#006bb6; color:#fdb927; width:20%;"| College
|- style="text-align: center"
| 1
| 30
| [[Kevon Looney]]
| [[Power Forward (basketball)|PF]]
| {{flagu|United States}}
| [[University of California, Los Angeles|UCLA]]
|}

==Pre-season==
{{NBA game log start|Golden State Warriors|pre-season=yes|end_year=2016|record=Total: 3–4 (home: 2–1; road: 1–3)}}
{{NBA game log section|Golden State Warriors|Pre-season|first=yes|show=no
| home_wins = 2
| home_losses = 1
| road_wins = 1
| road_losses = 3
}}
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 1
| October 5
| [[2015–16 Toronto Raptors season|Toronto]]
| [https://web.archive.org/web/20180928035654/http://www.nba.com/games/20151005/TORGSW/boxscore.html 95–87]
| [[Leandro Barbosa]] (15)
| [[Draymond Green|Green]], [[Festus Ezeli|Ezeli]] (6)
| [[Draymond Green]] (15)
| [[SAP Center]] 18,223
| 1–0
|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 2
| October 8
| @ [[2015–16 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| [https://web.archive.org/web/20181005213331/http://www.nba.com/games/20151008/GSWPOR/boxscore.html 101–118]
| [[Stephen Curry]] (30)
| [[Draymond Green]] (8)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (7)
| [[Moda Center]] 19,303
| 1–1
|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 3
| October 13
| [[2015–16 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
| [https://web.archive.org/web/20181005213030/http://www.nba.com/games/20151013/DENGSW/boxscore.html 103–114]
| [[Leandro Barbosa]] (16)
| [[Draymond Green]] (9)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (7)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 1–2
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 4
| October 15
| [[2015–16 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
| [https://web.archive.org/web/20181005195151/http://www.nba.com/games/20151015/HOUGSW/boxscore.html 123–101]
| [[Stephen Curry]] (19)
| [[Marreese Speights]] (8)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (6)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 2–2
|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 5
| October 17
| @ [[2015–16 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| [https://web.archive.org/web/20181005234859/http://www.nba.com/games/20151017/GSWLAL/boxscore.html 70–85]
| [[Stephen Curry]] (19)
| [[Jason Thompson (basketball)|Jason Thompson]] (11)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (4)
| [[Valley View Casino Center]] 14,100
| 2–3
|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 6
| October 20
| @ [[2015–16 Los Angeles Clippers season|L.A. Clippers]]
| [https://web.archive.org/web/20181005213244/http://www.nba.com/games/20151020/GSWLAC/boxscore.html 95–130]
| [[Klay Thompson]] (21)
| [[Draymond Green]] (7)
| [[Klay Thompson]] (5)
| [[STAPLES Center]] 15,889
| 2–4
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 7
| October 22
| @ [[2015–16 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| [https://web.archive.org/web/20181005234841/http://www.nba.com/games/20151022/GSWLAL/boxscore.html 136–97]
| [[Stephen Curry|Curry]], [[Klay Thompson|Thompson]] (24)
| [[Marreese Speights]] (7)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (10)
| [[Honda Center]] 16,222
| 3–4
{{NBA game log end|gsw|end_year=2016}}

==Regular season==

===Standings===

====Division====
{{2015–16 NBA Pacific standings|team=GSW}}

====Conference====
{{2015–16 NBA West standings|team=GSW}}

===Game log===
{{NBA game log start|Golden State Warriors|end_year=2016|record=Total: 73–9 (home: 39–2; road: 34–7)}}
{{NBA game log section|Golden State Warriors|October|first=yes
| home_wins = 1
| home_losses = 0
| road_wins = 2
| road_losses = 0
}}
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 1
| October 27
| [[2015–16 New Orleans Pelicans season|New Orleans]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151027|id=NOPGSW|pf=111|pa=95}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (40)
| [[Harrison Barnes]] (9)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (7)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 1–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 2
| October 30
| @ [[2015–16 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151030|id=GSWHOU|pf=112|pa=92}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (25)
| 3 players tied (7)
| [[Draymond Green]] (7)
| [[Toyota Center]] 18,142
| 2–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 3
| October 31
| @ [[2015–16 New Orleans Pelicans season|New Orleans]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151031|id=GSWNOP|pf=134|pa=120}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (53)
| [[Harrison Barnes|Barnes]], [[Andre Iguodala|Iguodala]] (7)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (9)
| [[Smoothie King Center]] 18,406
| 3–0
{{NBA game log section|Golden State Warriors|November
| home_wins = 9
| home_losses = 0
| road_wins = 7
| road_losses = 0
}}
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 4
| November 2
| [[2015–16 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151102|id=MEMGSW|pf=119|pa=69}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (30)
| [[Festus Ezeli]] (10)
| [[Draymond Green]] (8)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 4–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 5
| November 4
| [[2015–16 Los Angeles Clippers season|L.A. Clippers]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151104|id=LACGSW|pf=112|pa=108}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (31)
| [[Harrison Barnes]] (9)
| 3 players tied (5)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 5–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 6
| November 6
| [[2015–16 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151106|id=DENGSW|pf=119|pa=104}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (34)
| [[Draymond Green]] (9)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (10)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 6–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 7
| November 7
| @ [[2015–16 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151107|id=GSWSAC|pf=103|pa=94}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (24)
| [[Festus Ezeli]] (12)
| [[Draymond Green]] (7)
| [[Sleep Train Arena]] 17,317
| 7–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 8
| November 9
| [[2015–16 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151109|id=DETGSW|pf=109|pa=95}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (24)
| [[Draymond Green]] (10)
| [[Draymond Green]] (9)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 8–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 9
| November 11
| @ [[2015–16 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151111|id=GSWMEM|pf=100|pa=84}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (28)
| [[Andrew Bogut|Bogut]], [[Klay Thompson|Thompson]] (7)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (5)
| [[FedEx Forum]] 18,119
| 9–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 10
| November 12
| @ [[2015–16 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151112|id=GSWMIN|pf=129|pa=116}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (46)
| [[Draymond Green]] (8)
| [[Draymond Green]] (12)
| [[Target Center]] 16,130
| 10–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 11
| November 14
| [[2015–16 Brooklyn Nets season|Brooklyn]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151114|id=BKNGSW|pf=107|pa=99|ot=1}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (34)
| [[Andrew Bogut]] (18)
| [[Draymond Green]] (12)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 11–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 12
| November 17
| [[2015–16 Toronto Raptors season|Toronto]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151117|id=TORGSW|pf=115|pa=110}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (37)
| [[Draymond Green]] (9)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (9)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 12–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 13
| November 19
| @ [[2015–16 Los Angeles Clippers season|L.A. Clippers]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151119|id=GSWLAC|pf=124|pa=117}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (40)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (11)
| [[Draymond Green]] (9)
| [[STAPLES Center]] 19,528
| 13–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 14
| November 20
| [[2015–16 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151120|id=CHIGSW|pf=106|pa=94}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (27)
| 3 players tied (9)
| [[Draymond Green]] (5)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 14–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 15
| November 22
| @ [[2015–16 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151122|id=GSWDEN|pf=118|pa=105}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (21)
| [[Draymond Green]] (7)
| [[Stephen Curry|Curry]], [[Klay Thompson|Thompson]] (7)
| [[Pepsi Center]] 17,689
| 15–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 16
| November 24
| [[2015–16 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151124|id=LALGSW|pf=111|pa=77}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (24)
| [[Andre Iguodala]] (9)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (9)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 16–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 17
| November 27
| @ [[2015–16 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151127|id=GSWPHX|pf=135|pa=116}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (41)
| [[Draymond Green]] (10)
| [[Draymond Green]] (10)
| [[Talking Stick Resort Arena]] 18,055
| 17–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 18
| November 28
| [[2015–16 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151128|id=SACGSW|pf=120|pa=101}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (19)
| [[Festus Ezeli|Ezeli]], [[Draymond Green|Green]] (11)
| [[Draymond Green]] (12)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 18–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 19
| November 30
| @ [[2015–16 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151130|id=GSWUTA|pf=106|pa=103}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (26)
| [[Draymond Green]] (9)
| [[Draymond Green]] (7)
| [[Vivint Smart Home Arena]] 19,911
| 19–0
{{NBA game log section|Golden State Warriors|December
| home_wins = 5
| home_losses = 0
| road_wins = 6
| road_losses = 2
}}
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 20
| December 2
| @ [[2015–16 Charlotte Hornets season|Charlotte]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151202|id=GSWCHA|pf=116|pa=99}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (40)
| [[Andrew Bogut|Bogut]], [[Draymond Green|Green]] (11)
| [[Draymond Green]] (9)
| [[Time Warner Cable Arena]] 19,542
| 20–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 21
| December 5
| @ [[2015–16 Toronto Raptors season|Toronto]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151205|id=GSWTOR|pf=112|pa=109}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (44)
| [[Festus Ezeli]] (10)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (7)
| [[Air Canada Centre]] 20,160
| 21–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 22
| December 6
| @ [[2015–16 Brooklyn Nets season|Brooklyn]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151206|id=GSWBKN|pf=114|pa=98}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (28)
| [[Draymond Green|Green]], [[Andre Iguodala|Iguodala]] (9)
| [[Draymond Green]] (7)
| [[Barclays Center]] 17,732
| 22–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 23
| December 8
| @ [[2015–16 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151208|id=GSWIND|pf=131|pa=123}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (39)
| [[Andrew Bogut]] (10)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (10)
| [[Bankers Life Fieldhouse]] 18,165
| 23–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 24
| December 11
| @ [[2015–16 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151211|id=GSWBOS|pf=124|pa=119|ot=2}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (38)
| [[Festus Ezeli]] (12)
| [[Stephen Curry|Curry]], [[Draymond Green|Green]] (8)
| [[TD Garden]] 18,624
| 24–0
|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 25
| December 12
| @ [[2015–16 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151212|id=GSWMIL|pf=95|pa=108}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (28)
| [[Draymond Green]] (11)
| 3 players tied (5)
| [[BMO Harris Bradley Center]] 18,717
| 24–1
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 26
| December 16
| [[2015–16 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151216|id=PHXGSW|pf=128|pa=103}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (43)
| [[Andrew Bogut]] (12)
| [[Draymond Green]] (10)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 25–1
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 27
| December 18
| [[2015–16 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151218|id=MILGSW|pf=121|pa=112}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (27)
| [[Stephen Curry|Curry]], [[Festus Ezeli|Ezeli]] (10)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (9)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 26–1
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 28
| December 23
| [[2015–16 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151223|id=UTAGSW|pf=103|pa=85}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (20)
| [[Andrew Bogut]] (13)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (9)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 27–1
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 29
| December 25
| [[2015–16 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151225|id=CLEGSW|pf=89|pa=83}}
| [[Draymond Green]] (22)
| [[Draymond Green]] (15)
| [[Stephen Curry|Curry]], [[Draymond Green|Green]] (7)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 28–1
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 30
| December 28
| [[2015–16 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151228|id=SACGSW|pf=122|pa=103}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (29)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (14)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (10)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 29–1
|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 31
| December 30
| @ [[2015–16 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151230|id=GSWDAL|pf=91|pa=114}}
| [[Ian Clark (basketball)|Ian Clark]] (21)
| [[Andrew Bogut]] (10)
| [[Draymond Green|Green]], [[Shaun Livingston|Livingston]] (4)
| [[American Airlines Center]] 20,494
| 29–2
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 32
| December 31
| @ [[2015–16 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
| {{NBA game|date=20151231|id=GSWHOU|pf=114|pa=110}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (38)
| [[Andrew Bogut|Bogut]], [[Draymond Green|Green]], (11)
| [[Draymond Green]] (16)
| [[Toyota Center]] 18,313
| 30–2
{{NBA game log section|Golden State Warriors|January
| home_wins = 7
| home_losses = 0
| road_wins = 7
| road_losses = 2
}}
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 33
| January 2
| [[2015–16 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160102|id=DENGSW|pf=111|pa=108|ot=1}}
| [[Draymond Green]] (29)
| [[Draymond Green]] (17)
| [[Draymond Green]] (14)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 31–2
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 34
| January 4
| [[2015–16 Charlotte Hornets season|Charlotte]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160104|id=CHAGSW|pf=111|pa=101}}
| [[Stephen Curry|Curry]], [[Klay Thompson|Thompson]] (30)
| [[Draymond Green]] (15)
| [[Draymond Green]] (10)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 32–2
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 35
| January 5
| @ [[2015–16 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160105|id=GSWLAL|pf=109|pa=88}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (36)
| [[Draymond Green]] (12)
| [[Ian Clark (basketball)|Clark]], [[Stephen Curry|Curry]] (6)
| [[STAPLES Center]] 18,997
| 33–2
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 36
| January 8
| @ [[2015–16 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160108|id=GSWPOR|pf=128|pa=108}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (36)
| [[Draymond Green]] (13)
| [[Draymond Green]] (10)
| [[Moda Center]] 20,035
| 34–2
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 37
| January 9
| @ [[2015–16 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160109|id=GSWSAC|pf=128|pa=116}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (38)
| [[Andrew Bogut]] (11)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (11)
| [[Sleep Train Arena]] 17,317
| 35–2
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 38
| January 11
| [[2015–16 Miami Heat season|Miami]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160111|id=MIAGSW|pf=111|pa=103}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (31)
| [[Draymond Green]] (12)
| 3 players tied (6)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 36–2
|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 39
| January 13
| @ [[2015–16 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160113|id=GSWDEN|pf=110|pa=112}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (38)
| [[Andrew Bogut]] (7)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (9)
| [[Pepsi Center]] 18,004
| 36–3
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 40
| January 14
| [[2015–16 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160114|id=LALGSW|pf=116|pa=98}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (26)
| [[Draymond Green]] (9)
| [[Draymond Green]] (5)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 37–3
|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 41
| January 16
| @ [[2015–16 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160116|id=GSWDET|pf=95|pa=113}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (38)
| [[Festus Ezeli]] (10)
| [[Draymond Green]] (9)
| [[The Palace of Auburn Hills]] 21,584
| 37–4
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 42
| January 18
| @ [[2015–16 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160118|id=GSWCLE|pf=132|pa=98}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (35)
| [[Draymond Green]] (7)
| [[Draymond Green]] (10)
| [[Quicken Loans Arena]] 20,562
| 38–4
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 43
| January 20
| @ [[2015–16 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160120|id=GSWCHI|pf=125|pa=94}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (25)
| [[Andrew Bogut]] (12)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (11)
| [[United Center]] 23,152
| 39–4
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 44
| January 22
| [[2015–16 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160122|id=INDGSW|pf=122|pa=110}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (39)
| [[Harrison Barnes|Barnes]], [[Draymond Green|Green]] (11)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (12)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 40–4
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 45
| January 25
| [[2015–16 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160125|id=SASGSW|pf=120|pa=90}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (37)
| [[Draymond Green]] (9)
| [[Draymond Green]] (6)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 41–4
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 46
| January 27
| [[2015–16 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160127|id=DALGSW|pf=127|pa=107}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (45)
| [[Andrew Bogut]] (9)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (9)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 42–4
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 47
| January 30
| @ [[2015–16 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160130|id=GSWPHI|pf=108|pa=105}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (32)
| [[Andrew Bogut]] (16)
| [[Draymond Green]] (9)
| [[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]] 20,798
| 43–4
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 48
| January 31
| @ [[2015–16 New York Knicks season|New York]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160131|id=GSWNYK|pf=116|pa=95}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (34)
| [[Andrew Bogut]] (12)
| [[Draymond Green]] (10)
| [[Madison Square Garden]] 19,812
| 44–4
{{NBA game log section|Golden State Warriors|February
| home_wins = 2
| home_losses = 0
| road_wins = 7
| road_losses = 1
}}
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 49
| February 3
| @ [[2015–16 Washington Wizards season|Washington]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160203|id=GSWWAS|pf=134|pa=121}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (51)
| [[Draymond Green]] (10)
| [[Draymond Green]] (12)
| [[Capital One Arena|Verizon Center]] 20,356
| 45–4
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 50
| February 6
| [[2015–16 Oklahoma City Thunder season|Oklahoma City]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160206|id=OKCGSW|pf=116|pa=108}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (26)
| [[Draymond Green]] (14)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (10)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 46–4
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 51
| February 9
| [[2015–16 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160209|id=HOUGSW|pf=123|pa=110}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (35)
| [[Andrew Bogut]] (11)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (9)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 47–4
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 52
| February 10
| @ [[2015–16 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160210|id=GSWPHX|pf=112|pa=104}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (26)
| [[Andrew Bogut|Bogut]], [[Stephen Curry|Curry]] (9)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (9)
| [[Talking Stick Resort Arena]] 18,055
| 48–4
|- style="text-align:center;"
| colspan="9" style="background:#bbcaff;"|'''[[2016 NBA All-Star Game|All-Star Break]]'''
|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 53
| February 19
| @ [[2015–16 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160219|id=GSWPOR|pf=105|pa=137}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (31)
| [[Draymond Green]] (12)
| [[Draymond Green]] (8)
| [[Moda Center]] 20,100
| 48–5
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 54
| February 20
| @ [[2015–16 Los Angeles Clippers season|L.A. Clippers]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160220|id=GSWLAC|pf=115|pa=112}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (32)
| [[Draymond Green]] (11)
| [[Draymond Green]] (10)
| [[STAPLES Center]] 19,585
| 49–5
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 55
| February 22
| @ [[2015–16 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160222|id=GSWATL|pf=102|pa=92}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (36)
| [[Draymond Green]] (14)
| [[Draymond Green]] (9)
| [[Philips Arena]] 19,330
| 50–5
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 56
| February 24
| @ [[2015–16 Miami Heat season|Miami]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160224|id=GSWMIA|pf=118|pa=112}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (42)
| [[Draymond Green]] (11)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (7)
| [[American Airlines Arena]] 19,899
| 51–5
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 57
| February 25
| @ [[2015–16 Orlando Magic season|Orlando]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160225|id=GSWORL|pf=130|pa=114}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (51)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (7)
| [[Stephen Curry|Curry]], [[Draymond Green|Green]] (8)
| [[Amway Center]] 19,189
| 52–5
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 58
| February 27
| @ [[2015–16 Oklahoma City Thunder season|Oklahoma City]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160227|id=GSWOKC|pf=121|pa=118|ot=1}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (46)
| [[Draymond Green]] (14)
| [[Draymond Green]] (14)
| [[Chesapeake Energy Arena]] 18,203
| 53–5
{{NBA game log section|Golden State Warriors|March
| home_wins = 12
| home_losses = 0
| road_wins = 3
| road_losses = 2
}}
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 59
| March 1
| [[2015–16 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160301|id=ATLGSW|pf=109|pa=105|ot=1}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (26)
| [[Draymond Green]] (13)
| [[Draymond Green]] (9)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 54–5
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 60
| March 3
| [[2015–16 Oklahoma City Thunder season|Oklahoma City]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160303|id=OKCGSW|pf=121|pa=106}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (33)
| [[Draymond Green]] (8)
| [[Shaun Livingston]] (8)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 55–5
|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 61
| March 6
| @ [[2015–16 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160306|id=GSWLAL|pf=95|pa=112}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (18)
| [[Draymond Green]] (10)
| [[Draymond Green]] (9)
| [[STAPLES Center]] 18,997
| 55–6
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 62
| March 7
| [[2015–16 Orlando Magic season|Orlando]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160307|id=ORLGSW|pf=119|pa=113}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (41)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (13)
| [[Draymond Green]] (10)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 56–6
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 63
| March 9
| [[2015–16 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160309|id=UTAGSW|pf=115|pa=94}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (23)
| [[Draymond Green]] (7)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (10)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 57–6
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 64
| March 11
| [[2015–16 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160311|id=PORGSW|pf=128|pa=112}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (37)
| [[Draymond Green]] (13)
| [[Draymond Green]] (7)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 58–6
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 65
| March 12
| [[2015–16 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160312|id=PHXGSW|pf=123|pa=116}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (35)
| [[Harrison Barnes|Barnes]], [[Marreese Speights|Speights]] (9)
| 3 players tied (6)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 59–6
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 66
| March 14
| [[2015–16 New Orleans Pelicans season|New Orleans]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160314|id=NOPGSW|pf=125|pa=107}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (27)
| [[Draymond Green]] (12)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (5)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 60–6
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 67
| March 16
| [[2015–16 New York Knicks season|New York]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160316|id=NYKGSW|pf=121|pa=85}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (34)
| [[Draymond Green]] (11)
| [[Draymond Green]] (10)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 61–6
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 68
| March 18
| @ [[2015–16 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160318|id=GSWDAL|pf=130|pa=112}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (39)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (9)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (10)
| [[American Airlines Center]] 20,515
| 62–6
|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 69
| March 19
| @ [[2015–16 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160319|id=GSWSAS|pf=79|pa=87}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (15)
| [[Draymond Green]] (9)
| [[Draymond Green]] (8)
| [[AT&T Center]] 18,825
| 62–7
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 70
| March 21
| @ [[2015–16 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160321|id=GSWMIN|pf=109|pa=104}}
| [[Draymond Green]] (24)
| [[Draymond Green]] (9)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (11)
| [[Target Center]] 19,452
| 63–7
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 71
| March 23
| [[2015–16 Los Angeles Clippers season|L.A. Clippers]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160323|id=LACGSW|pf=114|pa=98}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (33)
| [[Draymond Green]] (12)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (5)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 64–7
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 72
| March 25
| [[2015–16 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160325|id=DALGSW|pf=128|pa=120}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (40)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (8)
| [[Draymond Green]] (10)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 65–7
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 73
| March 27
| [[2015–16 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160327|id=PHIGSW|pf=117|pa=105}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (40)
| [[Draymond Green]] (11)
| [[Draymond Green]] (11)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 66–7
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 74
| March 29
| [[2015–16 Washington Wizards season|Washington]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160329|id=WASGSW|pf=102|pa=94}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (26)
| [[Draymond Green]] (16)
| [[Draymond Green]] (9)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 67–7
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 75
| March 30
| @ [[2015–16 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160330|id=GSWUTA|pf=103|pa=96|ot=1}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (31)
| [[Harrison Barnes]] (11)
| [[Draymond Green]] (6)
| [[Vivint Smart Home Arena]] 19,911
| 68–7
{{NBA game log section|Golden State Warriors|April
| home_wins = 3
| home_losses = 2
| road_wins = 2
| road_losses = 0
}}
|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 76
| April 1
| [[2015–16 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160401|id=BOSGSW|pf=106|pa=109}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (29)
| [[Draymond Green]] (9)
| [[Draymond Green]] (7)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 68–8
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 77
| April 3
| [[2015–16 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160403|id=PORGSW|pf=136|pa=111}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (39)
| [[Draymond Green]] (10)
| [[Draymond Green]] (10)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 69–8
|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 78
| April 5
| [[2015–16 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160405|id=MINGSW|pf=117|pa=124|ot=1}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (28)
| [[Andrew Bogut]] (15)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (15)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 69–9
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 79
| April 7
| [[2015–16 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160407|id=SASGSW|pf=112|pa=101}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (27)
| [[Andrew Bogut]] (11)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (9)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 70–9
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 80
| April 9
| @ [[2015–16 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160409|id=GSWMEM|pf=100|pa=99}}
| [[Draymond Green]] (23)
| [[Draymond Green]] (11)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (8)
| [[FedEx Forum]] 18,119
| 71–9
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 81
| April 10
| @ [[2015–16 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160410|id=GSWSAS|pf=92|pa=86}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (37)
| [[Andre Iguodala]] (7)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (5)
| [[AT&T Center]] 18,658
| 72–9
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 82
| April 13
| [[2015–16 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160413|id=MEMGSW|pf=125|pa=104}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (46)
| [[Draymond Green]] (9)
| [[Shaun Livingston]] (10)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 73–9
{{NBA game log end|GSW|end_year=2016}}

==Playoffs==

===Game log===
{{NBA game log start|Golden State Warriors|playoffs=yes|end_year=2016|record=Total: 15–9 (home: 11–3; road: 4–6)}}
{{NBA game log section|Golden State Warriors|First Round|first=yes|playoffs=yes|show=no
|home_wins = 3
|home_losses = 0
|road_wins = 1
|road_losses = 1
}}
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 1
| April 16
| [[2015–16 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160416|id=HOUGSW|pf=104|pa=78}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (24)
| [[Draymond Green]] (10)
| [[Andre Iguodala]] (7)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 1–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 2
| April 18
| [[2015–16 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160418|id=HOUGSW|pf=115|pa=106}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (34)
| [[Draymond Green]] (14)
| [[Draymond Green]] (8)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 2–0
|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 3
| April 21
| @ [[2015–16 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160421|id=GSWHOU|pf=96|pa=97}}
| [[Marreese Speights]] (22)
| [[Klay Thompson]] (8)
| [[Draymond Green]] (7)
| [[Toyota Center]] 18,200
| 2–1
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 4
| April 24
| @ [[2015–16 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160424|id=GSWHOU|pf=121|pa=94}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (23)
| [[Draymond Green]] (8)
| [[Shaun Livingston]] (9)
| [[Toyota Center]] 18,200
| 3–1
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 5
| April 27
| [[2015–16 Houston Rockets season|Houston]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160427|id=HOUGSW|pf=114|pa=81}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (27)
| [[Draymond Green]] (9)
| [[Draymond Green]] (8)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 4–1
{{NBA game log section|Golden State Warriors|Conference Semifinals|second=yes|playoffs=yes|show=no
|home_wins = 3
|home_losses = 0
|road_wins = 1
|road_losses = 1
}}
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 1
| May 1
| [[2015–16 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160501|id=PORGSW|pf=118|pa=106}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (37)
| [[Draymond Green]] (13)
| [[Draymond Green]] (11)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 1–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 2
| May 3
| [[2015–16 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160503|id=PORGSW|pf=110|pa=99}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (27)
| [[Draymond Green]] (14)
| [[Draymond Green]] (7)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 2–0
|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 3
| May 7
| @ [[2015–16 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160507|id=GSWPOR|pf=108|pa=120}}
| [[Draymond Green]] (37)
| [[Draymond Green]] (9)
| [[Shaun Livingston]] (10)
| [[Moda Center]] 19,673
| 2–1
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 4
| May 9
| @ [[2015–16 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160509|id=GSWPOR|pf=132|pa=125|ot=1}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (40)
| 3 players tied (9)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (8)
| [[Moda Center]] 19,583
| 3–1
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 5
| May 11
| [[2015–16 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160511|id=PORGSW|pf=125|pa=121}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (33)
| [[Draymond Green]] (11)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (11)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 4–1
{{NBA game log section|Golden State Warriors|Conference Finals|third=yes|playoffs=yes
|home_wins = 3
|home_losses = 1
|road_wins = 1
|road_losses = 2
}}
|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 1
| May 16
| [[2015–16 Oklahoma City Thunder season|Oklahoma City]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160516|id=OKCGSW|pf=102|pa=108}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (26)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (10)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (7)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 0–1
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 2
| May 18
| [[2015–16 Oklahoma City Thunder season|Oklahoma City]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160518|id=OKCGSW|pf=118|pa=91}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (28)
| [[Draymond Green]] (8)
| [[Draymond Green]] (7)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 1–1
|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 3
| May 22
| @ [[2015–16 Oklahoma City Thunder season|Oklahoma City]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160522|id=GSWOKC|pf=105|pa=133}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (24)
| [[Brandon Rush]] (7)
| 5 players tied (3)
| [[Chesapeake Energy Arena]] 18,203
| 1–2
|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 4
| May 24
| @ [[2015–16 Oklahoma City Thunder season|Oklahoma City]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160524|id=GSWOKC|pf=94|pa=118}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (26)
| [[Draymond Green]] (11)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (5)
| [[Chesapeake Energy Arena]] 18,203
| 1–3
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 5
| May 26
| [[2015–16 Oklahoma City Thunder season|Oklahoma City]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160526|id=OKCGSW|pf=120|pa=111}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (31)
| [[Andrew Bogut]] (14)
| [[Andre Iguodala]] (8)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 2–3
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 6
| May 28
| @ [[2015–16 Oklahoma City Thunder season|Oklahoma City]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160528|id=GSWOKC|pf=108|pa=101}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (41)
| [[Draymond Green]] (12)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (9)
| [[Chesapeake Energy Arena]] 18,203
| 3–3
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 7
| May 30
| [[2015–16 Oklahoma City Thunder season|Oklahoma City]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160530|id=OKCGSW|pf=96|pa=88}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (36)
| [[Draymond Green]] (9)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (8)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 4–3
{{NBA game log section|Golden State Warriors|NBA Finals|second=yes|playoffs=yes
|home_wins = 2
|home_losses = 2
|road_wins = 1
|road_losses = 2
}}
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 1
| June 2
| [[2015–16 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160602|id=CLEGSW|pf=104|pa=89}}
| [[Shaun Livingston]] (20)
| [[Draymond Green]] (11)
| [[Draymond Green]] (7)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 1–0
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 2
| June 5
| [[2015–16 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160605|id=CLEGSW|pf=110|pa=77}}
| [[Draymond Green]] (28)
| [[Stephen Curry]] (9)
| 3 players tied (5)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 2–0
|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 3
| June 8
| @ [[2015–16 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160608|id=GSWCLE|pf=90|pa=120}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (19)
| [[Draymond Green]] (7)
| [[Draymond Green]] (7)
| [[Quicken Loans Arena]] 20,562
| 2–1
|- style="background:#bfb;"
| 4
| June 10
| @ [[2015–16 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160610|id=GSWCLE|pf=108|pa=97}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (38)
| [[Draymond Green]] (12)
| [[Andre Iguodala]] (7)
| [[Quicken Loans Arena]] 20,562
| 3–1
|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 5
| June 13
| [[2015–16 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160613|id=CLEGSW|pf=97|pa=112}}
| [[Klay Thompson]] (37)
| [[Andre Iguodala]] (11)
| [[Andre Iguodala]] (6)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 3–2
|- style="background:#fbb;"
| 6
| June 16
| @ [[2015–16 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160616|id=GSWCLE|pf=101|pa=115}}
| [[Stephen Curry]] (30)
| [[Draymond Green]] (10)
| [[Draymond Green]] (6)
| [[Quicken Loans Arena]] 20,562
| 3–3
|- style="background:#fbb;"
| [[Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals|7]]
| June 19
| [[2015–16 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]
| {{NBA game|date=20160619|id=CLEGSW|pf=89|pa=93}}
| [[Draymond Green]] (32)
| [[Draymond Green]] (15)
| [[Draymond Green]] (9)
| [[Oracle Arena]] 19,596
| 3–4
{{NBA game log end|gsw|playoffs=yes|end_year=2016}}

==Player statistics==

{{NBA roster statistics legend}}

===Regular season===
{{NBA roster statistics start|team=Golden State Warriors}}
|'''{{sortname|Stephen|Curry}}'''
| 79|| 79|| 34.2 || 50.4|| 45.4|| '''90.8'''|| 5.4|| 6.7 || '''2.1''' || 0.2|| '''30.1'''
|-
|'''{{sortname|Klay|Thompson}}'''
| 80|| 80|| 33.3|| 47.0 || 42.5|| 87.3 || 3.8 || 2.1|| 0.8|| 0.6|| 22.1
|-
|'''{{sortname|Draymond|Green}}'''
| '''81'''|| '''81'''|| '''34.7'''|| 49.0 || 38.8 || 69.6 || '''9.5''' || '''7.4''' || 1.5|| 1.4|| 14.0
|-
|'''{{sortname|Harrison|Barnes}}'''
| 66|| 59|| 30.9|| 46.6|| 38.3 || 76.1|| 4.9 || 1.8|| 0.6|| 0.2 || 11.7
|-
|'''{{sortname|Marreese|Speights}}'''
| 72|| 0 || 11.6|| 43.2|| 38.7 || 82.5|| 3.3|| 0.8 || 0.3 || 0.5|| 7.1
|-
|'''{{sortname|Andre|Iguodala}}'''
| 65|| 1 || 26.6|| 47.8|| 35.1|| 61.4 || 4.0|| 3.4|| 1.1|| 0.3|| 7.0
|-
|'''{{sortname|Festus|Ezeli}}'''
| 46|| 13|| 16.7|| 54.8|| – || 53.0 || 5.6|| 0.7|| 0.4|| 1.1 || 7.0
|-
|'''{{sortname|Leandro|Barbosa}}'''
| 68|| 0 || 15.9|| 46.2|| 35.5 || 83.9 || 1.7 || 1.2|| 0.6|| 0.1|| 6.4
|-
|'''{{sortname|Shaun|Livingston}}'''
| 78|| 3 || 19.5|| 53.6|| 16.7 || 86.0 || 2.2|| 3.0|| 0.7|| 0.3|| 6.3
|-
|'''{{sortname|Andrew|Bogut}}'''
| 70 || 66 || 20.7 || '''62.7''' || '''100.0''' || 48.0 || 7.0 || 2.3 || 0.5 || '''1.6''' || 5.4
|-
|'''{{sortname|Brandon|Rush}}'''
| 72|| 25 || 14.7|| 42.7|| 41.4 || 64.3 || 2.5|| 0.8|| 0.3|| 0.3 || 4.2
|-
|'''{{sortname|Ian|Clark|Ian Clark (basketball)}}'''
| 66|| 1 || 8.8|| 44.1|| 35.7 || 82.4|| 1.0|| 1.0 || 0.3 || 0.2 || 3.6
|-
|'''{{sortname|James Michael|McAdoo}}'''
| 41|| 1 || 6.4 || 53.6|| 50.0 || 53.1|| 1.4|| 0.4|| 0.2 || 0.2 || 2.9
|-
|'''{{sortname|Kevon|Looney}}'''
| 5 || 0 || 4.2 || 57.1 || 50.0 || – || 2.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 1.8
|-
|'''{{sortname|Anderson|Varejão}}''' ≠
| 22|| 0 || 8.5 || 43.8|| – || 55.2 || 2.3|| 0.7 || 0.2 || 0.2|| 2.6
|-
|'''{{sortname|Jason|Thompson|Jason Thompson (basketball)}}''' ‡
| 28|| 1 || 6.4 || 47.6|| – || 62.5 || 1.9|| 0.7 || 0.1 || 0.3|| 2.1
|}
''After all games''.<ref>{{cite web|title=2015-16 Golden State Warriors Roster and Stats|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/GSW/2016.html|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=March 1, 2021}}</ref>
 ‡ Waived during the season
 † Traded during the season
 ≠ Acquired during the season

===Playoffs===
{{NBA roster statistics start|team=Golden State Warriors}}
|'''{{sortname|Stephen|Curry}}'''
| 18|| 17|| 34.1 || 43.8|| 40.4|| '''91.6'''|| 5.5|| 5.2 || 1.4 || 0.3|| '''25.1'''
|-
|'''{{sortname|Klay|Thompson}}'''
| '''24'''|| '''24'''|| 35.4|| 44.4|| '''42.4'''|| 85.4 || 3.7 || 2.3|| 1.1|| 0.4|| 24.3
|-
|'''{{sortname|Draymond|Green}}'''
| 23|| 23|| '''38.2'''|| 43.1 || 36.5 || 73.8 || '''9.9''' || '''6.0''' || '''1.6'''|| '''1.8'''|| 15.4
|-
|'''{{sortname|Harrison|Barnes}}'''
| '''24'''|| 23|| 31.0|| 38.5|| 34.2 || 76.5|| 4.7 || 1.3|| 0.7|| 0.2 || 9.0
|-
|'''{{sortname|Andre|Iguodala}}'''
| '''24'''|| 3 || 32.0|| 47.6|| 38.5|| 56.1 || 4.4|| 3.8|| 1.2|| 0.4|| 8.9
|-
|'''{{sortname|Shaun|Livingston}}'''
| '''24'''|| 7 || 21.4|| 48.8|| 0.0 || 86.5 || 3.2|| 3.3|| 0.5|| 0.2|| 8.2
|-
|'''{{sortname|Marreese|Speights}}'''
| '''24'''|| 0 || 8.4|| 39.0|| 41.9 || 77.4|| 2.0|| 0.5 || 0.1 || 0.3|| 5.6
|-
|'''{{sortname|Leandro|Barbosa}}'''
| 23|| 0 || 11.0|| 58.0|| 39.3 || 76.2 || 1.2 || 0.7|| 0.5|| 0.0|| 5.6
|-
|'''{{sortname|Andrew|Bogut}}'''
| 22 || 22 || 16.6 || '''62.3''' || 0.0 || 35.7 || 5.7 || 1.4 || 0.6 || 1.6 || 4.6
|-
|'''{{sortname|Ian|Clark|Ian Clark (basketball)}}'''
| 16|| 0 || 9.6|| 49.1|| 33.3 || 80.0|| 1.1|| 1.0 || 0.5 || 0.0 || 4.1
|-
|'''{{sortname|Festus|Ezeli}}'''
| 23|| 1|| 8.8|| 53.6|| – || 43.2 || 2.7|| 0.3|| 0.0|| 0.3 || 4.0
|-
|'''{{sortname|Brandon|Rush}}'''
| 14|| 0 || 7.9|| 45.0|| 33.3 || 50.0 || 1.6|| 0.2|| 0.1|| 0.1 || 1.6
|-
|'''{{sortname|Anderson|Varejão}}'''
| 17|| 0 || 5.5 || 35.7|| – || 52.6 || 1.2|| 0.8 || 0.1 || 0.1|| 1.2
|-
|'''{{sortname|James Michael|McAdoo}}'''
| 8|| 0 || 4.8 || 50.0|| – || 25.0|| 1.0|| 0.3|| 0.4 || 0.3 || 0.6
|}

==Roster==
{{NBA roster header|team=Golden State Warriors|season=2015–16}}

{{player2 | num = 19 | first = Leandro | last = Barbosa | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 3 | lbs = 194 | from = Brazil | DOB = 1982–11–28 }}
{{player2 | num = 40 | first = Harrison | last = Barnes | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 8 | lbs = 225 | college = North Carolina | DOB = 1992–05–30 }}
{{player2 | num = 12 | first = Andrew | last = Bogut | pos = C | ft = 7 | in = 0 | lbs = 260 | college = Utah | DOB = 1984–11–28}}
{{player2 | num = 21 | first = Ian | last = Clark | dab = basketball | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 3 | lbs = 175 | college = Belmont | DOB = 1991–03–07 }}
{{player2 | num = 30 | first = Stephen | last = Curry | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 3 | lbs = 190 | college = Davidson | DOB = 1988–03–14 | note = C }}
{{player2 | num = 31 | first = Festus | last = Ezeli | pos = C | ft = 6 | in = 11 | lbs = 265 | college = Vanderbilt | DOB = 1989–10–21 }}
{{player2 | num = 23 | first = Draymond | last = Green | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 7 | lbs = 230 | college = Michigan State | DOB = 1990–03–04 }}
{{player2 | num = 9 | first = Andre | last = Iguodala | pos = G/F | ft = 6 | in = 6 | lbs = 215 | college = Arizona | DOB = 1984–01–28 | note = C }}
{{player2 | num = 34 | first = Shaun | last = Livingston | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 7 | lbs = 192 | school = [[Peoria High School (Peoria, Illinois)|Peoria Central HS (IL)]] | DOB = 1985–09–11 }}
{{player2 | num = 36 | first = Kevon | last = Looney | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 9 | lbs = 220 | college = UCLA | DOB = 1996–02–06}}
{{player2 | num = 20 | first = James Michael | last = McAdoo | pos = F | ft = 6 | in = 9 | lbs = 240 | college = North Carolina | DOB = 1993–01–04 }}
{{player2 | num = 4 | first = Brandon | last = Rush | pos = G/F | ft = 6 | in = 6 | lbs = 220 | college = Kansas | DOB = 1985–07–07 }}
{{player2 | num = 5 | first = Marreese | last = Speights | pos = F/C | ft = 6 | in = 10 | lbs = 255 | college = Florida | DOB = 1987–08–04 }}
{{player2 | num = 11 | first = Klay | last = Thompson | pos = G | ft = 6 | in = 7 | lbs = 215 | college = Washington State | DOB = 1990–02–08 }}
{{player2 | num = 18 | first = Anderson | last = Varejão | pos = F/C | ft = 6 | in = 11 | lbs = 273 | from = Brazil | DOB = 1982–09–28 }}

{{NBA roster footer
| head_coach =
* [[Steve Kerr]]
| asst_coach =
* [[Ron Adams]]
* [[Jarron Collins]]
* [[Luke Walton]]
* [[Bruce Fraser (basketball)|Bruce Fraser]] (player development)
| otherlegend = '''(DL)''' On [[assignment (NBA D-League)|assignment]] to D-League affiliate
| roster_url = http://www.nba.com/warriors/roster/
| transaction_url = http://basketball.realgm.com/nba/teams/Golden-State-Warriors/9/Transaction_History
| accessdate = 2016–06–14
}}

==Transactions==
{{Main|List of 2015–16 NBA season transactions}}

===Trades===
{| class="wikitable sortable sortable" style="text-align: center"
|- style="background:#eee;"
| style="width:12%" | July 27, 2015
| style="width:44%; vertical-align:top;"| To '''[[Golden State Warriors]]'''<hr>[[Gerald Wallace]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/warriors-trade-david-lee-boston-exchange-gerald-wallace-chris-babb/|title=Warriors trade David Lee to Boston in exchange for Gerald Wallace & Chris Babb|work=nba.com/warriors|date=July 27, 2015|access-date=July 27, 2015}}</ref> [[Chris Babb]]
| style="width:44%; vertical-align:top;"| To '''[[Boston Celtics]]'''<hr>[[David Lee (basketball)|David Lee]]
|- style="background:#eee;"
| style="width:12%" | July 31, 2015
| style="width:44%; vertical-align:top;"| To '''[[Golden State Warriors]]'''<hr>[[Jason Thompson (basketball)|Jason Thompson]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/warriors-acquire-jason-thompson-20150731/|title=Warriors acquire Jason Thompson from Philadelphia in exchange for Gerald Wallace|work=nba.com/warriors|date=July 31, 2015|access-date=July 31, 2015}}</ref>
| style="width:30%; vertical-align:top;"| To '''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]'''<hr>[[Gerald Wallace]] Cash and draft consideration
|}

===Free agency===

====Additions====
{| class="wikitable sortable sortable" style="text-align: center"
! style="background:#006bb6; color:#fdb927" width="10%"| Player
! style="background:#006bb6; color:#fdb927" width="10%" | Signed
! style="background:#006bb6; color:#fdb927" width="10%"| Former team
|- style="text-align: center"
| [[Ian Clark (basketball)|Ian Clark]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/warriors-sign-ian-clark-jarell-eddie-tony-mitchell-juwan-staten/|title=Warriors sign Ian Clark, Jarell Eddie, Tony Mitchell & Juwan Staten|work=nba.com/warriors|date=September 25, 2015|access-date=September 25, 2015}}</ref>
| 1-year contract
| [[Denver Nuggets]]
|- style="text-align: center"
| [[Anderson Varejão]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/varejao-signing-20160222|title=Warriors sign free agent center Anderson Varejao|work=nba.com/warriors|date=February 22, 2016|access-date=February 22, 2016}}</ref>
| 1-year contract
| [[Portland Trail Blazers]] (never officially played for Portland and was waived on February 18)
|}

====Subtractions====
{| class="wikitable sortable sortable" style="text-align: center"
! style="background:#006bb6; color:#fdb927" width="10%"| Player
! style="background:#006bb6; color:#fdb927" width="10%" | Reason left
! style="background:#006bb6; color:#fdb927" width="10%"| New team
|- style="text-align: center"
| [[Justin Holiday]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/hawks/news/hawks-sign-justin-holiday-multi-year-contract|title=Hawks sign Justin Holiday to multi-year contract|work=nba.com/hawks|date=July 9, 2015|access-date=July 9, 2015}}</ref>
| 2-year contract worth $1.9 million
| [[Atlanta Hawks]]
|- style="text-align: center"
| [[Ognjen Kuzmić]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.paobc.gr/page.ashx?pid=2&aid=43551&lang=2|title=Deal with Kuzmic|work=paobc.gr|date=July 27, 2015|access-date=July 27, 2015}}</ref>
| —
| [[Panathinaikos B.C.]]
|- style="text-align: center"
| [[Jason Thompson (basketball)|Jason Thompson]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/warriors-waive-jason-thompson/|title=Warriors waive Jason Thompson|work=nba.com/warriors|date=February 22, 2016|access-date=February 22, 2016}}</ref>
| Waived
| [[Toronto Raptors]]
|}

==Awards==
{| class="wikitable sortable sortable" style="text-align: center"
! style="background:#006bb6; color:#fdb927" width="5%" | Recipient
! style="background:#006bb6; color:#fdb927" width="9%" | Award
! style="background:#006bb6; color:#fdb927" width="5%" | Date awarded
! style="background:#006bb6; color:#fdb927" width="1%" class="unsortable" | Ref.
|-
|[[Stephen Curry]]
|[[2015–16 NBA season#Players of the Week|Western Conference Player of the Week]]
|November 2, 2015
|<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/2015/news/11/02/players-of-the-week-andre-drummond-detroit-pistons-stephen-curry-golden-state-warriors/index.html |title=Drummond, Curry named Players of the Week |website=[[NBA.com]] |access-date=2015-11-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151102234810/http://www.nba.com/2015/news/11/02/players-of-the-week-andre-drummond-detroit-pistons-stephen-curry-golden-state-warriors/index.html |archive-date=2015-11-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
|Stephen Curry
|Western Conference Player of the Week
|November 23, 2015
|<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/2015/news/11/23/lebron-curry-players-of-the-week/index.html |title=LeBron, Curry named Players of the Week |website=[[NBA.com]] |access-date=2015-11-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123215343/http://www.nba.com/2015/news/11/23/lebron-curry-players-of-the-week/index.html |archive-date=2015-11-23 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
|[[Luke Walton]]
|[[2015–16 NBA season#Coaches of the Month|Western Conference Coach of the Month]] (October/November)
|December 1, 2015
|<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/2015/news/12/01/cavaliers-david-blatt-and-warriors-luke-walton-named-coaches-of-month/index.html |title=Cavs' Blatt, Warriors' Walton named Coaches of Month |website=[[NBA.com]] |access-date=2015-12-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151203084501/http://www.nba.com/2015/news/12/01/cavaliers-david-blatt-and-warriors-luke-walton-named-coaches-of-month/index.html |archive-date=2015-12-03 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|-
|Stephen Curry
|[[2015–16 NBA season#Players of the Month|Western Conference Player of the Month]] (October/November)
|December 3, 2015
|<ref>[http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/curry-player-of-month-20151203 Stephen Curry named Player of the Month]</ref>
|-
|Stephen Curry
|Western Conference Player of the Week
|December 7, 2015
|<ref>[http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/curry-wc-player-of-week-20151207 Stephen Curry Named Western Conference Player of the Week]</ref>
|-
|[[Draymond Green]]
|Western Conference Player of the Week
|January 4, 2016
|<ref>[http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/green-player-of-week-20160104 Draymond Green Named Western Conference Player of the Week]</ref>
|-
|Stephen Curry
|Western Conference Player of the Week
|February 29, 2016
|<ref>[http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/curry-player-of-week020160229 Stephen Curry Named Western Conference Player of the Week]</ref>
|-
|Stephen Curry
|Western Conference Player of the Month (February)
|March 3, 2016
|<ref>[http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/curry-player-of-month-20160303 Stephen Curry Named Kia Western Conference Player of the Month]</ref>
|-
|Stephen Curry
|Western Conference Player of the Week
|March 14, 2016
|<ref>[http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/curry-player-of-week-20160314 Stephen Curry Named Western Conference Player of the Week]</ref>
|-
|[[Klay Thompson]]
|Western Conference Player of the Week
|March 28, 2016
|<ref>[http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/thompson-playerofweek-20160328 Klay Thompson Named Kia Western Conference Player of the Week]</ref>
|-
|[[Steve Kerr]]
|Western Conference Coach of the Month (March)
|April 1, 2016
|<ref>[http://www.nba.com/warriors/steve-kerr-named-western-conference-coach-month-20160401 Steve Kerr Named Western Conference Coach of the Month]</ref>
|-
|Steve Kerr
|[[NBA Coach of the Year Award|Coach of the Year]]
|April 26, 2016
|<ref name="COTY"/>
|-
|Stephen Curry
|[[NBA Most Valuable Player Award|Most Valuable Player]]
|May 10, 2016
|<ref name="MVP"/>
|}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Portal bar|Sports}}

{{2015–16 NBA season by team}}
{{Golden State Warriors seasons}}
{{Golden State Warriors}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2015-16 Golden State Warriors season}}
[[Category:Golden State Warriors seasons]]
[[Category:2015–16 NBA season by team|Golden State Warriors]]
[[Category:Western Conference (NBA) championship seasons]]
[[Category:2015 in sports in California|Golden]]
[[Category:2016 in sports in California|Golden]]

2021 NBA playoffs

2023-12-16T17:51:52Z

Rangers00: More on notable occurrences (the Bucks are the only team to win the Eastern and Western Conference titles, only literally)

{{short description|North American basketball tournament}}
{{use mdy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox basketball tournament season
| title = NBA playoffs
| year = 2021
| image =
| caption =
| season = [[2020–21 NBA season|2020–21]]
| dates = May 22 – July 20, 2021
| num_teams = 16
| winners = [[2020–21 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]]
| count = 2
| second = [[2020–21 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]]
| semifinal1 = [[2020–21 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks]]
| semifinal2 = [[2020–21 Los Angeles Clippers season|Los Angeles Clippers]]
| prev_season = [[2020 NBA playoffs|2020]]
| next_season = [[2022 NBA playoffs|2022]]
}}

The '''2021 NBA playoffs''' was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's [[2020–21 NBA season|2020–21 season]]. With the [[COVID-19 pandemic in North America|COVID-19 pandemic]] impacting the NBA for the second consecutive year, the regular season was reduced to 72 games for each team and the start date of the playoffs was moved from its usual time in mid-April to May 22, 2021. It ended with the [[2021 NBA Finals]] in July.

The [[2021 NBA Finals]] matchup featured the [[Milwaukee Bucks]] and the [[Phoenix Suns]]. The Bucks won the NBA Finals in six games after being down 0–2, their first championship since [[1971 NBA Finals|1971]].

Both the [[2020 NBA Finals|defending champion]] [[2020–21 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] and the 2020 NBA Finals runner-up [[2020–21 Miami Heat season|Miami Heat]] lost in the first round to the eventual finalists: the [[2020–21 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]] and the [[2020–21 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]], respectively. The Suns advanced to their first NBA Finals since [[1993 NBA Finals|1993]] after winning the Western Conference finals against the [[2020–21 Los Angeles Clippers season|Los Angeles Clippers]] in six games; the Bucks also won the Eastern Conference finals in six games, against the [[2020–21 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks]] to reach their first NBA Finals since [[1974 NBA Finals|1974]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=McMenamin |first1=Dave |title=Phoenix Suns finish off LA Clippers in 6, advance to first NBA Finals since 1993 |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31742002/phoenix-suns-finish-la-clippers-6-advance-first-nba-finals-1993 |website=ESPN |date=July 2021 |access-date=1 July 2021}}</ref>

It was the first year the NBA used a 20-team playoff, with a two-stage system in both conferences, with 16 of the 20 teams advancing to the second stage. The first stage, the NBA play-in games, was a four-team [[Page playoff system|playoff]] in each conference for the No. 7 to No. 10 seeds in each conference. In this format, the No. 7 and No. 8 teams need to win one game to advance to the second stage, with a double chance, while the No. 9 and No. 10 teams need to win two games to advance, eliminated by just one loss.

==Overview==
{{more citations needed|section|date=June 2021}}

===Notable updates to postseason appearances===
*The [[2020–21 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland Trail Blazers]] entered their eighth consecutive postseason, which was the longest active streak in the NBA until their failure to qualify the following year.
*The [[2020–21 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]] entered their seventh consecutive postseason.
*The [[2020–21 Utah Jazz season|Utah Jazz]] and [[2020–21 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]] (which entered their first Finals appearance since [[1974 NBA playoffs|1974]]) entered their fifth consecutive postseason.
*The [[2020–21 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]] entered their fourth consecutive postseason.
*The [[2020–21 Brooklyn Nets season|Brooklyn Nets]], [[2020–21 Los Angeles Clippers season|Los Angeles Clippers]] and [[2020–21 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]] entered their third consecutive postseason.
*The [[2020–21 Miami Heat season|Miami Heat]], [[2020–21 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] and [[2020–21 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas Mavericks]] entered their second consecutive postseason.
*The [[2020–21 Washington Wizards season|Washington Wizards]] made their first postseason appearance since [[2018 NBA playoffs|2018]].
*The [[2020–21 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks]] (which entered their first Conference finals appearance since [[2015 NBA playoffs|2015]]) and [[2020–21 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis Grizzlies]] made their first postseason appearance since [[2017 NBA playoffs|2017]].
*The [[2020–21 New York Knicks season|New York Knicks]] made their first postseason appearance since [[2013 NBA playoffs|2013]].
*The [[2020–21 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]] made their first postseason appearance since [[2010 NBA playoffs|2010]] and their first Finals appearance since [[1993 NBA playoffs|1993]].
*The [[2020–21 Houston Rockets season|Houston Rockets]] missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years.
*The [[2020–21 Toronto Raptors season|Toronto Raptors]] missed the playoffs for the first time in eight years.
*The [[2020–21 Oklahoma City Thunder season|Oklahoma City Thunder]] and [[2020–21 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana Pacers]] missed the playoffs for the first time in six years.
*The [[2020–21 Orlando Magic season|Orlando Magic]] missed the playoffs for the first time in three years.
*The [[2020–21 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio Spurs]] returned to the postseason after missing the playoffs the previous year, but were eliminated after losing to Memphis in the first stage of the [[Page–McIntyre system]] system tournament.
*The [[2020–21 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]] returned to the postseason after missing the playoffs the previous year, being the first team to be eliminated from the Page–McIntyre system tournament with the double chance. They were the No. 8 seed, losing to the No. 7 Los Angeles Lakers in the first game of the first stage, then losing to No. 9 Memphis in the second game of the first stage.

===Notable occurrences===
*The [[2020-21 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis Grizzlies]] became the first No. 9 seed to advance to the playoffs, defeating the [[2020-21 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]] in the second game of the first stage play–in.
*The [[2020–21 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]] swept the [[2020–21 Miami Heat season|Miami Heat]] in the first round, marking the 45th straight year a sweep occurred in the NBA playoffs. The last year a sweep did not occur in the playoffs was [[1976 NBA playoffs|1976]].
*With Miami not winning a road game, their streak of winning a road game in a playoff series ends at 23, a streak that started in [[2011 NBA playoffs|2011]]. This record would be surpassed by the Warriors in the following [[2022 NBA playoffs|year]].
*The [[2020–21 Dallas Mavericks season|Mavericks]]–[[2020–21 Los Angeles Clippers season|Clippers]] series was the first of the 2021 playoffs to have a Game 7, making it the 22nd consecutive NBA postseason to feature a Game 7. The last time a Game 7 did not take place in the playoffs was [[1999 NBA playoffs|1999]].
*Not counting the [[2020 NBA playoffs]] which was held at a neutral site, the Mavericks–Clippers series was the first in NBA history where the road team won the first six games of a best–of–7 and the first since [[1995 NBA playoffs|1995]] to have the road team win the first five games of a best–of–7.
*Both 2020 NBA finalists ([[Los Angeles Lakers]] and [[Miami Heat]]) were eliminated in the first round. This was the third time overall and the first since [[2007 NBA playoffs|2007]] that this had happened, in which the Miami Heat were also one of the finalists who were eliminated.
*The [[Los Angeles Lakers]] first round loss to the [[Phoenix Suns]] marked the first time that the defending NBA champions was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs since the [[San Antonio Spurs]] in the [[2015 NBA playoffs|2015 playoffs]].
*With the [[Boston Celtics]], [[Dallas Mavericks]], [[Los Angeles Lakers]], and [[Miami Heat]] eliminated in the first round (along with the [[Cleveland Cavaliers]], [[Detroit Pistons]], [[Golden State Warriors]], [[San Antonio Spurs]], and [[Toronto Raptors]] failing to qualify for the playoffs), by the second round the 2021 playoffs ensured one team of its first championship in the 21st century.
*This Finals was the first since [[1999 NBA Finals|1999]] to not feature the [[Golden State Warriors]], [[Los Angeles Lakers]], [[Miami Heat]], or [[San Antonio Spurs]].
*This Finals was the first since [[2014 NBA Finals|2014]] to not include [[Andre Iguodala]], who had played in the past six finals with the [[Golden State Warriors]] and [[Miami Heat]].
*For the first time in his 18-year career, LeBron James lost a first-round playoffs series when the [[2020–21 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] were eliminated by the [[2020–21 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]] in Game 6.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/04/sports/basketball/nba-lakers-suns-eliminated-lebron-james.html|title=Lakers Eliminated from Playoffs With Game 6 Loss to Suns|date=June 4, 2021|access-date=June 4, 2021|author=Scott Cacciola|work=[[The New York Times]]}}</ref>
*[[Damian Lillard]] set an NBA record of 12 three-point field goals made in a single playoff game, which was previously held by [[Klay Thompson]] in 2016.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Young |first1=Royce |title=Portland Trail Blazers' Damian Lillard hits playoff-record 12 3s in 2OT loss |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31550352/portland-trail-blazers-damian-lillard-hits-playoff-record-12-3s-2-ot-loss |website=ESPN |date=June 2, 2021 |access-date=21 July 2021}}</ref>
*LeBron James became the only player in NBA history to be in the playoff top 10 for all five major statistical categories (points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals).
*[[Chris Paul]] became the first player to reach 15 assists with 0 turnovers three separate times in the NBA playoffs.
*[[Nikola Jokić]] joined [[Wilt Chamberlain]] and [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]] as the only players with 30 points, 20 rebounds, 10 assists in an NBA playoff game.
*[[Kevin Durant]] became the first player in NBA history with 45 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists in a single playoff game. He also set an NBA record for most points in a Game 7 with 48 against the Milwaukee Bucks.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Salvador |first1=Joseph |title=Bucks Advance to Eastern Conference finals in Epic Game 7 Over Nets |url=https://www.si.com/nba/2021/06/20/bucks-beat-nets-game-7-overtime-instant-classic |website=Sports Illustrated |access-date=21 July 2021}}</ref>
*The [[2020–21 Los Angeles Clippers season|Los Angeles Clippers]] became the first team in NBA history to overcome an 0–2 deficit twice in the same postseason. They also made it to the Western Conference finals for the first time in franchise history.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gonzalez |first1=Norma |title=Led by Terance Mann, the resilient LA Clippers stage a playoff comeback for the ages |url=https://www.sltrib.com/sports/jazz/2021/06/19/led-by-terance-mann/ |website=The Salt Lake Tribune |access-date=21 July 2021}}</ref>
*With the Clippers advancing to the Western Conference finals to face the Suns, this ensured that a Pacific Division team played in the NBA Finals for the seventh consecutive postseason.
*The [[2020–21 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]] won a Game 7 on the road for the first time in franchise history.
*Neither the [[2020–21 Philadelphia 76ers season|first–seeded team]] nor the [[2020–21 Brooklyn Nets season|second-seeded team]] made the [[NBA Conference finals|Eastern Conference finals]] for the second straight year.
*The [[2020–21 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks]] became the fourth team in the last 40 years to reach the conference finals with a midseason coaching replacement.
*Neither first–seeded team made the conference finals for the first time since [[1994 NBA playoffs|1994]].
*[[Devin Booker]] joined [[Charles Barkley]] and LeBron James as the only players with 40–point triple–double in a conference finals game. He also joined [[Oscar Robertson]] and [[Luka Dončić]] as the only players with a 40–point triple–double before turning 25.
*[[Deandre Ayton]] became the first player in the shot–clock era with a 70+ FG% in any 12–game postseason span (min. 100 att), and the first since [[1954–55 NBA season]].
*Deandre Ayton became the first player in NBA history to average 15 points and 10 rebounds while shooting at least 65% from the field in a single postseason.
*[[Jae Crowder]] now owns the longest active finals streak when the [[Phoenix Suns]] made the NBA Finals, having also made it last year with Miami.
*Chris Paul became the oldest player in NBA history with 40+ points in a closeout game. He is also the second oldest player to drop 40 points in any playoff game.
*With [[Rajon Rondo]] losing in the Western Conference finals to the Suns, [[Shaquille O'Neal]]'s 37–year streak of having a former teammate in the NBA Finals came to an end.
*The [[2020–21 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]] became the first team in NBA history to move on to the NBA Finals after missing the postseason in the prior ten seasons. They also held the worst record (.302 winning pct) in five seasons prior to an appearance in the final postseason round in the history of the NBA, NFL, NHL, or MLB.
*Both NBA finalists in the 2020–2021 season have not been in the finals for over two decades (the Suns in [[1993 NBA Finals|1993]], the Bucks in [[1974 NBA Finals|1974]]).
*[[Trae Young]] became the second player in NBA history to average 28+ PPG and 9+ APG in a single playoff run (minimum 15 games, LeBron James in [[2018 NBA playoffs|2018]]).
*Trae Young tied LeBron James and [[Dirk Nowitzki]] by scoring the 4th most points in a Conference finals game with 48 against the Milwaukee Bucks.
*[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] became the 5th player in NBA history with 9+ 30/10 games in a single postseason since 1963.
*By winning the 2021 Eastern Conference finals, the [[Milwaukee Bucks]] are the only NBA franchise to win both the Eastern & Western Conference Titles. However, the [[Golden State Warriors|Warriors]] franchise achieved the same deeds when the East and the West were called "Divisions", before they were realigned as "Conferences" in the [[1970-71 NBA season|1970-71]] expansion. Before 1970-71, the teams emerged from the East and West playoff brackets were called Eastern Divsion Champions and Western Division Champions, respectively. The [[History of the Golden State Warriors|Philadelphia Warriors]] won the Eastern Division in [[1956 NBA Playoffs|1956]], while the San Francisco Warriors won the Western Division in [[1964 NBA Playoffs|1964]] and [[1967 NBA Playoffs|1967]]. The Golden State Warriors also won 7 conference titles after 1970-71.
*Chris Paul joins [[Michael Jordan]] as the only players with 30+ points and 9+ assists in an NBA Finals debut. Jordan accomplished this feat in [[1991 NBA Finals|1991]]. He also joined [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]] and Tim Duncan as players with 30+ points in an NBA Finals game age 36 or older.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Botkin |first1=Brad |title=NBA Finals: Suns' Chris Paul joins Michael Jordan with historic debut, leaves Bucks searching for answers |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-finals-suns-chris-paul-joins-michael-jordan-with-historic-debut-leaves-bucks-searching-for-answers/ |website=CBS News |access-date=21 July 2021}}</ref>
*Deandre Ayton became the fourth player in the shot-clock era (since 1955) with at least 20 points, 15 rebounds, and shooting 80+ FG% in an NBA Finals game ([[Bill Russell]], [[Kareem-Abdul Jabbar]], [[Wilt Chamberlain]]). Ayton joins Abdul-Jabbar as the only players to do so in their Finals debuts.
*Chris Paul scored or assisted on 54 points in Game 1, the 3rd most in an NBA Finals debut all time ([[Allen Iverson]] with 61 in 2001, Michael Jordan with 60 in 1991).
*The [[2020–21 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]] became the third team to make 20+ three-point shots in a Finals game, joining the [[2016–17 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland Cavaliers]], and the [[2018–19 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]].
*Giannis Antetokounmpo joined Shaquille O'Neal as the only players with 40+ points and 10+ rebounds in back–to–back Finals games. He also scored 103 points through the first three Finals game of his career, ranking fourth behind [[Rick Barry]] (122), Allen Iverson (106), and [[Willis Reed]] (104).
*Devin Booker set a new record for most points for a player in his first NBA playoffs appearance, accumulating 601 points, overtaking Ricky Barry (521) and [[Julius Erving]] (518).
*The Suns became the first team in NBA history to lose a Finals game despite shooting better than 50% and keeping their opponent below at least 42%.
*[[Khris Middleton]] and Devin Booker became the 4th pair of opponents to put up at least 40 points in the same game.
*Devin Booker became the seventh player in NBA history to put up back–to–back 40 point games in the Finals. Booker is also the first Suns player to achieve this and is also the first overall to lose both of these games.
*Devin Booker's 82 points in Games 4 and 5 of the NBA Finals reflects the highest total of any player who lost consecutive Finals Games (John Havlicek and LeBron James each had 80 in consecutive games).
*Devin Booker joined Rick Barry as the only players to record at least ten 30 point games in their first postseason all time.
*The Suns became the first team in NBA history to lose a playoff game shooting at least 55% from the field and at least 60% from three.
*Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton became the 2nd pair of teammates to record at least 500 points and 100 assists in a single postseason.
*Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, and Khris Middleton became the 5th trio of teammates in NBA Finals history to record at least 25 points while shooting at least 50% from the field in the same game.
*Giannis Antetokounmpo became the 5th player in NBA Finals history to record at least 30 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds, and 0 turnovers.
*Giannis Antetokounmpo became the 2nd player in NBA Finals history to record at least 3 games recording 40 points and 10 rebounds.
*With Giannis and [[Thanasis Antetokounmpo]] winning a championship this year, they join [[Kostas Antetokounmpo]] ([[2020 NBA Finals|2020]] with Los Angeles Lakers) as the only sibling trio in NBA history to win a championship.
*Giannis Antetokounmpo became the 7th player in NBA Finals history to record a 50-point game. He also tied [[Bob Pettit]] for the most points scored in a Finals closeout game.
*Giannis Antetokounmpo became the 5th player in NBA Finals history to record at least 30 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds, and 0 turnovers.
*Giannis Antetokounmpo became the 1st player in NBA Finals history to record 40 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocks in a game, then became the first to record 50 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocks in a game.
*Giannis Antetokounmpo recorded the second-most games in a single postseason scoring at least 30 points and 10 rebounds.
*Chris Paul became the 1st player in NBA history to blow four separate 2–0 series leads in a best–of–7 series.
*Giannis Antetokounmpo became the 3rd player in NBA history to win multiple regular–season MVPs, Defensive Player of the Year Award, and Finals MVP ([[Hakeem Olajuwon]] and [[Michael Jordan]])
*Giannis Antetokounmpo became the 2nd player in NBA history to win multiple regular–season MVPs and Finals MVP while playing at the power forward position ([[Tim Duncan]]).
*Giannis Antetokounmpo became the 1st player in NBA Finals history to average 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists while shooting at least 60% FG. In addition, he is the 1st player in NBA Finals history to average 30 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block, and 1 steal while shooting at least 50% on field goals.
*Giannis Antetokounmpo became the 9th player in NBA history to win multiple MVPs and a Finals MVP. He joins Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Tim Duncan as the only ones to do so at 26 years old or younger.
*Giannis Antetokounmpo became the first player in NBA history with 5 All-Star selections, 5 All-NBA selections, multiple MVPs, 1 Finals MVP, and 1 DPOY before turning 27 years old.
*Giannis Antetokounmpo tied Kevin Durant by averaging the 5th most PPG in an NBA Finals win with 35.2 (Durant averaged 35.2 PPG in [[2017 NBA Finals|2017]]).
*Giannis Antetokounmpo became the 1st player in NBA history to win Most Improved Player, MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, and Finals MVP.
*Giannis Antetokounmpo became the fourth international player and third European player to win the Finals MVP, joining Hakeem Olajuwon ([[Nigeria]]) in [[1994 NBA Finals|1994]] and [[1995 NBA Finals|1995]], [[Tony Parker]] ([[France]]) in [[2007 NBA Finals|2007]], and [[Dirk Nowitzki]] ([[Germany]]) in [[2011 NBA Finals|2011]].
*The Milwaukee Bucks became the fifth team in NBA Finals history to overcome an 0–2 deficit and win the title. They also became the third team to win 4 consecutive games after being down 0–2. The last team to accomplish this feat is the [[2005–06 Miami Heat season|2006 Miami Heat]].
*The Milwaukee Bucks became the second team in NBA playoff history to overcome an 0–2 deficit twice in the same postseason ([[2020-21 Los Angeles Clippers season|2021 Los Angeles Clippers]]).
*The Milwaukee Bucks became the first team below the 2nd seed to win a championship since the [[2010-11 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas Mavericks in 2011]].

==Format==
{{see also|NBA playoffs#Format}}

The NBA Board of Governors approved a format for the [[2020–21 NBA season|2020–21 season]] to have a [[NBA play-in tournament|play-in tournament]] involving the teams that ranked 7th through 10th in each conference. The 7th place team and 8th place team participate in the double-chance game, with the winner advancing to the playoffs as the 7-seed. The loser then plays the winner of the elimination game between the 9th place and 10th place teams to determine the playoff's 8-seed. The NBA's regular playoff format would then proceed as normal.<ref name="NBAschedule">{{cite web|title=NBA announces structure and format for 2020–21 season|url=https://www.nba.com/news/nba-announces-structure-and-format-for-2020-21-season|website=NBA.com|access-date=November 19, 2020}}</ref>

Under the NBA's regular playoff format, the eight teams with the most wins in each conference qualified for the playoffs. The [[Seed (sports)|seedings]] were based on each team's record. Each conference's bracket was fixed; there was no reseeding. All rounds were best-of-seven series; the series ended when one team won four games, and that team advanced to the next round. All rounds, including the NBA Finals, were in a 2–2–1–1–1 format. In the conference playoffs, home court advantage went to the higher-seeded team (number one being the highest). Seeding was based on each team's regular season record within a conference; if two teams had the same record, standard tiebreaker rules were used. Conference seedings were ignored for the NBA Finals: Home court advantage went to the team with the better regular season record, and, if needed, ties were broken based on head-to-head record, followed by intra-conference record.

==Playoff qualifying==
On April 25, 2021, the [[2020–21 Utah Jazz season|Utah Jazz]] became the first team to clinch a playoff spot.<ref name="Jazz clinch">{{cite web|title=Utah Jazz become first team in the NBA to clinch a playoff spot this season|last=Maloney|first=Jack|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/utah-jazz-become-first-team-in-the-nba-to-clinch-a-playoff-spot-this-season/|website=CBS Sports|date=April 25, 2021|access-date=April 26, 2021}}</ref> While noted in the below tables, division titles have no bearing on seeding.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/5-things-to-know-nba-division-winners-not-guaranteed-playoff-spot/ |title=5 Things to Know: NBA division winners not guaranteed playoff spot |first=Matt |last=Moore |website=[[CBS Sports]] |date=September 9, 2015 |access-date=April 6, 2022}}</ref>

{{see also|NBA play-in tournament#2021}}

===Eastern Conference===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center"
|-
!rowspan=2|Seed !!rowspan=2|Team !!rowspan=2|Record !!colspan=5|Clinched
|-
!Play-in berth !! Playoff berth !! Division title !! Best record in conference !! Best record in NBA
|-
| 1 || align="left" |[[2020–21 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]] || 49–23 || — || April 28<ref>{{cite web |title=76ers clinch playoff spot with victory over Hawks |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/76ers-clinch-playoff-spot-victory-hawks/ |website=Sportsnet.ca |access-date=April 29, 2021 |date=April 28, 2021}}</ref> || May 14<ref name="0514PHI">{{Cite web|last=Franklin|first=Chris|title=Sixers clinch the Atlantic Division, No. 1 seed for the first time in 20 years|url=https://www.nj.com/sixers/2021/05/sixers-clinch-the-atlantic-division-top-seed-for-the-first-time-in-20-years-3-takeaways.html|access-date=May 15, 2021|website=nj.com|date=May 15, 2021}}</ref>|| May 14<ref name="0514PHI" /> || —
|-
| 2 || align="left" |[[2020–21 Brooklyn Nets season|Brooklyn Nets]] || 48–24 || — || April 27<ref>{{cite web |last1=Andrews |first1=Malika |title=Brooklyn Nets first in Eastern Conference to clinch playoff berth |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31349027/brooklyn-nets-first-eastern-conference-clinch-playoff-berth |website=ESPN |access-date=April 29, 2021 |date=April 27, 2021}}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 3 || align=left|[[2020–21 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]] || 46–26 || — || May 4<ref>{{cite web |title=Bucks rally in 4th to beat Nets 124–118, clinch playoff spot |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap?gameId=401307788 |website=ESPN |access-date=May 6, 2021 |date=May 4, 2021}}</ref> || April 30<ref>{{cite tweet |user=Bucks |number=1388333777752035334 |date=April 30, 2021 |title=The most Central Division titles in NBA history. |access-date=May 4, 2021}}</ref> || — || —
|-
| 4 || align=left|[[2020–21 New York Knicks season|New York Knicks]] || 41–31 || — || May 12<ref name="0512Clinch" /> || — || — || —
|-
| 5 || align="left" |[[2020–21 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks]] || 41–31 || — || May 12<ref name="0512Clinch">{{cite web |title=NBA playoff watch: Atlanta Hawks wrap up berth; Boston Celtics land in play-in |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31381497/nba-playoff-watch-atlanta-hawks-wrap-berth-boston-celtics-land-play-in |website=ESPN |access-date=May 13, 2021 |date=May 13, 2021}}</ref> || May 15<ref>{{cite web |title=Hawks clinch NBA Southeast, play final game tonight before playoffs start |url=https://www.wsbtv.com/sports/nba/atlanta-hawks/hawks-clinch-nba-southeast-play-final-game-tonight-before-playoffs-start/DPO4OHJNVRHT7CR4UOTOXDZXJQ/ |website=wsbtv.com |access-date=May 16, 2021 |date=May 15, 2021}}</ref> || — || —
|-
| 6 || align="left" |[[2020–21 Miami Heat season|Miami Heat]] || 40–32 || — || May 11<ref>{{cite web|title=By The Numbers: HEAT Clinch 22nd Postseason Appearance|url=https://www.nba.com/heat/news/heat-clinch-22nd-playoff-berth-0521|website=NBA.com|access-date=May 12, 2021|date=May 11, 2021}}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 7 || align=left|[[2020–21 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]] || 36–36 || May 12<ref name="0512Clinch" /> || May 18<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mulford |first1=Michael |title=Tatum drops 50 points as the Celtics beat Wizards, clinch 7-seed |url=https://celticswire.usatoday.com/2021/05/19/tatum-drops-50-points-as-the-celtics-beat-wizards-clinch-7-seed/ |work=Celtics Wire |access-date=June 5, 2021 |date=May 18, 2021}}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 8 || align=left|[[2020–21 Washington Wizards season|Washington Wizards]] || 34–38 || May 14<ref>{{cite web |last1=Selbe |first1=Nick |title=Wizards Beat Cavs to Clinch Play-In Berth, Finalize Postseason Field |url=https://www.si.com/nba/2021/05/15/2021-nba-playoffs-postseason-field-play-in-tournament |website=Sports Illustrated |access-date=May 16, 2021 |date=May 14, 2021}}</ref> || May 20<ref>{{cite web |last1=Zillgitt |first1=Jeff |title=Wizards complete turnaround with rout of Pacers to clinch No. 8 seed in Eastern Conference |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2021/05/20/wizards-rout-pacers-clinch-eighth-seed-eastern-conference/5193290001/ |work=USA Today |access-date=June 5, 2021 |date=May 20, 2021}}</ref> || — || — || —
|}
[[2020–21 Indiana Pacers season|Indiana]] (34–38) and [[2020–21 Charlotte Hornets season|Charlotte]] (33–39) also secured play-in berths but did not advance to the playoffs.<ref name=pint/>

===Western Conference===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center"
|-
!rowspan=2|Seed !!rowspan=2|Team !!rowspan=2|Record !!colspan=5|Clinched
|-
!Play-in berth !! Playoff berth !! Division title !! Best record in conference !! Best record in NBA
|-
| 1 || align=left|[[2020–21 Utah Jazz season|Utah Jazz]] || 52–20 || — || April 25<ref name="Jazz clinch" /> || May 7<ref>{{cite web |last1=Anderson |first1=Ben |title=Jazz Win Thriller Over Nuggets, Clinch Top Three Seed |url=https://kslsports.com/459019/jazz-win-thriller-over-nuggets-clinch-top-three-seed/ |website=KSL Sports |access-date=May 12, 2021 |date=May 7, 2021}}</ref> || May 16<ref name="0516Jazz">{{cite web |last1=Burt |first1=Spencer |title=Utah Jazz clinch #1 playoff seed, best record across league |url=https://www.fox13now.com/sports/nba/utah-jazz-clinch-1-playoff-seed-franchises-first-ever-best-record-across-league |work=KSTU |access-date=May 17, 2021 |date=May 16, 2021}}</ref> || May 16<ref name="0516Jazz" />
|-
| 2 || align=left|[[2020–21 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]] || 51–21 || — || April 28<ref>{{cite web |last1=Klapper |first1=Clayton |title=Phoenix Suns clinch first playoff berth in 10 seasons |url=https://www.abc15.com/sports/phoenix-suns-clinch-first-playoff-berth-in-10-seasons |website=KNXV |access-date=April 29, 2021 |date=April 29, 2021}}</ref> || May 14<ref>{{cite web |last1=Olson |first1=Kellan |title=Phoenix Suns win Pacific Division, clinch top-2 seed after Clippers loss |url=https://arizonasports.com/story/2653170/phoenix-suns-win-pacific-division-clinch-top-2-seed-after-clippers-loss/ |work=Arizona Sports |access-date=May 16, 2021 |date=May 14, 2021}}</ref> || — || —
|-
| 3 || align=left|[[2020–21 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]] || 47–25 || — || May 3<ref>{{cite web |title=Denver Nuggets clinch playoff spot, 3rd in the Western Conference |url=https://kdvr.com/sports/denver-nuggets/denver-nuggets-clinch-playoff-spot/ |work=FOX31 Denver |access-date=May 4, 2021 |date=May 3, 2021}}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 4 || align=left|[[2020–21 Los Angeles Clippers season|Los Angeles Clippers]] || 47–25 || — || May 3<ref>{{cite web |title=Lowry leads depleted Raptors past Lakers; Clippers clinch playoff spot |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/lowry-leads-depleted-raptors-past-lakers-clippers-clinch-playoff-spot/ |website=Sportsnet.ca |access-date=May 3, 2021 |date=May 3, 2021}}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 5 || align=left|[[2020–21 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas Mavericks]] || 42–30 || — || May 14<ref>{{cite web |last1=Odom |first1=Joel |title=Dallas Mavericks clinch playoff spot; Nuggets move up to 3rd: NBA Western Conference playoff race, standings watch |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/nba/2021/05/dallas-mavericks-clinch-playoff-spot-nuggets-move-up-to-3rd-nba-western-conference-playoff-race-standings-watch.html |website=oregonlive |access-date=May 16, 2021 |date=May 14, 2021}}</ref> || May 7<ref>{{cite web |title=Mavs clinch Southwest division with 110–90 over Cavs |url=https://www.mavs.com/mavsclinchdivision/ |website=Mavs.com| access-date=May 7, 2021 |date= May 7, 2021}}</ref> || — || —
|-
| 6 || align=left|[[2020–21 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland Trail Blazers]] || 42–30 || — || May 16<ref name="0516Clinch">{{cite web |title=CJ McCollum, Portland Trail Blazers clinch playoff berth {{!}} Lakers vs Warriors in Play-In |url=https://www.skysports.com/nba/news/36226/12308832/cj-mccollum-portland-trail-blazers-clinch-playoff-berth-lakers-vs-warriors-in-play-in |work=Sky Sports |access-date=May 17, 2021 |date=May 16, 2021}}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 7 || align=left|[[2020–21 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] || 42–30 || May 16<ref name="0516Clinch" /> || May 19<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rivas |first1=Christian |title=Lakers advance to play Suns in first round |url=https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2021/5/19/22444356/lakers-vs-suns-nba-playoffs-first-round-schedule-chris-paul-vs-lebron-james-stats |work=Silver Screen and Roll |access-date=June 5, 2021 |date=May 19, 2021}}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 8 || align=left|[[2020–21 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis Grizzlies]] || 38–34 || May 10<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lopez |first1=Andrew |title=Memphis Grizzlies clinch play-in spot: 'Job is not done,' Dillon Brooks says |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31424524/memphis-grizzlies-clinch-play-spot-job-not-done-dillon-brooks-says |website=ESPN |access-date=May 12, 2021 |date=May 10, 2021}}</ref> || May 21<ref>{{cite web |title=Grizzlies clinch eighth seed in West with OT win over Warriors – Sportsnet.ca |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/grizzlies-clinch-eighth-seed-west-ot-win-warriors/ |website=Sportsnet.ca |access-date=June 5, 2021 |date=May 21, 2021}}</ref> || — || — || —
|}
[[2020–21 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]] (39–33) and [[2020–21 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]] (33–39) also secured play-in berths but did not advance to the playoffs.<ref name=pint>{{cite web |url=https://www.nba.com/playoffs/2021/play-in-tournament |title=2021 Play-In Tournament |website=NBA.com |date=April 2021 |access-date=April 6, 2022}}</ref>

==Bracket==
Teams in bold advanced to the next round. The numbers to the left of each team indicate the team's seeding in its conference, and the numbers to the right indicate the number of games the team won in that round. The division champions are marked by an asterisk. Teams with home court advantage, the higher seeded team, are shown in italics.
<section begin=Bracket />{{16TeamBracket
| RD1=[[#First Round|First round]]
| RD2=[[#Conference semifinals|Conference semifinals]]
| RD3=[[#Conference finals|Conference finals]]
| RD4=[[2021 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]

| RD2-group1='''[[Eastern Conference (NBA)|Eastern Conference]]'''
| RD2-group2='''[[Western Conference (NBA)|Western Conference]]'''


| RD1-seed01='''E1'''
| RD1-team01='''''[[2020–21 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]'''''*
| RD1-score01='''4'''
| RD1-seed02=E8
| RD1-team02=[[2020–21 Washington Wizards season|Washington]]
| RD1-score02=1

| RD1-seed03=E4
| RD1-team03=''[[2020–21 New York Knicks season|New York]]''
| RD1-score03=1
| RD1-seed04='''E5'''
| RD1-team04='''[[2020–21 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta]]'''*
| RD1-score04='''4'''

| RD1-seed05='''E3'''
| RD1-team05='''''[[2020–21 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]'''''*
| RD1-score05='''4'''
| RD1-seed06=E6
| RD1-team06=[[2020–21 Miami Heat season|Miami]]
| RD1-score06=0

| RD1-seed07='''E2'''
| RD1-team07='''''[[2020–21 Brooklyn Nets season|Brooklyn]]'''''
| RD1-score07='''4'''
| RD1-seed08=E7
| RD1-team08=[[2020–21 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]
| RD1-score08=1


| RD1-seed09='''W1'''
| RD1-team09='''''[[2020–21 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]'''''*
| RD1-score09='''4'''
| RD1-seed10=W8
| RD1-team10=[[2020–21 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis]]
| RD1-score10=1

| RD1-seed11='''W4'''
| RD1-team11='''''[[2020–21 Los Angeles Clippers season|LA Clippers]]'''''
| RD1-score11='''4'''
| RD1-seed12=W5
| RD1-team12=[[2020–21 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]*
| RD1-score12=3

| RD1-seed13='''W3'''
| RD1-team13='''''[[2020–21 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]'''''
| RD1-score13='''4'''
| RD1-seed14=W6
| RD1-team14=[[2020–21 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland]]
| RD1-score14=2

| RD1-seed15='''W2'''
| RD1-team15='''''[[2020–21 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]'''''*
| RD1-score15='''4'''
| RD1-seed16=W7
| RD1-team16=[[2020–21 Los Angeles Lakers season|LA Lakers]]
| RD1-score16=2


| RD2-seed01=E1
| RD2-team01=''Philadelphia''*
| RD2-score01=3
| RD2-seed02='''E5'''
| RD2-team02='''Atlanta'''*
| RD2-score02='''4'''

| RD2-seed03='''E3'''
| RD2-team03='''Milwaukee'''*
| RD2-score03='''4'''
| RD2-seed04=E2
| RD2-team04=''Brooklyn''
| RD2-score04=3


| RD2-seed05=W1
| RD2-team05=''Utah''*
| RD2-score05=2
| RD2-seed06='''W4'''
| RD2-team06='''LA Clippers'''
| RD2-score06='''4'''

| RD2-seed07=W3
| RD2-team07=Denver
| RD2-score07=0
| RD2-seed08='''W2'''
| RD2-team08='''''Phoenix'''''*
| RD2-score08='''4'''


| RD3-seed01=E5
| RD3-team01=Atlanta*
| RD3-score01=2
| RD3-seed02='''E3'''
| RD3-team02='''''Milwaukee'''''*
| RD3-score02='''4'''


| RD3-seed03=W4
| RD3-team03=LA Clippers
| RD3-score03=2
| RD3-seed04='''W2'''
| RD3-team04='''''Phoenix'''''*
| RD3-score04='''4'''


| RD4-seed01='''E3'''
| RD4-team01='''Milwaukee'''*
| RD4-score01='''4'''
| RD4-seed02=W2
| RD4-team02=''Phoenix''*
| RD4-score02=2
}}{{ubl
|<nowiki>*</nowiki> Division winner
|'''Bold''' Series winner
|''Italic'' Team with home-court advantage}}<section end=Bracket />

==First round==
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

===Eastern Conference first round===

====(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (8) Washington Wizards====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 23 |time=1:00pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Washington Wizards]] |score1=118
|team2='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score2='''125'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/was-vs-phi-0042000101 Recap]
|Q1='''28'''–27 |Q2=34–34 |Q3=31–'''38''' |Q4=25–'''26'''
|points1=[[Bradley Beal]] 33 |points2=[[Tobias Harris]] 37
|rebounds1=Bradley Beal 10 |rebounds2=[[Ben Simmons]] 15
|assist1=[[Russell Westbrook]] 14 |assist2=Ben Simmons 15
|attendance=11,160
|referee=Eric Lewis, Pat Fraher, Kevin Cutler
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 1–0
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=May 26 |time=7:00pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1=[[Washington Wizards]] |score1=95
|team2='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score2='''120'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/was-vs-phi-0042000102 Recap]
|Q1=24–'''35''' |Q2=33–'''36''' |Q3=23–23 |Q4=15–'''26'''
|points1=[[Bradley Beal]] 33 |points2=[[Ben Simmons|Simmons]], [[Joel Embiid|Embiid]] 22 each
|rebounds1=[[Rui Hachimura]] 7 |rebounds2=[[Dwight Howard]] 11
|assist1=[[Russell Westbrook]] 11 |assist2=Ben Simmons 8
|attendance=11,160
|referee=Marc Davis, Kevin Scott, Jacyn Goble
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 2–0
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 29 |time=7:00pm |place=[[Capital One Arena]], [[Washington, D.C.]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score1='''132'''
|team2=[[Washington Wizards]] |score2=103
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-was-0042000103 Recap]
|Q1='''36'''–28 |Q2='''36'''–30 |Q3='''37'''–28 |Q4='''23'''–17
|points1=[[Joel Embiid]] 36 |points2=[[Russell Westbrook]] 26
|rebounds1=[[Tobias Harris]] 13 |rebounds2=Russell Westbrook 12
|assist1=[[Ben Simmons]] 9 |assist2=Russell Westbrook 10
|attendance=10,665
|referee=James Capers, Ben Taylor, Michael Smith
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 3–0
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=May 31 |time=7:00pm |place=[[Capital One Arena]], [[Washington, D.C.]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score1=114
|team2='''[[Washington Wizards]]''' |score2='''122'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-was-0042000104 Recap]
|Q1='''31'''–28 |Q2=30–'''32''' |Q3=19–'''32''' |Q4='''34'''–30
|points1=[[Tobias Harris]] 21 |points2=[[Bradley Beal]] 27
|rebounds1=Tobias Harris 13 |rebounds2=[[Russell Westbrook]] 21
|assist1=Tobias Harris 5 |assist2=Russell Westbrook 14
|attendance=10,665
|referee=Kane Fitzgerald, Courtney Kirkland, Sean Corbin
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 3–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 2 |time=7:00pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1=[[Washington Wizards]] |score1=112
|team2='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score2='''129'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/was-vs-phi-0042000105 Recap]
|Q1=29–29 |Q2=34–'''36''' |Q3=31–'''38''' |Q4=18–'''26'''
|points1=[[Bradley Beal]] 32 |points2=[[Seth Curry]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Russell Westbrook]] 8 |rebounds2=[[Ben Simmons]] 10
|assist1=Russell Westbrook 10 |assist2=Ben Simmons 11
|attendance=15,523
|referee=Josh Tiven, Ed Malloy, Tre Maddox
|series=Philadelphia wins series, 4–1
}}

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Regular-season series
|-
!Philadelphia won 3–0 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 23, 2020
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/was-vs-phi-0022000013 Recap]
| team1 = [[Washington Wizards]] | score1 = 107
| team2 = '''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' | score2 = '''113'''
| place = Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 6, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/was-vs-phi-0022000109 Recap]
| team1 = Washington Wizards | score1 = 136
| team2 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score2 = '''141'''
| place = Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 12, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-was-0022000579 Recap]
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = '''127'''
| team2 = Washington Wizards | score2 = 101
| place = [[Capital One Arena]], [[Washington, D.C.]]
}}
|}

This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the 76ers winning three of the first five meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=PHI&opp_id=WAS&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Philadelphia 76ers versus Washington Wizards (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=May 20, 2021}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Previous playoffs series
|-
!Philadelphia leads 3–2 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1971
| team1 = [[Philadelphia 76ers]] | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''[[Baltimore Bullets (1963–73)|Baltimore Bullets]]''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[1971 NBA playoffs|1971 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1978
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''Washington Bullets''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[1978 NBA playoffs|1978 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1980
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = 2
| team2 = Washington Bullets | score2 = 0
| place = [[1980 NBA playoffs|1980 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1985
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = 3
| team2 = Washington Bullets | score2 = 1
| place = [[1985 NBA playoffs|1985 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1986
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = 3
| team2 = Washington Bullets | score2 = 2
| place = [[1986 NBA playoffs|1986 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(2) Brooklyn Nets vs. (7) Boston Celtics====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 22 |time=8:00pm |place=[[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, New York City]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Boston Celtics]] |score1=93
|team2='''[[Brooklyn Nets]]''' |score2='''104'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-bkn-0042000111 Recap]
|Q1='''21'''–16 |Q2='''32'''–31 |Q3=20–'''31''' |Q4=20–'''26'''
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 22 |points2=[[Kevin Durant]] 32
|rebounds1=[[Tristan Thompson]] 10 |rebounds2=Kevin Durant 12
|assist1=[[Marcus Smart|Smart]], Tatum 5 each |assist2=[[James Harden]] 8
|attendance=14,391
|referee=Josh Tiven, Courtney Kirkland, Scott Wall
|series=Brooklyn leads series, 1–0
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=May 25 |time=7:30pm |place=[[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, New York City]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Boston Celtics]] |score1=108
|team2='''[[Brooklyn Nets]]''' |score2='''130'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-bkn-0042000112 Recap]
|Q1=26–'''40'''|Q2=21–'''31'''|Q3=35–'''38'''|Q4='''26'''–21
|points1=[[Marcus Smart]] 19 |points2=[[Kevin Durant]] 26
|rebounds1=[[Tristan Thompson]] 11 |rebounds2=[[Bruce Brown (basketball)|Brown]], Durant 8 each
|assist1=[[Kemba Walker]] 7 |assist2=[[James Harden]] 7
|attendance=14,774
|referee=James Capers, [[Ken Mauer]], Sean Corbin
|series=Brooklyn leads series, 2–0
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 28 |time=8:30pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score1=119
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''125'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-bos-0042000113 Recap]
|Q1=32–'''33'''|Q2=25–'''28'''|Q3=27–'''35'''|Q4='''35'''–29
|points1=[[James Harden]] 41 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 50
|rebounds1=[[Kevin Durant]] 9 |rebounds2=[[Tristan Thompson]] 13
|assist1=James Harden 10 |assist2=Jayson Tatum 7
|attendance=4,789
|referee=Eric Lewis, [[Curtis Blair]], Brent Barnaky
|series=Brooklyn leads series, 2–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=May 30 |time=7:00pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Brooklyn Nets]]''' |score1='''141'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=126
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-bos-0042000114 Recap]
|Q1=33–'''34''' |Q2='''40'''–26 |Q3='''39'''–31 |Q4=29–'''35'''
|points1=[[Kevin Durant]] 42 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 40
|rebounds1=[[Kyrie Irving]] 11 |rebounds2=Jayson Tatum 7
|assist1=[[James Harden]] 18 |assist2=[[Marcus Smart]] 9
|attendance=17,226
|referee=John Goble, [[Rodney Mott]], Kevin Cutler
|series=Brooklyn leads series, 3–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 1 |time=7:30pm |place=[[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, New York City]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Boston Celtics]] |score1=109
|team2='''[[Brooklyn Nets]]''' |score2='''123'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-bkn-0042000115 Recap]
|Q1=24–'''31''' |Q2=27–'''28''' |Q3='''28'''–27 |Q4=30–'''37'''
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 32 |points2=[[James Harden]] 34
|rebounds1=Tatum, [[Tristan Thompson|Thompson]] 9 each |rebounds2=James Harden 10
|assist1=Jayson Tatum 5 |assist2=James Harden 10
|attendance=14,993
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Ben Taylor, Michael Smith
|series=Brooklyn wins series, 4–1
}}

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Regular-season series
|-
!Brooklyn won 3–0 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 25, 2020
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-bos-0022000007 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Brooklyn Nets]]''' | score1 = '''123'''
| team2 = [[Boston Celtics]] | score2 = 95
| place = [[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 11, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-bkn-0022000569 Recap]
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 109
| team2 = '''Brooklyn Nets''' | score2 = '''121'''
| place = [[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, New York City]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = April 23, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-bkn-0022000899 Recap]
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 104
| team2 = '''Brooklyn Nets''' | score2 = '''109'''
| place = Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York City
}}
|}

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, but the first since the New Jersey Nets [[History of the Brooklyn Nets|relocated to Brooklyn]] and became the Brooklyn Nets in 2012, with the Nets winning the first two meetings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Brooklyn Nets (Playoffs)|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=BOS&opp_id=NJN&is_playoffs=Y|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=May 20, 2021}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Previous playoffs series
|-
!Brooklyn leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2002
| team1 = [[Boston Celtics]] | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''[[Brooklyn Nets|New Jersey Nets]]''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2002 NBA playoffs|2002 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 2003
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''New Jersey Nets''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2003 NBA playoffs|2003 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
|}

====(3) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (6) Miami Heat====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 22 |time=2:00pm {{small|(1:00 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=107
|team2='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score2='''109'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-mil-0042000121 Recap]
|Q1='''24'''–22 |Q2=26–'''31''' |Q3='''28'''–27 |Q4='''21'''–19 |OT=8–'''10'''
|points1=[[Goran Dragić]] 25 |points2=[[Khris Middleton]] 27
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo|Adebayo]], [[Trevor Ariza|Ariza]] 12 each |rebounds2=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 18
|assist1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 8 |assist2=Khris Middleton 6
|attendance=9,107
|referee=David Guthrie, Sean Wright, Tyler Ford
|series=Milwaukee leads series, 1–0
}}

The Bucks struggled offensively against Miami, shooting only 16% (5–31) on three-point shots. The game went into overtime thanks to a game-tying, buzzer-beating layup by Jimmy Butler, but Milwaukee was able to pull away and win on a Khris Middleton jump shot, made with only 0.5 seconds left.
{{Basketballbox|date=May 24 |time=7:30pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=98
|team2='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score2='''132'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-mil-0042000122 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''46''' |Q2=31–'''32''' |Q3=27–'''29''' |Q4=20–'''25'''
|points1=[[Dewayne Dedmon]] 19 |points2=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 31
|rebounds1=Dewayne Dedmon 9 |rebounds2=Giannis Antetokounmpo 13
|assist1=[[Bam Adebayo|Adebayo]], [[Jimmy Butler|Butler]], [[Goran Dragić|Dragić]] 4 each |assist2=[[Jrue Holiday]] 15
|attendance=9,107
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, Mark Lindsay

|series=Milwaukee leads series, 2–0
}}

The Bucks erupted for 46 points in the first quarter, setting a new franchise playoff record, en route to a dominating 132–98 victory. The Bucks would make 22 three-pointers, after making only 5 in game 1.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 27 |time=6:30pm |place=[[American Airlines Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score1='''113'''
|team2=[[Miami Heat]] |score2=84
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-mia-0042000123 Recap]
|Q1='''26'''–14 |Q2='''23'''–22 |Q3='''37'''–24 |Q4='''27'''–24
|points1=[[Khris Middleton]] 22 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 19
|rebounds1=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 17 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo|Adebayo]], Butler 8 each
|assist1=[[Jrue Holiday]] 12 |assist2=Jimmy Butler 6
|attendance=17,000
|referee=James Capers, [[Ken Mauer]], Ed Malloy
|series=Milwaukee leads series, 3–0
}}

The Bucks would cruise to another convincing victory in game 3, to take a commanding 3–0 series lead on Miami. In games 2 & 3, the Heat led for only :17, out of 96 minutes of game time.
{{Basketballbox|date=May 29 |time=12:30pm |place=[[American Airlines Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score1='''120'''
|team2=[[Miami Heat]] |score2=103
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-mia-0042000124 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''26''' |Q2=35–'''38''' |Q3='''34'''–21 |Q4='''29'''–18
|points1=[[Brook Lopez]] 25 |points2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 20
|rebounds1=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 12 |rebounds2=Bam Adebayo 14
|assist1=Giannis Antetokounmpo 15 |assist2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 10
|attendance=17,000
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], James Williams, Karl Lane
|series=Milwaukee wins series, 4–0
}}
Though Miami built a 7-point lead at halftime, the Bucks went on a 24–6 run in the third quarter to take a lead they would not relinquish, leading to a four-game sweep of the Heat.
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Regular-season series
|-
!Milwaukee won 2–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 29, 2020
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-mia-0022000051 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' | score1 = '''144'''
| team2 = [[Miami Heat]] | score2 = 97
| place = [[American Airlines Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = December 30, 2020
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-mia-0022000058 Recap]
| team1 = Milwaukee Bucks | score1 = 108
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = '''119'''
| place = American Airlines Arena, Miami, FL
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = May 15, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-mil-0022001062 Recap]
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 108
| team2 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score2 = '''122'''
| place = [[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]]
}}
|}

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Heat winning the first two meetings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Miami Heat versus Milwaukee Bucks (Playoffs)|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=MIA&opp_id=MIL&is_playoffs=Y|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=May 16, 2021}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Previous playoffs series
|-
!Miami leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2013
| team1 = [[Milwaukee Bucks]] | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''[[Miami Heat]]''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[2013 NBA playoffs|2013 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 2020
| team1 = Milwaukee Bucks | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[2020 NBA playoffs|2020 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
|}

====(4) New York Knicks vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 23 |time=7:00pm |place=[[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Atlanta Hawks]]''' |score1='''107'''
|team2=[[New York Knicks]] |score2=105
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-nyk-0042000131 Recap]
|Q1='''24'''–16 |Q2=28–'''34''' |Q3=19–'''23''' |Q4='''36'''–32
|points1=[[Trae Young]] 32 |points2=[[Alec Burks]] 27
|rebounds1=[[Clint Capela]] 13 |rebounds2=[[Julius Randle]] 12
|assist1=Trae Young 10 |assist2=[[Derrick Rose]] 5
|attendance=15,047
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Ed Malloy, Derrick Collins
|series=Atlanta leads series, 1–0
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=May 26 |time=7:30pm |place=[[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score1=92
|team2='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score2='''101'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-nyk-0042000132 Recap]
|Q1='''27'''–20 |Q2='''30'''–24 |Q3=18–'''32''' |Q4=17–'''25'''
|points1=[[Trae Young]] 30 |points2=[[Derrick Rose]] 26
|rebounds1=[[Clint Capela]] 12 |rebounds2=[[Julius Randle]] 12
|assist1=Trae Young 7 |assist2=Rose, Randle 4 each
|attendance=16,254
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Rodney Mott]], Tom Washington
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 28 |time=7:00pm |place=[[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[New York Knicks]] |score1=94
|team2='''[[Atlanta Hawks]]''' |score2='''105'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-atl-0042000133 Recap]
|Q1='''31'''–29 |Q2=13–'''29''' |Q3=28–28 |Q4='''22'''–19
|points1=[[Derrick Rose]] 30 |points2=[[Trae Young]] 21
|rebounds1=[[Julius Randle]] 11 |rebounds2=[[Clint Capela]] 12
|assist1=Derrick Rose 5 |assist2=Trae Young 14
|attendance=15,743
|referee=John Goble, Pat Fraher, Tyler Ford
|series=Atlanta leads series, 2–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=May 30 |time=1:00pm |place=[[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[New York Knicks]] |score1=96
|team2='''[[Atlanta Hawks]]''' |score2='''113'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-atl-0042000134 Recap]
|Q1='''26'''–25 |Q2=23–'''28''' |Q3=22–'''35''' |Q4=25–25
|points1=[[Julius Randle]] 23 |points2=[[Trae Young]] 27
|rebounds1=Julius Randle 10 |rebounds2=[[Clint Capela]] 15
|assist1=Julius Randle 7 |assist2=Trae Young 9
|attendance=16,458
|referee=Scott Foster, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Mark Lindsay
|series=Atlanta leads series, 3–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 2 |time=7:30pm |place=[[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Atlanta Hawks]]''' |score1='''103'''
|team2=[[New York Knicks]] |score2=89
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-nyk-0042000135 Recap]
|Q1=21–21 |Q2='''31'''–26 |Q3='''22'''–15 |Q4='''29'''–27
|points1=[[Trae Young]] 36 |points2=[[Julius Randle]] 23
|rebounds1=[[Clint Capela]] 15 |rebounds2=Julius Randle 13
|assist1=Trae Young 9 |assist2=[[Derrick Rose|Rose]], [[RJ Barrett|Barrett]] 5 each
|attendance=16,512
|referee=Kane Fitzgerald, Courtney Kirkland, Brian Forte
|series=Atlanta wins series, 4–1
}}
In Game 1, [[Trae Young]] hits the game-winning floater with 0.9 seconds left.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Regular-season series
|-
!New York won 3–0 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 4, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-atl-0022000095 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[New York Knicks]]''' | score1 = '''113'''
| team2 = [[Atlanta Hawks]] | score2 = 108
| place = [[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 15, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-nyk-0022000422 Recap]
| team1 = Atlanta Hawks | score1 = 112
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''123'''
| place = [[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = April 21, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-nyk-0022000886 Recap]
| team1 = Atlanta Hawks | score1 = 127
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''137''' |overtime=OT
| place = Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
}}
|}

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Knicks winning the first two meetings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Atlanta Hawks versus New York Knicks (Playoffs)|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=ATL&opp_id=NYK&is_playoffs=Y|publisher=basketball-reference.com|date=May 16, 2021|access-date=May 16, 2021}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Previous playoffs series
|-
!New York leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1971
| team1 = [[Atlanta Hawks]] | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''[[New York Knicks]]''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[1971 NBA playoffs|1971 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1999
| team1 = Atlanta Hawks | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[1999 NBA playoffs|1999 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
|}

===Western Conference first round===

====(1) Utah Jazz vs. (8) Memphis Grizzlies====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 23 |time=9:30pm {{small|(7:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Vivint Arena]], [[Salt Lake City|Salt Lake City, UT]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Memphis Grizzlies]]''' |score1='''112'''
|team2=[[Utah Jazz]] |score2=109
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-uta-0042000141 Recap]
|Q1=17–'''24''' |Q2='''32'''–19 |Q3='''34'''–31 |Q4=29–'''35'''
|points1=[[Dillon Brooks]] 31 |points2=[[Bojan Bogdanović]] 29
|rebounds1=[[Jonas Valančiūnas]] 13 |rebounds2=[[Rudy Gobert]] 15
|assist1=[[Ja Morant]] 4 |assist2=[[Mike Conley Jr.]] 11
|attendance=13,750
|referee=James Capers, [[Ken Mauer]], Dedric Taylor
|series=Memphis leads series, 1–0
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=May 26 |time=10:00pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Vivint Arena]], [[Salt Lake City|Salt Lake City, UT]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score1=129
|team2='''[[Utah Jazz]]''' |score2='''141'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-uta-0042000142 Recap]
|Q1=27–'''36''' |Q2=27–'''38''' |Q3='''43'''–29 |Q4=32–'''38'''
|points1=[[Ja Morant]] 47 |points2=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 25
|rebounds1=[[Jonas Valančiūnas|Valančiūnas]], [[Kyle Anderson (basketball)|Anderson]] 6 each |rebounds2=[[Rudy Gobert]] 13
|assist1=Ja Morant 7 |assist2=[[Mike Conley Jr.]] 15
|attendance=14,200
|referee=Kane Fitzgerald, James Williams, JB DeRosa
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 29 |time=9:30pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis, TN]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Utah Jazz]]''' |score1='''121'''
|team2=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score2=111
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/uta-vs-mem-0042000143 Recap]
|Q1='''34'''–22 |Q2=28–'''29''' |Q3=34–34 |Q4=25–'''26'''
|points1=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 29 |points2=[[Ja Morant]] 28
|rebounds1=[[Rudy Gobert]] 14 |rebounds2=[[Jonas Valančiūnas|Valančiūnas]], [[Kyle Anderson (basketball)|Anderson]] 13 each
|assist1=[[Mike Conley Jr.]] 8 |assist2=Ja Morant 7
|attendance=12,185
|referee=Josh Tiven, Sean Wright, Derrick Collins
|series=Utah leads series, 2–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=May 31 |time=9:30pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis, TN]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Utah Jazz]]''' |score1='''120'''
|team2=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score2=113
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/uta-vs-mem-0042000144 Recap]
|Q1='''34'''–31 |Q2='''25'''–23 |Q3='''41'''–33 |Q4=20–'''26'''
|points1=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 30 |points2=[[Ja Morant]] 23
|rebounds1=[[Royce O'Neale]] 9 |rebounds2=[[Jonas Valančiūnas]] 12
|assist1=Donovan Mitchell 8 |assist2=Ja Morant 12
|attendance=12,185
|referee=David Guthrie, Kevin Scott, Tre Maddox
|series=Utah leads series, 3–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 2 |time=9:30pm {{small|(7:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Vivint Arena]], [[Salt Lake City|Salt Lake City, UT]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score1=110
|team2='''[[Utah Jazz]]''' |score2='''126'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-uta-0042000145 Recap]
|Q1=27–'''47''' |Q2=24–'''28''' |Q3=25–'''31''' |Q4='''34'''–20
|points1=[[Dillon Brooks|Brooks]], [[Ja Morant|Morant]] 27 each |points2=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Jaren Jackson Jr.|Jackson Jr.]], Morant 7 each |rebounds2=[[Rudy Gobert]] 15
|assist1=Ja Morant 11 |assist2=Donovan Mitchell 10
|attendance=14,250
|referee=Marc Davis, [[Tony Brothers]], Tyler Ford
|series=Utah wins series, 4–1
}}

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Regular-season series
|-
!Utah won 3–0 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 26, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-uta-0022000691 Recap]
| team1 = [[Memphis Grizzlies]] | score1 = 114
| team2 = '''[[Utah Jazz]]''' | score2 = '''117'''
| place = [[Vivint Arena]], [[Salt Lake City|Salt Lake City, UT]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 27, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-uta-0022000700 Recap]
| team1 = Memphis Grizzlies | score1 = 110
| team2 = '''Utah Jazz''' | score2 = '''126'''
| place = Vivint Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 31, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/uta-vs-mem-0022000725 Recap]
| team1 = '''Utah Jazz''' | score1 = '''111'''
| team2 = Memphis Grizzlies | score2 = 107
| place = [[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis, TN]]
}}
|}

This was the first playoff meeting between the Jazz and the Grizzlies.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Memphis Grizzlies versus Utah Jazz (Playoffs)|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=MEM&opp_id=UTA&is_playoffs=Y|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=May 22, 2021}}</ref>

====(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 23 |time=3:30pm {{small|(12:30pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Phoenix Suns Arena]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=90
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''99'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-phx-0042000151 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''32''' |Q2=20–'''21''' |Q3=23–'''28''' |Q4='''22'''–18
|points1=[[LeBron James]] 18 |points2=[[Devin Booker]] 34
|rebounds1=[[Andre Drummond]] 9 |rebounds2=[[Deandre Ayton]] 16
|assist1=LeBron James 10 |assist2=Booker, [[Chris Paul|Paul]] 8 each
|attendance=11,824
|referee=Kane Fitzgerald, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], [[Rodney Mott]]
|series=Phoenix leads series, 1–0
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=May 25 |time=10:00pm {{small|(7:00pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Phoenix Suns Arena]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score1='''109'''
|team2=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score2=102
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-phx-0042000152 Recap]
|Q1='''30'''–24 |Q2=23–23 |Q3='''26'''–25 |Q4=30–30
|points1=[[Anthony Davis]] 34 |points2=[[Devin Booker]] 31
|rebounds1=[[Andre Drummond]] 12 |rebounds2=[[Deandre Ayton]] 10
|assist1=[[LeBron James]] 9 |assist2=[[Cameron Payne]] 7
|attendance=11,919
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Tre Maddox, Brian Forte
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 27 |time=10:00pm {{small|(7:00pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Staples Center]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score1=95
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''109'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lal-0042000153 Recap]
|Q1='''28'''–27 |Q2=12–'''16''' |Q3=23–'''33''' |Q4=32–'''33'''
|points1=[[Deandre Ayton]] 22 |points2=[[Anthony Davis]] 34
|rebounds1=Deandre Ayton 11 |rebounds2=Davis, [[Andre Drummond|Drummond]] 11 each
|assist1=[[Devin Booker|Booker]], [[Chris Paul|Paul]], [[Cameron Payne|Payne]] 6 each |assist2=[[LeBron James]] 9
|attendance=7,825
|referee=Scott Foster, Sean Wright, Sean Corbin
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 2–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=May 30 |time=3:30pm {{small|(12:30pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Staples Center]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score1='''100'''
|team2=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score2=92
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lal-0042000154 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''24''' |Q2='''31'''–26 |Q3='''27'''–15 |Q4=19–'''27'''
|points1=[[Chris Paul]] 18 |points2=[[LeBron James]] 25
|rebounds1=[[Deandre Ayton]] 17 |rebounds2=LeBron James 12
|assist1=Chris Paul 9 |assist2=LeBron James 6
|attendance=8,025
|referee=Marc Davis, [[Tony Brothers]], Brent Barnaky
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 1 |time=10:00pm {{small|(7:00pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Phoenix Suns Arena]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=85
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''115'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-phx-0042000155 Recap]
|Q1=26–'''34''' |Q2=10–'''32''' |Q3='''27'''–26 |Q4=22–'''23'''
|points1=[[LeBron James]] 24 |points2=[[Devin Booker]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Andre Drummond]] 13 |rebounds2=[[Deandre Ayton|Ayton]], Booker, [[Torrey Craig|Craig]] 7 each
|assist1=LeBron James 7 |assist2=[[Chris Paul]] 6
|attendance=16,163
|referee=James Capers, [[Ken Mauer]], Curtis Blair
|series=Phoenix leads series, 3–2
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=June 3 |time=10:30pm {{small|(7:30pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Staples Center]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score1='''113'''
|team2=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score2=100
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lal-0042000156 Recap]
|Q1='''36'''–14 |Q2=26–'''27''' |Q3=27–'''35''' |Q4=24–24
|points1=[[Devin Booker]] 47 |points2=[[LeBron James]] 29
|rebounds1=Devin Booker 11 |rebounds2=LeBron James 9
|assist1=[[Chris Paul]] 12 |assist2=[[Marc Gasol|Gasol]], James 7 each
|attendance=8,550
|referee=David Guthrie, Ben Taylor, Tom Washington
|series=Phoenix wins series, 4–2
}}

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Regular-season series
|-
!Phoenix won 2–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 2, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lal-0022000542 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' | score1 = '''114'''
| team2 = [[Los Angeles Lakers]] | score2 = 104
| place = [[Staples Center]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 21, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-phx-0022000651 Recap]
| team1 = Los Angeles Lakers | score1 = 94
| team2 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score2 = '''111'''
| place = [[Phoenix Suns Arena]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = May 9, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lal-0022001024 Recap]
| team1 = Phoenix Suns | score1 = 110
| team2 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score2 = '''123'''
| place = Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
}}
|}

This was the 13th playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning eight of the first 12 meetings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Lakers versus Phoenix Suns (Playoffs)|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=LAL&opp_id=PHO&is_playoffs=Y|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=May 22, 2021}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Previous playoffs series
|-
!LA Lakers leads 8–4 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1970
| team1 = '''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Phoenix Suns]] | score2 = 3
| place = [[1970 NBA playoffs|1970 Western Division semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1980
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Phoenix Suns | score2 = 1
| place = [[1980 NBA playoffs|1980 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1982
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Phoenix Suns | score2 = 0
| place = [[1982 NBA playoffs|1982 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1984
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Phoenix Suns | score2 = 2
| place = [[1984 NBA playoffs|1984 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1985
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = '''3'''
| team2 = Phoenix Suns | score2 = 0
| place = [[1985 NBA playoffs|1985 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1989
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Phoenix Suns | score2 = 0
| place = [[1989 NBA playoffs|1989 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1990
| team1 = Los Angeles Lakers | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1990 NBA playoffs|1990 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1993
| team1 = Los Angeles Lakers | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score2 = '''3'''
| place = [[1993 NBA playoffs|1993 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2000
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Phoenix Suns | score2 = 1
| place = [[2000 NBA playoffs|2000 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 2006
| team1 = Los Angeles Lakers | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2006 NBA playoffs|2006 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2007
| team1 = Los Angeles Lakers | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2007 NBA playoffs|2007 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 2010
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Phoenix Suns | score2 = 2
| place = [[2010 NBA playoffs|2010 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
|}

====(3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Portland Trail Blazers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 22 |time=10:30pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Portland Trail Blazers]]''' |score1='''123'''
|team2=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score2=109
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/por-vs-den-0042000161 Recap]
|Q1='''35'''–30 |Q2=23–'''31''' |Q3='''38'''–25 |Q4='''27'''–23
|points1=[[Damian Lillard]] 34 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 34
|rebounds1=[[Jusuf Nurkić]] 12 |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 16
|assist1=Damian Lillard 13 |assist2=[[Facundo Campazzo|Campazzo]], [[Monté Morris|Morris]] 5 each
|attendance=7,732
|referee=Marc Davis, Kevin Scott, [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=Portland leads series, 1–0
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=May 24 |time=10:00pm {{small|(8:00pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Portland Trail Blazers]] |score1=109
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''128'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/por-vs-den-0042000162 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''31''' |Q2=36–'''42''' |Q3=26–'''28''' |Q4=22–'''27'''
|points1=[[Damian Lillard]] 42 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 38
|rebounds1=[[Jusuf Nurkić]] 13 |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 8
|assist1=Damian Lillard 10 |assist2=[[Monté Morris]] 7
|attendance=7,727
|referee=John Goble, Ben Taylor, Michael Smith
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 27 |time=10:30pm {{small|(7:30pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Moda Center]], [[Portland, Oregon|Portland, OR]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''120'''
|team2=[[Portland Trail Blazers]] |score2=115
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-por-0042000163 Recap]
|Q1='''39'''–30 |Q2=25–'''29''' |Q3=20–20 |Q4=36–36
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 36 |points2=[[Damian Lillard]] 37
|rebounds1=Nikola Jokić 11 |rebounds2=[[Jusuf Nurkić]] 13
|assist1=[[Facundo Campazzo]] 8 |assist2=Jusuf Nurkić 6
|attendance=8,050
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], [[Tony Brothers]], Karl Lane
|series=Denver leads series, 2–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=May 29 |time=4:00pm {{small|(1:00pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Moda Center]], [[Portland, Oregon|Portland, OR]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score1=95
|team2='''[[Portland Trail Blazers]]''' |score2='''115'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-por-0042000164 Recap]
|Q1=24–'''32''' |Q2=23–'''25''' |Q3=19–'''36''' |Q4='''29'''–22
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 16 |points2=[[Norman Powell]] 29
|rebounds1=Nikola Jokić 9 |rebounds2=[[Robert Covington]] 9
|assist1=[[Facundo Campazzo]] 7 |assist2=[[Damian Lillard]] 10
|attendance=8,050
|referee=David Guthrie, Ed Malloy, Tom Washington
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 1 |time=9:00pm {{small|(7:00pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1=[[Portland Trail Blazers]] |score1=140
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''147'''|overtime=2OT
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/por-vs-den-0042000165 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''38''' |Q2='''37'''–27 |Q3='''32'''–27 |Q4=27–'''29'''|OT=14–14, 5–'''12'''
|points1=[[Damian Lillard]] 55 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 38
|rebounds1=[[Robert Covington|Covington]], [[Jusuf Nurkić|Nurkić]] 11 each |rebounds2=[[Michael Porter Jr.]] 12
|assist1=Damian Lillard 10 |assist2=Nikola Jokić 9
|attendance=10,463
|referee=Eric Lewis, Sean Wright, Mark Lindsay
|series=Denver leads series, 3–2
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=June 3 |time=8:00pm {{small|(5:00pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Moda Center]], [[Portland, Oregon|Portland, OR]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''126'''
|team2=[[Portland Trail Blazers]] |score2=115
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-por-0042000166 Recap]
|Q1=29–'''33''' |Q2=32–'''35''' |Q3='''37'''–33 |Q4='''28'''–14
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 36 |points2=[[Damian Lillard]] 28
|rebounds1=[[JaMychal Green]] 9 |rebounds2=[[Robert Covington]] 10
|assist1=[[Monté Morris]] 9 |assist2=Damian Lillard 13
|attendance=10,022
|referee=James Capers, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], [[Rodney Mott]]
|series=Denver wins series, 4–2
}}

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Regular-season series
|-
!Denver won 2–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 23, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/por-vs-den-0022000487 Recap]
| team1 = [[Portland Trail Blazers]] | score1 = 106
| team2 = '''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' | score2 = '''111'''
| place = [[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 21, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-por-0022000890 Recap]
| team1 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score1 = '''106'''
| team2 = Portland Trail Blazers | score2 = 105
| place = [[Moda Center]], [[Portland, Oregon|Portland, OR]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = May 16, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-por-0022001076 Recap]
| team1 = Denver Nuggets | score1 = 116
| team2 = '''Portland Trail Blazers''' | score2 = '''132'''
| place = Moda Center, Portland, OR
}}
|}

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with Portland winning two of the first three meetings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Portland Trail Blazers (Playoffs)|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DEN&opp_id=POR&is_playoffs=Y|website=basketball-reference.com|access-date=May 16, 2021}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Previous playoffs series
|-
!Portland leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1977
| team1 = [[Denver Nuggets]] | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''[[Portland Trail Blazers]]''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1977 NBA playoffs|1977 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1986
| team1 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score1 = '''3'''
| team2 = Portland Trail Blazers | score2 = 1
| place = [[1986 NBA playoffs|1986 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2019
| team1 = Denver Nuggets | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''Portland Trail Blazers''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2019 NBA playoffs|2019 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
|}

====(4) Los Angeles Clippers vs. (5) Dallas Mavericks====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 22 |time=4:30pm {{small|(1:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Staples Center]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Dallas Mavericks]]''' |score1='''113'''
|team2=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score2=103
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-lac-0042000171 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–30 |Q2='''27'''–25 |Q3='''26'''–25 |Q4='''27'''–23
|points1=[[Luka Dončić]] 31 |points2=[[Kawhi Leonard]] 26
|rebounds1=Luka Dončić 10 |rebounds2=Kawhi Leonard 10
|assist1=Luka Dončić 11 |assist2=[[Paul George|George]], Leonard 5 each
|attendance=6,117
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Tre Maddox, Brian Forte
|series=Dallas leads series, 1–0
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=May 25 |time=10:30pm {{small|(7:30pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Staples Center]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1='''[[Dallas Mavericks]]''' |score1='''127'''
|team2=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score2=121
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-lac-0042000172 Recap]
|Q1='''35'''–33 |Q2=36–'''40''' |Q3='''30'''–19 |Q4=26–'''29'''
|points1=[[Luka Dončić]] 39 |points2=[[Kawhi Leonard]] 41
|rebounds1=Luka Dončić 7 |rebounds2=[[Paul George]] 12
|assist1=Luka Dončić 7 |assist2=[[Rajon Rondo]] 7
|attendance=6,885
|referee=Scott Foster, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=Dallas leads series, 2–0
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 28 |time=9:30pm {{small|(8:30pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[American Airlines Center]], [[Dallas|Dallas, TX]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Los Angeles Clippers]]''' |score1='''118'''
|team2=[[Dallas Mavericks]] |score2=108
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-dal-0042000173 Recap]
|Q1=31–'''34'''|Q2='''32'''–27|Q3='''26'''–25|Q4='''29'''–22
|points1=[[Kawhi Leonard]] 36 |points2=[[Luka Dončić]] 44
|rebounds1=Kawhi Leonard 8 |rebounds2=Luka Dončić 9
|assist1=[[Rajon Rondo]] 8 |assist2=Luka Dončić 9
|attendance=17,705
|referee=Kane Fitzgerald, Courtney Kirkland, Mark Lindsay
|series=Dallas leads series, 2–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=May 30 |time=9:30pm {{small|(8:30pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[American Airlines Center]], [[Dallas|Dallas, TX]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Los Angeles Clippers]]''' |score1='''106'''
|team2=[[Dallas Mavericks]] |score2=81
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-dal-0042000174 Recap]
|Q1='''31'''–22 |Q2='''30'''–23 |Q3='''21'''–15 |Q4='''24'''–21
|points1=[[Kawhi Leonard]] 29 |points2=[[Luka Dončić]] 19
|rebounds1=Kawhi Leonard 10 |rebounds2=[[Dorian Finney-Smith]] 8
|assist1=[[Rajon Rondo]] 4 |assist2=Luka Dončić 6
|attendance=17,761
|referee=Eric Lewis, Pat Fraher, Tyler Ford
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 2 |time=10:00pm {{small|(7:00pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Staples Center]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Dallas Mavericks]]''' |score1='''105'''
|team2=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score2=100
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-lac-0042000175 Recap]
|Q1='''35'''–28 |Q2=21–'''26''' |Q3='''33'''–21 |Q4=16–'''25'''
|points1=[[Luka Dončić]] 42 |points2=[[Paul George]] 23
|rebounds1=Luka Dončić 8 |rebounds2=[[Ivica Zubac]] 11
|assist1=Luka Dončić 14 |assist2=George, [[Rajon Rondo|Rondo]] 6 each
|attendance=7,428
|referee=John Goble, James Williams, Sean Corbin
|series=Dallas leads series, 3–2
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=June 4 |time=9:00pm {{small|(8:00pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[American Airlines Center]], [[Dallas|Dallas, TX]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Los Angeles Clippers]]''' |score1='''104'''
|team2=[[Dallas Mavericks]] |score2=97
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-dal-0042000176 Recap]
|Q1=26–'''28''' |Q2='''22'''–17 |Q3=25–'''32''' |Q4='''31'''–20
|points1=[[Kawhi Leonard]] 45 |points2=[[Luka Dončić]] 29
|rebounds1=[[Paul George]] 13 |rebounds2=[[Boban Marjanović]] 9
|assist1=Paul George 6 |assist2=Luka Dončić 11
|attendance=18,324
|referee=Marc Davis, [[Ken Mauer]], [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=Series tied, 3–3
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 6 |time=3:30pm {{small|(12:30pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Staples Center]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Dallas Mavericks]] |score1=111
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Clippers]]''' |score2='''126'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-lac-0042000177 Recap]
|Q1='''38'''–35 |Q2=24–'''35''' |Q3=23–'''30''' |Q4=26–26
|points1=[[Luka Dončić]] 46 |points2=[[Kawhi Leonard]] 28
|rebounds1=[[Kristaps Porziņģis]] 11 |rebounds2=Kawhi Leonard 10
|assist1=Luka Dončić 14 |assist2=[[Paul George]] 10
|attendance=7,342
|referee=Scott Foster, Josh Tiven, Sean Wright
|series=LA Clippers win series, 4–3
}}

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Regular-season series
|-
!Dallas won 2–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 27, 2020
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-lac-0022000031 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Dallas Mavericks]]''' | score1 = '''124'''
| team2 = [[Los Angeles Clippers]] | score2 = 73
| place = [[Staples Center]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 15, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-dal-0022000605 Recap]
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Clippers''' | score1 = '''109'''
| team2 = Dallas Mavericks | score2 = 99
| place = [[American Airlines Center]], [[Dallas|Dallas, TX]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 17, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-dal-0022000625 Recap]
| team1 = Los Angeles Clippers | score1 = 89
| team2 = '''Dallas Mavericks''' | score2 = '''105'''
| place = American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
}}
|}

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Clippers winning the first meeting.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Clippers versus Dallas Mavericks (Playoffs)|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=LAC&opp_id=DAL&is_playoffs=Y|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=May 16, 2021}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Previous playoffs series
|-
!LA Clippers leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2020
| team1 = [[Dallas Mavericks]] | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''[[Los Angeles Clippers]]''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[2020 NBA playoffs|2020 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

==Conference semifinals==
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

===Eastern Conference semifinals===
This was the first time both Conference semifinals went seven games since [[2001 NBA playoffs|2001]].

====(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 6 |time=1:00pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Atlanta Hawks]]''' |score1='''128'''
|team2=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score2=124
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-phi-0042000201 Recap]
|Q1='''42'''–27 |Q2='''32'''–27 |Q3=25–'''29''' |Q4=29–'''41'''
|points1=[[Trae Young]] 35 |points2=[[Joel Embiid]] 39
|rebounds1=[[Clint Capela]] 10 |rebounds2=[[Tobias Harris]] 10
|assist1=Trae Young 10 |assist2=[[Ben Simmons]] 10
|attendance=18,624
|referee=James Capers, Ben Taylor, Tom Washington
|series=Atlanta leads series, 1–0
}}The Atlanta Hawks dominated during the early part of the game, leading by as much as 26 points. However, the 76ers performed a major rally, eventually cutting the deficit to just 3 points with a minute left in regulation. 20 seconds later, [[Bogdan Bogdanović (basketball)|Bogdan Bogdanovic]] hit a clutch 3, but the 76ers would make it a 3-point game again with 28.7 seconds left. Joel Embiid then committed a clear path foul, giving Atlanta 2 free throws and possession of the ball. The Hawks sealed the game with Trae Young's alley-oop assist to John Collins.

Trae Young secured a double-double with 35 points and 10 assists for The Hawks. Joel Embiid scored 39 points for the 76ers.{{Basketballbox|date=June 8|time=7:30pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score1=102
|team2='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score2='''118'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-phi-0042000202 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''33''' |Q2='''35'''–24 |Q3=29–'''34''' |Q4=18–'''27'''
|points1=[[Danilo Gallinari|Gallinari]], [[Trae Young|Young]] 21 each |points2=[[Joel Embiid]] 40
|rebounds1=[[John Collins (basketball)|John Collins]] 10 |rebounds2=Joel Embiid 13
|assist1=Trae Young 11 |assist2=[[Danny Green (basketball)|Danny Green]] 8
|attendance=18,624
|referee=Scott Foster, [[Tony Brothers]], [[Ken Mauer]]
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}}After the 76ers started the game up 20–4 with 6 minutes left in the 1st quarter, the Hawks rallied and the game remained close until the start of the 4th quarter, in which the 76ers blew the game open with a 14–0 run, resulting in the series being tied at a game apiece.

Joel Embiid secured a double-double with 40 points and 13 rebounds, while Danny Green had 8 assists. Trae Young also scored a double-double with 21 points and 11 assists while John Collins grabbed 10 rebounds.{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 11 |time=7:30pm |place=[[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score1='''127'''
|team2=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score2=111
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-atl-0042000203 Recap]
|Q1='''28'''–20 |Q2=33–'''36''' |Q3='''34'''–19 |Q4=32–'''36'''
|points1=[[Joel Embiid]] 27 |points2=[[Trae Young]] 28
|rebounds1=Joel Embiid 9 |rebounds2=[[Clint Capela]] 16
|assist1=Joel Embiid 8 |assist2=Trae Young 8
|attendance=16,432
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Kevin Scott, Courtney Kirkland
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 2–1
}}The 76ers cruised their way to victory throughout the entire game thanks in part to Joel Embiid's 27 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists.

Trae Young scored 28 points and 8 assists in the losing effort for the Hawks.{{Basketballbox|date=June 14|time=7:30pm |place=[[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score1=100
|team2='''[[Atlanta Hawks]]''' |score2='''103'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-atl-0042000204 Recap]
|Q1='''28'''–20 |Q2='''34'''–29 |Q3=20–'''31''' |Q4=18–'''23'''
|points1=[[Tobias Harris]] 20 |points2=[[Trae Young]] 25
|rebounds1=[[Joel Embiid]] 21 |rebounds2=[[Clint Capela]] 13
|assist1=[[Ben Simmons]] 9 |assist2=Trae Young 18
|attendance=16,502
|referee=John Goble, Josh Tiven, [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}}Despite being down by 18, the Atlanta Hawks staged a comeback, eventually taking their first lead since the 1st quarter at the start of the 4th quarter. The 76ers were up by 4 with 2:20 left in the 4th quarter, but the Hawks responded with a 7–0 run, leading by 3 with 49.6 seconds left. After Embiid got fouled and made both free throws to make it 101-100, and a turnover by John Collins, the 76ers had a chance at leading the series 3 games to 1. Embiid's go-ahead shot fell short and the ball went out of bounds, last touched by Ben Simmons, giving Atlanta the ball with 8.2 seconds left.

After Trae Young made both of his free throws to make it a 3-point game, the 76ers had 6.6 seconds left to tie it, but Seth Curry's game-tying 3-pointer was no good, giving Atlanta the comeback victory.{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 16 |time=7:30pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Atlanta Hawks]]''' |score1='''109'''
|team2=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score2=106
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-phi-0042000205 Recap]
|Q1=24–'''38''' |Q2=16–'''24''' |Q3='''29'''–25 |Q4='''40'''–19
|points1=[[Trae Young]] 39 |points2=[[Joel Embiid]] 37
|rebounds1=[[John Collins (basketball)|John Collins]] 11 |rebounds2=Joel Embiid 13
|assist1=Trae Young 7 |assist2=[[Ben Simmons]] 9
|attendance=18,624
|referee=David Guthrie, Eric Lewis, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]]
|series=Atlanta leads series, 3–2
}}In the pivotal Game 5, the 76ers appeared to be on their way to victory, leading by as much as 26 points and with a 99.7% win probability according to ESPN.<ref>[https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/76ers-game-5-collapse-hawks/gx3knvpgdz7518rxuezihx8re A 76ers collapse, by the numbers: Hawks take Game 5 as Philadelphia melts down in second half], The Sporting News, June 17, 2021</ref> However, the Hawks, who came back from down 18 in the previous game, performed one of the most memorable comebacks in NBA Playoffs history. The Sixers were still up 104–94 with 4 minutes left in the game, only for the Hawks to respond with a 13–0 run to take a 3-point lead with 50 seconds left, their first lead of the entire game.

With 12 seconds left, a blocking foul by [[Danilo Gallinari]] sent Joel Embiid to the line with the Hawks leading by 3. He missed both free throws and Atlanta then had possession of the ball. Trae Young sealed it with 2 clutch free throws, and Seth Curry then made a meaningless basket to make the final score 109–106 in favor the Hawks, who were now one game away from their first conference finals berth since [[2015 NBA playoffs|2015]]. Once the final buzzer sounded, the 76ers' faithful booed their entire team off the floor due to the collapse.

Trae Young led the Hawks' comeback victory with 39 points and 7 assists.

The Hawks became the 6th team in NBA Playoffs history to win a playoff game after trailing by 18+ points entering the 4th quarter in the shot clock era.{{Basketballbox|date=June 18|time=7:30pm |place=[[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score1='''104'''
|team2=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score2=99
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-atl-0042000206 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''29''' |Q2='''25'''–22 |Q3='''33'''–25 |Q4='''24'''–23
|points1=[[Seth Curry|Curry]], [[Tobias Harris|Harris]] 24 each |points2=[[Trae Young]] 34
|rebounds1=[[Joel Embiid]] 13 |rebounds2=[[Clint Capela|Capela]], [[Kevin Huerter|Huerter]] 11 each
|assist1=[[Ben Simmons]] 5 |assist2=Trae Young 12
|attendance=16,610
|referee=Scott Foster, Pat Fraher, James Williams
|series=Series tied, 3–3
}}With the Hawks looking to advance to the Eastern Conference finals on their home floor, they led by as much as 12 points during the 2nd quarter. But the 76ers, who were trying to stave off elimination after back-to-back collapses, managed to take control of the game.

However, the game once again would go down to the wire, as the Sixers were up 94–87 with 3 minutes left. The Hawks responded with 2 three-pointers from Gallinari and Young, who cut the deficit to one with 1:59 left in the 4th quarter. The lights at State Farm Arena went out, causing a one-minute delay. Once the lights came back on, Philadelphia immediately responded by preserving the lead as Tobias Harris would make 2 game-sealing free throws to send the series back to Philadelphia for Game 7 on Sunday night.{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 20 |time=8:00pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Atlanta Hawks]]''' |score1='''103'''
|team2=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score2=96
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-phi-0042000207 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''28''' |Q2='''23'''–18 |Q3='''28'''–25 |Q4='''27'''–25
|points1=[[Kevin Huerter]] 27 |points2=[[Joel Embiid]] 31
|rebounds1=[[John Collins (basketball)|John Collins]] 16 |rebounds2=[[Tobias Harris]] 14
|assist1=[[Trae Young]] 10 |assist2=[[Ben Simmons]] 13
|attendance=18,624
|referee=James Capers, Kane Fitzgerald, Sean Wright
|series=Atlanta wins series, 4–3
}}In front of a loud [[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], Game 7 was a deadlocked affair, with neither team able to gain a double-digit lead. The game and the serie once again came down to the wire. With 1:12 left in the 4th quarter, the Hawks were leading, 93–92, and had the ball. [[Kevin Huerter]] attempted a 3-point shot that missed, but was fouled by [[Matisse Thybulle]], sending him to the line where he made 3 free throws. On the next possession, [[Danilo Gallinari]] stripped Joel Embiid of the ball and then dunked to make it 98–92 in favor of the Hawks, who from that point on had complete control of the game. The Atlanta Hawks upset the top-seeded 76ers to advance to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 6 years.

Kevin Huerter was the Hawks' top scorer with 27 points, John Collins grabbed 16 rebounds and Trae Young had 10 assists.

For the Sixers, Joel Embiid scored 31 points, while Tobias Harris grabbed 14 rebounds.

Ben Simmons' Game 7 performance was criticized as he scored only 5 points with 13 assists. With 3:30 left in the 4th quarter and the Sixers down 2, Simmons passed up a wide open dunk and instead passed to Matisse Thybulle, who got fouled and split the free throws. Sixers' coach Doc Rivers was asked in his post-game conference if Simmons could be the point guard of a championship team, with Rivers responding "I don't know the answer to that right now". Joel Embiid cited the decision as the turning point of the game.

Eventually it would be Ben Simmons, Andre Drummond & Seth Curry's last playoff game as a 76er, as all of them were traded to the [[Brooklyn Nets]] on February 10, 2022.
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Regular-season series
|-
!Philadelphia won 2–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 11, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-atl-0022000153 Recap]
| team1 = [[Philadelphia 76ers]] | score1 = 94
| team2 = '''[[Atlanta Hawks]]''' | score2 = '''112'''
| place = [[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 28, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-phi-0022000934 Recap]
| team1 = Atlanta Hawks | score1 = 83
| team2 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score2 = '''127'''
| place = [[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = April 30, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-phi-0022000949 Recap]
| team1 = Atlanta Hawks | score1 = 104
| team2 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score2 = '''126'''
| place = Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
}}
|}

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the 76ers winning both previous meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=ATL&opp_id=PHI&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Atlanta Hawks versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=June 2, 2021}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Previous playoffs series
|-
!Philadelphia leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1980
| team1 = [[Atlanta Hawks]] | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[1980 NBA playoffs|1980 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1982
| team1 = Atlanta Hawks | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score2 = 2
| place = [[1982 NBA playoffs|1982 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(2) Brooklyn Nets vs. (3) Milwaukee Bucks====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 5 |time=7:30pm |place=[[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, New York City]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score1=107
|team2='''[[Brooklyn Nets]]''' |score2='''115'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-bkn-0042000211 Recap]
|Q1='''32'''–30 |Q2=29–'''33''' |Q3=23–'''35''' |Q4='''23'''–17
|points1=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 34 |points2=[[Kevin Durant]] 29
|rebounds1=[[Khris Middleton]] 13 |rebounds2=[[Blake Griffin]] 14
|assist1=[[Jrue Holiday]] 6 |assist2=[[Kyrie Irving]] 8
|attendance=15,750
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Mark Lindsay
|series=Brooklyn leads series, 1–0
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=June 7 |time=7:30pm |place=[[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, New York City]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score1=86
|team2='''[[Brooklyn Nets]]''' |score2='''125'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-bkn-0042000212 Recap]
|Q1=19–'''36''' |Q2=22–'''29''' |Q3=24–'''30''' |Q4=21–'''30'''
|points1=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 18 |points2=[[Kevin Durant]] 32
|rebounds1=Giannis Antetokounmpo 11 |rebounds2=[[Blake Griffin]] 8
|assist1=Giannis Antetokounmpo 4 |assist2=Durant, [[Kyrie Irving|Irving]] 6 each
|attendance=15,776
|referee=Kane Fitzgerald, Pat Fraher, James Williams
|series=Brooklyn leads series, 2–0
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 10 |time=7:30pm {{small|(6:30pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score1=83
|team2='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score2='''86'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-mil-0042000213 Recap]
|Q1=11–'''30''' |Q2='''31'''–15 |Q3='''23'''–22 |Q4=18–'''19'''
|points1=[[Kevin Durant]] 30 |points2=[[Khris Middleton]] 35
|rebounds1=[[Bruce Brown (basketball)|Brown]], Durant 11 each |rebounds2=Khris Middleton 15
|assist1=Kevin Durant 5 |assist2=[[Jrue Holiday]] 5
|attendance=16,310
|referee=Marc Davis, Eric Lewis, Tyler Ford
|series=Brooklyn leads series, 2–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=June 13 |time=3:00pm {{small|(2:00pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score1=96
|team2='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score2='''107'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-mil-0042000214 Recap]
|Q1='''26'''–23 |Q2=22–'''30''' |Q3=21–'''28''' |Q4='''27'''–26
|points1=[[Kevin Durant]] 28 |points2=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 34
|rebounds1=Kevin Durant 13 |rebounds2=Giannis Antetokounmpo 12
|assist1=Kevin Durant 5 |assist2=[[Jrue Holiday]] 9
|attendance=16,310
|referee=Scott Foster, [[Tony Brothers]], Ed Malloy
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 15 |time=8:30pm |place=[[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, New York City]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score1=108
|team2='''[[Brooklyn Nets]]''' |score2='''114'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-bkn-0042000215 Recap]
|Q1='''29'''–15 |Q2='''30'''–28 |Q3=28–'''38''' |Q4=21–'''33'''
|points1=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 34 |points2=[[Kevin Durant]] 49
|rebounds1=Giannis Antetokounmpo 12 |rebounds2=Kevin Durant 17
|assist1=[[Jrue Holiday]] 8 |assist2=Kevin Durant 10
|attendance=16,067
|referee=James Capers, [[Ken Mauer]], Ben Taylor
|series=Brooklyn leads series, 3–2
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=June 17 |time=8:30pm {{small|(7:30pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score1=89
|team2='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score2='''104'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-mil-0042000216 Recap]
|Q1=19–'''26''' |Q2=29–'''33''' |Q3=19–19 |Q4=22–'''26'''
|points1=[[Kevin Durant]] 32 |points2=[[Khris Middleton]] 38
|rebounds1=Kevin Durant 11 |rebounds2=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 17
|assist1=[[James Harden]] 7 |assist2=[[Jrue Holiday|Holiday]], Middleton 5 each
|attendance=16,310
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Kane Fitzgerald, Courtney Kirkland
|series=Series tied, 3–3
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 19 |time=8:30pm |place=[[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, New York City]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score1='''115'''
|team2=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score2=111
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-bkn-0042000217 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''28''' |Q2=22–'''25''' |Q3='''35'''–28 |Q4=27–'''28''' |OT='''6'''–2
|points1=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 40 |points2=[[Kevin Durant]] 48
|rebounds1=Giannis Antetokounmpo 13 |rebounds2=[[Blake Griffin]] 11
|assist1=[[Jrue Holiday]] 8 |assist2=[[James Harden]] 9
|attendance=16,287
|referee=Marc Davis, John Goble, Josh Tiven
|series=Milwaukee wins series, 4–3
}}

Game 7 would go on to be an instant classic with both teams locked in for the entire game. In the final seconds of regulation, Kevin Durant appeared to have given the Nets a 1-point lead on a fadeaway three-point shot with 1 second left. Replay showed, however, that his foot was on the line. With the score tied at 109, Milwaukee had a chance to win the series, but Giannis Antetokounmpo's turnaround jump shot missed, sending the game into overtime. The Nets held a two-point lead until the final 90 seconds of overtime where the Bucks would score on back-to-back possessions to get on the board and take a 113–111 lead with 40 seconds remaining. The Nets had possession in the last 15 seconds of the game, with Durant shooting a similar turnaround game-tying, almost-three-point jump shot; however, it was an airball. The Bucks subsequently sealed the game on two free throws by Brook Lopez (a former Net), sending them to the Eastern Conference finals for the second time in three years. This marked the first game seven to go into overtime since [[2006 NBA playoffs|2006]] involving the [[2005–06 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas Mavericks]] and the [[2005–06 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio Spurs]], which the Mavericks won and prevented the team from blowing a 3–1 lead to the Spurs. It was also the Bucks' first victory on the road in a postseason game seven, having gone 0–7 in previous playoff road game seven's. It also became the seventh team in NBA playoff history and the first since the [[2017–18 Cleveland Cavaliers season|2017–18 Cleveland Cavaliers]] that a road team won game seven in the postseason also joined by other teams the [[1968–69 Boston Celtics season|1968–69 Boston Celtics]] (who upset the [[1968–69 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] in the [[1969 NBA Finals|1969 series]].), [[1970–71 Baltimore Bullets season|1970–71 Baltimore Bullets]] (who were swept by eventual champions Bucks in the [[1971 NBA Finals|1971 series]].), the [[2006–07 Utah Jazz season|2006–07 Utah Jazz]], [[2007–08 San Antonio Spurs season|2007–08 San Antonio Spurs]], the [[2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers season|2015-16 Cleveland Cavaliers]] and the [[2017–18 Cleveland Cavaliers season|2017–18 Cleveland Cavaliers]], and followed by [[2021–22 Dallas Mavericks season|2021–22 Dallas Mavericks]], and also the third team in NBA playoff history to win game seven on the road in overtime joined the [[2001–02 Los Angeles Lakers season|2001–02 Los Angeles Lakers]], and the 2005–06 Mavericks' team.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Regular-season series
|-
!Milwaukee won 2–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 18, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-bkn-0022000209 Recap]
| team1 = [[Milwaukee Bucks]] | score1 = 123
| team2 = '''[[Brooklyn Nets]]''' | score2 = '''125'''
| place = [[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, New York City]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = May 2, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-mil-0022000967 Recap]
| team1 = Brooklyn Nets | score1 = 114
| team2 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score2 = '''117'''
| place = [[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = May 4, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-mil-0022000985 Recap]
| team1 = Brooklyn Nets | score1 = 118
| team2 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score2 = '''124'''
| place = Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
}}
|}

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, but the first since the New Jersey Nets [[History of the Brooklyn Nets|relocated to Brooklyn]] and became the Brooklyn Nets in 2012, with the Bucks winning two of the first three meetings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Brooklyn Nets versus Milwaukee Bucks (Playoffs)|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=NJN&opp_id=MIL&is_playoffs=Y|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=June 2, 2021}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Previous playoffs series
|-
!Milwaukee leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1984
| team1 = '''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = '''[[Brooklyn Nets|New Jersey Nets]]''' | score2 = 2
| place = [[1984 NBA playoffs|1984 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1986
| team1 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score1 = 3
| team2 = New Jersey Nets | score2 = 0
| place = [[1986 NBA playoffs|1986 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2003
| team1 = Milwaukee Bucks | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''New Jersey Nets''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[2003 NBA playoffs|2003 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

===Western Conference semifinals===

====(1) Utah Jazz vs. (4) Los Angeles Clippers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 8|time=10:00pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Vivint Arena]], [[Salt Lake City|Salt Lake City, UT]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score1=109
|team2='''[[Utah Jazz]]''' |score2='''112'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-uta-0042000221 Recap]
|Q1='''25'''–18 |Q2='''35'''–29 |Q3=19–'''32''' |Q4=30–'''33'''
|points1=[[Kawhi Leonard]] 23 |points2=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 45
|rebounds1=[[Paul George]] 10 |rebounds2=[[Rudy Gobert]] 12
|assist1=[[Rajon Rondo]] 6 |assist2=[[Joe Ingles]] 7
|attendance=18,007
|referee=John Goble, Eric Lewis, Brian Forte
|series=Utah leads series, 1–0
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=June 10|time=10:00pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Vivint Arena]], [[Salt Lake City|Salt Lake City, UT]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score1=111
|team2='''[[Utah Jazz]]''' |score2='''117'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-uta-0042000222 Recap]
|Q1=29–'''30''' |Q2=24–'''36''' |Q3='''33'''–27 |Q4='''25'''–24
|points1=[[Reggie Jackson (basketball, born 1990)|Reggie Jackson]] 29 |points2=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 37
|rebounds1=[[Marcus Morris|Morris]], [[Paul George|George]] 10 each |rebounds2=[[Rudy Gobert]] 20
|assist1=Paul George 6 |assist2=[[Joe Ingles|Ingles]], Mitchell 4 each
|attendance=18,007
|referee=Scott Foster, Tre Maddox, Kevin Cutler
|series=Utah leads series, 2–0
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 12|time=8:30pm {{small|(5:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Staples Center]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Utah Jazz]] |score1=106
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Clippers]]''' |score2='''132'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/uta-vs-lac-0042000223 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''27''' |Q2=26–'''37''' |Q3='''34'''–30 |Q4=23–'''38'''
|points1=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 30 |points2=[[Kawhi Leonard]] 34
|rebounds1=[[Rudy Gobert]] 10 |rebounds2=Kawhi Leonard 12
|assist1=Donovan Mitchell 4 |assist2=[[Paul George|George]], Leonard 5 each
|attendance=8,185
|referee=Kane Fitzgerald, James Williams, Michael Smith
|series=Utah leads series, 2–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=June 14 |time=10:00pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Staples Center]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Utah Jazz]] |score1=104
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Clippers]]''' |score2='''118'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/uta-vs-lac-0042000224 Recap]
|Q1=13–'''30''' |Q2=31–'''38''' |Q3='''29'''–26 |Q4='''31'''–24
|points1=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 37 |points2=[[Kawhi Leonard|Leonard]], [[Paul George|George]] 31 each
|rebounds1=[[Royce O'Neale|O'Neale]], [[Rudy Gobert|Gobert]] 8 each |rebounds2=Paul George 9
|assist1=[[Bojan Bogdanović|Bogdanović]], Mitchell 5 each |assist2=[[Nicolas Batum|Batum]], George 4 each
|attendance=8,474
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Sean Wright, Sean Corbin
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 16|time=10:00pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Vivint Arena]], [[Salt Lake City|Salt Lake City, UT]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Los Angeles Clippers]]''' |score1='''119'''
|team2=[[Utah Jazz]] |score2=111
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-uta-0042000225 Recap]
|Q1=36–'''37''' |Q2=24–'''28''' |Q3='''32'''–18 |Q4=27–'''28'''
|points1=[[Paul George]] 37 |points2=[[Bojan Bogdanović]] 32
|rebounds1=Paul George 16 |rebounds2=[[Rudy Gobert]] 10
|assist1=Paul George 5 |assist2=[[Joe Ingles]] 6
|attendance=18,007
|referee=John Goble, Josh Tiven, [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=LA Clippers leads series, 3–2
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=June 18|time=10:00pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Staples Center]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Utah Jazz]] |score1=119
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Clippers]]''' |score2='''131'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/uta-vs-lac-0042000226 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–31 |Q2='''39'''–19 |Q3=22–'''41''' |Q4=25–'''40'''
|points1=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 39 |points2=[[Terance Mann]] 39
|rebounds1=[[Rudy Gobert|Gobert]], [[Royce O'Neale|O'Neale]] 10 each |rebounds2=[[Paul George]] 9
|assist1=Donovan Mitchell 9 |assist2=[[Reggie Jackson (basketball, born 1990)|Reggie Jackson]] 10
|attendance=17,105
|referee=James Capers, Eric Lewis, Kevin Scott
|series=LA Clippers wins series, 4–2
}}

The Clippers were trailing by 22 at the end of the first half in Game 6. They went down 25 at the start of the third quarter, before a retaliation led by [[Terance Mann]] allowed the Clippers to fight back to within 3 points at the end of the third quarter. In the fourth, the momentum from the third quarter and Utah's struggles allowed the Clippers to complete the comeback, becoming the first team to recover from being down 0–2 twice in the same playoffs, and reaching their first Conference finals in franchise history.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://abc7.com/sports/terance-mann-scores-39-as-la-clippers-erase-25-point-deficit-make-first-western-conference-finals/10808198/|title=Terance Mann scores 39 as LA Clippers erase 25-point deficit, make first ever Western Conference finals|publisher=abc7.com|access-date=June 18, 2021}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Regular-season series
|-
!Utah won 2–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 1, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-uta-0022000077 Recap]
| team1 = [[Los Angeles Clippers]] | score1 = 100
| team2 = '''[[Utah Jazz]]''' | score2 = '''106'''
| place = [[Vivint Arena]], [[Salt Lake City|Salt Lake City, UT]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 17, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/uta-vs-lac-0022000444 Recap]
| team1 = '''Utah Jazz''' | score1 = '''114'''
| team2 = Los Angeles Clippers | score2 = 96
| place = [[Staples Center]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 19, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/uta-vs-lac-0022000457 Recap]
| team1 = Utah Jazz | score1 = 112
| team2 = '''Los Angeles Clippers''' | score2 = '''116'''
| place = Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA
}}
|}

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Jazz winning the previous three meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=LAC&opp_id=UTA&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Clippers versus Utah Jazz (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=June 6, 2021}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Previous playoffs series
|-
!Utah leads 3–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1992
| team1 = [[Los Angeles Clippers]] | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''[[Utah Jazz]]''' | score2 = 3
| place = [[1992 NBA playoffs|1992 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1997
| team1 = [[Los Angeles Clippers]] | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''[[Utah Jazz]]''' | score2 = 3
| place = [[1997 NBA playoffs|1997 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2017
| team1 = [[Los Angeles Clippers]] | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''[[Utah Jazz]]''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[2017 NBA playoffs|2017 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (3) Denver Nuggets====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 7|time=10:00pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Standard Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Phoenix Suns Arena]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score1=105
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''122'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0042000231 Recap]
|Q1=28–28 |Q2='''30'''–29 |Q3=21–'''31''' |Q4=26–'''34'''
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 22 |points2=[[Mikal Bridges]] 23
|rebounds1=[[JaMychal Green]] 11 |rebounds2=[[Deandre Ayton]] 10
|assist1=[[Facundo Campazzo|Campazzo]], [[Monté Morris|Morris]] 6 each |assist2=[[Chris Paul]] 11
|attendance=16,219
|referee=Marc Davis, Courtney Kirkland, Kevin Scott
|series=Phoenix leads series, 1–0
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=June 9|time=9:30pm {{small|(6:30pm [[Mountain Standard Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Phoenix Suns Arena]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score1=98
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''123'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0042000232 Recap]
|Q1=21–'''25''' |Q2=21–'''27''' |Q3=25–'''34''' |Q4=31–'''37'''
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 24 |points2=[[Devin Booker]] 18
|rebounds1=Nikola Jokić 13 |rebounds2=[[Deandre Ayton|Ayton]], Booker 10 each
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 6 |assist2=[[Chris Paul]] 15
|attendance=16,529
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Josh Tiven, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]]
|series=Phoenix leads series, 2–0
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 11 |time=10:00pm {{small|(8:00pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score1='''116'''
|team2=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score2=102
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-0042000233 Recap]
|Q1='''37'''–27|Q2=22–'''28'''|Q3='''31'''–21|Q4=26–26
|points1=[[Devin Booker]] 28 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 32
|rebounds1=[[Deandre Ayton]] 15 |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 20
|assist1=[[Chris Paul]] 8 |assist2=Nikola Jokić 10
|attendance=18,277
|referee=James Capers, Sean Wright, Ben Taylor
|series=Phoenix leads series, 3–0
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=June 13|time=8:00pm {{small|(6:00pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score1='''125'''
|team2=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score2=118
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-0042000234 Recap]
|Q1='''28'''–22 |Q2='''35'''–33 |Q3='''33'''–28 |Q4=29–'''35'''
|points1=[[Chris Paul]] 37 |points2=[[Will Barton]] 25
|rebounds1=[[Devin Booker]] 11 |rebounds2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 11
|assist1=Chris Paul 7 |assist2=[[Monté Morris]] 6
|attendance=18,290
|referee=David Guthrie, Pat Fraher, [[Rodney Mott]]
|series=Phoenix wins series, 4–0
}}

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Regular-season series
|-
!Denver won 2–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 1, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-0022000076 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' | score1 = '''106'''
| team2 = [[Denver Nuggets]] | score2 = 103
| place = [[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 22, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0022000238 Recap]
| team1 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score1 = '''130'''
| team2 = Phoenix Suns | score2 = 126 |overtime=OT
| place = [[Phoenix Suns Arena]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 23, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0022000248 Recap]
| team1 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score1 = '''120'''
| team2 = Phoenix Suns | score2 = 112 |overtime=2OT
| place = Phoenix Suns Arena, Phoenix, AZ
}}
|}

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with Phoenix winning two of the first three meetings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Phoenix Suns (Playoffs)|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DEN&opp_id=PHO&is_playoffs=Y|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=June 4, 2021}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Previous playoff series
|-
!Phoenix leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1982
| team1 = [[Denver Nuggets]] | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' | score2 = 2
| place = [[1982 NBA playoffs|1982 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1983
| team1 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score1 = 2
| team2 = Phoenix Suns | score2 = 1
| place = [[1983 NBA playoffs|1983 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1989
| team1 = Denver Nuggets | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score2 = 3
| place = [[1989 NBA playoffs|1989 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

==Conference finals==
{{Main|NBA Conference finals}}
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

===Eastern Conference finals ===

====(3) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 23 |time=8:30pm {{small|(7:30pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Atlanta Hawks]]''' |score1='''116'''
|team2=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score2=113
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-mil-0042000301 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''28''' |Q2=29–'''31''' |Q3='''34'''–26 |Q4=28–28
|points1=[[Trae Young]] 48 |points2=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 34
|rebounds1=[[Clint Capela]] 19 |rebounds2=Giannis Antetokounmpo 12
|assist1=Trae Young 11 |assist2=[[Jrue Holiday]] 10
|attendance=16,310
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Eric Lewis, Tyler Ford
|series=Atlanta leads series, 1–0
}}
Atlanta's top offensive star, Trae Young, scored 48 points in his conference finals debut, while the Hawks rallied in the 2nd half to beat the Bucks in game 1 in Milwaukee, aided by 5 offensive rebounds in the final 2 minutes.
{{Basketballbox|date=June 25 |time=8:30pm {{small|(7:30pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score1=91
|team2='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score2='''125'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-mil-0042000302 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''34''' |Q2=17–'''43''' |Q3=18–'''26''' |Q4='''28'''–22
|points1=[[Trae Young]] 15 |points2=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 25
|rebounds1=[[Clint Capela|Capela]], [[John Collins (basketball)|Collins]] 8 each |rebounds2=Giannis Antetokounmpo 9
|assist1=[[Bogdan Bogdanović (basketball)|Bogdan Bogdanović]] 4 |assist2=[[Khris Middleton]] 8
|attendance=16,422
|referee=Scott Foster, Pat Fraher, Courtney Kirkland
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}}

The Bucks rode a 20–0 scoring run in the 2nd quarter to run away with a game 2 victory.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 27 |time=8:30pm |place=[[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score1='''113'''
|team2=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score2=102
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-atl-0042000303 Recap]
|Q1=27–'''32''' |Q2='''29'''–24 |Q3=27–'''29''' |Q4='''30'''–17
|points1=[[Khris Middleton]] 38 |points2=[[Trae Young]] 35
|rebounds1=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo|Antetokounmpo]], Middleton 11 each |rebounds2=[[Clint Capela]] 11
|assist1=[[Jrue Holiday]] 12 |assist2=[[Kevin Huerter]] 7
|attendance=16,650
|referee=Marc Davis, Sean Wright, Kevin Scott
|series=Milwaukee leads series, 2–1
}}
Trailing by 2 points going into the 4th quarter, the Bucks' Khris Middleton would carry Milwaukee to victory in game 3, outscoring Atlanta in the final quarter by himself, 20–17, en route to a game-high 38 points, putting the Bucks back in the lead in the series and getting back homecourt advantage. Atlanta's loss was also compounded when Trae Young suffered a bruised foot when he rolled his ankle over a referee's foot, leaving his status for the rest of the series in doubt.
{{Basketballbox|date=June 29 |time=8:30pm |place=[[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score1=88
|team2='''[[Atlanta Hawks]]''' |score2='''110'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-atl-0042000304 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''25''' |Q2=16–'''26''' |Q3=24–'''36''' |Q4='''26'''–23
|points1=[[Jrue Holiday]] 19 |points2=[[Lou Williams]] 21
|rebounds1=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo|Antetokounmpo]], [[Khris Middleton|Middleton]] 8 each |rebounds2=[[Clint Capela|Capela]], [[John Collins (basketball)|Collins]] 7 each
|assist1=Jrue Holiday 9 |assist2=Lou Williams 8
|attendance=16,478
|referee=James Capers, Josh Tiven, Tom Washington
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}}

The Bucks' 3-point woes returned in game 4, as the team only shot 21% (8–39) in a loss to Atlanta that evened the series once more. Even worse, the Bucks' superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, hyperextended his knee while trying to defend an alley-oop dunk, though an MRI the following day revealed no structural damage, and Antetokounmpo potentially available for either game 7 or the NBA Finals.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=July 1 |time=8:30pm {{small|(7:30pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score1=112
|team2='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score2='''123'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-mil-0042000305 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''36''' |Q2='''34'''–29 |Q3=22–'''26''' |Q4='''34'''–32
|points1=[[Bogdan Bogdanović (basketball)|Bogdan Bogdanović]] 28 |points2=[[Brook Lopez]] 33
|rebounds1=[[Clint Capela|Capela]], [[John Collins (basketball)|Collins]] 8 each |rebounds2=[[Khris Middleton]] 13
|assist1=[[Kevin Huerter]] 7 |assist2=[[Jrue Holiday]] 13
|attendance=16,389
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Tony Brothers]], James Williams
|series=Milwaukee leads series, 3–2
}}
With both teams' stars out with injuries, both the Hawks and Bucks needed contributions from their other players in game 5. The Bucks would deliver, led by Brook Lopez's 33 points. In addition to Lopez, 3 other Bucks starters (Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, and Bobby Portis) scored at least 20 points. While Atlanta kept the game close, aided by Bogdan Bogdanovic's 28 points, the Bucks took a 3–2 series lead, leaving them one win away from the Eastern Conference championship.
{{Basketballbox|date=July 3 |time=8:30pm |place=[[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score1='''118'''
|team2=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score2=107
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-atl-0042000306 Recap]
|Q1='''28'''–24 |Q2=19–19 |Q3='''44'''–29 |Q4=27–'''35'''
|points1=[[Khris Middleton]] 32 |points2=[[Cam Reddish]] 21
|rebounds1=[[Jrue Holiday|Holiday]], [[Bobby Portis|Portis]] 9 each |rebounds2=[[John Collins (basketball)|John Collins]] 11
|assist1=Jrue Holiday 9 |assist2=[[Trae Young]] 9
|attendance=16,620
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Eric Lewis, Sean Wright
|series=Milwaukee wins series, 4–2
}}
Facing elimination, the Hawks got Trae Young back to start game 6, but he still struggled with his injured foot, scoring only 14 points. After leading Atlanta by only 4 points at halftime, Khris Middleton would score the Bucks' first 16 points of the 3rd quarter to build a 19-point lead going into the 4th quarter. The Bucks would weather a wave of hot shooting from Bogdan Bogdanovic and Cam Reddish, helped by a crucial 3-point shot by PJ Tucker, and an alley-oop dunk by Brook Lopez that essentially clinched the game and the series for the Bucks. The victory gave the Bucks the Eastern Conference championship, their 3rd overall conference title (though the previous two were for the Western Conference), and their first trip to the NBA Finals since 1974.

Game 6 was also the final game announced by famed basketball broadcaster [[Marv Albert]].

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Regular-season series
|-
!Milwaukee won 2–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 24, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-mil-0022000254 Recap]
| team1 = [[Atlanta Hawks]] | score1 = 115
| team2 = '''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' | score2 = '''129'''
| place = [[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 15, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-atl-0022000840 Recap]
| team1 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score1 = '''120'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 109
| place = [[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = April 25, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-atl-0022000913 Recap]
| team1 = Milwaukee Bucks | score1 = 104
| team2 = '''Atlanta Hawks''' | score2 = '''111'''
| place = State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
}}
|}

This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning two series apiece.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=ATL&opp_id=MIL&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Atlanta Hawks versus Milwaukee Bucks (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=June 20, 2021}}</ref> Four months later, two teams from [[Milwaukee]] and [[Atlanta]] would meet again in a sports postseason as the [[2021 Atlanta Braves season|Braves]] beat the [[2021 Milwaukee Brewers season|Brewers]] in the [[2021 National League Division Series|2021 NLDS]].

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Previous playoffs series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1984
| team1 = '''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' | score1 = 3
| team2 = [[Atlanta Hawks]] | score2 = 2
| place = [[1984 NBA playoffs|1984 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1988
| team1 = Milwaukee Bucks | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''Atlanta Hawks''' | score2 = 3
| place = [[1988 NBA playoffs|1988 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1989
| team1 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score1 = 3
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 2
| place = [[1989 NBA playoffs|1989 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 2010
| team1 = Milwaukee Bucks | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''Atlanta Hawks''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[2010 NBA playoffs|2010 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

===Western Conference finals===

====(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (4) Los Angeles Clippers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 20 |time=3:30pm {{small|(12:30pm [[Mountain Standard Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Phoenix Suns Arena]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score1=114
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''120'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-phx-0042000311 Recap]
|Q1=21–21 |Q2=33–'''36''' |Q3='''39'''–36 |Q4=21–'''27'''
|points1=[[Paul George]] 34 |points2=[[Devin Booker]] 40
|rebounds1=[[Nicolas Batum]] 10 |rebounds2=Devin Booker 13
|assist1=[[Rajon Rondo]] 7 |assist2=Devin Booker 11
|attendance=16,583
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Tony Brothers]], Ben Taylor
|series=Phoenix leads series, 1–0
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=June 22 |time=9:00pm {{small|(6:00pm [[Mountain Standard Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Phoenix Suns Arena]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score1=103
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''104'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-phx-0042000312 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''25''' |Q2='''25'''–23 |Q3=24–'''27''' |Q4='''32'''–29
|points1=[[Paul George]] 26 |points2=[[Cameron Payne]] 29
|rebounds1=[[Ivica Zubac]] 11 |rebounds2=[[Deandre Ayton]] 14
|assist1=Paul George 6 |assist2=Cameron Payne 9
|attendance=16,645
|referee=Scott Foster, Kane Fitzgerald, [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=Phoenix leads series, 2–0
}}
* [[Deandre Ayton]] dunked in the game-winning alley-oop off the inbound pass from [[Jae Crowder]] with 0.7 seconds remaining.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 24 |time=9:00pm {{small|(6:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Staples Center]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score1=92
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Clippers]]''' |score2='''106'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lac-0042000313 Recap]
|Q1=21–'''29''' |Q2='''27'''–17 |Q3=21–'''34''' |Q4=23–'''26'''
|points1=[[Deandre Ayton]] 18 |points2=[[Paul George]] 27
|rebounds1=Deandre Ayton 9 |rebounds2=[[Ivica Zubac]] 16
|assist1=[[Chris Paul]] 12 |assist2=Paul George 8
|attendance=17,222
|referee=Marc Davis, John Goble, James Williams
|series=Phoenix leads series, 2–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=June 26 |time=9:00pm {{small|(6:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Staples Center]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score1='''84'''
|team2=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score2=80
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lac-0042000314 Recap]
|Q1='''29'''–20 |Q2='''21'''–16 |Q3=19–'''30''' |Q4='''15'''–14
|points1=[[Devin Booker]] 25 |points2=[[Paul George]] 23
|rebounds1=[[Deandre Ayton]] 22 |rebounds2=Paul George 16
|assist1=[[Chris Paul]] 7 |assist2=Paul George 6
|attendance=18,222
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Eric Lewis, [[Ken Mauer]]
|series=Phoenix leads series, 3–1
}}

The Clippers shot 0 of 12 in the fourth quarter on shots that could have tied the game or taken the lead. That is the most such attempts without a make in the fourth quarter of a game over the last 25 postseasons. During the last 8 seconds of the game when the Clippers trailed by 1 point, there was a controversial call where [[Nicolas Batum]] of the Clippers deflected the ball off the finger tips of [[Cameron Payne]] of the Suns, but the ball was given to the Suns. There was no review of the play despite a heavy plea from the Clippers.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 28 |time=9:00pm {{small|(6:00pm [[Mountain Standard Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Phoenix Suns Arena]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Los Angeles Clippers]]''' |score1='''116'''
|team2=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score2=102
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-phx-0042000315 Recap]
|Q1='''36'''–26 |Q2=23–'''26''' |Q3='''32'''–26 |Q4='''25'''–24
|points1=[[Paul George]] 41 |points2=[[Devin Booker]] 31
|rebounds1=Paul George 13 |rebounds2=[[Deandre Ayton]] 11
|assist1=Paul George 6 |assist2=[[Chris Paul]] 8
|attendance=16,664
|referee=David Guthrie, Pat Fraher, Courtney Kirkland
|series=Phoenix leads series, 3–2
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=June 30 |time=9:00pm {{small|(6:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Staples Center]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score1='''130'''
|team2=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score2=103
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lac-0042000316 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–29 |Q2='''33'''–28 |Q3='''31'''–26 |Q4='''33'''–20
|points1=[[Chris Paul]] 41 |points2=[[Marcus Morris]] 26
|rebounds1=[[Deandre Ayton]] 17 |rebounds2=[[Paul George|George]], Morris 9 each
|assist1=Chris Paul 8 |assist2=[[Reggie Jackson (basketball, born 1990)|Reggie Jackson]] 8
|attendance=18,495
|referee=Marc Davis, John Goble, Sean Wright
|series=Phoenix wins series, 4–2
}}
Chris Paul's 41 points matched his career high with that of his performance as a member of the Houston Rockets in Game 5 against the Utah Jazz in 2018, both of which were series clinchers. Paul previously played for the Clippers from 2011 to 2017. [[Patrick Beverley]] shoved Paul during a timeout, which led to an ejection, a [[flagrant foul]], a [[technical foul]] and being suspended by the league president, former All-Star player and former head coach [[Kiki VanDeWeghe]] and current league commissioner [[Adam Silver]] for the first game of the [[2021–22 NBA season|2021–22 season]]. This turned out to be the last game of Beverley's career with the Clippers before being traded away twice to the [[Memphis Grizzlies]] and the [[Minnesota Timberwolves]]. Beverley became the first player to be suspended for first game of the following season since [[Andrew Bynum]] in the [[2011 NBA playoffs#(2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Dallas Mavericks|2011 NBA playoffs]], for shoving and elbowing [[J. J. Barea]] during the [[2010–11 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers']] eventual four–game sweep by the eventual NBA champions, the [[2010–11 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas Mavericks]].

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Regular-season series
|-
!LA Clippers won 2–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 3, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-phx-0022000091 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Los Angeles Clippers]]''' | score1 = '''112'''
| team2 = [[Phoenix Suns]] | score2 = 107
| place = [[Phoenix Suns Arena]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 8, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lac-0022000788 Recap]
| team1 = Phoenix Suns | score1 = 103
| team2 = '''Los Angeles Clippers''' | score2 = '''113'''
| place = [[Staples Center]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = April 28, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-phx-0022000941 Recap]
| team1 = Los Angeles Clippers | score1 = 101
| team2 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score2 = '''109'''
| place = Phoenix Suns Arena, Phoenix, AZ
}}
|}

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Suns winning the previous meeting.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Clippers versus Phoenix Suns (Playoffs)|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=PHO&opp_id=LAC&is_playoffs=Y|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=June 18, 2021}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Previous playoffs series
|-
!Phoenix leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2006
| team1 = [[Los Angeles Clippers]] | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[2006 NBA playoffs|2006 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
|}

==NBA Finals==
{{Main article|2021 NBA Finals}}
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=July 6|time=9:00pm {{small|(6:00pm [[Mountain Standard Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Phoenix Suns Arena]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score1=105
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''118'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-phx-0042000401 Recap]
|Q1=26–'''30''' |Q2=23–'''27''' |Q3=27–'''35''' |Q4='''29'''–26
|points1=[[Khris Middleton]] 29 |points2=[[Chris Paul]] 32
|rebounds1=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 17 |rebounds2=[[Deandre Ayton]] 19
|assist1=[[Jrue Holiday]] 9 |assist2=Chris Paul 9
|attendance=16,557
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, Pat Fraher
|series=Phoenix leads series, 1–0
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=July 8|time=9:00pm {{small|(6:00pm [[Mountain Standard Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Phoenix Suns Arena]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score1=108
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''118'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-phx-0042000402 Recap]
|Q1='''29'''–26 |Q2=16–'''30''' |Q3='''33'''–32 |Q4=30–30
|points1=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 42 |points2=[[Devin Booker]] 31
|rebounds1=Giannis Antetokounmpo 12 |rebounds2=[[Deandre Ayton]] 11
|assist1=[[Khris Middleton]] 8 |assist2=[[Chris Paul]] 8
|attendance=16,583
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], [[Tony Brothers]], Sean Wright
|series=Phoenix leads series, 2–0
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=July 11|time=8:00pm {{small|(7:00pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score1=100
|team2='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score2='''120'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-mil-0042000403 Recap]
|Q1='''28'''–25 |Q2=17–'''35''' |Q3=31–'''38''' |Q4='''24'''–22
|points1=[[Chris Paul]] 19 |points2=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 41
|rebounds1=[[Deandre Ayton]] 9 |rebounds2=Giannis Antetokounmpo 13
|assist1=Chris Paul 9 |assist2=[[Jrue Holiday]] 9
|attendance=16,637
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Eric Lewis, James Williams
|series=Phoenix leads series, 2–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=July 14|time=9:00pm {{small|(8:00pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score1=103
|team2='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score2='''109'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-mil-0042000404 Recap]
|Q1='''23'''–20 |Q2=29–'''32''' |Q3='''30'''–24 |Q4=21–'''33'''
|points1=[[Devin Booker]] 42 |points2=[[Khris Middleton]] 40
|rebounds1=[[Deandre Ayton]] 17 |rebounds2=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 14
|assist1=[[Chris Paul]] 7 |assist2=Giannis Antetokounmpo 8
|attendance=16,911
|referee=James Capers, David Guthrie, Courtney Kirkland
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=July 17|time=9:00pm {{small|(6:00pm [[Mountain Standard Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score1='''123'''
|team2=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score2=119
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-phx-0042000405 Recap]
|Q1=21–'''37''' |Q2='''43'''–24 |Q3='''36'''–29 |Q4=23–'''29'''
|points1=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 32 |points2=[[Devin Booker]] 40
|rebounds1=Giannis Antetokounmpo 9 |rebounds2=[[Deandre Ayton]] 10
|assist1=[[Jrue Holiday]] 13 |assist2=[[Chris Paul]] 11
|attendance=16,562
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, James Williams
|series=Milwaukee leads series, 3–2
}}
{{Basketballbox|date=July 20|time=9:00pm {{small|(8:00pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score1=98
|team2='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score2='''105'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-mil-0042000406 Recap]
|Q1=16–'''29''' |Q2='''31'''–13 |Q3=30–'''35''' |Q4=21–'''28'''
|points1=[[Chris Paul]] 26 |points2=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 50
|rebounds1=[[Jae Crowder]] 13 |rebounds2=Giannis Antetokounmpo 14
|assist1=[[Devin Booker|Booker]], Paul 5 each |assist2=[[Jrue Holiday]] 11
|attendance=17,397
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Eric Lewis, [[Tony Brothers]]
|series=Milwaukee wins series, 4–2
}}

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Regular-season series
|-
!Phoenix won 2–0 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 10, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-phx-0022000389 Recap]
| team1 = [[Milwaukee Bucks]] | score1 = 124
| team2 = '''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' | score2 = '''125'''
| place = [[Phoenix Suns Arena]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 19, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-mil-0022000873 Recap]
| team1 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score1 = '''128'''
| team2 = Milwaukee Bucks | score2 = 127 |overtime=OT
| place = [[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]]
}}
|}

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bucks winning the first meeting.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Phoenix Suns versus Milwaukee (Playoffs)|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=PHO&opp_id=MIL&is_playoffs=Y|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=July 3, 2021}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+Previous playoffs series
|-
!Milwaukee leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1978
| team1 = '''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' | score1 = 2
| team2 = [[Phoenix Suns]] | score2 = 0
| place = [[1978 NBA playoffs|1978 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

==Statistical leaders==
{|class=wikitable style="text-align:left;"
|-
!rowspan=2|Category !!colspan=3|Game High !!colspan=4|Average
|-
! Player !! Team !! High !! Player !! Team !! Avg. !! {{tooltip|GP|Games played}}
|-
| [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| [[Damian Lillard]] || [[Portland Trail Blazers]] || 55
| [[Luka Dončić]] || [[Dallas Mavericks]] || 35.7 || 7
|-
| [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| [[Deandre Ayton]] || [[Phoenix Suns]] || 22
| [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] || [[Milwaukee Bucks]] || 12.8 || 21
|-
| [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
| [[James Harden]] [[Trae Young]] || [[Brooklyn Nets]] [[Atlanta Hawks]] || 18
| [[Russell Westbrook]] || [[Washington Wizards]] || 11.8 || 5
|-
| [[Steal (basketball)|Steals]]
| [[Kyle Anderson (basketball)|Kyle Anderson]] || [[Memphis Grizzlies]] || 6
| Kyle Anderson || Memphis Grizzlies || 2.8 || 5
|-
| [[Block (basketball)|Blocks]]
| [[Robert Williams III|Robert Williams]] || [[Boston Celtics]] || 9
| [[Rudy Gobert]] || [[Utah Jazz]] || 2.1 || 11
|}

==Notable fan incidents==
Throughout the playoffs, there were a number of incidents at multiple games involving fans:

*May 26: A fan spat at [[Trae Young]] during Game 2 of the Hawks–Knicks series at [[Madison Square Garden]] in [[New York City]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Fan who spit on Trae Young banned indefinitely by Knicks|url=https://www.nba.com/news/fan-who-spit-on-trae-young-banned-indefinitely-by-knicks|website=NBA.com|access-date=June 1, 2021|date=May 27, 2021}}</ref>
*May 26: A fan dumped popcorn on [[Russell Westbrook]] during Game 2 of the Wizards–76ers series at [[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]] in [[Philadelphia]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Medina|first=Mark|title=Sixers say fan that dumped popcorn on Russell Westbrook 'will be banned ... indefinitely'|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2021/05/27/fan-dumped-popcorn-russell-westbrook-banned/7467406002/|website=USA Today|access-date=June 1, 2021|date=May 27, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Sixers apologize to Russell Westbrook, ban fan indefinitely|url=https://www.nba.com/news/sixers-apologize-to-russell-westbrook-ban-fan-indefinitely|website=NBA.com|access-date=June 1, 2021|date=May 27, 2021}}</ref>
*May 26: Three fans were verbally disruptive towards the family of [[Ja Morant]] during Game 2 of the Grizzlies–Jazz series at [[Vivint Arena]] in [[Salt Lake City]].<ref>{{cite web|last=MacMahon|first=Tim|title=Ja Morant's dad says 3 banned Jazz fans made lewd, racist remarks during Game 2 in Utah|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31523231/utah-jazz-ban-three-fans-verbal-altercation-game-2-vs-grizzlies|website=ESPN|access-date=June 1, 2021|date=May 30, 2021}}</ref> There were also insensitive remarks made towards the family of [[Dillon Brooks]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Chiari|first=Mike|title=Ja Morant's Father Tee: Jazz Fans Also Inappropriately Heckled Dillon Brooks' Family|url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10004110-ja-morants-father-tee-jazz-fans-also-inappropriately-heckled-dillon-brooks-family|website=[[Bleacher Report]]|access-date=June 26, 2021|date=May 28, 2021}}</ref>
*May 30: A fan threw a water bottle at [[Kyrie Irving]] following Game 4 of the Nets–Celtics series at [[TD Garden]] in [[Boston]] after the game.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Andrews|first1=Malika|last2=Bontemps|first2=Tim|title=Boston Celtics fan arrested after allegedly throwing water bottle at Kyrie Irving|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31540143/boston-celtics-fan-appears-throw-water-bottle-brooklyn-nets-kyrie-irving|website=ESPN|access-date=June 1, 2021|date=May 27, 2021}}</ref>
*May 31: A fan ran onto the court during Game 4 of the 76ers–Wizards series at [[Capital One Arena]] in [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Zillgitt|first=Jeff|title=Fan apprehended by police after running onto court during Game 4 of 76ers-Wizards NBA playoff series|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2021/05/31/fan-runs-onto-court-during-wizards-sixers-nba-playoff-game/5286742001/|website=USA Today|access-date=June 1, 2021|date=May 31, 2021}}</ref>
*June 20: A fan threw a can onto the court in the closing seconds of Game 7 of the Hawks–76ers series in Philadelphia.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}}

==Media coverage==

===Television===
[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]], [[NBA on ABC|ABC]], [[NBA on TNT|TNT]], and [[NBA TV]] broadcast the playoffs nationally in the United States. During the first two rounds, games were split by ESPN, ABC, and TNT. TNT primarily aired games on Saturday through Wednesday while ESPN does so on Friday and Saturday. For Thursday games, TNT had them in the first round and ESPN in the second round. ABC then aired selected games in the first two rounds on Friday through Sunday. NBA TV also televised selected games in the first round on Tuesday through Thursday. Regional sports networks affiliated with teams also broadcast the games, except for weekend games televised on ABC.{{efn|Game 3 of the Celtics–Nets first round series aired nationally on ABC and co-existed with the teams' respective regional sports networks.}} ESPN/ABC had exclusive coverage of the Western Conference finals while TNT had exclusive coverage of the Eastern Conference finals. ABC had exclusive coverage of the NBA Finals for the 19th straight year.

This was the final postseason for [[Marv Albert]], who announced his retirement on May 17, 2021. Albert, who turned 80 in June, had spent most of the previous 31 years as the lead broadcaster for NBA coverage on TNT and [[NBA on NBC|NBC]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Brassil|first=Gillian|date=May 17, 2021|title=Marv Albert, Hall of Fame N.B.A. Sportscaster, Is Retiring|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/17/sports/basketball/marv-albert-retire.html|work=[[The New York Times]]|location=New York, NY |access-date=May 19, 2021}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{noteslist}}

==See also==
* [[NBA records]]

==References==

{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Sports}}
*[https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_2021.html Basketball – Reference.com's 2021 Playoffs section]

{{NBAPlayoffs}}
{{2020–21 NBA season by team}}

[[Category:2020–21 NBA season|Playoffs]]
[[Category:National Basketball Association playoffs]]

2022 NBA playoffs

2023-12-16T08:34:37Z

Rangers00:

{{Short description|Professional basketball tournament to determine the 2022 champion of the NBA}}
{{use mdy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox basketball tournament season
| title = NBA playoffs
| image =
| year = 2022
| season = [[2021–22 NBA season|2021–22]]
| dates = April 16 – June 16, 2022
| num_teams = 16
| winners = [[2021–22 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]]
| count = 7
| second = [[2021–22 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]]
| semifinal1 = [[2021–22 Miami Heat season|Miami Heat]]
| semifinal2 = [[2021–22 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas Mavericks]]
| prev_season = [[2021 NBA playoffs|2021]]
| next_season = [[2023 NBA playoffs|2023]]
}}
The '''2022 NBA playoffs''' was the [[NBA playoffs|postseason tournament]] of the [[NBA|National Basketball Association]]'s [[2021–22 NBA season|2021–22 season]]. The playoffs began on April 16 and ended on June 16 with the conclusion of the [[2022 NBA Finals]]. The playoffs also returned to its normal April–June schedule for the first time since [[2019 NBA playoffs|2019]], before the [[COVID-19 pandemic in North America|COVID-19 pandemic]] resulted in two postponements in [[2020 NBA playoffs|2020]] and [[2021 NBA playoffs|2021]].

==Overview==

===Notable updates to postseason appearances===
*The [[2021–22 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]] entered the postseason for the second consecutive season and also clinched the best record in the NBA for the first time since [[2004–05 Phoenix Suns season|2005]].
*The [[2021–22 Miami Heat season|Miami Heat]] entered the postseason for the third consecutive season and also clinched the best record in the Eastern Conference for the first time since [[2012–13 Miami Heat season|2013]].
*The [[2021–22 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]] entered the postseason for the eighth consecutive season (and entered the Finals for the first time since [[2010 NBA playoffs|2010]]), currently the longest such streak in the NBA.
*The [[2021–22 Utah Jazz season|Utah Jazz]] and [[2021–22 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]] entered the postseason for the sixth consecutive season.
*The [[2021–22 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]] entered the postseason for the fifth consecutive season.
*The [[2021–22 Brooklyn Nets season|Brooklyn Nets]] and [[2021–22 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]] entered the postseason for the fourth consecutive season.
*The [[2021–22 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas Mavericks]] entered the postseason for the third consecutive season.
*The [[2021–22 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis Grizzlies]] and [[2021–22 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks]] entered the postseason for the second consecutive season.
*The [[2021–22 Toronto Raptors season|Toronto Raptors]] entered the postseason for the first time since [[2019–20 Toronto Raptors season|2020]].
*The [[2021–22 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]] entered the postseason for the first time since [[2018–19 Golden State Warriors season|2019]].
*The [[2021–22 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota Timberwolves]] and [[2021–22 New Orleans Pelicans season|New Orleans Pelicans]] entered the postseason for the first time since [[2018 NBA playoffs|2018]].
*The [[2021–22 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago Bulls]] entered the postseason for the first time since [[2016–17 Chicago Bulls season|2017]].
*The [[2021–22 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] missed the postseason for the first time in three years.
*The [[2021–22 Portland Trail Blazers season|Portland Trail Blazers]] missed the postseason for the first time in nine years.
*The [[2021–22 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento Kings]] missed the postseason once again, making their current postseason drought the longest in NBA history (originally starting from 2007 to 2022).

===Notable occurrences===
*Neither Los Angeles team qualified for the playoffs. The last time this occurred was in [[2018 NBA playoffs|2018]]. (The [[2021–22 Los Angeles Clippers season|Los Angeles Clippers]] made the Play–In as the eighth seed but did not advance.)
*This is the first time where both No. 8 seeds were eliminated in the Page–McIntyre stage by the No. 9 seeded teams.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hawks and Pelicans complete NBA playoff field with play-in wins|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/apr/15/nba-play-in-tournament-hawks-cavs-clippers-pelicans|date=April 15, 2022|access-date=April 16, 2022|work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref>
*A team with a losing record in the Western Conference (Pelicans) qualified for the playoffs. This previously occurred in [[2020 NBA playoffs|2020]].
*For the first time in NBA playoff history, four players aged 22 or younger ([[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]], [[Ja Morant]], [[Tyrese Maxey]], and [[Jordan Poole]]) scored 30 or more points in a game in the same postseason.<ref>{{cite web|title=Edwards, Morant, other young stars embrace NBA playoff stage|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2022/04/17/edwards-morant-other-young-stars-embrace-nba-playoff-stage/50082169/|work=USA Today|date=April 16, 2022|access-date=April 17, 2022}}</ref>
*[[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] joined [[Derrick Rose]], [[Tyler Herro]], and [[Magic Johnson]] in scoring at least 35 points in a playoff game before turning 21.<ref>{{cite news|last=Walker|first=Teresa M.|title=Timberwolves stun Grizzlies, grab Game 1 with 130–117 win|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nba/timberwolves-stun-grizzlies-grab-game-1-with-130-117-win/2022/04/16/ef993262-bdd6-11ec-a92d-c763de818c21_story.html|newspaper=Washington Post|date=April 16, 2022|access-date=April 23, 2022}}</ref>
*The [[Utah Jazz]] became the fifth team in the last 10 postseasons to win a playoff game after trailing by 4+ points in the final 40 seconds. Teams were 4–701 in that span prior to the game.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Trigg |first1=Dalton |title=Tough Pill to Swallow: Mavs on Wrong Side of History with Game 4 Collapse |url=https://www.si.com/nba/mavericks/news/dallas-mavs-collapse-luka-doncic-utah-jazz-playoffs-rudy-gobert |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=April 24, 2022|date=April 24, 2022}}</ref>
*The [[Boston Celtics]] swept the [[Brooklyn Nets]], marking the 46th year in a row that a sweep occurred. The last time a sweep did not occur was in [[1976 NBA playoffs|1976]]. This was the 182nd series sweep in NBA playoffs history.
*The [[Philadelphia 76ers]] and [[Toronto Raptors]] series became the first Eastern Conference First Round series to go to a Game 6 since [[2018 NBA playoffs|2018]].
*The [[Memphis Grizzlies]] became the first team ever to have multiple comebacks wins after trailing by double-digits going into the fourth quarter in a single playoff series.<ref>{{cite web |title=Comeback Grizzlies rally again from big deficit for 3–2 lead |url=https://www.mprnews.org/story/2022/04/27/comeback-grizzlies-rally-again-from-big-deficit-for-32-lead |work=MPR News |access-date=April 27, 2022|date=April 27, 2022}}</ref>
*The [[Dallas Mavericks]] won a playoff series for the first time since their championship run in [[2011 NBA playoffs|2011]].
*[[Chris Paul]] set a playoff record for most consecutive field goals made in a game without a miss, going 14-of-14 from the field.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chris Paul sets NBA Playoffs record, doesn't miss in 14 field-goal attempts |url=https://www.nba.com/news/chris-paul-sets-nba-playoffs-record-doesnt-miss-in-14-field-goal-attempts |website=NBA.com |access-date=29 April 2022}}</ref>
*For the first time since [[2019 NBA playoffs|2019]], all top four teams in both the [[Eastern Conference (NBA)|Eastern Conference]] and the [[Western Conference (NBA)|Western Conference]] made it past the first round of the playoffs.
*For the first time since [[2011 NBA playoffs|2011]], no First Round matchup went to a Game 7.
*With a Game 3 win at Denver, the [[Golden State Warriors]] have won a road game in 24 consecutive playoff series, beating the previous record set by the [[Miami Heat]] with 23. This record has since been extended to 27 consecutive playoff series with their road wins against Memphis, Dallas, and Boston.<ref>{{cite web |last1=He |first1=Eric |title=Warriors set NBA playoff record with road win in 24 straight series |url=https://www.yahoo.com/video/warriors-set-nba-playoff-record-062343780.html |work=NBC Sports |access-date=May 2, 2022|date=April 22, 2022}}</ref>
*Game 1 between the [[Golden State Warriors]] and [[Memphis Grizzlies]] was the first game in playoff history where three players age 22 or younger ([[Ja Morant]], [[Jaren Jackson Jr.]], and [[Jordan Poole]]) each had 30+ points.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kaskey-Blomain |first1=Michael |title=Warriors vs. Grizzlies score, takeaways: Stephen Curry, Jordan Poole lead Golden State to wild Game 1 win |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/warriors-vs-grizzlies-score-takeaways-stephen-curry-jordan-poole-lead-golden-state-to-wild-game-1-win/live/amp/ |work=CBS Sports |access-date=2 May 2022|date=May 2, 2022}}</ref>
*[[Ja Morant]] became the third player in league history to have multiple 45–point games in the postseason before turning 23, joining [[LeBron James]] and [[Kobe Bryant]].
*The [[Dallas Mavericks]] totaled nine assists against the [[Phoenix Suns]] in Game 5, the lowest amount of assists in a playoff game by a team since [[2016 NBA playoffs|2016]].
*For the first time since [[2015 NBA playoffs|2015]], every Conference semifinals series went to a Game 6.
*The [[2021–22 Dallas Mavericks season|Mavericks]]–[[2021–22 Phoenix Suns season|Suns]] series was the first of the 2022 playoffs to have a Game 7, making it the 23rd consecutive NBA postseason to feature a Game 7. The last time a Game 7 did not occur in the playoffs was [[1999 NBA playoffs|1999]]. This was the 145th Game 7 in NBA playoffs history.
*The [[Golden State Warriors]] became the first team to grab 70+ rebounds in a playoff game since [[1983 NBA playoffs|1983]].
*With the defending champion [[Milwaukee Bucks]] losing to the [[Boston Celtics]], the 2022 playoffs was the third straight year where the defending champion was eliminated before the conference finals. After the Celtics defeated the [[Miami Heat]], it was also the fifth straight year with a different EC champion.
*With the defending Western Conference champion [[Phoenix Suns]] losing to the [[Dallas Mavericks]], this marked the second straight year both of the NBA Finals participants from the previous year were eliminated before the conference finals.
*The Dallas Mavericks made their first Conference finals since [[2011 NBA playoffs|2011]].
*Neither the [[2021–22 Phoenix Suns season|first–seeded team]] nor the [[2021–22 Memphis Grizzlies season|second–seeded team]] made the [[NBA Conference finals|Western Conference finals]] for the first time since [[2011 NBA playoffs|2011]].
*In Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals, the Miami Heat failed to get a shot for more than eight minutes, until 3:22 remained in the first quarter. This marked the longest a team has gone with no field goals to start a game in the postseason in 25 years.<ref>{{cite web|title=Heat make history with brutal start to Game 4 vs. Celtics|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/heat-make-history-horrendous-start-game-4-vs-celtics|website=nbcsports.com/boston/celtics|access-date=24 May 2022|author=Leger, Justin|date=May 23, 2022}}</ref> Subsequently, all starters for the Heat were outscored by a bench player (Victor Oladipo scored 23 points, more than 18 points from all of the starting five). The 18 points was the lowest amount combined in a playoff game since starters were first tracked in 1971 and was also the first time in which a bench player outscores the entire starting lineup.<ref>{{cite web|title=Celtics limit Heat starters to fewest points in playoff game since NBA-ABA merger|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/celtics-limit-heat-starters-fewest-035712269.html|website=sports.yahoo.com|access-date=24 May 2022|date=23 May 2022|author=Levin, Jake}}</ref>
*By advancing to the NBA Finals, the Golden State Warriors made their sixth Finals appearance in eight seasons, the first since 1990–98 [[Chicago Bulls]] (led by [[Michael Jordan]]) to have this feat.
*[[Stephen Curry]] joined [[LeBron James]] and [[Michael Jordan]] as the only players in NBA Finals to score 40 or more points at age 34 or older.
*[[Jayson Tatum]] set the all-time NBA record with 100 turnovers in a single postseason.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/jayson-tatum-nba-finals-celtics-unprecedented-100-playoff-turnovers-041958871.html|title=Jayson Tatum finishes NBA Finals with unprecedented 100 playoff turnovers|website=Sports.Yahoo.com|last=Baer|first=Jack|date=June 17, 2022|access-date=June 17, 2022}}</ref>
*By beating the Celtics, the Warriors became the only team with a non-losing series record (1-1) against the Celtics in the [[List of NBA champions|Finals]]. The Celtics had winning series records in the Finals against the [[Celtics-Lakers rivalry|Lakers]] (9-3), the Hawks (3-1), the Rockets (2-0), the Bucks (1-0) and the Suns (1-0).

==Format==
{{see also|NBA playoffs#Format}}
Eight teams from each conference participated in the playoffs. The top six teams in each conference, based on [[winning percentage]], directly qualified for the playoffs; the [[Seed (sports)|seeding]] order of those teams was also based on winning percentage. If two or more teams had the same record, standard NBA tiebreaker rules were used.

The NBA Board of Governors approved a format for the [[2021–22 NBA season|2021–22 season]] to have a [[NBA play-in tournament|play-in tournament]] involving the teams ranked 7th through 10th in each conference. The 7th place team and 8th place team participated in a "double-chance" game, with the winner advancing to the playoffs as the 7-seed. The loser then played the winner of the elimination game between the 9th place and 10th place teams to determine the playoff's 8-seed. The NBA's regular playoff format then proceeded as normal.<ref>{{cite web|title=NBA Board of Governors approves Play-In Tournament for 2021–22 season|url=https://www.nba.com/news/play-in-tournament-returns-for-2021-22-season|website=NBA.com|date=July 27, 2021|access-date=August 24, 2021}}</ref>

Each conference's bracket was fixed with no reseeding. All rounds were best-of-seven series; a series ended when one team won four games, and that team advanced to the next round. All rounds, including the NBA Finals, were in a 2–2–1–1–1 format with regards to hosting. In the conference playoffs, home court advantage went to the higher-seeded team (number one being the highest). Conference seedings were ignored for the NBA Finals: home court advantage went to the team with the better regular season record, and, if needed, ties were broken based on head-to-head record, followed by intra-conference record.

==Playoff qualifying==
On March 9, 2022, the [[2021–22 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]] became the first team to clinch a playoff spot.<ref name="Sunsclinch">{{cite web|last=Reynolds|first=Tim|title=Devin Booker scores 23 in return, Suns roll past Heat to clinch playoff spot|url=https://www.nba.com/news/devin-booker-scores-23-in-return-suns-roll-past-heat-to-clinch-playoff-berth|website=NBA.com|date=March 9, 2022|access-date=March 10, 2022}}</ref> On April 5, the [[2021-22 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio Spurs]] and [[2021-22 New Orleans Pelicans season|New Orleans Pelicans]] became the last two teams to qualify for postseason play, as both teams secured spots in the first-stage play-in tournament. On April 7, the [[2021-22 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]] became the final team to secure a direct berth in the playoff bracket, qualifying as the sixth seed in the Western Conference and relegating the [[2021–22 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota Timberwolves]] to the play-in tournament.<ref name=april7/> While noted in the below tables, division titles have no bearing on seeding.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/5-things-to-know-nba-division-winners-not-guaranteed-playoff-spot/ |title=5 Things to Know: NBA division winners not guaranteed playoff spot |first=Matt |last=Moore |work=[[CBS Sports]] |date=September 9, 2015 |access-date=April 6, 2022}}</ref>

''Seeds 7 and 8 in each conference were determined via the first-stage play-in tournament, held April 12–15.''

{{more|NBA play-in tournament#2022}}

===Eastern Conference===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center"
|-
!rowspan=2|Seed !!rowspan=2|Team !!rowspan=2|Record !!colspan=5|Clinched
|-
!Play-in berth !! Playoff berth !! Division title !! Best record in conference !! Best record in NBA
|-
| 1 || align=left|[[2021–22 Miami Heat season|Miami Heat]] || 53–29 || — || March 30<ref>{{cite web|title=Miami HEAT Clinch Postseason Berth|url=https://www.nba.com/heat/news/miami-heat-clinch-postseason-berth|website=NBA.com|date=March 30, 2022|access-date=March 31, 2022}}</ref> || March 19<ref>{{cite web |last1=Moton |first1=Maurice |title=NBA Playoff Standings 2022: Latest Team Records, Seeds and Bracket Picture |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2954792-nba-playoff-standings-2022-latest-team-records-seeds-and-bracket-picture |work=Bleacher Report |access-date=14 April 2022|date=March 27, 2022}}</ref> || April 7<ref>{{cite web |title=Miami Heat clinch No. 1 seed for Eastern Conference playoffs |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33694643/miami-heat-clinch-no-1-seed-eastern-conference-playoffs |website=ESPN.com |access-date=14 April 2022|date=April 7, 2022}}</ref> || —
|-
| 2 || align=left|[[2021–22 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]] || 51–31 || — || March 31<ref name="BOSCL">{{cite web|title=NBA playoff updates: Bucks, Celtics clinch spots; Knicks officially eliminated|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-playoff-updates-bucks-celtics-clinch-spots-knicks-officially-eliminated/|author=Maloney, Jack|date=April 5, 2022|access-date=April 5, 2022|work=CBS Sports}}</ref> || April 10<ref>{{cite web |title=2022 NBA Playoff Picture: Celtics clinch No. 2, all East matchups set; West's 3–6 seeds still pending |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/2022-nba-playoffs-warriors-nuggets-76ers-raptors-among-first-round-matchups-on-tap-celtics-draw-nets/ |work=CBS Sports |access-date=14 April 2022|author=Botkin, Brad|date=April 16, 2022}}</ref> || — || —
|-
| 3 || align=left|[[2021–22 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]] || 51–31 || — || March 31<ref name="BOSCL" /> || April 5<ref>{{cite web |last1=Daniels |first1=Mark |title=Bucks beat Bulls to clinch 4th straight Division title |url=https://wtaq.com/2022/04/06/bucks-beat-bulls-to-clinch-4th-straight-division-title/ |website=WTAQ |access-date=14 April 2022|date=April 6, 2022}}</ref> || — || —
|-
| 4 || align=left|[[2021–22 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]] || 51–31 || — || April 3<ref>{{cite web|title=76ers clinch playoff spot, Joel Embiid sets personal milestone for games played in a season|author=Kaskey-Blomain, Michael|date=April 3, 2022|access-date=April 4, 2022|work=CBS Sports|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/76ers-clinch-playoff-spot-joel-embiid-sets-personal-milestone-for-games-played-in-a-season/}}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 5 || align=left|[[2021–22 Toronto Raptors season|Toronto Raptors]] || 48–34 || — || April 5<ref name="TRCBCC">{{Cite web |title=NBA playoff picture: Lakers eliminated; Nets control destiny for 7 seed; Jazz, Bulls, Raptors clinch top six |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-playoff-picture-lakers-eliminated-nets-control-destiny-for-7-seed-jazz-bulls-raptors-clinch-top-six/ |access-date=2022-04-06 |website=CBSSports.com|author=Botkin, Brad|date=April 6, 2022}}</ref>|| — || — || —
|-
| 6 || align=left|[[2021–22 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago Bulls]] || 46–36 || — || April 5<ref name="TRCBCC" />|| — || — || —
|-
| 7 || align=left|[[2021–22 Brooklyn Nets season|Brooklyn Nets]] || 44–38 || April 2<ref>{{cite news |url=https://currently.att.yahoo.com/att/kevin-durant-drops-career-high-021843322.html |title=Kevin Durant Drops Career High as Nets Clinch NBA Play-In Berth After Loss to Hawks |first=Erin |last=Walsh |website=[[Bleacher Report]] |via=[[Yahoo!]] |date=April 2, 2022 |access-date=April 6, 2022}}</ref> || April 12<ref>{{cite web |last1=Botkin |first1=Brad |title=Cavaliers vs. Nets score: Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving's dominance helps Brooklyn clinch No. 7 seed in East |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/cavaliers-vs-nets-score-kevin-durant-kyrie-irvings-dominance-helps-brooklyn-clinch-no-7-seed-in-east/live/ |website=CBS Sports |access-date=13 April 2022|date=April 13, 2022}}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 8 || align=left|[[2021–22 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks]] || 43–39 || April 1<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bignewsnetwork.com/news/272441127/hawks-ease-by-cavs-to-seal-play-in-berth |title=Hawks ease by Cavs to seal play-in berth |website=bignewsnetwork.com |date=April 1, 2022 |access-date=April 6, 2022}}</ref> || April 15<ref name=CavsOut/> || — || — || —
|}

[[2021–22 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]] (44–38) and [[2021–22 Charlotte Hornets season|Charlotte]] (43–39) also secured play-in berths but did not advance to the playoffs.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Callihan |first1=Schuyler |title=Hornets Bounced from Playoffs in Blowout Loss to Hawks |url=https://www.si.com/nba/hornets/.amp/news/hornets-bounced-from-playoffs-in-blowout-loss-to-hawks |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=14 April 2022|date=April 13, 2022}}</ref><ref name=CavsOut>{{cite news |url=https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2022/04/cleveland-cavaliers-season-ended-by-trae-young-atlanta-hawks-107-101.html |title=Cleveland Cavaliers' season ended by Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks, 107–101 |first=Chris |last=Fedor |website=cleveland.com |date=April 15, 2022 |access-date=April 15, 2022}}</ref>

===Western Conference===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center"
|-
!rowspan=2|Seed !!rowspan=2|Team !!rowspan=2|Record !!colspan=5|Clinched
|-
!Play-in berth !! Playoff berth !! Division title !! Best record in conference !! Best record in NBA
|-
| 1 || align=left|[[2021–22 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]] || 64–18 || — || March 9<ref name="Sunsclinch"/> || March 22<ref>{{cite web |last1=Vinton |first1=Jeff |title=Phoenix Suns clinch 2nd-straight Pacific Division title as Chris Paul gets closer to return |url=https://www.12news.com/article/sports/nba/suns/phoenix-suns-clinch-2nd-straight-pacific-division-title-chris-paul-closer-to-return/75-e935c006-7ded-4421-9496-4c7fc0d560a4 |website=12 Sports |access-date=14 April 2022|date=March 22, 2022}}</ref> || March 24<ref name="SunsBest">{{cite web|title=Paul returns, helps Suns secure No. 1 seed|url=https://www.nba.com/news/suns-chris-paul-probable-return-nuggets|website=NBA.com|date=March 24, 2022|access-date=March 24, 2022}}</ref> || March 24<ref name="SunsBest"/>
|-
| 2 || align=left|[[2021–22 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis Grizzlies]] || 56–26 || — || March 24<ref>{{cite web|title=Postgame Report: Grizzlies earn wire-to-wire win with 133–103 rout of Pacers|url=https://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/postgame/ind-220324|website=NBA.com|date=March 24, 2022|access-date=March 31, 2022}}</ref> || March 30<ref>{{cite web|title=Postgame Report: Grizzlies fend off Spurs, clinch first division title in franchise history|url=https://www.nba.com/grizzlies/news/postgame/sas-220330|website=NBA.com|date=March 30, 2022|access-date=March 31, 2022}}</ref> || — || —
|-
| 3 || align=left|[[2021–22 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]] || 53–29 || — || April 2<ref>{{cite web|last=Andrews|first=Kendra|title=Golden State Warriors clinch playoff spot with high-stakes win over Utah Jazz|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33659433/golden-state-warriors-clinch-playoff-spot-high-stakes-win-utah-jazz|website=ESPN.com|date=April 2, 2022|access-date=April 3, 2022}}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 4 || align=left|[[2021–22 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas Mavericks]] || 52–30 || — || March 30<ref>{{cite web|last=Price|first=Dwain|title=Mavs Beat Cavs, 120–112, Now Own the NO. 3 Seed Out West|url=https://www.mavs.com/mavsathirdseed/|website=mavs.com|date=March 30, 2022|access-date=March 31, 2022}}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 5 || align=left|[[2021–22 Utah Jazz season|Utah Jazz]] || 49–33 || — || April 5<ref>{{Cite web |title=Utah Jazz Clinch Spot in 2022 NBA Playoffs |url=https://www.nba.com/jazz/utah-jazz-clinch-spot-2022-nba-playoffs |access-date=2022-04-06 |website=Utah Jazz |language=en|date=April 5, 2022}}</ref>|| April 10<ref>{{cite web |title=Jazz rout Blazers, clinch division, will be No. 5 seed |url=https://sportsnaut.com/jazz-rout-blazers-clinch-division-will-be-no-5-seed/ |work=SportsNaut |access-date=14 April 2022|date=April 11, 2022}}</ref> || — || —
|-
| 6 || align=left|[[2021–22 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]] || 48–34 || — || April 7<ref name=april7>{{cite news |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/nuggets-clinch-playoff-berth-122-109-rout-grizzlies-83952372 |title=Nuggets clinch playoff berth with 122–109 rout of Grizzlies |first=Arnie |last=Stapleton |agency=[[Associated Press|AP]] |work=[[ABC News]] |date=April 7, 2022 |access-date=April 7, 2022}}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 7 || align=left|[[2021–22 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota Timberwolves]] || 46–36 || April 7<ref>{{cite web |title=NBA roundup: Nuggets seal playoff bid as Nikola Jokic makes history |url=https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/sports/nba-roundup-nuggets-seal-playoff-bid-nikola-jokic-makes-history-2022-04-08/ |work=Reuters |access-date=13 April 2022|date=April 8, 2022}}</ref> || April 12<ref>{{cite web |last1=Frederick |first1=Jace |title=Anthony Edwards, D'Angelo Russell deliver as Timberwolves beat Clippers to reach playoffs |url=https://www.twincities.com/2022/04/12/anthony-edwards-dangelo-russell-deliver-as-timberwolves-beat-clippers-to-reach-playoffs/ |work=Pioneer Press |access-date=13 April 2022|date=April 13, 2022}}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 8 || align=left|[[2021–22 New Orleans Pelicans season|New Orleans Pelicans]] || 36–46 || April 5<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/pelicans-beat-kings-123-109-clinch-play-in-spot-in-west/ |title=Pelicans beat Kings 123–109, clinch play-in spot in West |website=cbssports.com |date=April 5, 2022 |access-date=April 6, 2022}}</ref> || April 15<ref name=ClipsOut/> || — || — || —
|}

The [[2021–22 Los Angeles Clippers season|L.A. Clippers]] (42–40) and [[2021–22 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio]] (34–48) also secured play-in berths but did not advance to the playoffs.<ref>{{cite web |last1=King |first1=Drew |title=San Antonio vs. New Orleans, Final Score: Spurs can't complete comeback, fall to Pelicans in play-in |url=https://www.poundingtherock.com/2022/4/13/23024592/san-antonio-vs-new-orleans-final-score-spurs-cant-complete-comeback-fall-to-pelicans-in-play-in |website=SB Nation |access-date=14 April 2022|date=April 13, 2022}}</ref><ref name=ClipsOut>{{cite news |url=https://theathletic.com/news/pelicans-eliminate-clippers/Kw0ppD5104fH/ |title=2022 NBA Play-In: Pelicans eliminate Clippers to be No. 8 seed, will play Suns in first round |work=[[The Athletic]] |date=April 16, 2022 |access-date=April 16, 2022}}</ref>

==Bracket==
Teams in bold advanced to the next round. The numbers to the left of each team indicate the team's seeding in its conference, and the numbers to the right indicate the number of games the team won in that round. The division champions are marked by an asterisk. Teams with home court advantage, the higher seeded team, are shown in italics.
<section begin=Bracket />{{16TeamBracket
| RD1=[[2022 NBA playoffs#First Round|First round]]
| RD2=[[2022 NBA playoffs#Conference semifinals|Conference semifinals]]
| RD3=[[2022 NBA playoffs#Conference finals|Conference finals]]
| RD4=[[2022 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]

| RD2-group1='''[[Eastern Conference (NBA)|Eastern Conference]]'''
| RD2-group2='''[[Western Conference (NBA)|Western Conference]]'''


| RD1-seed01='''E1'''
| RD1-team01='''''[[2021–22 Miami Heat season|Miami]]'''''*
| RD1-score01='''4'''
| RD1-seed02=E8
| RD1-team02=[[2021–22 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta]]
| RD1-score02=1

| RD1-seed03='''E4'''
| RD1-team03='''''[[2021–22 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]'''''
| RD1-score03='''4'''
| RD1-seed04=E5
| RD1-team04=[[2021–22 Toronto Raptors season|Toronto]]
| RD1-score04=2

| RD1-seed05='''E3'''
| RD1-team05='''''[[2021–22 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]'''''*
| RD1-score05='''4'''
| RD1-seed06=E6
| RD1-team06=[[2021–22 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]]
| RD1-score06=1

| RD1-seed07='''E2'''
| RD1-team07='''''[[2021–22 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]'''''*
| RD1-score07='''4'''
| RD1-seed08=E7
| RD1-team08=[[2021–22 Brooklyn Nets season|Brooklyn]]
| RD1-score08=0


| RD1-seed09='''W1'''
| RD1-team09='''''[[2021–22 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]'''''*
| RD1-score09='''4'''
| RD1-seed10=W8
| RD1-team10=[[2021–22 New Orleans Pelicans season|New Orleans]]
| RD1-score10=2

| RD1-seed11='''W4'''
| RD1-team11='''''[[2021–22 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas]]'''''
| RD1-score11='''4'''
| RD1-seed12=W5
| RD1-team12=[[2021–22 Utah Jazz season|Utah]]*
| RD1-score12=2

| RD1-seed13='''W3'''
| RD1-team13='''''[[2021–22 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]'''''
| RD1-score13='''4'''
| RD1-seed14=W6
| RD1-team14=[[2021–22 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]
| RD1-score14=1

| RD1-seed15='''W2'''
| RD1-team15='''''[[2021–22 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis]]'''''*
| RD1-score15='''4'''
| RD1-seed16=W7
| RD1-team16=[[2021–22 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| RD1-score16=2


| RD2-seed01='''E1'''
| RD2-team01='''''Miami'''''*
| RD2-score01='''4'''
| RD2-seed02=E4
| RD2-team02=Philadelphia
| RD2-score02=2

| RD2-seed03=E3
| RD2-team03=Milwaukee*
| RD2-score03=3
| RD2-seed04='''E2'''
| RD2-team04='''''Boston'''''*
| RD2-score04='''4'''


| RD2-seed05=W1
| RD2-team05=''Phoenix''*
| RD2-score05=3
| RD2-seed06='''W4'''
| RD2-team06='''Dallas'''
| RD2-score06='''4'''

| RD2-seed07='''W3'''
| RD2-team07='''Golden State'''
| RD2-score07='''4'''
| RD2-seed08=W2
| RD2-team08=''Memphis''*
| RD2-score08=2


| RD3-seed01=E1
| RD3-team01=''Miami''*
| RD3-score01=3
| RD3-seed02='''E2'''
| RD3-team02='''Boston'''*
| RD3-score02='''4'''


| RD3-seed03=W4
| RD3-team03=Dallas
| RD3-score03=1
| RD3-seed04='''W3'''
| RD3-team04='''''Golden State'''''
| RD3-score04='''4'''


| RD4-seed01=E2
| RD4-team01=Boston*
| RD4-score01=2
| RD4-seed02='''W3'''
| RD4-team02='''''Golden State'''''
| RD4-score02='''4'''
}}{{ubl
|<nowiki>*</nowiki> Division winner
|'''Bold''' Series winner
|''Italic'' Team with home-court advantage}}<section end=Bracket />

==First round==
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

===Eastern Conference first round===

====(1) Miami Heat vs. (8) Atlanta Hawks====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 17 |time=1:00 pm |place=[[FTX Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score1=91
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''115'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-mia-0042100101 Recap]
|Q1=17–'''23''' |Q2=23–'''36''' |Q3=20–'''27''' |Q4='''31'''–29
|points1=[[Danilo Gallinari]] 17 |points2=[[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] 27
|rebounds1=[[Onyeka Okongwu]] 7 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo|Adebayo]], [[Jimmy Butler|Butler]] 6 each
|assist1=[[Delon Wright]] 6 |assist2=[[Kyle Lowry]] 9
|attendance=19,514
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, Eric Dalen
|series=Miami leads series, 1–0
}} [[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] led the Heat in scoring with 27 points on 9-of-10 shooting, including going 8-of-9 from three-point range. On the other hand, Atlanta's [[Trae Young]] struggled, shooting just 1-of-12, finishing the game with eight points and six turnovers.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 19 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[FTX Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score1=105
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''115'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-mia-0042100102 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''26''' |Q2=29–'''30''' |Q3=22–'''31''' |Q4='''29'''–28
|points1=[[Bogdan Bogdanović (basketball)|Bogdan Bogdanović]] 29 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 45
|rebounds1=[[John Collins (basketball)|John Collins]] 10 |rebounds2=[[Dewayne Dedmon]] 9
|assist1=[[Trae Young]] 7 |assist2=Jimmy Butler 5
|attendance=19,950
|referee=John Goble, Tre Maddox, [[Nick Buchert]]
|series=Miami leads series, 2–0
}} [[Jimmy Butler]] scored a playoff career-high 45 points, shooting 15-of-25 as well as committing zero turnovers en route to securing a 2–0 series lead. [[Trae Young]] also rebounded in Game 2, finishing the game with 25 points, but he committed a career-high 10 turnovers.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 22 |time=7:55 pm{{efn|Tip-off was originally scheduled for 7:00 pm, but the game was delayed 45 minutes due to a "suspicious package" found outside of the arena.<ref>{{cite web|title=Suspicious package near State Farm Arena removed, Hawks-Heat game gets late start|url=https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/reports-of-suspicious-package-near-state-farm-arena|work=Fox 5 Atlanta|access-date=April 23, 2022|date=April 22, 2022}}</ref>}} |place=[[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]]|TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=110
|team2='''[[Atlanta Hawks]]''' |score2='''111'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-atl-0042100103 Recap]
|Q1='''24'''–22 |Q2=30–'''39''' |Q3='''31'''–16 |Q4=25–'''34'''
|points1=[[Tyler Herro]] 24 |points2=[[Trae Young]] 24
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 11 |rebounds2=[[Bogdan Bogdanović (basketball)|Bogdan Bogdanović]] 8
|assist1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 8 |assist2=Trae Young 8
|attendance=18,421
|referee=Eric Lewis, Ben Taylor, [[JB DeRosa]]
|series=Miami leads series, 2–1
}} In danger of going down 0–3 in the series, [[Trae Young]] hit a game-winning floater in the lane with 4.4 seconds left as the Hawks overcame a 16-point deficit in the second half.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 24 |time=7:00 pm |place=[[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]]|TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''110'''
|team2=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score2=86
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-atl-0042100104 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''26''' |Q2='''30'''–15 |Q3='''25'''–20 |Q4='''30'''–25
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 36 |points2=[[De'Andre Hunter]] 24
|rebounds1=Jimmy Butler 10 |rebounds2=''three players'' 7 each
|assist1=''three players'' 4 each |assist2=[[Trae Young]] 5
|attendance=18,951
|referee=David Guthrie, Courtney Kirkland, Brent Barnaky
|series=Miami leads series, 3–1
}} After losing [[Kyle Lowry]] in Game 3 with a hamstring strain, the Heat dominated the Hawks down the stretch, outscoring Atlanta in the final three quarters 85–60. [[Jimmy Butler]] scored 13 of his 36 points in the second quarter along with 10 rebounds and four assists. [[Trae Young]] scored only nine points with five assists and five turnovers, as he was held to single digit points by Miami's defense for the second time in four games.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 26 |time=7:00 pm |place=[[FTX Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score1=94
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''97'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-mia-0042100105 Recap]
|Q1='''22'''–21 |Q2=20–'''33''' |Q3='''22'''–21 |Q4='''30'''–22
|points1=[[De'Andre Hunter]] 35 |points2=[[Victor Oladipo]] 23
|rebounds1=De'Andre Hunter 11 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 11
|assist1=[[Trae Young]] 6 |assist2=''three players'' 4 each
|attendance=19,553
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Mitchell Ervin
|series=Miami wins series, 4–1
}} Without [[Jimmy Butler]] and [[Kyle Lowry]], the Heat were able to hold off the Hawks thanks to a 23-point performance from [[Victor Oladipo]]. [[De'Andre Hunter]] shined for Atlanta in the loss, scoring a career-high 35 points, as well as the most points scored by a Hawks' player in the series.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Miami won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 12, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-atl-0022100621 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Miami Heat]]''' | score1 = '''115'''
| team2 = [[Atlanta Hawks]] | score2 = 91
| place = [[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 14, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-mia-0022100636 Recap]
| team1 = Atlanta Hawks | score1 = 118
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = '''124'''
| place = [[FTX Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 21, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-atl-0022100687 Recap]
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 108
| team2 = '''Atlanta Hawks''' | score2 = '''110'''
| place = State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 8, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-mia-0022101207 Recap]
| team1 = Atlanta Hawks | score1 = 109
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = '''113'''
| place = FTX Arena, Miami, FL
}}
|}

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Hawks winning the first two meetings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Miami Heat versus Atlanta Hawks (Playoffs)|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=MIA&opp_id=ATL&is_playoffs=Y|website=Basketball Reference|access-date=April 16, 2022}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Atlanta leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1994
| team1 = [[Miami Heat]] | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''[[Atlanta Hawks]]''' | score2 = '''3'''
| place = [[1994 NBA playoffs|1994 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2009
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''Atlanta Hawks''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2009 NBA playoffs|2009 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Brooklyn Nets====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 17 |time=3:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score1=114
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''115'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-bos-0042100111 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''29''' |Q2='''33'''–32 |Q3=24–'''35''' |Q4='''29'''–19
|points1=[[Kyrie Irving]] 39 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 31
|rebounds1=[[Nic Claxton]] 8 |rebounds2=[[Al Horford]] 15
|assist1=[[Seth Curry|Curry]], Irving 6 each |assist2=Jayson Tatum 8
|attendance=19,156
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], James Williams, [[Rodney Mott]]
|series=Boston leads series, 1–0
}} The Celtics lost a 15-point third quarter lead but went on to win Game 1 on [[Jayson Tatum]]'s layup at the buzzer.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 20 |time=7:00 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score1=107
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''114'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-bos-0042100112 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–24 |Q2='''32'''–31 |Q3=25–'''30''' |Q4=17–'''29'''
|points1=[[Kevin Durant]] 27 |points2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 22
|rebounds1=[[Bruce Brown (basketball)|Brown]], [[Kyrie Irving|Irving]] 8 each |rebounds2=''four players'' 6 each
|assist1=Kevin Durant 5 |assist2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 10
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Eric Lewis, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]], Jacyn Goble
|series=Boston leads series, 2–0
}} The Nets had a 17-point lead late in the first half, but lost the game due to a huge fourth quarter by the Celtics. [[Kevin Durant]] notably struggled in the second half, going 0–10 from the floor and committing 4 turnovers as Boston outscored Brooklyn 59–42 in the final two quarters.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 23 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, New York City]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''109'''
|team2=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score2=103
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-bkn-0042100113 Recap]
|Q1='''30'''–25 |Q2=23–'''25''' |Q3='''28'''–22 |Q4=28–'''31'''
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 39 |points2=[[Bruce Brown (basketball)|Bruce Brown]] 26
|rebounds1=[[Daniel Theis|Theis]], [[Derrick White (basketball)|White]] 6 each |rebounds2=Brown, [[Kevin Durant|Durant]] 8 each
|assist1=[[Marcus Smart|Smart]], Tatum 6 each |assist2=[[Kyrie Irving]] 9
|attendance=18,175
|referee=James Capers, Mark Lindsay, Karl Lane
|series=Boston leads series, 3–0
}} Despite a stellar night from [[Bruce Brown (basketball)|Bruce Brown]], who had 26 points on 10-of-19 shooting from the field, the Nets were unable to overcome poor performances from [[Kevin Durant|Durant]] and [[Kyrie Irving|Irving]], who only scored 16 points apiece, as well as a 39-point explosion from [[Jayson Tatum]]. The Celtics led by as many as 15 in the final quarter before holding off the Nets to take a commanding 3–0 series lead.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 25 |time=7:00 pm |place=[[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, New York City]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''116'''
|team2=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score2=112
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-bkn-0042100114 Recap]
|Q1='''30'''–26 |Q2='''28'''–24 |Q3='''32'''–28 |Q4=26–'''34'''
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 29 |points2=[[Kevin Durant]] 39
|rebounds1=[[Jaylen Brown|Brown]], [[Daniel Theis|Theis]] 8 each |rebounds2=[[Goran Dragić]] 8
|assist1=[[Marcus Smart]] 11 |assist2=Kevin Durant 9
|attendance=18,099
|referee=Scott Foster, Sean Wright, Brian Forte
|series=Boston wins series, 4–0
}} Despite [[Jayson Tatum]] fouling out late in the fourth quarter, the Celtics were able to hold off the Nets to complete the sweep. [[Kevin Durant]] had his best game of the series with 39 points, helping Brooklyn trim the deficit to 1-point with 3:29 to play in the fourth quarter, but thanks to Tatum's 29 points, Boston never trailed. [[Nic Claxton]] struggled at the free throw line, missing his first 10 attempts, and finishing 1-of-11. This was the eighth playoff sweep in Celtics' franchise history, as Boston swept its first-round series for the third time in four years. The Nets were the only team in this season's playoffs to get swept.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Boston won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = November 24, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-bos-0022100270 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Brooklyn Nets]]''' | score1 = '''123'''
| team2 = [[Boston Celtics]] | score2 = 104
| place = [[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 8, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-bkn-0022100817 Recap]
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''126'''
| team2 = Brooklyn Nets | score2 = 91
| place = [[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, New York City]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 24, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-bkn-0022100890 Recap]
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''129'''
| team2 = Brooklyn Nets | score2 = 106
| place = Barclays Center, Brooklyn, New York City
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 6, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-bos-0022100960 Recap]
| team1 = Brooklyn Nets | score1 = 120
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''126'''
| place = TD Garden, Boston, MA
}}
|}

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, and the second since the [[History of the Brooklyn Nets|New Jersey Nets]] relocated to Brooklyn in 2012, with the Nets winning the first three meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=BOS&opp_id=BKN&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Brooklyn Nets (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 13, 2022}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoffs series
|-
!Brooklyn leads 3–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2002
| team1 = [[Boston Celtics]] | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''[[Brooklyn Nets|New Jersey Nets]]''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2002 NBA playoffs|2002 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 2003
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''New Jersey Nets''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2003 NBA playoffs|2003 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2021
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Brooklyn Nets''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2021 NBA playoffs|2021 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(3) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (6) Chicago Bulls====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 17 |time=6:30 pm {{small|(5:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Chicago Bulls]] |score1=86
|team2='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score2='''93'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/chi-vs-mil-0042100121 Recap]
|Q1=21–'''34''' |Q2='''22'''–17 |Q3='''28'''–23 |Q4=15–'''19'''
|points1=[[Nikola Vučević]] 24 |points2=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 27
|rebounds1=Nikola Vučević 17 |rebounds2=Giannis Antetokounmpo 16
|assist1=[[DeMar DeRozan]] 6 |assist2=[[Jrue Holiday|Holiday]], [[Khris Middleton|Middleton]] 6 each
|attendance=17,717
|referee=John Goble, [[Tony Brothers]], Michael Smith
|series=Milwaukee leads series, 1–0
}} Despite finishing the game with 21 turnovers and blowing a 16-point lead, the Bucks outlasted the Bulls 93–86. [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] finished the game with 27 points and 16 rebounds. The Bulls struggled on offense, shooting a season-low 32.3% from the floor, with [[DeMar DeRozan]] and [[Zach LaVine]] shooting a combined 12-of-44 (27.3%).
{{Basketballbox|date=April 20 |time=9:30 pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Chicago Bulls]]''' |score1='''114'''
|team2=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score2=110
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/chi-vs-mil-0042100122 Recap]
|Q1='''29'''–28 |Q2='''34'''–21 |Q3=24–'''31''' |Q4=27–'''30'''
|points1=[[DeMar DeRozan]] 41 |points2=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 33
|rebounds1=[[Nikola Vučević]] 13 |rebounds2=Giannis Antetokounmpo 18
|assist1=[[Alex Caruso]] 10 |assist2=Giannis Antetokounmpo 9
|attendance=17,688
|referee=Kane Fitzgerald, [[Curtis Blair]], Ben Taylor
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} While the Bulls were leading by as much as 18 in the third quarter, they withstood two furious rallies in both the third and fourth quarters by the Bucks, with [[DeMar DeRozan]] scoring a playoff career-high 41 points. This was the Bulls' first playoff victory since Game 2 of the [[2017 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Chicago Bulls|2017 Eastern Conference First Round]] against the Boston Celtics. Two Bucks players suffered injuries during the game: [[Bobby Portis]] left mid-game after suffering a "right eye abrasion" and [[Khris Middleton]] suffered a sprained MCL in his left knee.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 22 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(7:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[United Center]], [[Chicago|Chicago, IL]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score1='''111'''
|team2=[[Chicago Bulls]] |score2=81
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-chi-0042100123 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–17 |Q2='''27'''–24 |Q3='''30'''–18 |Q4=21–'''22'''
|points1=[[Grayson Allen]] 22 |points2=[[Nikola Vučević]] 19
|rebounds1=[[Bobby Portis]] 16 |rebounds2=[[Coby White]] 8
|assist1=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 9 |assist2=[[Ayo Dosunmu|Dosunmu]], [[Zach LaVine|LaVine]] 5 each
|attendance=22,667
|referee=Marc Davis, Sean Wright, Brian Forte
|series=Milwaukee leads series, 2–1
}} Despite Chicago hosting their first playoff game in five years, Milwaukee dominated throughout the game. [[Grayson Allen]] came off the bench and led the Bucks in points with 22, along with [[Bobby Portis]] collecting 16 rebounds, tying a career-high. The loss was also the largest playoff loss at home in Bulls' history.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 24 |time=1:00 pm {{small|(12:00 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[United Center]], [[Chicago|Chicago, IL]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score1='''119'''
|team2=[[Chicago Bulls]] |score2=95
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-chi-0042100124 Recap]
|Q1='''25'''–22 |Q2='''31'''–19 |Q3='''34'''–33 |Q4='''29'''–21
|points1=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 32 |points2=[[Zach LaVine]] 24
|rebounds1=Giannis Antetokounmpo 17 |rebounds2=[[Nikola Vučević|Vučević]], [[Patrick Williams (basketball)|Williams]] 10 each
|assist1=Antetokounmpo, [[Jrue Holiday|Holiday]] 7 each |assist2=Zach LaVine 13
|attendance=22,020
|referee=Eric Lewis, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]], Gediminas Petraitis
|series=Milwaukee leads series, 3–1
}} [[Grayson Allen]] set playoff career highs with 27 points and six three-pointers, along with [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] leading the team with 32 points and 17 rebounds as the Bucks cruised to a second straight win on the road. With the loss, the Bulls had been outscored by a combined 54 points over the past two games, both of which were at home.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 27 |time=7:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Chicago Bulls]] |score1=100
|team2='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score2='''116'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042100125 Recap]
|Q1=18–'''34'''|Q2=24–'''26'''|Q3=26–'''31'''|Q4='''32'''–25
|points1=[[Patrick Williams (basketball)|Patrick Williams]] 23 |points2=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 33
|rebounds1=[[Nikola Vučević]] 16 |rebounds2=[[Bobby Portis]] 17
|assist1=[[DeMar DeRozan]] 7 |assist2=[[Jrue Holiday]] 9
|attendance=17,506
|referee=Scott Foster, Rodney Mott, Mark Lindsay
|series=Milwaukee wins series, 4–1
}} Despite being without [[Khris Middleton]] the last three games, Milwaukee won all three by an average margin of 23.3 points. [[DeMar DeRozan]] was scoreless in the first 26 minutes of the game and attempted just one shot in the first quarter, where Chicago was outscored 34–18. [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] had 33 points and nine rebounds as the Bucks won their first round matchup for the fourth consecutive season.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Milwaukee won 4–0 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 21, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/chi-vs-mil-0022100690 Recap]
| team1 = [[Chicago Bulls]] | score1 = 90
| team2 = '''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' | score2 = '''94'''
| place = [[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 4, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-chi-0022100949 Recap]
| team1 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score1 = '''118'''
| team2 = Chicago Bulls | score2 = 112
| place = [[United Center]], [[Chicago|Chicago, IL]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 22, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/chi-vs-mil-0022101082 Recap]
| team1 = Chicago Bulls | score1 = 98
| team2 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score2 = '''126'''
| place = Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 5, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-chi-0022101183 Recap]
| team1 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score1 = '''127'''
| team2 = Chicago Bulls | score2 = 106
| place = United Center, Chicago, IL
}}
|}

This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning two out of the first four meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=CHI&opp_id=MIL&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Chicago Bulls versus Milwaukee Bucks (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 10, 2022}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoffs series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1974
| team1 = [[Chicago Bulls]] | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1974 NBA playoffs|1974 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1985
| team1 = Chicago Bulls | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score2 = '''3'''
| place = [[1985 NBA playoffs|1985 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1990
| team1 = Milwaukee Bucks | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Chicago Bulls''' | score2 = '''3'''
| place = [[1990 NBA playoffs|1990 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 2015
| team1 = Milwaukee Bucks | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''Chicago Bulls''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2015 NBA playoffs|2015 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(4) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (5) Toronto Raptors====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 16 |time=6:00 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]], [[The Sports Network|TSN1/4]]
|team1=[[Toronto Raptors]] |score1=111
|team2='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score2='''131'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/tor-vs-phi-0042100131 Recap]
|Q1=27–'''35''' |Q2=24–'''34''' |Q3=37–'''38''' |Q4=23–'''24'''
|points1=[[Pascal Siakam]] 24 |points2=[[Tyrese Maxey]] 38
|rebounds1=[[Scottie Barnes]] 10 |rebounds2=[[Joel Embiid]] 15
|assist1=Scottie Barnes 8 |assist2=[[James Harden]] 14
|attendance=20,610
|referee=Kane Fitzgerald, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Jacyn Goble
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 1–0
}} In his first playoff game as a starter, [[Tyrese Maxey]] scored 38 points, with 21 of his 38 points coming in the third quarter. Raptors rookie [[Scottie Barnes]] had 15 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists prior to exiting the game with an ankle injury.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 18 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]], [[The Sports Network|TSN1/3/4]]
|team1=[[Toronto Raptors]] |score1=97
|team2='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score2='''112'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/tor-vs-phi-0042100132 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–32 |Q2=19–'''35''' |Q3=19–'''28''' |Q4='''26'''–17
|points1=[[OG Anunoby]] 26 |points2=[[Joel Embiid]] 31
|rebounds1=[[Pascal Siakam]] 10 |rebounds2=Joel Embiid 11
|assist1=[[Fred VanVleet]] 7 |assist2=[[Tyrese Maxey]] 8
|attendance=20,974
|referee=James Capers, Mark Lindsay, [[JB DeRosa]]
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 2–0
}} After the Raptors took a one-point lead into the second quarter, the 76ers dominated for the rest of the game. Philadelphia outscored Toronto 80–64 in the final three quarters, with [[Joel Embiid]] finishing the game with 31 points and 11 rebounds.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 20 |time=8:00 pm |place=[[Scotiabank Arena]], [[Toronto|Toronto, ON]] |TV=[[NBA TV]], [[Sportsnet Pacific|SNP]]/[[Sportsnet Ontario|SNO]]/[[Sportsnet East|SNE]]
|team1='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score1='''104'''
|team2=[[Toronto Raptors]] |score2=101 |overtime=OT
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-tor-0042100133 Recap]
|Q1=19–'''29''' |Q2=27–27 |Q3='''28'''–19 |Q4='''21'''–20 |OT='''9'''–6
|points1=[[Joel Embiid]] 33 |points2=[[OG Anunoby]] 26
|rebounds1=Joel Embiid 13 |rebounds2=[[Precious Achiuwa|Achiuwa]], [[Chris Boucher (basketball)|Boucher]] 6 each
|assist1=[[James Harden]] 10 |assist2=[[Fred VanVleet]] 9
|attendance=19,800
|referee=Marc Davis, Sean Wright, Justin Van Duyne
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 3–0
}} With 0.9 seconds on the shot clock and 2.6 seconds remaining in overtime, [[Joel Embiid]] hit a game-winning three-point shot to secure a commanding 3–0 series lead after overcoming a 17-point deficit and never leading in regulation.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 23 |time=2:00 pm |place=[[Scotiabank Arena]], [[Toronto|Toronto, ON]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]], [[Sportsnet|SN]]
|team1=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score1=102
|team2='''[[Toronto Raptors]]''' |score2='''110'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-tor-0042100134 Recap]
|Q1=24–24 |Q2=25–'''30''' |Q3='''28'''–26 |Q4=25–'''30'''
|points1=[[James Harden]] 22 |points2=[[Pascal Siakam]] 34
|rebounds1=[[Tobias Harris]] 11 |rebounds2=[[Scottie Barnes]] 11
|assist1=James Harden 9 |assist2=Siakam, [[Thaddeus Young|Young]] 5 each
|attendance=19,800
|referee=Scott Foster, Ed Malloy, [[Rodney Mott]]
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 3–1
}} [[Scottie Barnes]] made his return to the lineup for Game 4 after missing the previous two games, leading the team with 11 rebounds. Raptors' [[Pascal Siakam]] scored 34 points while the 76ers' [[James Harden]] scored 22 points. In the second quarter, [[Fred VanVleet]] exited the game due to a hip injury and did not return. Despite this, the Raptors staved off elimination with a 110–102 win to send the series back to Philadelphia.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 25 |time=8:00 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA TV]], [[Sportsnet|SN]]
|team1='''[[Toronto Raptors]]''' |score1='''103'''
|team2=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score2=88
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042100135 Recap]
|Q1='''29'''–27|Q2='''25'''–14|Q3=21–'''25'''|Q4='''28'''–22
|points1=[[Pascal Siakam]] 23 |points2=[[Joel Embiid]] 20
|rebounds1=Pascal Siakam 10 |rebounds2=Joel Embiid 11
|assist1=Pascal Siakam 7 |assist2=[[James Harden]] 7
|attendance=20,517
|referee=John Goble, Tre Maddox, James Williams
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 3–2
}} Despite being without [[Fred VanVleet]], the Raptors, with the help of [[Pascal Siakam]]'s 23 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists led almost the entire game and staved off elimination again to send the series back to Toronto for Game 6. The 76ers had their own share of issues: while [[Joel Embiid]] scored 20 points with 11 rebounds, and [[James Harden]] had seven assists; the 76ers' bench scored only five points.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 28 |time=7:00 pm |place=[[Scotiabank Arena]], [[Toronto|Toronto, ON]] |TV=[[NBA TV]], [[The Sports Network|TSN1/4]]
|team1='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score1='''132'''
|team2=[[Toronto Raptors]] |score2=97
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-tor-0042100136 Recap]
|Q1='''34'''–29 |Q2=28–'''32''' |Q3='''37'''–17 |Q4='''33'''–19
|points1=[[Joel Embiid]] 33 |points2=[[Chris Boucher (basketball)|Chris Boucher]] 25
|rebounds1=[[Tobias Harris]] 11 |rebounds2=Chris Boucher 10
|assist1=[[James Harden]] 15 |assist2=[[Pascal Siakam]] 7
|attendance=19,800
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], [[Curtis Blair]], [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]]
|series=Philadelphia wins series, 4–2
}} The 76ers completed a 35-point rout of the Raptors to eliminate them from the playoffs. [[Joel Embiid]] had 33 points and 10 rebounds, and teammate [[Tyrese Maxey]] scored 25. The Raptors' [[Pascal Siakam]] scored 24 points in the loss, while [[Chris Boucher (basketball)|Chris Boucher]] came off the bench and had 25 points and 10 rebounds.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Toronto won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = November 11, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/tor-vs-phi-0022100171 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Toronto Raptors]]''' | score1 = '''115'''
| team2 = [[Philadelphia 76ers]] | score2 = 109
| place = [[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = December 28, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-tor-0022100510 Recap]
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = '''114'''
| team2 = Toronto Raptors | score2 = 109
| place = [[Scotiabank Arena]], [[Toronto|Toronto, ON]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 20, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/tor-vs-phi-0022101069 Recap]
| team1 = '''Toronto Raptors''' | score1 = '''93'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 88
| place = Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 7, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-tor-0022101197 Recap]
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 114
| team2 = '''Toronto Raptors''' | score2 = '''119'''
| place = Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, ON
}}
|}

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning one series.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Toronto Raptors versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=TOR&opp_id=PHI&is_playoffs=Y|website=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 10, 2022}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoffs series
|-
!Series tied 1–1 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| date = 2001
| team1 = [[Toronto Raptors]] | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2001 NBA playoffs|2001 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 2019
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''Toronto Raptors''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2019 NBA playoffs|2019 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
|}

===Western Conference first round===

====(1) Phoenix Suns vs. (8) New Orleans Pelicans====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 17 |time=9:00 pm {{small|(6:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[New Orleans Pelicans]] |score1=99
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''110'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/nop-vs-phx-0042100141 Recap]
|Q1=16–'''28''' |Q2=18–'''25''' |Q3='''37'''–26 |Q4=28–'''31'''
|points1=[[CJ McCollum]] 25 |points2=[[Chris Paul]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Jonas Valančiūnas]] 25 |rebounds2=[[Deandre Ayton]] 9
|assist1=CJ McCollum 6 |assist2=Chris Paul 10
|attendance=17,071
|referee=Eric Lewis, Ben Taylor, Gediminas Petraitis
|series=Phoenix leads series, 1–0
}} The Pelicans started off slowly, but chipped away at a 23-point deficit to eventually trail 79–71 by the end of the third. However, [[Chris Paul]] took over late in the game by scoring 19 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 19 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[New Orleans Pelicans]]''' |score1='''125'''
|team2=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score2=114
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/nop-vs-phx-0042100142 Recap]
|Q1='''30'''–28 |Q2=26–'''33''' |Q3='''34'''–22 |Q4='''35'''–31
|points1=[[Brandon Ingram]] 37 |points2=[[Devin Booker]] 31
|rebounds1=[[Jonas Valančiūnas]] 13 |rebounds2=[[Deandre Ayton]] 9
|assist1=Ingram, [[CJ McCollum|McCollum]] 9 each |assist2=[[Chris Paul]] 14
|attendance=17,071
|referee=Scott Foster, [[Tony Brothers]], Pat Fraher
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} After scoring 31 points in the first half, [[Devin Booker]] left the game in the third quarter after suffering a "mild hamstring strain" and did not return to the game. Meanwhile, [[Brandon Ingram]] finished the game with 37 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists, leading the Pelicans to their first playoff win since 2018.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 22 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(9:00 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}}{{efn|Tip-off was originally slated to begin at 8:30 pm CDT, but was delayed by 30 minutes in contrast to the situation that occurred in Atlanta earlier that day.<ref>{{cite web |title=Suns-Pelicans Game 3 tipoff time pushed back after Heat-Hawks delay|url=https://arizonasports.com/story/3115711/suns-pelicans-game-3-tipoff-time-pushed-back-after-heat-hawks-delay/|work=Arizona Sports|date=April 22, 2022|access-date=April 23, 2022}}</ref>}} |place=[[Smoothie King Center]], [[New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans, LA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score1='''114'''
|team2=[[New Orleans Pelicans]] |score2=111
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-nop-0042100143 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''29''' |Q2='''31'''–19 |Q3=22–'''31''' |Q4='''33'''–32
|points1=[[Deandre Ayton|Ayton]], [[Chris Paul|Paul]] 28 each |points2=[[Brandon Ingram]] 34
|rebounds1=Deandre Ayton 17 |rebounds2=[[Jonas Valančiūnas]] 11
|assist1=Chris Paul 14 |assist2=[[CJ McCollum]] 6
|attendance=18,962
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Curtis Blair, Brent Barnaky
|series=Phoenix leads series, 2–1
}} Without [[Devin Booker]], the Suns outlasted the Pelicans on the road, with [[Chris Paul]] and [[Deandre Ayton]] combining for 56 points. Paul scored 15 of Phoenix's first 23 points of the final quarter, along with committing zero turnovers, his second straight game doing so.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 24 |time=9:30 pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Smoothie King Center]], [[New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans, LA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score1=103
|team2='''[[New Orleans Pelicans]]''' |score2='''118'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-nop-0042100144 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''25''' |Q2='''29'''–24 |Q3=23–'''35''' |Q4=29–'''34'''
|points1=[[Deandre Ayton]] 23 |points2=[[Brandon Ingram]] 30
|rebounds1=Deandre Ayton 8 |rebounds2=[[Jonas Valančiūnas]] 15
|assist1=[[Chris Paul]] 11 |assist2=Brandon Ingram 5
|attendance=18,962
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, Tom Washington
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}} [[Brandon Ingram]] scored 16 of his 30 points in the third quarter, his third straight game with 30+ points. [[Jonas Valančiūnas]] also contributed with 26 points and 15 rebounds, along with scoring ten points in a 3:34 span in the fourth quarter to help the Pelicans pull away. [[Chris Paul]] struggled for the Suns, scoring just four points and three turnovers after previously having just two turnovers in the first three games.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 26 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[New Orleans Pelicans]] |score1=97
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''112'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/nop-vs-phx-0042100145 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''32''' |Q2=26–'''27''' |Q3='''32'''–30 |Q4=19–'''23'''
|points1=[[Brandon Ingram]] 22 |points2=[[Mikal Bridges]] 31
|rebounds1=[[Jonas Valančiūnas]] 14 |rebounds2=[[Deandre Ayton|Ayton]], [[Cameron Johnson|Johnson]] 9 each
|assist1=Ingram, [[CJ McCollum|McCollum]] 5 each |assist2=[[Chris Paul]] 11
|attendance=17,071
|referee=David Guthrie, Courtney Kirkland, Karl Lane
|series=Phoenix leads series, 3–2
}} With the series back in Phoenix, [[Mikal Bridges]] helped the Suns take a 3–2 series lead thanks to a playoff career-high 31 points and four blocks, all while playing 47 minutes in the game. [[Chris Paul]] rebounded in Game 5 as well, tallying 22 points and 11 assists. Phoenix never trailed in the game.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 28 |time=7:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CST]])}} |place=[[Smoothie King Center]], [[New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans, LA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score1='''115'''
|team2=[[New Orleans Pelicans]] |score2=109
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-nop-0042100146 Recap]
|Q1=28–28 |Q2=20–'''30''' |Q3='''34'''–27 |Q4='''33'''–24
|points1=[[Chris Paul]] 33 |points2=[[Brandon Ingram]] 21
|rebounds1=[[Deandre Ayton]] 7 |rebounds2=[[Larry Nance Jr.|Nance Jr.]], [[Jonas Valančiūnas|Valančiūnas]] 8 each
|assist1=Chris Paul 8 |assist2=Brandon Ingram 11
|attendance=18,710
|referee=Kane Fitzgerald, [[Tony Brothers]], [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Phoenix wins series, 4–2
}} In [[Devin Booker]]'s return from the hamstring injury that had kept him out the previous three games, [[Chris Paul]] scored 33 points on a perfect 14-for-14 from the field (including one three-pointer) and 4-for-4 from the free throw line as the Suns advanced. Paul's 14-for-14 shooting set a record for most field goals made in a playoff game without a miss, and the first player to make 13+ shots in a playoff game without a miss.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Phoenix won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = November 2, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/nop-vs-phx-0022100106 Recap]
| team1 = [[New Orleans Pelicans]] | score1 = 100
| team2 = '''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' | score2 = '''112'''
| place = [[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 4, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-nop-0022100565 Recap]
| team1 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score1 = '''123'''
| team2 = New Orleans Pelicans | score2 = 110
| place = [[Smoothie King Center]], [[New Orleans, Louisiana|New Orleans, LA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 25, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/nop-vs-phx-0022100902 Recap]
| team1 = '''New Orleans Pelicans''' | score1 = '''117'''
| team2 = Phoenix Suns | score2 = 102
| place = Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 15, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-nop-0022101032 Recap]
| team1 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score1 = '''131'''
| team2 = New Orleans Pelicans | score2 = 115
| place = Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA
}}
|}

This was the first playoff meeting between the two teams.<ref>{{cite web |title=Team Rivalry Finder — Phoenix Suns versus New Orleans Pelicans (Playoffs) |url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=PHO&opp_id=NOH&is_playoffs=Y |website=Basketball Reference |access-date=16 April 2022}}</ref>

====(2) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (7) Minnesota Timberwolves====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 16 |time=3:30 pm {{small|(2:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis, TN]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Minnesota Timberwolves]]''' |score1='''130'''
|team2=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score2=117
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/min-vs-mem-0042100151 Recap]
|Q1='''41'''–33 |Q2=24–'''29''' |Q3='''32'''–30 |Q4='''33'''–25
|points1=[[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] 36 |points2=[[Ja Morant]] 32
|rebounds1=[[Karl-Anthony Towns]] 13 |rebounds2=[[Brandon Clarke]] 12
|assist1=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 9 |assist2=Ja Morant 8
|attendance=17,794
|referee=David Guthrie, Sean Wright, Tom Washington
|series=Minnesota leads series, 1–0
}} In his playoff debut, [[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] led the Timberwolves in scoring with 36, joining [[Derrick Rose]], [[Tyler Herro]], and [[Magic Johnson]] in scoring at least 35 points in a playoff game before turning 21. The win was also the Timberwolves' first playoff opener they have won since 2004.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 19 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(7:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis, TN]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1=[[Minnesota Timberwolves]] |score1=96
|team2='''[[Memphis Grizzlies]]''' |score2='''124'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/min-vs-mem-0042100152 Recap]
|Q1=32–'''33''' |Q2=17–'''27''' |Q3=28–'''36''' |Q4=19–'''28'''
|points1=[[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] 20 |points2=[[Ja Morant]] 23
|rebounds1=[[Karl-Anthony Towns]] 11 |rebounds2=Ja Morant 9
|assist1=''three players'' 4 each |assist2=Ja Morant 10
|attendance=17,794
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], James Williams, Mitchell Ervin
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} [[Ja Morant]] and the Grizzlies rebounded in Game 2, with Morant being one rebound shy of his first career playoff [[triple-double]]. The win was also the largest margin of victory in the Grizzlies' playoff history.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 21 |time=7:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Target Center]], [[Minneapolis|Minneapolis, MN]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Memphis Grizzlies]]''' |score1='''104'''
|team2=[[Minnesota Timberwolves]] |score2=95
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-min-0042100153 Recap]
|Q1= 21–'''39'''|Q2= '''23'''–12|Q3= 23–'''32'''|Q4='''37'''–12
|points1= [[Desmond Bane]] 26|points2= [[D'Angelo Russell]] 22
|rebounds1= [[Ja Morant]] 10|rebounds2= [[Jarred Vanderbilt]] 13
|assist1= Ja Morant 10|assist2=D'Angelo Russell 8
|attendance=19,634
|referee=James Capers, Josh Tiven, Scott Twardoski
|series=Memphis leads series, 2–1
}} Despite trailing by 25+ points on two occasions, the Grizzlies battled back late in the game, including going on a 42–12 run in the final 13 minutes of the game to secure their first lead of the series. [[Ja Morant]] also became the first player in the Grizzlies' playoff history to record a [[triple-double]].
{{Basketballbox |date=April 23 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(9:00 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Target Center]], [[Minneapolis|Minneapolis, MN]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score1=118
|team2='''[[Minnesota Timberwolves]]''' |score2='''119'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-min-0042100154 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''33''' |Q2='''28'''–27 |Q3=31–'''33''' |Q4='''31'''–26
|points1=[[Desmond Bane]] 34 |points2=[[Karl-Anthony Towns]] 33
|rebounds1=[[Ja Morant]] 8 |rebounds2=Karl-Anthony Towns 14
|assist1=Ja Morant 15 |assist2=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 7
|attendance=19,832
|referee=John Goble, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Tre Maddox
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}} [[Karl-Anthony Towns]] and the Timberwolves were able to rebound after their Game 3 collapse, with Towns putting up a career playoff-best 33 points and 14 rebounds. [[Desmond Bane]] also had a career night, hitting eight three-pointers and leading the Grizzlies with 34 points, tying a career high.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 26 |time=7:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis, TN]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Minnesota Timberwolves]] |score1=109
|team2='''[[Memphis Grizzlies]]''' |score2='''111'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/min-vs-mem-0042100155 Recap]
|Q1='''31'''–28 |Q2=24–'''25''' |Q3='''30'''–21 |Q4=24–'''37'''
|points1=[[Karl-Anthony Towns]] 28 |points2=[[Ja Morant]] 30
|rebounds1=Karl-Anthony Towns 12 |rebounds2=[[Brandon Clarke]] 15
|assist1=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 8 |assist2=Ja Morant 9
|attendance=17,794
|referee=Marc Davis, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]], Gediminas Petraitis
|series=Memphis leads series, 3–2
}} After the Grizzlies erased a 13-point fourth quarter lead by the Timberwolves, the game would come down to the wire from that point on. At the eight-second mark, [[Ja Morant]] would make two clutch free throws. After Minnesota used their last timeout, [[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] would hit a clutch three-pointer to tie the game at 109 with 3.7 seconds left. After Memphis called a timeout, Morant hit a game-winning layup with one second left. This was the Grizzlies' second double-digit comeback victory of the series.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 29 |time=9:00 pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Target Center]], [[Minneapolis|Minneapolis, MN]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Memphis Grizzlies]]''' |score1='''114'''
|team2=[[Minnesota Timberwolves]] |score2=106
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-min-0042100156 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''29''' |Q2=21–'''23''' |Q3=25–'''32''' |Q4='''40'''–22
|points1=[[Desmond Bane|Bane]], [[Dillon Brooks|Brooks]] 23 each |points2= [[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] 14 |rebounds2=[[Karl-Anthony Towns]] 10
|assist1=[[Ja Morant]] 11 |assist2=Anthony Edwards 5
|attendance=20,323
|referee=Scott Foster, Courtney Kirkland, Mark Lindsay
|series=Memphis wins series, 4–2
}} The Grizzlies' rallied from a double-digit deficit entering the fourth quarter for the third time in the series, winning their opening playoff series for the first time in seven years. [[Desmond Bane]] and [[Dillon Brooks]] each scored 23 points, with Bane going 27-of-56 on three-pointers in the series.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = November 8, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/min-vs-mem-0022100149 Recap]
| team1 = [[Minnesota Timberwolves]] | score1 = 118
| team2 = '''[[Memphis Grizzlies]]''' | score2 = '''125'''
| place = [[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis, TN]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = November 20, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-min-0022100245 Recap]
| team1 = Memphis Grizzlies | score1 = 95
| team2 = '''Minnesota Timberwolves''' | score2 = '''138'''
| place = [[Target Center]], [[Minneapolis|Minneapolis, MN]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 13, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/min-vs-mem-0022100628 Recap]
| team1 = Minnesota Timberwolves | score1 = 108
| team2 = '''Memphis Grizzlies''' | score2 = '''116'''
| place = FedExForum, Memphis, TN
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 24, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-min-0022100892 Recap]
| team1 = Memphis Grizzlies | score1 = 114
| team2 = '''Minnesota Timberwolves''' | score2 = '''119'''
| place = Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
}}
|}

This was the first playoff meeting between the two teams.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Memphis Grizzlies versus Minnesota Timberwolves (Playoffs)|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=MEM&opp_id=MIN&is_playoffs=Y|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 13, 2022}}</ref>

====(3) Golden State Warriors vs. (6) Denver Nuggets====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 16 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(5:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score1=107
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''123'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-gsw-0042100161 Recap]
|Q1='''27'''–26|Q2=20–'''32'''|Q3=23–'''32'''|Q4='''37'''–33
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 25 |points2=[[Jordan Poole]] 30
|rebounds1=Nikola Jokić 10 |rebounds2=[[Andrew Wiggins]] 9
|assist1=Jokić, [[Monté Morris|Morris]] 6 each |assist2=[[Draymond Green]] 9
|attendance=18,064
|referee=Scott Foster, Ed Malloy, Karl Lane
|series=Golden State leads series, 1–0
}} In his playoff debut, [[Jordan Poole]] led the Warriors in points with 30, shooting 9-of-13. [[Stephen Curry]] also came off the bench to contribute 16 points in 21 minutes after missing exactly a month with a sprained ligament in his left foot. This was also the Warriors' first playoff win since Game 5 of the [[2019 NBA Finals]]. Also, the city of San Francisco hosted a playoff game for the first time since [[1964 NBA playoffs|1964]].
{{Basketballbox |date=April 18 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score1=106
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''126'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-gsw-0042100162 Recap]
|Q1='''26'''–25 |Q2=25–'''32''' |Q3=30–'''44''' |Q4=25–25
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 26 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 34
|rebounds1=Nikola Jokić 11 |rebounds2=[[Andrew Wiggins]] 8
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 4 |assist2=[[Jordan Poole]] 8
|attendance=18,064
|referee=Kane Fitzgerald, [[Curtis Blair]], Kevin Cutler
|series=Golden State leads series, 2–0
}} [[Stephen Curry]] came off the bench for a second straight game, dropping 34 points in 23 minutes to lead the Warriors to a 2–0 advantage in the series. [[Nikola Jokić]] also led the Nuggets with 26 points and 11 rebounds before being [[Ejection (sports)|ejected]] with seven minutes left in the game.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 21 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score1='''118'''
|team2=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score2=113
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-den-0042100163 Recap]
|Q1= '''34'''–32|Q2= '''35'''–27|Q3= 18–'''30'''|Q4='''31'''–24
|points1=[[Stephen Curry|Curry]], [[Jordan Poole|Poole]] 27 each |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 37
|rebounds1=[[Andrew Wiggins]] 6 |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 18
|assist1=[[Draymond Green]] 10 |assist2=[[Monté Morris]] 6
|attendance=19,627
|referee=David Guthrie, Courtney Kirkland, Mark Lindsay
|series=Golden State leads series, 3–0
}} The Warriors finished the game on a 9–2 run to hand the Nuggets their seventh consecutive loss in the playoffs. [[Stephen Curry]] and [[Jordan Poole]] combined for 54 points, along with [[Klay Thompson]] shooting six three-pointers en route to a 3–0 series lead.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 24 |time=3:30 pm {{small|(1:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=121
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''126'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-den-0042100164 Recap]
|Q1=21–'''26''' |Q2=31–'''37''' |Q3='''37'''–35 |Q4='''32'''–28
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 33 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 37
|rebounds1=[[Draymond Green]] 11 |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 8
|assist1=[[Jordan Poole]] 9 |assist2=[[Bones Hyland]] 7
|attendance=19,628
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Pat Fraher, Mitchell Ervin
|series=Golden State leads series, 3–1
}} The Nuggets finished the game on a 9–5 run, snapping their seven-game losing streak in the playoffs, dating back to the [[2021 NBA playoffs|2021 postseason]]. [[Nikola Jokić]] led all scorers with 37 points and assisted on a [[Will Barton]] three-pointer from the left corner with 8.3 seconds left, effectively putting the game away.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 27 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score1=98
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''102'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-gsw-0042100165 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''30''' |Q2='''23'''–18 |Q3='''30'''–22 |Q4=20–'''32'''
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 30 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 30
|rebounds1=Nikola Jokić 19 |rebounds2=[[Klay Thompson]] 9
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 8 |assist2=[[Draymond Green]] 6
|attendance=18,064
|referee=James Capers, Josh Tiven, Brian Forte
|series=Golden State wins series, 4–1
}} The Warriors advanced to the Western Conference semifinals for the first time since the [[2019 NBA playoffs]]. [[Stephen Curry]] scored 20 points in the second half, leading the Warriors with 30 points. [[Gary Payton II]] also scored 10 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter. [[Nikola Jokić]] scored 12 of his 30 points in the final 3:46 of the fourth quarter, finishing the game with 19 rebounds and eight assists as the Nuggets lost their eighth game in their last nine playoff games.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Denver won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 28, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-gsw-0022100514 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' | score1 = '''89'''
| team2 = [[Golden State Warriors]] | score2 = 86
| place = [[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 16, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-gsw-0022100883 Recap]
| team1 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score1 = '''117'''
| team2 = Golden State Warriors | score2 = 116
| place = Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 7, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-den-0022100528 Recap]
| team1 = Golden State Warriors | score1 = 124
| team2 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score2 = '''131'''
| place = [[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 10, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-den-0022100994 Recap]
| team1 = '''Golden State Warriors''' | score1 = '''113'''
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 102
| place = Ball Arena, Denver, CO
}}
|}

This was the second playoff meeting between the two teams, with the Warriors winning the first meeting.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DEN&opp_id=GSW&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Golden State Warriors (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 10, 2022}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoffs series
|-
!Golden State leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2013
| team1 = '''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Denver Nuggets]] | score2 = 2
| place = [[2013 NBA playoffs|2013 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(4) Dallas Mavericks vs. (5) Utah Jazz====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 16 |time=1:00 pm {{small|(12:00 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[American Airlines Center]], [[Dallas|Dallas, TX]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Utah Jazz]]''' |score1='''99'''
|team2=[[Dallas Mavericks]] |score2=93
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/uta-vs-dal-0042100171 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''23''' |Q2='''25'''–20 |Q3='''28'''–22 |Q4=26–'''28'''
|points1=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 32 |points2=[[Jalen Brunson]] 24
|rebounds1=[[Rudy Gobert]] 17 |rebounds2=Jalen Brunson 7
|assist1=Donovan Mitchell 6 |assist2=[[Spencer Dinwiddie]] 8
|attendance=20,013
|referee=James Capers, Pat Fraher, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Utah leads series, 1–0
}} Scoring just two points in the first half, [[Donovan Mitchell]] erupted in the second half with 30 points, leading the Jazz to a Game 1 win on the road. This was also the first time the Mavericks started the playoffs at home since their championship run in [[2011 NBA playoffs|2011]].
{{Basketballbox |date=April 18 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(7:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[American Airlines Center]], [[Dallas|Dallas, TX]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1=[[Utah Jazz]] |score1=104
|team2='''[[Dallas Mavericks]]''' |score2='''110'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/uta-vs-dal-0042100172 Recap]
|Q1=24–24 |Q2='''31'''–24 |Q3=26–'''29''' |Q4=23–'''33'''
|points1=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 34 |points2=[[Jalen Brunson]] 41
|rebounds1=[[Rudy Gobert]] 17 |rebounds2=Jalen Brunson 8
|assist1=Donovan Mitchell 5 |assist2=[[Spencer Dinwiddie]] 6
|attendance=20,113
|referee=David Guthrie, Courtney Kirkland, Ed Malloy
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} Down 0–1 in the series and without their star [[Luka Dončić]], the Mavericks won due to a career-high 41 points from [[Jalen Brunson]], along with the franchise record of fewest turnovers ever in a postseason game, with 3.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 21 |time=9:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Vivint Arena]], [[Salt Lake City|Salt Lake City, UT]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1='''[[Dallas Mavericks]]''' |score1='''126'''
|team2=[[Utah Jazz]] |score2=118
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-uta-0042100173 Recap]
|Q1= '''27'''–20|Q2= '''41'''–31|Q3= 29–'''40'''|Q4='''29'''–27
|points1= [[Jalen Brunson]] 31|points2= [[Donovan Mitchell]] 32
|rebounds1= [[Dorian Finney-Smith]] 8|rebounds2=[[Rudy Gobert]] 7
|assist1= ''three players'' 6 each|assist2=[[Mike Conley Jr.|Conley]], Mitchell 6 each
|attendance=18,306
|referee=John Goble, Tre Maddox, [[Nick Buchert]]
|series=Dallas leads series, 2–1
}} Despite [[Donovan Mitchell]] putting up 28 points in the second half, the Mavericks took their first lead of the series, with the Dallas bench outscoring the Utah bench 49–24. The Jazz had previously won 11 straight against the Mavericks at home coming into the game.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 23 |time=4:30 pm {{small|(2:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Vivint Arena]], [[Salt Lake City|Salt Lake City, UT]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Dallas Mavericks]] |score1=99
|team2='''[[Utah Jazz]]''' |score2='''100'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-uta-0042100174 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''24''' |Q2=19–'''30''' |Q3='''39'''–24 |Q4=18–'''22'''
|points1=[[Luka Dončić]] 30 |points2=[[Jordan Clarkson]] 25
|rebounds1=Luka Dončić 10 |rebounds2=[[Rudy Gobert]] 15
|assist1=Luka Dončić 4 |assist2=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 7
|attendance=18,306
|referee=Kane Fitzgerald, James Williams, Michael Smith
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}} [[Luka Dončić]] made his return after missing the first three games of the series due to a "calf strain" and scored a [[double-double]] with 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists. Despite this, however, the game came down to the wire. With 30 seconds left in the game with the Mavericks up one, [[Dwight Powell]] was fouled but missed 2 crucial free throws, then [[Donovan Mitchell]] lobbed the ball to [[Rudy Gobert]] for an [[alley-oop]], giving the Jazz the lead with 11 seconds to go. Dallas had one more shot, but the potential game-winning three-pointer fell short as Utah tied the series 2-all. The Jazz also became the fifth team since [[2013 NBA playoffs|2013]] to win after trailing by four-plus points in the final 40 seconds. Teams were 4–701 in that span coming into the game.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 25 |time=9:30 pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[American Airlines Center]], [[Dallas|Dallas, TX]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Utah Jazz]]
|score1=77
|team2='''[[Dallas Mavericks]]''' |score2='''102'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-uta-0042100175 Recap]
|Q1=18–'''24''' |Q2=18–'''28''' |Q3=19–'''29''' |Q4='''22'''–21
|points1=[[Jordan Clarkson]] 20 |points2=[[Luka Dončić]] 33
|rebounds1=[[Rudy Gobert]] 11 |rebounds2=Luka Dončić 13
|assist1=[[Mike Conley Jr.|Mike Conley]] 5 |assist2=Luka Dončić 5
|attendance=20,577
|referee=James Capers, [[Tony Brothers]], Jacyn Goble
|series=Dallas leads series, 3–2
}} After the first four games were decided by eight points or less, the Mavericks routed the Jazz at home 102–77 to regain the series lead. [[Luka Dončić]] once again led the Mavericks in points (33), rebounds (13), and assists (5) for the second straight game. [[Donovan Mitchell]], who averaged 30 points in the first four games, scored just nine and missed all seven of his three-pointers before leaving with a left hamstring injury in the fourth quarter.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 28 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Vivint Arena]], [[Salt Lake City|Salt Lake City, UT]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Dallas Mavericks]]''' |score1='''98'''
|team2=[[Utah Jazz]] |score2=96
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-uta-0042100176 Recap]
|Q1=15–'''21''' |Q2=26–'''32''' |Q3='''36'''–19 |Q4=21–'''24'''
|points1=[[Jalen Brunson|Brunson]], [[Luka Dončić|Dončić]] 24 each |points2=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 23
|rebounds1=[[Dorian Finney-Smith]] 10 |rebounds2=[[Rudy Gobert]] 12
|assist1=Luka Dončić 8 |assist2=Donovan Mitchell 9
|attendance=18,306
|referee=David Guthrie, Sean Wright, Pat Fraher
|series=Dallas wins series, 4–2
}} Though the Jazz had a 12-point lead at halftime, the Mavericks stormed back to take the lead in the final few minutes. [[Rudy Gobert]] made a layup with 35 seconds to go to reduce the deficit to just one point. However, after a [[Mike Conley Jr.|Mike Conley]] turnover, [[Jalen Brunson]] doubled the Mavericks' lead by scoring a free throw at 4.3 seconds. [[Bojan Bogdanović]] then missed a game-winning three-pointer with 1.9 seconds left on the clock to hand the Mavericks their first series win since their championship run in [[2011 NBA playoffs|2011]]. [[Donovan Mitchell]] recovered from the injury he sustained in the previous game, and had 23 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists. Brunson and [[Luka Dončić]] each scored 24 points for Dallas, and [[Spencer Dinwiddie]] scored 19 points.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 25, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-uta-0022100492 Recap]
| team1 = [[Dallas Mavericks]] | score1 = 116
| team2 = '''[[Utah Jazz]]''' | score2 = '''120'''
| place = [[Vivint Arena]], [[Salt Lake City|Salt Lake City, UT]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 25, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-uta-0022100903 Recap]
| team1 = Dallas Mavericks | score1 = 109
| team2 = '''Utah Jazz''' | score2 = '''114'''
| place = Vivint Arena, Salt Lake City, UT
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 7, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/uta-vs-dal-0022100972 Recap]
| team1 = Utah Jazz | score1 = 103
| team2 = '''Dallas Mavericks''' | score2 = '''111'''
| place = [[American Airlines Center]], [[Dallas|Dallas, TX]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 27, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/uta-vs-dal-0022101121 Recap]
| team1 = Utah Jazz | score1 = 100
| team2 = '''Dallas Mavericks''' | score2 = '''114'''
| place = American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
}}
|}

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Mavericks winning the first two meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DAL&opp_id=UTA&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Dallas Mavericks versus Utah Jazz (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 10, 2022}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Dallas leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1986
| team1 = [[Utah Jazz]] | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''[[Dallas Mavericks]]''' | score2 = 3
| place = [[1986 NBA playoffs|1986 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 2001
| team1 = '''Dallas Mavericks''' | score1 = 3
| team2 = Utah Jazz | score2 = 2
| place = [[2001 NBA playoffs|2001 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

==Conference semifinals==
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

===Eastern Conference semifinals===

====(1) Miami Heat vs. (4) Philadelphia 76ers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 2 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[FTX Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score1=92
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''106'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-mia-0042100201 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''30''' |Q2='''29'''–20 |Q3=21–'''30''' |Q4=20–'''26'''
|points1=[[Tobias Harris]] 27 |points2=[[Tyler Herro]] 25
|rebounds1=[[James Harden|Harden]], [[Paul Reed (basketball)|Reed]] 9 each |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 12
|assist1=James Harden 5 |assist2=Tyler Herro 7
|attendance=19,620
|referee=Marc Davis, Sean Wright, Mark Lindsay
|series=Miami leads series, 1–0
}} Without [[Joel Embiid]], who suffered an orbital fracture and concussion in the final minutes of Game 6 against Toronto, the 76ers were unable to overcome missing their star player, with Philadelphia shooting 17.6% from beyond the arc, their second-worst percentage of the season. [[Tyler Herro]] scored 25 points — the second-most he's ever had in a playoff game — while [[Bam Adebayo]] finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds as the top-seeded Heat outscored the 76ers 56–41 in the second half.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 4 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[FTX Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score1=103
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''119'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-mia-0042100202 Recap]
|Q1=24–'''31''' |Q2=28–'''29''' |Q3=28–'''31''' |Q4=23–'''28'''
|points1=[[Tyrese Maxey]] 34 |points2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 23
|rebounds1=[[Furkan Korkmaz]] 6 |rebounds2=Bam Adebayo 9
|assist1=[[James Harden]] 9 |assist2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 12
|attendance=19,759
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Josh Tiven, Tom Washington
|series=Miami leads series, 2–0
}} The 76ers were unable to rally without their star [[Joel Embiid]] for the second straight game, with four Heat players scoring 18+ points ([[Bam Adebayo|Adebayo]], [[Jimmy Butler|Butler]], [[Tyler Herro|Herro]] and [[Victor Oladipo|Oladipo]]), along with shooting 48.3% from the three-point line. [[Tyrese Maxey]] led the way for Philadelphia with 34 points, but a 10–0 run in the fourth turned an eight-point Miami lead into an 18-point advantage, sealing the win.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 6 |time=7:00 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=79
|team2='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score2='''99'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042100203 Recap]
|Q1=17–'''21''' |Q2=17–'''20''' |Q3='''31'''–27 |Q4=14–'''31'''
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 33 |points2=[[Danny Green (basketball)|Green]], [[Tyrese Maxey|Maxey]] 21 each
|rebounds1=Jimmy Butler 10 |rebounds2=[[Joel Embiid]] 11
|assist1=[[Kyle Lowry]] 3 |assist2=[[Tobias Harris]] 8
|attendance=21,033
|referee=James Capers, Ed Malloy, Ben Taylor
|series=Miami leads series, 2–1
}} Although listed as "doubtful" leading into the game, [[Joel Embiid]] made his first appearance of the series, leading the 76ers to their first win with 18 points and 11 rebounds. [[Danny Green (basketball)|Danny Green]] rebounded from a poor shooting performance in Game 2 (shooting 1-for-10), making 6-of-7 three-pointers through the first three quarters. [[Kyle Lowry]] also returned from injury, but finished the game scoreless, with [[Jimmy Butler]] being the only Heat player to score more than 14 points in the game.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 8 |time=8:00 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=108
|team2='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score2='''116'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-phi-0042100204 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''30''' |Q2=28–'''34''' |Q3='''29'''–25 |Q4=23–'''27'''
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 40 |points2=[[James Harden]] 31
|rebounds1=[[Tyler Herro]] 10 |rebounds2=[[Joel Embiid]] 11
|assist1=[[Kyle Lowry]] 7 |assist2=James Harden 9
|attendance=21,194
|referee=Scott Foster, Eric Lewis, Brian Forte
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}} After being held for under 30 points in 13 consecutive playoff games, [[James Harden]] broke through with 31 points to help Philadelphia tie the series. [[Joel Embiid]] once again contributed with 24 points and 11 rebounds as the 76ers shot 48.5% from the three-point line. [[Jimmy Butler]] also scored 40 points on 13-of-20 shooting from the floor, but the Heat, who shot 38% on three-pointers during the season, shot just 7-of-35 (20%) from beyond the arc.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 10 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[FTX Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score1=85
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''120'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-mia-0042100205 Recap]
|Q1=19–'''31''' |Q2=25–25 |Q3=22–'''25''' |Q4=19–'''39'''
|points1=[[Joel Embiid]] 17 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 23
|rebounds1=[[Paul Reed (basketball)|Paul Reed]] 8 |rebounds2=[[Max Strus]] 10
|assist1=[[James Harden]] 4 |assist2=[[P. J. Tucker]] 7
|attendance=19,868
|referee=Kane Fitzgerald, James Williams, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Miami leads series, 3–2
}} The Heat outscored the 76ers by 35 points, tying the second largest margin of victory in Heat playoff history and tying the largest margin of victory of the 2022 NBA playoffs at the time of the game. Seven players for the Heat scored in double-digits, with [[Jimmy Butler]] scoring 23 points and [[Max Strus]] with 19 points and 10 rebounds. None of Philadelphia's starters played in the final 8:18 of the game, as the Heat outscored the 76ers 39–19 in the fourth quarter.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 12 |time=7:00 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]'''|score1='''99'''
|team2=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score2=90
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-phi-0042100206 Recap]
|Q1='''28'''–25|Q2=21–'''23'''|Q3=''' 25'''–15|Q4=25–'''27'''
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 32|points2=[[Joel Embiid|Embiid]], [[Tyrese Maxey|Maxey]] 20 each
|rebounds1=[[Max Strus]] 11|rebounds2=Joel Embiid 12
|assist1=[[Gabe Vincent]] 6|assist2=[[James Harden]] 9
|attendance=21,082
|referee=David Guthrie, John Goble, [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=Miami wins series, 4–2
}} [[Jimmy Butler]] scored 32 points and led the Heat to the conference finals for the second time in three seasons, with Butler scoring 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting in the third quarter where the Heat used a 16–2 run to take control. [[Joel Embiid]] scored 20 points with 12 rebounds on 7-of-24 shooting, but teammate [[James Harden]] failed to score in the second half, scoring all 11 of his points in the first half. The loss marked the fourth time in the last five years the 76ers had lost in the conference semifinals, having last reached the conference finals in [[2001 NBA playoffs|2001]].

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 15, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-phi-0022100419 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Miami Heat]]''' | score1 = '''101'''
| team2 = [[Philadelphia 76ers]] | score2 = 96
| place = [[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 15, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-mia-0022100645 Recap]
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = '''109'''
| team2 = Miami Heat | score2 = 98
| place = [[FTX Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 5, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-mia-0022100956 Recap]
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 82
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = '''99'''
| place = FTX Arena, Miami, FL
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 21, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-phi-0022101074 Recap]
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 106
| team2 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score2 = '''113'''
| place = Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
}}
|}

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning one previous series.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Philadelphia 76ers versus Miami Heat (Playoffs)|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=PHI&opp_id=MIA&is_playoffs=Y|website=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 28, 2022}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoffs series
|-
!Series tied 1–1 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| date = 2011
| team1 = [[Philadelphia 76ers]] | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''[[Miami Heat]]''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2011 NBA playoffs|2011 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 2018
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2018 NBA playoffs|2018 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Milwaukee Bucks====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 1|time=1:00 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score1='''101'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=89
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-bos-0042100211 Recap]
|Q1='''27'''–24 |Q2='''29'''–22 |Q3=22–'''24''' |Q4='''23'''–19
|points1=[[Jrue Holiday]] 25 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 21
|rebounds1=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 13 |rebounds2=[[Al Horford]] 10
|assist1=Giannis Antetokounmpo 12 |assist2=[[Marcus Smart|Smart]], Tatum 6 each
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Scott Foster, [[Curtis Blair]], Ed Malloy
|series=Milwaukee leads series, 1–0
}} The Bucks won their fourth consecutive playoff game thanks to [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]]'s second career playoff triple-double, along with [[Jrue Holiday]] leading the team with 25 points and 10 rebounds. [[Jayson Tatum]] scored 21 and [[Jaylen Brown]] had 12 points, but combined to shoot 10-for-31 in the game.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 3|time=7:00 pm|place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score1=86
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''109'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-bos-0042100212 Recap]
|Q1=21–'''32''' |Q2=19–'''33''' |Q3='''26'''–18 |Q4=20–'''26'''
|points1=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 28 |points2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 30
|rebounds1=Giannis Antetokounmpo 9 |rebounds2=[[Al Horford]] 11
|assist1=Antetokounmpo, [[Jrue Holiday|Holiday]] 7 each |assist2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 8
|attendance=19,156
|referee=David Guthrie, Courtney Kirkland, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} Despite being without [[Marcus Smart]], the [[NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award|Defensive Player of the Year]], the Celtics held the Bucks to just 86 points, with Milwaukee shooting 16.7% from the 3-point line. [[Jaylen Brown]] rebounded in Game 2, scoring 25 of his 30 points in the first half, including 5-for-5 from the three-point line.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 7|time=3:30 pm {{small|(2:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}}|place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Boston Celtics]] |score1=101
|team2='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score2='''103'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mil-0042100213 Recap]
|Q1=19–'''22''' |Q2='''31'''–24 |Q3=17–'''34''' |Q4='''34'''–23
|points1=[[Jaylen Brown]] 27 |points2=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 42
|rebounds1=[[Al Horford]] 16 |rebounds2=Giannis Antetokounmpo 12
|assist1=Al Horford 5 |assist2=Giannis Antetokounmpo 8
|attendance=17,736
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Sean Wright, Pat Fraher
|series=Milwaukee leads series, 2–1
}} Boston trailed by as much as 14 late in the third quarter and was facing a 13-point deficit with less than 10 minutes left before storming back. The Celtics pulled ahead 100–99 on [[Jaylen Brown]]'s two free throws with 1:49 remaining. However, after [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] made a go-ahead basket with 44.3 seconds left, [[Marcus Smart]] was fouled just before attempting a potential tying three-pointer with 4.6 seconds left. After making the first free throw, Smart missed the second intentionally and got his own rebound, but missed his putback attempt. After a brief scramble, [[Al Horford]] got the rebound and banked it in, but his final shot came just after the buzzer sounded, giving Milwaukee the win.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 9|time=7:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''116'''
|team2=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score2=108
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042100214 Recap]
|Q1=18–'''25''' |Q2='''29'''–23 |Q3=26–'''32''' |Q4='''43'''–28
|points1=[[Al Horford|Horford]], [[Jayson Tatum|Tatum]] 30 each |points2=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 34
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 13 |rebounds2=Giannis Antetokounmpo 18
|assist1=[[Marcus Smart]] 8 |assist2=[[Jrue Holiday]] 9
|attendance=17,505
|referee=James Capers, [[Tony Brothers]], Jacyn Goble
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}} The Celtics tied the series thanks to [[Al Horford]] and [[Jayson Tatum]] scoring 30 points apiece. Horford had 16 points and Tatum 12 in the fourth quarter alone to help the Celtics outscore the defending NBA champions at home 43–28. [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] led the way for the Bucks with 34 points and 18 rebounds, but [[Jrue Holiday]] notably struggled from the field, shooting 5-for-22 (22.7%) as the Bucks shot 41.5% from the field as a team.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 11|time=7:00 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]'''|score1='''110'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]]|score2=107
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-bos-0042100215 Recap]
|Q1='''28'''–26 |Q2=19–'''28''' |Q3=30–'''32''' |Q4='''33'''–21
|points1=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 40 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 34
|rebounds1=[[Bobby Portis]] 15 |rebounds2=[[Jaylen Brown|Brown]], [[Al Horford|Horford]] 8 each
|assist1=[[Jrue Holiday]] 8 |assist2=''three players'' 6 each
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, Mark Lindsay
|series=Milwaukee leads series, 3–2
}} With Boston looking to go up 3–2 in the series and leading by as much as 14 by the start of the fourth quarter, Milwaukee mounted a furious comeback in the final minutes. Down by 6 with 1:45 left in the game, both [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] and [[Jrue Holiday]] each hit three pointers to tie the game 105-all. After [[Jayson Tatum]] was fouled and made both free throws with 31 seconds left, Antetokounmpo would also be fouled, making the first but missing the second. However, [[Bobby Portis]] secured the rebound and scored with 11.4 left, while [[Marcus Smart]]'s potentially go-ahead shot was blocked by Holiday, who then converted two free throws to make it a three-point game with 5.9 left. Smart would be stripped of the ball by Holiday again at midcourt, completing the Bucks' comeback victory.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 13|time=7:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''108'''
|team2=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score2=95
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042100216 Recap]
|Q1='''28'''–26 |Q2='''25'''–17 |Q3='''29'''–27 |Q4='''26'''–25
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 46 |points2=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 44
|rebounds1=[[Al Horford]] 10 |rebounds2=Giannis Antetokounmpo 20
|assist1=[[Marcus Smart]] 7 |assist2=Giannis Antetokounmpo 6
|attendance=17,681
|referee=Eric Lewis, Tre Maddox, Ben Taylor{{efn|Scott Foster was originally scheduled to be the Crew Chief of this game, but had to pull out due to a non-covid illness and was replaced by Tre Maddox, with Eric Lewis appointed as the new Crew chief of the game.}}
|series=Series tied, 3–3
}} Looking to move on from their loss in Game 5 and looking to avoid elimination on the road, the Celtics were able to control the game, leading by as much as 18. Once again, however, the Bucks tried to mount another rally, cutting the deficit to four, but the Celtics were able to respond and force a Game 7 in Boston. [[Jayson Tatum]] led the way with 46 points, nine rebounds and four assists, while [[Al Horford]] recorded 10 rebounds and four blocks for the Celtics. [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] also had a big performance in the Bucks' loss, scoring 44 points, six assists, and 20 rebounds—the first 40–20 playoff game since [[Shaquille O'Neal]] in Game 1 of the [[2001 NBA Finals]].
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 15|time=3:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score1=81
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''109'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-bos-0042100217 Recap]
|Q1='''26'''–20 |Q2=17–'''28''' |Q3=21–'''31''' |Q4=17–'''30'''
|points1=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 25 |points2=[[Grant Williams (basketball)|Grant Williams]] 27
|rebounds1=Giannis Antetokounmpo 20 |rebounds2=[[Al Horford]] 10
|assist1=Giannis Antetokounmpo 9 |assist2=[[Marcus Smart]] 10
|attendance=19,156
|referee=James Capers, Kane Fitzgerald, John Goble
|series=Boston wins series, 4–3
}} The Bucks controlled most of the first quarter, leading by as much as 10, but the Celtics would storm back to lead by five points at halftime. Then, the Celtics took over the game from that point on as they beat the defending champions by 28 points. [[Grant Williams (basketball)|Grant Williams]] scored a career-high 27 points, including seven three-pointers while [[Jayson Tatum]] scored 23 points, [[Al Horford]] grabbed 10 rebounds, Celtics' bench player [[Payton Pritchard]] scored 14 points, including four three-pointers, and [[Marcus Smart]] had 10 assists. As a team, the Celtics connected on a Game 7 record 22 made three-pointers.

Despite the Bucks' loss, [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] secured a double-double with 25 points, 20 rebounds, and 9 assists, barely missing out on a triple-double. The Bucks missed 24 of their last 25 attempts from three-point range and finished the game 4–33 from beyond the arc in Game 7, which is the second worst three-point percentage in a playoff game ever with 30+ attempts. Antetokounmpo would become the first player with 200 points, 100 rebounds, and 50 assists in a playoff series.
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = November 12, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-bos-0022100175 Recap]
| team1 = [[Milwaukee Bucks]] | score1 = 113
| team2 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score2 = '''122'''
| place = [[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = December 13, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-bos-0022100408 Recap]
| team1 = Milwaukee Bucks | score1 = 103
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''117'''
| place = TD Garden, Boston, MA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 25, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mil-0022100489 Recap]
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 113
| team2 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score2 = '''117'''
| place = [[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 7, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mil-0022101198 Recap]
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 121
| team2 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score2 = '''127'''
| place = Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
}}
|}

This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning five of the first seven meetings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Milwaukee Bucks versus Boston Celtics (Playoffs)|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=MIL&opp_id=BOS&is_playoffs=Y|website=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 23, 2019}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoffs series
|-
!Boston leads 5–2 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1974
| team1 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Milwaukee Bucks]] | score2 = 3
| place = [[1974 NBA Finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1983
| team1 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 0
| place = [[1983 NBA playoffs|1983 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1984
| team1 = Milwaukee Bucks | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1984 NBA playoffs|1984 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1986
| team1 = Milwaukee Bucks | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1986 NBA playoffs|1986 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1987
| team1 = Milwaukee Bucks | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1987 NBA playoffs|1987 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 2018
| team1 = Milwaukee Bucks | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2018 NBA playoffs|2018 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 2019
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2019 NBA playoffs|2019 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
|}

===Western Conference semifinals===

====(1) Phoenix Suns vs. (4) Dallas Mavericks====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 2 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Dallas Mavericks]] |score1=114
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''121'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-phx-0042100221 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''35''' |Q2=31–'''34''' |Q3=23–'''27''' |Q4='''35'''–25
|points1=[[Luka Dončić]] 45 |points2=[[Deandre Ayton]] 25
|rebounds1=Luka Dončić 12 |rebounds2=[[Devin Booker]] 9
|assist1=Luka Dončić 8 |assist2=Devin Booker 8
|attendance=17,071
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Josh Tiven, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]]
|series=Phoenix leads series, 1–0
}} After jumping to a 9–0 lead in the opening minutes, the Suns never trailed in the game as they beat the Mavericks for the 10th straight time, dating back to 2019. All five Suns starters scored in double figures, with [[Deandre Ayton]] leading the way with 25 points. [[Luka Dončić]] led the Mavericks with 45 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists, but no other Mavericks starter scored more than 15 points.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 4 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Dallas Mavericks]] |score1=109
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''129'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-phx-0042100222 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''32''' |Q2='''32'''–26 |Q3=23–'''31''' |Q4=26–'''40'''
|points1=[[Luka Dončić]] 35 |points2=[[Devin Booker]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Jalen Brunson|Brunson]], Dončić 5 each |rebounds2=[[Jae Crowder]] 7
|assist1=Luka Dončić 7 |assist2=[[Chris Paul]] 8
|attendance=17,071
|referee=James Capers, [[Tony Brothers]], Ben Taylor
|series=Phoenix leads series, 2–0
}} Leading 89–83 entering the fourth quarter, the Suns exploded on offense, shooting 84% from the field (16-of-19) and outscoring Dallas 40–26. [[Chris Paul]] and [[Devin Booker]] combined for 58 points, with Paul scoring 14 of his 28 in the fourth quarter, as the Suns shot a franchise playoff-record 64.5% from the field. [[Luka Dončić]] scored 35 points, but only one other starter for the Mavericks scored more than 9 points.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 6 |time=9:30 pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[American Airlines Center]], [[Dallas|Dallas, TX]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score1=94
|team2='''[[Dallas Mavericks]]''' |score2='''103'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-dal-0042100223 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''29''' |Q2='''24'''–22 |Q3=23–'''31''' |Q4='''27'''–21
|points1=[[Jae Crowder]] 19 |points2=[[Jalen Brunson]] 28
|rebounds1=[[Deandre Ayton]] 11 |rebounds2=[[Luka Dončić]] 13
|assist1=[[Devin Booker]] 6 |assist2=Luka Dončić 9
|attendance=20,777
|referee=Marc Davis, John Goble, [[Rodney Mott]]
|series=Phoenix leads series, 2–1
}} After struggling in the first two games of the series, [[Jalen Brunson]] scored 28 points and helped the Mavericks snap an 11-game losing streak against the Suns. [[Luka Dončić]] also had 26 points to go with 13 rebounds and nine assists, one assist shy of his fourth-career playoff [[triple-double]]. For the Suns, [[Chris Paul]] struggled on his 37th birthday, committing seven turnovers in the first half, the most turnovers Paul's ever had in any half in his career.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 8 |time=3:30 pm {{small|(2:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[American Airlines Center]], [[Dallas|Dallas, TX]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score1=101
|team2='''[[Dallas Mavericks]]''' |score2='''111'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-dal-0042100224 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''37''' |Q2=31–31 |Q3='''22'''–19 |Q4=23–'''24'''
|points1=[[Devin Booker]] 35 |points2=[[Luka Dončić]] 26
|rebounds1=[[Deandre Ayton]] 11 |rebounds2=[[Dorian Finney-Smith]] 8
|assist1=Booker, [[Chris Paul|Paul]] 7 each |assist2=Luka Dončić 11
|attendance=20,610
|referee=Kane Fitzgerald, James Williams, [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}} The Mavericks tied the series thanks to a playoff career-high from [[Dorian Finney-Smith]], who scored 24 points on 8-of-12 from three-point range. Dallas matched its 20 three-pointers (20-of-44) from a similar [[Mother's Day]] rout of the [[Los Angeles Lakers]] in [[2011 NBA playoffs|2011]], a win that completed a four-game sweep in the second round. [[Devin Booker]] scored 35 points for the Suns, but [[Chris Paul]] was in foul trouble the majority of the game, eventually fouling out early in the fourth quarter, finishing the game with 5 points and 6 fouls.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 10 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Dallas Mavericks]] |score1=80
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''110'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-phx-0042100225 Recap]
|Q1='''26'''–23 |Q2=20–'''26''' |Q3=14–'''33''' |Q4=20–'''28'''
|points1=[[Luka Dončić]] 28 |points2=[[Devin Booker]] 28
|rebounds1=Luka Dončić 11 |rebounds2=[[Deandre Ayton]] 9
|assist1=''three players'' 2 each |assist2=[[Chris Paul]] 10
|attendance=17,071
|referee=David Guthrie, Sean Wright, Tom Washington
|series=Phoenix leads series, 3–2
}} After leading by 3 coming out of halftime, the Suns outscored the Mavericks 61–34, including a 17–0 run in the third quarter as the Suns won their fourth consecutive playoff game at home. [[Devin Booker]] led the Suns in points with 28, adding his playoff career total to 804 points in 30 career playoff games. [[Luka Dončić]] finished with 28 points and 11 rebounds and [[Jalen Brunson]] added 21 points. However, the Mavericks shot just 38% from the field as a team, making just 9 assists, the lowest amount of assists by a team in the playoffs since [[2016 NBA playoffs|2016]].

During the final seconds of the game, Suns center [[Bismack Biyombo]] was fouled on a dunk attempt by Mavericks forward [[Marquese Chriss]]. The two had a verbal altercation after the foul, and both players were subsequently ejected. After he was ejected, Chriss ran into the same tunnel that Biyombo had gone into, and the two exchanged further words. Security guards and Mavericks center [[Boban Marjanović]] helped separate the two players from each other.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Marquese Chriss follows Bismack Biyombo down tunnel after late ejections in Suns' Game 5 win over Mavericks |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33895535/marquese-chriss-follows-bismack-biyombo-tunnel-late-ejections-suns-game-5-win-mavericks |access-date=May 11, 2022 |website=ESPN.com|date=May 11, 2022 }}</ref>
{{Basketballbox |date=May 12 |time=9:30 pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[American Airlines Center]], [[Dallas|Dallas, TX]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score1=86
|team2='''[[Dallas Mavericks]]''' |score2='''113'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-dal-0042100226 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''28''' |Q2=20–'''32''' |Q3=27–'''34''' |Q4=14–'''19'''
|points1=[[Deandre Ayton]] 21 |points2=[[Luka Dončić]] 33
|rebounds1=Deandre Ayton 11 |rebounds2=Luka Dončić 11
|assist1=[[Mikal Bridges]] 5 |assist2=Luka Dončić 8
|attendance=20,777
|referee=James Capers, Courtney Kirkland, Ed Malloy
|series=Series tied, 3–3
}} After previously going 0–2 in elimination games in his career, [[Luka Dončić]] scored 33 points and 11 rebounds to help the Mavericks force a Game 7, with Dallas going on a decisive 19–5 run to finish the first half. [[Devin Booker]] scored 19 points, but was shut out from 3-point range (0-of-4) and committed a season-high eight turnovers, with the Suns shooting a playoff-low 40% with 22 turnovers, also a playoff low. [[Chris Paul]] also struggled, having more turnovers (5) than assists (4), the second time in the last four games in which that's occurred.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 15 |time=8:00 pm {{small|(5:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Dallas Mavericks]]''' |score1='''123'''
|team2=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score2=90
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-phx-0042100227 Recap]
|Q1='''27'''–17 |Q2='''30'''–10 |Q3='''35'''–23 |Q4=31–'''40'''
|points1=[[Luka Dončić]] 35 |points2=[[Cameron Johnson]] 12
|rebounds1=Luka Dončić 10 |rebounds2=[[JaVale McGee]] 6
|assist1=Dončić, [[Dorian Finney-Smith|Finney-Smith]] 4 each |assist2=[[Chris Paul]] 4
|attendance=17,071
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], [[Tony Brothers]], Josh Tiven
|series=Dallas wins series, 4–3
}} This was the Suns first Game 7 since the [[2006 NBA playoffs#(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (6) Los Angeles Clippers|2006 Western Conference semifinals]]. In a series where every home team won their game, Game 7 had a different outcome. The Mavericks dominated the entire game, never giving the Suns the lead, eventually going into halftime by a score of 57–27 in favor of Dallas. The lead would later grow to as much as 46 as the Mavericks upset the Suns in 7 games, and advanced to the Western Conference finals for the first time since their championship run in [[2011 NBA playoffs|2011]].

[[Luka Dončić]] shined in the victory with a double-double (35 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists), while [[Jalen Brunson]] and [[Spencer Dinwiddie]] scored 24 and 30 points, respectively. [[Devin Booker]] had 11 points, and [[Chris Paul]] had 10 points and 4 assists as the duo were held to a combined 7-for-22 from the field. Chris Paul also became the first player ever to blow five 2–0 leads in a best-of-7 series, along with losing his 4th consecutive Game 7.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Phoenix won 3–0 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = November 18, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/0022100222 Recap]
| team1 = [[Dallas Mavericks]] | score1 = 98
| team2 = '''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' | score2 = '''105'''
| place = [[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = November 20, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/0022100237 Recap]
| team1 = Dallas Mavericks | score1 = 104
| team2 = '''Phoenix Suns'''| score2 = '''112'''
| place = Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 20, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/0022100222 Recap]
| team1 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score1 = '''109'''
| team2 = Dallas Mavericks | score2 = 101
| place = [[American Airlines Center]], [[Dallas|Dallas, TX]]
}}
|}

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning one series.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Dallas Mavericks versus Phoenix Suns (Playoffs)|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DAL&opp_id=PHO&is_playoffs=Y|website=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 29, 2022}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoffs series
|-
!Series tied 1–1 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2005
| team1 = [[Dallas Mavericks]] | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2005 NBA playoffs|2005 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 2006
| team1 = Phoenix Suns | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''Dallas Mavericks''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2006 NBA playoffs|2006 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
|}

====(2) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (3) Golden State Warriors====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 1 |time=3:30 pm {{small|(2:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, TN]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score1='''117'''
|team2=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score2=116
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-mem-0042100231 Recap]
|Q1=24–'''32''' |Q2='''31'''–29 |Q3='''36'''–29 |Q4=26–26
|points1=[[Jordan Poole]] 31 |points2=[[Ja Morant]] 34
|rebounds1=''three players'' 8 each |rebounds2=[[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] 10
|assist1=Jordan Poole 9 |assist2=Ja Morant 10
|attendance=17,794
|referee=Kane Fitzgerald, James Williams, Gediminas Petraitis
|series=Golden State leads series, 1–0
}} [[Klay Thompson]] hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 36 seconds left, and the Warriors overcame [[Draymond Green]]'s first-half ejection to edge the Grizzlies 117–116. [[Jordan Poole]] led the Warriors with a career-high 31 points off the bench, hitting a playoff-best 5-of-10 3-pointers. [[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] matched his season high with six 3-pointers and had a playoff career-high 33 points. [[Ja Morant]] also led the team with 34 points and 10 assists, but missed the potential go-ahead layup as time expired.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 3 |time=9:30 pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, TN]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=101
|team2='''[[Memphis Grizzlies]]''' |score2='''106'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-mem-0042100232 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''33''' |Q2='''26'''–23 |Q3='''26'''–21 |Q4=24–'''29'''
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 27 |points2=[[Ja Morant]] 47
|rebounds1=[[Draymond Green]] 10 |rebounds2=''three players'' 8 each
|assist1=Stephen Curry 8 |assist2=Ja Morant 8
|attendance=17,794
|referee=Scott Foster, Eric Lewis, Mitchell Ervin
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} [[Ja Morant]] scored 47 points to match his postseason high and tie the series with a 106–101 victory over the Warriors. Morant scored the last 15 points for Memphis, starting with 4:16 left, along with hitting a 7-foot jumper with 1:42 left to permanently give Memphis the lead. Morant also became the third player in league history to have multiple 45-point games in the postseason before turning 23, joining [[LeBron James]] and [[Kobe Bryant]].
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 7 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(5:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score1=112
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''142'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-gsw-0042100233 Recap]
|Q1='''28'''–26 |Q2=29–'''38''' |Q3=23–'''37''' |Q4=32–'''41'''
|points1=[[Ja Morant]] 34 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 30
|rebounds1=[[De'Anthony Melton|Melton]], [[Ziaire Williams|Williams]] 4 each |rebounds2=[[Klay Thompson]] 9
|assist1=Ja Morant 7|assist2=[[Draymond Green]] 8
|attendance=18,064
|referee=David Guthrie, Courtney Kirkland, Tre Maddox
|series=Golden State leads series, 2–1
}} The Warriors scored over 140 points in a playoff game for the first time since [[1967 NBA playoffs|1967]] as they routed the Grizzlies 142–112. [[Stephen Curry]] scored 30 points, [[Klay Thompson]] had 21 and nine rebounds and Golden State shut down the Memphis supporting cast, with no other Grizzlies player besides [[Ja Morant]] scoring more than 16 points. Morant had 34 points prior to injuring his right knee midway through the fourth quarter.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 9 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score1=98
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''101'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042100234 Recap]
|Q1='''24'''–20|Q2=17–'''18'''|Q3='''28'''–24|Q4=29–'''39'''
|points1=[[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] 21 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 32
|rebounds1=[[Steven Adams]] 15 |rebounds2=[[Draymond Green]] 11
|assist1=[[Dillon Brooks]] 8 |assist2=Stephen Curry 8
|attendance=18,064
|referee=Marc Davis, John Goble, Karl Lane
|series=Golden State leads series, 3–1
}} With Warriors head coach [[Steve Kerr]] out after testing positive for COVID-19 and [[Ja Morant]] out for Memphis after injuring his right knee, [[Mike Brown (basketball, born 1970)|Mike Brown]] took over head coaching duties for the Warriors and led Golden State on an 11–5 run to end the game, with [[Stephen Curry]] converting eight free throws over the final 45.7 seconds to finish the game with 32 points. The Warriors scored 39 points in the fourth, topping their 38 the entire first half. [[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] and [[Dillon Brooks]] combined for 33 points for the Grizzlies, but shot a combined 12-of-40 (30%) from the field.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 11 |time=9:30 pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, TN]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=95
|team2='''[[Memphis Grizzlies]]''' |score2='''134'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-mem-0042100235 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''38'''|Q2=22–'''39'''|Q3=17–'''42'''|Q4='''28'''–15
|points1=[[Klay Thompson]] 19|points2=''three players'' 21 each
|rebounds1=[[Draymond Green]] 7|rebounds2=[[Steven Adams]] 13
|assist1=Draymond Green 5|assist2=[[Tyus Jones]] 9
|attendance=17,794
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], [[Tony Brothers]], [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]]
|series=Golden State leads series, 3–2
}} Facing elimination at home and their star [[Ja Morant]] doubtful for the remainder of the playoffs, the Grizzlies dominated Game 5, leading by as much as 55 points at one point. [[Jaren Jackson Jr.]], [[Desmond Bane]] and [[Tyus Jones]] each scored 21 points as Memphis set a new record for largest margin of victory in a game in Grizzlies playoff history, as well as the largest margin of victory in the 2022 playoffs. The Warriors also lost for the first time with assistant [[Mike Brown (basketball, born 1970)|Mike Brown]] filling in for coach [[Steve Kerr]], who missed his second straight game since testing positive for COVID prior to Game 4. [[Klay Thompson]] and [[Stephen Curry]] combined for 33 points, but Golden State turned the ball over 22 times, the most turnovers they had had in a game since [[2014 NBA playoffs|2014]].
{{Basketballbox |date=May 13 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score1=96
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''110'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042100236 Recap]
|Q1=26–'''30'''|Q2='''25'''–23|Q3='''26'''–25|Q4=19–'''32'''
|points1=[[Dillon Brooks]] 30 |points2=[[Klay Thompson]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Steven Adams]] 10 |rebounds2=[[Kevon Looney]] 22
|assist1=[[Tyus Jones]] 8 |assist2=[[Draymond Green]] 8
|attendance=18,064
|referee=Kane Fitzgerald, James Williams, Josh Tiven
|series=Golden State wins series, 4–2
}} [[Klay Thompson]] knocked down eight 3-pointers en route to 30 points and [[Stephen Curry]] scored 29 with six 3-pointers to send the Warriors to the Western Conference finals for the sixth time in the last eight years. [[Draymond Green]] also contributed 14 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists, along with [[Kevon Looney]] returning to the starting lineup and grabbing 22 rebounds, a career high. The Warriors also out-rebounded the Grizzlies 70–44, becoming the first team to grab 70+ rebounds in a playoff game since [[1983 NBA playoffs|1983]] and have 25 offensive rebounds, the most since [[1987 NBA playoffs|1987]].

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Memphis won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 28, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/0022100070 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Memphis Grizzlies]]''' | score1 = '''104'''
| team2 = [[Golden State Warriors]] | score2 = 101
| place = [[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = December 23, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/0022100485 Recap]
| team1 = Memphis Grizzlies | score1 = 104
| team2 = '''Golden State Warriors''' | score2 = '''113'''
| place = Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 11, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/0022100614 Recap]
| team1 = Golden State Warriors | score1 = 108
| team2 = '''Memphis Grizzlies''' | score2 = '''116'''
| place = [[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, TN]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 28, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/0022101129 Recap]
| team1 = Golden State Warriors | score1 = 95
| team2 = '''Memphis Grizzlies''' | score2 = '''123'''
| place = FedExForum, Memphis, TN
}}
|}

This was the second playoff meeting between the two teams, with the Warriors winning the first meeting.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Golden State Warriors versus Memphis Grizzlies (Playoffs)|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=GSW&opp_id=MEM&is_playoffs=Y|website=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 30, 2022}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoffs series
|-
!Golden State leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2015
| team1 = [[Memphis Grizzlies]] | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2015 NBA playoffs|2015 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
|}

==Conference finals==
{{Main|NBA Conference finals}}
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

===Eastern Conference finals===

====(1) Miami Heat vs. (2) Boston Celtics====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 17 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[FTX Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Boston Celtics]] |score1=107
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''118'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0042100301 Recap]
|Q1='''28'''–25 |Q2='''34'''–29 |Q3=14–'''39''' |Q4='''31'''–25
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 29 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 41
|rebounds1=[[Jaylen Brown]] 10 |rebounds2=Jimmy Butler 9
|assist1=Jayson Tatum 6 |assist2=Jimmy Butler 5
|attendance=19,774
|referee=Zach Zarba, Tony Brothers, Ed Malloy
|series=Miami leads series, 1–0
}} [[Jimmy Butler]] scored 27 of his 41 points in the second half, and a huge third quarter by the Heat—in which Butler outscored the Celtics by himself—carried them to an 118–107 win. [[Jayson Tatum]] had 29 points and [[Jaylen Brown]] had 24, but were without starters [[Marcus Smart]] (foot) and [[Al Horford]] (health and safety protocols). Along with being outscored 39–14 in the third quarter, Boston failed to score a field goal in the first six minutes of the second half — the slowest start to a half in any of the Celtics' 94 games this season.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 19 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[FTX Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''127'''
|team2=[[Miami Heat]] |score2=102
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0042100302 Recap]
|Q1='''35'''–24 |Q2='''35'''–21 |Q3=26–26 |Q4=31–31
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 27 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 29
|rebounds1=[[Marcus Smart]] 9 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 9
|assist1=Marcus Smart 12 |assist2=''four players'' 3 each
|attendance=20,100
|referee=David Guthrie, John Goble, Bill Kennedy
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} [[Jayson Tatum]] scored 27 points, [[Marcus Smart]] and [[Jaylen Brown]] each had 24 as the Celtics went on a massive first-half run to roll past the Heat on the road. Boston used a 17–0 run late in the first quarter—fueled by five 3-pointers in the span of six possessions—to take control. Smart was also a rebound shy of a triple-double, after adding 12 assists and nine rebounds. [[Jimmy Butler]] had 29 points in 32 minutes, but no other player for Miami scored more than 14 points as the Heat suffered their first loss at home in these playoffs.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 21 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''109'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=103
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0042100303 Recap]
|Q1='''39'''–18 |Q2=23–'''29''' |Q3=25–25 |Q4=22–'''31'''
|points1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 31 |points2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 40
|rebounds1=Bam Adebayo 10 |rebounds2=[[Al Horford]] 14
|assist1=Adebayo, [[Kyle Lowry|Lowry]] 6 each |assist2=[[Marcus Smart]] 7
|attendance=19,156
|referee=James Capers, James Williams, Curtis Blair
|series=Miami leads series, 2–1
}} After a blowout loss in Miami that cost them home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference finals, the Heat jumped to a 26-point first-half lead over the Celtics in Game 3. [[Bam Adebayo]] scored 31 points with 10 rebounds, filling a void left by injured all-star [[Jimmy Butler]], while also putting up six assists and four of the Heat's franchise postseason record 19 steals. The Celtics never led, but they cut a 46–20 deficit to 1 point on a 3-pointer from [[Jaylen Brown]], who finished with 40 points.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 23 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=82
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''102'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0042100304 Recap]
|Q1=11–'''29''' |Q2=22–'''28''' |Q3=19–19 |Q4='''30'''–26
|points1=[[Victor Oladipo]] 23 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 31
|rebounds1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 7 |rebounds2=[[Al Horford]] 13
|assist1=[[Gabe Vincent]] 7 |assist2=[[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] 6
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Scott Foster, Kane Fitzgerald, Pat Fraher
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}} Despite being without [[Marcus Smart]] due to a right ankle sprain, the Celtics jumped out to a 26–4 first quarter lead and never trailed en route to dominating the Heat in Game 4. [[Jayson Tatum]] led all scorers with 31 points, and [[Al Horford]] was masterful defensively for the Celtics, grabbing 13 rebounds and blocking four shots.

For Miami, they scored just 52 points in the first three quarters, with the Heat not successfully making a shot from the field until 3:21 left in the first quarter, the longest drought without a field goal to start a playoff game in the last 25 years. [[Victor Oladipo]] also came off the bench and outscored the entire Miami starting lineup, with the 18 points from the Heat starting five being the fewest points scored by a team's starters in a playoff game since starters were first tracked in 1971, and the first time an entire starting lineup was outscored by a player from its own bench.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 25 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[FTX Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''93'''
|team2=[[Miami Heat]] |score2=80
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0042100305 Recap]
|Q1=17–'''19''' |Q2=20–'''23''' |Q3='''32'''–16 |Q4='''24'''–22
|points1=[[Jaylen Brown]] 25 |points2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 18
|rebounds1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 12 |rebounds2=[[P. J. Tucker]] 11
|assist1=Jayson Tatum 9 |assist2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 4
|attendance=19,819
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, Mark Lindsay
|series=Boston leads series, 3–2
}} With [[Marcus Smart]] returning to the starting lineup for Boston and [[Tyler Herro]] ruled out for Miami due to a groin injury, the first half was a low-scoring affair with the score at halftime 42–37 in favor of the Heat. The game remained close until the 3rd quarter with 2:44 left. As the Celtics were ahead 59–58, they increased their lead with a 24–2 run which continued into the 4th quarter, eventually putting the game away as the Celtics became one game away from advancing to their first NBA Finals in [[2010 NBA Finals|12 years]]. [[Jaylen Brown]] led the Celtics with 25 points while [[Jayson Tatum]] secured a double-double with 22 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists. Tatum (24 years and 83 days old) became the 2nd youngest player in NBA history to reach 1,500 playoff points.

Meanwhile, the Heat shot 7–45 (15.6%) from three in Game 5, which was the 2nd lowest 3P% in NBA playoff history with 40+ attempts. The Miami backcourt also struggled as [[Kyle Lowry]] and [[Max Strus]] went a combined 0–15 in the game, which was the worst 0-fer for a starting backcourt in a playoff game since starters were officially tracked in 1971.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 27 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''111'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=103
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0042100306 Recap]
|Q1='''29'''–22 |Q2=19–'''24''' |Q3='''34'''–29 |Q4='''29'''–28
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 47 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo|Adebayo]], Butler 9 each |rebounds2=[[Al Horford|Horford]], Tatum 9 each
|assist1=[[Kyle Lowry]] 10 |assist2=''three players'' 5 each
|attendance=19,156
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Eric Lewis, Courtney Kirkland
|series=Series tied, 3–3
}} Coming into the game, many fans and experts believed that the season for the Heat was going to end after their lackluster performances in games 4 and 5, with [[Golden State Warriors]] player [[Draymond Green]] stating “We’re going to play Boston” in response to who he would rather face in the [[2022 NBA Finals]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Haynes |first1=Chris |title=Udonis Haslem: 'Draymond broke the code' saying Warriors would face Celtics in NBA Finals |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/udonis-haslem-draymond-broke-the-code-saying-warriors-would-face-celtics-in-nba-finals-050925538.html |website=Yahoo Sports |date=May 28, 2022 |access-date=28 May 2022}}</ref>

With Miami facing elimination, [[Jimmy Butler]] scored a playoff career-high 47 points (shooting 16-for-29) to go with 9 rebounds, 8 assists, and four steals as the Heat forced a Game 7. [[Kyle Lowry]] also had his best game of the series, scoring 18 points and 10 assists before fouling out late in the fourth quarter. For Boston, [[Jayson Tatum]] had 30 points and nine rebounds, while [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] came off the bench to score 11 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter. [[Jaylen Brown]] also scored 20 points for Boston, but missed a crucial pair of free throws with the game tied at 99 as the Heat finished the game on a 17–6 run.

Many fans and media members compared Butler's performance to that of [[LeBron James]] when he was with the Heat during [[2012 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (4) Boston Celtics|Game 6 of the 2012 Eastern Conference finals]] (also against the Celtics), in which he scored 45 points, 15 rebounds & five assists on the road while facing elimination.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 29 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[FTX Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''100'''
|team2=[[Miami Heat]] |score2=96
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0042100307 Recap]
|Q1='''32'''–17 |Q2=23–'''32''' |Q3='''27'''–26 |Q4=18–'''21'''
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 26 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 35
|rebounds1=[[Al Horford]] 14 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 11
|assist1=[[Jaylen Brown|Brown]], Tatum 6 each |assist2=Bam Adebayo 4
|attendance=20,200
|referee=Scott Foster, James Capers, David Guthrie
|series=Boston wins series, 4–3
}} Boston opened up on a 12–3 run and had a 15-point lead after one quarter. The Celtics led by 17 early in the second quarter, but the Heat would pull within 6 by halftime. The Heat cut the lead to 2 early in the third, but the Celtics responded to every second-half Miami rally, leading by as many as 14. Although the Heat cut the lead to just 3 points with 10 minutes left, the Celtics rebuilt their lead, and were up 98–85 with 3:25 left. The Heat then went on a furious 11–0 run in 3 minutes, bringing the score to 98–96. After [[Marcus Smart]] missed a driving layup with 20 seconds left, the Heat had a chance to tie or take the lead. However, [[Jimmy Butler]] missed a three-point shot, and [[Al Horford]] grabbed the defensive rebound, leading to two free throws that made it a 4-point game with 11 seconds to go. The Heat failed to score, and the Celtics won 100–96, with Boston never trailing in the game.

With the win, the Celtics advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since [[2010 NBA Finals|2010]] and for the 22nd time in their franchise history. Horford, in his 15th season, shed a record for the most playoff games without an NBA Finals appearance, at 141.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Al Horford set to no longer own dubious NBA postseason record|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/al-horford-set-appear-first-nba-finals-after-nba-record-141-postseason-games |access-date=2022-05-30 |website=RSN |language=en}}</ref>

[[Jayson Tatum]] won the inaugural [[NBA Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award|Eastern Conference finals MVP award]], averaging 25.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 5.6 assists on 46% from the field, 35% from beyond the arc, and 86% from the free-throw line.

Notably, [[Mark Jones (sportscaster)|Mark Jones]] filled-in for [[Mike Breen]] as play-by-play commentator in game 7, with [[Jeff Van Gundy]] and [[Mark Jackson]] intact as analysts; Breen was out due to a positive COVID-19 test. Originally, Jones was to call the game on [[NBA on ESPN Radio|ESPN Radio]] with [[Doris Burke]]. However, with changes in the commentary team, [[Marc Kestecher]] joined Burke on ESPN Radio.<ref>{{cite web|last=Rivera|first=Joe|title=Where is Mike Breen? Why ESPN's Mark Jones is calling Celtics vs. Heat Game 7 instead|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/mike-breen-mark-jones-espn-celtics-heat-game-7-covid-19/st6mlvm0tguan6jffj2kelyj|access-date=May 30, 2022|website=The Sporting News|date=May 29, 2022 }}</ref> Game 7 was also the most watched conference finals game on ESPN in four years, averaging 9.9 million viewers and peaking at 12.1 million viewers.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Boston won 2–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = November 4, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0022100121 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score1 = '''95'''
| team2 = [[Miami Heat]] | score2 = 78
| place = [[FTX Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 31, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0022100762 Recap]
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 92
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''122'''
| place = [[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 30, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0022101139 Recap]
| team1 = '''Miami Heat''' | score1 = '''106'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 98
| place = TD Garden, Boston, MA
}}
|}

This was the fifth playoff meeting between the two teams, with the Heat winning three of the first four meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=BOS&opp_id=MIA&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Miami Heat (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|date=May 15, 2022|access-date=May 15, 2022}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoffs series
|-
!Miami leads 3–1 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2010
| team1 = [[Miami Heat]] | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[2010 NBA playoffs|2010 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2011
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[2011 NBA playoffs|2011 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2012
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[2012 NBA playoffs|2012 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2020
| team1 = '''Miami Heat''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 2
| place = [[2020 NBA playoffs|2020 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
|}

===Western Conference finals===

====(3) Golden State Warriors vs. (4) Dallas Mavericks ====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 18 |time=9:00 pm {{small|(6:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Dallas Mavericks]] |score1=87
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''112'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-gsw-0042100311 Recap]
|Q1=18–'''28''' |Q2='''27'''–26 |Q3=24–'''34''' |Q4=18–'''24'''
|points1=[[Luka Dončić]] 20 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 21
|rebounds1=Dončić, [[Dorian Finney-Smith|Finney-Smith]] 7 each |rebounds2=Stephen Curry 12
|assist1=[[Jalen Brunson|Brunson]], Dončić 4 each |assist2=''three players'' 4 each
|attendance=18,064
|referee=James Capers, Courtney Kirkland, Mark Lindsay
|series=Golden State leads series, 1–0
}} [[Stephen Curry]] had 21 points and a game-high 12 rebounds, while [[Jordan Poole]] and [[Andrew Wiggins]] both scored 19 as the Warriors took Game 1 at home, with Golden State holding Dallas to their lowest field goal percentage of the playoffs (36.0%). [[Luka Dončić]] led the Mavericks with 20 points, but shot just 6-of-18 from the field, along with scoring just two points and committing six turnovers in the second half as the Mavericks lost their third straight Game 1 of the playoffs.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 20 |time=9:00 pm {{small|(6:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Dallas Mavericks]] |score1=117
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''126'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-gsw-0042100312 Recap]
|Q1='''32'''–25 |Q2='''40'''–33 |Q3=13–'''25''' |Q4=32–'''43'''
|points1=[[Luka Dončić]] 42 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 32
|rebounds1=[[Dorian Finney-Smith]] 8 |rebounds2=[[Kevon Looney]] 12
|assist1=Luka Dončić 8 |assist2=''five players'' 5 each
|attendance=18,064
|referee=Kane Fitzgerald, Eric Lewis, Ben Taylor
|series=Golden State leads series, 2–0
}} [[Luka Dončić]] had 18 points in the first quarter, and 42 points total. His 3-pointer with 13 seconds before halftime — the Mavs' 15th of the first half — made it 72–58 at the break. Although they trailed by 19 at one point, Golden State answered with a 25–13 third quarter to pull to 85–83 going into fourth. The Warriors would not look back from there, shooting 78.9% in the fourth quarter as Golden State outscored Dallas 68–45 in the second half. [[Stephen Curry]] scored 32 points with six 3-pointers and eight rebounds, while [[Kevon Looney]] had a career-high 21 points and 12 rebounds.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 22 |time=9:00 pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[American Airlines Center]], [[Dallas|Dallas, TX]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score1='''109'''
|team2=[[Dallas Mavericks]] |score2=100
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-dal-0042100313 Recap]
|Q1='''25'''–22 |Q2=23–'''25''' |Q3='''30'''–21 |Q4=31–'''32'''
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 31 |points2=[[Luka Dončić]] 40
|rebounds1=[[Kevon Looney]] 12 |rebounds2=Luka Dončić 11
|assist1=Stephen Curry 11 |assist2=[[Reggie Bullock]] 4
|attendance=20,813
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Golden State leads series, 3–0
}} [[Stephen Curry]] scored 31 points, while [[Andrew Wiggins]]'s playoff career high 27 points helped Golden State beat the Mavericks to take a 3–0 lead in the Western Conference finals. [[Luka Dončić]] scored 40 points and shot 4-for-9 from beyond the arc, but that was a blip on an otherwise rough night from 3-point range for the Mavericks, who missed their first seven and finished 13-of-45 (28.9%).

The game is notable for a highlight play that occurred with 6:40 left in the 4th quarter with the score 91–83 in favor of the Warriors. Stephen Curry passed the ball to Andrew Wiggins who drove down the baseline to dunk, [[Posterized|posterizing]] Luka Dončić. The play was controversially called an offensive foul on Wiggins (which would have nullified the dunk), but the call was reversed to no foul and a good basket after a successful challenge by Warriors' coach [[Steve Kerr]].
{{Basketballbox |date=May 24 |time=9:00 pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[American Airlines Center]], [[Dallas|Dallas, TX]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=109
|team2='''[[Dallas Mavericks]]''' |score2='''119'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-dal-0042100314 Recap]
|Q1=24–'''28''' |Q2=23–'''34''' |Q3=23–'''37''' |Q4='''39'''–20
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 20 |points2=[[Luka Dončić]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Jonathan Kuminga]] 8 |rebounds2=Luka Dončić 14
|assist1=Stephen Curry 8 |assist2=Luka Dončić 9
|attendance=20,810
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], David Guthrie, Sean Wright
|series=Golden State leads series, 3–1
}} With the Warriors having a chance to sweep and head to the NBA Finals, the Mavericks dominated the entire game after the 1st quarter, going on a 25–6 run in a span of 7 minutes during the 2nd quarter, eventually leading 62–47 by halftime, and increasing the lead by 29 by the 4th quarter. The Warriors, however, thanks in part to [[Jonathan Kuminga]] and [[Moses Moody]], rallied a comeback attempt, decreasing the deficit to 8 with 3:23 left in the 4th quarter, resulting in [[Steve Kerr]] to bring back in his starters. However, the Mavericks would silence the rally, keeping their season alive and forcing a fifth game in San Francisco. [[Luka Dončić]] scored a near triple-double with 30 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists. [[Stephen Curry]] scored 20 points and eight assists, while [[Jonathan Kuminga]] grabbed eight rebounds.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 26 |time=9:00 pm {{small|(6:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Dallas Mavericks]] |score1=110
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''120'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-gsw-0042100315 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''28''' |Q2=29–'''41''' |Q3='''32'''–25 |Q4=26–26
|points1=[[Luka Dončić]] 28 |points2=[[Klay Thompson]] 32
|rebounds1=Luka Dončić 9 |rebounds2=[[Kevon Looney]] 18
|assist1=Luka Dončić 6 |assist2=[[Stephen Curry|Curry]], [[Draymond Green|Green]] 9 each
|attendance=18,064
|referee=Scott Foster, John Goble, [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=Golden State wins series, 4–1
}} After [[ACL tear|tearing his left ACL]] in the [[2019 NBA Finals]] and then [[Achilles tendon rupture|tearing his right Achilles' tendon]] just before the start of the 2020–21 season, [[Klay Thompson]] helped send the Warriors to their sixth NBA Finals in the last eight years, scoring 32 points and shooting 8-for-16 from 3-point range. [[Kevon Looney]] also scored 10 points and grabbed 18 rebounds, finishing the game with more offensive rebounds (7) than the Mavericks (6).

[[Stephen Curry]] was awarded the inaugural [[NBA Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award|Western Conference finals MVP award]], averaging 23.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 7.4 assists on 44% from the field, 44% from beyond the arc, and 84% from the free-throw line.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Dallas won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 5, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-dal-0022100572 Recap]
| team1 = [[Golden State Warriors]] | score1 = 82
| team2 = '''[[Dallas Mavericks]]''' | score2 = '''99'''
| place = [[American Airlines Center]], [[Dallas|Dallas, TX]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 25, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-gsw-0022100720 Recap]
| team1 = Dallas Mavericks | score1 = 92
| team2 = '''Golden State Warriors''' | score2 = '''130'''
| place = [[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 27, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/dal-vs-gsw-0022100917 Recap]
| team1 = '''Dallas Mavericks''' | score1 = '''107'''
| team2 = Golden State Warriors | score2 = 101
| place = Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 3, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-dal-0022100943 Recap]
| team1 = Golden State Warriors |
score1 = 113
| team2 = '''Dallas Mavericks''' |
score2 = '''122'''
| place = American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
}}
|}

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Warriors winning the first meeting.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DAL&opp_id=GSW&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Dallas Mavericks versus Golden State Warriors (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=May 15, 2022}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoffs series
|-
!Golden State leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2007
| team1 = '''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = [[Dallas Mavericks]] | score2 = 2
| place = [[2007 NBA playoffs|2007 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

==NBA Finals: (W3) Golden State Warriors vs. (E2) Boston Celtics==
{{Main article|2022 NBA Finals}}
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 2 |time=9:00 pm {{small|(6:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''120'''
|team2=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score2=108
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-gsw-0042100401 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''32''' |Q2='''28'''–22 |Q3=24–'''38''' |Q4='''40'''–16
|points1=[[Al Horford]] 26 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 34
|rebounds1=[[Jaylen Brown]] 7 |rebounds2=[[Draymond Green]] 11
|assist1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 13 |assist2=''three players'' 5 each
|attendance=18,064
|referee=Marc Davis, John Goble, James Williams
|series=Boston leads series, 1–0
}}
{{Basketballbox |date=June 5 |time=8:00 pm {{small|(5:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Boston Celtics]] |score1=88
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''107'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-gsw-0042100402 Recap]
|Q1=30–'''31''' |Q2=20–'''21''' |Q3=14–'''35''' |Q4='''24'''–20
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 28 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 29
|rebounds1=[[Al Horford]] 8 |rebounds2=[[Kevon Looney]] 7
|assist1=[[Marcus Smart]] 5 |assist2=[[Draymond Green]] 7
|attendance=18,064
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], [[Tony Brothers]], Josh Tiven
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 8 |time=9:00 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=100
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''116'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-bos-0042100403 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''33''' |Q2=34–'''35''' |Q3='''33'''–25 |Q4=11–'''23'''
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 31 |points2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 27
|rebounds1=[[Kevon Looney|Looney]], [[Andrew Wiggins|Wiggins]] 7 each |rebounds2=[[Robert Williams III]] 10
|assist1=[[Otto Porter Jr.]] 4 |assist2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 9
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Scott Foster, David Guthrie, Courtney Kirkland
|series=Boston leads series, 2–1
}}
{{Basketballbox |date=June 10 |time=9:00 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score1='''107'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=97
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-bos-0042100404 Recap]
|Q1=27–'''28'''|Q2=22–'''26'''|Q3='''30'''–24|Q4='''28'''–19
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 43 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 23
|rebounds1=[[Andrew Wiggins]] 16 |rebounds2=[[Robert Williams III]] 12
|assist1=[[Draymond Green]] 8 |assist2=Jayson Tatum 6
|attendance=19,156
|referee=James Capers, Kane Fitzgerald, Eric Lewis
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 13 |time=9:00 pm {{small|(6:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Boston Celtics]] |score1=94
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''104'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-gsw-0042100405 Recap]
|Q1=16–'''27''' |Q2=23–'''24''' |Q3='''35'''–24 |Q4=20–'''29'''
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 27 |points2=[[Andrew Wiggins]] 26
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 10 |rebounds2=Andrew Wiggins 13
|assist1=[[Jaylen Brown|Brown]], Tatum 4 each |assist2=[[Stephen Curry]] 8
|attendance=18,064
|referee=Marc Davis, [[Tony Brothers]], Josh Tiven
|series=Golden State leads series, 3–2
}}
{{Basketballbox |date=June 16 |time=9:00 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score1='''103'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=90
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-bos-0042100406 Recap]
|Q1= '''27'''–22 |Q2='''27'''–17 |Q3=22–'''27''' |Q4='''27'''–24
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 34 |points2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 34
|rebounds1=[[Draymond Green]] 12 |rebounds2=[[Al Horford]] 14
|assist1=Draymond Green 8 |assist2=[[Marcus Smart]] 9
|attendance=19,156
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], David Guthrie, John Goble
|series=Golden State wins series, 4–2
}}

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 1–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = December 17, 2021
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-bos-0022100435 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score1 = '''111'''
| team2 = [[Boston Celtics]] |score2 = 107
| place = [[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 16, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-gsw-0022101042 Recap]
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''110'''
| team2 = Golden State Warriors | score2 = 88
| place = [[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]]
}}
|}

This was the fifth playoff meeting between the two teams, and the second since the [[History of the Golden State Warriors|Philadelphia Warriors]] relocated to the [[San Francisco Bay Area|Bay Area]] in 1962, with the Celtics winning the first four meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=BOS&opp_id=GSW&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Golden State Warriors (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=May 30, 2022}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoffs series
|-
!Boston leads 4–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1958
| team1 = [[Philadelphia Warriors]] | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[1958 NBA playoffs|1958 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1960
| team1 = Philadelphia Warriors | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[1960 NBA playoffs|1960 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1962
| team1 = Philadelphia Warriors | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[1962 NBA playoffs|1962 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1964
| team1 = San Francisco Warriors | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[1964 NBA playoffs|1964 NBA Finals]]|
}}
|}

==Statistical leaders==
{|class=wikitable style="text-align:left;"
|-
!rowspan=2|Category !!colspan=3|Game High !!colspan=4|Average
|-
! Player !! Team !! High !! Player !! Team !! Avg. !! {{tooltip|GP|Games played}}
|-
| [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| [[Ja Morant]] [[Jimmy Butler]] || [[Memphis Grizzlies]] [[Miami Heat]] || 47
| [[Luka Dončić]] [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] || [[Dallas Mavericks]] [[Milwaukee Bucks]] || 31.7 || 15 12
|-
| [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| [[Jonas Valančiūnas]] || [[New Orleans Pelicans]] || 25
| Jonas Valančiūnas || New Orleans Pelicans || 14.3 || 6
|-
| [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
| Ja Morant [[James Harden]] || Memphis Grizzlies [[Philadelphia 76ers]] || 15
| Ja Morant || Memphis Grizzlies || 9.8 || 9
|-
| [[Steal (basketball)|Steals]]
| [[Javonte Green]] || [[Chicago Bulls]] || 7
| Jimmy Butler || Miami Heat || 2.1 || 17
|-
| [[Block (basketball)|Blocks]]
| [[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] || Memphis Grizzlies || 7
| Jaren Jackson Jr. || Memphis Grizzlies || 2.5 || 12
|}

==Media coverage==

===Television===
[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]], [[NBA on ABC|ABC]], [[NBA on TNT|TNT]], and [[NBA TV]] broadcast the playoffs nationally in the United States. Regional sports networks affiliated with teams also broadcast first-round games, except for those weekend games televised on ABC.{{efn|Game 3 of the Bucks–Bulls first round series aired nationally on ABC and co-existed with the teams' respective regional sports networks.}}<ref>{{cite web |date=April 26, 2022 |title=Celtics-Nets finishes strong as NBA rebound continues |url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2022/04/celtics-nets-ratings-nba-playoff-viewership-tnt-espn-abc-warriors-nuggets/ |access-date=April 26, 2022 |work=Sports Media Watch|author=Paulsen}}</ref>

During the first two rounds, Sunday through Wednesday night games were primarily on TNT, Friday night games on ESPN, and Sunday afternoon games on ABC. Exceptions on those days included a Sunday afternoon game on TNT during the first weekend of the playoffs, ESPN televising one Sunday afternoon game in place of ABC due to [[Formula One|F1]] coverage, and ABC broadcasting one Friday night first round game. NBA TV also televised selected Monday through Thursday night games in the first round and served as the overflow of any games televised on TNT (except when games on NBA TV and TNT at the same time in which TBS served as the overflow broadcaster). For Thursday night games, TNT aired them in the first round and ESPN in the second round. Saturday first round games were spilt, with TNT only airing two games due to no game 7's in that round, ESPN five games, and ABC one game. ABC then aired all Saturday second round games (except two second round game 1's on TNT in place of no game 7's in the first round). ESPN/ABC had exclusive coverage of the Eastern Conference finals while TNT had exclusive coverage of the Western Conference finals. ABC had exclusive coverage of the NBA Finals for the 20th straight year.

In Canada, the home market of the Toronto Raptors, national broadcast rights were split approximately equally between the [[Sportsnet]] and [[The Sports Network|TSN]] groups of channels. Under those rights, the two broadcasters were allowed to produce separate Canadian feeds for all games involving the Raptors regardless of round or U.S. broadcaster. Sportsnet and TSN general simulcast the ABC, ESPN, TNT or NBA TV feed for all other series.

==Sponsorship==
As part of a new multiyear agreement with [[Google Pixel]], the playoffs were officially known as the '''2022 NBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel'''. which will be the first ever playoff tournament to be title sponsored.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://theathletic.com/news/nba-reaches-deal-to-make-google-pixel-first-presenting-partner-of-nba-playoffs/vdNiFbAdZ5JR/?amp=1|title=NBA reaches deal to make Google Pixel first presenting partner of NBA playoffs|author=The Athletic Staff|website=TheAthletic.com|date=2021-10-18|access-date=2022-12-24}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{noteslist}}

==See also==
* [[NBA records]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Sports}}
*[https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_2022.html Basketball – Reference.com's 2022 Playoffs section]

{{NBAPlayoffs}}
{{2021–22 NBA season by team}}

[[Category:2021–22 NBA season|Playoffs]]
[[Category:National Basketball Association playoffs]]

2023 NBA playoffs

2023-12-16T08:02:18Z

Rangers00: Add more to the Conference Semifinals overview

{{Short description|Professional basketball tournament to determine the 2023 champion of the NBA}}
{{use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox basketball tournament season
| title = NBA playoffs
| image =
| year = 2023
| season = [[2022–23 NBA season|2022–23]]
| dates = April 15 – June 12, 2023
| num_teams = 16
| winners = [[2022–23 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]]
| count = 1
| second = [[2022–23 Miami Heat season|Miami Heat]]
| semifinal1 = [[2022–23 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]]
| semifinal2 = [[2022–23 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]]
| prev_season = [[2022 NBA playoffs|2022]]
| next_season = [[NBA playoffs|2024]]
}}
The '''2023 NBA playoffs''' was the [[NBA playoffs|postseason tournament]] of the [[National Basketball Association]]'s [[2022–23 NBA season|2022–23 season]]. The playoffs began on April 15 and concluded on June 12 with the [[Denver Nuggets]] winning the [[2023 NBA Finals]].

==Overview==
{{Prose|section|date=June 2023}}

===Updates to postseason appearances===
* The [[2022–23 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]] entered the postseason for the seventh consecutive season and also clinched the best record in the NBA for the third time in the last five seasons.
* The [[2022–23 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]] entered the postseason for the fifth consecutive season and also clinched the best record in the Western Conference for the first time in franchise history.
** The Nuggets also entered the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.
* The [[2022–23 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]] entered the postseason for the ninth consecutive season, currently the longest such streak in the NBA and the second longest playoffs streak in Major North American Sports behind the [[MLB]]'s [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] after the [[NHL]]'s [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] missed the [[2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs]] for the first time in 16 years.
* The [[2022–23 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]] entered the postseason for the sixth consecutive season.
* The [[2022–23 Brooklyn Nets season|Brooklyn Nets]] entered the postseason for the fifth consecutive season.
* The [[2022–23 Miami Heat season|Miami Heat]] entered the postseason for the fourth consecutive season.
** The Heat also entered the NBA Finals for the first time since [[2020 NBA Finals|2020]] and the seventh time in franchise history.
* The [[2022–23 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis Grizzlies]], [[2022–23 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]], and [[2022–23 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks]] entered the postseason for the third consecutive season.
* The [[2022–23 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]] and [[2022–23 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota Timberwolves]] entered the postseason for the second consecutive season.
* The [[2022–23 New York Knicks season|New York Knicks]], [[2022–23 Los Angeles Clippers season|Los Angeles Clippers]], and [[2022–23 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] entered the postseason for the first time since [[2021 NBA playoffs|2021]].
* The [[2022–23 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland Cavaliers]] entered the postseason for the first time since [[2017–18 Cleveland Cavaliers season|2018]], and the first time without [[LeBron James]] on their roster since [[1997–98 Cleveland Cavaliers season|1998]].
* The [[2022–23 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento Kings]] entered the postseason for the first time since [[2005–06 Sacramento Kings season|2006]], snapping the [[List of NBA franchise post-season droughts|longest postseason drought in NBA history]].
* The [[2022–23 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas Mavericks]] missed the postseason for the first time since [[2018–19 Dallas Mavericks season|2019]].
* The [[2022–23 Utah Jazz season|Utah Jazz]] missed the postseason for the first time since [[2015–16 Utah Jazz season|2016]].
* The [[2022–23 Charlotte Hornets season|Charlotte Hornets]] missed the postseason for the seventh consecutive season, currently the longest active postseason drought in the NBA.

===Notable occurrences===
* For the first time since the [[2000–01 NBA season|2000–01 season]], no team won at least 60 games in an 82-game regular season.{{Efn|Excluding the [[2011–12 NBA season|2011–12]] season, which was shortened due to the [[2011 NBA lockout|lockout]], and the [[2019–20 NBA season|2019–20]] and [[2020–21 NBA season|2020–21 seasons]], both of which were shortened due to the [[Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on basketball|COVID-19 pandemic]].}}
* This season marked the first time since the [[2004–05 NBA season|2004–05 season]] that two of the league's top three scorers ([[Luka Dončić]] and [[Damian Lillard]]) failed to reach the playoffs.
* All three Texas teams ([[Dallas Mavericks|Dallas]], [[Houston Rockets|Houston]], and [[San Antonio Spurs|San Antonio]]) missed the playoffs in the same season for the first time since the Mavericks formed in [[1980–81 NBA season|1980]]. This also marked the first time since [[1976 NBA playoffs|1976]] that Texas did not appear in the playoffs.
* All four California teams ([[Golden State Warriors|Golden State]], [[Los Angeles Clippers|LA Clippers]], [[Los Angeles Lakers|LA Lakers]], and [[Sacramento Kings|Sacramento]]) made the playoffs in the same season for the first time since the Kings relocated to Sacramento in [[1985–86 NBA season|1985]].
* All five teams from the [[Pacific Division (NBA)|Pacific Division]] qualified for the playoffs, marking the third instance every team in a division qualified for the playoffs since the NBA adopted the current six division format in [[2004–05 NBA season|2004–05]]. Previously, all five teams from the [[Central Division (NBA)|Central Division]] during the [[2005–06 NBA season|2005–06]] season and the [[Southwest Division (NBA)|Southwest Division]] during the [[2014–15 NBA season|2014–15]] season qualified for the playoffs.
* A No. 10 seed advanced to the second stage of the play-in tournament for the first time since the implementation of the [[Page playoff system|Page–McIntyre system]] in [[NBA play-in tournament#2021|2021]].
* The [[Miami Heat]] became the first team since the [[2000–01 Indiana Pacers season|2001 Indiana Pacers]] to drop from a No. 1 seed in the playoffs to a No. 8 seed the following year.

====First Round====
* The [[Philadelphia 76ers]] swept the [[Brooklyn Nets]], marking the 47th year in a row that a sweep occurred. The last time a sweep did not occur was in [[1976 NBA playoffs|1976]]. This was the 183rd series sweep in NBA playoffs history.
* [[Ja Morant]] scored 22 straight points for the [[Memphis Grizzlies]] in game 3 against the Los Angeles Lakers, becoming the first player to score at least 22 straight points for their team in a playoff game since [[Kobe Bryant]] in [[2010 NBA playoffs|2010]].
* [[Jimmy Butler]] became the sixth player in NBA history to score 56 or more points in a playoff game, joining [[Michael Jordan]] (twice), [[Elgin Baylor]], [[Donovan Mitchell]], [[Charles Barkley]], and [[Wilt Chamberlain]].
* [[Devin Booker]] became the third player since 1997 to score at least 25 points in a quarter in a playoff game, joining Damian Lillard (25 in [[2019 NBA playoffs|2019]]) and [[Allen Iverson]] (26 in [[2001 NBA playoffs|2001]]).
* Devin Booker and [[Kevin Durant]] became the first duo in playoff history to each score 25+ points in each of their first six games of a postseason.
* The [[New York Knicks]] won a playoff series for the first time since [[2013 NBA playoffs|2013]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/knicks-close-out-cavaliers-to-win-first-playoff-series-since-2013-but-julius-randles-health-a-concern/|title=Knicks close out Cavaliers to win first playoff series since 2013, but Julius Randle's health a concern|work=CBS Sports|date=April 26, 2023|author=Kaskey-Blomain, Michael}}</ref>
* [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] missed 13 free throws in game 5 against the Heat, marking the most free throw misses in a playoff game since [[DeAndre Jordan]] in [[2015 NBA playoffs|2015]], and the most misses in any game (regular season or playoffs) since [[Ben Simmons]] in [[2017–18 NBA season|2017]].
* The Heat became the first [[NBA play-in tournament|play–in]] team in NBA history to win a playoff series.
* The eighth-seeded Heat defeated the top-seeded [[Milwaukee Bucks]] in five games, marking the sixth instance in NBA history of an 8th-seeded team defeating a 1st-seeded team in the first round, following previous instances in [[1994 NBA playoffs|1994]], [[1999 NBA playoffs|1999]], [[2007 NBA playoffs|2007]], [[2011 NBA playoffs|2011]], and [[2012 NBA playoffs|2012]]. Additionally, this was the fourth time such an upset occurred in a best-of-seven series, and the first to be completed in fewer than six games.
* The seventh-seeded Lakers defeated the second-seeded Grizzlies in six games, marking the sixth instance in NBA history of a 7th-seeded team defeating a 2nd-seeded team in the first round, following previous instances in [[1987 NBA playoffs|1987]], [[1989 NBA playoffs|1989]], [[1991 NBA playoffs|1991]], [[1998 NBA playoffs|1998]], and [[2010 NBA playoffs|2010]]. Additionally, this was only the second time such an upset occurred in a best-of-seven series.
* A seventh-seed (Lakers) and an eighth-seed (Heat) both advanced in the first round of the playoffs, marking the first time this happened since the 16-team format began in [[1984 NBA playoffs|1984]]. In all previous instances when a seventh or eighth seed advanced, only one or the other advanced (not both).
* The Kings–Warriors series was the first of the 2023 playoffs to have a game 7, making it the 24th consecutive NBA postseason to feature a game 7. The last time a game 7 did not occur in the playoffs was [[1999 NBA playoffs|1999]]. This was the 148th game 7 in NBA playoffs history.
* [[Stephen Curry]]'s 50 points against the Kings was the first 50-point performance in a game 7 in NBA history.

====Conference semifinals====
* This was the first time in NBA history that every seed number from 1 through 8 made it to the second round across both conferences.
* The sixth-seeded Warriors had home-court advantage in the western semifinals, becoming the lowest seed to have home-court advantage since the sixth-seeded [[Houston Rockets]] in [[1987 NBA playoffs|1987]].
* [[P. J. Tucker]] had zero field goal attempts and zero free throw attempts in 37 minutes played against the [[Boston Celtics]], marking the most minutes played without a field goal or free throw attempt in a playoff game in the [[shot clock|shot-clock]] era (since [[1954–55 NBA season|1954–55]]).
* Devin Booker's 35.9 points per game were the most through a player's first ten games of a postseason since Michael Jordan in [[1990 NBA playoffs|1990]].
* The [[Denver Nuggets]]' 81 first half points in game 6 against the [[Phoenix Suns]] were the most in a first half by an away team in postseason history.
* [[Jalen Brunson]] became the fourth player in NBA history to make more field goals than the rest of the team combined in an elimination game, joining [[LeBron James]] (twice), Kobe Bryant, and [[Penny Hardaway]].
* With the defending champion Warriors losing to the Los Angeles Lakers, the 2023 playoffs marked the fourth straight year where the defending champion was eliminated before the conference finals.
* The Warriors lost a playoff series to a Western Conference opponent for the first time since [[2014 NBA playoffs|2014]], when the [[2013–14 Los Angeles Clippers season|Los Angeles Clippers]] defeated them in seven games.
* With the Lakers' series win over the Warriors, LeBron James earned his 41st career playoff series win, setting a new NBA record for the most career playoff series wins and surpassing [[Derek Fisher]]'s previous record of 40.
* After losing Game 5 in the Warriors series, LeBron James lost 3 consecutive games at the first chance of clinching a series. The streak included Game 5 losses to the Grizzlies in the previous round this year and to the Heat in the [[2020 NBA Finals|2020 Finals]]. Before the current losing streak, James won 5 straight and 15 of his last 16, with the lone loss being in the 1st round to the Pacers in [[2018 NBA Playoffs|2018]]
* [[Jayson Tatum]]'s 51 points against the 76ers were the most in a game 7 in NBA history.
** Additionally, his 51 points and zero turnovers set a playoff record for the most points in a game without any turnovers.
* There have been four 50-point games this postseason, the most in a single postseason.
* Doc Rivers, as a coach, has now blown seven 3-2 series leads. Out of those seven, three of them were 3-1 series leads. <ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2023/5/16/23725366/doc-rivers-nba-playoffs-history-blown-leads-game-7-record |title=Doc Rivers’ history of blowing NBA Playoffs leads and losing Game 7 is too bad to believe |work=SB Nation|first=Matt |last=Issa |date=May 16, 2023}}</ref>

====Conference finals====
* The Heat became the second eight-seeded team to reach the conference finals, joining the [[1998–99 New York Knicks season|1999 New York Knicks]].<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/heat-become-first-eighth-seed-reach-conference-finals-24-years-2023-05-13/ Heat become first eighth seed to reach Conference finals in 24 years], [[Reuters]], May 13, 2023</ref>
** The Heat also became the first eight-seeded team to reach the conference finals in a full 82-game season, as the [[1998–99 NBA season|1998–99 season]] was shortened due to a [[1998–99 NBA lockout|lockout]].
* The Lakers became the second seven-seeded team to reach the conference finals, joining the [[1986–87 Seattle SuperSonics season|1987 Seattle SuperSonics]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lakeshowlife.com/2023/05/01/lakers-farthest-7-seed-advanced-nba-playoffs|title= Lakers: What's the farthest a 7 seed has advanced in the NBA Playoffs?|work=LakeShowLife|author=Reed, Jason|date= May 2023}}</ref>
* All four teams in the conference finals from the [[2020 NBA playoffs|2020 Bubble]] returned to the 2023 conference finals.
** Like the aforementioned season, the Heat and Celtics have both beaten the Bucks and 76ers, respectively. The Heat also had beaten the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals.
* The Heat became the fifth team to win the series opener on the road in each of their first three playoff series, joining the [[1980–81 Houston Rockets season|1981 Houston Rockets]], [[1988–89 Chicago Bulls season|1989 Chicago Bulls]], 1999 New York Knicks, and [[2020–21 Atlanta Hawks season|2021 Atlanta Hawks]].
* The Heat became the first eight-seeded team since the 1999 Knicks to go up 3–0 in a series.
* The Heat became the first eight-seeded team to win a playoff game by more than 25 points.
* The Celtics lost their 6th game 7 at home this year, with previous losses in [[1973 NBA Playoffs|1973]], [[1982 NBA Playoffs|1982]], [[2005 NBA Playoffs|2005]], [[2009 NBA Playoffs|2009]] and [[2018 NBA Playoffs|2018]], while no other team has lost more than three. Both the Heat (2000, 2005, 2022) and the Suns (1981, 1995, 2022) lost three [[List of NBA game sevens|games 7]] at home.
* This was the second instance (following the [[2015 NBA playoffs|2015 playoffs]]) where both conference finals series had teams go up 3–0 in the series.
* [[Nikola Jokić]] recorded his eighth [[triple-double]] of the 2023 playoffs in game 4 against the Lakers, breaking the record held by Wilt Chamberlain for the [[List of National Basketball Association career playoff triple-double leaders|most triple-doubles]] in a single postseason.
* The Nuggets beat the Lakers 4–0 in the conference finals, marking their first playoff series sweep in franchise history.
** The Nuggets also became the last of the four teams from the [[American Basketball Association]] to reach the NBA Finals.
** The Nuggets also eliminated the Lakers in the playoffs for the first time in eight encounters, having been eliminated by the Lakers in 1979, 1985, 1987, 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2020. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.landofbasketball.com/head_to_head_gl/lakers_vs_nuggets_game_log_pl.htm|title=Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets Head-to-Head in the NBA Playoffs - All-Time Game Log|work=Land of Basketball}}</ref>
* The Nuggets became the 4th Western Conference team to sweep the Lakers en route to their first championship, following the footsteps of the Trail Blazers ([[1977 NBA Playoffs|1977]]), the Spurs ([[1999 NBA Playoffs|1999]]) and the Mavericks ([[2011 NBA Playoffs|2011]]).
* Since the Lakers joined the league in 1948-49, of the nine teams that won their first NBA championships while representing the West, seven of them eliminated the Lakers en route to their titles. In 2023, the Nuggets joined the Royals ([[1951 NBA Playoffs|1951]]), the Bucks ([[1971 NBA Playoffs|1971]]), the Trail Blazers (1977), the SuperSonics ([[1979 NBA Playoffs|1979]]), the Spurs (1999) and the Mavericks (2011). Only the [[1958 NBA Playoffs|1958]] Hawks and the [[1994 NBA Playoffs|1994]] Rockets did not do so.
* This marked the third time LeBron James was swept in a playoff series. The last two times he was swept were in the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs in [[2007 NBA Finals|2007]] and the Golden State Warriors in [[2018 NBA Finals|2018]].
* Jokić became the second player to average a triple-double in multiple playoff series in a single postseason, joining Wilt Chamberlain in [[1967 NBA playoffs|1967]].
* The Celtics became the fourth team ever to force a game 7 after trailing 0–3 in a series, and the first team to do so since [[2003 NBA playoffs|2003]].
** Additionally, the Celtics became the first team to host a game 7 after trailing 0–3.
* [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] became the second player in NBA history to hit a buzzer-beater with his team trailing and facing elimination, joining Michael Jordan's "[[The Shot]]" in [[1989 NBA playoffs|1989]].
** It was also the sixth game-winning buzzer-beater when facing elimination in NBA history, and the first since [[Kawhi Leonard]] in [[2019 NBA playoffs|2019]]. Coincidentally, Jimmy Butler has been on the losing side of three of those buzzer-beaters.
* [[Jaylen Brown]] became the fifth player with 8+ turnovers in a game 7 since individual turnovers were tracked in 1978, joining [[Shawn Kemp]], LeBron James, Donovan Mitchell, and [[Joel Embiid]].
* After Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, the Lakers lost six consecutive games while facing playoff elimination. The streak included Game 6 vs. the Suns ([[2021 NBA Playoffs|2021]]), Game 4 vs. the Spurs ([[2013 NBA Playoffs|2013]]), Game 5 vs. the Thunder ([[2012 NBA Playoffs|2012]]), Game 4 vs. the Mavericks ([[2011 NBA Playoffs|2011]]) and Game 6 vs. the Celtics ([[2008 NBA Finals|2008]]). They also lost 15 out of their last 16. Before winning Game 5 of the 2008 Finals against the Celtics, they also lost Game 5 vs. the Suns ([[2007 NBA Playoffs|2007]]), Game 7 vs. the Suns ([[2006 NBA Playoffs|2006]]), Game 5 vs. the Pistons ([[2004 NBA Finals|2004]]), Game 6 vs. the Spurs ([[2003 NBA Playoffs|2003]]), Game 4 vs. the Spurs ([[1999 NBA Playoffs|1999]]), Game 4 vs. the Jazz ([[1998 NBA Playoffs|1998]]), Game 5 vs. the Jazz ([[1997 NBA Playoffs|1997]]), Game 4 vs. the Rockets ([[1996 NBA Playoffs|1996]]), and Game 6 vs. the Spurs ([[1995 NBA Playoffs|1995]]).

====NBA Finals====
* The Heat became the second eight-seeded team to reach the NBA Finals, joining the 1999 New York Knicks. Coincidentally, both the Knicks and the Heat beat each other during their respective run to the Finals.
** The Heat also became the first eight-seeded team to reach the Finals in a full 82-game season, as the [[1998–99 NBA season|1998–99 season]] was shortened due to a [[1998–99 NBA lockout|lockout]].
** For the first time, an NHL and NBA team from the same metro area made the final as the lowest seed in the same season. Ironically, both the Heat and the [[Florida Panthers]] would lose to the [[Vegas Golden Knights|number 1 seed]] in the Western Conference in 5 games.
* The Heat became the first team to make the NBA Finals after making the playoffs via the Play-In tournament.
* The Heat became the third team in NBA history to finish last in PPG (points per game) during the regular season and reach the NBA Finals, joining the [[1955–56 Fort Wayne Pistons season|1956 Fort Wayne Pistons]] and [[1963–64 San Francisco Warriors season|1964 San Francisco Warriors]].
* In game 1, the Heat had two free throw attempts, breaking the NBA record for the fewest free throw attempts in a playoff game. The previous playoff record was three, by the [[New Jersey Nets]] in 1993 and the previous Finals record was five, by the [[Los Angeles Lakers]] in 1983.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Linn |first=Joey |date=2023-06-01 |title=Miami Heat Set Bad Record in NBA Finals Game 1 |url=https://www.si.com/nba/nuggets/news/miami-heat-set-bad-nba-record-nba-finals-game-1 |access-date=2023-06-02 |website=Sports Illustrated Denver Nuggets News, Analysis and More |language=en}}</ref>
* The Heat collected their 13th win of the playoffs in game 2 against the Nuggets, breaking a tie with the 1999 Knicks for the most wins ever by a No. 8 seed in a single postseason.
* In game 3, Nikola Jokić and [[Jamal Murray]] became the first teammates to record a triple-double in the NBA Finals and the first teammates to both record 30-point triple-doubles in any game.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-07 |title=Jokic and Murray both have triple-doubles, Nuggets beat Heat 109-94 for 2-1 lead |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/401544848 |access-date=2023-06-07 |website=ESPN.com |language= |agency=Associated Press}}</ref>
* [[Udonis Haslem]], aged 42 years, 363 days, became the oldest player to play in the NBA Finals, coming off the bench in the last minute.
* Nikola Jokić became the first player in NBA history to put up at least 500 points, 250 rebounds, and 150 assists in a single postseason run.
* Nikola Jokić became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in points (600), rebounds (269), and assists (190) in a single postseason.
* Nikola Jokić was the lowest-selected player to be named [[NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award|NBA Finals MVP]]. Jokić was selected 41st overall in the [[2014 NBA draft]].

==Format==
{{see also|NBA playoffs#Format}}
Eight teams from each conference participated in the playoffs. The top six teams in each conference, based on [[winning percentage]], directly qualified for the playoffs; the [[Seed (sports)|seeding]] order of those teams was also based on winning percentage. If two or more teams had the same record, standard NBA tiebreaker rules were used.

The NBA Board of Governors adopted a format starting in [[2021 NBA playoffs|2021]] to have a [[NBA play-in tournament|play-in tournament]] involving the teams ranked 7th through 10th in each conference. The 7th place team and 8th place team participated in a "double-chance" game, with the winner advancing to the playoffs as the 7-seed. The loser then played the winner of the elimination game between the 9th place and 10th place teams to determine the playoff's 8-seed. The NBA's regular playoff format then proceeded as normal.<ref>{{cite news|title=NBA adopts Play-In Tournament on full-time basis|url=https://www.nba.com/news/nba-adopts-play-in-tournament-on-full-time-basis|publisher=Warner Bros. Discovery Sports|location=Las Vegas|last=Reynolds|first=Tim|agency=Associated Press|date=July 12, 2022|access-date=July 28, 2022|archive-date=July 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220728135427/https://www.nba.com/news/nba-adopts-play-in-tournament-on-full-time-basis|url-status=live}}</ref>

Each conference's bracket was fixed with no reseeding. All rounds were a best-of-seven series; a series ended when one team won four games, and that team advanced to the next round. All rounds, including the NBA Finals, were in a 2–2–1–1–1 format with regards to hosting. In the conference playoffs, home-court advantage went to the higher-seeded team (number one being the highest). For the NBA Finals, home-court advantage went to the team with the better regular season record, and, if needed, ties were broken based on head-to-head record, followed by intra-conference record.

==Playoff qualifying==
On March 14, 2023, the [[2022–23 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]] became the first team to clinch a playoff spot.<ref name="Bucksclinch">{{cite web|last=Owczarski|first=Jim|title=Milwaukee Bucks become first team to clinch playoff spot with win over Phoenix Suns|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2023/03/14/bucks-clinch-playoff-spot-50-wins-suns/11475598002/|work=USA Today|date=March 14, 2022|access-date=March 15, 2022|archive-date=March 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230315051941/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2023/03/14/bucks-clinch-playoff-spot-50-wins-suns/11475598002/|url-status=live}}</ref> While noted in the below tables, division titles have no bearing on seeding.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/5-things-to-know-nba-division-winners-not-guaranteed-playoff-spot/ |title=5 Things to Know: NBA division winners not guaranteed playoff spot |first=Matt |last=Moore |work=[[CBS Sports]] |date=September 9, 2015 |access-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-date=December 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221203190054/https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/5-things-to-know-nba-division-winners-not-guaranteed-playoff-spot/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

''Seeds 7 and 8 in each conference were determined via the first-stage play-in tournament, held April 11–14.''

{{further|NBA play-in tournament#2023}}

===Eastern Conference===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center"
|-
!rowspan=2|Seed !!rowspan=2|Team !!rowspan=2|Record !!colspan=5|Clinched
|-
!Play-in berth !! Playoff berth !! Division title !! Best record in conference !! Best record in NBA
|-
| 1 || align=left|[[2022–23 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]] || 58–24 || — || March 14<ref name="Bucksclinch"/> || March 28<ref name="Bucksdivision">{{cite web |title=Hawks beat Cavaliers 120-118, help Bucks clinch Central |url=https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/hawks-beat-cavaliers-120-118-023731941.html |publisher=Yahoo Sports |access-date=March 29, 2023 |date=March 28, 2023 |archive-date=March 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329025256/https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/hawks-beat-cavaliers-120-118-023731941.html |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 5<ref name="Bucksbestrecord">{{cite web |last1=Maloney |first1=Jack |title=Bucks clinch NBA's best record: 'Game 7s at home are gonna be big' for Milwaukee |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/bucks-clinch-nbas-best-record-game-7s-at-home-are-gonna-be-big-for-milwaukee/ |work=CBS Sports |access-date=April 6, 2023 |date=April 5, 2023 |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406181350/https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/bucks-clinch-nbas-best-record-game-7s-at-home-are-gonna-be-big-for-milwaukee/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 5<ref name="Bucksbestrecord"/>
|-
| 2 || align=left|[[2022–23 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]] || 57–25 || — || March 18<ref name="Celticsclinch">{{cite web |last1=Goss |first1=Nick |title=Celtics Officially Clinch NBA Playoff Spot for Ninth Straight Season |url=https://www.nbcboston.com/news/sports/nbcsports/celtics-officially-clinch-nba-playoff-spot-for-ninth-straight-season/3000225/ |publisher=NBC Boston |access-date=March 20, 2023 |date=March 19, 2023 |archive-date=March 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320002436/https://www.nbcboston.com/news/sports/nbcsports/celtics-officially-clinch-nba-playoff-spot-for-ninth-straight-season/3000225/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 5<ref>{{cite web |last1=Grasso |first1=Justin |title=76ers Lock Up Playoff Seed After Celtics Defeat Raptors |url=https://www.si.com/nba/76ers/news/76ers-lock-up-playoff-seed-after-celtics-defeat-raptors |website=si.com |access-date=April 6, 2023 |date=April 5, 2023 |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406183948/https://www.si.com/nba/76ers/news/76ers-lock-up-playoff-seed-after-celtics-defeat-raptors |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || —
|-
| 3 || align=left|[[2022–23 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]] || 54–28 || — || March 21<ref name="76ersclinch">{{cite web |last1=Carlin |first1=Ky |title=Sixers clinch playoff spot after Nets fall to Cavaliers at home |url=https://sixerswire.usatoday.com/2023/03/21/sixers-clinch-playoff-spot-after-nets-fall-to-cavaliers-at-home/ |publisher=Sixers Wire |access-date=March 21, 2023 |date=March 21, 2023 |archive-date=March 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322022453/https://sixerswire.usatoday.com/2023/03/21/sixers-clinch-playoff-spot-after-nets-fall-to-cavaliers-at-home/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 4 || align=left|[[2022–23 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland Cavaliers]] || 51–31 || — || March 26<ref name="Cavaliersclinch">{{cite web |last1=Fedor |first1=Chris |title=Cavs clinch playoff spot with dominant 108-91 win over Houston Rockets |url=https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2023/03/cavs-clinch-playoff-spot-with-dominant-108-91-win-over-houston-rockets.html |publisher=cleveland.com |access-date=March 26, 2023 |date=March 26, 2023 |archive-date=March 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230327003154/https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2023/03/cavs-clinch-playoff-spot-with-dominant-108-91-win-over-houston-rockets.html |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 5 || align=left|[[2022–23 New York Knicks season|New York Knicks]] || 47–35 || — || April 2<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bernstein |first1=Jeffrey |title=Knicks clinch playoff berth with 118-109 win over Wizards |url=https://apnews.com/article/knicks-playoff-berth-wizards-11d6adf03b6a0a587c7ab06529e420d7 |publisher=AP News |access-date=April 2, 2023 |date=April 2, 2023 |archive-date=April 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230403010837/https://apnews.com/article/knicks-playoff-berth-wizards-11d6adf03b6a0a587c7ab06529e420d7 |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 6 || align=left|[[2022–23 Brooklyn Nets season|Brooklyn Nets]] || 45–37 || — || April 7<ref>{{cite web |title=Nets lock up 6-seed in East, get Sixers in 1st round of playoffs |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/36110995/nets-lock-6-seed-east-get-sixers-1st-round-playoffs |website=espn.com |access-date=April 8, 2023 |date=April 7, 2023 |archive-date=April 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408021909/https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/36110995/nets-lock-6-seed-east-get-sixers-1st-round-playoffs |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 7 || align=left|[[2022–23 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks]] || 41–41 || April 5<ref>{{cite web |last1=Umontuen |first1=Itoro |title=Atlanta Hawks clinch spot in NBA's play-in tournament with victory over the Wizards |url=https://theatlantavoice.com/atlanta-hawks-clinch-spot-in-nbas-play-in-tournament-with-victory-over-the-wizards/ |publisher=The Atlanta Voice |access-date=April 6, 2023 |date=April 6, 2023 |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406042914/https://theatlantavoice.com/atlanta-hawks-clinch-spot-in-nbas-play-in-tournament-with-victory-over-the-wizards/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 11<ref>{{cite web |last1=Reynolds |first1=Tim |title=Hawks grab No. 7 seed in East, hold off Heat 116-105 |url=https://apnews.com/article/hawks-heat-playoffs-playin-nba-6231c6063bb3b81ca9b6da858cf748e7 |publisher=AP News |access-date=April 12, 2023 |date=April 11, 2023 |archive-date=April 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412022729/https://apnews.com/article/hawks-heat-playoffs-playin-nba-6231c6063bb3b81ca9b6da858cf748e7 |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 8 || align=left|[[2022–23 Miami Heat season|Miami Heat]] || 44–38 || April 7<ref>{{cite web |last1=Winderman |first1=Ira |title=Heat rest regulars in 114-108 loss to Wizards, will host Hawks in Tuesday play-in game |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-heat/fl-sp-miami-heat-washington-wizards-20230408-467t2r5rm5cwza7ci3nhbjnd3e-story.html |website=sun-sentinel.com |access-date=April 8, 2023 |date=April 7, 2023 |archive-date=April 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408051735/https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-heat/fl-sp-miami-heat-washington-wizards-20230408-467t2r5rm5cwza7ci3nhbjnd3e-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 14<ref name="Heatclinch">{{cite web |last1=Reynolds |first1=Tim |title=Heat eliminate Bulls 102-91, will face Bucks in Round 1 |url=https://apnews.com/article/bulls-heat-nba-playoffs-playin-ff87abfc5dd6e428b5587f59c4afb9d1 |publisher=AP News |access-date=April 15, 2023 |date=April 14, 2023 |archive-date=April 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415020652/https://apnews.com/article/bulls-heat-nba-playoffs-playin-ff87abfc5dd6e428b5587f59c4afb9d1 |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 6<ref>{{cite web |last1=Chiang |first1=Anthony |title=Takeaways from Heat's blowout win in Philadelphia to keep slim hopes alive of escaping play-in |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nba/miami-heat/article274053560.html |website=miamiherald.com |access-date=April 7, 2023 |date=April 6, 2023 |archive-date=April 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407213122/https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nba/miami-heat/article274053560.html |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || —
|}

[[2022–23 Toronto Raptors season|Toronto]] (41–41) and [[2022–23 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]] (40–42) also secured play-in berths but did not advance to the playoffs.<ref>{{cite web |title=Raptors fall to Bulls in play-in tournament, eliminated from playoff contention |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/raptors-fall-to-bulls-in-play-in-tournament-eliminated-from-playoff-contention/ |publisher=Sportsnet |access-date=April 13, 2023 |date=April 12, 2023 |archive-date=April 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413094852/https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/raptors-fall-to-bulls-in-play-in-tournament-eliminated-from-playoff-contention/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Heatclinch"/>

===Western Conference===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center"
|-
!rowspan=2|Seed !!rowspan=2|Team !!rowspan=2|Record !!colspan=5|Clinched
|-
!Play-in berth !! Playoff berth !! Division title !! Best record in conference !! Best record in NBA
|-
| 1 || align=left|[[2022–23 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]] || 53–29 || — || March 16<ref name="Nuggetsclinch">{{cite web |last1=Lage |first1=Larry |title=Nuggets top Pistons to end skid, clinch Northwest Division |url=https://apnews.com/article/nuggets-jokic-pistons-8d9ec3bbf4904275255be9f28ab4e23e |publisher=AP News |date=March 16, 2023 |access-date=March 20, 2023 |archive-date=March 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320002832/https://apnews.com/article/nuggets-jokic-pistons-8d9ec3bbf4904275255be9f28ab4e23e |url-status=live }}</ref> || March 16<ref name="Nuggetsclinch"/> || April 5<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sarles |first1=Jesse |title=Denver Nuggets clinch No. 1 seed in NBA's Western Conference for first time in franchise history |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/denver-nuggets-clinch-no-1-seed-nba-western-conference-first-time-franchise-history/ |publisher=CBS News |access-date=April 6, 2023 |date=April 5, 2023 |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406183948/https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/denver-nuggets-clinch-no-1-seed-nba-western-conference-first-time-franchise-history/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || —
|-
| 2 || align=left|[[2022–23 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis Grizzlies]] || 51–31 || — || March 24<ref name="Grizzliesclinch">{{cite web |last1=Bailey |first1=Clay |title=Grizzlies clinch playoff berth with 151-114 rout of Rockets |url=https://apnews.com/article/rockets-grizzlies-ja-morant-6a0afcdd81a2639dbba9ce1a881f0074 |publisher=AP News |date=March 24, 2023 |access-date=March 25, 2023 |archive-date=March 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230325025147/https://apnews.com/article/rockets-grizzlies-ja-morant-6a0afcdd81a2639dbba9ce1a881f0074 |url-status=live }}</ref> || March 22<ref name="Grizzliesclinch"/> || — || —
|-
| 3 || align=left|[[2022–23 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento Kings]] || 48–34 || — || March 29<ref>{{cite web |last1=Spears |first1=Marc |title=Kings clinch first playoff berth since 2006 with win over Blazers |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35999564/kings-clinch-first-playoff-berth-2006-win-blazers |website=espn.com |access-date=30 March 2023 |date=March 30, 2023 |archive-date=March 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330042125/https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35999564/kings-clinch-first-playoff-berth-2006-win-blazers |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 4<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kraemer |first1=Mackenzie |title=Sacramento Kings clinch Pacific Division as historic long shot |url=https://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/36002853/sacramento-kings-clinch-pacific-division-historic-long-shot |website=espn.com |access-date=April 4, 2023 |date=April 4, 2023 |archive-date=April 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405031136/https://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/36002853/sacramento-kings-clinch-pacific-division-historic-long-shot |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || —
|-
| 4 || align=left|[[2022–23 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]] || 45–37 || — || April 4<ref>{{cite web |last1=Thompson |first1=Jack |title=Suns clinch playoff spot, rout injury-riddled Spurs 115-94 |url=https://apnews.com/article/suns-spurs-playoffs-booker-durant-2b5a7590fbdbd45838ce9dbf28a28e2a |publisher=AP News |access-date=April 5, 2023 |date=April 4, 2023 |archive-date=April 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405051359/https://apnews.com/article/suns-spurs-playoffs-booker-durant-2b5a7590fbdbd45838ce9dbf28a28e2a |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 5 || align=left|[[2022–23 Los Angeles Clippers season|Los Angeles Clippers]] || 44–38 || — || April 9<ref name="Finalday">{{cite web |last1=Owens |first1=Jason |title=NBA playoff picture: Warriors, Clippers secure West's final playoff spots, send Lakers to play-in |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-playoff-picture-warriors-clippers-secure-wests-final-playoff-spots-send-lakers-to-play-in-221342194.html |publisher=Yahoo Sports |access-date=April 9, 2023 |date=April 9, 2023 |archive-date=April 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409222321/https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-playoff-picture-warriors-clippers-secure-wests-final-playoff-spots-send-lakers-to-play-in-221342194.html |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 6 || align=left|[[2022–23 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]] || 44–38 || — || April 9<ref name="Finalday"/> || — || — || —
|-
| 7 || align=left|[[2022–23 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] || 43–39 || April 9<ref name="Finalday"/> || April 11<ref>{{cite web |title=Lakers clinch No. 7 seed with overtime win over Minnesota Timberwolves in Play-In Tournament |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/lakers-clinch-no-7-seed-with-overtime-win-over-minnesota-timberwolves-in-play-in-tournament/ |publisher=CBS News |access-date=April 12, 2023 |date=April 11, 2023 |archive-date=April 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412051711/https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/lakers-clinch-no-7-seed-with-overtime-win-over-minnesota-timberwolves-in-play-in-tournament/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 8 || align=left|[[2022–23 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota Timberwolves]] || 42–40 || April 8<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schad |first1=Chris |title=Timberwolves' 3-point barrage vs. Spurs sets up Sunday showdown with Pelicans |url=https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/timberwolves/timberwolves-3-point-barrage-vs-spurs-sets-up-sunday-showdown-with-pelicans |website=si.com |access-date=April 8, 2023 |date=April 8, 2023 |archive-date=April 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408233735/https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/timberwolves/timberwolves-3-point-barrage-vs-spurs-sets-up-sunday-showdown-with-pelicans |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 14<ref name="Wolvesclinch">{{cite web |title=Timberwolves crush Thunder in play-in to claim Western Conference's eighth seed |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/timberwolves-cruise-past-thunder-in-play-in-to-claim-western-conferences-eighth-seed/ |publisher=Sportsnet |access-date=15 April 2023}}</ref> || — || — || —
|}

[[2022–23 New Orleans Pelicans season|New Orleans]] (42–40) and [[2022–23 Oklahoma City Thunder season|Oklahoma City]] (40–42) also secured play-in berths but did not advance to the playoffs.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Helin |first1=Kurt |title=Gilgeous-Alexander outduels Ingram and gets more help, Thunder eliminate Pelicans |url=https://nba.nbcsports.com/2023/04/13/gilgeous-alexander-outduels-ingram-and-gets-more-help-thunder-eliminate-pelicans/ |publisher=NBC Sports |access-date=April 13, 2023 |date=April 12, 2023 |archive-date=April 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413081642/https://nba.nbcsports.com/2023/04/13/gilgeous-alexander-outduels-ingram-and-gets-more-help-thunder-eliminate-pelicans/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Wolvesclinch"/>

==Bracket==
Teams in bold advanced to the next round. The numbers to the left of each team indicate the team's seeding in its conference, and the numbers to the right indicate the number of games the team won in that round. The division champions are marked by an asterisk. Teams with home-court advantage (i.e., the higher-seeded team) are shown in italics.
<section begin=Bracket />{{16TeamBracket
| RD1=[[2023 NBA playoffs#First Round 2|First round]]
| RD2=[[2023 NBA playoffs#Conference semifinals 2|Conference semifinals]]
| RD3=[[2023 NBA playoffs#Conference finals 2|Conference finals]]
| RD4=[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]

| RD2-group1='''[[Eastern Conference (NBA)|Eastern Conference]]'''
| RD2-group2='''[[Western Conference (NBA)|Western Conference]]'''


| RD1-seed01=E1
| RD1-team01=''[[2022–23 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]''*
| RD1-score01=1
| RD1-seed02='''E8'''
| RD1-team02='''[[2022–23 Miami Heat season|Miami]]*'''
| RD1-score02='''4'''

| RD1-seed03=E4
| RD1-team03=''[[2022–23 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]''
| RD1-score03=1
| RD1-seed04='''E5'''
| RD1-team04='''[[2022–23 New York Knicks season|New York]]'''
| RD1-score04='''4'''

| RD1-seed05='''E3'''
| RD1-team05='''''[[2022–23 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]'''''
| RD1-score05='''4'''
| RD1-seed06=E6
| RD1-team06=[[2022–23 Brooklyn Nets season|Brooklyn]]
| RD1-score06=0

| RD1-seed07='''E2'''
| RD1-team07='''''[[2022–23 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]''*'''
| RD1-score07='''4'''
| RD1-seed08=E7
| RD1-team08=[[2022–23 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta]]
| RD1-score08=2


| RD1-seed09='''W1'''
| RD1-team09='''''[[2022–23 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]''*'''
| RD1-score09='''4'''
| RD1-seed10=W8
| RD1-team10=[[2022–23 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| RD1-score10=1

| RD1-seed11='''W4'''
| RD1-team11='''''[[2022–23 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]'''''
| RD1-score11='''4'''
| RD1-seed12=W5
| RD1-team12=[[2022–23 Los Angeles Clippers season|LA Clippers]]
| RD1-score12=1

| RD1-seed13=W3
| RD1-team13=''[[2022–23 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]''*
| RD1-score13=3
| RD1-seed14='''W6'''
| RD1-team14='''[[2022–23 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]'''
| RD1-score14='''4'''

| RD1-seed15=W2
| RD1-team15=''[[2022–23 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis]]''*
| RD1-score15=2
| RD1-seed16='''W7'''
| RD1-team16='''[[2022–23 Los Angeles Lakers season|LA Lakers]]'''
| RD1-score16='''4'''


| RD2-seed01='''E8'''
| RD2-team01='''Miami*'''
| RD2-score01='''4'''
| RD2-seed02=E5
| RD2-team02=''New York''
| RD2-score02=2

| RD2-seed03=E3
| RD2-team03=Philadelphia
| RD2-score03=3
| RD2-seed04='''E2'''
| RD2-team04='''''Boston''*'''
| RD2-score04='''4'''


| RD2-seed05='''W1'''
| RD2-team05='''''Denver''*'''
| RD2-score05='''4'''
| RD2-seed06=W4
| RD2-team06=Phoenix
| RD2-score06=2

| RD2-seed07=W6
| RD2-team07=''Golden State''
| RD2-score07=2
| RD2-seed08='''W7'''
| RD2-team08='''LA Lakers'''
| RD2-score08='''4'''


| RD3-seed01='''E8'''
| RD3-team01='''Miami'''*
| RD3-score01='''4'''
| RD3-seed02=E2
| RD3-team02=''Boston''*
| RD3-score02=3


| RD3-seed03='''W1'''
| RD3-team03='''''Denver'''''*
| RD3-score03='''4'''
| RD3-seed04=W7
| RD3-team04=LA Lakers
| RD3-score04=0


| RD4-seed01=E8
| RD4-team01=Miami*
| RD4-score01=1
| RD4-seed02='''W1'''
| RD4-team02='''''Denver'''''*
| RD4-score02='''4'''
}}{{ubl
|<nowiki>*</nowiki> Division winner
|'''Bold''' Series winner
|''Italic'' Team with home-court advantage
}}<section end=Bracket />

==First Round==
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

===Eastern Conference First Round===

====(1) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (8) Miami Heat====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 16|time=5:30 pm {{small|(4:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1= '''130'''
|team2=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score2= 117
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200101 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–24 |Q2='''35'''–31 |Q3='''34'''–33 |Q4=28–'''29'''
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 35 |points2=[[Khris Middleton]] 33
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 9 |rebounds2=Khris Middleton 9
|assist1=Jimmy Butler 11 |assist2=[[Jrue Holiday]] 16
|attendance=17,381
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]], Michael Smith
|series=Miami leads series, 1–0
}} The Heat took advantage of [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]]'s early exit in the first half to secure a 1–0 series lead. [[Jimmy Butler]] led Miami with 35 points, while [[Bam Adebayo]] contributed 22 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. However, the Heat also suffered a setback, as they lost [[Tyler Herro]] to a broken hand in the second quarter. Miami had built a 68–55 halftime lead before Herro's departure and maintained their advantage by shooting an impressive 60% from beyond the arc, their highest percentage of the season. [[Khris Middleton]] stepped up for the Bucks, finishing with 33 points and nine rebounds, but Milwaukee shooting 24.4% from the three-point line hindered any chance at a comeback.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 19 |time=9:00 pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=122
|team2='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score2='''138'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200102 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''35''' |Q2=27–'''46''' |Q3=30–'''37''' |Q4='''37'''–20
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 25 |points2=[[Brook Lopez]] 25
|rebounds1=[[Cody Zeller]] 8 |rebounds2=[[Bobby Portis]] 15
|assist1=[[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] 6 |assist2=[[Jrue Holiday]] 11
|attendance=17,576
|referee=John Goble, Brian Forte, Tre Maddox
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} After shooting 11-of-45 from three-point range in their Game 1 loss, the Bucks shot 25-of-49 from beyond the arc, tying the [[2015–16 Cleveland Cavaliers season|2016 Cleveland Cavaliers]] for the most three-point makes by a team in a playoff game. Despite [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]]'s absence, Milwaukee managed to dominate the Heat thanks to a team effort, as six Bucks players scored at least 16 points. [[Brook Lopez]] scored 25 points, [[Jrue Holiday]] added 24 points, and [[Pat Connaughton]] dropped a playoff career-high 22 points, shooting 6-of-10 from beyond the arc. [[Jimmy Butler]] scored 25 for Miami, but it wasn't enough to keep up with the hot shooting of the Bucks, as they led by as much as 36 points.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 22 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score1=99
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''121'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200103 Recap]
|Q1=21–'''29''' |Q2=32–'''37''' |Q3=26–'''28''' |Q4=20–'''27'''
|points1=[[Khris Middleton]] 23 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Bobby Portis]] 10 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo|Adebayo]], [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Martin]] 11 each
|assist1=Khris Middleton 6 |assist2=Bam Adebayo 5
|attendance=19,734
|referee=[[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Kevin Scott, [[Rodney Mott]]
|series=Miami leads series, 2–1
}} The No. 8 seeded Heat retook their series lead with a 121–99 victory over the shorthanded Bucks. [[Jimmy Butler]] led the way for Miami with 30 points in 28 minutes on 12-of-19 shooting. After Milwaukee went 10-of-18 (56%) from deep in the first half, they cooled off after halftime, shooting only 5-of-21 (24%) from three-point range in the second half. [[Khris Middleton]] scored 23 points, while [[Jrue Holiday]] added 19 and [[Grayson Allen]] scored 14. Meanwhile, Miami's [[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] scored 20 points on his 29th birthday, while [[Kyle Lowry]] added 15 points as the Heat led by as much as 29 points. The No. 8 seeded Heat retook their series lead with a 121–99 victory over the shorthanded Bucks. [[Jimmy Butler]] led the way for Miami with 30 points in 28 minutes on 12-of-19 shooting. After Milwaukee went 10-of-18 (56%) from deep in the first half, they cooled off after halftime, shooting only 5-of-21 (24%) from three-point range in the second half. [[Khris Middleton]] scored 23 points, while [[Jrue Holiday]] added 19 and [[Grayson Allen]] scored 14. Meanwhile, Miami's [[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] scored 20 points on his 29th birthday, while [[Kyle Lowry]] added 15 points as the Heat led by as much as 29 points. However, [[Victor Oladipo]] left the game with a season-ending knee injury in the fourth quarter.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 24|time=7:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score1=114
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''119'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200104 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–28 |Q2='''24'''–22 |Q3='''32'''–28 |Q4=25–'''41'''
|points1=[[Brook Lopez]] 36 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 56
|rebounds1=Brook Lopez 11 |rebounds2=Butler, [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Martin]] 9 each
|assist1=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 13 |assist2=[[Gabe Vincent]] 8
|attendance=19,614
|referee=Marc Davis, Mark Lindsay, Jacyn Goble
|series=Miami leads series, 3–1
}} [[Jimmy Butler]] scored a career-high 56 points, which included 21 in the fourth quarter to push the team with the best overall record on the verge of elimination. Down by 12 with under six minutes remaining, the Heat went on a pivotal 27–8 run, which included a 13–0 run to take their first lead of the night. Butler, who scored 22 of Miami's 28 first quarter points, finished 19-of-28 from the field, 15-of-18 from the foul line, and added nine rebounds. His 56 points also set a franchise playoff record for the Heat. [[Brook Lopez]] was the leading scorer for the Bucks, with 36 points and 11 rebounds. [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] returned from a two-game absence with a bruised back and had a triple-double, with 26 points, ten rebounds, and 13 assists.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 26|time=9:30 pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''128'''
|team2=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score2=126 |overtime=OT
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200105 Recap]
|Q1='''36'''–33 |Q2=27–'''36''' |Q3=23–'''33''' |Q4='''32'''–16 |OT='''10'''–8
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 42 |points2=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 38
|rebounds1=[[Kevin Love]] 12 |rebounds2=Giannis Antetokounmpo 20
|assist1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 10 |assist2=[[Jrue Holiday|Holiday]], [[Khris Middleton|Middleton]] 6 each
|attendance=18,113
|referee=James Williams, Sean Wright, Pat Fraher
|series=Miami wins series, 4–1
}} Two nights after outscoring Milwaukee 30–13 in the final six minutes of a 119–115 victory in Miami, the Heat came back from a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit and tied the game on [[Jimmy Butler]]'s layup with half a second left in regulation. The Heat went on to win in overtime, becoming the sixth 8-seeded team to knock off a No. 1 seed and the first play-in team ever to win a playoff series. Butler, who averaged 37.6 points throughout the series, led Miami with 42 points, while [[Bam Adebayo]] dropped a 20-point triple-double. [[Khris Middleton]] scored 33 points for the Bucks, while [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] had 38 points and 20 rebounds. However, he missed a career-high 13 free-throw attempts, the most misses by any player in a playoff game since 2015. Despite leading 102–86 heading into the fourth quarter, the Bucks crumbled under pressure, shooting just 5-of-25 from the floor in the final quarter and overtime.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 12, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-mia-0022200628 Recap]
| team1 = [[Milwaukee Bucks]] | score1 = 102
| team2 = '''[[Miami Heat]]''' | score2 = '''108'''
| place = [[FTX Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 14, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-mia-0022200641 Recap]
| team1 = Milwaukee Bucks | score1 = 95
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = '''111'''
| place = [[Miami-Dade Arena]], Miami, FL
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 4, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-mil-0022200797 Recap]
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 115
| team2 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score2 = '''123'''
| place = [[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 24, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-mil-0022200897 Recap]
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 99
| team2 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score2 = '''128'''
| place = Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
}}
|}

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Heat winning two of the first three meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=MIL&opp_id=MIA&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Milwaukee Bucks versus Miami Heat (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 15, 2023|archive-date=April 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415013401/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=MIL&opp_id=MIA&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Miami leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2013
| team1 = '''[[Miami Heat]]''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Milwaukee Bucks]] | score2 = 0
| place = [[2013 NBA playoffs#(1) Miami Heat vs. (8) Milwaukee Bucks|2013 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 2020
| team1 = Milwaukee Bucks | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2020 NBA playoffs#(1) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (5) Miami Heat|2020 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2021
| team1 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Miami Heat | score2 = 0
| place = [[2021 NBA playoffs#(3) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (6) Miami Heat|2021 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Atlanta Hawks====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 15 |time=3:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score1=99
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''112'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200111 Recap]
|Q1=19–'''29''' |Q2=25–'''45''' |Q3='''31'''–20 |Q4='''24'''–18
|points1=[[Dejounte Murray]] 24 |points2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 29
|rebounds1=[[Clint Capela|Capela]], Murray 8 each |rebounds2=Jaylen Brown 12
|assist1=[[Trae Young]] 8 |assist2=[[Marcus Smart|Smart]], [[Derrick White (basketball)|White]] 7 each
|attendance=19,156
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Ben Taylor
|series=Boston leads series, 1–0
}} [[Jaylen Brown]] guided Boston to a 112–99 victory with 29 points and 12 rebounds, while [[Jayson Tatum]] added 25 points, 21 of which came in the first half as the Celtics built a 30-point lead at halftime. [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] also had a strong performance with 24 points and seven assists. The Hawks meanwhile struggled with their shooting, missing their first ten three-point attempts and shooting 5-of-29 from beyond the arc for the game. Despite a late push from Atlanta in the fourth quarter, the Celtics regained control and secured the victory, as they held [[Dejounte Murray]] and [[Trae Young]] to a combined 15-of-43 shooting.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 18 |time=7:00 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score1=106
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''119'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200112 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''28''' |Q2=24–'''33''' |Q3='''32'''–29 |Q4=25–'''29'''
|points1=[[Dejounte Murray]] 29 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 29
|rebounds1=[[De'Andre Hunter]] 12 |rebounds2=Jayson Tatum 10
|assist1=Murray, [[Trae Young|Young]] 6 each |assist2=[[Malcolm Brogdon]] 8
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Mark Lindsay, Karl Lane, James Williams
|series=Boston leads series, 2–0
}} [[Jayson Tatum]] led the Celtics to a 2–0 series lead over the Hawks, finishing with 29 points and ten rebounds. The Hawks once again tried mounting a comeback, as they pulled within eight points with under eight minutes left in regulation. However, the Celtics responded with a 20–6 run to put the game out of reach. [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] contributed 26 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks for Boston, while [[Jaylen Brown]] added 18 points. Although Young and [[Dejounte Murray]] combined for 53 points, Atlanta couldn't keep up with Boston, who outscored them 64–40 in the paint.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 21 |time=7:00 pm |place=[[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Boston Celtics]] |score1=122
|team2='''[[Atlanta Hawks]]''' |score2='''130'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200113 Recap]
|Q1='''37'''–33 |Q2=30–'''41'''|Q3=26–26 |Q4=29–'''30'''
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 29 |points2=[[Trae Young]] 32
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 10 |rebounds2=[[Clint Capela]] 11
|assist1=[[Marcus Smart]] 8 |assist2=Trae Young 9
|attendance=18,536
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Pat Fraher, Mitchell Ervin
|series=Boston leads series, 2–1
}} In danger of falling behind 3–0 in the series, [[Trae Young]] scored 32 points and nine assists in his first 30-point game since the Hawks' Conference finals run two years ago as Atlanta put up their most points in a playoff game since 1986. Young was supported by his backcourt partner [[Dejounte Murray]], who had 25 points, six rebounds, and five assists. The duo played their best when it mattered most, as they accounted for 22 of Atlanta's 30 points in the final quarter. [[Jayson Tatum]] scored 29 points, while [[Marcus Smart]] added 24, but Boston was forced to play catch-up the majority of the game, as they allowed Atlanta to knock down 30-of-46 shots (65%) in the first half.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 23 |time=7:00 pm |place=[[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''129'''
|team2=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score2=121
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-atl-0042200114 Recap]
|Q1='''35'''–25 |Q2='''30'''–28 |Q3=27–'''34''' |Q4='''37'''–34
|points1=[[Jaylen Brown|Brown]], [[Jayson Tatum|Tatum]] 31 each |points2=[[Trae Young]] 35
|rebounds1=[[Robert Williams III]] 15 |rebounds2=[[Dejounte Murray]] 9
|assist1=[[Al Horford]] 5 |assist2=Trae Young 15
|attendance=19,144
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]], Gediminas Petraitis
|series=Boston leads series, 3–1
}} After starting off the game shooting 1-of-7, [[Jaylen Brown]] removed his protective mask in the second quarter as he went on to shoot 11-of-15 the rest of the way, moving Boston to the brink of advancing to the second round. [[Jayson Tatum]] also had 31 points for the Celtics, as both Brown and Tatum combined to score their team's final 16 points, thwarting any attempt by the Hawks to even the series. In addition to the duo's combined 62 points, [[Marcus Smart]] added 19 points and [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] had 18. Although [[Trae Young]] scored 35 points and 15 assists, and [[De'Andre Hunter]] and [[Dejounte Murray]] combined for 50 points, the Hawks were unable to gain a lead after the first quarter.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 25 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Atlanta Hawks]]''' |score1='''119'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=117
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-bos-0042200115 Recap]
|Q1='''30'''–27 |Q2=28–'''39''' |Q3=24–'''26''' |Q4='''37'''–25
|points1=[[Trae Young]] 38 |points2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 35
|rebounds1=[[Clint Capela]] 7 |rebounds2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 8
|assist1=Trae Young 13 |assist2=Jayson Tatum 8
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Josh Tiven, Courtney Kirkland, Tre Maddox
|series=Boston leads series, 3–2
}} Facing elimination, [[Trae Young]] scored 38 points and hit a deep three-pointer with less than two seconds left to give the Hawks the lead and ultimately force a Game 6 in Atlanta. Young also had 16 points in a frenetic fourth quarter, getting support from his teammates who knocked down a series-best 19 three-pointers. [[John Collins (basketball)|John Collins]] added 22 points for Atlanta, who played without [[Dejounte Murray]], who was suspended for bumping an official in Game 4. Despite an impressive performance from [[Jaylen Brown]], who scored 35 points, and [[Jayson Tatum]], who added 19, the Celtics ultimately lost control of the game in the fourth quarter, allowing Atlanta to outscore them 23–8 in the final minutes, with 14 of those points coming from Young.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 27 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''128'''
|team2=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score2=120
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200116 Recap]
|Q1='''35'''–34|Q2=33–33|Q3=30–'''33'''|Q4='''30'''–20
|points1=[[Jaylen Brown]] 32 |points2=[[Trae Young]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 14 |rebounds2=[[Onyeka Okongwu]] 11
|assist1=Jayson Tatum 7 |assist2=[[Dejounte Murray]] 11
|attendance=19,176
|referee=Marc Davis, [[Curtis Blair]], Jacyn Goble
|series=Boston wins series, 4–2
}} After collapsing late in Game 5, the Celtics responded by closing out Game 6 on an 18–7 run to advance to their sixth Eastern Semifinals appearance in seven years. Leading the way for the Celtics were [[Jaylen Brown]] with 32 points, [[Jayson Tatum]] with 30 points and 14 rebounds, [[Marcus Smart]] with 22 points, and [[Malcolm Brogdon]] with 17 points off the bench. Meanwhile, [[Trae Young]], who finished with 30 points and ten assists, missed 12-of-13 shots in the second half and finished just 9-of-28 from the field. His backcourt partner [[Dejounte Murray]] also struggled, scoring zero points in the first half as the duo ultimately combined for a shooting percentage of 34% (14-of-41).

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Boston won 3–0 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = November 16, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-atl-0022200214 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score1 = '''126'''
| team2 = [[Atlanta Hawks]] | score2 = 101
| place = [[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 11, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-atl-0022201008 Recap]
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''134'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 125
| place = State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = April 9, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-bos-0022201216 Recap]
| team1 = Atlanta Hawks | score1 = 114
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''120'''
| place = [[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]]
}}
|}

This was the 13th playoff meeting between these two teams, and the ninth since the [[Atlanta Hawks#1965–1975: Relocation to Atlanta|St. Louis Hawks]] relocated to Atlanta in 1968, with the Celtics winning ten of the first twelve meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=BOS&opp_id=ATL&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Atlanta Hawks (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 12, 2023|archive-date=April 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412015731/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=BOS&opp_id=ATL&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Boston leads 10–2 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1957
| team1 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[St. Louis Hawks]] | score2 = 3
| place = [[1957 NBA Finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1958
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''St. Louis Hawks''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1958 NBA Finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1960
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = St. Louis Hawks | score2 = 3
| place = [[1960 NBA Finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1961
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = St. Louis Hawks | score2 = 1
| place = [[1961 NBA Finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1972
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Atlanta Hawks]] | score2 = 2
| place = [[1972 NBA playoffs#(A1) Boston Celtics vs. (C2) Atlanta Hawks|1972 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1973
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 2
| place = [[1973 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Atlanta Hawks|1973 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1983
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''2'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 1
| place = [[1983 NBA playoffs#(3) Boston Celtics vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks|1983 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1986
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 1
| place = [[1986 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Atlanta Hawks|1986 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1988
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 3
| place = [[1988 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Atlanta Hawks|1988 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2008
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 3
| place = [[2008 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Atlanta Hawks|2008 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2012
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 2
| place = [[2012 NBA playoffs#(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks|2012 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2016
| team1 = '''Atlanta Hawks''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 2
| place = [[2016 NBA playoffs#(4) Atlanta Hawks vs. (5) Boston Celtics|2016 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) Brooklyn Nets====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 15|time=1:00 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score1=101
|team2='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score2='''121'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-phi-0042200121 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''30''' |Q2=33–'''37''' |Q3=23–'''26''' |Q4=20–'''28'''
|points1=[[Mikal Bridges]] 30 |points2=[[Joel Embiid]] 26
|rebounds1=[[Nic Claxton]] 10 |rebounds2=[[P. J. Tucker]] 7
|assist1=[[Spencer Dinwiddie]] 7 |assist2=[[James Harden]] 13
|attendance=20,913
|referee=James Williams, Mark Lindsay, [[JB DeRosa]]
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 1–0
}} [[James Harden]] led the way for the 76ers with 23 points and 13 assists, including seven three-pointers as Philadelphia moved to 5–0 against the Nets this season. [[Joel Embiid]] contributed 26 points for Philadelphia, while [[Tobias Harris]] added 21 points. The 76ers also set a team record for playoff three-pointers, with 21 made shots from beyond the arc; with 13 of them coming in the first half. [[Mikal Bridges]] had a standout performance for the Nets, making 10-of-16 shots for 23 points in the first half and keeping Brooklyn within nine at halftime, but the Nets never led in the game.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 17 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score1=84
|team2='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score2='''96'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-phi-0042200122 Recap]
|Q1=25–25 |Q2='''24'''–19 |Q3=14–'''24''' |Q4=21–'''28'''
|points1=[[Cameron Johnson]] 28 |points2=[[Tyrese Maxey]] 33
|rebounds1=[[Dorian Finney-Smith]] 7 |rebounds2=[[Joel Embiid]] 19
|assist1=[[Mikal Bridges]] 7 |assist2=Embiid, [[James Harden|Harden]] 7 each
|attendance=20,958
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Curtis Blair]], Tre Maddox
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 2–0
}} Being heavily defended throughout the game, [[Joel Embiid]] showed increased trust in his teammates as [[Tyrese Maxey]] scored 33 points and [[Tobias Harris]] had 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Embiid contributed with 19 rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks as Philadelphia took a commanding 2–0 series lead. After a slow start, the 76ers rallied in the second half and held off the Nets, who shot 35% from the field in the second half. [[Cameron Johnson]] scored 22 of his 28 points in the first half, but Brooklyn was unable to get anything going in the second half, scoring just 35 points.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 20 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score1='''102'''
|team2=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score2=97
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bkn-0042200123 Recap]
|Q1='''32'''–28 |Q2='''26'''–19 |Q3=18–'''35''' |Q4='''26'''–15
|points1=[[Tyrese Maxey]] 25 |points2=[[Mikal Bridges]] 26
|rebounds1=[[Joel Embiid]] 10 |rebounds2=[[Dorian Finney-Smith]] 9
|assist1=[[James Harden|Harden]], [[P. J. Tucker|Tucker]] 4 each|assist2=[[Spencer Dinwiddie]] 7
|attendance=17,910
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Ben Taylor, [[Nick Buchert]]
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 3–0
}} With [[James Harden]] ejected in the third quarter and [[Joel Embiid]] struggling offensively, the 76ers rode [[Tyrese Maxey]]'s team-high 25 points, including ten points in the final three minutes to give Philadelphia a 3–0 series lead. Although [[Joel Embiid]] was held to just 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting, he remained dominant on the defensive end and sealed the game by blocking a potential game-tying layup by [[Spencer Dinwiddie]] with just under ten seconds left. [[Mikal Bridges]] led the Nets with 26 points, but Brooklyn was held to just 15 points in the fourth quarter as the 76ers finished the game on an 11–1 run to hand the Nets their ninth consecutive playoff loss.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 22 |time=1:00 pm |place=[[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score1='''96'''
|team2=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score2=88
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bkn-0042200124 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''29''' |Q2=18–'''19''' |Q3='''26'''–15 |Q4='''30'''–25
|points1=[[Tobias Harris]] 25 |points2=[[Spencer Dinwiddie]] 20
|rebounds1=[[Paul Reed (basketball)|Paul Reed]] 15 |rebounds2=[[Nic Claxton]] 12
|assist1=[[James Harden]] 11 |assist2=Spencer Dinwiddie 6
|attendance=18,037
|referee=John Goble, Sean Wright, Karl Lane
|series=Philadelphia wins series, 4–0
}} Without [[Joel Embiid]], [[Tobias Harris]] led Philadelphia with 25 points and 12 rebounds, while [[James Harden]] contributed 17 points and 11 assists as the 76ers swept a playoff opponent for the first time since 1991. [[Paul Reed (basketball)|Paul Reed]], who replaced Embiid in the starting lineup, contributed ten points and 15 rebounds, while [[De'Anthony Melton]] scored all 15 of his points in the fourth quarter. The 76ers' defense also limited the Nets to 40 points in the second half and outscored Brooklyn 21–4 during an eight-minute stretch in the third quarter. Despite [[Spencer Dinwiddie]]'s 20 points and [[Nic Claxton]]'s 19 points and 12 rebounds, the Nets lost their tenth consecutive playoff game. Additionally, they went 0–8 against Philadelphia this season.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Philadelphia won 4–0 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = November 22, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-phi-0022200256 Recap]
| team1 = [[Brooklyn Nets]] | score1 = 106
| team2 = '''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' | score2 = '''115'''
| place = [[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 25, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-phi-0022200721 Recap]
| team1 = Brooklyn Nets | score1 = 133
| team2 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score2 = '''137'''
| place = Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 11, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bkn-0022200846 Recap]
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = '''101'''
| team2 = Brooklyn Nets | score2 = 98
| place = [[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, NY]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 9, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bkn-0022201217 Recap]
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = '''134'''
| team2 = Brooklyn Nets | score2 = 105
| place = Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
}}
|}

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, and the second since the [[History of the Brooklyn Nets|New Jersey Nets]] relocated to Brooklyn in 2012, with the 76ers winning two of the first three meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=PHI&opp_id=NJN&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Philadelphia 76ers versus Brooklyn Nets (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 8, 2023|archive-date=April 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408034120/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=PHI&opp_id=NJN&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Philadelphia leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1979
| team1 = '''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' | score1 = '''2'''
| team2 = [[New Jersey Nets]] | score2 = 0
| place = [[1979 NBA playoffs#(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) New Jersey Nets|1979 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1984
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''New Jersey Nets''' | score2 = '''3'''
| place = [[1984 NBA playoffs#(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) New Jersey Nets|1984 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2019
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Brooklyn Nets]] | score2 = 1
| place = [[2019 NBA playoffs#(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) Brooklyn Nets|2019 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) New York Knicks====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 15 |time=6:00 pm |place=[[Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse]], [[Cleveland|Cleveland, OH]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score1='''101'''
|team2=[[Cleveland Cavaliers]] |score2=97
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-cle-0042200131 Recap]
|Q1='''30'''–24 |Q2=20–'''21''' |Q3='''28'''–25 |Q4=23–'''27'''
|points1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 27 |points2=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 38
|rebounds1=[[Josh Hart|Hart]], [[Julius Randle|Randle]] 10 each |rebounds2=[[Jarrett Allen]] 14
|assist1=[[RJ Barrett]] 6 |assist2=Donovan Mitchell 8
|attendance=19,432
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], [[Curtis Blair]], Sean Corbin
|series=New York leads series, 1–0
}} With the help of 27 points from [[Jalen Brunson]], the Knicks stunned the Cavaliers in Cleveland. [[Julius Randle]] and [[Josh Hart]] each had ten rebounds, in addition to scoring 19 and 17 points, respectively. [[Donovan Mitchell]] led the way for Cleveland in the losing effort, logging 38 points, eight assists, and five rebounds in 44 minutes. [[Jarrett Allen]] finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds, and [[Darius Garland]] scored 17 points. Cleveland rallied from ten points behind early in the fourth quarter to lead by one with a little over two minutes left in the game, but the Knicks regained the lead on a three-pointer by Hart and an offensive rebound by Randle sealed the win for New York.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 18 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse]], [[Cleveland|Cleveland, OH]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[New York Knicks]] |score1=90
|team2='''[[Cleveland Cavaliers]]''' |score2='''107'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-cle-0042200132 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''25''' |Q2=17–'''34''' |Q3=21–'''23''' |Q4='''30'''–25
|points1=[[Julius Randle]] 22 |points2=[[Darius Garland]] 32
|rebounds1=Julius Randle 8 |rebounds2=[[Evan Mobley]] 13
|assist1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 6 |assist2=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 13
|attendance=19,432
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Ben Taylor, Brent Barnaky
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} After a lackluster playoff debut, [[Darius Garland]] bounced back with a dominant performance, scoring 26 of his 32 points in the first half to lead the Cavaliers to their first playoff victory without [[LeBron James]] on their roster since 1998. [[Caris LeVert]] scored 24 points off the bench for Cleveland and [[Donovan Mitchell]] added 17 points and a playoff career-high 13 assists. Cleveland capitalized on New York's mistakes, scoring 27 points off of 14 turnovers in the first half, the most by a team in a half since 2009. Although [[Julius Randle]] led the Knicks with 22 points, the team's starters shot just 33.3% from the field, making only 18 of their 54 attempted shots.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 21 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Cleveland Cavaliers]] |score1=79
|team2='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score2='''99'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200133 Recap]
|Q1=17–17|Q2=15–'''28'''|Q3=23–'''27'''|Q4=24–'''27'''
|points1=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 22 |points2=[[Jalen Brunson]] 21
|rebounds1=[[Evan Mobley]] 10 |rebounds2=[[RJ Barrett|Barrett]], [[Julius Randle|Randle]] 8 each
|assist1=Donovan Mitchell 5 |assist2=Jalen Brunson 6
|attendance=19,812
|referee=Josh Tiven, Courtney Kirkland, Justin Van Duyne
|series=New York leads series, 2–1
}} In the Knicks' first sold-out home playoff game since 2013, they limited the Cavaliers to 79 points, the lowest point total by any team in a game this season. [[Jalen Brunson]] scored a team-high 21 points, while [[Josh Hart]] added 13 points off the bench. [[RJ Barrett]], who was 6-of-25 in the first two games, shot 8-of-12 from the field and scored 14 of his 19 points in the first half. For Cleveland, [[Donovan Mitchell]] scored 22 points, but [[Darius Garland]], who scored 32 points in Game 2, managed just ten points on 4-of-21 shooting. The Cavaliers struggled mightily with their offense, shooting 7-of-33 from beyond the arc, committing 20 turnovers, and scoring just 32 points in the first half.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 23 |time=1:00 pm |place=[[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Cleveland Cavaliers]] |score1=93
|team2='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score2='''102'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/cle-vs-nyk-0042200134 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''30''' |Q2=22–'''24''' |Q3='''26'''–19 |Q4=22–'''29'''
|points1=[[Darius Garland]] 23 |points2=[[Jalen Brunson]] 29
|rebounds1=[[Caris LeVert]] 9 |rebounds2=[[Mitchell Robinson]] 11
|assist1=Darius Garland 10 |assist2=Jalen Brunson 6
|attendance=19,812
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Tre Maddox, Kevin Cutler
|series=New York leads series, 3–1
}} In a pivotal Game 4, [[Jalen Brunson]] led the way for the Knicks with 29 points, while [[RJ Barrett]] contributed 26 points and [[Josh Hart]] added 19 points and seven rebounds as the Knicks took a 3–1 series lead over the Cavaliers. Although [[Darius Garland]] rebounded with 23 points and ten assists after a poor showing in Game 3, [[Donovan Mitchell]] struggled mightily, finishing with just 11 points and six turnovers on 5-of-18 shooting, as he made just one field goal in the second half. [[Caris LeVert]] and [[Jarrett Allen]] each scored 14 points, but Allen was outrebounded by the Knicks' [[Mitchell Robinson]], who finished with a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds as New York held Cleveland to under 100 points for the third time this series.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 26|time=7:00 pm |place=[[Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse]], [[Cleveland|Cleveland, OH]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score1='''106'''
|team2=[[Cleveland Cavaliers]] |score2=95
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200135 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–26|Q2='''28'''–25|Q3='''26'''–24|Q4=19–'''20'''
|points1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 23 |points2=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 28
|rebounds1=[[Mitchell Robinson]] 18 |rebounds2=[[Evan Mobley]] 9
|assist1=[[Julius Randle]] 6 |assist2=Donovan Mitchell 5
|attendance=19,432
|referee=John Goble, Kevin Scott, Mitchell Ervin
|series=New York wins series, 4–1
}} For the fourth time in five games, New York held Cleveland to under 100 points as the Knicks won a playoff series for just the second time in 23 years. The Knicks were once again led by [[Jalen Brunson]], who scored 23 points, and [[RJ Barrett]], who added 21. Brunson was consistent throughout the series for New York, averaging 24 points in the series and leading the team in scoring in all four wins. [[Mitchell Robinson]] anchored the Knicks' defense with 18 rebounds (11 of them offensive) as he outrebounded Cleveland's [[Jarrett Allen]] and [[Evan Mobley]] for the second straight game. Although [[Donovan Mitchell]] and [[Darius Garland]] both scored 20+ points in the same game for the first time this series, the Cavaliers were never able to gain a lead.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!New York won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 30, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-cle-0022200090 Recap]
| team1 = [[New York Knicks]] | score1 = 108
| team2 = '''[[Cleveland Cavaliers]]''' | score2 = '''121'''
| place = [[Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse]], [[Cleveland|Cleveland, OH]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = December 4, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/cle-vs-nyk-0022200348 Recap]
| team1 = Cleveland Cavaliers | score1 = 81
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''92'''
| place = [[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 24, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/cle-vs-nyk-0022200715 Recap]
| team1 = Cleveland Cavaliers | score1 = 103
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''105'''
| place = Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 31, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-cle-0022201154 Recap]
| team1 = '''New York Knicks''' | score1 = '''130'''
| team2 = Cleveland Cavaliers | score2 = 116
| place = Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
}}
|}

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Knicks winning the first three meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=CLE&opp_id=NYK&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Cleveland Cavaliers versus New York Knicks (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 5, 2023|archive-date=April 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405224239/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=CLE&opp_id=NYK&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!New York leads 3–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1978
| team1 = [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''[[New York Knicks]]''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1978 NBA playoffs#(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) New York Knicks|1978 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1995
| team1 = '''New York Knicks''' | score1 = '''3'''
| team2 = Cleveland Cavaliers | score2 = 1
| place = [[1995 NBA playoffs#(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Cleveland Cavaliers|1995 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1996
| team1 = Cleveland Cavaliers | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''3'''
| place = [[1996 NBA playoffs#(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) New York Knicks|1996 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

===Western Conference First Round===

====(1) Denver Nuggets vs. (8) Minnesota Timberwolves====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 16 |time=10:30 pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Minnesota Timberwolves]] |score1=80
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''109'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200141 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''26''' |Q2=21–'''29''' |Q3=14–'''32''' |Q4=22–22
|points1=[[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] 18 |points2=[[Jamal Murray]] 24
|rebounds1=[[Rudy Gobert]] 13 |rebounds2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 14
|assist1=Anthony Edwards 5 |assist2=Jamal Murray 8
|attendance=19,628
|referee=Josh Tiven, Pat Fraher, [[Rodney Mott]]
|series=Denver leads series, 1–0
}} The Nuggets thrashed the Timberwolves in the opening game of the series, holding Minnesota to 30-of-81 field goal shooting and 11-of-36 from beyond the arc. In his first playoff game since the [[2020 NBA Bubble]], [[Jamal Murray]] led the scoring for Denver, scoring 24 points. [[Nikola Jokić]] and [[Michael Porter Jr.]] both achieved double-doubles, the former having 13 points and 14 rebounds, while the latter finished with 18 points and grabbed 11 boards. [[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] scored 18 points in the losing effort, while [[Karl-Anthony Towns]] had 11 points and ten rebounds. Minnesota's 80 points were their lowest in a game since 2016 and tied for the fewest points scored by any team this season.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 19|time=10:00 pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}}|place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Minnesota Timberwolves]] |score1=113
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''122'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200142 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''31''' |Q2=27–'''33''' |Q3='''40'''–23 |Q4=24–'''35'''
|points1=[[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] 41 |points2=[[Jamal Murray]] 40
|rebounds1=[[Karl-Anthony Towns]] 12 |rebounds2=[[Aaron Gordon]] 10
|assist1=[[Mike Conley Jr.|Mike Conley]] 7 |assist2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 9
|attendance=19,683
|referee=Marc Davis, Ed Malloy, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Denver leads series, 2–0
}} [[Jamal Murray]] scored 40 points and [[Michael Porter Jr.]] had 13 of his 16 in the fourth quarter, powering the Nuggets past the Timberwolves to seize a 2–0 series lead. [[Nikola Jokić]] had another strong performance for the Nuggets, finishing with 27 points, nine assists, and nine rebounds as Denver built a 21-point lead in the first half. For Minnesota, [[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] scored a playoff career-high 41 points as the Wolves shot 17-of-21 (81%) in the third quarter to send Denver trailing entering the final quarter. However, the Nuggets regained their lead thanks to Porter Jr. scoring eight straight points to begin the fourth and a three-pointer with 6:25 left that permanently gave Denver the lead.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 21|time=9:30 pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Target Center]], [[Minneapolis|Minneapolis, MN]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''120'''
|team2=[[Minnesota Timberwolves]] |score2=111
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200143 Recap]
|Q1=28–28 |Q2='''33'''–27 |Q3=33–33 |Q4='''26'''–23
|points1=[[Michael Porter Jr.]] 25 |points2=[[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] 36
|rebounds1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 11 |rebounds2=[[Rudy Gobert]] 10
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 12 |assist2=[[Kyle Anderson (basketball)|Kyle Anderson]] 6
|attendance=19,536
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], James Williams, Eric Dalen
|series=Denver leads series, 3–0
}} The Nuggets delivered a disciplined performance to take a commanding 3–0 series lead, with two-time reigning MVP [[Nikola Jokić]] leading the team with his seventh career triple-double in the playoffs. [[Michael Porter Jr.]] added a team-high 25 points and nine rebounds, while [[Jamal Murray]] contributed 18 points and nine assists. Despite another impressive performance by [[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]], who scored 36 points, the Timberwolves struggled to keep up, as Denver had two 9–0 runs in the first half and started the second quarter by making 12 of their first 16 shots on their way to a 13-point lead. The Wolves' [[Karl-Anthony Towns]] had 27 points, while [[Rudy Gobert]] had 18 points and ten rebounds.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 23|time=9:30 pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}}|place=[[Target Center]], [[Minneapolis|Minneapolis, MN]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score1=108
|team2='''[[Minnesota Timberwolves]]''' |score2='''114''' |overtime=OT
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200144 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''23''' |Q2='''30'''–25 |Q3=22–'''32''' |Q4='''22'''–16 |OT=12–'''18'''
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 43 |points2=[[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] 34
|rebounds1=Nikola Jokić 11 |rebounds2=[[Rudy Gobert]] 15
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 6 |assist2=[[Mike Conley Jr.|Mike Conley]] 8
|attendance=18,978
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Ray Acosta
|series=Denver leads series, 3–1
}} Down by 12 with under three minutes left in the fourth quarter, Denver went on a 12–0 run to tie it at 96–96, but the Timberwolves ultimately prevented a series sweep in overtime. [[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] again led the Timberwolves in scoring, logging 34 points in addition to six rebounds and five assists. [[Nikola Jokić]] scored 43 points, tying his playoff career-high, on 15-of-26 shooting, while also having 11 rebounds and six assists. [[Mike Conley Jr.|Mike Conley]] contributed 19 points, [[Karl-Anthony Towns]] had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and [[Rudy Gobert]] produced 14 points and 15 rebounds in the victory. [[Jamal Murray]] scored 19, while [[Michael Porter Jr.]] had 15 points in the losing effort.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 25|time=9:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1=[[Minnesota Timberwolves]] |score1=109
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''112'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200145 Recap]
|Q1='''29'''–22|Q2=18–'''26'''|Q3='''30'''–29|Q4=32–'''35'''
|points1=[[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] 29 |points2=[[Jamal Murray]] 35
|rebounds1=[[Rudy Gobert]] 15 |rebounds2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 17
|assist1=[[Mike Conley Jr.|Mike Conley]] 9 |assist2=Nikola Jokić 12
|attendance=19,691
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Curtis Blair]], Brian Forte
|series=Denver wins series, 4–1
}} After a sluggish start, Denver managed to rally and secure their fourth Western Semifinals appearance in five years behind the performances of [[Nikola Jokić]] and [[Jamal Murray]]. Down by 15 in the first half, the Nuggets came crawling back, as neither team led by more than six after the Nuggets made it 34–28 with 7:15 left in the second quarter. Jokić notched his second triple-double of the series, scoring 28 points despite missing 21-of-29 shots, while Murray scored a game-high 35 points. [[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] led the Wolves with 29 points, but missed a potential game-tying three-pointer as time expired. [[Karl-Anthony Towns]] and [[Rudy Gobert]] both scored 26 and 16 points respectively, but both centers fouled out in the fourth quarter.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 2, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/0022200557 Recap]
| team1 = [[Denver Nuggets]] | score1 = 111
| team2 = '''[[Minnesota Timberwolves]]''' | score2 = '''124'''
| place = [[Target Center]], [[Minneapolis|Minneapolis, MN]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 18, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/min-vs-den-0022200676 Recap]
| team1 = Minnesota Timberwolves | score1 = 118
| team2 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score2 = '''122'''
| place = [[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 5, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-min-0022200806 Recap]
| team1 = Denver Nuggets | score1 = 98
| team2 = '''Minnesota Timberwolves''' | score2 = '''128'''
| place = Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 7, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/min-vs-den-0022200820 Recap]
| team1 = Minnesota Timberwolves | score1 = 112
| team2 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score2 = '''146'''
| place = Ball Arena, Denver, CO
}}
|}

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Timberwolves winning the first meeting.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DEN&opp_id=MIN&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Minnesota Timberwolves (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 15, 2023|archive-date=April 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415041050/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DEN&opp_id=MIN&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Minnesota leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| date = 2004
| team1 = '''[[Minnesota Timberwolves]]''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Denver Nuggets]] | score2 = 1
| place = [[2004 NBA playoffs#(1) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (8) Denver Nuggets|2004 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(2) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 16 |time=3:00 pm {{small|(2:00 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis, TN]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score1='''128'''
|team2=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score2=112
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200151 Recap]
|Q1='''32'''–27 |Q2=27–'''38''' |Q3='''37'''–25 |Q4='''32'''–22
|points1=[[Rui Hachimura]] 29 |points2=[[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] 31
|rebounds1=[[Anthony Davis]] 12 |rebounds2=[[Santi Aldama|Aldama]], [[Ja Morant|Morant]] 6 each
|assist1=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 7 |assist2=[[Desmond Bane]] 6
|attendance=18,487
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Aaron Smith
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 1–0
}} The Lakers finished the game on a 15–0 run to seal a Game 1 victory in Memphis. Led by [[Rui Hachimura]] and [[Austin Reaves]], the duo combined for 37 of the Lakers' 69 points in the second half, including nine straight points from Reaves in the closing minutes to put the game away. [[LeBron James]] contributed 21 points and 11 rebounds, while [[Anthony Davis]] added 22 points and seven blocks. [[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] led the Grizzlies with 31 points, and [[Desmond Bane]] scored 22. [[Ja Morant]] had 18 points but left the game in the fourth quarter with an injured right hand.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 19|time= 7:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}}|place=[[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis, TN]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=93
|team2='''[[Memphis Grizzlies]]''' |score2='''103'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-mem-0042200152 Recap]
|Q1=19–'''30''' |Q2=25–'''29''' |Q3='''27'''–24 |Q4='''22'''–20
|points1=[[LeBron James]] 28 |points2=[[Xavier Tillman]] 22
|rebounds1=LeBron James 12 |rebounds2=Xavier Tillman 13
|assist1=[[Austin Reaves|Reaves]], [[D'Angelo Russell|Russell]] 4 each |assist2=[[Tyus Jones]] 8
|attendance=17,928
|referee=Josh Tiven, Courtney Kirkland, Justin Van Duyne
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} In danger of falling behind 2–0 in the series and without their All-Star [[Ja Morant]], [[Xavier Tillman]] stepped up for Memphis, scoring a career-high 22 points and a season-high 13 rebounds. Newly named [[NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award|Defensive Player of the Year]] [[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] added 18 points and three blocks, while [[Desmond Bane]] and [[Tyus Jones]] had 17 and ten points, respectively. [[LeBron James]] led the Lakers with 28 points and 12 rebounds, and [[Rui Hachimura]] dropped 20 points off the bench, but starters [[Anthony Davis]] and [[D'Angelo Russell]] struggled, combining for just 18 points on a combined 6-of-25 from the field.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 22|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]|TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score1=101
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''111'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-lal-0042200153 Recap]
|Q1=9–'''35''' |Q2='''28'''–18 |Q3=31–'''35''' |Q4='''33'''–23
|points1=[[Ja Morant]] 45 |points2=[[Anthony Davis]] 31
|rebounds1=[[Xavier Tillman]] 12 |rebounds2=Anthony Davis 17
|assist1=Ja Morant 13 |assist2=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 7
|attendance=18,997
|referee=Marc Davis, Ed Malloy, Brian Forte
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 2–1
}} In their first sold-out playoff home game since 2013, the Lakers produced one of the greatest first quarters in team history, as they stormed out to a 35–9 lead, tying an NBA record by taking a 26-point lead into the second quarter. [[Anthony Davis]] dropped 31 points and 17 rebounds, [[LeBron James]] finished with 25 points, and [[Rui Hachimura]] scored 16 points off the bench. For Memphis, [[Dillon Brooks]] was ejected early in the second half for striking James in the groin. [[Ja Morant]] scored 45 points in his return from a one-game absence, scoring 22 consecutive points for Memphis during his 24-point fourth quarter. Morant also had 13 assists and nine rebounds, but Memphis could not fully recover from their slow start.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 24|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]|TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score1=111
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''117''' |overtime=OT
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-lal-0042200154 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''29''' |Q2='''29'''–25 |Q3='''31'''–27 |Q4=21–'''23''' |OT=7–'''13'''
|points1=[[Desmond Bane]] 36 |points2=[[Austin Reaves]] 23
|rebounds1=[[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] 14 |rebounds2=[[LeBron James]] 20
|assist1=[[Ja Morant]] 7 |assist2=LeBron James 7
|attendance=18,997
|referee=John Goble, Sean Wright, Mitchell Ervin
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 3–1
}} In his 270th career playoff game, [[LeBron James]] made a game-tying layup with less than a second left in regulation and scored four of his 22 points in overtime to help the No. 7-seeded Lakers take a 3–1 series lead. James also grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds for the first 20–20 game of his 20-year career. [[Austin Reaves]] scored 23 points and [[Anthony Davis]] had five of his 12 points in overtime as Los Angeles surged back from a seven-point deficit with five minutes left in regulation with a rally that began when [[D'Angelo Russell]] hit three consecutive three-pointers. The Grizzlies' [[Desmond Bane]] scored 36 points, and [[Ja Morant]] scored 19 points with an injured right hand, but Davis blocked his jumper at the regulation buzzer.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 26|time=7:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis, TN]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=99
|team2='''[[Memphis Grizzlies]]''' |score2='''116'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200155 Recap]
|Q1=24–'''38'''|Q2='''28'''–23|Q3=24–'''33'''|Q4='''23'''–22
|points1=[[Anthony Davis]] 31 |points2=[[Desmond Bane]] 33
|rebounds1=Anthony Davis 19 |rebounds2=''three players'' 10 each{{efn|Bane, [[Jaren Jackson Jr.|Jackson Jr.]], and [[Ja Morant|Morant]]}}
|assist1=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 10 |assist2=Ja Morant 7
|attendance=18,117
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], [[Nick Buchert]]
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 3–2
}} The No. 2 seeded Grizzlies staved off elimination with a collaborative team effort. [[Desmond Bane]] had his second-straight 30-point game to go along with ten rebounds, while [[Ja Morant]] added 31 points and ten boards, and [[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] contributed 18 points and ten rebounds. [[LeBron James]] started off 1-of-7 shooting and ultimately finished with 15 points and ten rebounds, while [[Anthony Davis]] led the Lakers with 31 points and 19 boards. Although they trailed for most of the game, the Lakers pulled within one point with 4:36 left in the third quarter. However, Memphis responded with a 26–2 run that effectively put the game away. Los Angeles tried to rally with a 20–7 run in the fourth quarter, but couldn't get closer than 12 points.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 28|time=10:30 pm {{small|(7:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]|TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score1=85
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''125'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-lal-0042200156 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''31''' |Q2=22–'''28''' |Q3=25–'''41''' |Q4=18–'''25'''
|points1=[[Santi Aldama]] 16 |points2=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 31
|rebounds1=[[David Roddy|Roddy]], [[Xavier Tillman|Tillman]] 6 each |rebounds2=[[Anthony Davis]] 14
|assist1=[[Ja Morant]] 6 |assist2=[[Austin Reaves]] 8
|attendance=18,997
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Kevin Scott, Sean Corbin
|series=LA Lakers win series, 4–2
}} Los Angeles dominated throughout the game, building a 20-point lead in the first half and a 36-point lead in the third quarter as the Lakers won a playoff series in their home arena for the first time since 2012. [[LeBron James]] led the way with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting, while [[Anthony Davis]] put on a defensive clinic with 16 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocks. [[D'Angelo Russell]] had a career playoff-high 31 points, and [[Austin Reaves]] contributed 11 points, eight assists, and six rebounds. [[Ja Morant]], who was playing with an injured right hand, struggled mightily, scoring just ten points on 3-of-16 shooting. [[Dillon Brooks]], who gained notoriety throughout the series, scored just ten points and finished the series shooting 31% from the field.
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!LA Lakers won 2–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 20, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-lal-0022200690 Recap]
| team1 = [[Memphis Grizzlies]] | score1 = 121
| team2 = '''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' | score2 = '''122'''
| place = [[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 28, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-mem-0022200927 Recap]
| team1 = Los Angeles Lakers | score1 = 109
| team2 = '''Memphis Grizzlies''' | score2 = '''121'''
| place = [[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis, TN]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 7, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-lal-0022200984 Recap]
| team1 = Memphis Grizzlies | score1 = 103
| team2 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score2 = '''112'''
| place = Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
}}
|}

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=MEM&opp_id=LAL&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Memphis Grizzlies versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 12, 2023|archive-date=April 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412054647/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=MEM&opp_id=LAL&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

====(3) Sacramento Kings vs. (6) Golden State Warriors====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 15|time=8:30 pm {{small|(5:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Golden 1 Center]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=123
|team2='''[[Sacramento Kings]]''' |score2='''126'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0042200161 Recap]
|Q1=29–29 |Q2='''32'''–26 |Q3=29–'''36''' |Q4=33–'''35'''
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 30 |points2=[[De'Aaron Fox]] 38
|rebounds1=[[Draymond Green|D. Green]], [[Kevon Looney|Looney]] 9 each |rebounds2=[[Domantas Sabonis]] 16
|assist1=Draymond Green 11 |assist2=De'Aaron Fox 5
|attendance=18,253
|referee=John Goble, Ed Malloy, Sean Wright
|series=Sacramento leads series, 1–0
}}
In his playoff debut, [[De'Aaron Fox]] finished with 38 points, five assists, and three steals as he led Sacramento to their first playoff win in 17 years. [[Malik Monk]], who was also making his playoff debut, came off the bench and scored 32 points on 8-of-13 shooting and 14-of-14 from the free throw line in 29 minutes of play. [[Domantas Sabonis]], the league leader in double-doubles this season, came up with another, posting 12 points and 16 rebounds. [[Stephen Curry]] was the leading scorer for the Warriors in this game, scoring 30 points on 6-of-14 shooting from beyond the arc, but missed the potential game-tying three-pointer in the final seconds. [[Klay Thompson]] added 21 points, while [[Draymond Green]] had 11 assists and nine rebounds.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 17|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}}|place=[[Golden 1 Center]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=106
|team2='''[[Sacramento Kings]]''' |score2='''114'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0042200162 Recap]
|Q1='''23'''–17 |Q2=29–'''41''' |Q3=23–'''25''' |Q4=31–31
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 28 |points2=[[De'Aaron Fox|Fox]], [[Domantas Sabonis|Sabonis]] 24 each
|rebounds1=[[Kevon Looney]] 7 |rebounds2=Domantas Sabonis 9
|assist1=Stephen Curry 6 |assist2=De'Aaron Fox 9
|attendance=18,253
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Courtney Kirkland, Gediminas Petraitis
|series=Sacramento leads series, 2–0
}} Tied 95–95 late in the fourth quarter, The Kings went on a 17–8 run to become the first team to take a 2–0 series lead over the Warriors under [[Steve Kerr]]'s tenure. [[De'Aaron Fox]] scored 24 points and hit a crucial three-pointer that helped seal the victory for Sacramento. [[Domantas Sabonis]] added 24 points, and [[Malik Monk]] scored 18 off the bench. [[Stephen Curry]] led the Warriors with 28 points, but went 3-for-13 from beyond the arc as the Warriors committed 20 turnovers and 26 personal fouls. The game got heated midway through the fourth quarter, as [[Draymond Green]] was ejected for stepping on Sabonis' chest after Sabonis fell down and grabbed Green's leg following a rebound attempt.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 20|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Sacramento Kings]] |score1=97
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''114'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200163 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''29''' |Q2=21–'''24''' |Q3=31–31 |Q4=25–'''30'''
|points1=[[De'Aaron Fox]] 26 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 36
|rebounds1=[[Domantas Sabonis]] 16 |rebounds2=[[Kevon Looney]] 20
|assist1=De'Aaron Fox 9 |assist2=Kevon Looney 9
|attendance=18,064
|referee=[[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Kevin Scott, Sean Corbin
|series=Sacramento leads series, 2–1
}} The Warriors entered Game 3 trailing 2–0 and missing two of their top defenders, including [[Draymond Green]], who was suspended as a result of his actions the previous game. The Warriors responded to the challenge by dominating the Kings 114–97, as Sacramento never led in the game. [[Stephen Curry]] scored 36 points, [[Kevon Looney]] matched his career high with 20 rebounds to go with nine assists, and [[Andrew Wiggins]] added 20 points and seven rebounds. The Kings’ [[De'Aaron Fox]] scored 26 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, while [[Domantas Sabonis]] added 15 points and 16 rebounds as the Kings missed a season-high 36 three-point attempts.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 23|time=3:30 pm {{small|(12:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Sacramento Kings]] |score1=125
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''126'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/sac-vs-gsw-0042200164 Recap]
|Q1='''32'''–31 |Q2='''37'''–34 |Q3=23–'''37''' |Q4='''33'''–24
|points1=[[De'Aaron Fox]] 38 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 32
|rebounds1=De'Aaron Fox 9 |rebounds2=[[Kevon Looney]] 14
|assist1=[[Domantas Sabonis]] 8 |assist2=[[Draymond Green]] 7
|attendance=18,064
|referee=Josh Tiven, James Williams, Pat Fraher
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}} In a collaborative team effort, [[Stephen Curry]] scored 32 points, [[Klay Thompson]] added 26, and [[Jordan Poole]] dropped 22 points as the Warriors tied the series at two games apiece. [[Draymond Green]] returned from his one-game suspension and provided 12 points, ten rebounds, and seven assists, while [[Andrew Wiggins]] contributed 18 points. Despite the victory, the Warriors made a late blunder when Curry called a timeout that they did not have, giving the Kings a chance to win the game in the final seconds. However, [[Harrison Barnes]] missed a three-pointer at the buzzer, allowing the Warriors to hold on for the win. For the Kings, [[De'Aaron Fox]] put up 38 points and nine rebounds while [[Keegan Murray]] contributed 23 points.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 26|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Golden 1 Center]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score1='''123'''
|team2=[[Sacramento Kings]] |score2=116
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0042200165 Recap]
|Q1=33–'''36'''|Q2='''27'''–20|Q3='''39'''–34|Q4=24–'''26'''
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 31 |points2=[[De'Aaron Fox]] 24
|rebounds1=[[Kevon Looney]] 22 |rebounds2=[[Domantas Sabonis]] 10
|assist1=Stephen Curry 8 |assist2=De'Aaron Fox 9
|attendance=18,253
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Mark Lindsay, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Golden State leads series, 3–2
}} In spite of their 11–32 record on the road this season, the Warriors came away with a critical Game 5 victory as Golden State won a road game for the NBA-record 28th straight playoff series. [[Stephen Curry]] spearheaded the victory with 31 points, while [[Draymond Green]] had his highest scoring output since 2019 with 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting. [[Klay Thompson]] added 25 points and five three-pointers, [[Andrew Wiggins]] had 20 points, and [[Kevon Looney]] matched his career-high with 22 rebounds. Despite a broken index finger on his shooting hand, [[De'Aaron Fox]] scored 24 points for the Kings, while [[Malik Monk]] and [[Domantas Sabonis]] added 21 points apiece, but it wasn't enough to overcome the defending champions.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 28|time=8:00 pm {{small|(5:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Sacramento Kings]]''' |score1='''118'''
|team2=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score2=99
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/sac-vs-gsw-0042200166 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''25'''|Q2='''35'''–26|Q3='''32'''–29|Q4='''28'''–19
|points1=[[Malik Monk]] 28 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 29
|rebounds1=[[Keegan Murray]] 12 |rebounds2=[[Kevon Looney]] 13
|assist1=[[De'Aaron Fox]] 11 |assist2=[[Draymond Green]] 10
|attendance=18,064
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Ben Taylor
|series=Series tied, 3–3
}} The Kings, led by [[Malik Monk]]'s 28 points, staved off elimination on the road and forced the first Game 7 of the 2023 playoffs. [[De'Aaron Fox]] added 26 points and 11 assists, and rookie [[Keegan Murray]] scored his first playoff double-double. For Golden State, [[Stephen Curry]] scored 29, [[Klay Thompson]] had 22, and [[Kevon Looney]] pulled down 13 rebounds. However, starters [[Andrew Wiggins]] and [[Jordan Poole]] combined for just 20 points on 29% shooting (7-of-24). Although [[Domantas Sabonis]] fouled out in the fourth quarter, the Kings controlled the game in the second half, never allowing the Warriors to get closer than seven points in the fourth quarter.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 30|time=3:30 pm {{small|(12:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Golden 1 Center]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score1='''120'''
|team2=[[Sacramento Kings]] |score2=100
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0042200167 Recap]
|Q1=30–'''31''' |Q2=26–'''27''' |Q3='''35'''–23 |Q4='''29'''–19
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 50 |points2=[[Domantas Sabonis]] 22
|rebounds1=[[Kevon Looney]] 21 |rebounds2=[[Kevin Huerter|Huerter]], [[Malik Monk|Monk]] 9 each
|assist1=[[Draymond Green]] 8 |assist2=Domantas Sabonis 7
|attendance=18,253
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Kevin Scott, [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=Golden State wins series, 4–3
}} [[Stephen Curry]] scored a playoff career-high to help the Warriors advance to the Western Conference semifinals, becoming the first player ever to score 50 points in a game 7. While the rest of his team shot 37% from the field, Curry shot 20-of-38 (53%) with seven three-pointers to go along with eight rebounds and six assists, as no one else for Golden State scored more than 17 points. In addition to Curry's performance, [[Kevon Looney]] grabbed 21 rebounds, including ten offensive boards, to mark his third 20-rebound game of the series. For the Kings, [[Domantas Sabonis]] had 22 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, but the Warriors held [[De'Aaron Fox]] in check as he scored 16 points on 5-of-19 shooting in his third game with a broken finger. Although they trailed at halftime, the Warriors opened the second half with a 22–8 run and held Sacramento to 42 points on 33% shooting after the break.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Golden State won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 23, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/sac-vs-gsw-0022200042 Recap]
| team1 = [[Sacramento Kings]] | score1 = 125
| team2 = '''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' | score2 = '''130'''
| place = [[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = November 7, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/sac-vs-gsw-0022200156 Recap]
| team1 = Sacramento Kings | score1 = 113
| team2 = '''Golden State Warriors''' | score2 = '''116'''
| place = Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = November 13, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0022200197 Recap]
| team1 = Golden State Warriors | score1 = 115
| team2 = '''Sacramento Kings''' | score2 = '''122'''
| place = [[Golden 1 Center]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 7, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0022201211 Recap]
| team1 = '''Golden State Warriors''' | score1 = '''119'''
| team2 = Sacramento Kings | score2 = 97
| place = Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
}}
|}

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=SAC&opp_id=GSW&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Sacramento Kings versus Golden State Warriors (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 12, 2023|archive-date=April 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409221642/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=SAC&opp_id=GSW&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

====(4) Phoenix Suns vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 16 |time=8:00 pm {{small|(5:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Los Angeles Clippers]]''' |score1='''115'''
|team2=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score2=110
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-phx-0042200171 Recap]
|Q1='''30'''–18 |Q2=29–'''36''' |Q3=22–'''27''' |Q4='''34'''–29
|points1=[[Kawhi Leonard]] 38 |points2=[[Kevin Durant]] 27
|rebounds1=[[Ivica Zubac]] 15 |rebounds2=[[Chris Paul]] 11
|assist1=[[Russell Westbrook]] 8 |assist2=Kevin Durant 11
|attendance=17,071
|referee=Marc Davis, Kevin Scott, Brian Forte
|series=LA Clippers lead series, 1–0
}} In the absence of [[Paul George]], [[Kawhi Leonard]] took charge for the Clippers, scoring 38 points and hitting two crucial three-pointers in the closing moments to secure the series opener. Despite a poor shooting performance from [[Russell Westbrook]], who went 3-of-19 from the field, he added 11 rebounds, eight assists, and made two crucial free throws late in the game. He also blocked [[Devin Booker]]'s layup attempt in the final minute to secure the win. For Phoenix, [[Kevin Durant]] scored 27 points to go along with nine rebounds and 11 assists, while Booker contributed 26 points, three blocks, and four steals. Notably, this marked Durant's first loss as a member of the Suns.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 18|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score1=109
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''123'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-phx-0042200172 Recap]
|Q1='''29'''–24 |Q2=30–'''35''' |Q3=28–'''33''' |Q4=22–'''31'''
|points1=[[Kawhi Leonard]] 31 |points2=[[Devin Booker]] 38
|rebounds1=Kawhi Leonard 8 |rebounds2=[[Deandre Ayton]] 13
|assist1=Kawhi Leonard 7 |assist2=Devin Booker 9
|attendance=17,071
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], [[JB DeRosa]]
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} The Suns overcame a slow start and a 13-point deficit midway through the second quarter to even the series at one game apiece. [[Devin Booker]] led the Suns with 38 points and nine assists on 14-of-22 shooting, while [[Kevin Durant]] added 25 points. Although the Clippers' bench outscored Phoenix's 30–13, The Suns' starters combined for 110 points on 45-of-74 (61%) from the field as Phoenix went on a 23–4 run during the middle two quarters to take control of the game. [[Kawhi Leonard]] led Los Angeles with 31 points, while [[Russell Westbrook]] added 28 points on an improved 9-of-16 shooting. Notably, [[Chris Paul]] had his 13-game playoff losing streak snapped when referee [[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]] is on the floor.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 20|time=10:30 pm {{small|(7:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score1='''129'''
|team2=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score2=124
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200173 Recap]
|Q1=27–27|Q2='''27'''–24|Q3='''40'''–34|Q4=35–'''39'''
|points1=[[Devin Booker]] 45 |points2=[[Norman Powell]] 42
|rebounds1=[[Deandre Ayton]] 11 |rebounds2=[[Russell Westbrook|Westbrook]], [[Ivica Zubac|Zubac]] 8 each
|assist1=[[Chris Paul]] 7 |assist2=Russell Westbrook 12
|attendance=19,068
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Jacyn Goble
|series=Phoenix leads series, 2–1
}} [[Devin Booker]] and [[Kevin Durant]] combined for 73 points to take a 2–1 series lead. Despite [[Kawhi Leonard]]'s absence, the Clippers remained competitive in the first half, with neither team leading by more than eight points. The Suns pulled away in the third quarter, with Booker scoring eight points in a 17–8 run to give Phoenix its first double-digit lead of the game. [[Norman Powell]] stepped up for Los Angeles, scoring a career playoff-high 42 points on 15-of-23 shooting, while [[Russell Westbrook]] dropped 30 points and 12 assists. [[Bones Hyland]] (20 points) came off the bench and outscored the Phoenix bench (18 points), but it was not enough to overcome the Suns' starters, as they combined for 110+ points for the second straight game.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 22|time=3:30 pm {{small|(12:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score1='''112'''
|team2=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score2=100
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lac-0042200174 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''30''' |Q2='''25'''–17 |Q3='''35'''–31 |Q4='''29'''–22
|points1=[[Kevin Durant]] 31 |points2=[[Russell Westbrook]] 37
|rebounds1=[[Deandre Ayton]] 13 |rebounds2=[[Ivica Zubac]] 9
|assist1=[[Chris Paul]] 9 |assist2=[[Terance Mann|Mann]], Westbrook 4 each
|attendance=19,068
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], [[Curtis Blair]], [[Nick Buchert]]
|series=Phoenix leads series, 3–1
}} [[Kevin Durant]] scored 31 points, [[Devin Booker]] added 30, and [[Chris Paul]] finished with 19 points and nine assists as the Suns won their third straight game against Los Angeles. The Clippers were without [[Kawhi Leonard]] and [[Paul George]], but [[Russell Westbrook]] carried the team in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 points, including nine in a row when they twice pulled within two points. However, Paul staved off the Clippers in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting against his former team. Westbrook finished with a game-high 37 points, while [[Norman Powell]] added 14 points and [[Terance Mann]] had 13 off the bench.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 25|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score1=130
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''136'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-phx-0042200175 Recap]
|Q1=30–'''32'''|Q2='''40'''–29|Q3=24–'''50'''|Q4='''36'''–25
|points1=[[Norman Powell]] 27 |points2=[[Devin Booker]] 47
|rebounds1=[[Mason Plumlee|Plumlee]], [[Ivica Zubac|Zubac]] 10 each |rebounds2=[[Deandre Ayton]] 11
|assist1=[[Russell Westbrook]] 8 |assist2=Devin Booker 10
|attendance=17,071
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Ben Taylor, Karl Lane
|series=Phoenix wins series, 4–1
}} [[Devin Booker]] led Phoenix past the Clippers with a 47-point performance, including 25 points in the third quarter, to advance to the Western Semifinals for the third straight season. The Clippers attempted to come back from a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter, hitting four straight three-pointers to quickly close the gap, and had multiple chances to tie the game in the final three minutes but could never convert. [[Kevin Durant]] sealed the win for the Suns by making a layup to extend their lead to 134–130, and then made two free throws to put them up six with 31 seconds left. Durant finished with 31 points while [[Deandre Ayton]] had 21 points and 11 rebounds. Booker shot 19-of-27 from the field, including 4-of-7 from three-point range.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 23, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lac-0022200043 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' | score1 = '''112'''
| team2 = [[Los Angeles Clippers]] | score2 = 95
| place = [[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = December 15, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lac-0022200427 Recap]
| team1 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score1 = '''111'''
| team2 = Los Angeles Clippers | score2 = 95
| place = Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 16, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-phx-0022200885 Recap]
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Clippers''' | score1 = '''116'''
| team2 = Phoenix Suns | score2 = 107
| place = [[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 9, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lac-0022201229 Recap]
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Clippers''' | score1 = '''119'''
| team2 = Phoenix Suns | score2 = 114
| place = Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ
}}
|}

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Suns winning the first two meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=PHO&opp_id=LAC&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Phoenix Suns versus Los Angeles Clippers (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 9, 2023|archive-date=April 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409035844/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=PHO&opp_id=LAC&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Phoenix leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| date = 2006
| team1 = '''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Los Angeles Clippers]] | score2 = 3
| place = [[2006 NBA playoffs#(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (6) Los Angeles Clippers|2006 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2021
| team1 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Los Angeles Clippers | score2 = 2
| place = [[2021 NBA playoffs#(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (4) Los Angeles Clippers|2021 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
|}

==Conference semifinals==
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

===Eastern Conference semifinals===

====(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 1 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score1='''119'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=115
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0042200211 Recap]
|Q1=31–'''38''' |Q2='''32'''–28 |Q3='''24'''–21 |Q4='''32'''–28
|points1=[[James Harden]] 45 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 39
|rebounds1=[[Paul Reed (basketball)|Paul Reed]] 13 |rebounds2=Jayson Tatum 11
|assist1=James Harden 6 |assist2=[[Marcus Smart]] 7
|attendance=19,156
|referee=David Guthrie, Courtney Kirkland, Karl Lane
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 1–0
}} Led by [[James Harden]]'s 45 points, the 76ers rallied without [[Joel Embiid]] to beat the Celtics on the road to take a 1–0 series lead. Harden, who tied his playoff career-high, hit a go-ahead, step-back three-pointer over [[Al Horford]] with less than ten seconds left to help secure the victory. [[Tyrese Maxey]] added 26 points and [[Tobias Harris]] finished with 18 for Philadelphia, who made 17 three-pointers in the absence of [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]] Embiid. [[Jayson Tatum]] led the Celtics with 39 points and 11 rebounds, while [[Jaylen Brown]] added 23 points and [[Malcolm Brogdon]] finished with 20 points. The Celtics had one final chance and got the ball to Tatum, but he lost the ball to [[Paul Reed (basketball)|Paul Reed]], who later hit a pair of free throws to seal the win for Philadelphia.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 3|time=8:00 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score1=87
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''121'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0042200212 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''28''' |Q2=27–'''29''' |Q3=16–'''35''' |Q4=22–'''29'''
|points1=[[Tobias Harris]] 16 |points2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 25
|rebounds1=[[James Harden]] 10 |rebounds2=''three players'' 7 each{{efn|[[Al Horford|Horford]], [[Jayson Tatum|Tatum]], and [[Robert Williams III|Williams III]]}}
|assist1=James Harden 4 |assist2=''three players'' 4 each{{efn|Brown, [[Grant Williams (basketball)|Williams]], and Williams III}}
|attendance=19,156
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Kevin Scott, [[Rodney Mott]]
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} The Celtics bounced back from their series opening loss to rout the 76ers by 34 points and hand Philadelphia their first loss of the playoffs. [[Jaylen Brown]] scored a game-high 25 points, while [[Malcolm Brogdon]] added 23 points, connecting on six of Boston's 20 three-pointers. [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] and [[Marcus Smart]] scored 15 points apiece, while [[Jayson Tatum]] struggled with fouls and scored just seven points. The Celtics stepped up their defense and limited the 76ers, who made 17 threes in Game 1, to just 6-of-30 from beyond the arc. [[Joel Embiid]] returned from injury to score 15 points and notch five blocks, while [[James Harden]] struggled to find his rhythm, shooting just 2-of-14 from the field and missing all six of his three-point attempts.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 5|time=7:30 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''114'''
|team2=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score2=102
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-phi-0042200213 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''29''' |Q2='''29'''–21 |Q3='''31'''–27 |Q4='''26'''–25
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 27 |points2=[[Joel Embiid]] 30
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 10 |rebounds2=Joel Embiid 13
|assist1=[[Malcolm Brogdon]] 6 |assist2=[[James Harden]] 11
|attendance=21,290
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Ben Taylor, Mark Lindsay
|series=Boston leads series, 2–1
}} With [[Joel Embiid]] receiving his [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]] trophy in a pregame ceremony in front of his home floor, the duo of [[Jayson Tatum]] and [[Jaylen Brown]] spoiled the show for Philadelphia, combining for 50 points and giving the Celtics a 2–1 series advantage. Boston led the majority of the game thanks to a 14–4 run to start the game, with six Celtics players scoring in double figures. Although Philadelphia pulled within four points late in the final quarter, Boston hit timely three-pointers that prevented the 76ers from gaining any more ground. Despite Embiid's 30-point and 13-rebound performance on one good knee, [[James Harden]] and [[Tyrese Maxey]]'s combined shooting of 7-for-30 (23%) left him with little offensive support.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 7|time=3:30 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Boston Celtics]] |score1=115
|team2='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score2='''116''' |overtime=OT
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-phi-0042200214 Recap]
|Q1=19–'''27''' |Q2=31–'''32''' |Q3=33–33 |Q4='''24'''–15 |OT=8–'''9'''
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 24 |points2=[[James Harden]] 42
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 18 |rebounds2=[[Joel Embiid]] 13
|assist1=[[Marcus Smart]] 7 |assist2=James Harden 9
|attendance=21,264
|referee=John Goble, James Williams, Gediminas Petraitis
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}} After having the worst shooting stretch of his career over any two-game span in Games 2 and 3, [[James Harden]] bounced back in Game 4 by scoring 42 points on 16-of-23 shooting to help Philadelphia tie the series at two games apiece. After Boston rallied from a 16-point deficit to take a five-point lead with two minutes left in the fourth quarter, the 76ers responded with key baskets from Harden and [[P. J. Tucker]], including a floater from Harden with 16 seconds left to force overtime. In overtime, [[Joel Embiid]] hit a pair of free-throws to give Philadelphia the lead, but [[Jayson Tatum]] hit a step-back three to put the Celtics ahead by two with less than a minute remaining. However, Harden answered back with his sixth three-pointer of the night, putting the 76ers back in front with 18 seconds to go. Although [[Marcus Smart]] had a chance to win it for Boston, his shot was ruled too late, securing the victory for Philadelphia.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 9|time=7:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score1='''115'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=103
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0042200215 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–26|Q2='''25'''–23|Q3='''30'''–23|Q4=27–'''31'''
|points1=[[Joel Embiid]] 33 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 36
|rebounds1=[[Tobias Harris]] 11 |rebounds2=Jayson Tatum 10
|assist1=[[James Harden]] 10 |assist2=Jayson Tatum 5
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 3–2
}} With a commanding performance on the road, the 76ers moved to the brink of their first conference finals berth in 22 years. [[Joel Embiid]] recorded 33 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks as Philadelphia built an early 42–27 lead and never looked back, leading by as much as 21 points. [[Tyrese Maxey]] also stepped up for the 76ers, contributing 30 points and six three-pointers, while [[James Harden]] had 17 points, ten assists, and eight rebounds on 50% shooting. [[Jayson Tatum]] scored 36 points for Boston, but he struggled to shoot efficiently, going 11-of-27 from the field. [[Jaylen Brown]] contributed 24 points, but the Celtics struggled to find their shot throughout the game, shooting just 40% from the field and 31% from beyond the arc.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 11|time=7:30 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''95'''
|team2=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score2=86
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-phi-0042200216 Recap]
|Q1='''29'''–22 |Q2=21–21 |Q3=21–'''30''' |Q4='''24'''–13
|points1=[[Marcus Smart]] 22 |points2=[[Joel Embiid|Embiid]], [[Tyrese Maxey|Maxey]] 26 each
|rebounds1=[[Al Horford]] 11 |rebounds2=Joel Embiid 10
|assist1=Marcus Smart 7 |assist2=[[James Harden]] 9
|attendance=21,337
|referee=David Guthrie, Ed Malloy, [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=Series tied, 3–3
}} [[Jayson Tatum]] struggled mightily in the first three quarters, scoring just three points on 1-of-13 shooting. However, he came alive during the final quarter, dropping 16 points and leading a crucial 14–1 run in the final five minutes to force a Game 7 back in Boston. Despite trailing by as much as 16 points in the first half, the 76ers rallied thanks to the efforts of [[Joel Embiid]] and [[Tyrese Maxey]], who helped the team take the lead entering the fourth quarter. However, Philadelphia faltered down the stretch, missing all eight of their three-point attempts in the fourth and failing to make a single field goal over the last six minutes until [[garbage time]]. Embiid and Maxey scored 26 points each, while [[James Harden]] shot a poor 4-of-16 from the field.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 14|time=3:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score1=88
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''112'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0042200217 Recap]
|Q1='''29'''–23 |Q2=23–'''32''' |Q3=10–'''33''' |Q4='''26'''–24
|points1=[[Tobias Harris]] 19 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 51
|rebounds1=[[Joel Embiid]] 8 |rebounds2=Jayson Tatum 13
|assist1=[[James Harden]] 7 |assist2=Jayson Tatum 5
|attendance=19,156
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]]
|series=Boston wins series, 4–3
}} In a historic performance, [[Jayson Tatum]] scored a playoff career-high 51 points, setting a new record for the most points ever scored in a game 7 as he led the Celtics to their fifth conference finals appearance in seven years. Tatum started off strong, scoring 25 points in a competitive first half and adding 17 more in Boston's 33–10 third quarter, which turned a three-point lead into a blowout victory. Tatum also finished with 13 rebounds, five assists, and zero turnovers, setting a playoff record for most points in a game with zero turnovers. Meanwhile, the 76ers lost in the conference semifinals for the fifth time in six years, with [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]] [[Joel Embiid]] scoring just 15 points on 5-for-18 shooting, while [[James Harden]] scored nine points on 3-of-11 shooting. Additionally, 76ers head coach [[Doc Rivers]] has now lost a record 10 game 7's, with his teams going 4–13 in their last 17 chances to close out a playoff series.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Boston won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 18, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0022200001 Recap]
| team1 = [[Philadelphia 76ers]] | score1 = 117
| team2 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score2 = '''126'''
| place = [[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 8, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0022200824 Recap]
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 99
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''106'''
| place = TD Garden, Boston, MA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 25, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-phi-0022200908 Recap]
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''110'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 107
| place = [[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 4, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-phi-0022201181 Recap]
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 101
| team2 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score2 = '''103'''
| place = Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
}}
|}

This was the 23rd playoff meeting between these two teams, and the 15th since the [[History of the Philadelphia 76ers|Syracuse Nationals]] relocated to Philadelphia in 1963, with the Celtics winning 14 of the first 22 meetings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=BOS&opp_id=PHI&is_playoffs=Y|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 28, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoffs series
|-
!Boston leads 14–8 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1953
| team1 = [[Syracuse Nationals]] | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1953 NBA playoffs#(2) Syracuse Nationals vs. (3) Boston Celtics|1953 Eastern Division semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1954
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''Syracuse Nationals''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1954 NBA playoffs#(1) New York Knicks, (2) Boston Celtics, (3) Syracuse Nationals|1954 Eastern Division Round Robin Semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1954
| team1 = '''Syracuse Nationals''' | score1 = '''2'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 0
| place = [[1954 NBA playoffs#(1) Syracuse Nationals vs. (2) Boston Celtics|1954 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1955
| team1 = '''Syracuse Nationals''' | score1 = '''3'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 1
| place = [[1955 NBA playoffs#(1) Syracuse Nationals vs. (3) Boston Celtics|1955 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1956
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Syracuse Nationals''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1956 NBA playoffs#(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals|1956 Eastern Division semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1957
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''3'''
| team2 = Syracuse Nationals | score2 = 0
| place = [[1957 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Syracuse Nationals|1957 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1959
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Syracuse Nationals | score2 = 3
| place = [[1959 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals|1959 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1961
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Syracuse Nationals | score2 = 1
| place = [[1961 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals|1961 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1965
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Philadelphia 76ers]] | score2 = 3
| place = [[1965 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|1965 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1966
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1966 NBA playoffs#(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (2) Boston Celtics|1966 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1967
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 1
| place = [[1967 NBA playoffs#(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (2) Boston Celtics|1967 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1968
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1968 NBA playoffs#(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (2) Boston Celtics|1968 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1969
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1969 NBA playoffs#(2) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (4) Boston Celtics|1969 Eastern Division semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1977
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 3
| place = [[1977 NBA playoffs#(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (4) Boston Celtics|1977 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1980
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1980 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|1980 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1981
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 3
| place = [[1981 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|1981 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1982
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1982 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|1982 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1985
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 1
| place = [[1985 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|1985 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2002
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''3'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 2
| place = [[2002 NBA playoffs#(3) Boston Celtics vs. (6) Philadelphia 76ers|2002 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 2012
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 3
| place = [[2012 NBA playoffs#(4) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers|2012 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2018
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 1
| place = [[2018 NBA playoffs#(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|2018 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2020
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 0
| place = [[2020 NBA playoffs#(3) Boston Celtics vs. (6) Philadelphia 76ers|2020 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(5) New York Knicks vs. (8) Miami Heat====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 30 |time=1:00 pm |place=[[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''108'''
|team2=[[New York Knicks]] |score2=101
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-nyk-0042200201 Recap]
|Q1=21–'''32''' |Q2='''29'''–23 |Q3='''31'''–20 |Q4='''27'''–26
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 25 |points2=[[RJ Barrett]] 26
|rebounds1=Jimmy Butler 11 |rebounds2=[[Mitchell Robinson]] 14
|assist1=[[Kyle Lowry]] 6 |assist2=Barrett, [[Jalen Brunson|Brunson]] 7 each
|attendance=19,812
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Miami leads series, 1–0
}} After the Knicks led the majority of the first half, the Heat pulled away in the third quarter with a 21–5 run highlighted by a [[Kevin Love]] three-pointer that gave Miami a lead they would not relinquish. [[Jimmy Butler]] led the way for the Heat with 25 points and 11 rebounds before rolling his ankle in the fourth quarter. Butler got help from his teammates, however, as [[Gabe Vincent]], [[Kyle Lowry]], and [[Bam Adebayo]] each scored 15+ points as all three players made key plays down the stretch. The Heat's defense also held firm, as they limited New York to just 7-of-34 shooting from beyond the arc. The Knicks, who were without [[Julius Randle]], were led by [[RJ Barrett]] and [[Jalen Brunson]] who scored 26 and 25 points, respectively.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 2 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=105
|team2='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score2='''111'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-nyk-0042200202 Recap]
|Q1=29–'''31''' |Q2='''25'''–20 |Q3=23–'''25''' |Q4=28–'''35'''
|points1=[[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] 22 |points2=[[Jalen Brunson]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo|Adebayo]], Martin 8 each |rebounds2=[[Julius Randle]] 12
|assist1=Adebayo, [[Kyle Lowry|Lowry]] 6 each |assist2=[[Josh Hart]] 9
|attendance=19,812
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Curtis Blair]], Mark Lindsay
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} After shooting 20% from deep in the series opener, New York bounced back, converting 40% of their three-point attempts as the Knicks evened up the series at one game apiece. [[Jalen Brunson]] atoned for his 0-for-7 three-point shooting in Game 1, as he shot 6-of-10 from beyond the arc, finishing with 30 points. [[Josh Hart]] finished an assist shy of a triple-double, as he scored ten of his 14 points in the final five minutes of the game. [[Julius Randle]] returned to the Knicks lineup and contributed 25 points and 12 rebounds, while [[RJ Barrett]] added 24 points. For the Heat, [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] stepped up in place of the injured [[Jimmy Butler]], scoring 22 points, while [[Gabe Vincent]] and [[Max Strus]] combined for 38 points, all of whom were undrafted.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 6 |time=3:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[New York Knicks]] |score1=86
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''105'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-mia-0042200203 Recap]
|Q1=21–'''29''' |Q2=23–'''29''' |Q3=26–'''29''' |Q4=16–'''18'''
|points1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 20 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 28
|rebounds1=[[Julius Randle]] 14 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 12
|assist1=Jalen Brunson 8 |assist2=''three players'' 4 each{{efn|[[Kevin Love|Love]], [[Kyle Lowry|Lowry]], and [[Gabe Vincent|Vincent]]}}
|attendance=19,927
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, Brian Forte
|series=Miami leads series, 2–1
}} The Heat improved to 3–0 at home this postseason, putting them just two wins away from becoming the second eighth seed ever to advance to the conference finals. Miami started the game by setting the tone on both ends of the court, as they made ten of their first 15 shots, while the Knicks missed 13 of their first 17. [[Jimmy Butler]], who returned from his one-game absence, scored 28 points, [[Max Strus]] added 19 points, and [[Bam Adebayo]] had a double-double for the Heat, who never trailed. Meanwhile, New York struggled to find their rhythm, as their top three scorers from the regular season ([[Jalen Brunson]], [[Julius Randle]], and [[RJ Barrett]]) shot a combined 16-of-51 (31%) from the field, including 2-of-17 (12%) from beyond the arc.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 8 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[New York Knicks]] |score1=101
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''109'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-mia-0042200204 Recap]
|Q1=30–'''31''' |Q2=18–'''25''' |Q3=33–'''34''' |Q4='''20'''–19
|points1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 32 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 27
|rebounds1=[[Julius Randle]] 9 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 13
|assist1=Jalen Brunson 11 |assist2=Jimmy Butler 10
|attendance=19,769
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Courtney Kirkland, Ben Taylor
|series=Miami leads series, 3–1
}} Led by [[Jimmy Butler]] and [[Bam Adebayo]], the Heat moved one win away from their third trip to the conference finals in four years. Butler finished with 27 points and ten assists, while Adebayo contributed 23 points and 13 rebounds as Miami became the fourth No. 8 seed to win at least seven playoff games. Although the Heat struggled in the fourth quarter, as they missed 12 of their first 15 shots, the Knicks failed to take full advantage. After New York gave up six offensive rebounds in the first three quarters, they gave up seven more in the fourth quarter alone. [[Jalen Brunson]] led the Knicks with 32 points and 11 assists, while [[RJ Barrett]] had 24 points and [[Julius Randle]] scored 20 before fouling out in the final minutes.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 10 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=103
|team2='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score2='''112'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200205 Recap]
|Q1='''24'''–14|Q2=23–'''36'''|Q3=27–'''34'''|Q4='''29'''–28
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 19 |points2=[[Jalen Brunson]] 38
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 8 |rebounds2=[[Mitchell Robinson]] 11
|assist1=Jimmy Butler 9 |assist2=Jalen Brunson 7
|attendance=19,812
|referee=John Goble, [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Karl Lane
|series=Miami leads series, 3–2
}} [[Jalen Brunson]] played all 48 minutes and contributed 38 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists to help keep the Knicks' season alive. [[RJ Barrett]] scored 26 points, while [[Julius Randle]] added 24 as the trio combined for 88 of New York's 112 points. Although the Knicks built a 19-point lead in the third quarter, the Heat cut it down to two with under three minutes remaining in the game. However, New York closed the game out on a 9–2 run to force a Game 6 in Miami. [[Jimmy Butler]] led the Heat with 19 points, as he was held below 25 points for the first time this postseason. [[Bam Adebayo]] and [[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] also contributed with 18 and 17 points respectively, but Miami struggled from deep, missing 21 of their first 25 three-pointers.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 12 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[New York Knicks]] |score1=92
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''96'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200206 Recap]
|Q1='''31'''–24|Q2=19–'''27'''|Q3=21–'''23'''|Q4=21–'''22'''
|points1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 41 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 24
|rebounds1=[[Julius Randle|Randle]], [[Mitchell Robinson|Robinson]] 11 each |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 9
|assist1=''three players'' 3 each{{efn|Brunson, [[Quentin Grimes|Grimes]], and Randle}} |assist2=[[Kyle Lowry]] 9
|attendance=19,737
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Kevin Scott, Tre Maddox
|series=Miami wins series, 4–2
}} The Heat advanced to the conference finals for the seventh time in the last 13 years and became just the second No. 8 seed ever to reach the conference finals. Despite an early 14-point lead by the Knicks, Miami took the lead by halftime and held it throughout the second half. However, up by six with under a minute remaining, [[Gabe Vincent]]'s [[flagrant foul]] on [[Jalen Brunson]] allowed New York to score four points in five seconds. After a [[Jimmy Butler]] miss, the Knicks had an opportunity to tie the game, but [[Kyle Lowry]] came up with a steal, and Butler made free throws with 14 seconds left to clinch the win for the Heat. Butler scored 24 points, [[Bam Adebayo]] added 23, and Lowry had nine assists. Meanwhile, Brunson scored 41 points, accounting for over half of the Knicks' 27 made field goals. But his teammates only scored 51 points, with [[Julius Randle]] and [[RJ Barrett]] combining for just 26 points on 4-of-24 shooting.
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!New York won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 2, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-nyk-0022200780 Recap]
| team1 = [[Miami Heat]] | score1 = 104
| team2 = '''[[New York Knicks]]''' | score2 = '''106'''
| place = [[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 3, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-mia-0022200949 Recap]
| team1 = '''New York Knicks''' | score1 = '''122'''
| team2 = Miami Heat | score2 = 120
| place = [[Miami-Dade Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 22, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-mia-0022201084 Recap]
| team1 = New York Knicks | score1 = 120
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = '''127'''
| place = Miami-Dade Arena, Miami, FL
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 29, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-nyk-0022201138 Recap]
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 92
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''101'''
| place = Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
}}
|}

This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Knicks winning three of the first five meetings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — New York Knicks versus Miami Heat (Playoffs)|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=NYK&opp_id=MIA&is_playoffs=Y|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 27, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!New York leads 3–2 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| date = 1997
| team1 = '''[[Miami Heat]]''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[New York Knicks]] | score2 = 3
| place = [[1997 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (3) New York Knicks|1997 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1998
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''3'''
| place = [[1998 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) New York Knicks|1998 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1999
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''3'''
| place = [[1999 NBA playoffs#(1) Miami Heat vs. (8) New York Knicks|1999 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2000
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2000 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (3) New York Knicks|2000 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2012
| team1 = '''Miami Heat''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = New York Knicks | score2 = 1
| place = [[2012 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) New York Knicks|2012 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

===Western Conference semifinals===
====(1) Denver Nuggets vs. (4) Phoenix Suns====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 29 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}}|place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score1=107
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''125'''
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-0042200221 Recap]
|Q1='''32'''–31 |Q2=19–'''37''' |Q3='''30'''–26 |Q4=26–'''31'''
|points1=[[Kevin Durant]] 29 |points2=[[Jamal Murray]] 34
|rebounds1=Kevin Durant 14 |rebounds2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 19
|assist1=[[Devin Booker]] 8 |assist2=Jamal Murray 9
|attendance=19,762
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, Tre Maddox
|series=Denver leads series, 1–0
}} After missing their previous matchup in 2021 due to injury, [[Jamal Murray]] led the Nuggets' fast-paced offense with 34 points and six three-pointers as Denver snapped their seven-game playoff losing streak to the Suns. [[Nikola Jokić]] was productive as well, recording 24 points and 19 rebounds (8 of them offensive), while [[Aaron Gordon]] added 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting. For Phoenix, [[Kevin Durant]] scored 29 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for the Suns, while [[Devin Booker]] added 27 points and eight assists as the duo each scored 25+ points for the sixth straight game. Although the Suns finished with a better field goal percentage, the Nuggets dominated the three-point line, outscoring Phoenix by a 48–21 margin and forcing 16 turnovers.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 1 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score1=87
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''97'''
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-0042200222 Recap]
|Q1='''21'''–18 |Q2=21–'''22''' |Q3='''31'''–30 |Q4=14–'''27'''
|points1=[[Devin Booker]] 35 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 39
|rebounds1=[[Deandre Ayton|Ayton]], [[Kevin Durant|Durant]] 8 each |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 16
|assist1=Booker, [[Chris Paul|Paul]] 6 each |assist2=[[Jamal Murray]] 8
|attendance=19,592
|referee=John Goble, [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Sean Wright
|series=Denver leads series, 2–0
}} [[Nikola Jokić]] scored 26 of his 39 points in the second half and had 16 rebounds to lead the Nuggets to a 2–0 series advantage over the Suns. Jokic's performance was crucial for Denver, as [[Jamal Murray]] only scored ten points on 3-of-15 shooting, having scored 34 in the series opener. [[Aaron Gordon]] added 16 points and [[Kentavious Caldwell-Pope]] contributed 14 points, including back-to-back three-pointers that put the Nuggets ahead for good in the fourth quarter. [[Devin Booker]] led Phoenix with 35 points, but the team lost [[Chris Paul]] to a groin injury, and they struggled shooting in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 points on 28% shooting. [[Kevin Durant]] added 24 points, but went 10-of-27 shooting, including just 2-for-12 from beyond the arc.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 5 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score1=114
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''121'''
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0042200223 Recap]
|Q1='''31'''–29 |Q2=21–'''38''' |Q3='''36'''–23 |Q4=26–'''31'''
|points1=[[Jamal Murray]] 32 |points2=[[Devin Booker]] 47
|rebounds1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 17 |rebounds2=''three players'' 9 each{{efn|[[Deandre Ayton|Ayton]], [[Kevin Durant|Durant]], and [[Jock Landale|Landale]]}}
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 17 |assist2=Devin Booker 9
|attendance=17,071
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], James Williams, Sean Corbin
|series=Denver leads series, 2–1
}} Without [[Chris Paul]] and down 2–0 in the series, [[Devin Booker]] shot 80% (20-of-25) from the field and tied his playoff career-high with 47 points, recording his third 45-point performance of the playoffs en route to cutting Denver's series lead to 2–1. [[Kevin Durant]] contributed 39 points as he and Booker accounted for 86 of Phoenix's 121 points, as no one else on the Suns scored more than seven points. For Denver, [[Nikola Jokić]] had a triple-double with 30 points, 17 assists, and 17 rebounds, [[Jamal Murray]] added 32 points, and [[Michael Porter Jr.]] chipped in 21 points and 12 rebounds. Despite a 15-point halftime lead, Phoenix trailed by three late in the third quarter. However, they rode a 14–0 run to give them a lead they would not relinquish.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 7 |time=8:00 pm {{small|(5:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score1=124
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''129'''
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0042200224 Recap]
|Q1='''34'''–32 |Q2=27–'''31''' |Q3=31–'''35''' |Q4='''32'''–31
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 53 |points2=[[Devin Booker|Booker]], [[Kevin Durant|Durant]] 36 each
|rebounds1=[[Michael Porter Jr.]] 10 |rebounds2=Kevin Durant 11
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 11 |assist2=Devin Booker 12
|attendance=17,071
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Ed Malloy, Jacyn Goble
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}} Despite a career-high 53 points from [[Nikola Jokić]], the Suns were able to defend home court and tie the series at two games apiece, with [[Devin Booker]] and [[Kevin Durant]] each scoring 36 points. Booker shot 14-of-18 from the field, as he boosted his shooting percentage at home to 79% (34-of-43) for the series. The Suns were able to take a six-point lead into the fourth quarter after a scoring flurry from Booker, who had 17 points in the third quarter. Although Denver attempted to rally, backup guard [[Landry Shamet]] made four timely three-pointers to keep Phoenix ahead, as the Suns' bench outscored the Nuggets' bench 40–11. For Denver, Nikola Jokić shot 20-of-30 from the field, while [[Jamal Murray]] added 28 points and seven assists.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 9 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score1=102
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''118'''
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-0042200225 Recap]
|Q1=24–'''35''' |Q2='''25'''–17 |Q3=25–'''39''' |Q4='''28'''–27
|points1=[[Devin Booker]] 28 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 29
|rebounds1=[[Kevin Durant]] 11 |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 13
|assist1=Kevin Durant 7 |assist2=Nikola Jokić 12
|attendance=19,773
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Brian Forte
|series=Denver leads series, 3–2
}} [[Nikola Jokić]]'s tenth career playoff triple-double led the Nuggets to a pivotal Game 5 victory over the Suns, improving to 37–4 at home this season with Jokić on the floor. Jokić had a standout third quarter, as he made 7-of-8 shots for 17 points and helped the Nuggets turn a three-point halftime lead into a 91–74 advantage. [[Michael Porter Jr.]] scored 14 of his 19 points in the first quarter, [[Jamal Murray]] contributed 19 points and six assists, and [[Bruce Brown (basketball)|Bruce Brown]] scored 25 of Denver's 34 bench points. Although [[Devin Booker]] and [[Kevin Durant]] each scored 25+ points for the ninth time this postseason, the Suns were outrebounded 50–42 and outshot from beyond the arc 48% to 33%, as they trailed by as much as 24 points.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 11 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''125'''
|team2=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score2=100
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0042200226 Recap]
|Q1='''44'''–26 |Q2='''37'''–25 |Q3=22–'''25''' |Q4=22–'''24'''
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 32 |points2=[[Cameron Payne]] 31
|rebounds1=Nikola Jokić 10 |rebounds2=Payne, [[Landry Shamet|Shamet]] 6 each
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 12 |assist2=[[Devin Booker]] 8
|attendance=17,071
|referee=Marc Davis, Ben Taylor, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Denver wins series, 4–2
}} The Nuggets secured a spot in the conference finals by defeating the shorthanded Suns by 25 points, the largest win margin by a road team this postseason. Denver dominated the game, using a 23–2 run in the latter part of the first quarter to establish a commanding 44–26 lead. [[Kentavious Caldwell-Pope]], who had been averaging 9.5 points in the playoffs, scored 17 points in the first quarter, while [[Nikola Jokić]] contributed 14. Denver's offensive onslaught continued, as the lead had grown to 81–51 by halftime. Jokić finished the game with his third triple-double of the series, and [[Jamal Murray]] added 26 points. [[Cameron Payne]] led Phoenix, who were without [[Deandre Ayton]] and [[Chris Paul]], with a career-high 31 points, hitting 7-of-9 three-pointers. [[Kevin Durant]] added 23 points, but missed nine of his first ten shots as the Suns fell behind by 30 points at halftime in an elimination game for the second straight year.
Notably, this was [[Al McCoy (announcer)|Al McCoy]]'s final game, concluding his 51-year career as the Suns' play-by-play radio announcer.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 25, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-0022200497 Recap]
| team1 = [[Phoenix Suns]] | score1 = 125
| team2 = '''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' | score2 = '''128''' |overtime=OT
| place = [[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 11, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-0022200624 Recap]
| team1 = Phoenix Suns | score1 = 97
| team2 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score2 = '''126'''
| place = Ball Arena, Denver, CO
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 31, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0022201160 Recap]
| team1 = Denver Nuggets | score1 = 93
| team2 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score2 = '''100'''
| place = [[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 6, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0022201201 Recap]
| team1 = Denver Nuggets | score1 = 115
| team2 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score2 = '''119'''
| place = Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ
}}
|}

This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Suns winning three of the first four meetings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Phoenix Suns (Playoffs)|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DEN&opp_id=PHO&is_playoffs=Y|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 25, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Phoenix leads 3–1 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| date = 1982
| team1 = [[Denver Nuggets]] | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1982 NBA playoffs#(4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) Phoenix Suns|1982 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1983
| team1 = Phoenix Suns | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1983 NBA playoffs#(3) Phoenix Suns vs. (6) Denver Nuggets|1983 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1989
| team1 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score1 = '''3'''
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 0
| place = [[1989 NBA playoffs#(3) Phoenix Suns vs. (6) Denver Nuggets|1989 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2021
| team1 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 0
| place = [[2021 NBA playoffs#(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (3) Denver Nuggets|2021 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
|}

====(6) Golden State Warriors vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 2 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score1='''117'''
|team2=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score2=112
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-gsw-0042200231 Recap]
|Q1=29–'''31''' |Q2='''36'''–33 |Q3='''31'''–24 |Q4=21–'''24'''
|points1=[[Anthony Davis]] 30 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 27
|rebounds1=Anthony Davis 23 |rebounds2=[[Kevon Looney]] 23
|assist1=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 6 |assist2=[[Draymond Green]] 7
|attendance=18,064
|referee=Marc Davis, Ed Malloy, [[Nick Buchert]]
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 1–0
}} [[Anthony Davis]] put up 30 points, 23 rebounds, and four blocks, while [[LeBron James]] added 22 points and 11 boards as the Lakers held off a late push by Golden State to win Game 1 on the road. [[D'Angelo Russell]] had 19 points and six assists, while [[Dennis Schröder]] scored 19 points off the bench. The Warriors, who made 21 three-pointers, were led by [[Stephen Curry]]'s 27 points, [[Klay Thompson]]'s 25 points, and [[Kevon Looney]]'s career-high 23 rebounds, marking his fourth 20-rebound game of the playoffs. Down 14 with under six minutes left, Golden State went on a 14–0 run to tie the game. The Lakers regained the lead, and the Warriors' late rally fell short as [[Jordan Poole]] missed a three to tie the game with under ten seconds left.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 4 |time=9:00 pm {{small|(6:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=100
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''127'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-gsw-0042200232 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–26 |Q2=23–'''41''' |Q3=24–'''43''' |Q4='''20'''–17
|points1=[[LeBron James]] 23 |points2=[[Klay Thompson]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Anthony Davis|Davis]], James 7 each |rebounds2=[[Draymond Green]] 11
|assist1=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 8 |assist2=[[Stephen Curry]] 12
|attendance=18,064
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Pat Fraher
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} After Los Angeles took a seven-point lead into the second quarter, the defending champions took control of the game, outscoring the Lakers 84–47 in the second and third quarters to even the series at 1–1. [[Klay Thompson]] scored 30 points with eight three-pointers, while [[Stephen Curry]] added 20 points and 12 assists as the Warriors made 21 more threes in Game 2, giving them an NBA-record 42 total in the series' first two games. [[JaMychal Green]] scored a playoff career-high 15 points in his first playoff start since 2019, while [[Draymond Green]] contributed 11 points, 11 boards, and nine assists. [[LeBron James]] scored 23 points for the Lakers, but [[Anthony Davis]] had a quiet night, finishing with 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 6 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(5:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=97
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''127'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-lal-0042200233 Recap]
|Q1='''30'''–23 |Q2=18–'''36''' |Q3=20–'''27''' |Q4=29–'''41'''
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 23 |points2=[[Anthony Davis]] 25
|rebounds1=[[Andrew Wiggins]] 9 |rebounds2=Anthony Davis 13
|assist1=[[Jordan Poole]] 6 |assist2=[[LeBron James]] 8
|attendance=18,997
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Mitchell Ervin
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 2–1
}} After Golden State took a seven-point lead into the second quarter, the seventh-seeded Lakers took control of the game, outscoring the Warriors 63–38 in the second and third quarters to regain the series lead. [[Anthony Davis]] led the way with 25 points and 13 rebounds on 7-of-10 shooting, while [[LeBron James]] finished the game with 21 points, eight assists, and eight rebounds. [[D'Angelo Russell]] also hit five three-pointers and scored 21 points for Los Angeles, who moved to 4–0 at home in the playoffs. Golden State meanwhile struggled offensively, committing 19 turnovers and shooting 40% from the field. [[Stephen Curry]] scored 23 points, while [[Andrew Wiggins]] had 16 for the Warriors, who trailed by as much as 34 points.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 8 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=101
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''104'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-lal-0042200234 Recap]
|Q1=21–'''22''' |Q2='''31'''–27 |Q3='''32'''–28 |Q4=17–'''27'''
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 31 |points2=[[LeBron James]] 27
|rebounds1=Curry, [[Draymond Green|D. Green]] 10 each |rebounds2=[[Anthony Davis]] 15
|assist1=Stephen Curry 14 |assist2=LeBron James 6
|attendance=18,997
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Kevin Scott, [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 3–1
}} Down by seven entering the final quarter, the Lakers rode a 15-point fourth-quarter performance from [[Lonnie Walker IV]] to take a 3–1 series lead over the defending champions. Walker, who made the same number of field goals as the Warriors did in the fourth quarter, hit a go-ahead jumper with under two minutes left and made two crucial free throws with 15 seconds to play. [[LeBron James]] contributed 27 points and six assists, [[Austin Reaves]] scored 21 points, and [[Anthony Davis]] had 23 points and 15 rebounds for Los Angeles. For the Warriors, [[Stephen Curry]] had 31 points, ten rebounds, and 14 assists in his third career postseason triple-double, but he missed 11-of-14 three-point attempts and turned the ball over in the final seconds.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 10 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=106
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''121'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-gsw-0042200235 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''32''' |Q2=31–'''38''' |Q3=23–23 |Q4=24–'''28'''
|points1=[[LeBron James]] 25 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 27
|rebounds1=[[Anthony Davis|Davis]], James 9 each |rebounds2=[[Draymond Green]] 10
|assist1=[[Austin Reaves]] 5 |assist2=Stephen Curry 8
|attendance=18,064
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], James Williams, Gediminas Petraitis
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 3–2
}} In a must-win situation, the Warriors rallied behind [[Stephen Curry]]'s 27 points and eight assists, along with [[Andrew Wiggins]]' 25 points and seven rebounds to avoid elimination. [[Draymond Green]] contributed 20 points and ten rebounds, while [[Gary Payton II]] scored 13 points. Golden State made seven of their 13 total three-pointers in the first quarter as they took an 11-point lead into halftime, with their 70 first half points marking the most they've scored since 2019. Meanwhile, the Lakers struggled with rebounding, being outrebounded 48–38 overall, along with committing 14 turnovers that led to 20 Warriors points. [[LeBron James]] had 25 points and nine rebounds, while [[Anthony Davis]] added 23 points and nine boards for Los Angeles.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 12 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=101
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''122'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-lal-0042200236 Recap]
|Q1=26–'''31''' |Q2=20–'''25''' |Q3=31–'''35''' |Q4=24–'''31'''
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 32 |points2=[[LeBron James]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Kevon Looney]] 18 |rebounds2=[[Anthony Davis]] 20
|assist1=Curry, [[Klay Thompson|Thompson]] 5 each |assist2=LeBron James 9
|attendance=18,997
|referee=John Goble, Courtney Kirkland, Mark Lindsay
|series=LA Lakers win series, 4–2
}} After starting the season with a 2–10 record, the Lakers advanced to their second conference finals in four years and became just the second No. 7 seed to clinch a conference finals berth. [[LeBron James]] had 30 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, while [[Anthony Davis]] contributed 17 points and 20 rebounds. Additionally, [[Austin Reaves]] scored 23 points, including a 54-foot shot from midcourt at the halftime buzzer, as Los Angeles never trailed in the game. [[Stephen Curry]] scored a game-high 32 points, but [[Donte DiVincenzo]] was his only teammate to finish in double figures. [[Klay Thompson]] missed ten of his 12 three-point attempts as the [[Splash Brothers]] went dry when it mattered most, with Thompson going 10-of-36 from deep in the final four games, while Curry was 14-of-49. This series also marked the Warriors' first playoff series loss to a Western Conference opponent since 2014, having previously gone 19–0.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!LA Lakers won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 18, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-gsw-0022200002 Recap]
| team1 = [[Los Angeles Lakers]] | score1 = 109
| team2 = '''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' | score2 = '''123'''
| place = [[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 11, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-gsw-0022200853 Recap]
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 109
| team2 = Golden State Warriors | score2 = 103
| place = Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 23, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-lal-0022200893 Recap]
| team1 = Golden State Warriors | score1 = 111
| team2 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score2 = '''124'''
| place = [[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 5, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-lal-0022200964 Recap]
| team1 = Golden State Warriors | score1 = 105
| team2 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score2 = '''113'''
| place = Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
}}
|}

This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning six of the first seven meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=GSW&opp_id=LAL&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Golden State Warriors versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 30, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!LA Lakers lead 6–1 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1967
| team1 = '''[[San Francisco Warriors]]''' | score1 = 3
| team2 = [[Los Angeles Lakers]] | score2 = 0
| place = [[1967 NBA playoffs#(1) San Francisco Warriors vs. (3) Los Angeles Lakers|1967 Western Division semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1968
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = San Francisco Warriors | score2 = 0
| place = [[1968 NBA playoffs#(2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) San Francisco Warriors|1968 Western Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1969
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = San Francisco Warriors | score2 = 2
| place = [[1969 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) San Francisco Warriors|1969 Western Division semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1973
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = [[Golden State Warriors]] | score2 = 1
| place = [[1973 NBA playoffs#(2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Golden State Warriors|1973 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1977
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Golden State Warriors | score2 = 3
| place = [[1977 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Golden State Warriors|1977 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1987
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Golden State Warriors | score2= 1
| place = [[1987 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Golden State Warriors|1987 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1991
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Golden State Warriors | score2 = 1
| place = [[1991 NBA playoffs#(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (7) Golden State Warriors|1991 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
|}

==Conference finals==
{{Main|NBA Conference finals}}
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

===Eastern Conference finals===
====(2) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Miami Heat====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 17 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''123'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=116
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0042200301 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''30''' |Q2=29–'''36''' |Q3='''46'''–25 |Q4=20–'''25'''
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 35 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 8 |rebounds2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 9
|assist1=Jimmy Butler 7 |assist2=[[Marcus Smart]] 11
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Marc Davis, Ed Malloy, [[Rodney Mott]]
|series=Miami leads series, 1–0
}} [[Jimmy Butler]] and the eight-seeded Heat rallied in the second half to win Game 1 on the road for the third straight series, becoming just the fifth team ever to do so. Trailing by nine at halftime, Miami scored a franchise playoff-record 46 points in the third quarter, as they were fueled by their success from beyond the arc, shooting over 50% from deep (16-of-31). Butler scored a game-high 35 points to go along with seven assists, six steals, and five rebounds. [[Bam Adebayo]] added 20 points, while [[Kyle Lowry]], [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]], [[Gabe Vincent]], and [[Max Strus]] each scored 15 points. [[Jayson Tatum]] led the Celtics with 30 points, but failed to attempt a shot in the fourth quarter. [[Jaylen Brown]] added 22 points and nine rebounds, while [[Malcolm Brogdon]] contributed 19 points. Although Boston narrowed the deficit to four points late in the fourth quarter, they ultimately fell short, dropping to 4–4 at home this postseason.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 19 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''111'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=105
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0042200302 Recap]
|Q1=24–'''25''' |Q2='''30'''–25 |Q3=21–'''33''' |Q4='''36'''–22
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 27 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 34
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 17 |rebounds2=Jayson Tatum 13
|assist1=Bam Adebayo 9 |assist2=Jayson Tatum 8
|attendance=19,156
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], James Williams, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Miami leads series, 2–0
}} Similar to how they defeated the [[Milwaukee Bucks]] and [[New York Knicks]], the Heat overcame their sixth double-digit deficit of the playoffs to take a commanding 2–0 series lead back to Miami. [[Jimmy Butler]] scored 27 points, including nine points during an 18–4 run late in the fourth quarter that turned a nine-point deficit into a 105–100 lead. [[Bam Adebayo]] recorded 22 points, 17 rebounds, and nine assists, while [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] came off the bench and provided a season-high 25 points as the Heat became the first No. 8 seed to take a 2–0 series lead in the conference finals. Meanwhile, [[Jayson Tatum]] put up 34 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists, but he failed to make a field goal in the fourth quarter for the second straight game. [[Jaylen Brown]] did not fare well either, as he converted just seven of his 23 shot attempts and went 1-of-5 from the field in the fourth, as Miami outscored Boston 36–22 in the final quarter.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 21 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Boston Celtics]] |score1=102
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''128'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0042200303 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''30''' |Q2=24–'''31''' |Q3=17–'''32''' |Q4='''39'''–35
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 14 |points2=[[Gabe Vincent]] 29
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 10 |rebounds2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 8
|assist1=[[Marcus Smart]] 8 |assist2=Jimmy Butler 6
|attendance=20,088
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Kevin Scott, [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=Miami leads series, 3–0
}} In a dominant team effort, the eight-seeded Heat improved to 6–0 at home this postseason and moved one win away from their sixth NBA Finals appearance in the last 13 seasons. [[Gabe Vincent]] scored a career-high 29 points on 11-of-14 shooting, [[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] scored 22, and [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] added 18 points, all of whom went undrafted. In addition, [[Jimmy Butler]] had 16 points and six assists, [[Bam Adebayo]] added 13, and [[Max Strus]] scored ten points for the Heat. For Boston, the [[All-NBA team|All-NBA]] duo of [[Jayson Tatum]] and [[Jaylen Brown]] were a no-show, as they combined for just 26 points on 12-of-35 (34%) from the field and 1-of-14 (7%) from three-point range. The Celtics also lacked effort on defense, as they allowed Miami to shoot 57% from the field and 54% from beyond the arc, resulting in a substantial 33-point deficit in the third quarter that prompted head coach [[Joe Mazzulla]] to empty his bench for the final 12 minutes.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 23 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''116'''
|team2=[[Miami Heat]] |score2=99
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0042200304 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''29''' |Q2=27–27 |Q3='''38'''–23 |Q4='''28'''–20
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 33 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 29
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 11 |rebounds2=Jimmy Butler 9
|assist1=Jayson Tatum 7 |assist2=[[Kyle Lowry]] 6
|attendance=20,147
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], John Goble, Courtney Kirkland
|series=Miami leads series, 3–1
}} Led by [[Jayson Tatum]]'s 33 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, the Celtics fought off elimination and forced the series back to Boston. The Heat initially held a nine-point lead in the second half, but a 48–22 scoring run by Boston in just 14 minutes turned the game in their favor, as Tatum scored 25 of his 33 points in the second half. [[Jaylen Brown]] contributed 17 points and [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] added 16 points, while [[Grant Williams (basketball)|Grant Williams]], [[Al Horford]], and [[Marcus Smart]] each scored in double figures. [[Jimmy Butler]] led the Heat's efforts with 29 points and nine rebounds, while [[Gabe Vincent]] and [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] added 17 and 16 points, respectively. The Heat struggled from beyond the arc, shooting 8-of-32 (25%) from deep, while the Celtics made 18-of-45 (40%) three-pointers, creating a significant 30-point difference in scoring from long range. Boston also capitalized on Miami's mistakes, as they scored 27 points off 16 turnovers.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 25 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=97
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''110'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0042200305 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''35''' |Q2=24–'''26''' |Q3=28–'''29''' |Q4='''25'''–20
|points1=[[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] 18 |points2=[[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] 24
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 8 |rebounds2=[[Al Horford]] 11
|assist1=Duncan Robinson 9 |assist2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 11
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Marc Davis, David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]]
|series=Miami leads series, 3–2
}} In front of their home crowd, the Celtics dominated the Heat from the jump, surging to a 23–7 lead that set the tone for the rest of the game as Boston moved two wins away from becoming the first NBA team ever to [[List of teams to overcome 3–0 series deficits|overcome a 3–0 series deficit]]. [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] scored 24 points and connected on six three-pointers, while [[Marcus Smart]] contributed 23 points and five steals. [[Jayson Tatum]] and [[Jaylen Brown]] each added 21 points as Boston improved to 4–0 in elimination games this postseason. With [[Gabe Vincent]] out with an ankle sprain, Miami struggled to find their offensive footing, as the Heat were forced into ten first-half turnovers that led to 17 Boston points. [[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] led Miami in scoring with 18 points, while [[Bam Adebayo]] contributed 16 points and eight rebounds. [[Jimmy Butler]], who had been averaging 30 points this postseason, finished with an underwhelming 14 points as Miami never led.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 27 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''104'''
|team2=[[Miami Heat]] |score2=103
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0042200306 Recap]
|Q1='''34'''–29 |Q2=23–'''24''' |Q3='''22'''–19 |Q4=25–'''31'''
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 31 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 24
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 12 |rebounds2=[[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] 15
|assist1=[[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] 6 |assist2=Jimmy Butler 8
|attendance=20,201
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Josh Tiven, James Williams
|series=Series tied, 3–3
}} With just a mere tenth of a second remaining on the clock, [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] emerged as the hero, scoring a crucial putback to secure the win for the Celtics, joining [[Michael Jordan]] as the second player in NBA history to hit a [[Buzzer beater|buzzer-beater]] with his team trailing and facing elimination. In addition, [[Jayson Tatum]] scored 31 points, [[Jaylen Brown]] scored 26, and [[Marcus Smart]] added 21 for Boston, who became only the fourth team to [[List of teams to overcome 3–0 series deficits|erase a 0–3 deficit]] and force a decisive game 7. For the Heat, the duo of [[Jimmy Butler]] and [[Bam Adebayo]] went 5-of-30 from the field in the first three quarters, combining for just 18 points. However, trailing by ten with under four minutes to go, Butler scored 13 of his 24 points during a 15–4 run that gave Miami the lead with three seconds left. After a Celtics timeout, White inbounded the ball to Smart, who missed a three-pointer, but White crashed the boards and scored the game-winning tip shot.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 29 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''103'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=84
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0042200307 Recap]
|Q1='''22'''–15 |Q2='''30'''–26 |Q3=24–'''25''' |Q4='''27'''–18
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 28 |points2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 19
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo|Adebayo]], [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Martin]] 10 each |rebounds2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 11
|assist1=Bam Adebayo 7 |assist2=Jaylen Brown 5
|attendance=19,156
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Tony Brothers]], John Goble
|series=Miami wins series, 4–3
}} Following their defeat in a decisive seventh game against the Celtics last year, the Heat overcame the setback of squandering a 3–0 series lead to secure their second NBA Finals appearance in four seasons. [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]], who averaged just 9.6 points in the regular season, scored a playoff career-high 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting, finishing the series averaging 19.3 points. [[Jimmy Butler]] scored a game-high 28 points, while [[Bam Adebayo]] recorded his seventh double-double of the playoffs as the Heat became the first No. 8 seed to reach the Finals in a full 82-game regular season. The Celtics meanwhile were discombobulated from the start, as they missed their first 12 three-point attempts and finished the game shooting 21% from deep. [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] scored 18 for Boston, and [[Jayson Tatum]] had 14 points with 11 rebounds after turning his ankle on the first play of the game. [[Jaylen Brown]] contributed 19 points and eight rebounds, but shot 1-of-9 from beyond the arc and committed a playoff-high eight turnovers as Boston lost their 12th playoff game at home over the last two postseasons.

Butler was awarded the second annual [[NBA Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award|Eastern Conference finals MVP]], averaging 24.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 6.1 assists on 42% from the field, 35% from beyond the arc, and 83% from the free-throw line. Had the Celtics won the game, they would have become the first NBA team to overcome the 3–0 series deficit (and second basketball team overall, after the [[Philippine Basketball Association|PBA]]'s [[San Miguel Beermen]] in the [[2015–16 PBA Philippine Cup Finals]]).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Marther|first=Victor|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/29/sports/basketball/miami-heat-boston-celtics-blow-series-lead.html|title=The Miami Heat Are on the Brink of Bad History|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=May 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530013223/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/29/sports/basketball/miami-heat-boston-celtics-blow-series-lead.html|archive-date=May 30, 2023|url-status=live|url-access=subscription|access-date=December 2, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 21, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0022200022 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score1 = '''111'''
| team2 = [[Miami Heat]] | score2 = 104
| place = [[FTX Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = November 30, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0022200314 Recap]
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 121
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''134'''
| place = [[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 2, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0022200328 Recap]
| team1 = '''Miami Heat''' | score1 = '''120'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 116 |overtime=OT
| place = TD Garden, Boston, MA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 24, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0022200714 Recap]
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 95
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = '''98'''
| place = [[Miami-Dade Arena]], Miami, FL
}}
|}

This was the sixth playoff meeting between the two teams, with the Heat winning three of the first five meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=BOS&opp_id=MIA&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Miami Heat (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|date=May 14, 2023|access-date=May 14, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoffs series
|-
!Miami leads 3–2 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2010
| team1 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = [[Miami Heat]] | score2 = 1
| place = [[2010 NBA playoffs#(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Miami Heat|2010 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2011
| team1 = '''Miami Heat''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 1
| place = [[2011 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (3) Boston Celtics|2011 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2012
| team1 = '''Miami Heat''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 3
| place = [[2012 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (4) Boston Celtics|2012 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2020
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[2020 NBA playoffs#(3) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Miami Heat|2020 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2022
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[2022 NBA playoffs#(1) Miami Heat vs. (2) Boston Celtics|2022 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
|}

===Western Conference finals===
====(1) Denver Nuggets vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 16 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=126
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''132'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-den-0042200311 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''37''' |Q2=29–'''35''' |Q3='''38'''–34 |Q4='''34'''–26
|points1=[[Anthony Davis]] 40 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 34
|rebounds1=[[LeBron James]] 12 |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 21
|assist1=LeBron James 9 |assist2=Nikola Jokić 14
|attendance=19,633
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Ben Taylor
|series=Denver leads series, 1–0
}} Looking to advance to their first NBA Finals in their 47th season, the Nuggets got off on the right track, as [[Nikola Jokić]] recorded his sixth triple-double of the playoffs to propel Denver to a 1–0 series lead. Jokić notched 34 points, 21 rebounds, and 14 assists on 12-of-17 shooting as he outrebounded the Lakers by himself in the first half, 16 to 13. Jokić's performance was backed by his teammates, as five other Denver players finished in double figures, with [[Jamal Murray]] scoring 31 points on 60% shooting. For the Lakers, [[Anthony Davis]] finished with 40 points, while [[LeBron James]] put up 26 points, 12 boards, and nine assists. Los Angeles trailed by as many as 21 but they pulled within three points multiple times in the fourth quarter, with [[Austin Reaves]] scoring 11 of his 23 points in the final quarter. However, the Lakers couldn't fully recover from their slow start, as the Nuggets improved to 7–0 at home this postseason.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 18 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=103
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''108'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-den-0042200312 Recap]
|Q1=27–27 |Q2='''26'''–21 |Q3=26–'''28''' |Q4=24–'''32'''
|points1=[[LeBron James|James]], [[Austin Reaves|Reaves]] 22 each |points2=[[Jamal Murray]] 37
|rebounds1=[[Anthony Davis]] 14 |rebounds2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 17
|assist1=LeBron James 10 |assist2=Nikola Jokić 12
|attendance=19,742
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], David Guthrie, Brian Forte
|series=Denver leads series, 2–0
}} Behind [[Jamal Murray]]'s 23-point fourth quarter performance, the Nuggets took a commanding 2–0 series lead in the conference finals for the first time in franchise history. Although Murray was 5-of-17 from the field entering the fourth quarter, he shot 6-of-7 from the field and scored 23 of the Nuggets' 32 fourth quarter points. Murray's performance fueled a pivotal 15–1 run that gave Denver a lead they would not relinquish. [[Nikola Jokić]] also recorded his 13th playoff triple-double, contributing 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 12 assists as Denver moved to 39–4 at home this season with Jokić on the floor. Meanwhile, [[Rui Hachimura]] shot 7-for-7 in the first half and finished with 21 points for the Lakers, while [[Austin Reaves]] scored 22 points. However, the star duo of [[LeBron James]] and [[Anthony Davis]] shot a combined 13-of-34 from the floor, with James going 0-of-10 from beyond the arc in the first two games of the series.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 20 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(5:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''119'''
|team2=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score2=108
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-lal-0042200313 Recap]
|Q1='''32'''–20 |Q2=26–'''35''' |Q3=26–'''27''' |Q4='''35'''–26
|points1=[[Jamal Murray]] 37 |points2=[[Anthony Davis]] 28
|rebounds1=[[Michael Porter Jr.]] 10 |rebounds2=Anthony Davis 18
|assist1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 8 |assist2=[[LeBron James]] 12
|attendance=18,997
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Mark Lindsay
|series=Denver leads series, 3–0
}} After the [[Memphis Grizzlies]] and [[Golden State Warriors]] were both blown out in their first road game against the Lakers, the Nuggets flipped the script, as they handed the Lakers their first home loss since March 26 and moved to the brink of their first NBA Finals appearance. Trailing by one with under eight minutes remaining, the Nuggets orchestrated a decisive 13–0 run, capitalizing on a disciplined team performance that yielded 30 assists to just five turnovers. [[Jamal Murray]] picked up where he left off in Game 2, as he scored 30 of his 37 points in the first half, while [[Nikola Jokić]] scored 15 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter. [[Anthony Davis]] led the Lakers with 28 points and 18 rebounds, [[LeBron James]] contributed 23 points and 12 assists, and [[Austin Reaves]] contributed 23 points and seven rebounds. However, Los Angeles lacked scoring depth, as [[Rui Hachimura]] was the only other player to reach double figures.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 22 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(5:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''113'''
|team2=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score2=111
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-lal-0042200314 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''34''' |Q2=30–'''39''' |Q3='''36'''–16 |Q4=19–'''22'''
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 30 |points2=[[LeBron James]] 40
|rebounds1=Nikola Jokić 14 |rebounds2=[[Anthony Davis]] 14
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 13 |assist2=LeBron James 9
|attendance=18,997
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, Tre Maddox
|series=Denver wins series, 4–0
}} The Nuggets exorcised their playoff demons against the Lakers and advanced to their first NBA Finals in their 47-year history. Denver faced a 15-point halftime deficit but opened the second half on a 36–14 run. Los Angeles tied the game in the closing minutes after erasing a seven-point deficit, but [[Nikola Jokić]]'s 25-foot fallaway three-pointer and go-ahead layup sealed the Nuggets' first playoff series sweep in franchise history. Jokić broke an NBA playoff record with his eighth triple-double of the playoffs, recording 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists, while [[Jamal Murray]] and [[Aaron Gordon]] contributed 25 and 22 points, respectively. [[LeBron James]] matched his playoff career-high as a Laker with 40 points, ten boards, and nine assists, as his 31 points in the first half marked the highest-scoring playoff half of his career. However, James missed critical shots, including a potential game-tying shot that was blocked by Gordon in the final seconds. [[Anthony Davis]] contributed 21 points and 14 rebounds, and [[Austin Reaves]] scored 17 points as the Lakers were swept for the 11th time in team history.

Jokić was awarded the second annual [[NBA Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award|Western Conference finals MVP]], averaging 27.8 points, 14.5 rebounds, and 11.8 assists on 51% from the field, 47% from beyond the arc, and 78% from the free-throw line.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 26, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-den-0022200064 Recap]
| team1 = [[Los Angeles Lakers]] | score1 = 99
| team2 = '''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' | score2 = '''110'''
| place = [[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = October 30, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-lal-0022200095 Recap]
| team1 = Denver Nuggets | score1 = 110
| team2 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score2 = '''121'''
| place = [[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 16, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-lal-0022200437 Recap]
| team1 = Denver Nuggets | score1 = 108
| team2 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score2 = '''126'''
| place = Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 9, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-den-0022200609 Recap]
| team1 = Los Angeles Lakers | score1 = 109
| team2 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score2 = '''122'''
| place = Ball Arena, Denver, CO
}}
|}

This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first seven meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DEN&opp_id=LAL&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=May 13, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoffs series
|-
!LA Lakers lead 7–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1979
| team1 = [[Denver Nuggets]] | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' | score2 = 2
| place = [[1979 NBA playoffs#(4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) Los Angeles Lakers|1979 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1985
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 1
| place = [[1985 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (2) Denver Nuggets|1985 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1987
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 3
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 0
| place = [[1987 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Denver Nuggets|1987 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2008
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 0
| place = [[2008 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Denver Nuggets|2008 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2009
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 2
| place = [[2009 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (2) Denver Nuggets|2009 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2012
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 3
| place = [[2012 NBA playoffs#(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Denver Nuggets|2012 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2020
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 1
| place = [[2020 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Denver Nuggets|2020 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
|}

==NBA Finals: (W1) Denver Nuggets vs. (E8) Miami Heat==
{{Main article|2023 NBA Finals}}
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 1 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=93
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''104'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-den-0042200401 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''29''' |Q2=22–'''30''' |Q3=21–'''25''' |Q4='''30'''–20
|points1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 26 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 27
|rebounds1=Bam Adebayo 13 |rebounds2=[[Michael Porter Jr.]] 13
|assist1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 7 |assist2=Nikola Jokić 14
|attendance=19,528
|referee=Marc Davis, David Guthrie, Ed Malloy
|series=Denver leads series, 1–0
}}
{{Basketballbox |date=June 4 |time=8:00 pm {{small|(6:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''111'''
|team2=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score2=108
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-den-0042200402 Recap]
|Q1='''26'''–23 |Q2=25–'''34''' |Q3=24–'''26''' |Q4='''36'''–25
|points1=[[Gabe Vincent]] 23 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 41
|rebounds1=[[Kevin Love]] 10 |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 11
|assist1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 9 |assist2=[[Jamal Murray]] 10
|attendance=19,537
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], John Goble, Courtney Kirkland
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 7 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''109'''
|team2=[[Miami Heat]] |score2=94
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-mia-0042200403 Recap]
|Q1=24–24 |Q2='''29'''–24 |Q3='''29'''–20 |Q4='''27'''–26
|points1=[[Jamal Murray]] 34 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 28
|rebounds1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 21 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 17
|assist1=Jokić, Murray 10 each |assist2=[[Kyle Lowry|Lowry]], [[Max Strus|Strus]] 5 each
|attendance=20,019
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Josh Tiven, Kevin Scott
|series=Denver leads series, 2–1
}}
{{Basketballbox |date=June 9 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''108'''
|team2=[[Miami Heat]] |score2=95
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-mia-0042200404 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''21''' |Q2='''35'''–30 |Q3='''31'''–22 |Q4=22–22
|points1=[[Aaron Gordon]] 27 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 25
|rebounds1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 12 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 11
|assist1=[[Jamal Murray]] 12 |assist2=Butler, [[Kyle Lowry|Lowry]] 7 each
|attendance=20,184
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], James Williams, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]]
|series=Denver leads series, 3–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 12 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=89
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''94'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-den-0042200405 Recap]
|Q1='''24'''–22 |Q2='''27'''–22 |Q3=20–'''26''' |Q4=18–'''24'''
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 21 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 28
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 12 |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 16
|assist1=Jimmy Butler 5 |assist2=[[Jamal Murray]] 8
|attendance=19,537
|referee=Marc Davis, David Guthrie, Josh Tiven
|series=Denver wins series, 4–1
}}

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Denver won 2–0 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 30, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-den-0022200535 Recap]
| team1 = [[Miami Heat]] | score1 = 119
| team2 = '''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' | score2 = '''124'''
| place = [[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 13, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-mia-0022200861 Recap]
| team1 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score1 = '''112'''
| team2 = Miami Heat | score2 = 108
| place = [[Miami-Dade Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]]
}}
|}

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DEN&opp_id=MIA&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Miami Heat (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|date=May 30, 2023|access-date=May 30, 2023}}</ref>

==Statistical leaders==
{|class=wikitable style="text-align:left;"
|-
!rowspan=2|Category !!colspan=3|Game High !!colspan=4|Average
|-
! Player !! Team !! High !! Player !! Team !! Avg. !! {{tooltip|GP|Games played}}
|-
| [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| [[Jimmy Butler]]|| [[Miami Heat]] || 56
| [[Devin Booker]] || [[Phoenix Suns]] || 33.7 || 11
|-
| [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| [[Kevon Looney]] [[Anthony Davis]] || [[Golden State Warriors]] [[Los Angeles Lakers]] || 23
| Anthony Davis || Los Angeles Lakers || 14.1 || 16
|-
| [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
| [[Nikola Jokić]] || [[Denver Nuggets]] || 17
| [[Trae Young]] || [[Atlanta Hawks]] || 10.2 || 6
|-
| [[Steal (basketball)|Steals]]
| Jimmy Butler || Miami Heat || 6
| [[De'Aaron Fox]] || [[Sacramento Kings]] || 2.1 || 7
|-
| [[Block (basketball)|Blocks]]
| Anthony Davis || Los Angeles Lakers || 7
| Anthony Davis || Los Angeles Lakers || 3.1 || 16
|}

== Playoff Statistic Total Leaders ==
'''Points'''

# Nikola Jokić - 600
# Jimmy Butler - 592
# Jayson Tatum - 543
# Jamal Murray - 522
# Jaylen Brown - 453

'''Rebounds'''

# Nikola Jokić - 269
# Bam Adebayo - 227
# Anthony Davis - 225
# Jayson Tatum - 210
# Kevon Looney - 170

'''Assists'''

# Nikola Jokić - 190
# Jamal Murray - 142
# Jimmy Butler - 129
# Jayson Tatum - 105
# LeBron James - 104

'''Steals'''

# Jimmy Butler - 39
# Jamal Murray - 30
# Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - 26
# Marcus Smart - 25
# Kyle Lowry - 24

'''Blocks'''

# Anthony Davis - 50
# Al Horford - 34
# Robert Williams - 25
# Joel Embiid - 25
# Jayson Tatum - 21

==Media coverage==
In the United States, games aired nationally across [[NBA on ABC|ABC]], [[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]], [[NBA on TNT|TNT]], and [[NBA TV]]. Each team's regional broadcaster televised local coverage of first-round games, with the exception of weekend games on ABC.{{efn|Game 3 of the Cavaliers–Knicks first round series aired nationally on ABC and co-existed with the teams' respective regional sports networks.}} In general during the first two rounds, ABC broadcast Sunday afternoon games, TNT aired Sunday through Wednesday night games, and ESPN televised Friday night games. For Thursday night games, TNT had them in the first round and ESPN in the second round. NBA TV also televised selected Tuesday through Thursday night first-round games. ABC also aired a Friday night first-round game, and ESPN televised a Sunday afternoon second-round game due to ABC's coverage of the [[Miami Grand Prix]]. Saturday first-round games were split, with ESPN airing five games, TNT two games, and ABC one game. TNT then aired the opening Saturday second-round game (in place of any potential first-round game 7's that were originally scheduled on that day). ABC aired the remaining Saturday second-round games. As per the alternating rotation, ESPN/ABC had exclusive coverage of the Western Conference finals while TNT had exclusive coverage of the Eastern Conference finals. ABC had exclusive coverage of the NBA Finals for the 21st straight year.<ref>{{cite web|title=ESPN and ABC's star-studded 2022-23 NBA television schedule|url=https://www.nba.com/news/espn-and-abcs-star-studded-2022-23-nba-television-schedule|work=NBA.com|date=August 17, 2022|access-date=March 19, 2023|archive-date=March 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230319225334/https://www.nba.com/news/espn-and-abcs-star-studded-2022-23-nba-television-schedule|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=NBA Playoffs TV schedule|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-playoff-tv-schedule-2023-espn-abc-tnt-stream-live/|work=Sports Media Watch|access-date=April 14, 2023|archive-date=April 14, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230414054821/https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-playoff-tv-schedule-2023-espn-abc-tnt-stream-live/|url-status=live}}</ref> Select ESPN broadcasts received an alternate presentation similar to [[Manningcast]], anchored by [[Stephen A. Smith]] on [[ESPN2]] and streamed on [[ESPN+]] as ''NBA in Stephen A's World''.<ref name="StevenA">{{cite web|url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2023/04/espns-nba-in-stephen-as-world-alternate-presentation-returns-april-12-for-nba-play-in-tournament-coverage/|title=ESPN's NBA in Stephen A's World Alternate Presentation Returns April 12 for NBA Play-In Tournament Coverage|last=Rajan|first=Ronce|publisher=ESPN Interactive|website=ESPNPressroom.com|date=April 11, 2023|access-date=April 17, 2023}}</ref>

NBA TV games were available on [[NBA League Pass]] as part of its normal streaming service for that channel.<ref name=NBATVRound1>{{cite press release|url=https://wbd.com/nba-tvs-2023-nba-playoffs-coverage-to-tip-off-with-atlanta-hawks-visiting-boston-celtics-first-round-game-2-on-tuesday-april-18-at-7-p-m-et/|title=NBA TV's 2023 NBA Playoffs Coverage to Tip Off with Atlanta Hawks Visiting Boston Celtics, First Round Game 2, on Tuesday, April 18, at 7 p.m. ET |publisher=Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc|website=www.wbd.com|date=April 14, 2023}}</ref> Only selected ESPN/ABC games streamed live on ESPN+. For other games, live streams were only available for pay-TV subscribers via [[authenticated streaming]] on ESPN and TNT's respective apps.<ref name=StevenA/><ref name=ESPNRound1>{{cite web|url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2023/04/espn-platforms-to-televise-at-least-12-first-round-games-as-nba-playoffs-presented-by-google-pixel-begin/|title=ESPN Platforms to Televise at Least 12 First Round Games as NBA Playoffs Presented by Google Pixel Begin|last=Hughes Martin|first=Katie|publisher=ESPN Interactive|website=ESPNPressroom.com|date=April 13, 2023|access-date=April 17, 2023}}</ref><ref name=TNTRound1>{{cite press release|url=https://wbd.com/nba-on-tnts-2023-nba-playoffs-coverage-to-tip-off-with-three-games-on-sunday-april-16-followed-by-daily-doubleheaders-monday-april-17-thursday-april-20/|title=NBA on TNT's 2023 NBA Playoffs Coverage to Tip Off with Three Games on Sunday, April 16, Followed by Daily Doubleheaders, Monday, April 17-Thursday, April 20|publisher=Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc|website=www.wbd.com|date=April 14, 2023}}</ref> In Canada, coverage was split between [[Sportsnet]] and [[The Sports Network|TSN]], with both simulcasting the U.S. national feed.

=== Most viewed playoff games ===

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Rank || Round || Date || Game || class="unsortable" | Away team || class="unsortable" | Score || class="unsortable" | Home team || Network || data-sort-type="number" | Viewers (millions) || data-sort-type="number" | TV rating
|-
|1
|[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]
|June 12
|Game 5
|[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]
|89–94
|'''[[2022-23 Denver Nuggets season|Nuggets]]'''
|rowspan="1"|[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|13.08<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=NBA Finals ends with four-year Game 5 high|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-ratings-nuggets-heat-most-watched-game-five-four-years/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 13, 2023|access-date=June 13, 2023}}</ref>
|7.0
|-
|2
|[[2023 NBA playoffs#(2) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Miami Heat|Eastern Conference Finals]]
|May 29
|Game 7
|'''[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]'''
|103–84
|[[2022-23 Boston Celtics season|Celtics]]
|rowspan="1"|[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|12.00<ref name="Lewis">{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Twelve million viewers for Heat-Celtics Game 7|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/05/heat-celtics-ratings-game-seven-viewership-most-watched-years-tnt/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 1, 2023|access-date=June 17, 2023}}</ref>
|5.8
|-
|3
|[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]
|June 4
|Game 2
|'''[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]'''
|111–108
|[[2022-23 Denver Nuggets season|Nuggets]]
|rowspan="5"|[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|11.91<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=NBA Finals Game 2 viewership same as last year|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-ratings-game-two-viewership-same-last-year-heat-nuggets/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 6, 2023|access-date=June 6, 2023|archive-date=June 6, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606154920/https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-ratings-game-two-viewership-same-last-year-heat-nuggets/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|6.0
|-
|4
|[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]
|June 1
|Game 1
|[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]
|93–104
|'''[[2022-23 Denver Nuggets season|Nuggets]]'''
|11.58<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Heat-Nuggets opens within 3% of C's-Warriors|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-game-1-ratings-heat-nuggets-nearly-matches-celtics-warriors/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 5, 2023|access-date=June 5, 2023|archive-date=June 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605183302/https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-game-1-ratings-heat-nuggets-nearly-matches-celtics-warriors/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|6.0
|-
|5
|[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]
|June 7
|Game 3
|'''[[2022-23 Denver Nuggets season|Nuggets]]'''
|109–94
|[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]
|11.24<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Nuggets-Heat again just slightly off last year's pace|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nuggets-heat-finals-ratings-viewership-down-slightly-warriors-celtics/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 8, 2023|access-date=June 9, 2023|archive-date=June 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609032550/https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nuggets-heat-finals-ratings-viewership-down-slightly-warriors-celtics/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|6.0
|-
|6
|[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]
|June 9
|Game 4
|'''[[2022-23 Denver Nuggets season|Nuggets]]'''
|108–95
|[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]
|10.41<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Nuggets-Heat hits series-low in Game 4|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-ratings-game-four-nuggets-heat-least-watched/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 12, 2023|access-date=June 12, 2023}}</ref>
|5.4
|-
|7
|[[2023 NBA playoffs#(3) Sacramento Kings vs. (6) Golden State Warriors|Western Conference First Round]]
|April 30
|Game 7
|'''[[2022-23 Golden State Warriors season|Warriors]]'''
|120–100
|[[2022-23 Sacramento Kings season|Kings]]
|9.84<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Warriors-Kings finale nears 10 million, top first round game since '99|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/05/warriors-kings-game-7-ratings-abc-nba-playoffs-viewership-heat-knicks/|date=May 2, 2023|access-date=June 17, 2023}}</ref>
|5.0
|-
|8
|[[2023 NBA playoffs#(2) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Miami Heat|Eastern Conference Finals]]
|May 27
|Game 6
|'''[[2022-23 Boston Celtics season|Celtics]]'''
|104–103
|[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]
|rowspan="1"|[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|8.71<ref name="Lewis"/>
|4.0
|-
|9
|[[2023 NBA playoffs#(6) Golden State Warriors vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers|Western Conference Semifinals]]
|May 12
|Game 6
|[[2022-23 Golden State Warriors season|Warriors]]
|101–122
|'''[[2022-23 Los Angeles Lakers season|Lakers]]'''
|rowspan="1"|[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|8.64<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Lakers-Warriors most-watched semifinal series since 1996|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/05/lakers-warriors-ratings-viewership-series-high-game-six/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=May 15, 2023|access-date=June 17, 2023}}</ref>
|4.3
|-
|10
|[[2023 NBA playoffs#(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|Eastern Conference Semifinals]]
|May 14
|Game 7
|[[2022-23 Philadelphia 76ers season|76ers]]
|88–112
|'''[[2022-23 Boston Celtics season|Celtics]]'''
|rowspan="1"|[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|8.44<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Celtics' Game 7 rout of Sixers latest big number for NBA|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/05/celtics-sixers-game-seven-ratings-abc-nba-playoff-viewership-strong/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=May 15, 2023|access-date=June 17, 2023}}</ref>
|3.9
|}

==Sponsorship==
For the second straight year, the playoffs were officially known as the "2023 NBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel". During the multiyear agreement with [[Google Pixel]], this sponsorship provided the logo branding inside the venues and in official digital properties on-court, as well as commercial inventory during ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV's telecasts of the playoff games.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://theathletic.com/news/nba-reaches-deal-to-make-google-pixel-first-presenting-partner-of-nba-playoffs/vdNiFbAdZ5JR/|title=NBA reaches deal to make Google Pixel first presenting partner of NBA playoffs|website=TheAthletic.com|date=October 18, 2021|access-date=March 31, 2023|archive-date=December 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221224182327/https://theathletic.com/news/nba-reaches-deal-to-make-google-pixel-first-presenting-partner-of-nba-playoffs/vdNiFbAdZ5JR/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==See also==
* [[NBA records]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Sports}}
*[https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_2023.html Basketball – Reference.com's 2023 Playoffs section]

{{NBAPlayoffs}}
{{2022–23 NBA season by team}}

[[Category:2022–23 NBA season|Playoffs]]
[[Category:National Basketball Association playoffs]]

2023 NBA playoffs

2023-12-16T07:24:12Z

Rangers00: Add sources to the Overview

{{Short description|Professional basketball tournament to determine the 2023 champion of the NBA}}
{{use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox basketball tournament season
| title = NBA playoffs
| image =
| year = 2023
| season = [[2022–23 NBA season|2022–23]]
| dates = April 15 – June 12, 2023
| num_teams = 16
| winners = [[2022–23 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]]
| count = 1
| second = [[2022–23 Miami Heat season|Miami Heat]]
| semifinal1 = [[2022–23 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]]
| semifinal2 = [[2022–23 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]]
| prev_season = [[2022 NBA playoffs|2022]]
| next_season = [[NBA playoffs|2024]]
}}
The '''2023 NBA playoffs''' was the [[NBA playoffs|postseason tournament]] of the [[National Basketball Association]]'s [[2022–23 NBA season|2022–23 season]]. The playoffs began on April 15 and concluded on June 12 with the [[Denver Nuggets]] winning the [[2023 NBA Finals]].

==Overview==
{{Prose|section|date=June 2023}}

===Updates to postseason appearances===
* The [[2022–23 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]] entered the postseason for the seventh consecutive season and also clinched the best record in the NBA for the third time in the last five seasons.
* The [[2022–23 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]] entered the postseason for the fifth consecutive season and also clinched the best record in the Western Conference for the first time in franchise history.
** The Nuggets also entered the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.
* The [[2022–23 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]] entered the postseason for the ninth consecutive season, currently the longest such streak in the NBA and the second longest playoffs streak in Major North American Sports behind the [[MLB]]'s [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] after the [[NHL]]'s [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] missed the [[2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs]] for the first time in 16 years.
* The [[2022–23 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]] entered the postseason for the sixth consecutive season.
* The [[2022–23 Brooklyn Nets season|Brooklyn Nets]] entered the postseason for the fifth consecutive season.
* The [[2022–23 Miami Heat season|Miami Heat]] entered the postseason for the fourth consecutive season.
** The Heat also entered the NBA Finals for the first time since [[2020 NBA Finals|2020]] and the seventh time in franchise history.
* The [[2022–23 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis Grizzlies]], [[2022–23 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]], and [[2022–23 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks]] entered the postseason for the third consecutive season.
* The [[2022–23 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]] and [[2022–23 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota Timberwolves]] entered the postseason for the second consecutive season.
* The [[2022–23 New York Knicks season|New York Knicks]], [[2022–23 Los Angeles Clippers season|Los Angeles Clippers]], and [[2022–23 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] entered the postseason for the first time since [[2021 NBA playoffs|2021]].
* The [[2022–23 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland Cavaliers]] entered the postseason for the first time since [[2017–18 Cleveland Cavaliers season|2018]], and the first time without [[LeBron James]] on their roster since [[1997–98 Cleveland Cavaliers season|1998]].
* The [[2022–23 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento Kings]] entered the postseason for the first time since [[2005–06 Sacramento Kings season|2006]], snapping the [[List of NBA franchise post-season droughts|longest postseason drought in NBA history]].
* The [[2022–23 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas Mavericks]] missed the postseason for the first time since [[2018–19 Dallas Mavericks season|2019]].
* The [[2022–23 Utah Jazz season|Utah Jazz]] missed the postseason for the first time since [[2015–16 Utah Jazz season|2016]].
* The [[2022–23 Charlotte Hornets season|Charlotte Hornets]] missed the postseason for the seventh consecutive season, currently the longest active postseason drought in the NBA.

===Notable occurrences===
* For the first time since the [[2000–01 NBA season|2000–01 season]], no team won at least 60 games in an 82-game regular season.{{Efn|Excluding the [[2011–12 NBA season|2011–12]] season, which was shortened due to the [[2011 NBA lockout|lockout]], and the [[2019–20 NBA season|2019–20]] and [[2020–21 NBA season|2020–21 seasons]], both of which were shortened due to the [[Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on basketball|COVID-19 pandemic]].}}
* This season marked the first time since the [[2004–05 NBA season|2004–05 season]] that two of the league's top three scorers ([[Luka Dončić]] and [[Damian Lillard]]) failed to reach the playoffs.
* All three Texas teams ([[Dallas Mavericks|Dallas]], [[Houston Rockets|Houston]], and [[San Antonio Spurs|San Antonio]]) missed the playoffs in the same season for the first time since the Mavericks formed in [[1980–81 NBA season|1980]]. This also marked the first time since [[1976 NBA playoffs|1976]] that Texas did not appear in the playoffs.
* All four California teams ([[Golden State Warriors|Golden State]], [[Los Angeles Clippers|LA Clippers]], [[Los Angeles Lakers|LA Lakers]], and [[Sacramento Kings|Sacramento]]) made the playoffs in the same season for the first time since the Kings relocated to Sacramento in [[1985–86 NBA season|1985]].
* All five teams from the [[Pacific Division (NBA)|Pacific Division]] qualified for the playoffs, marking the third instance every team in a division qualified for the playoffs since the NBA adopted the current six division format in [[2004–05 NBA season|2004–05]]. Previously, all five teams from the [[Central Division (NBA)|Central Division]] during the [[2005–06 NBA season|2005–06]] season and the [[Southwest Division (NBA)|Southwest Division]] during the [[2014–15 NBA season|2014–15]] season qualified for the playoffs.
* A No. 10 seed advanced to the second stage of the play-in tournament for the first time since the implementation of the [[Page playoff system|Page–McIntyre system]] in [[NBA play-in tournament#2021|2021]].
* The [[Miami Heat]] became the first team since the [[2000–01 Indiana Pacers season|2001 Indiana Pacers]] to drop from a No. 1 seed in the playoffs to a No. 8 seed the following year.

====First Round====
* The [[Philadelphia 76ers]] swept the [[Brooklyn Nets]], marking the 47th year in a row that a sweep occurred. The last time a sweep did not occur was in [[1976 NBA playoffs|1976]]. This was the 183rd series sweep in NBA playoffs history.
* [[Ja Morant]] scored 22 straight points for the [[Memphis Grizzlies]] in game 3 against the Los Angeles Lakers, becoming the first player to score at least 22 straight points for their team in a playoff game since [[Kobe Bryant]] in [[2010 NBA playoffs|2010]].
* [[Jimmy Butler]] became the sixth player in NBA history to score 56 or more points in a playoff game, joining [[Michael Jordan]] (twice), [[Elgin Baylor]], [[Donovan Mitchell]], [[Charles Barkley]], and [[Wilt Chamberlain]].
* [[Devin Booker]] became the third player since 1997 to score at least 25 points in a quarter in a playoff game, joining Damian Lillard (25 in [[2019 NBA playoffs|2019]]) and [[Allen Iverson]] (26 in [[2001 NBA playoffs|2001]]).
* Devin Booker and [[Kevin Durant]] became the first duo in playoff history to each score 25+ points in each of their first six games of a postseason.
* The [[New York Knicks]] won a playoff series for the first time since [[2013 NBA playoffs|2013]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/knicks-close-out-cavaliers-to-win-first-playoff-series-since-2013-but-julius-randles-health-a-concern/|title=Knicks close out Cavaliers to win first playoff series since 2013, but Julius Randle's health a concern|work=CBS Sports|date=April 26, 2023|author=Kaskey-Blomain, Michael}}</ref>
* [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] missed 13 free throws in game 5 against the Heat, marking the most free throw misses in a playoff game since [[DeAndre Jordan]] in [[2015 NBA playoffs|2015]], and the most misses in any game (regular season or playoffs) since [[Ben Simmons]] in [[2017–18 NBA season|2017]].
* The Heat became the first [[NBA play-in tournament|play–in]] team in NBA history to win a playoff series.
* The eighth-seeded Heat defeated the top-seeded [[Milwaukee Bucks]] in five games, marking the sixth instance in NBA history of an 8th-seeded team defeating a 1st-seeded team in the first round, following previous instances in [[1994 NBA playoffs|1994]], [[1999 NBA playoffs|1999]], [[2007 NBA playoffs|2007]], [[2011 NBA playoffs|2011]], and [[2012 NBA playoffs|2012]]. Additionally, this was the fourth time such an upset occurred in a best-of-seven series, and the first to be completed in fewer than six games.
* The seventh-seeded Lakers defeated the second-seeded Grizzlies in six games, marking the sixth instance in NBA history of a 7th-seeded team defeating a 2nd-seeded team in the first round, following previous instances in [[1987 NBA playoffs|1987]], [[1989 NBA playoffs|1989]], [[1991 NBA playoffs|1991]], [[1998 NBA playoffs|1998]], and [[2010 NBA playoffs|2010]]. Additionally, this was only the second time such an upset occurred in a best-of-seven series.
* A seventh-seed (Lakers) and an eighth-seed (Heat) both advanced in the first round of the playoffs, marking the first time this happened since the 16-team format began in [[1984 NBA playoffs|1984]]. In all previous instances when a seventh or eighth seed advanced, only one or the other advanced (not both).
* The Kings–Warriors series was the first of the 2023 playoffs to have a game 7, making it the 24th consecutive NBA postseason to feature a game 7. The last time a game 7 did not occur in the playoffs was [[1999 NBA playoffs|1999]]. This was the 148th game 7 in NBA playoffs history.
* [[Stephen Curry]]'s 50 points against the Kings was the first 50-point performance in a game 7 in NBA history.

====Conference semifinals====
* This was the first time in NBA history that every seed number from 1 through 8 made it to the second round across both conferences.
* The sixth-seeded Warriors had home-court advantage in the western semifinals, becoming the lowest seed to have home-court advantage since the sixth-seeded [[Houston Rockets]] in [[1987 NBA playoffs|1987]].
* [[P. J. Tucker]] had zero field goal attempts and zero free throw attempts in 37 minutes played against the [[Boston Celtics]], marking the most minutes played without a field goal or free throw attempt in a playoff game in the [[shot clock|shot-clock]] era (since [[1954–55 NBA season|1954–55]]).
* Devin Booker's 35.9 points per game were the most through a player's first ten games of a postseason since Michael Jordan in [[1990 NBA playoffs|1990]].
* The [[Denver Nuggets]]' 81 first half points in game 6 against the [[Phoenix Suns]] were the most in a first half by an away team in postseason history.
* [[Jalen Brunson]] became the fourth player in NBA history to make more field goals than the rest of the team combined in an elimination game, joining [[LeBron James]] (twice), Kobe Bryant, and [[Penny Hardaway]].
* With the defending champion Warriors losing to the Los Angeles Lakers, the 2023 playoffs marked the fourth straight year where the defending champion was eliminated before the conference finals.
* The Warriors lost a playoff series to a Western Conference opponent for the first time since [[2014 NBA playoffs|2014]], when the [[2013–14 Los Angeles Clippers season|Los Angeles Clippers]] defeated them in seven games.
* With the Lakers' series win over the Warriors, LeBron James earned his 41st career playoff series win, setting a new NBA record for the most career playoff series wins and surpassing [[Derek Fisher]]'s previous record of 40.
* After losing Game 5 in the Warriors series, LeBron James lost 3 consecutive games at the first chance of clinching a series. The streak included Game 5 losses to the Grizzlies in the previous round this year and to the Heat in the [[2020 NBA Finals|2020 Finals]]. Before the current losing streak, James won 5 straight and 15 of his last 16, with the lone loss being in the 1st round to the Pacers in [[2018 NBA Playoffs|2018]]
* [[Jayson Tatum]]'s 51 points against the 76ers were the most in a game 7 in NBA history.
** Additionally, his 51 points and zero turnovers set a playoff record for the most points in a game without any turnovers.
* There have been four 50-point games this postseason, the most in a single postseason.

====Conference finals====
* The Heat became the second eight-seeded team to reach the conference finals, joining the [[1998–99 New York Knicks season|1999 New York Knicks]].<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/heat-become-first-eighth-seed-reach-conference-finals-24-years-2023-05-13/ Heat become first eighth seed to reach Conference finals in 24 years], [[Reuters]], May 13, 2023</ref>
** The Heat also became the first eight-seeded team to reach the conference finals in a full 82-game season, as the [[1998–99 NBA season|1998–99 season]] was shortened due to a [[1998–99 NBA lockout|lockout]].
* The Lakers became the second seven-seeded team to reach the conference finals, joining the [[1986–87 Seattle SuperSonics season|1987 Seattle SuperSonics]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lakeshowlife.com/2023/05/01/lakers-farthest-7-seed-advanced-nba-playoffs|title= Lakers: What's the farthest a 7 seed has advanced in the NBA Playoffs?|work=LakeShowLife|author=Reed, Jason|date= May 2023}}</ref>
* All four teams in the conference finals from the [[2020 NBA playoffs|2020 Bubble]] returned to the 2023 conference finals.
** Like the aforementioned season, the Heat and Celtics have both beaten the Bucks and 76ers, respectively. The Heat also had beaten the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals.
* The Heat became the fifth team to win the series opener on the road in each of their first three playoff series, joining the [[1980–81 Houston Rockets season|1981 Houston Rockets]], [[1988–89 Chicago Bulls season|1989 Chicago Bulls]], 1999 New York Knicks, and [[2020–21 Atlanta Hawks season|2021 Atlanta Hawks]].
* The Heat became the first eight-seeded team since the 1999 Knicks to go up 3–0 in a series.
* The Heat became the first eight-seeded team to win a playoff game by more than 25 points.
* The Celtics lost their 6th game 7 at home this year, with previous losses in [[1973 NBA Playoffs|1973]], [[1982 NBA Playoffs|1982]], [[2005 NBA Playoffs|2005]], [[2009 NBA Playoffs|2009]] and [[2018 NBA Playoffs|2018]], while no other team has lost more than three. Both the Heat (2000, 2005, 2022) and the Suns (1981, 1995, 2022) lost three [[List of NBA game sevens|games 7]] at home.
* This was the second instance (following the [[2015 NBA playoffs|2015 playoffs]]) where both conference finals series had teams go up 3–0 in the series.
* [[Nikola Jokić]] recorded his eighth [[triple-double]] of the 2023 playoffs in game 4 against the Lakers, breaking the record held by Wilt Chamberlain for the [[List of National Basketball Association career playoff triple-double leaders|most triple-doubles]] in a single postseason.
* The Nuggets beat the Lakers 4–0 in the conference finals, marking their first playoff series sweep in franchise history.
** The Nuggets also became the last of the four teams from the [[American Basketball Association]] to reach the NBA Finals.
** The Nuggets also eliminated the Lakers in the playoffs for the first time in eight encounters, having been eliminated by the Lakers in 1979, 1985, 1987, 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2020. <ref>https://www.landofbasketball.com/head_to_head_gl/lakers_vs_nuggets_game_log_pl.htm</ref>
* The Nuggets became the 4th Western Conference team to sweep the Lakers en route to their first championship, following the footsteps of the Trail Blazers ([[1977 NBA Playoffs|1977]]), the Spurs ([[1999 NBA Playoffs|1999]]) and the Mavericks ([[2011 NBA Playoffs|2011]]).
* Since the Lakers joined the league in 1948-49, of the nine teams that won their first NBA championships while representing the West, seven of them eliminated the Lakers en route to their titles. In 2023, the Nuggets joined the Royals ([[1951 NBA Playoffs|1951]]), the Bucks ([[1971 NBA Playoffs|1971]]), the Trail Blazers (1977), the SuperSonics ([[1979 NBA Playoffs|1979]]), the Spurs (1999) and the Mavericks (2011). Only the [[1958 NBA Playoffs|1958]] Hawks and the [[1994 NBA Playoffs|1994]] Rockets did not do so.
* This marked the third time LeBron James was swept in a playoff series. The last two times he was swept were in the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs in [[2007 NBA Finals|2007]] and the Golden State Warriors in [[2018 NBA Finals|2018]].
* Jokić became the second player to average a triple-double in multiple playoff series in a single postseason, joining Wilt Chamberlain in [[1967 NBA playoffs|1967]].
* The Celtics became the fourth team ever to force a game 7 after trailing 0–3 in a series, and the first team to do so since [[2003 NBA playoffs|2003]].
** Additionally, the Celtics became the first team to host a game 7 after trailing 0–3.
* [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] became the second player in NBA history to hit a buzzer-beater with his team trailing and facing elimination, joining Michael Jordan's "[[The Shot]]" in [[1989 NBA playoffs|1989]].
** It was also the sixth game-winning buzzer-beater when facing elimination in NBA history, and the first since [[Kawhi Leonard]] in [[2019 NBA playoffs|2019]]. Coincidentally, Jimmy Butler has been on the losing side of three of those buzzer-beaters.
* [[Jaylen Brown]] became the fifth player with 8+ turnovers in a game 7 since individual turnovers were tracked in 1978, joining [[Shawn Kemp]], LeBron James, Donovan Mitchell, and [[Joel Embiid]].
* After Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, the Lakers lost six consecutive games while facing playoff elimination. The streak included Game 6 vs. the Suns ([[2021 NBA Playoffs|2021]]), Game 4 vs. the Spurs ([[2013 NBA Playoffs|2013]]), Game 5 vs. the Thunder ([[2012 NBA Playoffs|2012]]), Game 4 vs. the Mavericks ([[2011 NBA Playoffs|2011]]) and Game 6 vs. the Celtics ([[2008 NBA Finals|2008]]). They also lost 15 out of their last 16. Before winning Game 5 of the 2008 Finals against the Celtics, they also lost Game 5 vs. the Suns ([[2007 NBA Playoffs|2007]]), Game 7 vs. the Suns ([[2006 NBA Playoffs|2006]]), Game 5 vs. the Pistons ([[2004 NBA Finals|2004]]), Game 6 vs. the Spurs ([[2003 NBA Playoffs|2003]]), Game 4 vs. the Spurs ([[1999 NBA Playoffs|1999]]), Game 4 vs. the Jazz ([[1998 NBA Playoffs|1998]]), Game 5 vs. the Jazz ([[1997 NBA Playoffs|1997]]), Game 4 vs. the Rockets ([[1996 NBA Playoffs|1996]]), and Game 6 vs. the Spurs ([[1995 NBA Playoffs|1995]]).

====NBA Finals====
* The Heat became the second eight-seeded team to reach the NBA Finals, joining the 1999 New York Knicks. Coincidentally, both the Knicks and the Heat beat each other during their respective run to the Finals.
** The Heat also became the first eight-seeded team to reach the Finals in a full 82-game season, as the [[1998–99 NBA season|1998–99 season]] was shortened due to a [[1998–99 NBA lockout|lockout]].
** For the first time, an NHL and NBA team from the same metro area made the final as the lowest seed in the same season. Ironically, both the Heat and the [[Florida Panthers]] would lose to the [[Vegas Golden Knights|number 1 seed]] in the Western Conference in 5 games.
* The Heat became the first team to make the NBA Finals after making the playoffs via the Play-In tournament.
* The Heat became the third team in NBA history to finish last in PPG (points per game) during the regular season and reach the NBA Finals, joining the [[1955–56 Fort Wayne Pistons season|1956 Fort Wayne Pistons]] and [[1963–64 San Francisco Warriors season|1964 San Francisco Warriors]].
* In game 1, the Heat had two free throw attempts, breaking the NBA record for the fewest free throw attempts in a playoff game. The previous playoff record was three, by the [[New Jersey Nets]] in 1993 and the previous Finals record was five, by the [[Los Angeles Lakers]] in 1983.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Linn |first=Joey |date=2023-06-01 |title=Miami Heat Set Bad Record in NBA Finals Game 1 |url=https://www.si.com/nba/nuggets/news/miami-heat-set-bad-nba-record-nba-finals-game-1 |access-date=2023-06-02 |website=Sports Illustrated Denver Nuggets News, Analysis and More |language=en}}</ref>
* The Heat collected their 13th win of the playoffs in game 2 against the Nuggets, breaking a tie with the 1999 Knicks for the most wins ever by a No. 8 seed in a single postseason.
* In game 3, Nikola Jokić and [[Jamal Murray]] became the first teammates to record a triple-double in the NBA Finals and the first teammates to both record 30-point triple-doubles in any game.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-07 |title=Jokic and Murray both have triple-doubles, Nuggets beat Heat 109-94 for 2-1 lead |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/401544848 |access-date=2023-06-07 |website=ESPN.com |language= |agency=Associated Press}}</ref>
* [[Udonis Haslem]], aged 42 years, 363 days, became the oldest player to play in the NBA Finals, coming off the bench in the last minute.
* Nikola Jokić became the first player in NBA history to put up at least 500 points, 250 rebounds, and 150 assists in a single postseason run.
* Nikola Jokić became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in points (600), rebounds (269), and assists (190) in a single postseason.
* Nikola Jokić was the lowest-selected player to be named [[NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award|NBA Finals MVP]]. Jokić was selected 41st overall in the [[2014 NBA draft]].

==Format==
{{see also|NBA playoffs#Format}}
Eight teams from each conference participated in the playoffs. The top six teams in each conference, based on [[winning percentage]], directly qualified for the playoffs; the [[Seed (sports)|seeding]] order of those teams was also based on winning percentage. If two or more teams had the same record, standard NBA tiebreaker rules were used.

The NBA Board of Governors adopted a format starting in [[2021 NBA playoffs|2021]] to have a [[NBA play-in tournament|play-in tournament]] involving the teams ranked 7th through 10th in each conference. The 7th place team and 8th place team participated in a "double-chance" game, with the winner advancing to the playoffs as the 7-seed. The loser then played the winner of the elimination game between the 9th place and 10th place teams to determine the playoff's 8-seed. The NBA's regular playoff format then proceeded as normal.<ref>{{cite news|title=NBA adopts Play-In Tournament on full-time basis|url=https://www.nba.com/news/nba-adopts-play-in-tournament-on-full-time-basis|publisher=Warner Bros. Discovery Sports|location=Las Vegas|last=Reynolds|first=Tim|agency=Associated Press|date=July 12, 2022|access-date=July 28, 2022|archive-date=July 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220728135427/https://www.nba.com/news/nba-adopts-play-in-tournament-on-full-time-basis|url-status=live}}</ref>

Each conference's bracket was fixed with no reseeding. All rounds were a best-of-seven series; a series ended when one team won four games, and that team advanced to the next round. All rounds, including the NBA Finals, were in a 2–2–1–1–1 format with regards to hosting. In the conference playoffs, home-court advantage went to the higher-seeded team (number one being the highest). For the NBA Finals, home-court advantage went to the team with the better regular season record, and, if needed, ties were broken based on head-to-head record, followed by intra-conference record.

==Playoff qualifying==
On March 14, 2023, the [[2022–23 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]] became the first team to clinch a playoff spot.<ref name="Bucksclinch">{{cite web|last=Owczarski|first=Jim|title=Milwaukee Bucks become first team to clinch playoff spot with win over Phoenix Suns|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2023/03/14/bucks-clinch-playoff-spot-50-wins-suns/11475598002/|work=USA Today|date=March 14, 2022|access-date=March 15, 2022|archive-date=March 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230315051941/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2023/03/14/bucks-clinch-playoff-spot-50-wins-suns/11475598002/|url-status=live}}</ref> While noted in the below tables, division titles have no bearing on seeding.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/5-things-to-know-nba-division-winners-not-guaranteed-playoff-spot/ |title=5 Things to Know: NBA division winners not guaranteed playoff spot |first=Matt |last=Moore |work=[[CBS Sports]] |date=September 9, 2015 |access-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-date=December 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221203190054/https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/5-things-to-know-nba-division-winners-not-guaranteed-playoff-spot/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

''Seeds 7 and 8 in each conference were determined via the first-stage play-in tournament, held April 11–14.''

{{further|NBA play-in tournament#2023}}

===Eastern Conference===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center"
|-
!rowspan=2|Seed !!rowspan=2|Team !!rowspan=2|Record !!colspan=5|Clinched
|-
!Play-in berth !! Playoff berth !! Division title !! Best record in conference !! Best record in NBA
|-
| 1 || align=left|[[2022–23 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]] || 58–24 || — || March 14<ref name="Bucksclinch"/> || March 28<ref name="Bucksdivision">{{cite web |title=Hawks beat Cavaliers 120-118, help Bucks clinch Central |url=https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/hawks-beat-cavaliers-120-118-023731941.html |publisher=Yahoo Sports |access-date=March 29, 2023 |date=March 28, 2023 |archive-date=March 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329025256/https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/hawks-beat-cavaliers-120-118-023731941.html |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 5<ref name="Bucksbestrecord">{{cite web |last1=Maloney |first1=Jack |title=Bucks clinch NBA's best record: 'Game 7s at home are gonna be big' for Milwaukee |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/bucks-clinch-nbas-best-record-game-7s-at-home-are-gonna-be-big-for-milwaukee/ |work=CBS Sports |access-date=April 6, 2023 |date=April 5, 2023 |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406181350/https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/bucks-clinch-nbas-best-record-game-7s-at-home-are-gonna-be-big-for-milwaukee/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 5<ref name="Bucksbestrecord"/>
|-
| 2 || align=left|[[2022–23 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]] || 57–25 || — || March 18<ref name="Celticsclinch">{{cite web |last1=Goss |first1=Nick |title=Celtics Officially Clinch NBA Playoff Spot for Ninth Straight Season |url=https://www.nbcboston.com/news/sports/nbcsports/celtics-officially-clinch-nba-playoff-spot-for-ninth-straight-season/3000225/ |publisher=NBC Boston |access-date=March 20, 2023 |date=March 19, 2023 |archive-date=March 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320002436/https://www.nbcboston.com/news/sports/nbcsports/celtics-officially-clinch-nba-playoff-spot-for-ninth-straight-season/3000225/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 5<ref>{{cite web |last1=Grasso |first1=Justin |title=76ers Lock Up Playoff Seed After Celtics Defeat Raptors |url=https://www.si.com/nba/76ers/news/76ers-lock-up-playoff-seed-after-celtics-defeat-raptors |website=si.com |access-date=April 6, 2023 |date=April 5, 2023 |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406183948/https://www.si.com/nba/76ers/news/76ers-lock-up-playoff-seed-after-celtics-defeat-raptors |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || —
|-
| 3 || align=left|[[2022–23 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]] || 54–28 || — || March 21<ref name="76ersclinch">{{cite web |last1=Carlin |first1=Ky |title=Sixers clinch playoff spot after Nets fall to Cavaliers at home |url=https://sixerswire.usatoday.com/2023/03/21/sixers-clinch-playoff-spot-after-nets-fall-to-cavaliers-at-home/ |publisher=Sixers Wire |access-date=March 21, 2023 |date=March 21, 2023 |archive-date=March 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322022453/https://sixerswire.usatoday.com/2023/03/21/sixers-clinch-playoff-spot-after-nets-fall-to-cavaliers-at-home/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 4 || align=left|[[2022–23 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland Cavaliers]] || 51–31 || — || March 26<ref name="Cavaliersclinch">{{cite web |last1=Fedor |first1=Chris |title=Cavs clinch playoff spot with dominant 108-91 win over Houston Rockets |url=https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2023/03/cavs-clinch-playoff-spot-with-dominant-108-91-win-over-houston-rockets.html |publisher=cleveland.com |access-date=March 26, 2023 |date=March 26, 2023 |archive-date=March 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230327003154/https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2023/03/cavs-clinch-playoff-spot-with-dominant-108-91-win-over-houston-rockets.html |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 5 || align=left|[[2022–23 New York Knicks season|New York Knicks]] || 47–35 || — || April 2<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bernstein |first1=Jeffrey |title=Knicks clinch playoff berth with 118-109 win over Wizards |url=https://apnews.com/article/knicks-playoff-berth-wizards-11d6adf03b6a0a587c7ab06529e420d7 |publisher=AP News |access-date=April 2, 2023 |date=April 2, 2023 |archive-date=April 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230403010837/https://apnews.com/article/knicks-playoff-berth-wizards-11d6adf03b6a0a587c7ab06529e420d7 |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 6 || align=left|[[2022–23 Brooklyn Nets season|Brooklyn Nets]] || 45–37 || — || April 7<ref>{{cite web |title=Nets lock up 6-seed in East, get Sixers in 1st round of playoffs |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/36110995/nets-lock-6-seed-east-get-sixers-1st-round-playoffs |website=espn.com |access-date=April 8, 2023 |date=April 7, 2023 |archive-date=April 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408021909/https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/36110995/nets-lock-6-seed-east-get-sixers-1st-round-playoffs |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 7 || align=left|[[2022–23 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks]] || 41–41 || April 5<ref>{{cite web |last1=Umontuen |first1=Itoro |title=Atlanta Hawks clinch spot in NBA's play-in tournament with victory over the Wizards |url=https://theatlantavoice.com/atlanta-hawks-clinch-spot-in-nbas-play-in-tournament-with-victory-over-the-wizards/ |publisher=The Atlanta Voice |access-date=April 6, 2023 |date=April 6, 2023 |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406042914/https://theatlantavoice.com/atlanta-hawks-clinch-spot-in-nbas-play-in-tournament-with-victory-over-the-wizards/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 11<ref>{{cite web |last1=Reynolds |first1=Tim |title=Hawks grab No. 7 seed in East, hold off Heat 116-105 |url=https://apnews.com/article/hawks-heat-playoffs-playin-nba-6231c6063bb3b81ca9b6da858cf748e7 |publisher=AP News |access-date=April 12, 2023 |date=April 11, 2023 |archive-date=April 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412022729/https://apnews.com/article/hawks-heat-playoffs-playin-nba-6231c6063bb3b81ca9b6da858cf748e7 |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 8 || align=left|[[2022–23 Miami Heat season|Miami Heat]] || 44–38 || April 7<ref>{{cite web |last1=Winderman |first1=Ira |title=Heat rest regulars in 114-108 loss to Wizards, will host Hawks in Tuesday play-in game |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-heat/fl-sp-miami-heat-washington-wizards-20230408-467t2r5rm5cwza7ci3nhbjnd3e-story.html |website=sun-sentinel.com |access-date=April 8, 2023 |date=April 7, 2023 |archive-date=April 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408051735/https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-heat/fl-sp-miami-heat-washington-wizards-20230408-467t2r5rm5cwza7ci3nhbjnd3e-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 14<ref name="Heatclinch">{{cite web |last1=Reynolds |first1=Tim |title=Heat eliminate Bulls 102-91, will face Bucks in Round 1 |url=https://apnews.com/article/bulls-heat-nba-playoffs-playin-ff87abfc5dd6e428b5587f59c4afb9d1 |publisher=AP News |access-date=April 15, 2023 |date=April 14, 2023 |archive-date=April 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415020652/https://apnews.com/article/bulls-heat-nba-playoffs-playin-ff87abfc5dd6e428b5587f59c4afb9d1 |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 6<ref>{{cite web |last1=Chiang |first1=Anthony |title=Takeaways from Heat's blowout win in Philadelphia to keep slim hopes alive of escaping play-in |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nba/miami-heat/article274053560.html |website=miamiherald.com |access-date=April 7, 2023 |date=April 6, 2023 |archive-date=April 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407213122/https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nba/miami-heat/article274053560.html |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || —
|}

[[2022–23 Toronto Raptors season|Toronto]] (41–41) and [[2022–23 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]] (40–42) also secured play-in berths but did not advance to the playoffs.<ref>{{cite web |title=Raptors fall to Bulls in play-in tournament, eliminated from playoff contention |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/raptors-fall-to-bulls-in-play-in-tournament-eliminated-from-playoff-contention/ |publisher=Sportsnet |access-date=April 13, 2023 |date=April 12, 2023 |archive-date=April 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413094852/https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/raptors-fall-to-bulls-in-play-in-tournament-eliminated-from-playoff-contention/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Heatclinch"/>

===Western Conference===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center"
|-
!rowspan=2|Seed !!rowspan=2|Team !!rowspan=2|Record !!colspan=5|Clinched
|-
!Play-in berth !! Playoff berth !! Division title !! Best record in conference !! Best record in NBA
|-
| 1 || align=left|[[2022–23 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]] || 53–29 || — || March 16<ref name="Nuggetsclinch">{{cite web |last1=Lage |first1=Larry |title=Nuggets top Pistons to end skid, clinch Northwest Division |url=https://apnews.com/article/nuggets-jokic-pistons-8d9ec3bbf4904275255be9f28ab4e23e |publisher=AP News |date=March 16, 2023 |access-date=March 20, 2023 |archive-date=March 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320002832/https://apnews.com/article/nuggets-jokic-pistons-8d9ec3bbf4904275255be9f28ab4e23e |url-status=live }}</ref> || March 16<ref name="Nuggetsclinch"/> || April 5<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sarles |first1=Jesse |title=Denver Nuggets clinch No. 1 seed in NBA's Western Conference for first time in franchise history |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/denver-nuggets-clinch-no-1-seed-nba-western-conference-first-time-franchise-history/ |publisher=CBS News |access-date=April 6, 2023 |date=April 5, 2023 |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406183948/https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/denver-nuggets-clinch-no-1-seed-nba-western-conference-first-time-franchise-history/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || —
|-
| 2 || align=left|[[2022–23 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis Grizzlies]] || 51–31 || — || March 24<ref name="Grizzliesclinch">{{cite web |last1=Bailey |first1=Clay |title=Grizzlies clinch playoff berth with 151-114 rout of Rockets |url=https://apnews.com/article/rockets-grizzlies-ja-morant-6a0afcdd81a2639dbba9ce1a881f0074 |publisher=AP News |date=March 24, 2023 |access-date=March 25, 2023 |archive-date=March 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230325025147/https://apnews.com/article/rockets-grizzlies-ja-morant-6a0afcdd81a2639dbba9ce1a881f0074 |url-status=live }}</ref> || March 22<ref name="Grizzliesclinch"/> || — || —
|-
| 3 || align=left|[[2022–23 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento Kings]] || 48–34 || — || March 29<ref>{{cite web |last1=Spears |first1=Marc |title=Kings clinch first playoff berth since 2006 with win over Blazers |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35999564/kings-clinch-first-playoff-berth-2006-win-blazers |website=espn.com |access-date=30 March 2023 |date=March 30, 2023 |archive-date=March 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330042125/https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35999564/kings-clinch-first-playoff-berth-2006-win-blazers |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 4<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kraemer |first1=Mackenzie |title=Sacramento Kings clinch Pacific Division as historic long shot |url=https://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/36002853/sacramento-kings-clinch-pacific-division-historic-long-shot |website=espn.com |access-date=April 4, 2023 |date=April 4, 2023 |archive-date=April 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405031136/https://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/36002853/sacramento-kings-clinch-pacific-division-historic-long-shot |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || —
|-
| 4 || align=left|[[2022–23 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]] || 45–37 || — || April 4<ref>{{cite web |last1=Thompson |first1=Jack |title=Suns clinch playoff spot, rout injury-riddled Spurs 115-94 |url=https://apnews.com/article/suns-spurs-playoffs-booker-durant-2b5a7590fbdbd45838ce9dbf28a28e2a |publisher=AP News |access-date=April 5, 2023 |date=April 4, 2023 |archive-date=April 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405051359/https://apnews.com/article/suns-spurs-playoffs-booker-durant-2b5a7590fbdbd45838ce9dbf28a28e2a |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 5 || align=left|[[2022–23 Los Angeles Clippers season|Los Angeles Clippers]] || 44–38 || — || April 9<ref name="Finalday">{{cite web |last1=Owens |first1=Jason |title=NBA playoff picture: Warriors, Clippers secure West's final playoff spots, send Lakers to play-in |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-playoff-picture-warriors-clippers-secure-wests-final-playoff-spots-send-lakers-to-play-in-221342194.html |publisher=Yahoo Sports |access-date=April 9, 2023 |date=April 9, 2023 |archive-date=April 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409222321/https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-playoff-picture-warriors-clippers-secure-wests-final-playoff-spots-send-lakers-to-play-in-221342194.html |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 6 || align=left|[[2022–23 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]] || 44–38 || — || April 9<ref name="Finalday"/> || — || — || —
|-
| 7 || align=left|[[2022–23 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] || 43–39 || April 9<ref name="Finalday"/> || April 11<ref>{{cite web |title=Lakers clinch No. 7 seed with overtime win over Minnesota Timberwolves in Play-In Tournament |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/lakers-clinch-no-7-seed-with-overtime-win-over-minnesota-timberwolves-in-play-in-tournament/ |publisher=CBS News |access-date=April 12, 2023 |date=April 11, 2023 |archive-date=April 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412051711/https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/lakers-clinch-no-7-seed-with-overtime-win-over-minnesota-timberwolves-in-play-in-tournament/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 8 || align=left|[[2022–23 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota Timberwolves]] || 42–40 || April 8<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schad |first1=Chris |title=Timberwolves' 3-point barrage vs. Spurs sets up Sunday showdown with Pelicans |url=https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/timberwolves/timberwolves-3-point-barrage-vs-spurs-sets-up-sunday-showdown-with-pelicans |website=si.com |access-date=April 8, 2023 |date=April 8, 2023 |archive-date=April 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408233735/https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/timberwolves/timberwolves-3-point-barrage-vs-spurs-sets-up-sunday-showdown-with-pelicans |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 14<ref name="Wolvesclinch">{{cite web |title=Timberwolves crush Thunder in play-in to claim Western Conference's eighth seed |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/timberwolves-cruise-past-thunder-in-play-in-to-claim-western-conferences-eighth-seed/ |publisher=Sportsnet |access-date=15 April 2023}}</ref> || — || — || —
|}

[[2022–23 New Orleans Pelicans season|New Orleans]] (42–40) and [[2022–23 Oklahoma City Thunder season|Oklahoma City]] (40–42) also secured play-in berths but did not advance to the playoffs.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Helin |first1=Kurt |title=Gilgeous-Alexander outduels Ingram and gets more help, Thunder eliminate Pelicans |url=https://nba.nbcsports.com/2023/04/13/gilgeous-alexander-outduels-ingram-and-gets-more-help-thunder-eliminate-pelicans/ |publisher=NBC Sports |access-date=April 13, 2023 |date=April 12, 2023 |archive-date=April 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413081642/https://nba.nbcsports.com/2023/04/13/gilgeous-alexander-outduels-ingram-and-gets-more-help-thunder-eliminate-pelicans/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Wolvesclinch"/>

==Bracket==
Teams in bold advanced to the next round. The numbers to the left of each team indicate the team's seeding in its conference, and the numbers to the right indicate the number of games the team won in that round. The division champions are marked by an asterisk. Teams with home-court advantage (i.e., the higher-seeded team) are shown in italics.
<section begin=Bracket />{{16TeamBracket
| RD1=[[2023 NBA playoffs#First Round 2|First round]]
| RD2=[[2023 NBA playoffs#Conference semifinals 2|Conference semifinals]]
| RD3=[[2023 NBA playoffs#Conference finals 2|Conference finals]]
| RD4=[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]

| RD2-group1='''[[Eastern Conference (NBA)|Eastern Conference]]'''
| RD2-group2='''[[Western Conference (NBA)|Western Conference]]'''


| RD1-seed01=E1
| RD1-team01=''[[2022–23 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]''*
| RD1-score01=1
| RD1-seed02='''E8'''
| RD1-team02='''[[2022–23 Miami Heat season|Miami]]*'''
| RD1-score02='''4'''

| RD1-seed03=E4
| RD1-team03=''[[2022–23 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]''
| RD1-score03=1
| RD1-seed04='''E5'''
| RD1-team04='''[[2022–23 New York Knicks season|New York]]'''
| RD1-score04='''4'''

| RD1-seed05='''E3'''
| RD1-team05='''''[[2022–23 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]'''''
| RD1-score05='''4'''
| RD1-seed06=E6
| RD1-team06=[[2022–23 Brooklyn Nets season|Brooklyn]]
| RD1-score06=0

| RD1-seed07='''E2'''
| RD1-team07='''''[[2022–23 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]''*'''
| RD1-score07='''4'''
| RD1-seed08=E7
| RD1-team08=[[2022–23 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta]]
| RD1-score08=2


| RD1-seed09='''W1'''
| RD1-team09='''''[[2022–23 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]''*'''
| RD1-score09='''4'''
| RD1-seed10=W8
| RD1-team10=[[2022–23 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| RD1-score10=1

| RD1-seed11='''W4'''
| RD1-team11='''''[[2022–23 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]'''''
| RD1-score11='''4'''
| RD1-seed12=W5
| RD1-team12=[[2022–23 Los Angeles Clippers season|LA Clippers]]
| RD1-score12=1

| RD1-seed13=W3
| RD1-team13=''[[2022–23 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]''*
| RD1-score13=3
| RD1-seed14='''W6'''
| RD1-team14='''[[2022–23 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]'''
| RD1-score14='''4'''

| RD1-seed15=W2
| RD1-team15=''[[2022–23 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis]]''*
| RD1-score15=2
| RD1-seed16='''W7'''
| RD1-team16='''[[2022–23 Los Angeles Lakers season|LA Lakers]]'''
| RD1-score16='''4'''


| RD2-seed01='''E8'''
| RD2-team01='''Miami*'''
| RD2-score01='''4'''
| RD2-seed02=E5
| RD2-team02=''New York''
| RD2-score02=2

| RD2-seed03=E3
| RD2-team03=Philadelphia
| RD2-score03=3
| RD2-seed04='''E2'''
| RD2-team04='''''Boston''*'''
| RD2-score04='''4'''


| RD2-seed05='''W1'''
| RD2-team05='''''Denver''*'''
| RD2-score05='''4'''
| RD2-seed06=W4
| RD2-team06=Phoenix
| RD2-score06=2

| RD2-seed07=W6
| RD2-team07=''Golden State''
| RD2-score07=2
| RD2-seed08='''W7'''
| RD2-team08='''LA Lakers'''
| RD2-score08='''4'''


| RD3-seed01='''E8'''
| RD3-team01='''Miami'''*
| RD3-score01='''4'''
| RD3-seed02=E2
| RD3-team02=''Boston''*
| RD3-score02=3


| RD3-seed03='''W1'''
| RD3-team03='''''Denver'''''*
| RD3-score03='''4'''
| RD3-seed04=W7
| RD3-team04=LA Lakers
| RD3-score04=0


| RD4-seed01=E8
| RD4-team01=Miami*
| RD4-score01=1
| RD4-seed02='''W1'''
| RD4-team02='''''Denver'''''*
| RD4-score02='''4'''
}}{{ubl
|<nowiki>*</nowiki> Division winner
|'''Bold''' Series winner
|''Italic'' Team with home-court advantage
}}<section end=Bracket />

==First Round==
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

===Eastern Conference First Round===

====(1) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (8) Miami Heat====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 16|time=5:30 pm {{small|(4:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1= '''130'''
|team2=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score2= 117
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200101 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–24 |Q2='''35'''–31 |Q3='''34'''–33 |Q4=28–'''29'''
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 35 |points2=[[Khris Middleton]] 33
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 9 |rebounds2=Khris Middleton 9
|assist1=Jimmy Butler 11 |assist2=[[Jrue Holiday]] 16
|attendance=17,381
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]], Michael Smith
|series=Miami leads series, 1–0
}} The Heat took advantage of [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]]'s early exit in the first half to secure a 1–0 series lead. [[Jimmy Butler]] led Miami with 35 points, while [[Bam Adebayo]] contributed 22 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. However, the Heat also suffered a setback, as they lost [[Tyler Herro]] to a broken hand in the second quarter. Miami had built a 68–55 halftime lead before Herro's departure and maintained their advantage by shooting an impressive 60% from beyond the arc, their highest percentage of the season. [[Khris Middleton]] stepped up for the Bucks, finishing with 33 points and nine rebounds, but Milwaukee shooting 24.4% from the three-point line hindered any chance at a comeback.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 19 |time=9:00 pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=122
|team2='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score2='''138'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200102 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''35''' |Q2=27–'''46''' |Q3=30–'''37''' |Q4='''37'''–20
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 25 |points2=[[Brook Lopez]] 25
|rebounds1=[[Cody Zeller]] 8 |rebounds2=[[Bobby Portis]] 15
|assist1=[[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] 6 |assist2=[[Jrue Holiday]] 11
|attendance=17,576
|referee=John Goble, Brian Forte, Tre Maddox
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} After shooting 11-of-45 from three-point range in their Game 1 loss, the Bucks shot 25-of-49 from beyond the arc, tying the [[2015–16 Cleveland Cavaliers season|2016 Cleveland Cavaliers]] for the most three-point makes by a team in a playoff game. Despite [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]]'s absence, Milwaukee managed to dominate the Heat thanks to a team effort, as six Bucks players scored at least 16 points. [[Brook Lopez]] scored 25 points, [[Jrue Holiday]] added 24 points, and [[Pat Connaughton]] dropped a playoff career-high 22 points, shooting 6-of-10 from beyond the arc. [[Jimmy Butler]] scored 25 for Miami, but it wasn't enough to keep up with the hot shooting of the Bucks, as they led by as much as 36 points.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 22 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score1=99
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''121'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200103 Recap]
|Q1=21–'''29''' |Q2=32–'''37''' |Q3=26–'''28''' |Q4=20–'''27'''
|points1=[[Khris Middleton]] 23 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Bobby Portis]] 10 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo|Adebayo]], [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Martin]] 11 each
|assist1=Khris Middleton 6 |assist2=Bam Adebayo 5
|attendance=19,734
|referee=[[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Kevin Scott, [[Rodney Mott]]
|series=Miami leads series, 2–1
}} The No. 8 seeded Heat retook their series lead with a 121–99 victory over the shorthanded Bucks. [[Jimmy Butler]] led the way for Miami with 30 points in 28 minutes on 12-of-19 shooting. After Milwaukee went 10-of-18 (56%) from deep in the first half, they cooled off after halftime, shooting only 5-of-21 (24%) from three-point range in the second half. [[Khris Middleton]] scored 23 points, while [[Jrue Holiday]] added 19 and [[Grayson Allen]] scored 14. Meanwhile, Miami's [[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] scored 20 points on his 29th birthday, while [[Kyle Lowry]] added 15 points as the Heat led by as much as 29 points. The No. 8 seeded Heat retook their series lead with a 121–99 victory over the shorthanded Bucks. [[Jimmy Butler]] led the way for Miami with 30 points in 28 minutes on 12-of-19 shooting. After Milwaukee went 10-of-18 (56%) from deep in the first half, they cooled off after halftime, shooting only 5-of-21 (24%) from three-point range in the second half. [[Khris Middleton]] scored 23 points, while [[Jrue Holiday]] added 19 and [[Grayson Allen]] scored 14. Meanwhile, Miami's [[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] scored 20 points on his 29th birthday, while [[Kyle Lowry]] added 15 points as the Heat led by as much as 29 points. However, [[Victor Oladipo]] left the game with a season-ending knee injury in the fourth quarter.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 24|time=7:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score1=114
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''119'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200104 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–28 |Q2='''24'''–22 |Q3='''32'''–28 |Q4=25–'''41'''
|points1=[[Brook Lopez]] 36 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 56
|rebounds1=Brook Lopez 11 |rebounds2=Butler, [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Martin]] 9 each
|assist1=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 13 |assist2=[[Gabe Vincent]] 8
|attendance=19,614
|referee=Marc Davis, Mark Lindsay, Jacyn Goble
|series=Miami leads series, 3–1
}} [[Jimmy Butler]] scored a career-high 56 points, which included 21 in the fourth quarter to push the team with the best overall record on the verge of elimination. Down by 12 with under six minutes remaining, the Heat went on a pivotal 27–8 run, which included a 13–0 run to take their first lead of the night. Butler, who scored 22 of Miami's 28 first quarter points, finished 19-of-28 from the field, 15-of-18 from the foul line, and added nine rebounds. His 56 points also set a franchise playoff record for the Heat. [[Brook Lopez]] was the leading scorer for the Bucks, with 36 points and 11 rebounds. [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] returned from a two-game absence with a bruised back and had a triple-double, with 26 points, ten rebounds, and 13 assists.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 26|time=9:30 pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''128'''
|team2=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score2=126 |overtime=OT
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200105 Recap]
|Q1='''36'''–33 |Q2=27–'''36''' |Q3=23–'''33''' |Q4='''32'''–16 |OT='''10'''–8
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 42 |points2=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 38
|rebounds1=[[Kevin Love]] 12 |rebounds2=Giannis Antetokounmpo 20
|assist1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 10 |assist2=[[Jrue Holiday|Holiday]], [[Khris Middleton|Middleton]] 6 each
|attendance=18,113
|referee=James Williams, Sean Wright, Pat Fraher
|series=Miami wins series, 4–1
}} Two nights after outscoring Milwaukee 30–13 in the final six minutes of a 119–115 victory in Miami, the Heat came back from a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit and tied the game on [[Jimmy Butler]]'s layup with half a second left in regulation. The Heat went on to win in overtime, becoming the sixth 8-seeded team to knock off a No. 1 seed and the first play-in team ever to win a playoff series. Butler, who averaged 37.6 points throughout the series, led Miami with 42 points, while [[Bam Adebayo]] dropped a 20-point triple-double. [[Khris Middleton]] scored 33 points for the Bucks, while [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] had 38 points and 20 rebounds. However, he missed a career-high 13 free-throw attempts, the most misses by any player in a playoff game since 2015. Despite leading 102–86 heading into the fourth quarter, the Bucks crumbled under pressure, shooting just 5-of-25 from the floor in the final quarter and overtime.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 12, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-mia-0022200628 Recap]
| team1 = [[Milwaukee Bucks]] | score1 = 102
| team2 = '''[[Miami Heat]]''' | score2 = '''108'''
| place = [[FTX Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 14, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-mia-0022200641 Recap]
| team1 = Milwaukee Bucks | score1 = 95
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = '''111'''
| place = [[Miami-Dade Arena]], Miami, FL
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 4, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-mil-0022200797 Recap]
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 115
| team2 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score2 = '''123'''
| place = [[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 24, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-mil-0022200897 Recap]
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 99
| team2 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score2 = '''128'''
| place = Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
}}
|}

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Heat winning two of the first three meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=MIL&opp_id=MIA&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Milwaukee Bucks versus Miami Heat (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 15, 2023|archive-date=April 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415013401/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=MIL&opp_id=MIA&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Miami leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2013
| team1 = '''[[Miami Heat]]''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Milwaukee Bucks]] | score2 = 0
| place = [[2013 NBA playoffs#(1) Miami Heat vs. (8) Milwaukee Bucks|2013 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 2020
| team1 = Milwaukee Bucks | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2020 NBA playoffs#(1) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (5) Miami Heat|2020 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2021
| team1 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Miami Heat | score2 = 0
| place = [[2021 NBA playoffs#(3) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (6) Miami Heat|2021 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Atlanta Hawks====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 15 |time=3:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score1=99
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''112'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200111 Recap]
|Q1=19–'''29''' |Q2=25–'''45''' |Q3='''31'''–20 |Q4='''24'''–18
|points1=[[Dejounte Murray]] 24 |points2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 29
|rebounds1=[[Clint Capela|Capela]], Murray 8 each |rebounds2=Jaylen Brown 12
|assist1=[[Trae Young]] 8 |assist2=[[Marcus Smart|Smart]], [[Derrick White (basketball)|White]] 7 each
|attendance=19,156
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Ben Taylor
|series=Boston leads series, 1–0
}} [[Jaylen Brown]] guided Boston to a 112–99 victory with 29 points and 12 rebounds, while [[Jayson Tatum]] added 25 points, 21 of which came in the first half as the Celtics built a 30-point lead at halftime. [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] also had a strong performance with 24 points and seven assists. The Hawks meanwhile struggled with their shooting, missing their first ten three-point attempts and shooting 5-of-29 from beyond the arc for the game. Despite a late push from Atlanta in the fourth quarter, the Celtics regained control and secured the victory, as they held [[Dejounte Murray]] and [[Trae Young]] to a combined 15-of-43 shooting.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 18 |time=7:00 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score1=106
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''119'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200112 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''28''' |Q2=24–'''33''' |Q3='''32'''–29 |Q4=25–'''29'''
|points1=[[Dejounte Murray]] 29 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 29
|rebounds1=[[De'Andre Hunter]] 12 |rebounds2=Jayson Tatum 10
|assist1=Murray, [[Trae Young|Young]] 6 each |assist2=[[Malcolm Brogdon]] 8
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Mark Lindsay, Karl Lane, James Williams
|series=Boston leads series, 2–0
}} [[Jayson Tatum]] led the Celtics to a 2–0 series lead over the Hawks, finishing with 29 points and ten rebounds. The Hawks once again tried mounting a comeback, as they pulled within eight points with under eight minutes left in regulation. However, the Celtics responded with a 20–6 run to put the game out of reach. [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] contributed 26 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks for Boston, while [[Jaylen Brown]] added 18 points. Although Young and [[Dejounte Murray]] combined for 53 points, Atlanta couldn't keep up with Boston, who outscored them 64–40 in the paint.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 21 |time=7:00 pm |place=[[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Boston Celtics]] |score1=122
|team2='''[[Atlanta Hawks]]''' |score2='''130'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200113 Recap]
|Q1='''37'''–33 |Q2=30–'''41'''|Q3=26–26 |Q4=29–'''30'''
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 29 |points2=[[Trae Young]] 32
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 10 |rebounds2=[[Clint Capela]] 11
|assist1=[[Marcus Smart]] 8 |assist2=Trae Young 9
|attendance=18,536
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Pat Fraher, Mitchell Ervin
|series=Boston leads series, 2–1
}} In danger of falling behind 3–0 in the series, [[Trae Young]] scored 32 points and nine assists in his first 30-point game since the Hawks' Conference finals run two years ago as Atlanta put up their most points in a playoff game since 1986. Young was supported by his backcourt partner [[Dejounte Murray]], who had 25 points, six rebounds, and five assists. The duo played their best when it mattered most, as they accounted for 22 of Atlanta's 30 points in the final quarter. [[Jayson Tatum]] scored 29 points, while [[Marcus Smart]] added 24, but Boston was forced to play catch-up the majority of the game, as they allowed Atlanta to knock down 30-of-46 shots (65%) in the first half.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 23 |time=7:00 pm |place=[[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''129'''
|team2=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score2=121
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-atl-0042200114 Recap]
|Q1='''35'''–25 |Q2='''30'''–28 |Q3=27–'''34''' |Q4='''37'''–34
|points1=[[Jaylen Brown|Brown]], [[Jayson Tatum|Tatum]] 31 each |points2=[[Trae Young]] 35
|rebounds1=[[Robert Williams III]] 15 |rebounds2=[[Dejounte Murray]] 9
|assist1=[[Al Horford]] 5 |assist2=Trae Young 15
|attendance=19,144
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]], Gediminas Petraitis
|series=Boston leads series, 3–1
}} After starting off the game shooting 1-of-7, [[Jaylen Brown]] removed his protective mask in the second quarter as he went on to shoot 11-of-15 the rest of the way, moving Boston to the brink of advancing to the second round. [[Jayson Tatum]] also had 31 points for the Celtics, as both Brown and Tatum combined to score their team's final 16 points, thwarting any attempt by the Hawks to even the series. In addition to the duo's combined 62 points, [[Marcus Smart]] added 19 points and [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] had 18. Although [[Trae Young]] scored 35 points and 15 assists, and [[De'Andre Hunter]] and [[Dejounte Murray]] combined for 50 points, the Hawks were unable to gain a lead after the first quarter.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 25 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Atlanta Hawks]]''' |score1='''119'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=117
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-bos-0042200115 Recap]
|Q1='''30'''–27 |Q2=28–'''39''' |Q3=24–'''26''' |Q4='''37'''–25
|points1=[[Trae Young]] 38 |points2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 35
|rebounds1=[[Clint Capela]] 7 |rebounds2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 8
|assist1=Trae Young 13 |assist2=Jayson Tatum 8
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Josh Tiven, Courtney Kirkland, Tre Maddox
|series=Boston leads series, 3–2
}} Facing elimination, [[Trae Young]] scored 38 points and hit a deep three-pointer with less than two seconds left to give the Hawks the lead and ultimately force a Game 6 in Atlanta. Young also had 16 points in a frenetic fourth quarter, getting support from his teammates who knocked down a series-best 19 three-pointers. [[John Collins (basketball)|John Collins]] added 22 points for Atlanta, who played without [[Dejounte Murray]], who was suspended for bumping an official in Game 4. Despite an impressive performance from [[Jaylen Brown]], who scored 35 points, and [[Jayson Tatum]], who added 19, the Celtics ultimately lost control of the game in the fourth quarter, allowing Atlanta to outscore them 23–8 in the final minutes, with 14 of those points coming from Young.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 27 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''128'''
|team2=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score2=120
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200116 Recap]
|Q1='''35'''–34|Q2=33–33|Q3=30–'''33'''|Q4='''30'''–20
|points1=[[Jaylen Brown]] 32 |points2=[[Trae Young]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 14 |rebounds2=[[Onyeka Okongwu]] 11
|assist1=Jayson Tatum 7 |assist2=[[Dejounte Murray]] 11
|attendance=19,176
|referee=Marc Davis, [[Curtis Blair]], Jacyn Goble
|series=Boston wins series, 4–2
}} After collapsing late in Game 5, the Celtics responded by closing out Game 6 on an 18–7 run to advance to their sixth Eastern Semifinals appearance in seven years. Leading the way for the Celtics were [[Jaylen Brown]] with 32 points, [[Jayson Tatum]] with 30 points and 14 rebounds, [[Marcus Smart]] with 22 points, and [[Malcolm Brogdon]] with 17 points off the bench. Meanwhile, [[Trae Young]], who finished with 30 points and ten assists, missed 12-of-13 shots in the second half and finished just 9-of-28 from the field. His backcourt partner [[Dejounte Murray]] also struggled, scoring zero points in the first half as the duo ultimately combined for a shooting percentage of 34% (14-of-41).

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Boston won 3–0 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = November 16, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-atl-0022200214 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score1 = '''126'''
| team2 = [[Atlanta Hawks]] | score2 = 101
| place = [[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 11, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-atl-0022201008 Recap]
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''134'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 125
| place = State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = April 9, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-bos-0022201216 Recap]
| team1 = Atlanta Hawks | score1 = 114
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''120'''
| place = [[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]]
}}
|}

This was the 13th playoff meeting between these two teams, and the ninth since the [[Atlanta Hawks#1965–1975: Relocation to Atlanta|St. Louis Hawks]] relocated to Atlanta in 1968, with the Celtics winning ten of the first twelve meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=BOS&opp_id=ATL&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Atlanta Hawks (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 12, 2023|archive-date=April 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412015731/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=BOS&opp_id=ATL&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Boston leads 10–2 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1957
| team1 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[St. Louis Hawks]] | score2 = 3
| place = [[1957 NBA Finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1958
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''St. Louis Hawks''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1958 NBA Finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1960
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = St. Louis Hawks | score2 = 3
| place = [[1960 NBA Finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1961
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = St. Louis Hawks | score2 = 1
| place = [[1961 NBA Finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1972
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Atlanta Hawks]] | score2 = 2
| place = [[1972 NBA playoffs#(A1) Boston Celtics vs. (C2) Atlanta Hawks|1972 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1973
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 2
| place = [[1973 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Atlanta Hawks|1973 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1983
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''2'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 1
| place = [[1983 NBA playoffs#(3) Boston Celtics vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks|1983 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1986
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 1
| place = [[1986 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Atlanta Hawks|1986 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1988
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 3
| place = [[1988 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Atlanta Hawks|1988 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2008
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 3
| place = [[2008 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Atlanta Hawks|2008 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2012
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 2
| place = [[2012 NBA playoffs#(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks|2012 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2016
| team1 = '''Atlanta Hawks''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 2
| place = [[2016 NBA playoffs#(4) Atlanta Hawks vs. (5) Boston Celtics|2016 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) Brooklyn Nets====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 15|time=1:00 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score1=101
|team2='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score2='''121'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-phi-0042200121 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''30''' |Q2=33–'''37''' |Q3=23–'''26''' |Q4=20–'''28'''
|points1=[[Mikal Bridges]] 30 |points2=[[Joel Embiid]] 26
|rebounds1=[[Nic Claxton]] 10 |rebounds2=[[P. J. Tucker]] 7
|assist1=[[Spencer Dinwiddie]] 7 |assist2=[[James Harden]] 13
|attendance=20,913
|referee=James Williams, Mark Lindsay, [[JB DeRosa]]
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 1–0
}} [[James Harden]] led the way for the 76ers with 23 points and 13 assists, including seven three-pointers as Philadelphia moved to 5–0 against the Nets this season. [[Joel Embiid]] contributed 26 points for Philadelphia, while [[Tobias Harris]] added 21 points. The 76ers also set a team record for playoff three-pointers, with 21 made shots from beyond the arc; with 13 of them coming in the first half. [[Mikal Bridges]] had a standout performance for the Nets, making 10-of-16 shots for 23 points in the first half and keeping Brooklyn within nine at halftime, but the Nets never led in the game.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 17 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score1=84
|team2='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score2='''96'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-phi-0042200122 Recap]
|Q1=25–25 |Q2='''24'''–19 |Q3=14–'''24''' |Q4=21–'''28'''
|points1=[[Cameron Johnson]] 28 |points2=[[Tyrese Maxey]] 33
|rebounds1=[[Dorian Finney-Smith]] 7 |rebounds2=[[Joel Embiid]] 19
|assist1=[[Mikal Bridges]] 7 |assist2=Embiid, [[James Harden|Harden]] 7 each
|attendance=20,958
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Curtis Blair]], Tre Maddox
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 2–0
}} Being heavily defended throughout the game, [[Joel Embiid]] showed increased trust in his teammates as [[Tyrese Maxey]] scored 33 points and [[Tobias Harris]] had 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Embiid contributed with 19 rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks as Philadelphia took a commanding 2–0 series lead. After a slow start, the 76ers rallied in the second half and held off the Nets, who shot 35% from the field in the second half. [[Cameron Johnson]] scored 22 of his 28 points in the first half, but Brooklyn was unable to get anything going in the second half, scoring just 35 points.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 20 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score1='''102'''
|team2=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score2=97
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bkn-0042200123 Recap]
|Q1='''32'''–28 |Q2='''26'''–19 |Q3=18–'''35''' |Q4='''26'''–15
|points1=[[Tyrese Maxey]] 25 |points2=[[Mikal Bridges]] 26
|rebounds1=[[Joel Embiid]] 10 |rebounds2=[[Dorian Finney-Smith]] 9
|assist1=[[James Harden|Harden]], [[P. J. Tucker|Tucker]] 4 each|assist2=[[Spencer Dinwiddie]] 7
|attendance=17,910
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Ben Taylor, [[Nick Buchert]]
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 3–0
}} With [[James Harden]] ejected in the third quarter and [[Joel Embiid]] struggling offensively, the 76ers rode [[Tyrese Maxey]]'s team-high 25 points, including ten points in the final three minutes to give Philadelphia a 3–0 series lead. Although [[Joel Embiid]] was held to just 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting, he remained dominant on the defensive end and sealed the game by blocking a potential game-tying layup by [[Spencer Dinwiddie]] with just under ten seconds left. [[Mikal Bridges]] led the Nets with 26 points, but Brooklyn was held to just 15 points in the fourth quarter as the 76ers finished the game on an 11–1 run to hand the Nets their ninth consecutive playoff loss.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 22 |time=1:00 pm |place=[[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score1='''96'''
|team2=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score2=88
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bkn-0042200124 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''29''' |Q2=18–'''19''' |Q3='''26'''–15 |Q4='''30'''–25
|points1=[[Tobias Harris]] 25 |points2=[[Spencer Dinwiddie]] 20
|rebounds1=[[Paul Reed (basketball)|Paul Reed]] 15 |rebounds2=[[Nic Claxton]] 12
|assist1=[[James Harden]] 11 |assist2=Spencer Dinwiddie 6
|attendance=18,037
|referee=John Goble, Sean Wright, Karl Lane
|series=Philadelphia wins series, 4–0
}} Without [[Joel Embiid]], [[Tobias Harris]] led Philadelphia with 25 points and 12 rebounds, while [[James Harden]] contributed 17 points and 11 assists as the 76ers swept a playoff opponent for the first time since 1991. [[Paul Reed (basketball)|Paul Reed]], who replaced Embiid in the starting lineup, contributed ten points and 15 rebounds, while [[De'Anthony Melton]] scored all 15 of his points in the fourth quarter. The 76ers' defense also limited the Nets to 40 points in the second half and outscored Brooklyn 21–4 during an eight-minute stretch in the third quarter. Despite [[Spencer Dinwiddie]]'s 20 points and [[Nic Claxton]]'s 19 points and 12 rebounds, the Nets lost their tenth consecutive playoff game. Additionally, they went 0–8 against Philadelphia this season.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Philadelphia won 4–0 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = November 22, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-phi-0022200256 Recap]
| team1 = [[Brooklyn Nets]] | score1 = 106
| team2 = '''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' | score2 = '''115'''
| place = [[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 25, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-phi-0022200721 Recap]
| team1 = Brooklyn Nets | score1 = 133
| team2 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score2 = '''137'''
| place = Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 11, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bkn-0022200846 Recap]
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = '''101'''
| team2 = Brooklyn Nets | score2 = 98
| place = [[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, NY]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 9, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bkn-0022201217 Recap]
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = '''134'''
| team2 = Brooklyn Nets | score2 = 105
| place = Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
}}
|}

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, and the second since the [[History of the Brooklyn Nets|New Jersey Nets]] relocated to Brooklyn in 2012, with the 76ers winning two of the first three meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=PHI&opp_id=NJN&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Philadelphia 76ers versus Brooklyn Nets (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 8, 2023|archive-date=April 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408034120/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=PHI&opp_id=NJN&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Philadelphia leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1979
| team1 = '''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' | score1 = '''2'''
| team2 = [[New Jersey Nets]] | score2 = 0
| place = [[1979 NBA playoffs#(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) New Jersey Nets|1979 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1984
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''New Jersey Nets''' | score2 = '''3'''
| place = [[1984 NBA playoffs#(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) New Jersey Nets|1984 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2019
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Brooklyn Nets]] | score2 = 1
| place = [[2019 NBA playoffs#(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) Brooklyn Nets|2019 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) New York Knicks====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 15 |time=6:00 pm |place=[[Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse]], [[Cleveland|Cleveland, OH]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score1='''101'''
|team2=[[Cleveland Cavaliers]] |score2=97
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-cle-0042200131 Recap]
|Q1='''30'''–24 |Q2=20–'''21''' |Q3='''28'''–25 |Q4=23–'''27'''
|points1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 27 |points2=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 38
|rebounds1=[[Josh Hart|Hart]], [[Julius Randle|Randle]] 10 each |rebounds2=[[Jarrett Allen]] 14
|assist1=[[RJ Barrett]] 6 |assist2=Donovan Mitchell 8
|attendance=19,432
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], [[Curtis Blair]], Sean Corbin
|series=New York leads series, 1–0
}} With the help of 27 points from [[Jalen Brunson]], the Knicks stunned the Cavaliers in Cleveland. [[Julius Randle]] and [[Josh Hart]] each had ten rebounds, in addition to scoring 19 and 17 points, respectively. [[Donovan Mitchell]] led the way for Cleveland in the losing effort, logging 38 points, eight assists, and five rebounds in 44 minutes. [[Jarrett Allen]] finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds, and [[Darius Garland]] scored 17 points. Cleveland rallied from ten points behind early in the fourth quarter to lead by one with a little over two minutes left in the game, but the Knicks regained the lead on a three-pointer by Hart and an offensive rebound by Randle sealed the win for New York.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 18 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse]], [[Cleveland|Cleveland, OH]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[New York Knicks]] |score1=90
|team2='''[[Cleveland Cavaliers]]''' |score2='''107'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-cle-0042200132 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''25''' |Q2=17–'''34''' |Q3=21–'''23''' |Q4='''30'''–25
|points1=[[Julius Randle]] 22 |points2=[[Darius Garland]] 32
|rebounds1=Julius Randle 8 |rebounds2=[[Evan Mobley]] 13
|assist1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 6 |assist2=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 13
|attendance=19,432
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Ben Taylor, Brent Barnaky
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} After a lackluster playoff debut, [[Darius Garland]] bounced back with a dominant performance, scoring 26 of his 32 points in the first half to lead the Cavaliers to their first playoff victory without [[LeBron James]] on their roster since 1998. [[Caris LeVert]] scored 24 points off the bench for Cleveland and [[Donovan Mitchell]] added 17 points and a playoff career-high 13 assists. Cleveland capitalized on New York's mistakes, scoring 27 points off of 14 turnovers in the first half, the most by a team in a half since 2009. Although [[Julius Randle]] led the Knicks with 22 points, the team's starters shot just 33.3% from the field, making only 18 of their 54 attempted shots.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 21 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Cleveland Cavaliers]] |score1=79
|team2='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score2='''99'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200133 Recap]
|Q1=17–17|Q2=15–'''28'''|Q3=23–'''27'''|Q4=24–'''27'''
|points1=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 22 |points2=[[Jalen Brunson]] 21
|rebounds1=[[Evan Mobley]] 10 |rebounds2=[[RJ Barrett|Barrett]], [[Julius Randle|Randle]] 8 each
|assist1=Donovan Mitchell 5 |assist2=Jalen Brunson 6
|attendance=19,812
|referee=Josh Tiven, Courtney Kirkland, Justin Van Duyne
|series=New York leads series, 2–1
}} In the Knicks' first sold-out home playoff game since 2013, they limited the Cavaliers to 79 points, the lowest point total by any team in a game this season. [[Jalen Brunson]] scored a team-high 21 points, while [[Josh Hart]] added 13 points off the bench. [[RJ Barrett]], who was 6-of-25 in the first two games, shot 8-of-12 from the field and scored 14 of his 19 points in the first half. For Cleveland, [[Donovan Mitchell]] scored 22 points, but [[Darius Garland]], who scored 32 points in Game 2, managed just ten points on 4-of-21 shooting. The Cavaliers struggled mightily with their offense, shooting 7-of-33 from beyond the arc, committing 20 turnovers, and scoring just 32 points in the first half.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 23 |time=1:00 pm |place=[[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Cleveland Cavaliers]] |score1=93
|team2='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score2='''102'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/cle-vs-nyk-0042200134 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''30''' |Q2=22–'''24''' |Q3='''26'''–19 |Q4=22–'''29'''
|points1=[[Darius Garland]] 23 |points2=[[Jalen Brunson]] 29
|rebounds1=[[Caris LeVert]] 9 |rebounds2=[[Mitchell Robinson]] 11
|assist1=Darius Garland 10 |assist2=Jalen Brunson 6
|attendance=19,812
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Tre Maddox, Kevin Cutler
|series=New York leads series, 3–1
}} In a pivotal Game 4, [[Jalen Brunson]] led the way for the Knicks with 29 points, while [[RJ Barrett]] contributed 26 points and [[Josh Hart]] added 19 points and seven rebounds as the Knicks took a 3–1 series lead over the Cavaliers. Although [[Darius Garland]] rebounded with 23 points and ten assists after a poor showing in Game 3, [[Donovan Mitchell]] struggled mightily, finishing with just 11 points and six turnovers on 5-of-18 shooting, as he made just one field goal in the second half. [[Caris LeVert]] and [[Jarrett Allen]] each scored 14 points, but Allen was outrebounded by the Knicks' [[Mitchell Robinson]], who finished with a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds as New York held Cleveland to under 100 points for the third time this series.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 26|time=7:00 pm |place=[[Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse]], [[Cleveland|Cleveland, OH]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score1='''106'''
|team2=[[Cleveland Cavaliers]] |score2=95
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200135 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–26|Q2='''28'''–25|Q3='''26'''–24|Q4=19–'''20'''
|points1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 23 |points2=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 28
|rebounds1=[[Mitchell Robinson]] 18 |rebounds2=[[Evan Mobley]] 9
|assist1=[[Julius Randle]] 6 |assist2=Donovan Mitchell 5
|attendance=19,432
|referee=John Goble, Kevin Scott, Mitchell Ervin
|series=New York wins series, 4–1
}} For the fourth time in five games, New York held Cleveland to under 100 points as the Knicks won a playoff series for just the second time in 23 years. The Knicks were once again led by [[Jalen Brunson]], who scored 23 points, and [[RJ Barrett]], who added 21. Brunson was consistent throughout the series for New York, averaging 24 points in the series and leading the team in scoring in all four wins. [[Mitchell Robinson]] anchored the Knicks' defense with 18 rebounds (11 of them offensive) as he outrebounded Cleveland's [[Jarrett Allen]] and [[Evan Mobley]] for the second straight game. Although [[Donovan Mitchell]] and [[Darius Garland]] both scored 20+ points in the same game for the first time this series, the Cavaliers were never able to gain a lead.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!New York won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 30, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-cle-0022200090 Recap]
| team1 = [[New York Knicks]] | score1 = 108
| team2 = '''[[Cleveland Cavaliers]]''' | score2 = '''121'''
| place = [[Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse]], [[Cleveland|Cleveland, OH]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = December 4, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/cle-vs-nyk-0022200348 Recap]
| team1 = Cleveland Cavaliers | score1 = 81
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''92'''
| place = [[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 24, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/cle-vs-nyk-0022200715 Recap]
| team1 = Cleveland Cavaliers | score1 = 103
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''105'''
| place = Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 31, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-cle-0022201154 Recap]
| team1 = '''New York Knicks''' | score1 = '''130'''
| team2 = Cleveland Cavaliers | score2 = 116
| place = Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
}}
|}

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Knicks winning the first three meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=CLE&opp_id=NYK&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Cleveland Cavaliers versus New York Knicks (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 5, 2023|archive-date=April 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405224239/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=CLE&opp_id=NYK&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!New York leads 3–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1978
| team1 = [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''[[New York Knicks]]''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1978 NBA playoffs#(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) New York Knicks|1978 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1995
| team1 = '''New York Knicks''' | score1 = '''3'''
| team2 = Cleveland Cavaliers | score2 = 1
| place = [[1995 NBA playoffs#(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Cleveland Cavaliers|1995 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1996
| team1 = Cleveland Cavaliers | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''3'''
| place = [[1996 NBA playoffs#(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) New York Knicks|1996 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

===Western Conference First Round===

====(1) Denver Nuggets vs. (8) Minnesota Timberwolves====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 16 |time=10:30 pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Minnesota Timberwolves]] |score1=80
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''109'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200141 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''26''' |Q2=21–'''29''' |Q3=14–'''32''' |Q4=22–22
|points1=[[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] 18 |points2=[[Jamal Murray]] 24
|rebounds1=[[Rudy Gobert]] 13 |rebounds2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 14
|assist1=Anthony Edwards 5 |assist2=Jamal Murray 8
|attendance=19,628
|referee=Josh Tiven, Pat Fraher, [[Rodney Mott]]
|series=Denver leads series, 1–0
}} The Nuggets thrashed the Timberwolves in the opening game of the series, holding Minnesota to 30-of-81 field goal shooting and 11-of-36 from beyond the arc. In his first playoff game since the [[2020 NBA Bubble]], [[Jamal Murray]] led the scoring for Denver, scoring 24 points. [[Nikola Jokić]] and [[Michael Porter Jr.]] both achieved double-doubles, the former having 13 points and 14 rebounds, while the latter finished with 18 points and grabbed 11 boards. [[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] scored 18 points in the losing effort, while [[Karl-Anthony Towns]] had 11 points and ten rebounds. Minnesota's 80 points were their lowest in a game since 2016 and tied for the fewest points scored by any team this season.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 19|time=10:00 pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}}|place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Minnesota Timberwolves]] |score1=113
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''122'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200142 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''31''' |Q2=27–'''33''' |Q3='''40'''–23 |Q4=24–'''35'''
|points1=[[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] 41 |points2=[[Jamal Murray]] 40
|rebounds1=[[Karl-Anthony Towns]] 12 |rebounds2=[[Aaron Gordon]] 10
|assist1=[[Mike Conley Jr.|Mike Conley]] 7 |assist2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 9
|attendance=19,683
|referee=Marc Davis, Ed Malloy, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Denver leads series, 2–0
}} [[Jamal Murray]] scored 40 points and [[Michael Porter Jr.]] had 13 of his 16 in the fourth quarter, powering the Nuggets past the Timberwolves to seize a 2–0 series lead. [[Nikola Jokić]] had another strong performance for the Nuggets, finishing with 27 points, nine assists, and nine rebounds as Denver built a 21-point lead in the first half. For Minnesota, [[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] scored a playoff career-high 41 points as the Wolves shot 17-of-21 (81%) in the third quarter to send Denver trailing entering the final quarter. However, the Nuggets regained their lead thanks to Porter Jr. scoring eight straight points to begin the fourth and a three-pointer with 6:25 left that permanently gave Denver the lead.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 21|time=9:30 pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Target Center]], [[Minneapolis|Minneapolis, MN]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''120'''
|team2=[[Minnesota Timberwolves]] |score2=111
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200143 Recap]
|Q1=28–28 |Q2='''33'''–27 |Q3=33–33 |Q4='''26'''–23
|points1=[[Michael Porter Jr.]] 25 |points2=[[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] 36
|rebounds1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 11 |rebounds2=[[Rudy Gobert]] 10
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 12 |assist2=[[Kyle Anderson (basketball)|Kyle Anderson]] 6
|attendance=19,536
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], James Williams, Eric Dalen
|series=Denver leads series, 3–0
}} The Nuggets delivered a disciplined performance to take a commanding 3–0 series lead, with two-time reigning MVP [[Nikola Jokić]] leading the team with his seventh career triple-double in the playoffs. [[Michael Porter Jr.]] added a team-high 25 points and nine rebounds, while [[Jamal Murray]] contributed 18 points and nine assists. Despite another impressive performance by [[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]], who scored 36 points, the Timberwolves struggled to keep up, as Denver had two 9–0 runs in the first half and started the second quarter by making 12 of their first 16 shots on their way to a 13-point lead. The Wolves' [[Karl-Anthony Towns]] had 27 points, while [[Rudy Gobert]] had 18 points and ten rebounds.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 23|time=9:30 pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}}|place=[[Target Center]], [[Minneapolis|Minneapolis, MN]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score1=108
|team2='''[[Minnesota Timberwolves]]''' |score2='''114''' |overtime=OT
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200144 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''23''' |Q2='''30'''–25 |Q3=22–'''32''' |Q4='''22'''–16 |OT=12–'''18'''
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 43 |points2=[[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] 34
|rebounds1=Nikola Jokić 11 |rebounds2=[[Rudy Gobert]] 15
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 6 |assist2=[[Mike Conley Jr.|Mike Conley]] 8
|attendance=18,978
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Ray Acosta
|series=Denver leads series, 3–1
}} Down by 12 with under three minutes left in the fourth quarter, Denver went on a 12–0 run to tie it at 96–96, but the Timberwolves ultimately prevented a series sweep in overtime. [[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] again led the Timberwolves in scoring, logging 34 points in addition to six rebounds and five assists. [[Nikola Jokić]] scored 43 points, tying his playoff career-high, on 15-of-26 shooting, while also having 11 rebounds and six assists. [[Mike Conley Jr.|Mike Conley]] contributed 19 points, [[Karl-Anthony Towns]] had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and [[Rudy Gobert]] produced 14 points and 15 rebounds in the victory. [[Jamal Murray]] scored 19, while [[Michael Porter Jr.]] had 15 points in the losing effort.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 25|time=9:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1=[[Minnesota Timberwolves]] |score1=109
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''112'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200145 Recap]
|Q1='''29'''–22|Q2=18–'''26'''|Q3='''30'''–29|Q4=32–'''35'''
|points1=[[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] 29 |points2=[[Jamal Murray]] 35
|rebounds1=[[Rudy Gobert]] 15 |rebounds2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 17
|assist1=[[Mike Conley Jr.|Mike Conley]] 9 |assist2=Nikola Jokić 12
|attendance=19,691
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Curtis Blair]], Brian Forte
|series=Denver wins series, 4–1
}} After a sluggish start, Denver managed to rally and secure their fourth Western Semifinals appearance in five years behind the performances of [[Nikola Jokić]] and [[Jamal Murray]]. Down by 15 in the first half, the Nuggets came crawling back, as neither team led by more than six after the Nuggets made it 34–28 with 7:15 left in the second quarter. Jokić notched his second triple-double of the series, scoring 28 points despite missing 21-of-29 shots, while Murray scored a game-high 35 points. [[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] led the Wolves with 29 points, but missed a potential game-tying three-pointer as time expired. [[Karl-Anthony Towns]] and [[Rudy Gobert]] both scored 26 and 16 points respectively, but both centers fouled out in the fourth quarter.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 2, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/0022200557 Recap]
| team1 = [[Denver Nuggets]] | score1 = 111
| team2 = '''[[Minnesota Timberwolves]]''' | score2 = '''124'''
| place = [[Target Center]], [[Minneapolis|Minneapolis, MN]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 18, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/min-vs-den-0022200676 Recap]
| team1 = Minnesota Timberwolves | score1 = 118
| team2 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score2 = '''122'''
| place = [[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 5, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-min-0022200806 Recap]
| team1 = Denver Nuggets | score1 = 98
| team2 = '''Minnesota Timberwolves''' | score2 = '''128'''
| place = Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 7, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/min-vs-den-0022200820 Recap]
| team1 = Minnesota Timberwolves | score1 = 112
| team2 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score2 = '''146'''
| place = Ball Arena, Denver, CO
}}
|}

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Timberwolves winning the first meeting.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DEN&opp_id=MIN&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Minnesota Timberwolves (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 15, 2023|archive-date=April 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415041050/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DEN&opp_id=MIN&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Minnesota leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| date = 2004
| team1 = '''[[Minnesota Timberwolves]]''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Denver Nuggets]] | score2 = 1
| place = [[2004 NBA playoffs#(1) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (8) Denver Nuggets|2004 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(2) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 16 |time=3:00 pm {{small|(2:00 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis, TN]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score1='''128'''
|team2=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score2=112
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200151 Recap]
|Q1='''32'''–27 |Q2=27–'''38''' |Q3='''37'''–25 |Q4='''32'''–22
|points1=[[Rui Hachimura]] 29 |points2=[[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] 31
|rebounds1=[[Anthony Davis]] 12 |rebounds2=[[Santi Aldama|Aldama]], [[Ja Morant|Morant]] 6 each
|assist1=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 7 |assist2=[[Desmond Bane]] 6
|attendance=18,487
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Aaron Smith
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 1–0
}} The Lakers finished the game on a 15–0 run to seal a Game 1 victory in Memphis. Led by [[Rui Hachimura]] and [[Austin Reaves]], the duo combined for 37 of the Lakers' 69 points in the second half, including nine straight points from Reaves in the closing minutes to put the game away. [[LeBron James]] contributed 21 points and 11 rebounds, while [[Anthony Davis]] added 22 points and seven blocks. [[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] led the Grizzlies with 31 points, and [[Desmond Bane]] scored 22. [[Ja Morant]] had 18 points but left the game in the fourth quarter with an injured right hand.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 19|time= 7:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}}|place=[[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis, TN]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=93
|team2='''[[Memphis Grizzlies]]''' |score2='''103'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-mem-0042200152 Recap]
|Q1=19–'''30''' |Q2=25–'''29''' |Q3='''27'''–24 |Q4='''22'''–20
|points1=[[LeBron James]] 28 |points2=[[Xavier Tillman]] 22
|rebounds1=LeBron James 12 |rebounds2=Xavier Tillman 13
|assist1=[[Austin Reaves|Reaves]], [[D'Angelo Russell|Russell]] 4 each |assist2=[[Tyus Jones]] 8
|attendance=17,928
|referee=Josh Tiven, Courtney Kirkland, Justin Van Duyne
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} In danger of falling behind 2–0 in the series and without their All-Star [[Ja Morant]], [[Xavier Tillman]] stepped up for Memphis, scoring a career-high 22 points and a season-high 13 rebounds. Newly named [[NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award|Defensive Player of the Year]] [[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] added 18 points and three blocks, while [[Desmond Bane]] and [[Tyus Jones]] had 17 and ten points, respectively. [[LeBron James]] led the Lakers with 28 points and 12 rebounds, and [[Rui Hachimura]] dropped 20 points off the bench, but starters [[Anthony Davis]] and [[D'Angelo Russell]] struggled, combining for just 18 points on a combined 6-of-25 from the field.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 22|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]|TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score1=101
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''111'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-lal-0042200153 Recap]
|Q1=9–'''35''' |Q2='''28'''–18 |Q3=31–'''35''' |Q4='''33'''–23
|points1=[[Ja Morant]] 45 |points2=[[Anthony Davis]] 31
|rebounds1=[[Xavier Tillman]] 12 |rebounds2=Anthony Davis 17
|assist1=Ja Morant 13 |assist2=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 7
|attendance=18,997
|referee=Marc Davis, Ed Malloy, Brian Forte
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 2–1
}} In their first sold-out playoff home game since 2013, the Lakers produced one of the greatest first quarters in team history, as they stormed out to a 35–9 lead, tying an NBA record by taking a 26-point lead into the second quarter. [[Anthony Davis]] dropped 31 points and 17 rebounds, [[LeBron James]] finished with 25 points, and [[Rui Hachimura]] scored 16 points off the bench. For Memphis, [[Dillon Brooks]] was ejected early in the second half for striking James in the groin. [[Ja Morant]] scored 45 points in his return from a one-game absence, scoring 22 consecutive points for Memphis during his 24-point fourth quarter. Morant also had 13 assists and nine rebounds, but Memphis could not fully recover from their slow start.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 24|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]|TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score1=111
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''117''' |overtime=OT
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-lal-0042200154 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''29''' |Q2='''29'''–25 |Q3='''31'''–27 |Q4=21–'''23''' |OT=7–'''13'''
|points1=[[Desmond Bane]] 36 |points2=[[Austin Reaves]] 23
|rebounds1=[[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] 14 |rebounds2=[[LeBron James]] 20
|assist1=[[Ja Morant]] 7 |assist2=LeBron James 7
|attendance=18,997
|referee=John Goble, Sean Wright, Mitchell Ervin
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 3–1
}} In his 270th career playoff game, [[LeBron James]] made a game-tying layup with less than a second left in regulation and scored four of his 22 points in overtime to help the No. 7-seeded Lakers take a 3–1 series lead. James also grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds for the first 20–20 game of his 20-year career. [[Austin Reaves]] scored 23 points and [[Anthony Davis]] had five of his 12 points in overtime as Los Angeles surged back from a seven-point deficit with five minutes left in regulation with a rally that began when [[D'Angelo Russell]] hit three consecutive three-pointers. The Grizzlies' [[Desmond Bane]] scored 36 points, and [[Ja Morant]] scored 19 points with an injured right hand, but Davis blocked his jumper at the regulation buzzer.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 26|time=7:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis, TN]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=99
|team2='''[[Memphis Grizzlies]]''' |score2='''116'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200155 Recap]
|Q1=24–'''38'''|Q2='''28'''–23|Q3=24–'''33'''|Q4='''23'''–22
|points1=[[Anthony Davis]] 31 |points2=[[Desmond Bane]] 33
|rebounds1=Anthony Davis 19 |rebounds2=''three players'' 10 each{{efn|Bane, [[Jaren Jackson Jr.|Jackson Jr.]], and [[Ja Morant|Morant]]}}
|assist1=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 10 |assist2=Ja Morant 7
|attendance=18,117
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], [[Nick Buchert]]
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 3–2
}} The No. 2 seeded Grizzlies staved off elimination with a collaborative team effort. [[Desmond Bane]] had his second-straight 30-point game to go along with ten rebounds, while [[Ja Morant]] added 31 points and ten boards, and [[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] contributed 18 points and ten rebounds. [[LeBron James]] started off 1-of-7 shooting and ultimately finished with 15 points and ten rebounds, while [[Anthony Davis]] led the Lakers with 31 points and 19 boards. Although they trailed for most of the game, the Lakers pulled within one point with 4:36 left in the third quarter. However, Memphis responded with a 26–2 run that effectively put the game away. Los Angeles tried to rally with a 20–7 run in the fourth quarter, but couldn't get closer than 12 points.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 28|time=10:30 pm {{small|(7:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]|TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score1=85
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''125'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-lal-0042200156 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''31''' |Q2=22–'''28''' |Q3=25–'''41''' |Q4=18–'''25'''
|points1=[[Santi Aldama]] 16 |points2=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 31
|rebounds1=[[David Roddy|Roddy]], [[Xavier Tillman|Tillman]] 6 each |rebounds2=[[Anthony Davis]] 14
|assist1=[[Ja Morant]] 6 |assist2=[[Austin Reaves]] 8
|attendance=18,997
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Kevin Scott, Sean Corbin
|series=LA Lakers win series, 4–2
}} Los Angeles dominated throughout the game, building a 20-point lead in the first half and a 36-point lead in the third quarter as the Lakers won a playoff series in their home arena for the first time since 2012. [[LeBron James]] led the way with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting, while [[Anthony Davis]] put on a defensive clinic with 16 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocks. [[D'Angelo Russell]] had a career playoff-high 31 points, and [[Austin Reaves]] contributed 11 points, eight assists, and six rebounds. [[Ja Morant]], who was playing with an injured right hand, struggled mightily, scoring just ten points on 3-of-16 shooting. [[Dillon Brooks]], who gained notoriety throughout the series, scored just ten points and finished the series shooting 31% from the field.
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!LA Lakers won 2–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 20, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-lal-0022200690 Recap]
| team1 = [[Memphis Grizzlies]] | score1 = 121
| team2 = '''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' | score2 = '''122'''
| place = [[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 28, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-mem-0022200927 Recap]
| team1 = Los Angeles Lakers | score1 = 109
| team2 = '''Memphis Grizzlies''' | score2 = '''121'''
| place = [[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis, TN]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 7, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-lal-0022200984 Recap]
| team1 = Memphis Grizzlies | score1 = 103
| team2 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score2 = '''112'''
| place = Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
}}
|}

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=MEM&opp_id=LAL&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Memphis Grizzlies versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 12, 2023|archive-date=April 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412054647/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=MEM&opp_id=LAL&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

====(3) Sacramento Kings vs. (6) Golden State Warriors====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 15|time=8:30 pm {{small|(5:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Golden 1 Center]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=123
|team2='''[[Sacramento Kings]]''' |score2='''126'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0042200161 Recap]
|Q1=29–29 |Q2='''32'''–26 |Q3=29–'''36''' |Q4=33–'''35'''
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 30 |points2=[[De'Aaron Fox]] 38
|rebounds1=[[Draymond Green|D. Green]], [[Kevon Looney|Looney]] 9 each |rebounds2=[[Domantas Sabonis]] 16
|assist1=Draymond Green 11 |assist2=De'Aaron Fox 5
|attendance=18,253
|referee=John Goble, Ed Malloy, Sean Wright
|series=Sacramento leads series, 1–0
}}
In his playoff debut, [[De'Aaron Fox]] finished with 38 points, five assists, and three steals as he led Sacramento to their first playoff win in 17 years. [[Malik Monk]], who was also making his playoff debut, came off the bench and scored 32 points on 8-of-13 shooting and 14-of-14 from the free throw line in 29 minutes of play. [[Domantas Sabonis]], the league leader in double-doubles this season, came up with another, posting 12 points and 16 rebounds. [[Stephen Curry]] was the leading scorer for the Warriors in this game, scoring 30 points on 6-of-14 shooting from beyond the arc, but missed the potential game-tying three-pointer in the final seconds. [[Klay Thompson]] added 21 points, while [[Draymond Green]] had 11 assists and nine rebounds.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 17|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}}|place=[[Golden 1 Center]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=106
|team2='''[[Sacramento Kings]]''' |score2='''114'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0042200162 Recap]
|Q1='''23'''–17 |Q2=29–'''41''' |Q3=23–'''25''' |Q4=31–31
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 28 |points2=[[De'Aaron Fox|Fox]], [[Domantas Sabonis|Sabonis]] 24 each
|rebounds1=[[Kevon Looney]] 7 |rebounds2=Domantas Sabonis 9
|assist1=Stephen Curry 6 |assist2=De'Aaron Fox 9
|attendance=18,253
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Courtney Kirkland, Gediminas Petraitis
|series=Sacramento leads series, 2–0
}} Tied 95–95 late in the fourth quarter, The Kings went on a 17–8 run to become the first team to take a 2–0 series lead over the Warriors under [[Steve Kerr]]'s tenure. [[De'Aaron Fox]] scored 24 points and hit a crucial three-pointer that helped seal the victory for Sacramento. [[Domantas Sabonis]] added 24 points, and [[Malik Monk]] scored 18 off the bench. [[Stephen Curry]] led the Warriors with 28 points, but went 3-for-13 from beyond the arc as the Warriors committed 20 turnovers and 26 personal fouls. The game got heated midway through the fourth quarter, as [[Draymond Green]] was ejected for stepping on Sabonis' chest after Sabonis fell down and grabbed Green's leg following a rebound attempt.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 20|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Sacramento Kings]] |score1=97
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''114'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200163 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''29''' |Q2=21–'''24''' |Q3=31–31 |Q4=25–'''30'''
|points1=[[De'Aaron Fox]] 26 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 36
|rebounds1=[[Domantas Sabonis]] 16 |rebounds2=[[Kevon Looney]] 20
|assist1=De'Aaron Fox 9 |assist2=Kevon Looney 9
|attendance=18,064
|referee=[[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Kevin Scott, Sean Corbin
|series=Sacramento leads series, 2–1
}} The Warriors entered Game 3 trailing 2–0 and missing two of their top defenders, including [[Draymond Green]], who was suspended as a result of his actions the previous game. The Warriors responded to the challenge by dominating the Kings 114–97, as Sacramento never led in the game. [[Stephen Curry]] scored 36 points, [[Kevon Looney]] matched his career high with 20 rebounds to go with nine assists, and [[Andrew Wiggins]] added 20 points and seven rebounds. The Kings’ [[De'Aaron Fox]] scored 26 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, while [[Domantas Sabonis]] added 15 points and 16 rebounds as the Kings missed a season-high 36 three-point attempts.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 23|time=3:30 pm {{small|(12:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Sacramento Kings]] |score1=125
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''126'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/sac-vs-gsw-0042200164 Recap]
|Q1='''32'''–31 |Q2='''37'''–34 |Q3=23–'''37''' |Q4='''33'''–24
|points1=[[De'Aaron Fox]] 38 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 32
|rebounds1=De'Aaron Fox 9 |rebounds2=[[Kevon Looney]] 14
|assist1=[[Domantas Sabonis]] 8 |assist2=[[Draymond Green]] 7
|attendance=18,064
|referee=Josh Tiven, James Williams, Pat Fraher
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}} In a collaborative team effort, [[Stephen Curry]] scored 32 points, [[Klay Thompson]] added 26, and [[Jordan Poole]] dropped 22 points as the Warriors tied the series at two games apiece. [[Draymond Green]] returned from his one-game suspension and provided 12 points, ten rebounds, and seven assists, while [[Andrew Wiggins]] contributed 18 points. Despite the victory, the Warriors made a late blunder when Curry called a timeout that they did not have, giving the Kings a chance to win the game in the final seconds. However, [[Harrison Barnes]] missed a three-pointer at the buzzer, allowing the Warriors to hold on for the win. For the Kings, [[De'Aaron Fox]] put up 38 points and nine rebounds while [[Keegan Murray]] contributed 23 points.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 26|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Golden 1 Center]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score1='''123'''
|team2=[[Sacramento Kings]] |score2=116
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0042200165 Recap]
|Q1=33–'''36'''|Q2='''27'''–20|Q3='''39'''–34|Q4=24–'''26'''
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 31 |points2=[[De'Aaron Fox]] 24
|rebounds1=[[Kevon Looney]] 22 |rebounds2=[[Domantas Sabonis]] 10
|assist1=Stephen Curry 8 |assist2=De'Aaron Fox 9
|attendance=18,253
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Mark Lindsay, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Golden State leads series, 3–2
}} In spite of their 11–32 record on the road this season, the Warriors came away with a critical Game 5 victory as Golden State won a road game for the NBA-record 28th straight playoff series. [[Stephen Curry]] spearheaded the victory with 31 points, while [[Draymond Green]] had his highest scoring output since 2019 with 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting. [[Klay Thompson]] added 25 points and five three-pointers, [[Andrew Wiggins]] had 20 points, and [[Kevon Looney]] matched his career-high with 22 rebounds. Despite a broken index finger on his shooting hand, [[De'Aaron Fox]] scored 24 points for the Kings, while [[Malik Monk]] and [[Domantas Sabonis]] added 21 points apiece, but it wasn't enough to overcome the defending champions.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 28|time=8:00 pm {{small|(5:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Sacramento Kings]]''' |score1='''118'''
|team2=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score2=99
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/sac-vs-gsw-0042200166 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''25'''|Q2='''35'''–26|Q3='''32'''–29|Q4='''28'''–19
|points1=[[Malik Monk]] 28 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 29
|rebounds1=[[Keegan Murray]] 12 |rebounds2=[[Kevon Looney]] 13
|assist1=[[De'Aaron Fox]] 11 |assist2=[[Draymond Green]] 10
|attendance=18,064
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Ben Taylor
|series=Series tied, 3–3
}} The Kings, led by [[Malik Monk]]'s 28 points, staved off elimination on the road and forced the first Game 7 of the 2023 playoffs. [[De'Aaron Fox]] added 26 points and 11 assists, and rookie [[Keegan Murray]] scored his first playoff double-double. For Golden State, [[Stephen Curry]] scored 29, [[Klay Thompson]] had 22, and [[Kevon Looney]] pulled down 13 rebounds. However, starters [[Andrew Wiggins]] and [[Jordan Poole]] combined for just 20 points on 29% shooting (7-of-24). Although [[Domantas Sabonis]] fouled out in the fourth quarter, the Kings controlled the game in the second half, never allowing the Warriors to get closer than seven points in the fourth quarter.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 30|time=3:30 pm {{small|(12:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Golden 1 Center]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score1='''120'''
|team2=[[Sacramento Kings]] |score2=100
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0042200167 Recap]
|Q1=30–'''31''' |Q2=26–'''27''' |Q3='''35'''–23 |Q4='''29'''–19
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 50 |points2=[[Domantas Sabonis]] 22
|rebounds1=[[Kevon Looney]] 21 |rebounds2=[[Kevin Huerter|Huerter]], [[Malik Monk|Monk]] 9 each
|assist1=[[Draymond Green]] 8 |assist2=Domantas Sabonis 7
|attendance=18,253
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Kevin Scott, [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=Golden State wins series, 4–3
}} [[Stephen Curry]] scored a playoff career-high to help the Warriors advance to the Western Conference semifinals, becoming the first player ever to score 50 points in a game 7. While the rest of his team shot 37% from the field, Curry shot 20-of-38 (53%) with seven three-pointers to go along with eight rebounds and six assists, as no one else for Golden State scored more than 17 points. In addition to Curry's performance, [[Kevon Looney]] grabbed 21 rebounds, including ten offensive boards, to mark his third 20-rebound game of the series. For the Kings, [[Domantas Sabonis]] had 22 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, but the Warriors held [[De'Aaron Fox]] in check as he scored 16 points on 5-of-19 shooting in his third game with a broken finger. Although they trailed at halftime, the Warriors opened the second half with a 22–8 run and held Sacramento to 42 points on 33% shooting after the break.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Golden State won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 23, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/sac-vs-gsw-0022200042 Recap]
| team1 = [[Sacramento Kings]] | score1 = 125
| team2 = '''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' | score2 = '''130'''
| place = [[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = November 7, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/sac-vs-gsw-0022200156 Recap]
| team1 = Sacramento Kings | score1 = 113
| team2 = '''Golden State Warriors''' | score2 = '''116'''
| place = Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = November 13, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0022200197 Recap]
| team1 = Golden State Warriors | score1 = 115
| team2 = '''Sacramento Kings''' | score2 = '''122'''
| place = [[Golden 1 Center]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 7, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0022201211 Recap]
| team1 = '''Golden State Warriors''' | score1 = '''119'''
| team2 = Sacramento Kings | score2 = 97
| place = Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
}}
|}

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=SAC&opp_id=GSW&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Sacramento Kings versus Golden State Warriors (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 12, 2023|archive-date=April 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409221642/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=SAC&opp_id=GSW&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

====(4) Phoenix Suns vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 16 |time=8:00 pm {{small|(5:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Los Angeles Clippers]]''' |score1='''115'''
|team2=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score2=110
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-phx-0042200171 Recap]
|Q1='''30'''–18 |Q2=29–'''36''' |Q3=22–'''27''' |Q4='''34'''–29
|points1=[[Kawhi Leonard]] 38 |points2=[[Kevin Durant]] 27
|rebounds1=[[Ivica Zubac]] 15 |rebounds2=[[Chris Paul]] 11
|assist1=[[Russell Westbrook]] 8 |assist2=Kevin Durant 11
|attendance=17,071
|referee=Marc Davis, Kevin Scott, Brian Forte
|series=LA Clippers lead series, 1–0
}} In the absence of [[Paul George]], [[Kawhi Leonard]] took charge for the Clippers, scoring 38 points and hitting two crucial three-pointers in the closing moments to secure the series opener. Despite a poor shooting performance from [[Russell Westbrook]], who went 3-of-19 from the field, he added 11 rebounds, eight assists, and made two crucial free throws late in the game. He also blocked [[Devin Booker]]'s layup attempt in the final minute to secure the win. For Phoenix, [[Kevin Durant]] scored 27 points to go along with nine rebounds and 11 assists, while Booker contributed 26 points, three blocks, and four steals. Notably, this marked Durant's first loss as a member of the Suns.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 18|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score1=109
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''123'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-phx-0042200172 Recap]
|Q1='''29'''–24 |Q2=30–'''35''' |Q3=28–'''33''' |Q4=22–'''31'''
|points1=[[Kawhi Leonard]] 31 |points2=[[Devin Booker]] 38
|rebounds1=Kawhi Leonard 8 |rebounds2=[[Deandre Ayton]] 13
|assist1=Kawhi Leonard 7 |assist2=Devin Booker 9
|attendance=17,071
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], [[JB DeRosa]]
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} The Suns overcame a slow start and a 13-point deficit midway through the second quarter to even the series at one game apiece. [[Devin Booker]] led the Suns with 38 points and nine assists on 14-of-22 shooting, while [[Kevin Durant]] added 25 points. Although the Clippers' bench outscored Phoenix's 30–13, The Suns' starters combined for 110 points on 45-of-74 (61%) from the field as Phoenix went on a 23–4 run during the middle two quarters to take control of the game. [[Kawhi Leonard]] led Los Angeles with 31 points, while [[Russell Westbrook]] added 28 points on an improved 9-of-16 shooting. Notably, [[Chris Paul]] had his 13-game playoff losing streak snapped when referee [[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]] is on the floor.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 20|time=10:30 pm {{small|(7:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score1='''129'''
|team2=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score2=124
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200173 Recap]
|Q1=27–27|Q2='''27'''–24|Q3='''40'''–34|Q4=35–'''39'''
|points1=[[Devin Booker]] 45 |points2=[[Norman Powell]] 42
|rebounds1=[[Deandre Ayton]] 11 |rebounds2=[[Russell Westbrook|Westbrook]], [[Ivica Zubac|Zubac]] 8 each
|assist1=[[Chris Paul]] 7 |assist2=Russell Westbrook 12
|attendance=19,068
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Jacyn Goble
|series=Phoenix leads series, 2–1
}} [[Devin Booker]] and [[Kevin Durant]] combined for 73 points to take a 2–1 series lead. Despite [[Kawhi Leonard]]'s absence, the Clippers remained competitive in the first half, with neither team leading by more than eight points. The Suns pulled away in the third quarter, with Booker scoring eight points in a 17–8 run to give Phoenix its first double-digit lead of the game. [[Norman Powell]] stepped up for Los Angeles, scoring a career playoff-high 42 points on 15-of-23 shooting, while [[Russell Westbrook]] dropped 30 points and 12 assists. [[Bones Hyland]] (20 points) came off the bench and outscored the Phoenix bench (18 points), but it was not enough to overcome the Suns' starters, as they combined for 110+ points for the second straight game.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 22|time=3:30 pm {{small|(12:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score1='''112'''
|team2=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score2=100
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lac-0042200174 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''30''' |Q2='''25'''–17 |Q3='''35'''–31 |Q4='''29'''–22
|points1=[[Kevin Durant]] 31 |points2=[[Russell Westbrook]] 37
|rebounds1=[[Deandre Ayton]] 13 |rebounds2=[[Ivica Zubac]] 9
|assist1=[[Chris Paul]] 9 |assist2=[[Terance Mann|Mann]], Westbrook 4 each
|attendance=19,068
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], [[Curtis Blair]], [[Nick Buchert]]
|series=Phoenix leads series, 3–1
}} [[Kevin Durant]] scored 31 points, [[Devin Booker]] added 30, and [[Chris Paul]] finished with 19 points and nine assists as the Suns won their third straight game against Los Angeles. The Clippers were without [[Kawhi Leonard]] and [[Paul George]], but [[Russell Westbrook]] carried the team in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 points, including nine in a row when they twice pulled within two points. However, Paul staved off the Clippers in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting against his former team. Westbrook finished with a game-high 37 points, while [[Norman Powell]] added 14 points and [[Terance Mann]] had 13 off the bench.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 25|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score1=130
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''136'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-phx-0042200175 Recap]
|Q1=30–'''32'''|Q2='''40'''–29|Q3=24–'''50'''|Q4='''36'''–25
|points1=[[Norman Powell]] 27 |points2=[[Devin Booker]] 47
|rebounds1=[[Mason Plumlee|Plumlee]], [[Ivica Zubac|Zubac]] 10 each |rebounds2=[[Deandre Ayton]] 11
|assist1=[[Russell Westbrook]] 8 |assist2=Devin Booker 10
|attendance=17,071
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Ben Taylor, Karl Lane
|series=Phoenix wins series, 4–1
}} [[Devin Booker]] led Phoenix past the Clippers with a 47-point performance, including 25 points in the third quarter, to advance to the Western Semifinals for the third straight season. The Clippers attempted to come back from a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter, hitting four straight three-pointers to quickly close the gap, and had multiple chances to tie the game in the final three minutes but could never convert. [[Kevin Durant]] sealed the win for the Suns by making a layup to extend their lead to 134–130, and then made two free throws to put them up six with 31 seconds left. Durant finished with 31 points while [[Deandre Ayton]] had 21 points and 11 rebounds. Booker shot 19-of-27 from the field, including 4-of-7 from three-point range.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 23, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lac-0022200043 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' | score1 = '''112'''
| team2 = [[Los Angeles Clippers]] | score2 = 95
| place = [[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = December 15, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lac-0022200427 Recap]
| team1 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score1 = '''111'''
| team2 = Los Angeles Clippers | score2 = 95
| place = Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 16, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-phx-0022200885 Recap]
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Clippers''' | score1 = '''116'''
| team2 = Phoenix Suns | score2 = 107
| place = [[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 9, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lac-0022201229 Recap]
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Clippers''' | score1 = '''119'''
| team2 = Phoenix Suns | score2 = 114
| place = Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ
}}
|}

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Suns winning the first two meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=PHO&opp_id=LAC&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Phoenix Suns versus Los Angeles Clippers (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 9, 2023|archive-date=April 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409035844/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=PHO&opp_id=LAC&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Phoenix leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| date = 2006
| team1 = '''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Los Angeles Clippers]] | score2 = 3
| place = [[2006 NBA playoffs#(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (6) Los Angeles Clippers|2006 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2021
| team1 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Los Angeles Clippers | score2 = 2
| place = [[2021 NBA playoffs#(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (4) Los Angeles Clippers|2021 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
|}

==Conference semifinals==
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

===Eastern Conference semifinals===

====(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 1 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score1='''119'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=115
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0042200211 Recap]
|Q1=31–'''38''' |Q2='''32'''–28 |Q3='''24'''–21 |Q4='''32'''–28
|points1=[[James Harden]] 45 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 39
|rebounds1=[[Paul Reed (basketball)|Paul Reed]] 13 |rebounds2=Jayson Tatum 11
|assist1=James Harden 6 |assist2=[[Marcus Smart]] 7
|attendance=19,156
|referee=David Guthrie, Courtney Kirkland, Karl Lane
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 1–0
}} Led by [[James Harden]]'s 45 points, the 76ers rallied without [[Joel Embiid]] to beat the Celtics on the road to take a 1–0 series lead. Harden, who tied his playoff career-high, hit a go-ahead, step-back three-pointer over [[Al Horford]] with less than ten seconds left to help secure the victory. [[Tyrese Maxey]] added 26 points and [[Tobias Harris]] finished with 18 for Philadelphia, who made 17 three-pointers in the absence of [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]] Embiid. [[Jayson Tatum]] led the Celtics with 39 points and 11 rebounds, while [[Jaylen Brown]] added 23 points and [[Malcolm Brogdon]] finished with 20 points. The Celtics had one final chance and got the ball to Tatum, but he lost the ball to [[Paul Reed (basketball)|Paul Reed]], who later hit a pair of free throws to seal the win for Philadelphia.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 3|time=8:00 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score1=87
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''121'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0042200212 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''28''' |Q2=27–'''29''' |Q3=16–'''35''' |Q4=22–'''29'''
|points1=[[Tobias Harris]] 16 |points2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 25
|rebounds1=[[James Harden]] 10 |rebounds2=''three players'' 7 each{{efn|[[Al Horford|Horford]], [[Jayson Tatum|Tatum]], and [[Robert Williams III|Williams III]]}}
|assist1=James Harden 4 |assist2=''three players'' 4 each{{efn|Brown, [[Grant Williams (basketball)|Williams]], and Williams III}}
|attendance=19,156
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Kevin Scott, [[Rodney Mott]]
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} The Celtics bounced back from their series opening loss to rout the 76ers by 34 points and hand Philadelphia their first loss of the playoffs. [[Jaylen Brown]] scored a game-high 25 points, while [[Malcolm Brogdon]] added 23 points, connecting on six of Boston's 20 three-pointers. [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] and [[Marcus Smart]] scored 15 points apiece, while [[Jayson Tatum]] struggled with fouls and scored just seven points. The Celtics stepped up their defense and limited the 76ers, who made 17 threes in Game 1, to just 6-of-30 from beyond the arc. [[Joel Embiid]] returned from injury to score 15 points and notch five blocks, while [[James Harden]] struggled to find his rhythm, shooting just 2-of-14 from the field and missing all six of his three-point attempts.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 5|time=7:30 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''114'''
|team2=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score2=102
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-phi-0042200213 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''29''' |Q2='''29'''–21 |Q3='''31'''–27 |Q4='''26'''–25
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 27 |points2=[[Joel Embiid]] 30
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 10 |rebounds2=Joel Embiid 13
|assist1=[[Malcolm Brogdon]] 6 |assist2=[[James Harden]] 11
|attendance=21,290
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Ben Taylor, Mark Lindsay
|series=Boston leads series, 2–1
}} With [[Joel Embiid]] receiving his [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]] trophy in a pregame ceremony in front of his home floor, the duo of [[Jayson Tatum]] and [[Jaylen Brown]] spoiled the show for Philadelphia, combining for 50 points and giving the Celtics a 2–1 series advantage. Boston led the majority of the game thanks to a 14–4 run to start the game, with six Celtics players scoring in double figures. Although Philadelphia pulled within four points late in the final quarter, Boston hit timely three-pointers that prevented the 76ers from gaining any more ground. Despite Embiid's 30-point and 13-rebound performance on one good knee, [[James Harden]] and [[Tyrese Maxey]]'s combined shooting of 7-for-30 (23%) left him with little offensive support.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 7|time=3:30 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Boston Celtics]] |score1=115
|team2='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score2='''116''' |overtime=OT
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-phi-0042200214 Recap]
|Q1=19–'''27''' |Q2=31–'''32''' |Q3=33–33 |Q4='''24'''–15 |OT=8–'''9'''
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 24 |points2=[[James Harden]] 42
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 18 |rebounds2=[[Joel Embiid]] 13
|assist1=[[Marcus Smart]] 7 |assist2=James Harden 9
|attendance=21,264
|referee=John Goble, James Williams, Gediminas Petraitis
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}} After having the worst shooting stretch of his career over any two-game span in Games 2 and 3, [[James Harden]] bounced back in Game 4 by scoring 42 points on 16-of-23 shooting to help Philadelphia tie the series at two games apiece. After Boston rallied from a 16-point deficit to take a five-point lead with two minutes left in the fourth quarter, the 76ers responded with key baskets from Harden and [[P. J. Tucker]], including a floater from Harden with 16 seconds left to force overtime. In overtime, [[Joel Embiid]] hit a pair of free-throws to give Philadelphia the lead, but [[Jayson Tatum]] hit a step-back three to put the Celtics ahead by two with less than a minute remaining. However, Harden answered back with his sixth three-pointer of the night, putting the 76ers back in front with 18 seconds to go. Although [[Marcus Smart]] had a chance to win it for Boston, his shot was ruled too late, securing the victory for Philadelphia.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 9|time=7:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score1='''115'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=103
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0042200215 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–26|Q2='''25'''–23|Q3='''30'''–23|Q4=27–'''31'''
|points1=[[Joel Embiid]] 33 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 36
|rebounds1=[[Tobias Harris]] 11 |rebounds2=Jayson Tatum 10
|assist1=[[James Harden]] 10 |assist2=Jayson Tatum 5
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 3–2
}} With a commanding performance on the road, the 76ers moved to the brink of their first conference finals berth in 22 years. [[Joel Embiid]] recorded 33 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks as Philadelphia built an early 42–27 lead and never looked back, leading by as much as 21 points. [[Tyrese Maxey]] also stepped up for the 76ers, contributing 30 points and six three-pointers, while [[James Harden]] had 17 points, ten assists, and eight rebounds on 50% shooting. [[Jayson Tatum]] scored 36 points for Boston, but he struggled to shoot efficiently, going 11-of-27 from the field. [[Jaylen Brown]] contributed 24 points, but the Celtics struggled to find their shot throughout the game, shooting just 40% from the field and 31% from beyond the arc.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 11|time=7:30 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''95'''
|team2=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score2=86
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-phi-0042200216 Recap]
|Q1='''29'''–22 |Q2=21–21 |Q3=21–'''30''' |Q4='''24'''–13
|points1=[[Marcus Smart]] 22 |points2=[[Joel Embiid|Embiid]], [[Tyrese Maxey|Maxey]] 26 each
|rebounds1=[[Al Horford]] 11 |rebounds2=Joel Embiid 10
|assist1=Marcus Smart 7 |assist2=[[James Harden]] 9
|attendance=21,337
|referee=David Guthrie, Ed Malloy, [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=Series tied, 3–3
}} [[Jayson Tatum]] struggled mightily in the first three quarters, scoring just three points on 1-of-13 shooting. However, he came alive during the final quarter, dropping 16 points and leading a crucial 14–1 run in the final five minutes to force a Game 7 back in Boston. Despite trailing by as much as 16 points in the first half, the 76ers rallied thanks to the efforts of [[Joel Embiid]] and [[Tyrese Maxey]], who helped the team take the lead entering the fourth quarter. However, Philadelphia faltered down the stretch, missing all eight of their three-point attempts in the fourth and failing to make a single field goal over the last six minutes until [[garbage time]]. Embiid and Maxey scored 26 points each, while [[James Harden]] shot a poor 4-of-16 from the field.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 14|time=3:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score1=88
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''112'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0042200217 Recap]
|Q1='''29'''–23 |Q2=23–'''32''' |Q3=10–'''33''' |Q4='''26'''–24
|points1=[[Tobias Harris]] 19 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 51
|rebounds1=[[Joel Embiid]] 8 |rebounds2=Jayson Tatum 13
|assist1=[[James Harden]] 7 |assist2=Jayson Tatum 5
|attendance=19,156
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]]
|series=Boston wins series, 4–3
}} In a historic performance, [[Jayson Tatum]] scored a playoff career-high 51 points, setting a new record for the most points ever scored in a game 7 as he led the Celtics to their fifth conference finals appearance in seven years. Tatum started off strong, scoring 25 points in a competitive first half and adding 17 more in Boston's 33–10 third quarter, which turned a three-point lead into a blowout victory. Tatum also finished with 13 rebounds, five assists, and zero turnovers, setting a playoff record for most points in a game with zero turnovers. Meanwhile, the 76ers lost in the conference semifinals for the fifth time in six years, with [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]] [[Joel Embiid]] scoring just 15 points on 5-for-18 shooting, while [[James Harden]] scored nine points on 3-of-11 shooting. Additionally, 76ers head coach [[Doc Rivers]] has now lost a record 10 game 7's, with his teams going 4–13 in their last 17 chances to close out a playoff series.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Boston won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 18, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0022200001 Recap]
| team1 = [[Philadelphia 76ers]] | score1 = 117
| team2 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score2 = '''126'''
| place = [[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 8, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0022200824 Recap]
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 99
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''106'''
| place = TD Garden, Boston, MA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 25, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-phi-0022200908 Recap]
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''110'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 107
| place = [[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 4, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-phi-0022201181 Recap]
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 101
| team2 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score2 = '''103'''
| place = Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
}}
|}

This was the 23rd playoff meeting between these two teams, and the 15th since the [[History of the Philadelphia 76ers|Syracuse Nationals]] relocated to Philadelphia in 1963, with the Celtics winning 14 of the first 22 meetings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=BOS&opp_id=PHI&is_playoffs=Y|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 28, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoffs series
|-
!Boston leads 14–8 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1953
| team1 = [[Syracuse Nationals]] | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1953 NBA playoffs#(2) Syracuse Nationals vs. (3) Boston Celtics|1953 Eastern Division semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1954
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''Syracuse Nationals''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1954 NBA playoffs#(1) New York Knicks, (2) Boston Celtics, (3) Syracuse Nationals|1954 Eastern Division Round Robin Semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1954
| team1 = '''Syracuse Nationals''' | score1 = '''2'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 0
| place = [[1954 NBA playoffs#(1) Syracuse Nationals vs. (2) Boston Celtics|1954 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1955
| team1 = '''Syracuse Nationals''' | score1 = '''3'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 1
| place = [[1955 NBA playoffs#(1) Syracuse Nationals vs. (3) Boston Celtics|1955 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1956
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Syracuse Nationals''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1956 NBA playoffs#(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals|1956 Eastern Division semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1957
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''3'''
| team2 = Syracuse Nationals | score2 = 0
| place = [[1957 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Syracuse Nationals|1957 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1959
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Syracuse Nationals | score2 = 3
| place = [[1959 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals|1959 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1961
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Syracuse Nationals | score2 = 1
| place = [[1961 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals|1961 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1965
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Philadelphia 76ers]] | score2 = 3
| place = [[1965 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|1965 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1966
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1966 NBA playoffs#(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (2) Boston Celtics|1966 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1967
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 1
| place = [[1967 NBA playoffs#(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (2) Boston Celtics|1967 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1968
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1968 NBA playoffs#(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (2) Boston Celtics|1968 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1969
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1969 NBA playoffs#(2) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (4) Boston Celtics|1969 Eastern Division semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1977
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 3
| place = [[1977 NBA playoffs#(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (4) Boston Celtics|1977 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1980
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1980 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|1980 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1981
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 3
| place = [[1981 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|1981 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1982
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1982 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|1982 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1985
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 1
| place = [[1985 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|1985 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2002
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''3'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 2
| place = [[2002 NBA playoffs#(3) Boston Celtics vs. (6) Philadelphia 76ers|2002 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 2012
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 3
| place = [[2012 NBA playoffs#(4) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers|2012 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2018
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 1
| place = [[2018 NBA playoffs#(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|2018 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2020
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 0
| place = [[2020 NBA playoffs#(3) Boston Celtics vs. (6) Philadelphia 76ers|2020 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(5) New York Knicks vs. (8) Miami Heat====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 30 |time=1:00 pm |place=[[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''108'''
|team2=[[New York Knicks]] |score2=101
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-nyk-0042200201 Recap]
|Q1=21–'''32''' |Q2='''29'''–23 |Q3='''31'''–20 |Q4='''27'''–26
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 25 |points2=[[RJ Barrett]] 26
|rebounds1=Jimmy Butler 11 |rebounds2=[[Mitchell Robinson]] 14
|assist1=[[Kyle Lowry]] 6 |assist2=Barrett, [[Jalen Brunson|Brunson]] 7 each
|attendance=19,812
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Miami leads series, 1–0
}} After the Knicks led the majority of the first half, the Heat pulled away in the third quarter with a 21–5 run highlighted by a [[Kevin Love]] three-pointer that gave Miami a lead they would not relinquish. [[Jimmy Butler]] led the way for the Heat with 25 points and 11 rebounds before rolling his ankle in the fourth quarter. Butler got help from his teammates, however, as [[Gabe Vincent]], [[Kyle Lowry]], and [[Bam Adebayo]] each scored 15+ points as all three players made key plays down the stretch. The Heat's defense also held firm, as they limited New York to just 7-of-34 shooting from beyond the arc. The Knicks, who were without [[Julius Randle]], were led by [[RJ Barrett]] and [[Jalen Brunson]] who scored 26 and 25 points, respectively.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 2 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=105
|team2='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score2='''111'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-nyk-0042200202 Recap]
|Q1=29–'''31''' |Q2='''25'''–20 |Q3=23–'''25''' |Q4=28–'''35'''
|points1=[[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] 22 |points2=[[Jalen Brunson]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo|Adebayo]], Martin 8 each |rebounds2=[[Julius Randle]] 12
|assist1=Adebayo, [[Kyle Lowry|Lowry]] 6 each |assist2=[[Josh Hart]] 9
|attendance=19,812
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Curtis Blair]], Mark Lindsay
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} After shooting 20% from deep in the series opener, New York bounced back, converting 40% of their three-point attempts as the Knicks evened up the series at one game apiece. [[Jalen Brunson]] atoned for his 0-for-7 three-point shooting in Game 1, as he shot 6-of-10 from beyond the arc, finishing with 30 points. [[Josh Hart]] finished an assist shy of a triple-double, as he scored ten of his 14 points in the final five minutes of the game. [[Julius Randle]] returned to the Knicks lineup and contributed 25 points and 12 rebounds, while [[RJ Barrett]] added 24 points. For the Heat, [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] stepped up in place of the injured [[Jimmy Butler]], scoring 22 points, while [[Gabe Vincent]] and [[Max Strus]] combined for 38 points, all of whom were undrafted.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 6 |time=3:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[New York Knicks]] |score1=86
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''105'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-mia-0042200203 Recap]
|Q1=21–'''29''' |Q2=23–'''29''' |Q3=26–'''29''' |Q4=16–'''18'''
|points1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 20 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 28
|rebounds1=[[Julius Randle]] 14 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 12
|assist1=Jalen Brunson 8 |assist2=''three players'' 4 each{{efn|[[Kevin Love|Love]], [[Kyle Lowry|Lowry]], and [[Gabe Vincent|Vincent]]}}
|attendance=19,927
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, Brian Forte
|series=Miami leads series, 2–1
}} The Heat improved to 3–0 at home this postseason, putting them just two wins away from becoming the second eighth seed ever to advance to the conference finals. Miami started the game by setting the tone on both ends of the court, as they made ten of their first 15 shots, while the Knicks missed 13 of their first 17. [[Jimmy Butler]], who returned from his one-game absence, scored 28 points, [[Max Strus]] added 19 points, and [[Bam Adebayo]] had a double-double for the Heat, who never trailed. Meanwhile, New York struggled to find their rhythm, as their top three scorers from the regular season ([[Jalen Brunson]], [[Julius Randle]], and [[RJ Barrett]]) shot a combined 16-of-51 (31%) from the field, including 2-of-17 (12%) from beyond the arc.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 8 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[New York Knicks]] |score1=101
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''109'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-mia-0042200204 Recap]
|Q1=30–'''31''' |Q2=18–'''25''' |Q3=33–'''34''' |Q4='''20'''–19
|points1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 32 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 27
|rebounds1=[[Julius Randle]] 9 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 13
|assist1=Jalen Brunson 11 |assist2=Jimmy Butler 10
|attendance=19,769
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Courtney Kirkland, Ben Taylor
|series=Miami leads series, 3–1
}} Led by [[Jimmy Butler]] and [[Bam Adebayo]], the Heat moved one win away from their third trip to the conference finals in four years. Butler finished with 27 points and ten assists, while Adebayo contributed 23 points and 13 rebounds as Miami became the fourth No. 8 seed to win at least seven playoff games. Although the Heat struggled in the fourth quarter, as they missed 12 of their first 15 shots, the Knicks failed to take full advantage. After New York gave up six offensive rebounds in the first three quarters, they gave up seven more in the fourth quarter alone. [[Jalen Brunson]] led the Knicks with 32 points and 11 assists, while [[RJ Barrett]] had 24 points and [[Julius Randle]] scored 20 before fouling out in the final minutes.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 10 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=103
|team2='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score2='''112'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200205 Recap]
|Q1='''24'''–14|Q2=23–'''36'''|Q3=27–'''34'''|Q4='''29'''–28
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 19 |points2=[[Jalen Brunson]] 38
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 8 |rebounds2=[[Mitchell Robinson]] 11
|assist1=Jimmy Butler 9 |assist2=Jalen Brunson 7
|attendance=19,812
|referee=John Goble, [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Karl Lane
|series=Miami leads series, 3–2
}} [[Jalen Brunson]] played all 48 minutes and contributed 38 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists to help keep the Knicks' season alive. [[RJ Barrett]] scored 26 points, while [[Julius Randle]] added 24 as the trio combined for 88 of New York's 112 points. Although the Knicks built a 19-point lead in the third quarter, the Heat cut it down to two with under three minutes remaining in the game. However, New York closed the game out on a 9–2 run to force a Game 6 in Miami. [[Jimmy Butler]] led the Heat with 19 points, as he was held below 25 points for the first time this postseason. [[Bam Adebayo]] and [[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] also contributed with 18 and 17 points respectively, but Miami struggled from deep, missing 21 of their first 25 three-pointers.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 12 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[New York Knicks]] |score1=92
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''96'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200206 Recap]
|Q1='''31'''–24|Q2=19–'''27'''|Q3=21–'''23'''|Q4=21–'''22'''
|points1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 41 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 24
|rebounds1=[[Julius Randle|Randle]], [[Mitchell Robinson|Robinson]] 11 each |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 9
|assist1=''three players'' 3 each{{efn|Brunson, [[Quentin Grimes|Grimes]], and Randle}} |assist2=[[Kyle Lowry]] 9
|attendance=19,737
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Kevin Scott, Tre Maddox
|series=Miami wins series, 4–2
}} The Heat advanced to the conference finals for the seventh time in the last 13 years and became just the second No. 8 seed ever to reach the conference finals. Despite an early 14-point lead by the Knicks, Miami took the lead by halftime and held it throughout the second half. However, up by six with under a minute remaining, [[Gabe Vincent]]'s [[flagrant foul]] on [[Jalen Brunson]] allowed New York to score four points in five seconds. After a [[Jimmy Butler]] miss, the Knicks had an opportunity to tie the game, but [[Kyle Lowry]] came up with a steal, and Butler made free throws with 14 seconds left to clinch the win for the Heat. Butler scored 24 points, [[Bam Adebayo]] added 23, and Lowry had nine assists. Meanwhile, Brunson scored 41 points, accounting for over half of the Knicks' 27 made field goals. But his teammates only scored 51 points, with [[Julius Randle]] and [[RJ Barrett]] combining for just 26 points on 4-of-24 shooting.
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!New York won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 2, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-nyk-0022200780 Recap]
| team1 = [[Miami Heat]] | score1 = 104
| team2 = '''[[New York Knicks]]''' | score2 = '''106'''
| place = [[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 3, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-mia-0022200949 Recap]
| team1 = '''New York Knicks''' | score1 = '''122'''
| team2 = Miami Heat | score2 = 120
| place = [[Miami-Dade Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 22, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-mia-0022201084 Recap]
| team1 = New York Knicks | score1 = 120
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = '''127'''
| place = Miami-Dade Arena, Miami, FL
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 29, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-nyk-0022201138 Recap]
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 92
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''101'''
| place = Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
}}
|}

This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Knicks winning three of the first five meetings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — New York Knicks versus Miami Heat (Playoffs)|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=NYK&opp_id=MIA&is_playoffs=Y|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 27, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!New York leads 3–2 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| date = 1997
| team1 = '''[[Miami Heat]]''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[New York Knicks]] | score2 = 3
| place = [[1997 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (3) New York Knicks|1997 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1998
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''3'''
| place = [[1998 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) New York Knicks|1998 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1999
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''3'''
| place = [[1999 NBA playoffs#(1) Miami Heat vs. (8) New York Knicks|1999 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2000
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2000 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (3) New York Knicks|2000 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2012
| team1 = '''Miami Heat''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = New York Knicks | score2 = 1
| place = [[2012 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) New York Knicks|2012 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

===Western Conference semifinals===
====(1) Denver Nuggets vs. (4) Phoenix Suns====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 29 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}}|place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score1=107
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''125'''
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-0042200221 Recap]
|Q1='''32'''–31 |Q2=19–'''37''' |Q3='''30'''–26 |Q4=26–'''31'''
|points1=[[Kevin Durant]] 29 |points2=[[Jamal Murray]] 34
|rebounds1=Kevin Durant 14 |rebounds2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 19
|assist1=[[Devin Booker]] 8 |assist2=Jamal Murray 9
|attendance=19,762
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, Tre Maddox
|series=Denver leads series, 1–0
}} After missing their previous matchup in 2021 due to injury, [[Jamal Murray]] led the Nuggets' fast-paced offense with 34 points and six three-pointers as Denver snapped their seven-game playoff losing streak to the Suns. [[Nikola Jokić]] was productive as well, recording 24 points and 19 rebounds (8 of them offensive), while [[Aaron Gordon]] added 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting. For Phoenix, [[Kevin Durant]] scored 29 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for the Suns, while [[Devin Booker]] added 27 points and eight assists as the duo each scored 25+ points for the sixth straight game. Although the Suns finished with a better field goal percentage, the Nuggets dominated the three-point line, outscoring Phoenix by a 48–21 margin and forcing 16 turnovers.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 1 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score1=87
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''97'''
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-0042200222 Recap]
|Q1='''21'''–18 |Q2=21–'''22''' |Q3='''31'''–30 |Q4=14–'''27'''
|points1=[[Devin Booker]] 35 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 39
|rebounds1=[[Deandre Ayton|Ayton]], [[Kevin Durant|Durant]] 8 each |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 16
|assist1=Booker, [[Chris Paul|Paul]] 6 each |assist2=[[Jamal Murray]] 8
|attendance=19,592
|referee=John Goble, [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Sean Wright
|series=Denver leads series, 2–0
}} [[Nikola Jokić]] scored 26 of his 39 points in the second half and had 16 rebounds to lead the Nuggets to a 2–0 series advantage over the Suns. Jokic's performance was crucial for Denver, as [[Jamal Murray]] only scored ten points on 3-of-15 shooting, having scored 34 in the series opener. [[Aaron Gordon]] added 16 points and [[Kentavious Caldwell-Pope]] contributed 14 points, including back-to-back three-pointers that put the Nuggets ahead for good in the fourth quarter. [[Devin Booker]] led Phoenix with 35 points, but the team lost [[Chris Paul]] to a groin injury, and they struggled shooting in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 points on 28% shooting. [[Kevin Durant]] added 24 points, but went 10-of-27 shooting, including just 2-for-12 from beyond the arc.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 5 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score1=114
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''121'''
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0042200223 Recap]
|Q1='''31'''–29 |Q2=21–'''38''' |Q3='''36'''–23 |Q4=26–'''31'''
|points1=[[Jamal Murray]] 32 |points2=[[Devin Booker]] 47
|rebounds1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 17 |rebounds2=''three players'' 9 each{{efn|[[Deandre Ayton|Ayton]], [[Kevin Durant|Durant]], and [[Jock Landale|Landale]]}}
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 17 |assist2=Devin Booker 9
|attendance=17,071
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], James Williams, Sean Corbin
|series=Denver leads series, 2–1
}} Without [[Chris Paul]] and down 2–0 in the series, [[Devin Booker]] shot 80% (20-of-25) from the field and tied his playoff career-high with 47 points, recording his third 45-point performance of the playoffs en route to cutting Denver's series lead to 2–1. [[Kevin Durant]] contributed 39 points as he and Booker accounted for 86 of Phoenix's 121 points, as no one else on the Suns scored more than seven points. For Denver, [[Nikola Jokić]] had a triple-double with 30 points, 17 assists, and 17 rebounds, [[Jamal Murray]] added 32 points, and [[Michael Porter Jr.]] chipped in 21 points and 12 rebounds. Despite a 15-point halftime lead, Phoenix trailed by three late in the third quarter. However, they rode a 14–0 run to give them a lead they would not relinquish.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 7 |time=8:00 pm {{small|(5:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score1=124
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''129'''
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0042200224 Recap]
|Q1='''34'''–32 |Q2=27–'''31''' |Q3=31–'''35''' |Q4='''32'''–31
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 53 |points2=[[Devin Booker|Booker]], [[Kevin Durant|Durant]] 36 each
|rebounds1=[[Michael Porter Jr.]] 10 |rebounds2=Kevin Durant 11
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 11 |assist2=Devin Booker 12
|attendance=17,071
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Ed Malloy, Jacyn Goble
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}} Despite a career-high 53 points from [[Nikola Jokić]], the Suns were able to defend home court and tie the series at two games apiece, with [[Devin Booker]] and [[Kevin Durant]] each scoring 36 points. Booker shot 14-of-18 from the field, as he boosted his shooting percentage at home to 79% (34-of-43) for the series. The Suns were able to take a six-point lead into the fourth quarter after a scoring flurry from Booker, who had 17 points in the third quarter. Although Denver attempted to rally, backup guard [[Landry Shamet]] made four timely three-pointers to keep Phoenix ahead, as the Suns' bench outscored the Nuggets' bench 40–11. For Denver, Nikola Jokić shot 20-of-30 from the field, while [[Jamal Murray]] added 28 points and seven assists.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 9 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score1=102
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''118'''
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-0042200225 Recap]
|Q1=24–'''35''' |Q2='''25'''–17 |Q3=25–'''39''' |Q4='''28'''–27
|points1=[[Devin Booker]] 28 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 29
|rebounds1=[[Kevin Durant]] 11 |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 13
|assist1=Kevin Durant 7 |assist2=Nikola Jokić 12
|attendance=19,773
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Brian Forte
|series=Denver leads series, 3–2
}} [[Nikola Jokić]]'s tenth career playoff triple-double led the Nuggets to a pivotal Game 5 victory over the Suns, improving to 37–4 at home this season with Jokić on the floor. Jokić had a standout third quarter, as he made 7-of-8 shots for 17 points and helped the Nuggets turn a three-point halftime lead into a 91–74 advantage. [[Michael Porter Jr.]] scored 14 of his 19 points in the first quarter, [[Jamal Murray]] contributed 19 points and six assists, and [[Bruce Brown (basketball)|Bruce Brown]] scored 25 of Denver's 34 bench points. Although [[Devin Booker]] and [[Kevin Durant]] each scored 25+ points for the ninth time this postseason, the Suns were outrebounded 50–42 and outshot from beyond the arc 48% to 33%, as they trailed by as much as 24 points.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 11 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''125'''
|team2=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score2=100
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0042200226 Recap]
|Q1='''44'''–26 |Q2='''37'''–25 |Q3=22–'''25''' |Q4=22–'''24'''
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 32 |points2=[[Cameron Payne]] 31
|rebounds1=Nikola Jokić 10 |rebounds2=Payne, [[Landry Shamet|Shamet]] 6 each
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 12 |assist2=[[Devin Booker]] 8
|attendance=17,071
|referee=Marc Davis, Ben Taylor, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Denver wins series, 4–2
}} The Nuggets secured a spot in the conference finals by defeating the shorthanded Suns by 25 points, the largest win margin by a road team this postseason. Denver dominated the game, using a 23–2 run in the latter part of the first quarter to establish a commanding 44–26 lead. [[Kentavious Caldwell-Pope]], who had been averaging 9.5 points in the playoffs, scored 17 points in the first quarter, while [[Nikola Jokić]] contributed 14. Denver's offensive onslaught continued, as the lead had grown to 81–51 by halftime. Jokić finished the game with his third triple-double of the series, and [[Jamal Murray]] added 26 points. [[Cameron Payne]] led Phoenix, who were without [[Deandre Ayton]] and [[Chris Paul]], with a career-high 31 points, hitting 7-of-9 three-pointers. [[Kevin Durant]] added 23 points, but missed nine of his first ten shots as the Suns fell behind by 30 points at halftime in an elimination game for the second straight year.
Notably, this was [[Al McCoy (announcer)|Al McCoy]]'s final game, concluding his 51-year career as the Suns' play-by-play radio announcer.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 25, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-0022200497 Recap]
| team1 = [[Phoenix Suns]] | score1 = 125
| team2 = '''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' | score2 = '''128''' |overtime=OT
| place = [[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 11, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-0022200624 Recap]
| team1 = Phoenix Suns | score1 = 97
| team2 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score2 = '''126'''
| place = Ball Arena, Denver, CO
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 31, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0022201160 Recap]
| team1 = Denver Nuggets | score1 = 93
| team2 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score2 = '''100'''
| place = [[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 6, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0022201201 Recap]
| team1 = Denver Nuggets | score1 = 115
| team2 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score2 = '''119'''
| place = Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ
}}
|}

This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Suns winning three of the first four meetings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Phoenix Suns (Playoffs)|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DEN&opp_id=PHO&is_playoffs=Y|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 25, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Phoenix leads 3–1 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| date = 1982
| team1 = [[Denver Nuggets]] | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1982 NBA playoffs#(4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) Phoenix Suns|1982 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1983
| team1 = Phoenix Suns | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1983 NBA playoffs#(3) Phoenix Suns vs. (6) Denver Nuggets|1983 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1989
| team1 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score1 = '''3'''
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 0
| place = [[1989 NBA playoffs#(3) Phoenix Suns vs. (6) Denver Nuggets|1989 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2021
| team1 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 0
| place = [[2021 NBA playoffs#(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (3) Denver Nuggets|2021 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
|}

====(6) Golden State Warriors vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 2 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score1='''117'''
|team2=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score2=112
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-gsw-0042200231 Recap]
|Q1=29–'''31''' |Q2='''36'''–33 |Q3='''31'''–24 |Q4=21–'''24'''
|points1=[[Anthony Davis]] 30 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 27
|rebounds1=Anthony Davis 23 |rebounds2=[[Kevon Looney]] 23
|assist1=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 6 |assist2=[[Draymond Green]] 7
|attendance=18,064
|referee=Marc Davis, Ed Malloy, [[Nick Buchert]]
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 1–0
}} [[Anthony Davis]] put up 30 points, 23 rebounds, and four blocks, while [[LeBron James]] added 22 points and 11 boards as the Lakers held off a late push by Golden State to win Game 1 on the road. [[D'Angelo Russell]] had 19 points and six assists, while [[Dennis Schröder]] scored 19 points off the bench. The Warriors, who made 21 three-pointers, were led by [[Stephen Curry]]'s 27 points, [[Klay Thompson]]'s 25 points, and [[Kevon Looney]]'s career-high 23 rebounds, marking his fourth 20-rebound game of the playoffs. Down 14 with under six minutes left, Golden State went on a 14–0 run to tie the game. The Lakers regained the lead, and the Warriors' late rally fell short as [[Jordan Poole]] missed a three to tie the game with under ten seconds left.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 4 |time=9:00 pm {{small|(6:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=100
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''127'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-gsw-0042200232 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–26 |Q2=23–'''41''' |Q3=24–'''43''' |Q4='''20'''–17
|points1=[[LeBron James]] 23 |points2=[[Klay Thompson]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Anthony Davis|Davis]], James 7 each |rebounds2=[[Draymond Green]] 11
|assist1=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 8 |assist2=[[Stephen Curry]] 12
|attendance=18,064
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Pat Fraher
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} After Los Angeles took a seven-point lead into the second quarter, the defending champions took control of the game, outscoring the Lakers 84–47 in the second and third quarters to even the series at 1–1. [[Klay Thompson]] scored 30 points with eight three-pointers, while [[Stephen Curry]] added 20 points and 12 assists as the Warriors made 21 more threes in Game 2, giving them an NBA-record 42 total in the series' first two games. [[JaMychal Green]] scored a playoff career-high 15 points in his first playoff start since 2019, while [[Draymond Green]] contributed 11 points, 11 boards, and nine assists. [[LeBron James]] scored 23 points for the Lakers, but [[Anthony Davis]] had a quiet night, finishing with 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 6 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(5:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=97
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''127'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-lal-0042200233 Recap]
|Q1='''30'''–23 |Q2=18–'''36''' |Q3=20–'''27''' |Q4=29–'''41'''
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 23 |points2=[[Anthony Davis]] 25
|rebounds1=[[Andrew Wiggins]] 9 |rebounds2=Anthony Davis 13
|assist1=[[Jordan Poole]] 6 |assist2=[[LeBron James]] 8
|attendance=18,997
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Mitchell Ervin
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 2–1
}} After Golden State took a seven-point lead into the second quarter, the seventh-seeded Lakers took control of the game, outscoring the Warriors 63–38 in the second and third quarters to regain the series lead. [[Anthony Davis]] led the way with 25 points and 13 rebounds on 7-of-10 shooting, while [[LeBron James]] finished the game with 21 points, eight assists, and eight rebounds. [[D'Angelo Russell]] also hit five three-pointers and scored 21 points for Los Angeles, who moved to 4–0 at home in the playoffs. Golden State meanwhile struggled offensively, committing 19 turnovers and shooting 40% from the field. [[Stephen Curry]] scored 23 points, while [[Andrew Wiggins]] had 16 for the Warriors, who trailed by as much as 34 points.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 8 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=101
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''104'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-lal-0042200234 Recap]
|Q1=21–'''22''' |Q2='''31'''–27 |Q3='''32'''–28 |Q4=17–'''27'''
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 31 |points2=[[LeBron James]] 27
|rebounds1=Curry, [[Draymond Green|D. Green]] 10 each |rebounds2=[[Anthony Davis]] 15
|assist1=Stephen Curry 14 |assist2=LeBron James 6
|attendance=18,997
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Kevin Scott, [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 3–1
}} Down by seven entering the final quarter, the Lakers rode a 15-point fourth-quarter performance from [[Lonnie Walker IV]] to take a 3–1 series lead over the defending champions. Walker, who made the same number of field goals as the Warriors did in the fourth quarter, hit a go-ahead jumper with under two minutes left and made two crucial free throws with 15 seconds to play. [[LeBron James]] contributed 27 points and six assists, [[Austin Reaves]] scored 21 points, and [[Anthony Davis]] had 23 points and 15 rebounds for Los Angeles. For the Warriors, [[Stephen Curry]] had 31 points, ten rebounds, and 14 assists in his third career postseason triple-double, but he missed 11-of-14 three-point attempts and turned the ball over in the final seconds.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 10 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=106
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''121'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-gsw-0042200235 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''32''' |Q2=31–'''38''' |Q3=23–23 |Q4=24–'''28'''
|points1=[[LeBron James]] 25 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 27
|rebounds1=[[Anthony Davis|Davis]], James 9 each |rebounds2=[[Draymond Green]] 10
|assist1=[[Austin Reaves]] 5 |assist2=Stephen Curry 8
|attendance=18,064
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], James Williams, Gediminas Petraitis
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 3–2
}} In a must-win situation, the Warriors rallied behind [[Stephen Curry]]'s 27 points and eight assists, along with [[Andrew Wiggins]]' 25 points and seven rebounds to avoid elimination. [[Draymond Green]] contributed 20 points and ten rebounds, while [[Gary Payton II]] scored 13 points. Golden State made seven of their 13 total three-pointers in the first quarter as they took an 11-point lead into halftime, with their 70 first half points marking the most they've scored since 2019. Meanwhile, the Lakers struggled with rebounding, being outrebounded 48–38 overall, along with committing 14 turnovers that led to 20 Warriors points. [[LeBron James]] had 25 points and nine rebounds, while [[Anthony Davis]] added 23 points and nine boards for Los Angeles.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 12 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=101
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''122'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-lal-0042200236 Recap]
|Q1=26–'''31''' |Q2=20–'''25''' |Q3=31–'''35''' |Q4=24–'''31'''
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 32 |points2=[[LeBron James]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Kevon Looney]] 18 |rebounds2=[[Anthony Davis]] 20
|assist1=Curry, [[Klay Thompson|Thompson]] 5 each |assist2=LeBron James 9
|attendance=18,997
|referee=John Goble, Courtney Kirkland, Mark Lindsay
|series=LA Lakers win series, 4–2
}} After starting the season with a 2–10 record, the Lakers advanced to their second conference finals in four years and became just the second No. 7 seed to clinch a conference finals berth. [[LeBron James]] had 30 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, while [[Anthony Davis]] contributed 17 points and 20 rebounds. Additionally, [[Austin Reaves]] scored 23 points, including a 54-foot shot from midcourt at the halftime buzzer, as Los Angeles never trailed in the game. [[Stephen Curry]] scored a game-high 32 points, but [[Donte DiVincenzo]] was his only teammate to finish in double figures. [[Klay Thompson]] missed ten of his 12 three-point attempts as the [[Splash Brothers]] went dry when it mattered most, with Thompson going 10-of-36 from deep in the final four games, while Curry was 14-of-49. This series also marked the Warriors' first playoff series loss to a Western Conference opponent since 2014, having previously gone 19–0.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!LA Lakers won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 18, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-gsw-0022200002 Recap]
| team1 = [[Los Angeles Lakers]] | score1 = 109
| team2 = '''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' | score2 = '''123'''
| place = [[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 11, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-gsw-0022200853 Recap]
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 109
| team2 = Golden State Warriors | score2 = 103
| place = Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 23, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-lal-0022200893 Recap]
| team1 = Golden State Warriors | score1 = 111
| team2 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score2 = '''124'''
| place = [[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 5, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-lal-0022200964 Recap]
| team1 = Golden State Warriors | score1 = 105
| team2 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score2 = '''113'''
| place = Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
}}
|}

This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning six of the first seven meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=GSW&opp_id=LAL&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Golden State Warriors versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 30, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!LA Lakers lead 6–1 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1967
| team1 = '''[[San Francisco Warriors]]''' | score1 = 3
| team2 = [[Los Angeles Lakers]] | score2 = 0
| place = [[1967 NBA playoffs#(1) San Francisco Warriors vs. (3) Los Angeles Lakers|1967 Western Division semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1968
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = San Francisco Warriors | score2 = 0
| place = [[1968 NBA playoffs#(2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) San Francisco Warriors|1968 Western Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1969
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = San Francisco Warriors | score2 = 2
| place = [[1969 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) San Francisco Warriors|1969 Western Division semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1973
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = [[Golden State Warriors]] | score2 = 1
| place = [[1973 NBA playoffs#(2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Golden State Warriors|1973 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1977
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Golden State Warriors | score2 = 3
| place = [[1977 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Golden State Warriors|1977 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1987
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Golden State Warriors | score2= 1
| place = [[1987 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Golden State Warriors|1987 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1991
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Golden State Warriors | score2 = 1
| place = [[1991 NBA playoffs#(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (7) Golden State Warriors|1991 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
|}

==Conference finals==
{{Main|NBA Conference finals}}
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

===Eastern Conference finals===
====(2) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Miami Heat====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 17 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''123'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=116
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0042200301 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''30''' |Q2=29–'''36''' |Q3='''46'''–25 |Q4=20–'''25'''
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 35 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 8 |rebounds2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 9
|assist1=Jimmy Butler 7 |assist2=[[Marcus Smart]] 11
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Marc Davis, Ed Malloy, [[Rodney Mott]]
|series=Miami leads series, 1–0
}} [[Jimmy Butler]] and the eight-seeded Heat rallied in the second half to win Game 1 on the road for the third straight series, becoming just the fifth team ever to do so. Trailing by nine at halftime, Miami scored a franchise playoff-record 46 points in the third quarter, as they were fueled by their success from beyond the arc, shooting over 50% from deep (16-of-31). Butler scored a game-high 35 points to go along with seven assists, six steals, and five rebounds. [[Bam Adebayo]] added 20 points, while [[Kyle Lowry]], [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]], [[Gabe Vincent]], and [[Max Strus]] each scored 15 points. [[Jayson Tatum]] led the Celtics with 30 points, but failed to attempt a shot in the fourth quarter. [[Jaylen Brown]] added 22 points and nine rebounds, while [[Malcolm Brogdon]] contributed 19 points. Although Boston narrowed the deficit to four points late in the fourth quarter, they ultimately fell short, dropping to 4–4 at home this postseason.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 19 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''111'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=105
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0042200302 Recap]
|Q1=24–'''25''' |Q2='''30'''–25 |Q3=21–'''33''' |Q4='''36'''–22
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 27 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 34
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 17 |rebounds2=Jayson Tatum 13
|assist1=Bam Adebayo 9 |assist2=Jayson Tatum 8
|attendance=19,156
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], James Williams, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Miami leads series, 2–0
}} Similar to how they defeated the [[Milwaukee Bucks]] and [[New York Knicks]], the Heat overcame their sixth double-digit deficit of the playoffs to take a commanding 2–0 series lead back to Miami. [[Jimmy Butler]] scored 27 points, including nine points during an 18–4 run late in the fourth quarter that turned a nine-point deficit into a 105–100 lead. [[Bam Adebayo]] recorded 22 points, 17 rebounds, and nine assists, while [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] came off the bench and provided a season-high 25 points as the Heat became the first No. 8 seed to take a 2–0 series lead in the conference finals. Meanwhile, [[Jayson Tatum]] put up 34 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists, but he failed to make a field goal in the fourth quarter for the second straight game. [[Jaylen Brown]] did not fare well either, as he converted just seven of his 23 shot attempts and went 1-of-5 from the field in the fourth, as Miami outscored Boston 36–22 in the final quarter.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 21 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Boston Celtics]] |score1=102
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''128'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0042200303 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''30''' |Q2=24–'''31''' |Q3=17–'''32''' |Q4='''39'''–35
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 14 |points2=[[Gabe Vincent]] 29
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 10 |rebounds2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 8
|assist1=[[Marcus Smart]] 8 |assist2=Jimmy Butler 6
|attendance=20,088
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Kevin Scott, [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=Miami leads series, 3–0
}} In a dominant team effort, the eight-seeded Heat improved to 6–0 at home this postseason and moved one win away from their sixth NBA Finals appearance in the last 13 seasons. [[Gabe Vincent]] scored a career-high 29 points on 11-of-14 shooting, [[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] scored 22, and [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] added 18 points, all of whom went undrafted. In addition, [[Jimmy Butler]] had 16 points and six assists, [[Bam Adebayo]] added 13, and [[Max Strus]] scored ten points for the Heat. For Boston, the [[All-NBA team|All-NBA]] duo of [[Jayson Tatum]] and [[Jaylen Brown]] were a no-show, as they combined for just 26 points on 12-of-35 (34%) from the field and 1-of-14 (7%) from three-point range. The Celtics also lacked effort on defense, as they allowed Miami to shoot 57% from the field and 54% from beyond the arc, resulting in a substantial 33-point deficit in the third quarter that prompted head coach [[Joe Mazzulla]] to empty his bench for the final 12 minutes.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 23 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''116'''
|team2=[[Miami Heat]] |score2=99
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0042200304 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''29''' |Q2=27–27 |Q3='''38'''–23 |Q4='''28'''–20
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 33 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 29
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 11 |rebounds2=Jimmy Butler 9
|assist1=Jayson Tatum 7 |assist2=[[Kyle Lowry]] 6
|attendance=20,147
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], John Goble, Courtney Kirkland
|series=Miami leads series, 3–1
}} Led by [[Jayson Tatum]]'s 33 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, the Celtics fought off elimination and forced the series back to Boston. The Heat initially held a nine-point lead in the second half, but a 48–22 scoring run by Boston in just 14 minutes turned the game in their favor, as Tatum scored 25 of his 33 points in the second half. [[Jaylen Brown]] contributed 17 points and [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] added 16 points, while [[Grant Williams (basketball)|Grant Williams]], [[Al Horford]], and [[Marcus Smart]] each scored in double figures. [[Jimmy Butler]] led the Heat's efforts with 29 points and nine rebounds, while [[Gabe Vincent]] and [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] added 17 and 16 points, respectively. The Heat struggled from beyond the arc, shooting 8-of-32 (25%) from deep, while the Celtics made 18-of-45 (40%) three-pointers, creating a significant 30-point difference in scoring from long range. Boston also capitalized on Miami's mistakes, as they scored 27 points off 16 turnovers.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 25 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=97
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''110'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0042200305 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''35''' |Q2=24–'''26''' |Q3=28–'''29''' |Q4='''25'''–20
|points1=[[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] 18 |points2=[[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] 24
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 8 |rebounds2=[[Al Horford]] 11
|assist1=Duncan Robinson 9 |assist2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 11
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Marc Davis, David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]]
|series=Miami leads series, 3–2
}} In front of their home crowd, the Celtics dominated the Heat from the jump, surging to a 23–7 lead that set the tone for the rest of the game as Boston moved two wins away from becoming the first NBA team ever to [[List of teams to overcome 3–0 series deficits|overcome a 3–0 series deficit]]. [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] scored 24 points and connected on six three-pointers, while [[Marcus Smart]] contributed 23 points and five steals. [[Jayson Tatum]] and [[Jaylen Brown]] each added 21 points as Boston improved to 4–0 in elimination games this postseason. With [[Gabe Vincent]] out with an ankle sprain, Miami struggled to find their offensive footing, as the Heat were forced into ten first-half turnovers that led to 17 Boston points. [[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] led Miami in scoring with 18 points, while [[Bam Adebayo]] contributed 16 points and eight rebounds. [[Jimmy Butler]], who had been averaging 30 points this postseason, finished with an underwhelming 14 points as Miami never led.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 27 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''104'''
|team2=[[Miami Heat]] |score2=103
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0042200306 Recap]
|Q1='''34'''–29 |Q2=23–'''24''' |Q3='''22'''–19 |Q4=25–'''31'''
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 31 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 24
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 12 |rebounds2=[[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] 15
|assist1=[[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] 6 |assist2=Jimmy Butler 8
|attendance=20,201
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Josh Tiven, James Williams
|series=Series tied, 3–3
}} With just a mere tenth of a second remaining on the clock, [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] emerged as the hero, scoring a crucial putback to secure the win for the Celtics, joining [[Michael Jordan]] as the second player in NBA history to hit a [[Buzzer beater|buzzer-beater]] with his team trailing and facing elimination. In addition, [[Jayson Tatum]] scored 31 points, [[Jaylen Brown]] scored 26, and [[Marcus Smart]] added 21 for Boston, who became only the fourth team to [[List of teams to overcome 3–0 series deficits|erase a 0–3 deficit]] and force a decisive game 7. For the Heat, the duo of [[Jimmy Butler]] and [[Bam Adebayo]] went 5-of-30 from the field in the first three quarters, combining for just 18 points. However, trailing by ten with under four minutes to go, Butler scored 13 of his 24 points during a 15–4 run that gave Miami the lead with three seconds left. After a Celtics timeout, White inbounded the ball to Smart, who missed a three-pointer, but White crashed the boards and scored the game-winning tip shot.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 29 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''103'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=84
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0042200307 Recap]
|Q1='''22'''–15 |Q2='''30'''–26 |Q3=24–'''25''' |Q4='''27'''–18
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 28 |points2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 19
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo|Adebayo]], [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Martin]] 10 each |rebounds2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 11
|assist1=Bam Adebayo 7 |assist2=Jaylen Brown 5
|attendance=19,156
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Tony Brothers]], John Goble
|series=Miami wins series, 4–3
}} Following their defeat in a decisive seventh game against the Celtics last year, the Heat overcame the setback of squandering a 3–0 series lead to secure their second NBA Finals appearance in four seasons. [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]], who averaged just 9.6 points in the regular season, scored a playoff career-high 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting, finishing the series averaging 19.3 points. [[Jimmy Butler]] scored a game-high 28 points, while [[Bam Adebayo]] recorded his seventh double-double of the playoffs as the Heat became the first No. 8 seed to reach the Finals in a full 82-game regular season. The Celtics meanwhile were discombobulated from the start, as they missed their first 12 three-point attempts and finished the game shooting 21% from deep. [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] scored 18 for Boston, and [[Jayson Tatum]] had 14 points with 11 rebounds after turning his ankle on the first play of the game. [[Jaylen Brown]] contributed 19 points and eight rebounds, but shot 1-of-9 from beyond the arc and committed a playoff-high eight turnovers as Boston lost their 12th playoff game at home over the last two postseasons.

Butler was awarded the second annual [[NBA Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award|Eastern Conference finals MVP]], averaging 24.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 6.1 assists on 42% from the field, 35% from beyond the arc, and 83% from the free-throw line. Had the Celtics won the game, they would have become the first NBA team to overcome the 3–0 series deficit (and second basketball team overall, after the [[Philippine Basketball Association|PBA]]'s [[San Miguel Beermen]] in the [[2015–16 PBA Philippine Cup Finals]]).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Marther|first=Victor|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/29/sports/basketball/miami-heat-boston-celtics-blow-series-lead.html|title=The Miami Heat Are on the Brink of Bad History|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=May 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530013223/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/29/sports/basketball/miami-heat-boston-celtics-blow-series-lead.html|archive-date=May 30, 2023|url-status=live|url-access=subscription|access-date=December 2, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 21, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0022200022 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score1 = '''111'''
| team2 = [[Miami Heat]] | score2 = 104
| place = [[FTX Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = November 30, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0022200314 Recap]
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 121
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''134'''
| place = [[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 2, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0022200328 Recap]
| team1 = '''Miami Heat''' | score1 = '''120'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 116 |overtime=OT
| place = TD Garden, Boston, MA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 24, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0022200714 Recap]
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 95
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = '''98'''
| place = [[Miami-Dade Arena]], Miami, FL
}}
|}

This was the sixth playoff meeting between the two teams, with the Heat winning three of the first five meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=BOS&opp_id=MIA&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Miami Heat (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|date=May 14, 2023|access-date=May 14, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoffs series
|-
!Miami leads 3–2 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2010
| team1 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = [[Miami Heat]] | score2 = 1
| place = [[2010 NBA playoffs#(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Miami Heat|2010 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2011
| team1 = '''Miami Heat''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 1
| place = [[2011 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (3) Boston Celtics|2011 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2012
| team1 = '''Miami Heat''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 3
| place = [[2012 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (4) Boston Celtics|2012 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2020
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[2020 NBA playoffs#(3) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Miami Heat|2020 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2022
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[2022 NBA playoffs#(1) Miami Heat vs. (2) Boston Celtics|2022 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
|}

===Western Conference finals===
====(1) Denver Nuggets vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 16 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=126
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''132'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-den-0042200311 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''37''' |Q2=29–'''35''' |Q3='''38'''–34 |Q4='''34'''–26
|points1=[[Anthony Davis]] 40 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 34
|rebounds1=[[LeBron James]] 12 |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 21
|assist1=LeBron James 9 |assist2=Nikola Jokić 14
|attendance=19,633
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Ben Taylor
|series=Denver leads series, 1–0
}} Looking to advance to their first NBA Finals in their 47th season, the Nuggets got off on the right track, as [[Nikola Jokić]] recorded his sixth triple-double of the playoffs to propel Denver to a 1–0 series lead. Jokić notched 34 points, 21 rebounds, and 14 assists on 12-of-17 shooting as he outrebounded the Lakers by himself in the first half, 16 to 13. Jokić's performance was backed by his teammates, as five other Denver players finished in double figures, with [[Jamal Murray]] scoring 31 points on 60% shooting. For the Lakers, [[Anthony Davis]] finished with 40 points, while [[LeBron James]] put up 26 points, 12 boards, and nine assists. Los Angeles trailed by as many as 21 but they pulled within three points multiple times in the fourth quarter, with [[Austin Reaves]] scoring 11 of his 23 points in the final quarter. However, the Lakers couldn't fully recover from their slow start, as the Nuggets improved to 7–0 at home this postseason.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 18 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=103
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''108'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-den-0042200312 Recap]
|Q1=27–27 |Q2='''26'''–21 |Q3=26–'''28''' |Q4=24–'''32'''
|points1=[[LeBron James|James]], [[Austin Reaves|Reaves]] 22 each |points2=[[Jamal Murray]] 37
|rebounds1=[[Anthony Davis]] 14 |rebounds2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 17
|assist1=LeBron James 10 |assist2=Nikola Jokić 12
|attendance=19,742
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], David Guthrie, Brian Forte
|series=Denver leads series, 2–0
}} Behind [[Jamal Murray]]'s 23-point fourth quarter performance, the Nuggets took a commanding 2–0 series lead in the conference finals for the first time in franchise history. Although Murray was 5-of-17 from the field entering the fourth quarter, he shot 6-of-7 from the field and scored 23 of the Nuggets' 32 fourth quarter points. Murray's performance fueled a pivotal 15–1 run that gave Denver a lead they would not relinquish. [[Nikola Jokić]] also recorded his 13th playoff triple-double, contributing 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 12 assists as Denver moved to 39–4 at home this season with Jokić on the floor. Meanwhile, [[Rui Hachimura]] shot 7-for-7 in the first half and finished with 21 points for the Lakers, while [[Austin Reaves]] scored 22 points. However, the star duo of [[LeBron James]] and [[Anthony Davis]] shot a combined 13-of-34 from the floor, with James going 0-of-10 from beyond the arc in the first two games of the series.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 20 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(5:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''119'''
|team2=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score2=108
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-lal-0042200313 Recap]
|Q1='''32'''–20 |Q2=26–'''35''' |Q3=26–'''27''' |Q4='''35'''–26
|points1=[[Jamal Murray]] 37 |points2=[[Anthony Davis]] 28
|rebounds1=[[Michael Porter Jr.]] 10 |rebounds2=Anthony Davis 18
|assist1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 8 |assist2=[[LeBron James]] 12
|attendance=18,997
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Mark Lindsay
|series=Denver leads series, 3–0
}} After the [[Memphis Grizzlies]] and [[Golden State Warriors]] were both blown out in their first road game against the Lakers, the Nuggets flipped the script, as they handed the Lakers their first home loss since March 26 and moved to the brink of their first NBA Finals appearance. Trailing by one with under eight minutes remaining, the Nuggets orchestrated a decisive 13–0 run, capitalizing on a disciplined team performance that yielded 30 assists to just five turnovers. [[Jamal Murray]] picked up where he left off in Game 2, as he scored 30 of his 37 points in the first half, while [[Nikola Jokić]] scored 15 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter. [[Anthony Davis]] led the Lakers with 28 points and 18 rebounds, [[LeBron James]] contributed 23 points and 12 assists, and [[Austin Reaves]] contributed 23 points and seven rebounds. However, Los Angeles lacked scoring depth, as [[Rui Hachimura]] was the only other player to reach double figures.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 22 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(5:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''113'''
|team2=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score2=111
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-lal-0042200314 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''34''' |Q2=30–'''39''' |Q3='''36'''–16 |Q4=19–'''22'''
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 30 |points2=[[LeBron James]] 40
|rebounds1=Nikola Jokić 14 |rebounds2=[[Anthony Davis]] 14
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 13 |assist2=LeBron James 9
|attendance=18,997
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, Tre Maddox
|series=Denver wins series, 4–0
}} The Nuggets exorcised their playoff demons against the Lakers and advanced to their first NBA Finals in their 47-year history. Denver faced a 15-point halftime deficit but opened the second half on a 36–14 run. Los Angeles tied the game in the closing minutes after erasing a seven-point deficit, but [[Nikola Jokić]]'s 25-foot fallaway three-pointer and go-ahead layup sealed the Nuggets' first playoff series sweep in franchise history. Jokić broke an NBA playoff record with his eighth triple-double of the playoffs, recording 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists, while [[Jamal Murray]] and [[Aaron Gordon]] contributed 25 and 22 points, respectively. [[LeBron James]] matched his playoff career-high as a Laker with 40 points, ten boards, and nine assists, as his 31 points in the first half marked the highest-scoring playoff half of his career. However, James missed critical shots, including a potential game-tying shot that was blocked by Gordon in the final seconds. [[Anthony Davis]] contributed 21 points and 14 rebounds, and [[Austin Reaves]] scored 17 points as the Lakers were swept for the 11th time in team history.

Jokić was awarded the second annual [[NBA Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award|Western Conference finals MVP]], averaging 27.8 points, 14.5 rebounds, and 11.8 assists on 51% from the field, 47% from beyond the arc, and 78% from the free-throw line.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 26, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-den-0022200064 Recap]
| team1 = [[Los Angeles Lakers]] | score1 = 99
| team2 = '''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' | score2 = '''110'''
| place = [[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = October 30, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-lal-0022200095 Recap]
| team1 = Denver Nuggets | score1 = 110
| team2 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score2 = '''121'''
| place = [[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 16, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-lal-0022200437 Recap]
| team1 = Denver Nuggets | score1 = 108
| team2 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score2 = '''126'''
| place = Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 9, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-den-0022200609 Recap]
| team1 = Los Angeles Lakers | score1 = 109
| team2 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score2 = '''122'''
| place = Ball Arena, Denver, CO
}}
|}

This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first seven meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DEN&opp_id=LAL&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=May 13, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoffs series
|-
!LA Lakers lead 7–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1979
| team1 = [[Denver Nuggets]] | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' | score2 = 2
| place = [[1979 NBA playoffs#(4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) Los Angeles Lakers|1979 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1985
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 1
| place = [[1985 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (2) Denver Nuggets|1985 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1987
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 3
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 0
| place = [[1987 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Denver Nuggets|1987 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2008
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 0
| place = [[2008 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Denver Nuggets|2008 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2009
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 2
| place = [[2009 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (2) Denver Nuggets|2009 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2012
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 3
| place = [[2012 NBA playoffs#(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Denver Nuggets|2012 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2020
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 1
| place = [[2020 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Denver Nuggets|2020 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
|}

==NBA Finals: (W1) Denver Nuggets vs. (E8) Miami Heat==
{{Main article|2023 NBA Finals}}
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 1 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=93
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''104'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-den-0042200401 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''29''' |Q2=22–'''30''' |Q3=21–'''25''' |Q4='''30'''–20
|points1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 26 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 27
|rebounds1=Bam Adebayo 13 |rebounds2=[[Michael Porter Jr.]] 13
|assist1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 7 |assist2=Nikola Jokić 14
|attendance=19,528
|referee=Marc Davis, David Guthrie, Ed Malloy
|series=Denver leads series, 1–0
}}
{{Basketballbox |date=June 4 |time=8:00 pm {{small|(6:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''111'''
|team2=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score2=108
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-den-0042200402 Recap]
|Q1='''26'''–23 |Q2=25–'''34''' |Q3=24–'''26''' |Q4='''36'''–25
|points1=[[Gabe Vincent]] 23 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 41
|rebounds1=[[Kevin Love]] 10 |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 11
|assist1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 9 |assist2=[[Jamal Murray]] 10
|attendance=19,537
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], John Goble, Courtney Kirkland
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 7 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''109'''
|team2=[[Miami Heat]] |score2=94
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-mia-0042200403 Recap]
|Q1=24–24 |Q2='''29'''–24 |Q3='''29'''–20 |Q4='''27'''–26
|points1=[[Jamal Murray]] 34 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 28
|rebounds1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 21 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 17
|assist1=Jokić, Murray 10 each |assist2=[[Kyle Lowry|Lowry]], [[Max Strus|Strus]] 5 each
|attendance=20,019
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Josh Tiven, Kevin Scott
|series=Denver leads series, 2–1
}}
{{Basketballbox |date=June 9 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''108'''
|team2=[[Miami Heat]] |score2=95
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-mia-0042200404 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''21''' |Q2='''35'''–30 |Q3='''31'''–22 |Q4=22–22
|points1=[[Aaron Gordon]] 27 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 25
|rebounds1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 12 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 11
|assist1=[[Jamal Murray]] 12 |assist2=Butler, [[Kyle Lowry|Lowry]] 7 each
|attendance=20,184
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], James Williams, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]]
|series=Denver leads series, 3–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 12 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=89
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''94'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-den-0042200405 Recap]
|Q1='''24'''–22 |Q2='''27'''–22 |Q3=20–'''26''' |Q4=18–'''24'''
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 21 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 28
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 12 |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 16
|assist1=Jimmy Butler 5 |assist2=[[Jamal Murray]] 8
|attendance=19,537
|referee=Marc Davis, David Guthrie, Josh Tiven
|series=Denver wins series, 4–1
}}

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Denver won 2–0 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 30, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-den-0022200535 Recap]
| team1 = [[Miami Heat]] | score1 = 119
| team2 = '''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' | score2 = '''124'''
| place = [[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 13, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-mia-0022200861 Recap]
| team1 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score1 = '''112'''
| team2 = Miami Heat | score2 = 108
| place = [[Miami-Dade Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]]
}}
|}

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DEN&opp_id=MIA&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Miami Heat (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|date=May 30, 2023|access-date=May 30, 2023}}</ref>

==Statistical leaders==
{|class=wikitable style="text-align:left;"
|-
!rowspan=2|Category !!colspan=3|Game High !!colspan=4|Average
|-
! Player !! Team !! High !! Player !! Team !! Avg. !! {{tooltip|GP|Games played}}
|-
| [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| [[Jimmy Butler]]|| [[Miami Heat]] || 56
| [[Devin Booker]] || [[Phoenix Suns]] || 33.7 || 11
|-
| [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| [[Kevon Looney]] [[Anthony Davis]] || [[Golden State Warriors]] [[Los Angeles Lakers]] || 23
| Anthony Davis || Los Angeles Lakers || 14.1 || 16
|-
| [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
| [[Nikola Jokić]] || [[Denver Nuggets]] || 17
| [[Trae Young]] || [[Atlanta Hawks]] || 10.2 || 6
|-
| [[Steal (basketball)|Steals]]
| Jimmy Butler || Miami Heat || 6
| [[De'Aaron Fox]] || [[Sacramento Kings]] || 2.1 || 7
|-
| [[Block (basketball)|Blocks]]
| Anthony Davis || Los Angeles Lakers || 7
| Anthony Davis || Los Angeles Lakers || 3.1 || 16
|}

== Playoff Statistic Total Leaders ==
'''Points'''

# Nikola Jokić - 600
# Jimmy Butler - 592
# Jayson Tatum - 543
# Jamal Murray - 522
# Jaylen Brown - 453

'''Rebounds'''

# Nikola Jokić - 269
# Bam Adebayo - 227
# Anthony Davis - 225
# Jayson Tatum - 210
# Kevon Looney - 170

'''Assists'''

# Nikola Jokić - 190
# Jamal Murray - 142
# Jimmy Butler - 129
# Jayson Tatum - 105
# LeBron James - 104

'''Steals'''

# Jimmy Butler - 39
# Jamal Murray - 30
# Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - 26
# Marcus Smart - 25
# Kyle Lowry - 24

'''Blocks'''

# Anthony Davis - 50
# Al Horford - 34
# Robert Williams - 25
# Joel Embiid - 25
# Jayson Tatum - 21

==Media coverage==
In the United States, games aired nationally across [[NBA on ABC|ABC]], [[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]], [[NBA on TNT|TNT]], and [[NBA TV]]. Each team's regional broadcaster televised local coverage of first-round games, with the exception of weekend games on ABC.{{efn|Game 3 of the Cavaliers–Knicks first round series aired nationally on ABC and co-existed with the teams' respective regional sports networks.}} In general during the first two rounds, ABC broadcast Sunday afternoon games, TNT aired Sunday through Wednesday night games, and ESPN televised Friday night games. For Thursday night games, TNT had them in the first round and ESPN in the second round. NBA TV also televised selected Tuesday through Thursday night first-round games. ABC also aired a Friday night first-round game, and ESPN televised a Sunday afternoon second-round game due to ABC's coverage of the [[Miami Grand Prix]]. Saturday first-round games were split, with ESPN airing five games, TNT two games, and ABC one game. TNT then aired the opening Saturday second-round game (in place of any potential first-round game 7's that were originally scheduled on that day). ABC aired the remaining Saturday second-round games. As per the alternating rotation, ESPN/ABC had exclusive coverage of the Western Conference finals while TNT had exclusive coverage of the Eastern Conference finals. ABC had exclusive coverage of the NBA Finals for the 21st straight year.<ref>{{cite web|title=ESPN and ABC's star-studded 2022-23 NBA television schedule|url=https://www.nba.com/news/espn-and-abcs-star-studded-2022-23-nba-television-schedule|work=NBA.com|date=August 17, 2022|access-date=March 19, 2023|archive-date=March 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230319225334/https://www.nba.com/news/espn-and-abcs-star-studded-2022-23-nba-television-schedule|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=NBA Playoffs TV schedule|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-playoff-tv-schedule-2023-espn-abc-tnt-stream-live/|work=Sports Media Watch|access-date=April 14, 2023|archive-date=April 14, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230414054821/https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-playoff-tv-schedule-2023-espn-abc-tnt-stream-live/|url-status=live}}</ref> Select ESPN broadcasts received an alternate presentation similar to [[Manningcast]], anchored by [[Stephen A. Smith]] on [[ESPN2]] and streamed on [[ESPN+]] as ''NBA in Stephen A's World''.<ref name="StevenA">{{cite web|url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2023/04/espns-nba-in-stephen-as-world-alternate-presentation-returns-april-12-for-nba-play-in-tournament-coverage/|title=ESPN's NBA in Stephen A's World Alternate Presentation Returns April 12 for NBA Play-In Tournament Coverage|last=Rajan|first=Ronce|publisher=ESPN Interactive|website=ESPNPressroom.com|date=April 11, 2023|access-date=April 17, 2023}}</ref>

NBA TV games were available on [[NBA League Pass]] as part of its normal streaming service for that channel.<ref name=NBATVRound1>{{cite press release|url=https://wbd.com/nba-tvs-2023-nba-playoffs-coverage-to-tip-off-with-atlanta-hawks-visiting-boston-celtics-first-round-game-2-on-tuesday-april-18-at-7-p-m-et/|title=NBA TV's 2023 NBA Playoffs Coverage to Tip Off with Atlanta Hawks Visiting Boston Celtics, First Round Game 2, on Tuesday, April 18, at 7 p.m. ET |publisher=Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc|website=www.wbd.com|date=April 14, 2023}}</ref> Only selected ESPN/ABC games streamed live on ESPN+. For other games, live streams were only available for pay-TV subscribers via [[authenticated streaming]] on ESPN and TNT's respective apps.<ref name=StevenA/><ref name=ESPNRound1>{{cite web|url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2023/04/espn-platforms-to-televise-at-least-12-first-round-games-as-nba-playoffs-presented-by-google-pixel-begin/|title=ESPN Platforms to Televise at Least 12 First Round Games as NBA Playoffs Presented by Google Pixel Begin|last=Hughes Martin|first=Katie|publisher=ESPN Interactive|website=ESPNPressroom.com|date=April 13, 2023|access-date=April 17, 2023}}</ref><ref name=TNTRound1>{{cite press release|url=https://wbd.com/nba-on-tnts-2023-nba-playoffs-coverage-to-tip-off-with-three-games-on-sunday-april-16-followed-by-daily-doubleheaders-monday-april-17-thursday-april-20/|title=NBA on TNT's 2023 NBA Playoffs Coverage to Tip Off with Three Games on Sunday, April 16, Followed by Daily Doubleheaders, Monday, April 17-Thursday, April 20|publisher=Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc|website=www.wbd.com|date=April 14, 2023}}</ref> In Canada, coverage was split between [[Sportsnet]] and [[The Sports Network|TSN]], with both simulcasting the U.S. national feed.

=== Most viewed playoff games ===

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Rank || Round || Date || Game || class="unsortable" | Away team || class="unsortable" | Score || class="unsortable" | Home team || Network || data-sort-type="number" | Viewers (millions) || data-sort-type="number" | TV rating
|-
|1
|[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]
|June 12
|Game 5
|[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]
|89–94
|'''[[2022-23 Denver Nuggets season|Nuggets]]'''
|rowspan="1"|[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|13.08<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=NBA Finals ends with four-year Game 5 high|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-ratings-nuggets-heat-most-watched-game-five-four-years/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 13, 2023|access-date=June 13, 2023}}</ref>
|7.0
|-
|2
|[[2023 NBA playoffs#(2) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Miami Heat|Eastern Conference Finals]]
|May 29
|Game 7
|'''[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]'''
|103–84
|[[2022-23 Boston Celtics season|Celtics]]
|rowspan="1"|[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|12.00<ref name="Lewis">{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Twelve million viewers for Heat-Celtics Game 7|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/05/heat-celtics-ratings-game-seven-viewership-most-watched-years-tnt/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 1, 2023|access-date=June 17, 2023}}</ref>
|5.8
|-
|3
|[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]
|June 4
|Game 2
|'''[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]'''
|111–108
|[[2022-23 Denver Nuggets season|Nuggets]]
|rowspan="5"|[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|11.91<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=NBA Finals Game 2 viewership same as last year|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-ratings-game-two-viewership-same-last-year-heat-nuggets/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 6, 2023|access-date=June 6, 2023|archive-date=June 6, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606154920/https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-ratings-game-two-viewership-same-last-year-heat-nuggets/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|6.0
|-
|4
|[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]
|June 1
|Game 1
|[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]
|93–104
|'''[[2022-23 Denver Nuggets season|Nuggets]]'''
|11.58<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Heat-Nuggets opens within 3% of C's-Warriors|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-game-1-ratings-heat-nuggets-nearly-matches-celtics-warriors/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 5, 2023|access-date=June 5, 2023|archive-date=June 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605183302/https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-game-1-ratings-heat-nuggets-nearly-matches-celtics-warriors/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|6.0
|-
|5
|[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]
|June 7
|Game 3
|'''[[2022-23 Denver Nuggets season|Nuggets]]'''
|109–94
|[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]
|11.24<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Nuggets-Heat again just slightly off last year's pace|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nuggets-heat-finals-ratings-viewership-down-slightly-warriors-celtics/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 8, 2023|access-date=June 9, 2023|archive-date=June 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609032550/https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nuggets-heat-finals-ratings-viewership-down-slightly-warriors-celtics/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|6.0
|-
|6
|[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]
|June 9
|Game 4
|'''[[2022-23 Denver Nuggets season|Nuggets]]'''
|108–95
|[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]
|10.41<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Nuggets-Heat hits series-low in Game 4|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-ratings-game-four-nuggets-heat-least-watched/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 12, 2023|access-date=June 12, 2023}}</ref>
|5.4
|-
|7
|[[2023 NBA playoffs#(3) Sacramento Kings vs. (6) Golden State Warriors|Western Conference First Round]]
|April 30
|Game 7
|'''[[2022-23 Golden State Warriors season|Warriors]]'''
|120–100
|[[2022-23 Sacramento Kings season|Kings]]
|9.84<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Warriors-Kings finale nears 10 million, top first round game since '99|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/05/warriors-kings-game-7-ratings-abc-nba-playoffs-viewership-heat-knicks/|date=May 2, 2023|access-date=June 17, 2023}}</ref>
|5.0
|-
|8
|[[2023 NBA playoffs#(2) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Miami Heat|Eastern Conference Finals]]
|May 27
|Game 6
|'''[[2022-23 Boston Celtics season|Celtics]]'''
|104–103
|[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]
|rowspan="1"|[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|8.71<ref name="Lewis"/>
|4.0
|-
|9
|[[2023 NBA playoffs#(6) Golden State Warriors vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers|Western Conference Semifinals]]
|May 12
|Game 6
|[[2022-23 Golden State Warriors season|Warriors]]
|101–122
|'''[[2022-23 Los Angeles Lakers season|Lakers]]'''
|rowspan="1"|[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|8.64<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Lakers-Warriors most-watched semifinal series since 1996|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/05/lakers-warriors-ratings-viewership-series-high-game-six/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=May 15, 2023|access-date=June 17, 2023}}</ref>
|4.3
|-
|10
|[[2023 NBA playoffs#(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|Eastern Conference Semifinals]]
|May 14
|Game 7
|[[2022-23 Philadelphia 76ers season|76ers]]
|88–112
|'''[[2022-23 Boston Celtics season|Celtics]]'''
|rowspan="1"|[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|8.44<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Celtics' Game 7 rout of Sixers latest big number for NBA|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/05/celtics-sixers-game-seven-ratings-abc-nba-playoff-viewership-strong/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=May 15, 2023|access-date=June 17, 2023}}</ref>
|3.9
|}

==Sponsorship==
For the second straight year, the playoffs were officially known as the "2023 NBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel". During the multiyear agreement with [[Google Pixel]], this sponsorship provided the logo branding inside the venues and in official digital properties on-court, as well as commercial inventory during ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV's telecasts of the playoff games.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://theathletic.com/news/nba-reaches-deal-to-make-google-pixel-first-presenting-partner-of-nba-playoffs/vdNiFbAdZ5JR/|title=NBA reaches deal to make Google Pixel first presenting partner of NBA playoffs|website=TheAthletic.com|date=October 18, 2021|access-date=March 31, 2023|archive-date=December 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221224182327/https://theathletic.com/news/nba-reaches-deal-to-make-google-pixel-first-presenting-partner-of-nba-playoffs/vdNiFbAdZ5JR/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==See also==
* [[NBA records]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Sports}}
*[https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_2023.html Basketball – Reference.com's 2023 Playoffs section]

{{NBAPlayoffs}}
{{2022–23 NBA season by team}}

[[Category:2022–23 NBA season|Playoffs]]
[[Category:National Basketball Association playoffs]]

2023 NBA playoffs

2023-12-16T06:23:31Z

Rangers00: Undid revision 1190149984 by Rangers00 (talk)

{{Short description|Professional basketball tournament to determine the 2023 champion of the NBA}}
{{use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox basketball tournament season
| title = NBA playoffs
| image =
| year = 2023
| season = [[2022–23 NBA season|2022–23]]
| dates = April 15 – June 12, 2023
| num_teams = 16
| winners = [[2022–23 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]]
| count = 1
| second = [[2022–23 Miami Heat season|Miami Heat]]
| semifinal1 = [[2022–23 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]]
| semifinal2 = [[2022–23 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]]
| prev_season = [[2022 NBA playoffs|2022]]
| next_season = [[NBA playoffs|2024]]
}}
The '''2023 NBA playoffs''' was the [[NBA playoffs|postseason tournament]] of the [[National Basketball Association]]'s [[2022–23 NBA season|2022–23 season]]. The playoffs began on April 15 and concluded on June 12 with the [[Denver Nuggets]] winning the [[2023 NBA Finals]].

==Overview==
{{Prose|section|date=June 2023}}

===Updates to postseason appearances===
* The [[2022–23 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]] entered the postseason for the seventh consecutive season and also clinched the best record in the NBA for the third time in the last five seasons.
* The [[2022–23 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]] entered the postseason for the fifth consecutive season and also clinched the best record in the Western Conference for the first time in franchise history.
** The Nuggets also entered the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.
* The [[2022–23 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]] entered the postseason for the ninth consecutive season, currently the longest such streak in the NBA and the second longest playoffs streak in Major North American Sports behind the [[MLB]]'s [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] after the [[NHL]]'s [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] missed the [[2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs]] for the first time in 16 years.
* The [[2022–23 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]] entered the postseason for the sixth consecutive season.
* The [[2022–23 Brooklyn Nets season|Brooklyn Nets]] entered the postseason for the fifth consecutive season.
* The [[2022–23 Miami Heat season|Miami Heat]] entered the postseason for the fourth consecutive season.
** The Heat also entered the NBA Finals for the first time since [[2020 NBA Finals|2020]] and the seventh time in franchise history.
* The [[2022–23 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis Grizzlies]], [[2022–23 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]], and [[2022–23 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks]] entered the postseason for the third consecutive season.
* The [[2022–23 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]] and [[2022–23 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota Timberwolves]] entered the postseason for the second consecutive season.
* The [[2022–23 New York Knicks season|New York Knicks]], [[2022–23 Los Angeles Clippers season|Los Angeles Clippers]], and [[2022–23 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] entered the postseason for the first time since [[2021 NBA playoffs|2021]].
* The [[2022–23 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland Cavaliers]] entered the postseason for the first time since [[2017–18 Cleveland Cavaliers season|2018]], and the first time without [[LeBron James]] on their roster since [[1997–98 Cleveland Cavaliers season|1998]].
* The [[2022–23 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento Kings]] entered the postseason for the first time since [[2005–06 Sacramento Kings season|2006]], snapping the [[List of NBA franchise post-season droughts|longest postseason drought in NBA history]].
* The [[2022–23 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas Mavericks]] missed the postseason for the first time since [[2018–19 Dallas Mavericks season|2019]].
* The [[2022–23 Utah Jazz season|Utah Jazz]] missed the postseason for the first time since [[2015–16 Utah Jazz season|2016]].
* The [[2022–23 Charlotte Hornets season|Charlotte Hornets]] missed the postseason for the seventh consecutive season, currently the longest active postseason drought in the NBA.

===Notable occurrences===
* For the first time since the [[2000–01 NBA season|2000–01 season]], no team won at least 60 games in an 82-game regular season.{{Efn|Excluding the [[2011–12 NBA season|2011–12]] season, which was shortened due to the [[2011 NBA lockout|lockout]], and the [[2019–20 NBA season|2019–20]] and [[2020–21 NBA season|2020–21 seasons]], both of which were shortened due to the [[Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on basketball|COVID-19 pandemic]].}}
* This season marked the first time since the [[2004–05 NBA season|2004–05 season]] that two of the league's top three scorers ([[Luka Dončić]] and [[Damian Lillard]]) failed to reach the playoffs.
* All three Texas teams ([[Dallas Mavericks|Dallas]], [[Houston Rockets|Houston]], and [[San Antonio Spurs|San Antonio]]) missed the playoffs in the same season for the first time since the Mavericks formed in [[1980–81 NBA season|1980]]. This also marked the first time since [[1976 NBA playoffs|1976]] that Texas did not appear in the playoffs.
* All four California teams ([[Golden State Warriors|Golden State]], [[Los Angeles Clippers|LA Clippers]], [[Los Angeles Lakers|LA Lakers]], and [[Sacramento Kings|Sacramento]]) made the playoffs in the same season for the first time since the Kings relocated to Sacramento in [[1985–86 NBA season|1985]].
* All five teams from the [[Pacific Division (NBA)|Pacific Division]] qualified for the playoffs, marking the third instance every team in a division qualified for the playoffs since the NBA adopted the current six division format in [[2004–05 NBA season|2004–05]]. Previously, all five teams from the [[Central Division (NBA)|Central Division]] during the [[2005–06 NBA season|2005–06]] season and the [[Southwest Division (NBA)|Southwest Division]] during the [[2014–15 NBA season|2014–15]] season qualified for the playoffs.
* A No. 10 seed advanced to the second stage of the play-in tournament for the first time since the implementation of the [[Page playoff system|Page–McIntyre system]] in [[NBA play-in tournament#2021|2021]].
* The [[Miami Heat]] became the first team since the [[2000–01 Indiana Pacers season|2001 Indiana Pacers]] to drop from a No. 1 seed in the playoffs to a No. 8 seed the following year.

====First Round====
* The [[Philadelphia 76ers]] swept the [[Brooklyn Nets]], marking the 47th year in a row that a sweep occurred. The last time a sweep did not occur was in [[1976 NBA playoffs|1976]]. This was the 183rd series sweep in NBA playoffs history.
* [[Ja Morant]] scored 22 straight points for the [[Memphis Grizzlies]] in game 3 against the Los Angeles Lakers, becoming the first player to score at least 22 straight points for their team in a playoff game since [[Kobe Bryant]] in [[2010 NBA playoffs|2010]].
* [[Jimmy Butler]] became the sixth player in NBA history to score 56 or more points in a playoff game, joining [[Michael Jordan]] (twice), [[Elgin Baylor]], [[Donovan Mitchell]], [[Charles Barkley]], and [[Wilt Chamberlain]].
* [[Devin Booker]] became the third player since 1997 to score at least 25 points in a quarter in a playoff game, joining Damian Lillard (25 in [[2019 NBA playoffs|2019]]) and [[Allen Iverson]] (26 in [[2001 NBA playoffs|2001]]).
* Devin Booker and [[Kevin Durant]] became the first duo in playoff history to each score 25+ points in each of their first six games of a postseason.
* The [[New York Knicks]] won a playoff series for the first time since [[2013 NBA playoffs|2013]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/knicks-close-out-cavaliers-to-win-first-playoff-series-since-2013-but-julius-randles-health-a-concern/|title=Knicks close out Cavaliers to win first playoff series since 2013, but Julius Randle's health a concern|work=CBS Sports|date=April 26, 2023|author=Kaskey-Blomain, Michael}}</ref>
* [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] missed 13 free throws in game 5 against the Heat, marking the most free throw misses in a playoff game since [[DeAndre Jordan]] in [[2015 NBA playoffs|2015]], and the most misses in any game (regular season or playoffs) since [[Ben Simmons]] in [[2017–18 NBA season|2017]].
* The Heat became the first [[NBA play-in tournament|play–in]] team in NBA history to win a playoff series.
* The eighth-seeded Heat defeated the top-seeded [[Milwaukee Bucks]] in five games, marking the sixth instance in NBA history of an 8th-seeded team defeating a 1st-seeded team in the first round, following previous instances in [[1994 NBA playoffs|1994]], [[1999 NBA playoffs|1999]], [[2007 NBA playoffs|2007]], [[2011 NBA playoffs|2011]], and [[2012 NBA playoffs|2012]]. Additionally, this was the fourth time such an upset occurred in a best-of-seven series, and the first to be completed in fewer than six games.
* The seventh-seeded Lakers defeated the second-seeded Grizzlies in six games, marking the sixth instance in NBA history of a 7th-seeded team defeating a 2nd-seeded team in the first round, following previous instances in [[1987 NBA playoffs|1987]], [[1989 NBA playoffs|1989]], [[1991 NBA playoffs|1991]], [[1998 NBA playoffs|1998]], and [[2010 NBA playoffs|2010]]. Additionally, this was only the second time such an upset occurred in a best-of-seven series.
* A seventh-seed (Lakers) and an eighth-seed (Heat) both advanced in the first round of the playoffs, marking the first time this happened since the 16-team format began in [[1984 NBA playoffs|1984]]. In all previous instances when a seventh or eighth seed advanced, only one or the other advanced (not both).
* The Kings–Warriors series was the first of the 2023 playoffs to have a game 7, making it the 24th consecutive NBA postseason to feature a game 7. The last time a game 7 did not occur in the playoffs was [[1999 NBA playoffs|1999]]. This was the 148th game 7 in NBA playoffs history.
* [[Stephen Curry]]'s 50 points against the Kings was the first 50-point performance in a game 7 in NBA history.

====Conference semifinals====
* This was the first time in NBA history that every seed number from 1 through 8 made it to the second round across both conferences.
* The sixth-seeded Warriors had home-court advantage in the western semifinals, becoming the lowest seed to have home-court advantage since the sixth-seeded [[Houston Rockets]] in [[1987 NBA playoffs|1987]].
* [[P. J. Tucker]] had zero field goal attempts and zero free throw attempts in 37 minutes played against the [[Boston Celtics]], marking the most minutes played without a field goal or free throw attempt in a playoff game in the [[shot clock|shot-clock]] era (since [[1954–55 NBA season|1954–55]]).
* Devin Booker's 35.9 points per game were the most through a player's first ten games of a postseason since Michael Jordan in [[1990 NBA playoffs|1990]].
* The [[Denver Nuggets]]' 81 first half points in game 6 against the [[Phoenix Suns]] were the most in a first half by an away team in postseason history.
* [[Jalen Brunson]] became the fourth player in NBA history to make more field goals than the rest of the team combined in an elimination game, joining [[LeBron James]] (twice), Kobe Bryant, and [[Penny Hardaway]].
* With the defending champion Warriors losing to the Los Angeles Lakers, the 2023 playoffs marked the fourth straight year where the defending champion was eliminated before the conference finals.
* The Warriors lost a playoff series to a Western Conference opponent for the first time since [[2014 NBA playoffs|2014]], when the [[2013–14 Los Angeles Clippers season|Los Angeles Clippers]] defeated them in seven games.
* With the Lakers' series win over the Warriors, LeBron James earned his 41st career playoff series win, setting a new NBA record for the most career playoff series wins and surpassing [[Derek Fisher]]'s previous record of 40.
* After losing Game 5 in the Warriors series, LeBron James lost 3 consecutive games at the first chance of clinching a series. The streak included Game 5 losses to the Grizzlies in the previous round and to the Heat in the 2020 Finals. Before the current losing streak, James won 5 straight and 15 of his last 16.
* [[Jayson Tatum]]'s 51 points against the 76ers were the most in a game 7 in NBA history.
** Additionally, his 51 points and zero turnovers set a playoff record for the most points in a game without any turnovers.
* There have been four 50-point games this postseason, the most in a single postseason.

====Conference finals====
* The Heat became the second eight-seeded team to reach the conference finals, joining the [[1998–99 New York Knicks season|1999 New York Knicks]].<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/heat-become-first-eighth-seed-reach-conference-finals-24-years-2023-05-13/ Heat become first eighth seed to reach Conference finals in 24 years], [[Reuters]], May 13, 2023</ref>
** The Heat also became the first eight-seeded team to reach the conference finals in a full 82-game season, as the [[1998–99 NBA season|1998–99 season]] was shortened due to a [[1998–99 NBA lockout|lockout]].
* The Lakers became the second seven-seeded team to reach the conference finals, joining the [[1986–87 Seattle SuperSonics season|1987 Seattle SuperSonics]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lakeshowlife.com/2023/05/01/lakers-farthest-7-seed-advanced-nba-playoffs|title= Lakers: What's the farthest a 7 seed has advanced in the NBA Playoffs?|work=LakeShowLife|author=Reed, Jason|date= May 2023}}</ref>
* All four teams in the conference finals from the [[2020 NBA playoffs|2020 Bubble]] returned to the 2023 conference finals.
** Like the aforementioned season, the Heat and Celtics have both beaten the Bucks and 76ers, respectively. The Heat also had beaten the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals.
* The Heat became the fifth team to win the series opener on the road in each of their first three playoff series, joining the [[1980–81 Houston Rockets season|1981 Houston Rockets]], [[1988–89 Chicago Bulls season|1989 Chicago Bulls]], 1999 New York Knicks, and [[2020–21 Atlanta Hawks season|2021 Atlanta Hawks]].
* The Heat became the first eight-seeded team since the 1999 Knicks to go up 3–0 in a series.
* The Heat became the first eight-seeded team to win a playoff game by more than 25 points.
* The Celtics lost their 6th game 7 at home, while no other team has lost more than three.
* This was the second instance (following the [[2015 NBA playoffs|2015 playoffs]]) where both conference finals series had teams go up 3–0 in the series.
* [[Nikola Jokić]] recorded his eighth [[triple-double]] of the 2023 playoffs in game 4 against the Lakers, breaking the record held by Wilt Chamberlain for the [[List of National Basketball Association career playoff triple-double leaders|most triple-doubles]] in a single postseason.
* The Nuggets beat the Lakers 4–0 in the conference finals, marking their first playoff series sweep in franchise history.
** The Nuggets also became the last of the four teams from the [[American Basketball Association]] to reach the NBA Finals.
** The Nuggets also eliminated the Lakers in the playoffs for the first time in eight encounters, having been eliminated by the Lakers in 1979, 1985, 1987, 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2020.
* The Nuggets became the 4th Western Conference team to sweep the Lakers en route to their first championship, following the footsteps of the Trail Blazers (1977), the Spurs (1999) and the Mavericks (2011).
* Since the Lakers joined the league in 1948-49, of the nine teams that won their first NBA championships while representing the West, seven of them eliminated the Lakers en route to their titles. In 2023, the Nuggets joined the Royals (1951), the Bucks (1971), the Trail Blazers (1977), the SuperSonics (1979), the Spurs (1999) and the Mavericks (2011). Only the 1958 Hawks and the 1994 Rockets did not do so.
* This marked the third time LeBron James was swept in a playoff series. The last two times he was swept were in the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs in [[2007 NBA Finals|2007]] and the Golden State Warriors in [[2018 NBA Finals|2018]].
* Jokić became the second player to average a triple-double in multiple playoff series in a single postseason, joining Wilt Chamberlain in [[1967 NBA playoffs|1967]].
* The Celtics became the fourth team ever to force a game 7 after trailing 0–3 in a series, and the first team to do so since [[2003 NBA playoffs|2003]].
** Additionally, the Celtics became the first team to host a game 7 after trailing 0–3.
* [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] became the second player in NBA history to hit a buzzer-beater with his team trailing and facing elimination, joining Michael Jordan's "[[The Shot]]" in [[1989 NBA playoffs|1989]].
** It was also the sixth game-winning buzzer-beater when facing elimination in NBA history, and the first since [[Kawhi Leonard]] in [[2019 NBA playoffs|2019]]. Coincidentally, Jimmy Butler has been on the losing side of three of those buzzer-beaters.
* [[Jaylen Brown]] became the fifth player with 8+ turnovers in a game 7 since individual turnovers were tracked in 1978, joining [[Shawn Kemp]], LeBron James, Donovan Mitchell, and [[Joel Embiid]].
* After Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, the Lakers lost six consecutive games while facing playoff elimination. The streak included Game 6 vs. the Suns (2021), Game 4 vs. the Spurs (2013), Game 5 vs. the Thunder (2012), Game 4 vs. the Mavericks and Game 6 vs. the Celtics (2008). They also lost 15 out of their last 16. Before winning Game 5 of the 2008 Finals against the Celtics, they also lost Game 5 vs. the Suns (2007), Game 7 vs. the Suns (2006), Game 5 vs. the Pistons (2004), Game 6 vs. the Spurs (2003), Game 4 vs. the Spurs (1999), Game 4 vs. the Jazz (1998), Game 5 vs. the Jazz (1997), Game 4 vs. the Rockets (1996), and Game 6 vs. the Spurs (1995).

====NBA Finals====
* The Heat became the second eight-seeded team to reach the NBA Finals, joining the 1999 New York Knicks. Coincidentally, both the Knicks and the Heat beat each other during their respective run to the Finals.
** The Heat also became the first eight-seeded team to reach the Finals in a full 82-game season, as the [[1998–99 NBA season|1998–99 season]] was shortened due to a [[1998–99 NBA lockout|lockout]].
** For the first time, an NHL and NBA team from the same metro area made the final as the lowest seed in the same season. Ironically, both the Heat and the [[Florida Panthers]] would lose to the [[Vegas Golden Knights|number 1 seed]] in the Western Conference in 5 games.
* The Heat became the first team to make the NBA Finals after making the playoffs via the Play-In tournament.
* The Heat became the third team in NBA history to finish last in PPG (points per game) during the regular season and reach the NBA Finals, joining the [[1955–56 Fort Wayne Pistons season|1956 Fort Wayne Pistons]] and [[1963–64 San Francisco Warriors season|1964 San Francisco Warriors]].
* In game 1, the Heat had two free throw attempts, breaking the NBA record for the fewest free throw attempts in a playoff game. The previous playoff record was three, by the [[New Jersey Nets]] in 1993 and the previous Finals record was five, by the [[Los Angeles Lakers]] in 1983.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Linn |first=Joey |date=2023-06-01 |title=Miami Heat Set Bad Record in NBA Finals Game 1 |url=https://www.si.com/nba/nuggets/news/miami-heat-set-bad-nba-record-nba-finals-game-1 |access-date=2023-06-02 |website=Sports Illustrated Denver Nuggets News, Analysis and More |language=en}}</ref>
* The Heat collected their 13th win of the playoffs in game 2 against the Nuggets, breaking a tie with the 1999 Knicks for the most wins ever by a No. 8 seed in a single postseason.
* In game 3, Nikola Jokić and [[Jamal Murray]] became the first teammates to record a triple-double in the NBA Finals and the first teammates to both record 30-point triple-doubles in any game.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-07 |title=Jokic and Murray both have triple-doubles, Nuggets beat Heat 109-94 for 2-1 lead |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/401544848 |access-date=2023-06-07 |website=ESPN.com |language= |agency=Associated Press}}</ref>
* [[Udonis Haslem]], aged 42 years, 363 days, became the oldest player to play in the NBA Finals, coming off the bench in the last minute.
* Nikola Jokić became the first player in NBA history to put up at least 500 points, 250 rebounds, and 150 assists in a single postseason run.
* Nikola Jokić became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in points (600), rebounds (269), and assists (190) in a single postseason.
* Nikola Jokić was the lowest-selected player to be named [[NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award|NBA Finals MVP]]. Jokić was selected 41st overall in the [[2014 NBA draft]].

==Format==
{{see also|NBA playoffs#Format}}
Eight teams from each conference participated in the playoffs. The top six teams in each conference, based on [[winning percentage]], directly qualified for the playoffs; the [[Seed (sports)|seeding]] order of those teams was also based on winning percentage. If two or more teams had the same record, standard NBA tiebreaker rules were used.

The NBA Board of Governors adopted a format starting in [[2021 NBA playoffs|2021]] to have a [[NBA play-in tournament|play-in tournament]] involving the teams ranked 7th through 10th in each conference. The 7th place team and 8th place team participated in a "double-chance" game, with the winner advancing to the playoffs as the 7-seed. The loser then played the winner of the elimination game between the 9th place and 10th place teams to determine the playoff's 8-seed. The NBA's regular playoff format then proceeded as normal.<ref>{{cite news|title=NBA adopts Play-In Tournament on full-time basis|url=https://www.nba.com/news/nba-adopts-play-in-tournament-on-full-time-basis|publisher=Warner Bros. Discovery Sports|location=Las Vegas|last=Reynolds|first=Tim|agency=Associated Press|date=July 12, 2022|access-date=July 28, 2022|archive-date=July 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220728135427/https://www.nba.com/news/nba-adopts-play-in-tournament-on-full-time-basis|url-status=live}}</ref>

Each conference's bracket was fixed with no reseeding. All rounds were a best-of-seven series; a series ended when one team won four games, and that team advanced to the next round. All rounds, including the NBA Finals, were in a 2–2–1–1–1 format with regards to hosting. In the conference playoffs, home-court advantage went to the higher-seeded team (number one being the highest). For the NBA Finals, home-court advantage went to the team with the better regular season record, and, if needed, ties were broken based on head-to-head record, followed by intra-conference record.

==Playoff qualifying==
On March 14, 2023, the [[2022–23 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]] became the first team to clinch a playoff spot.<ref name="Bucksclinch">{{cite web|last=Owczarski|first=Jim|title=Milwaukee Bucks become first team to clinch playoff spot with win over Phoenix Suns|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2023/03/14/bucks-clinch-playoff-spot-50-wins-suns/11475598002/|work=USA Today|date=March 14, 2022|access-date=March 15, 2022|archive-date=March 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230315051941/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2023/03/14/bucks-clinch-playoff-spot-50-wins-suns/11475598002/|url-status=live}}</ref> While noted in the below tables, division titles have no bearing on seeding.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/5-things-to-know-nba-division-winners-not-guaranteed-playoff-spot/ |title=5 Things to Know: NBA division winners not guaranteed playoff spot |first=Matt |last=Moore |work=[[CBS Sports]] |date=September 9, 2015 |access-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-date=December 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221203190054/https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/5-things-to-know-nba-division-winners-not-guaranteed-playoff-spot/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

''Seeds 7 and 8 in each conference were determined via the first-stage play-in tournament, held April 11–14.''

{{further|NBA play-in tournament#2023}}

===Eastern Conference===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center"
|-
!rowspan=2|Seed !!rowspan=2|Team !!rowspan=2|Record !!colspan=5|Clinched
|-
!Play-in berth !! Playoff berth !! Division title !! Best record in conference !! Best record in NBA
|-
| 1 || align=left|[[2022–23 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]] || 58–24 || — || March 14<ref name="Bucksclinch"/> || March 28<ref name="Bucksdivision">{{cite web |title=Hawks beat Cavaliers 120-118, help Bucks clinch Central |url=https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/hawks-beat-cavaliers-120-118-023731941.html |publisher=Yahoo Sports |access-date=March 29, 2023 |date=March 28, 2023 |archive-date=March 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329025256/https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/hawks-beat-cavaliers-120-118-023731941.html |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 5<ref name="Bucksbestrecord">{{cite web |last1=Maloney |first1=Jack |title=Bucks clinch NBA's best record: 'Game 7s at home are gonna be big' for Milwaukee |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/bucks-clinch-nbas-best-record-game-7s-at-home-are-gonna-be-big-for-milwaukee/ |work=CBS Sports |access-date=April 6, 2023 |date=April 5, 2023 |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406181350/https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/bucks-clinch-nbas-best-record-game-7s-at-home-are-gonna-be-big-for-milwaukee/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 5<ref name="Bucksbestrecord"/>
|-
| 2 || align=left|[[2022–23 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]] || 57–25 || — || March 18<ref name="Celticsclinch">{{cite web |last1=Goss |first1=Nick |title=Celtics Officially Clinch NBA Playoff Spot for Ninth Straight Season |url=https://www.nbcboston.com/news/sports/nbcsports/celtics-officially-clinch-nba-playoff-spot-for-ninth-straight-season/3000225/ |publisher=NBC Boston |access-date=March 20, 2023 |date=March 19, 2023 |archive-date=March 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320002436/https://www.nbcboston.com/news/sports/nbcsports/celtics-officially-clinch-nba-playoff-spot-for-ninth-straight-season/3000225/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 5<ref>{{cite web |last1=Grasso |first1=Justin |title=76ers Lock Up Playoff Seed After Celtics Defeat Raptors |url=https://www.si.com/nba/76ers/news/76ers-lock-up-playoff-seed-after-celtics-defeat-raptors |website=si.com |access-date=April 6, 2023 |date=April 5, 2023 |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406183948/https://www.si.com/nba/76ers/news/76ers-lock-up-playoff-seed-after-celtics-defeat-raptors |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || —
|-
| 3 || align=left|[[2022–23 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]] || 54–28 || — || March 21<ref name="76ersclinch">{{cite web |last1=Carlin |first1=Ky |title=Sixers clinch playoff spot after Nets fall to Cavaliers at home |url=https://sixerswire.usatoday.com/2023/03/21/sixers-clinch-playoff-spot-after-nets-fall-to-cavaliers-at-home/ |publisher=Sixers Wire |access-date=March 21, 2023 |date=March 21, 2023 |archive-date=March 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322022453/https://sixerswire.usatoday.com/2023/03/21/sixers-clinch-playoff-spot-after-nets-fall-to-cavaliers-at-home/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 4 || align=left|[[2022–23 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland Cavaliers]] || 51–31 || — || March 26<ref name="Cavaliersclinch">{{cite web |last1=Fedor |first1=Chris |title=Cavs clinch playoff spot with dominant 108-91 win over Houston Rockets |url=https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2023/03/cavs-clinch-playoff-spot-with-dominant-108-91-win-over-houston-rockets.html |publisher=cleveland.com |access-date=March 26, 2023 |date=March 26, 2023 |archive-date=March 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230327003154/https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2023/03/cavs-clinch-playoff-spot-with-dominant-108-91-win-over-houston-rockets.html |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 5 || align=left|[[2022–23 New York Knicks season|New York Knicks]] || 47–35 || — || April 2<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bernstein |first1=Jeffrey |title=Knicks clinch playoff berth with 118-109 win over Wizards |url=https://apnews.com/article/knicks-playoff-berth-wizards-11d6adf03b6a0a587c7ab06529e420d7 |publisher=AP News |access-date=April 2, 2023 |date=April 2, 2023 |archive-date=April 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230403010837/https://apnews.com/article/knicks-playoff-berth-wizards-11d6adf03b6a0a587c7ab06529e420d7 |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 6 || align=left|[[2022–23 Brooklyn Nets season|Brooklyn Nets]] || 45–37 || — || April 7<ref>{{cite web |title=Nets lock up 6-seed in East, get Sixers in 1st round of playoffs |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/36110995/nets-lock-6-seed-east-get-sixers-1st-round-playoffs |website=espn.com |access-date=April 8, 2023 |date=April 7, 2023 |archive-date=April 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408021909/https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/36110995/nets-lock-6-seed-east-get-sixers-1st-round-playoffs |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 7 || align=left|[[2022–23 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks]] || 41–41 || April 5<ref>{{cite web |last1=Umontuen |first1=Itoro |title=Atlanta Hawks clinch spot in NBA's play-in tournament with victory over the Wizards |url=https://theatlantavoice.com/atlanta-hawks-clinch-spot-in-nbas-play-in-tournament-with-victory-over-the-wizards/ |publisher=The Atlanta Voice |access-date=April 6, 2023 |date=April 6, 2023 |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406042914/https://theatlantavoice.com/atlanta-hawks-clinch-spot-in-nbas-play-in-tournament-with-victory-over-the-wizards/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 11<ref>{{cite web |last1=Reynolds |first1=Tim |title=Hawks grab No. 7 seed in East, hold off Heat 116-105 |url=https://apnews.com/article/hawks-heat-playoffs-playin-nba-6231c6063bb3b81ca9b6da858cf748e7 |publisher=AP News |access-date=April 12, 2023 |date=April 11, 2023 |archive-date=April 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412022729/https://apnews.com/article/hawks-heat-playoffs-playin-nba-6231c6063bb3b81ca9b6da858cf748e7 |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 8 || align=left|[[2022–23 Miami Heat season|Miami Heat]] || 44–38 || April 7<ref>{{cite web |last1=Winderman |first1=Ira |title=Heat rest regulars in 114-108 loss to Wizards, will host Hawks in Tuesday play-in game |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-heat/fl-sp-miami-heat-washington-wizards-20230408-467t2r5rm5cwza7ci3nhbjnd3e-story.html |website=sun-sentinel.com |access-date=April 8, 2023 |date=April 7, 2023 |archive-date=April 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408051735/https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-heat/fl-sp-miami-heat-washington-wizards-20230408-467t2r5rm5cwza7ci3nhbjnd3e-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 14<ref name="Heatclinch">{{cite web |last1=Reynolds |first1=Tim |title=Heat eliminate Bulls 102-91, will face Bucks in Round 1 |url=https://apnews.com/article/bulls-heat-nba-playoffs-playin-ff87abfc5dd6e428b5587f59c4afb9d1 |publisher=AP News |access-date=April 15, 2023 |date=April 14, 2023 |archive-date=April 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415020652/https://apnews.com/article/bulls-heat-nba-playoffs-playin-ff87abfc5dd6e428b5587f59c4afb9d1 |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 6<ref>{{cite web |last1=Chiang |first1=Anthony |title=Takeaways from Heat's blowout win in Philadelphia to keep slim hopes alive of escaping play-in |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nba/miami-heat/article274053560.html |website=miamiherald.com |access-date=April 7, 2023 |date=April 6, 2023 |archive-date=April 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407213122/https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nba/miami-heat/article274053560.html |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || —
|}

[[2022–23 Toronto Raptors season|Toronto]] (41–41) and [[2022–23 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]] (40–42) also secured play-in berths but did not advance to the playoffs.<ref>{{cite web |title=Raptors fall to Bulls in play-in tournament, eliminated from playoff contention |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/raptors-fall-to-bulls-in-play-in-tournament-eliminated-from-playoff-contention/ |publisher=Sportsnet |access-date=April 13, 2023 |date=April 12, 2023 |archive-date=April 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413094852/https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/raptors-fall-to-bulls-in-play-in-tournament-eliminated-from-playoff-contention/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Heatclinch"/>

===Western Conference===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center"
|-
!rowspan=2|Seed !!rowspan=2|Team !!rowspan=2|Record !!colspan=5|Clinched
|-
!Play-in berth !! Playoff berth !! Division title !! Best record in conference !! Best record in NBA
|-
| 1 || align=left|[[2022–23 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]] || 53–29 || — || March 16<ref name="Nuggetsclinch">{{cite web |last1=Lage |first1=Larry |title=Nuggets top Pistons to end skid, clinch Northwest Division |url=https://apnews.com/article/nuggets-jokic-pistons-8d9ec3bbf4904275255be9f28ab4e23e |publisher=AP News |date=March 16, 2023 |access-date=March 20, 2023 |archive-date=March 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320002832/https://apnews.com/article/nuggets-jokic-pistons-8d9ec3bbf4904275255be9f28ab4e23e |url-status=live }}</ref> || March 16<ref name="Nuggetsclinch"/> || April 5<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sarles |first1=Jesse |title=Denver Nuggets clinch No. 1 seed in NBA's Western Conference for first time in franchise history |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/denver-nuggets-clinch-no-1-seed-nba-western-conference-first-time-franchise-history/ |publisher=CBS News |access-date=April 6, 2023 |date=April 5, 2023 |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406183948/https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/denver-nuggets-clinch-no-1-seed-nba-western-conference-first-time-franchise-history/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || —
|-
| 2 || align=left|[[2022–23 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis Grizzlies]] || 51–31 || — || March 24<ref name="Grizzliesclinch">{{cite web |last1=Bailey |first1=Clay |title=Grizzlies clinch playoff berth with 151-114 rout of Rockets |url=https://apnews.com/article/rockets-grizzlies-ja-morant-6a0afcdd81a2639dbba9ce1a881f0074 |publisher=AP News |date=March 24, 2023 |access-date=March 25, 2023 |archive-date=March 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230325025147/https://apnews.com/article/rockets-grizzlies-ja-morant-6a0afcdd81a2639dbba9ce1a881f0074 |url-status=live }}</ref> || March 22<ref name="Grizzliesclinch"/> || — || —
|-
| 3 || align=left|[[2022–23 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento Kings]] || 48–34 || — || March 29<ref>{{cite web |last1=Spears |first1=Marc |title=Kings clinch first playoff berth since 2006 with win over Blazers |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35999564/kings-clinch-first-playoff-berth-2006-win-blazers |website=espn.com |access-date=30 March 2023 |date=March 30, 2023 |archive-date=March 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330042125/https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35999564/kings-clinch-first-playoff-berth-2006-win-blazers |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 4<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kraemer |first1=Mackenzie |title=Sacramento Kings clinch Pacific Division as historic long shot |url=https://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/36002853/sacramento-kings-clinch-pacific-division-historic-long-shot |website=espn.com |access-date=April 4, 2023 |date=April 4, 2023 |archive-date=April 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405031136/https://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/36002853/sacramento-kings-clinch-pacific-division-historic-long-shot |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || —
|-
| 4 || align=left|[[2022–23 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]] || 45–37 || — || April 4<ref>{{cite web |last1=Thompson |first1=Jack |title=Suns clinch playoff spot, rout injury-riddled Spurs 115-94 |url=https://apnews.com/article/suns-spurs-playoffs-booker-durant-2b5a7590fbdbd45838ce9dbf28a28e2a |publisher=AP News |access-date=April 5, 2023 |date=April 4, 2023 |archive-date=April 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405051359/https://apnews.com/article/suns-spurs-playoffs-booker-durant-2b5a7590fbdbd45838ce9dbf28a28e2a |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 5 || align=left|[[2022–23 Los Angeles Clippers season|Los Angeles Clippers]] || 44–38 || — || April 9<ref name="Finalday">{{cite web |last1=Owens |first1=Jason |title=NBA playoff picture: Warriors, Clippers secure West's final playoff spots, send Lakers to play-in |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-playoff-picture-warriors-clippers-secure-wests-final-playoff-spots-send-lakers-to-play-in-221342194.html |publisher=Yahoo Sports |access-date=April 9, 2023 |date=April 9, 2023 |archive-date=April 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409222321/https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-playoff-picture-warriors-clippers-secure-wests-final-playoff-spots-send-lakers-to-play-in-221342194.html |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 6 || align=left|[[2022–23 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]] || 44–38 || — || April 9<ref name="Finalday"/> || — || — || —
|-
| 7 || align=left|[[2022–23 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] || 43–39 || April 9<ref name="Finalday"/> || April 11<ref>{{cite web |title=Lakers clinch No. 7 seed with overtime win over Minnesota Timberwolves in Play-In Tournament |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/lakers-clinch-no-7-seed-with-overtime-win-over-minnesota-timberwolves-in-play-in-tournament/ |publisher=CBS News |access-date=April 12, 2023 |date=April 11, 2023 |archive-date=April 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412051711/https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/lakers-clinch-no-7-seed-with-overtime-win-over-minnesota-timberwolves-in-play-in-tournament/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 8 || align=left|[[2022–23 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota Timberwolves]] || 42–40 || April 8<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schad |first1=Chris |title=Timberwolves' 3-point barrage vs. Spurs sets up Sunday showdown with Pelicans |url=https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/timberwolves/timberwolves-3-point-barrage-vs-spurs-sets-up-sunday-showdown-with-pelicans |website=si.com |access-date=April 8, 2023 |date=April 8, 2023 |archive-date=April 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408233735/https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/timberwolves/timberwolves-3-point-barrage-vs-spurs-sets-up-sunday-showdown-with-pelicans |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 14<ref name="Wolvesclinch">{{cite web |title=Timberwolves crush Thunder in play-in to claim Western Conference's eighth seed |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/timberwolves-cruise-past-thunder-in-play-in-to-claim-western-conferences-eighth-seed/ |publisher=Sportsnet |access-date=15 April 2023}}</ref> || — || — || —
|}

[[2022–23 New Orleans Pelicans season|New Orleans]] (42–40) and [[2022–23 Oklahoma City Thunder season|Oklahoma City]] (40–42) also secured play-in berths but did not advance to the playoffs.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Helin |first1=Kurt |title=Gilgeous-Alexander outduels Ingram and gets more help, Thunder eliminate Pelicans |url=https://nba.nbcsports.com/2023/04/13/gilgeous-alexander-outduels-ingram-and-gets-more-help-thunder-eliminate-pelicans/ |publisher=NBC Sports |access-date=April 13, 2023 |date=April 12, 2023 |archive-date=April 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413081642/https://nba.nbcsports.com/2023/04/13/gilgeous-alexander-outduels-ingram-and-gets-more-help-thunder-eliminate-pelicans/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Wolvesclinch"/>

==Bracket==
Teams in bold advanced to the next round. The numbers to the left of each team indicate the team's seeding in its conference, and the numbers to the right indicate the number of games the team won in that round. The division champions are marked by an asterisk. Teams with home-court advantage (i.e., the higher-seeded team) are shown in italics.
<section begin=Bracket />{{16TeamBracket
| RD1=[[2023 NBA playoffs#First Round 2|First round]]
| RD2=[[2023 NBA playoffs#Conference semifinals 2|Conference semifinals]]
| RD3=[[2023 NBA playoffs#Conference finals 2|Conference finals]]
| RD4=[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]

| RD2-group1='''[[Eastern Conference (NBA)|Eastern Conference]]'''
| RD2-group2='''[[Western Conference (NBA)|Western Conference]]'''


| RD1-seed01=E1
| RD1-team01=''[[2022–23 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]''*
| RD1-score01=1
| RD1-seed02='''E8'''
| RD1-team02='''[[2022–23 Miami Heat season|Miami]]*'''
| RD1-score02='''4'''

| RD1-seed03=E4
| RD1-team03=''[[2022–23 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]''
| RD1-score03=1
| RD1-seed04='''E5'''
| RD1-team04='''[[2022–23 New York Knicks season|New York]]'''
| RD1-score04='''4'''

| RD1-seed05='''E3'''
| RD1-team05='''''[[2022–23 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]'''''
| RD1-score05='''4'''
| RD1-seed06=E6
| RD1-team06=[[2022–23 Brooklyn Nets season|Brooklyn]]
| RD1-score06=0

| RD1-seed07='''E2'''
| RD1-team07='''''[[2022–23 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]''*'''
| RD1-score07='''4'''
| RD1-seed08=E7
| RD1-team08=[[2022–23 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta]]
| RD1-score08=2


| RD1-seed09='''W1'''
| RD1-team09='''''[[2022–23 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]''*'''
| RD1-score09='''4'''
| RD1-seed10=W8
| RD1-team10=[[2022–23 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| RD1-score10=1

| RD1-seed11='''W4'''
| RD1-team11='''''[[2022–23 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]'''''
| RD1-score11='''4'''
| RD1-seed12=W5
| RD1-team12=[[2022–23 Los Angeles Clippers season|LA Clippers]]
| RD1-score12=1

| RD1-seed13=W3
| RD1-team13=''[[2022–23 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]''*
| RD1-score13=3
| RD1-seed14='''W6'''
| RD1-team14='''[[2022–23 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]'''
| RD1-score14='''4'''

| RD1-seed15=W2
| RD1-team15=''[[2022–23 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis]]''*
| RD1-score15=2
| RD1-seed16='''W7'''
| RD1-team16='''[[2022–23 Los Angeles Lakers season|LA Lakers]]'''
| RD1-score16='''4'''


| RD2-seed01='''E8'''
| RD2-team01='''Miami*'''
| RD2-score01='''4'''
| RD2-seed02=E5
| RD2-team02=''New York''
| RD2-score02=2

| RD2-seed03=E3
| RD2-team03=Philadelphia
| RD2-score03=3
| RD2-seed04='''E2'''
| RD2-team04='''''Boston''*'''
| RD2-score04='''4'''


| RD2-seed05='''W1'''
| RD2-team05='''''Denver''*'''
| RD2-score05='''4'''
| RD2-seed06=W4
| RD2-team06=Phoenix
| RD2-score06=2

| RD2-seed07=W6
| RD2-team07=''Golden State''
| RD2-score07=2
| RD2-seed08='''W7'''
| RD2-team08='''LA Lakers'''
| RD2-score08='''4'''


| RD3-seed01='''E8'''
| RD3-team01='''Miami'''*
| RD3-score01='''4'''
| RD3-seed02=E2
| RD3-team02=''Boston''*
| RD3-score02=3


| RD3-seed03='''W1'''
| RD3-team03='''''Denver'''''*
| RD3-score03='''4'''
| RD3-seed04=W7
| RD3-team04=LA Lakers
| RD3-score04=0


| RD4-seed01=E8
| RD4-team01=Miami*
| RD4-score01=1
| RD4-seed02='''W1'''
| RD4-team02='''''Denver'''''*
| RD4-score02='''4'''
}}{{ubl
|<nowiki>*</nowiki> Division winner
|'''Bold''' Series winner
|''Italic'' Team with home-court advantage
}}<section end=Bracket />

==First Round==
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

===Eastern Conference First Round===

====(1) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (8) Miami Heat====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 16|time=5:30 pm {{small|(4:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1= '''130'''
|team2=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score2= 117
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200101 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–24 |Q2='''35'''–31 |Q3='''34'''–33 |Q4=28–'''29'''
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 35 |points2=[[Khris Middleton]] 33
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 9 |rebounds2=Khris Middleton 9
|assist1=Jimmy Butler 11 |assist2=[[Jrue Holiday]] 16
|attendance=17,381
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]], Michael Smith
|series=Miami leads series, 1–0
}} The Heat took advantage of [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]]'s early exit in the first half to secure a 1–0 series lead. [[Jimmy Butler]] led Miami with 35 points, while [[Bam Adebayo]] contributed 22 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. However, the Heat also suffered a setback, as they lost [[Tyler Herro]] to a broken hand in the second quarter. Miami had built a 68–55 halftime lead before Herro's departure and maintained their advantage by shooting an impressive 60% from beyond the arc, their highest percentage of the season. [[Khris Middleton]] stepped up for the Bucks, finishing with 33 points and nine rebounds, but Milwaukee shooting 24.4% from the three-point line hindered any chance at a comeback.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 19 |time=9:00 pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=122
|team2='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score2='''138'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200102 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''35''' |Q2=27–'''46''' |Q3=30–'''37''' |Q4='''37'''–20
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 25 |points2=[[Brook Lopez]] 25
|rebounds1=[[Cody Zeller]] 8 |rebounds2=[[Bobby Portis]] 15
|assist1=[[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] 6 |assist2=[[Jrue Holiday]] 11
|attendance=17,576
|referee=John Goble, Brian Forte, Tre Maddox
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} After shooting 11-of-45 from three-point range in their Game 1 loss, the Bucks shot 25-of-49 from beyond the arc, tying the [[2015–16 Cleveland Cavaliers season|2016 Cleveland Cavaliers]] for the most three-point makes by a team in a playoff game. Despite [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]]'s absence, Milwaukee managed to dominate the Heat thanks to a team effort, as six Bucks players scored at least 16 points. [[Brook Lopez]] scored 25 points, [[Jrue Holiday]] added 24 points, and [[Pat Connaughton]] dropped a playoff career-high 22 points, shooting 6-of-10 from beyond the arc. [[Jimmy Butler]] scored 25 for Miami, but it wasn't enough to keep up with the hot shooting of the Bucks, as they led by as much as 36 points.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 22 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score1=99
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''121'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200103 Recap]
|Q1=21–'''29''' |Q2=32–'''37''' |Q3=26–'''28''' |Q4=20–'''27'''
|points1=[[Khris Middleton]] 23 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Bobby Portis]] 10 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo|Adebayo]], [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Martin]] 11 each
|assist1=Khris Middleton 6 |assist2=Bam Adebayo 5
|attendance=19,734
|referee=[[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Kevin Scott, [[Rodney Mott]]
|series=Miami leads series, 2–1
}} The No. 8 seeded Heat retook their series lead with a 121–99 victory over the shorthanded Bucks. [[Jimmy Butler]] led the way for Miami with 30 points in 28 minutes on 12-of-19 shooting. After Milwaukee went 10-of-18 (56%) from deep in the first half, they cooled off after halftime, shooting only 5-of-21 (24%) from three-point range in the second half. [[Khris Middleton]] scored 23 points, while [[Jrue Holiday]] added 19 and [[Grayson Allen]] scored 14. Meanwhile, Miami's [[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] scored 20 points on his 29th birthday, while [[Kyle Lowry]] added 15 points as the Heat led by as much as 29 points. The No. 8 seeded Heat retook their series lead with a 121–99 victory over the shorthanded Bucks. [[Jimmy Butler]] led the way for Miami with 30 points in 28 minutes on 12-of-19 shooting. After Milwaukee went 10-of-18 (56%) from deep in the first half, they cooled off after halftime, shooting only 5-of-21 (24%) from three-point range in the second half. [[Khris Middleton]] scored 23 points, while [[Jrue Holiday]] added 19 and [[Grayson Allen]] scored 14. Meanwhile, Miami's [[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] scored 20 points on his 29th birthday, while [[Kyle Lowry]] added 15 points as the Heat led by as much as 29 points. However, [[Victor Oladipo]] left the game with a season-ending knee injury in the fourth quarter.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 24|time=7:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score1=114
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''119'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200104 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–28 |Q2='''24'''–22 |Q3='''32'''–28 |Q4=25–'''41'''
|points1=[[Brook Lopez]] 36 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 56
|rebounds1=Brook Lopez 11 |rebounds2=Butler, [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Martin]] 9 each
|assist1=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 13 |assist2=[[Gabe Vincent]] 8
|attendance=19,614
|referee=Marc Davis, Mark Lindsay, Jacyn Goble
|series=Miami leads series, 3–1
}} [[Jimmy Butler]] scored a career-high 56 points, which included 21 in the fourth quarter to push the team with the best overall record on the verge of elimination. Down by 12 with under six minutes remaining, the Heat went on a pivotal 27–8 run, which included a 13–0 run to take their first lead of the night. Butler, who scored 22 of Miami's 28 first quarter points, finished 19-of-28 from the field, 15-of-18 from the foul line, and added nine rebounds. His 56 points also set a franchise playoff record for the Heat. [[Brook Lopez]] was the leading scorer for the Bucks, with 36 points and 11 rebounds. [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] returned from a two-game absence with a bruised back and had a triple-double, with 26 points, ten rebounds, and 13 assists.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 26|time=9:30 pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''128'''
|team2=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score2=126 |overtime=OT
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200105 Recap]
|Q1='''36'''–33 |Q2=27–'''36''' |Q3=23–'''33''' |Q4='''32'''–16 |OT='''10'''–8
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 42 |points2=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 38
|rebounds1=[[Kevin Love]] 12 |rebounds2=Giannis Antetokounmpo 20
|assist1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 10 |assist2=[[Jrue Holiday|Holiday]], [[Khris Middleton|Middleton]] 6 each
|attendance=18,113
|referee=James Williams, Sean Wright, Pat Fraher
|series=Miami wins series, 4–1
}} Two nights after outscoring Milwaukee 30–13 in the final six minutes of a 119–115 victory in Miami, the Heat came back from a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit and tied the game on [[Jimmy Butler]]'s layup with half a second left in regulation. The Heat went on to win in overtime, becoming the sixth 8-seeded team to knock off a No. 1 seed and the first play-in team ever to win a playoff series. Butler, who averaged 37.6 points throughout the series, led Miami with 42 points, while [[Bam Adebayo]] dropped a 20-point triple-double. [[Khris Middleton]] scored 33 points for the Bucks, while [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] had 38 points and 20 rebounds. However, he missed a career-high 13 free-throw attempts, the most misses by any player in a playoff game since 2015. Despite leading 102–86 heading into the fourth quarter, the Bucks crumbled under pressure, shooting just 5-of-25 from the floor in the final quarter and overtime.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 12, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-mia-0022200628 Recap]
| team1 = [[Milwaukee Bucks]] | score1 = 102
| team2 = '''[[Miami Heat]]''' | score2 = '''108'''
| place = [[FTX Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 14, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-mia-0022200641 Recap]
| team1 = Milwaukee Bucks | score1 = 95
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = '''111'''
| place = [[Miami-Dade Arena]], Miami, FL
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 4, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-mil-0022200797 Recap]
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 115
| team2 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score2 = '''123'''
| place = [[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 24, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-mil-0022200897 Recap]
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 99
| team2 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score2 = '''128'''
| place = Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
}}
|}

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Heat winning two of the first three meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=MIL&opp_id=MIA&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Milwaukee Bucks versus Miami Heat (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 15, 2023|archive-date=April 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415013401/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=MIL&opp_id=MIA&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Miami leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2013
| team1 = '''[[Miami Heat]]''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Milwaukee Bucks]] | score2 = 0
| place = [[2013 NBA playoffs#(1) Miami Heat vs. (8) Milwaukee Bucks|2013 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 2020
| team1 = Milwaukee Bucks | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2020 NBA playoffs#(1) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (5) Miami Heat|2020 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2021
| team1 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Miami Heat | score2 = 0
| place = [[2021 NBA playoffs#(3) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (6) Miami Heat|2021 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Atlanta Hawks====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 15 |time=3:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score1=99
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''112'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200111 Recap]
|Q1=19–'''29''' |Q2=25–'''45''' |Q3='''31'''–20 |Q4='''24'''–18
|points1=[[Dejounte Murray]] 24 |points2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 29
|rebounds1=[[Clint Capela|Capela]], Murray 8 each |rebounds2=Jaylen Brown 12
|assist1=[[Trae Young]] 8 |assist2=[[Marcus Smart|Smart]], [[Derrick White (basketball)|White]] 7 each
|attendance=19,156
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Ben Taylor
|series=Boston leads series, 1–0
}} [[Jaylen Brown]] guided Boston to a 112–99 victory with 29 points and 12 rebounds, while [[Jayson Tatum]] added 25 points, 21 of which came in the first half as the Celtics built a 30-point lead at halftime. [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] also had a strong performance with 24 points and seven assists. The Hawks meanwhile struggled with their shooting, missing their first ten three-point attempts and shooting 5-of-29 from beyond the arc for the game. Despite a late push from Atlanta in the fourth quarter, the Celtics regained control and secured the victory, as they held [[Dejounte Murray]] and [[Trae Young]] to a combined 15-of-43 shooting.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 18 |time=7:00 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score1=106
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''119'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200112 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''28''' |Q2=24–'''33''' |Q3='''32'''–29 |Q4=25–'''29'''
|points1=[[Dejounte Murray]] 29 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 29
|rebounds1=[[De'Andre Hunter]] 12 |rebounds2=Jayson Tatum 10
|assist1=Murray, [[Trae Young|Young]] 6 each |assist2=[[Malcolm Brogdon]] 8
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Mark Lindsay, Karl Lane, James Williams
|series=Boston leads series, 2–0
}} [[Jayson Tatum]] led the Celtics to a 2–0 series lead over the Hawks, finishing with 29 points and ten rebounds. The Hawks once again tried mounting a comeback, as they pulled within eight points with under eight minutes left in regulation. However, the Celtics responded with a 20–6 run to put the game out of reach. [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] contributed 26 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks for Boston, while [[Jaylen Brown]] added 18 points. Although Young and [[Dejounte Murray]] combined for 53 points, Atlanta couldn't keep up with Boston, who outscored them 64–40 in the paint.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 21 |time=7:00 pm |place=[[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Boston Celtics]] |score1=122
|team2='''[[Atlanta Hawks]]''' |score2='''130'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200113 Recap]
|Q1='''37'''–33 |Q2=30–'''41'''|Q3=26–26 |Q4=29–'''30'''
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 29 |points2=[[Trae Young]] 32
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 10 |rebounds2=[[Clint Capela]] 11
|assist1=[[Marcus Smart]] 8 |assist2=Trae Young 9
|attendance=18,536
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Pat Fraher, Mitchell Ervin
|series=Boston leads series, 2–1
}} In danger of falling behind 3–0 in the series, [[Trae Young]] scored 32 points and nine assists in his first 30-point game since the Hawks' Conference finals run two years ago as Atlanta put up their most points in a playoff game since 1986. Young was supported by his backcourt partner [[Dejounte Murray]], who had 25 points, six rebounds, and five assists. The duo played their best when it mattered most, as they accounted for 22 of Atlanta's 30 points in the final quarter. [[Jayson Tatum]] scored 29 points, while [[Marcus Smart]] added 24, but Boston was forced to play catch-up the majority of the game, as they allowed Atlanta to knock down 30-of-46 shots (65%) in the first half.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 23 |time=7:00 pm |place=[[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''129'''
|team2=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score2=121
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-atl-0042200114 Recap]
|Q1='''35'''–25 |Q2='''30'''–28 |Q3=27–'''34''' |Q4='''37'''–34
|points1=[[Jaylen Brown|Brown]], [[Jayson Tatum|Tatum]] 31 each |points2=[[Trae Young]] 35
|rebounds1=[[Robert Williams III]] 15 |rebounds2=[[Dejounte Murray]] 9
|assist1=[[Al Horford]] 5 |assist2=Trae Young 15
|attendance=19,144
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]], Gediminas Petraitis
|series=Boston leads series, 3–1
}} After starting off the game shooting 1-of-7, [[Jaylen Brown]] removed his protective mask in the second quarter as he went on to shoot 11-of-15 the rest of the way, moving Boston to the brink of advancing to the second round. [[Jayson Tatum]] also had 31 points for the Celtics, as both Brown and Tatum combined to score their team's final 16 points, thwarting any attempt by the Hawks to even the series. In addition to the duo's combined 62 points, [[Marcus Smart]] added 19 points and [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] had 18. Although [[Trae Young]] scored 35 points and 15 assists, and [[De'Andre Hunter]] and [[Dejounte Murray]] combined for 50 points, the Hawks were unable to gain a lead after the first quarter.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 25 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Atlanta Hawks]]''' |score1='''119'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=117
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-bos-0042200115 Recap]
|Q1='''30'''–27 |Q2=28–'''39''' |Q3=24–'''26''' |Q4='''37'''–25
|points1=[[Trae Young]] 38 |points2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 35
|rebounds1=[[Clint Capela]] 7 |rebounds2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 8
|assist1=Trae Young 13 |assist2=Jayson Tatum 8
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Josh Tiven, Courtney Kirkland, Tre Maddox
|series=Boston leads series, 3–2
}} Facing elimination, [[Trae Young]] scored 38 points and hit a deep three-pointer with less than two seconds left to give the Hawks the lead and ultimately force a Game 6 in Atlanta. Young also had 16 points in a frenetic fourth quarter, getting support from his teammates who knocked down a series-best 19 three-pointers. [[John Collins (basketball)|John Collins]] added 22 points for Atlanta, who played without [[Dejounte Murray]], who was suspended for bumping an official in Game 4. Despite an impressive performance from [[Jaylen Brown]], who scored 35 points, and [[Jayson Tatum]], who added 19, the Celtics ultimately lost control of the game in the fourth quarter, allowing Atlanta to outscore them 23–8 in the final minutes, with 14 of those points coming from Young.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 27 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''128'''
|team2=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score2=120
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200116 Recap]
|Q1='''35'''–34|Q2=33–33|Q3=30–'''33'''|Q4='''30'''–20
|points1=[[Jaylen Brown]] 32 |points2=[[Trae Young]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 14 |rebounds2=[[Onyeka Okongwu]] 11
|assist1=Jayson Tatum 7 |assist2=[[Dejounte Murray]] 11
|attendance=19,176
|referee=Marc Davis, [[Curtis Blair]], Jacyn Goble
|series=Boston wins series, 4–2
}} After collapsing late in Game 5, the Celtics responded by closing out Game 6 on an 18–7 run to advance to their sixth Eastern Semifinals appearance in seven years. Leading the way for the Celtics were [[Jaylen Brown]] with 32 points, [[Jayson Tatum]] with 30 points and 14 rebounds, [[Marcus Smart]] with 22 points, and [[Malcolm Brogdon]] with 17 points off the bench. Meanwhile, [[Trae Young]], who finished with 30 points and ten assists, missed 12-of-13 shots in the second half and finished just 9-of-28 from the field. His backcourt partner [[Dejounte Murray]] also struggled, scoring zero points in the first half as the duo ultimately combined for a shooting percentage of 34% (14-of-41).

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Boston won 3–0 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = November 16, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-atl-0022200214 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score1 = '''126'''
| team2 = [[Atlanta Hawks]] | score2 = 101
| place = [[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 11, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-atl-0022201008 Recap]
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''134'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 125
| place = State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = April 9, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-bos-0022201216 Recap]
| team1 = Atlanta Hawks | score1 = 114
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''120'''
| place = [[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]]
}}
|}

This was the 13th playoff meeting between these two teams, and the ninth since the [[Atlanta Hawks#1965–1975: Relocation to Atlanta|St. Louis Hawks]] relocated to Atlanta in 1968, with the Celtics winning ten of the first twelve meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=BOS&opp_id=ATL&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Atlanta Hawks (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 12, 2023|archive-date=April 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412015731/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=BOS&opp_id=ATL&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Boston leads 10–2 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1957
| team1 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[St. Louis Hawks]] | score2 = 3
| place = [[1957 NBA Finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1958
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''St. Louis Hawks''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1958 NBA Finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1960
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = St. Louis Hawks | score2 = 3
| place = [[1960 NBA Finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1961
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = St. Louis Hawks | score2 = 1
| place = [[1961 NBA Finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1972
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Atlanta Hawks]] | score2 = 2
| place = [[1972 NBA playoffs#(A1) Boston Celtics vs. (C2) Atlanta Hawks|1972 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1973
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 2
| place = [[1973 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Atlanta Hawks|1973 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1983
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''2'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 1
| place = [[1983 NBA playoffs#(3) Boston Celtics vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks|1983 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1986
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 1
| place = [[1986 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Atlanta Hawks|1986 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1988
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 3
| place = [[1988 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Atlanta Hawks|1988 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2008
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 3
| place = [[2008 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Atlanta Hawks|2008 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2012
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 2
| place = [[2012 NBA playoffs#(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks|2012 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2016
| team1 = '''Atlanta Hawks''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 2
| place = [[2016 NBA playoffs#(4) Atlanta Hawks vs. (5) Boston Celtics|2016 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) Brooklyn Nets====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 15|time=1:00 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score1=101
|team2='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score2='''121'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-phi-0042200121 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''30''' |Q2=33–'''37''' |Q3=23–'''26''' |Q4=20–'''28'''
|points1=[[Mikal Bridges]] 30 |points2=[[Joel Embiid]] 26
|rebounds1=[[Nic Claxton]] 10 |rebounds2=[[P. J. Tucker]] 7
|assist1=[[Spencer Dinwiddie]] 7 |assist2=[[James Harden]] 13
|attendance=20,913
|referee=James Williams, Mark Lindsay, [[JB DeRosa]]
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 1–0
}} [[James Harden]] led the way for the 76ers with 23 points and 13 assists, including seven three-pointers as Philadelphia moved to 5–0 against the Nets this season. [[Joel Embiid]] contributed 26 points for Philadelphia, while [[Tobias Harris]] added 21 points. The 76ers also set a team record for playoff three-pointers, with 21 made shots from beyond the arc; with 13 of them coming in the first half. [[Mikal Bridges]] had a standout performance for the Nets, making 10-of-16 shots for 23 points in the first half and keeping Brooklyn within nine at halftime, but the Nets never led in the game.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 17 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score1=84
|team2='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score2='''96'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-phi-0042200122 Recap]
|Q1=25–25 |Q2='''24'''–19 |Q3=14–'''24''' |Q4=21–'''28'''
|points1=[[Cameron Johnson]] 28 |points2=[[Tyrese Maxey]] 33
|rebounds1=[[Dorian Finney-Smith]] 7 |rebounds2=[[Joel Embiid]] 19
|assist1=[[Mikal Bridges]] 7 |assist2=Embiid, [[James Harden|Harden]] 7 each
|attendance=20,958
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Curtis Blair]], Tre Maddox
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 2–0
}} Being heavily defended throughout the game, [[Joel Embiid]] showed increased trust in his teammates as [[Tyrese Maxey]] scored 33 points and [[Tobias Harris]] had 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Embiid contributed with 19 rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks as Philadelphia took a commanding 2–0 series lead. After a slow start, the 76ers rallied in the second half and held off the Nets, who shot 35% from the field in the second half. [[Cameron Johnson]] scored 22 of his 28 points in the first half, but Brooklyn was unable to get anything going in the second half, scoring just 35 points.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 20 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score1='''102'''
|team2=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score2=97
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bkn-0042200123 Recap]
|Q1='''32'''–28 |Q2='''26'''–19 |Q3=18–'''35''' |Q4='''26'''–15
|points1=[[Tyrese Maxey]] 25 |points2=[[Mikal Bridges]] 26
|rebounds1=[[Joel Embiid]] 10 |rebounds2=[[Dorian Finney-Smith]] 9
|assist1=[[James Harden|Harden]], [[P. J. Tucker|Tucker]] 4 each|assist2=[[Spencer Dinwiddie]] 7
|attendance=17,910
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Ben Taylor, [[Nick Buchert]]
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 3–0
}} With [[James Harden]] ejected in the third quarter and [[Joel Embiid]] struggling offensively, the 76ers rode [[Tyrese Maxey]]'s team-high 25 points, including ten points in the final three minutes to give Philadelphia a 3–0 series lead. Although [[Joel Embiid]] was held to just 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting, he remained dominant on the defensive end and sealed the game by blocking a potential game-tying layup by [[Spencer Dinwiddie]] with just under ten seconds left. [[Mikal Bridges]] led the Nets with 26 points, but Brooklyn was held to just 15 points in the fourth quarter as the 76ers finished the game on an 11–1 run to hand the Nets their ninth consecutive playoff loss.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 22 |time=1:00 pm |place=[[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score1='''96'''
|team2=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score2=88
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bkn-0042200124 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''29''' |Q2=18–'''19''' |Q3='''26'''–15 |Q4='''30'''–25
|points1=[[Tobias Harris]] 25 |points2=[[Spencer Dinwiddie]] 20
|rebounds1=[[Paul Reed (basketball)|Paul Reed]] 15 |rebounds2=[[Nic Claxton]] 12
|assist1=[[James Harden]] 11 |assist2=Spencer Dinwiddie 6
|attendance=18,037
|referee=John Goble, Sean Wright, Karl Lane
|series=Philadelphia wins series, 4–0
}} Without [[Joel Embiid]], [[Tobias Harris]] led Philadelphia with 25 points and 12 rebounds, while [[James Harden]] contributed 17 points and 11 assists as the 76ers swept a playoff opponent for the first time since 1991. [[Paul Reed (basketball)|Paul Reed]], who replaced Embiid in the starting lineup, contributed ten points and 15 rebounds, while [[De'Anthony Melton]] scored all 15 of his points in the fourth quarter. The 76ers' defense also limited the Nets to 40 points in the second half and outscored Brooklyn 21–4 during an eight-minute stretch in the third quarter. Despite [[Spencer Dinwiddie]]'s 20 points and [[Nic Claxton]]'s 19 points and 12 rebounds, the Nets lost their tenth consecutive playoff game. Additionally, they went 0–8 against Philadelphia this season.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Philadelphia won 4–0 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = November 22, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-phi-0022200256 Recap]
| team1 = [[Brooklyn Nets]] | score1 = 106
| team2 = '''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' | score2 = '''115'''
| place = [[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 25, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-phi-0022200721 Recap]
| team1 = Brooklyn Nets | score1 = 133
| team2 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score2 = '''137'''
| place = Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 11, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bkn-0022200846 Recap]
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = '''101'''
| team2 = Brooklyn Nets | score2 = 98
| place = [[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, NY]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 9, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bkn-0022201217 Recap]
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = '''134'''
| team2 = Brooklyn Nets | score2 = 105
| place = Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
}}
|}

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, and the second since the [[History of the Brooklyn Nets|New Jersey Nets]] relocated to Brooklyn in 2012, with the 76ers winning two of the first three meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=PHI&opp_id=NJN&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Philadelphia 76ers versus Brooklyn Nets (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 8, 2023|archive-date=April 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408034120/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=PHI&opp_id=NJN&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Philadelphia leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1979
| team1 = '''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' | score1 = '''2'''
| team2 = [[New Jersey Nets]] | score2 = 0
| place = [[1979 NBA playoffs#(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) New Jersey Nets|1979 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1984
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''New Jersey Nets''' | score2 = '''3'''
| place = [[1984 NBA playoffs#(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) New Jersey Nets|1984 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2019
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Brooklyn Nets]] | score2 = 1
| place = [[2019 NBA playoffs#(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) Brooklyn Nets|2019 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) New York Knicks====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 15 |time=6:00 pm |place=[[Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse]], [[Cleveland|Cleveland, OH]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score1='''101'''
|team2=[[Cleveland Cavaliers]] |score2=97
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-cle-0042200131 Recap]
|Q1='''30'''–24 |Q2=20–'''21''' |Q3='''28'''–25 |Q4=23–'''27'''
|points1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 27 |points2=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 38
|rebounds1=[[Josh Hart|Hart]], [[Julius Randle|Randle]] 10 each |rebounds2=[[Jarrett Allen]] 14
|assist1=[[RJ Barrett]] 6 |assist2=Donovan Mitchell 8
|attendance=19,432
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], [[Curtis Blair]], Sean Corbin
|series=New York leads series, 1–0
}} With the help of 27 points from [[Jalen Brunson]], the Knicks stunned the Cavaliers in Cleveland. [[Julius Randle]] and [[Josh Hart]] each had ten rebounds, in addition to scoring 19 and 17 points, respectively. [[Donovan Mitchell]] led the way for Cleveland in the losing effort, logging 38 points, eight assists, and five rebounds in 44 minutes. [[Jarrett Allen]] finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds, and [[Darius Garland]] scored 17 points. Cleveland rallied from ten points behind early in the fourth quarter to lead by one with a little over two minutes left in the game, but the Knicks regained the lead on a three-pointer by Hart and an offensive rebound by Randle sealed the win for New York.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 18 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse]], [[Cleveland|Cleveland, OH]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[New York Knicks]] |score1=90
|team2='''[[Cleveland Cavaliers]]''' |score2='''107'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-cle-0042200132 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''25''' |Q2=17–'''34''' |Q3=21–'''23''' |Q4='''30'''–25
|points1=[[Julius Randle]] 22 |points2=[[Darius Garland]] 32
|rebounds1=Julius Randle 8 |rebounds2=[[Evan Mobley]] 13
|assist1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 6 |assist2=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 13
|attendance=19,432
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Ben Taylor, Brent Barnaky
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} After a lackluster playoff debut, [[Darius Garland]] bounced back with a dominant performance, scoring 26 of his 32 points in the first half to lead the Cavaliers to their first playoff victory without [[LeBron James]] on their roster since 1998. [[Caris LeVert]] scored 24 points off the bench for Cleveland and [[Donovan Mitchell]] added 17 points and a playoff career-high 13 assists. Cleveland capitalized on New York's mistakes, scoring 27 points off of 14 turnovers in the first half, the most by a team in a half since 2009. Although [[Julius Randle]] led the Knicks with 22 points, the team's starters shot just 33.3% from the field, making only 18 of their 54 attempted shots.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 21 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Cleveland Cavaliers]] |score1=79
|team2='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score2='''99'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200133 Recap]
|Q1=17–17|Q2=15–'''28'''|Q3=23–'''27'''|Q4=24–'''27'''
|points1=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 22 |points2=[[Jalen Brunson]] 21
|rebounds1=[[Evan Mobley]] 10 |rebounds2=[[RJ Barrett|Barrett]], [[Julius Randle|Randle]] 8 each
|assist1=Donovan Mitchell 5 |assist2=Jalen Brunson 6
|attendance=19,812
|referee=Josh Tiven, Courtney Kirkland, Justin Van Duyne
|series=New York leads series, 2–1
}} In the Knicks' first sold-out home playoff game since 2013, they limited the Cavaliers to 79 points, the lowest point total by any team in a game this season. [[Jalen Brunson]] scored a team-high 21 points, while [[Josh Hart]] added 13 points off the bench. [[RJ Barrett]], who was 6-of-25 in the first two games, shot 8-of-12 from the field and scored 14 of his 19 points in the first half. For Cleveland, [[Donovan Mitchell]] scored 22 points, but [[Darius Garland]], who scored 32 points in Game 2, managed just ten points on 4-of-21 shooting. The Cavaliers struggled mightily with their offense, shooting 7-of-33 from beyond the arc, committing 20 turnovers, and scoring just 32 points in the first half.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 23 |time=1:00 pm |place=[[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Cleveland Cavaliers]] |score1=93
|team2='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score2='''102'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/cle-vs-nyk-0042200134 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''30''' |Q2=22–'''24''' |Q3='''26'''–19 |Q4=22–'''29'''
|points1=[[Darius Garland]] 23 |points2=[[Jalen Brunson]] 29
|rebounds1=[[Caris LeVert]] 9 |rebounds2=[[Mitchell Robinson]] 11
|assist1=Darius Garland 10 |assist2=Jalen Brunson 6
|attendance=19,812
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Tre Maddox, Kevin Cutler
|series=New York leads series, 3–1
}} In a pivotal Game 4, [[Jalen Brunson]] led the way for the Knicks with 29 points, while [[RJ Barrett]] contributed 26 points and [[Josh Hart]] added 19 points and seven rebounds as the Knicks took a 3–1 series lead over the Cavaliers. Although [[Darius Garland]] rebounded with 23 points and ten assists after a poor showing in Game 3, [[Donovan Mitchell]] struggled mightily, finishing with just 11 points and six turnovers on 5-of-18 shooting, as he made just one field goal in the second half. [[Caris LeVert]] and [[Jarrett Allen]] each scored 14 points, but Allen was outrebounded by the Knicks' [[Mitchell Robinson]], who finished with a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds as New York held Cleveland to under 100 points for the third time this series.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 26|time=7:00 pm |place=[[Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse]], [[Cleveland|Cleveland, OH]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score1='''106'''
|team2=[[Cleveland Cavaliers]] |score2=95
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200135 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–26|Q2='''28'''–25|Q3='''26'''–24|Q4=19–'''20'''
|points1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 23 |points2=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 28
|rebounds1=[[Mitchell Robinson]] 18 |rebounds2=[[Evan Mobley]] 9
|assist1=[[Julius Randle]] 6 |assist2=Donovan Mitchell 5
|attendance=19,432
|referee=John Goble, Kevin Scott, Mitchell Ervin
|series=New York wins series, 4–1
}} For the fourth time in five games, New York held Cleveland to under 100 points as the Knicks won a playoff series for just the second time in 23 years. The Knicks were once again led by [[Jalen Brunson]], who scored 23 points, and [[RJ Barrett]], who added 21. Brunson was consistent throughout the series for New York, averaging 24 points in the series and leading the team in scoring in all four wins. [[Mitchell Robinson]] anchored the Knicks' defense with 18 rebounds (11 of them offensive) as he outrebounded Cleveland's [[Jarrett Allen]] and [[Evan Mobley]] for the second straight game. Although [[Donovan Mitchell]] and [[Darius Garland]] both scored 20+ points in the same game for the first time this series, the Cavaliers were never able to gain a lead.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!New York won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 30, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-cle-0022200090 Recap]
| team1 = [[New York Knicks]] | score1 = 108
| team2 = '''[[Cleveland Cavaliers]]''' | score2 = '''121'''
| place = [[Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse]], [[Cleveland|Cleveland, OH]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = December 4, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/cle-vs-nyk-0022200348 Recap]
| team1 = Cleveland Cavaliers | score1 = 81
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''92'''
| place = [[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 24, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/cle-vs-nyk-0022200715 Recap]
| team1 = Cleveland Cavaliers | score1 = 103
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''105'''
| place = Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 31, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-cle-0022201154 Recap]
| team1 = '''New York Knicks''' | score1 = '''130'''
| team2 = Cleveland Cavaliers | score2 = 116
| place = Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
}}
|}

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Knicks winning the first three meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=CLE&opp_id=NYK&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Cleveland Cavaliers versus New York Knicks (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 5, 2023|archive-date=April 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405224239/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=CLE&opp_id=NYK&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!New York leads 3–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1978
| team1 = [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''[[New York Knicks]]''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1978 NBA playoffs#(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) New York Knicks|1978 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1995
| team1 = '''New York Knicks''' | score1 = '''3'''
| team2 = Cleveland Cavaliers | score2 = 1
| place = [[1995 NBA playoffs#(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Cleveland Cavaliers|1995 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1996
| team1 = Cleveland Cavaliers | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''3'''
| place = [[1996 NBA playoffs#(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) New York Knicks|1996 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

===Western Conference First Round===

====(1) Denver Nuggets vs. (8) Minnesota Timberwolves====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 16 |time=10:30 pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Minnesota Timberwolves]] |score1=80
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''109'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200141 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''26''' |Q2=21–'''29''' |Q3=14–'''32''' |Q4=22–22
|points1=[[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] 18 |points2=[[Jamal Murray]] 24
|rebounds1=[[Rudy Gobert]] 13 |rebounds2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 14
|assist1=Anthony Edwards 5 |assist2=Jamal Murray 8
|attendance=19,628
|referee=Josh Tiven, Pat Fraher, [[Rodney Mott]]
|series=Denver leads series, 1–0
}} The Nuggets thrashed the Timberwolves in the opening game of the series, holding Minnesota to 30-of-81 field goal shooting and 11-of-36 from beyond the arc. In his first playoff game since the [[2020 NBA Bubble]], [[Jamal Murray]] led the scoring for Denver, scoring 24 points. [[Nikola Jokić]] and [[Michael Porter Jr.]] both achieved double-doubles, the former having 13 points and 14 rebounds, while the latter finished with 18 points and grabbed 11 boards. [[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] scored 18 points in the losing effort, while [[Karl-Anthony Towns]] had 11 points and ten rebounds. Minnesota's 80 points were their lowest in a game since 2016 and tied for the fewest points scored by any team this season.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 19|time=10:00 pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}}|place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Minnesota Timberwolves]] |score1=113
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''122'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200142 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''31''' |Q2=27–'''33''' |Q3='''40'''–23 |Q4=24–'''35'''
|points1=[[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] 41 |points2=[[Jamal Murray]] 40
|rebounds1=[[Karl-Anthony Towns]] 12 |rebounds2=[[Aaron Gordon]] 10
|assist1=[[Mike Conley Jr.|Mike Conley]] 7 |assist2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 9
|attendance=19,683
|referee=Marc Davis, Ed Malloy, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Denver leads series, 2–0
}} [[Jamal Murray]] scored 40 points and [[Michael Porter Jr.]] had 13 of his 16 in the fourth quarter, powering the Nuggets past the Timberwolves to seize a 2–0 series lead. [[Nikola Jokić]] had another strong performance for the Nuggets, finishing with 27 points, nine assists, and nine rebounds as Denver built a 21-point lead in the first half. For Minnesota, [[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] scored a playoff career-high 41 points as the Wolves shot 17-of-21 (81%) in the third quarter to send Denver trailing entering the final quarter. However, the Nuggets regained their lead thanks to Porter Jr. scoring eight straight points to begin the fourth and a three-pointer with 6:25 left that permanently gave Denver the lead.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 21|time=9:30 pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Target Center]], [[Minneapolis|Minneapolis, MN]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''120'''
|team2=[[Minnesota Timberwolves]] |score2=111
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200143 Recap]
|Q1=28–28 |Q2='''33'''–27 |Q3=33–33 |Q4='''26'''–23
|points1=[[Michael Porter Jr.]] 25 |points2=[[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] 36
|rebounds1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 11 |rebounds2=[[Rudy Gobert]] 10
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 12 |assist2=[[Kyle Anderson (basketball)|Kyle Anderson]] 6
|attendance=19,536
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], James Williams, Eric Dalen
|series=Denver leads series, 3–0
}} The Nuggets delivered a disciplined performance to take a commanding 3–0 series lead, with two-time reigning MVP [[Nikola Jokić]] leading the team with his seventh career triple-double in the playoffs. [[Michael Porter Jr.]] added a team-high 25 points and nine rebounds, while [[Jamal Murray]] contributed 18 points and nine assists. Despite another impressive performance by [[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]], who scored 36 points, the Timberwolves struggled to keep up, as Denver had two 9–0 runs in the first half and started the second quarter by making 12 of their first 16 shots on their way to a 13-point lead. The Wolves' [[Karl-Anthony Towns]] had 27 points, while [[Rudy Gobert]] had 18 points and ten rebounds.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 23|time=9:30 pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}}|place=[[Target Center]], [[Minneapolis|Minneapolis, MN]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score1=108
|team2='''[[Minnesota Timberwolves]]''' |score2='''114''' |overtime=OT
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200144 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''23''' |Q2='''30'''–25 |Q3=22–'''32''' |Q4='''22'''–16 |OT=12–'''18'''
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 43 |points2=[[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] 34
|rebounds1=Nikola Jokić 11 |rebounds2=[[Rudy Gobert]] 15
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 6 |assist2=[[Mike Conley Jr.|Mike Conley]] 8
|attendance=18,978
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Ray Acosta
|series=Denver leads series, 3–1
}} Down by 12 with under three minutes left in the fourth quarter, Denver went on a 12–0 run to tie it at 96–96, but the Timberwolves ultimately prevented a series sweep in overtime. [[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] again led the Timberwolves in scoring, logging 34 points in addition to six rebounds and five assists. [[Nikola Jokić]] scored 43 points, tying his playoff career-high, on 15-of-26 shooting, while also having 11 rebounds and six assists. [[Mike Conley Jr.|Mike Conley]] contributed 19 points, [[Karl-Anthony Towns]] had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and [[Rudy Gobert]] produced 14 points and 15 rebounds in the victory. [[Jamal Murray]] scored 19, while [[Michael Porter Jr.]] had 15 points in the losing effort.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 25|time=9:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1=[[Minnesota Timberwolves]] |score1=109
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''112'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200145 Recap]
|Q1='''29'''–22|Q2=18–'''26'''|Q3='''30'''–29|Q4=32–'''35'''
|points1=[[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] 29 |points2=[[Jamal Murray]] 35
|rebounds1=[[Rudy Gobert]] 15 |rebounds2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 17
|assist1=[[Mike Conley Jr.|Mike Conley]] 9 |assist2=Nikola Jokić 12
|attendance=19,691
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Curtis Blair]], Brian Forte
|series=Denver wins series, 4–1
}} After a sluggish start, Denver managed to rally and secure their fourth Western Semifinals appearance in five years behind the performances of [[Nikola Jokić]] and [[Jamal Murray]]. Down by 15 in the first half, the Nuggets came crawling back, as neither team led by more than six after the Nuggets made it 34–28 with 7:15 left in the second quarter. Jokić notched his second triple-double of the series, scoring 28 points despite missing 21-of-29 shots, while Murray scored a game-high 35 points. [[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] led the Wolves with 29 points, but missed a potential game-tying three-pointer as time expired. [[Karl-Anthony Towns]] and [[Rudy Gobert]] both scored 26 and 16 points respectively, but both centers fouled out in the fourth quarter.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 2, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/0022200557 Recap]
| team1 = [[Denver Nuggets]] | score1 = 111
| team2 = '''[[Minnesota Timberwolves]]''' | score2 = '''124'''
| place = [[Target Center]], [[Minneapolis|Minneapolis, MN]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 18, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/min-vs-den-0022200676 Recap]
| team1 = Minnesota Timberwolves | score1 = 118
| team2 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score2 = '''122'''
| place = [[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 5, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-min-0022200806 Recap]
| team1 = Denver Nuggets | score1 = 98
| team2 = '''Minnesota Timberwolves''' | score2 = '''128'''
| place = Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 7, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/min-vs-den-0022200820 Recap]
| team1 = Minnesota Timberwolves | score1 = 112
| team2 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score2 = '''146'''
| place = Ball Arena, Denver, CO
}}
|}

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Timberwolves winning the first meeting.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DEN&opp_id=MIN&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Minnesota Timberwolves (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 15, 2023|archive-date=April 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415041050/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DEN&opp_id=MIN&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Minnesota leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| date = 2004
| team1 = '''[[Minnesota Timberwolves]]''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Denver Nuggets]] | score2 = 1
| place = [[2004 NBA playoffs#(1) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (8) Denver Nuggets|2004 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(2) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 16 |time=3:00 pm {{small|(2:00 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis, TN]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score1='''128'''
|team2=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score2=112
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200151 Recap]
|Q1='''32'''–27 |Q2=27–'''38''' |Q3='''37'''–25 |Q4='''32'''–22
|points1=[[Rui Hachimura]] 29 |points2=[[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] 31
|rebounds1=[[Anthony Davis]] 12 |rebounds2=[[Santi Aldama|Aldama]], [[Ja Morant|Morant]] 6 each
|assist1=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 7 |assist2=[[Desmond Bane]] 6
|attendance=18,487
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Aaron Smith
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 1–0
}} The Lakers finished the game on a 15–0 run to seal a Game 1 victory in Memphis. Led by [[Rui Hachimura]] and [[Austin Reaves]], the duo combined for 37 of the Lakers' 69 points in the second half, including nine straight points from Reaves in the closing minutes to put the game away. [[LeBron James]] contributed 21 points and 11 rebounds, while [[Anthony Davis]] added 22 points and seven blocks. [[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] led the Grizzlies with 31 points, and [[Desmond Bane]] scored 22. [[Ja Morant]] had 18 points but left the game in the fourth quarter with an injured right hand.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 19|time= 7:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}}|place=[[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis, TN]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=93
|team2='''[[Memphis Grizzlies]]''' |score2='''103'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-mem-0042200152 Recap]
|Q1=19–'''30''' |Q2=25–'''29''' |Q3='''27'''–24 |Q4='''22'''–20
|points1=[[LeBron James]] 28 |points2=[[Xavier Tillman]] 22
|rebounds1=LeBron James 12 |rebounds2=Xavier Tillman 13
|assist1=[[Austin Reaves|Reaves]], [[D'Angelo Russell|Russell]] 4 each |assist2=[[Tyus Jones]] 8
|attendance=17,928
|referee=Josh Tiven, Courtney Kirkland, Justin Van Duyne
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} In danger of falling behind 2–0 in the series and without their All-Star [[Ja Morant]], [[Xavier Tillman]] stepped up for Memphis, scoring a career-high 22 points and a season-high 13 rebounds. Newly named [[NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award|Defensive Player of the Year]] [[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] added 18 points and three blocks, while [[Desmond Bane]] and [[Tyus Jones]] had 17 and ten points, respectively. [[LeBron James]] led the Lakers with 28 points and 12 rebounds, and [[Rui Hachimura]] dropped 20 points off the bench, but starters [[Anthony Davis]] and [[D'Angelo Russell]] struggled, combining for just 18 points on a combined 6-of-25 from the field.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 22|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]|TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score1=101
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''111'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-lal-0042200153 Recap]
|Q1=9–'''35''' |Q2='''28'''–18 |Q3=31–'''35''' |Q4='''33'''–23
|points1=[[Ja Morant]] 45 |points2=[[Anthony Davis]] 31
|rebounds1=[[Xavier Tillman]] 12 |rebounds2=Anthony Davis 17
|assist1=Ja Morant 13 |assist2=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 7
|attendance=18,997
|referee=Marc Davis, Ed Malloy, Brian Forte
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 2–1
}} In their first sold-out playoff home game since 2013, the Lakers produced one of the greatest first quarters in team history, as they stormed out to a 35–9 lead, tying an NBA record by taking a 26-point lead into the second quarter. [[Anthony Davis]] dropped 31 points and 17 rebounds, [[LeBron James]] finished with 25 points, and [[Rui Hachimura]] scored 16 points off the bench. For Memphis, [[Dillon Brooks]] was ejected early in the second half for striking James in the groin. [[Ja Morant]] scored 45 points in his return from a one-game absence, scoring 22 consecutive points for Memphis during his 24-point fourth quarter. Morant also had 13 assists and nine rebounds, but Memphis could not fully recover from their slow start.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 24|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]|TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score1=111
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''117''' |overtime=OT
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-lal-0042200154 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''29''' |Q2='''29'''–25 |Q3='''31'''–27 |Q4=21–'''23''' |OT=7–'''13'''
|points1=[[Desmond Bane]] 36 |points2=[[Austin Reaves]] 23
|rebounds1=[[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] 14 |rebounds2=[[LeBron James]] 20
|assist1=[[Ja Morant]] 7 |assist2=LeBron James 7
|attendance=18,997
|referee=John Goble, Sean Wright, Mitchell Ervin
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 3–1
}} In his 270th career playoff game, [[LeBron James]] made a game-tying layup with less than a second left in regulation and scored four of his 22 points in overtime to help the No. 7-seeded Lakers take a 3–1 series lead. James also grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds for the first 20–20 game of his 20-year career. [[Austin Reaves]] scored 23 points and [[Anthony Davis]] had five of his 12 points in overtime as Los Angeles surged back from a seven-point deficit with five minutes left in regulation with a rally that began when [[D'Angelo Russell]] hit three consecutive three-pointers. The Grizzlies' [[Desmond Bane]] scored 36 points, and [[Ja Morant]] scored 19 points with an injured right hand, but Davis blocked his jumper at the regulation buzzer.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 26|time=7:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis, TN]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=99
|team2='''[[Memphis Grizzlies]]''' |score2='''116'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200155 Recap]
|Q1=24–'''38'''|Q2='''28'''–23|Q3=24–'''33'''|Q4='''23'''–22
|points1=[[Anthony Davis]] 31 |points2=[[Desmond Bane]] 33
|rebounds1=Anthony Davis 19 |rebounds2=''three players'' 10 each{{efn|Bane, [[Jaren Jackson Jr.|Jackson Jr.]], and [[Ja Morant|Morant]]}}
|assist1=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 10 |assist2=Ja Morant 7
|attendance=18,117
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], [[Nick Buchert]]
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 3–2
}} The No. 2 seeded Grizzlies staved off elimination with a collaborative team effort. [[Desmond Bane]] had his second-straight 30-point game to go along with ten rebounds, while [[Ja Morant]] added 31 points and ten boards, and [[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] contributed 18 points and ten rebounds. [[LeBron James]] started off 1-of-7 shooting and ultimately finished with 15 points and ten rebounds, while [[Anthony Davis]] led the Lakers with 31 points and 19 boards. Although they trailed for most of the game, the Lakers pulled within one point with 4:36 left in the third quarter. However, Memphis responded with a 26–2 run that effectively put the game away. Los Angeles tried to rally with a 20–7 run in the fourth quarter, but couldn't get closer than 12 points.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 28|time=10:30 pm {{small|(7:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]|TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score1=85
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''125'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-lal-0042200156 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''31''' |Q2=22–'''28''' |Q3=25–'''41''' |Q4=18–'''25'''
|points1=[[Santi Aldama]] 16 |points2=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 31
|rebounds1=[[David Roddy|Roddy]], [[Xavier Tillman|Tillman]] 6 each |rebounds2=[[Anthony Davis]] 14
|assist1=[[Ja Morant]] 6 |assist2=[[Austin Reaves]] 8
|attendance=18,997
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Kevin Scott, Sean Corbin
|series=LA Lakers win series, 4–2
}} Los Angeles dominated throughout the game, building a 20-point lead in the first half and a 36-point lead in the third quarter as the Lakers won a playoff series in their home arena for the first time since 2012. [[LeBron James]] led the way with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting, while [[Anthony Davis]] put on a defensive clinic with 16 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocks. [[D'Angelo Russell]] had a career playoff-high 31 points, and [[Austin Reaves]] contributed 11 points, eight assists, and six rebounds. [[Ja Morant]], who was playing with an injured right hand, struggled mightily, scoring just ten points on 3-of-16 shooting. [[Dillon Brooks]], who gained notoriety throughout the series, scored just ten points and finished the series shooting 31% from the field.
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!LA Lakers won 2–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 20, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-lal-0022200690 Recap]
| team1 = [[Memphis Grizzlies]] | score1 = 121
| team2 = '''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' | score2 = '''122'''
| place = [[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 28, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-mem-0022200927 Recap]
| team1 = Los Angeles Lakers | score1 = 109
| team2 = '''Memphis Grizzlies''' | score2 = '''121'''
| place = [[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis, TN]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 7, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-lal-0022200984 Recap]
| team1 = Memphis Grizzlies | score1 = 103
| team2 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score2 = '''112'''
| place = Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
}}
|}

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=MEM&opp_id=LAL&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Memphis Grizzlies versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 12, 2023|archive-date=April 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412054647/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=MEM&opp_id=LAL&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

====(3) Sacramento Kings vs. (6) Golden State Warriors====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 15|time=8:30 pm {{small|(5:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Golden 1 Center]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=123
|team2='''[[Sacramento Kings]]''' |score2='''126'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0042200161 Recap]
|Q1=29–29 |Q2='''32'''–26 |Q3=29–'''36''' |Q4=33–'''35'''
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 30 |points2=[[De'Aaron Fox]] 38
|rebounds1=[[Draymond Green|D. Green]], [[Kevon Looney|Looney]] 9 each |rebounds2=[[Domantas Sabonis]] 16
|assist1=Draymond Green 11 |assist2=De'Aaron Fox 5
|attendance=18,253
|referee=John Goble, Ed Malloy, Sean Wright
|series=Sacramento leads series, 1–0
}}
In his playoff debut, [[De'Aaron Fox]] finished with 38 points, five assists, and three steals as he led Sacramento to their first playoff win in 17 years. [[Malik Monk]], who was also making his playoff debut, came off the bench and scored 32 points on 8-of-13 shooting and 14-of-14 from the free throw line in 29 minutes of play. [[Domantas Sabonis]], the league leader in double-doubles this season, came up with another, posting 12 points and 16 rebounds. [[Stephen Curry]] was the leading scorer for the Warriors in this game, scoring 30 points on 6-of-14 shooting from beyond the arc, but missed the potential game-tying three-pointer in the final seconds. [[Klay Thompson]] added 21 points, while [[Draymond Green]] had 11 assists and nine rebounds.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 17|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}}|place=[[Golden 1 Center]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=106
|team2='''[[Sacramento Kings]]''' |score2='''114'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0042200162 Recap]
|Q1='''23'''–17 |Q2=29–'''41''' |Q3=23–'''25''' |Q4=31–31
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 28 |points2=[[De'Aaron Fox|Fox]], [[Domantas Sabonis|Sabonis]] 24 each
|rebounds1=[[Kevon Looney]] 7 |rebounds2=Domantas Sabonis 9
|assist1=Stephen Curry 6 |assist2=De'Aaron Fox 9
|attendance=18,253
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Courtney Kirkland, Gediminas Petraitis
|series=Sacramento leads series, 2–0
}} Tied 95–95 late in the fourth quarter, The Kings went on a 17–8 run to become the first team to take a 2–0 series lead over the Warriors under [[Steve Kerr]]'s tenure. [[De'Aaron Fox]] scored 24 points and hit a crucial three-pointer that helped seal the victory for Sacramento. [[Domantas Sabonis]] added 24 points, and [[Malik Monk]] scored 18 off the bench. [[Stephen Curry]] led the Warriors with 28 points, but went 3-for-13 from beyond the arc as the Warriors committed 20 turnovers and 26 personal fouls. The game got heated midway through the fourth quarter, as [[Draymond Green]] was ejected for stepping on Sabonis' chest after Sabonis fell down and grabbed Green's leg following a rebound attempt.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 20|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Sacramento Kings]] |score1=97
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''114'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200163 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''29''' |Q2=21–'''24''' |Q3=31–31 |Q4=25–'''30'''
|points1=[[De'Aaron Fox]] 26 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 36
|rebounds1=[[Domantas Sabonis]] 16 |rebounds2=[[Kevon Looney]] 20
|assist1=De'Aaron Fox 9 |assist2=Kevon Looney 9
|attendance=18,064
|referee=[[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Kevin Scott, Sean Corbin
|series=Sacramento leads series, 2–1
}} The Warriors entered Game 3 trailing 2–0 and missing two of their top defenders, including [[Draymond Green]], who was suspended as a result of his actions the previous game. The Warriors responded to the challenge by dominating the Kings 114–97, as Sacramento never led in the game. [[Stephen Curry]] scored 36 points, [[Kevon Looney]] matched his career high with 20 rebounds to go with nine assists, and [[Andrew Wiggins]] added 20 points and seven rebounds. The Kings’ [[De'Aaron Fox]] scored 26 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, while [[Domantas Sabonis]] added 15 points and 16 rebounds as the Kings missed a season-high 36 three-point attempts.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 23|time=3:30 pm {{small|(12:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Sacramento Kings]] |score1=125
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''126'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/sac-vs-gsw-0042200164 Recap]
|Q1='''32'''–31 |Q2='''37'''–34 |Q3=23–'''37''' |Q4='''33'''–24
|points1=[[De'Aaron Fox]] 38 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 32
|rebounds1=De'Aaron Fox 9 |rebounds2=[[Kevon Looney]] 14
|assist1=[[Domantas Sabonis]] 8 |assist2=[[Draymond Green]] 7
|attendance=18,064
|referee=Josh Tiven, James Williams, Pat Fraher
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}} In a collaborative team effort, [[Stephen Curry]] scored 32 points, [[Klay Thompson]] added 26, and [[Jordan Poole]] dropped 22 points as the Warriors tied the series at two games apiece. [[Draymond Green]] returned from his one-game suspension and provided 12 points, ten rebounds, and seven assists, while [[Andrew Wiggins]] contributed 18 points. Despite the victory, the Warriors made a late blunder when Curry called a timeout that they did not have, giving the Kings a chance to win the game in the final seconds. However, [[Harrison Barnes]] missed a three-pointer at the buzzer, allowing the Warriors to hold on for the win. For the Kings, [[De'Aaron Fox]] put up 38 points and nine rebounds while [[Keegan Murray]] contributed 23 points.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 26|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Golden 1 Center]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score1='''123'''
|team2=[[Sacramento Kings]] |score2=116
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0042200165 Recap]
|Q1=33–'''36'''|Q2='''27'''–20|Q3='''39'''–34|Q4=24–'''26'''
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 31 |points2=[[De'Aaron Fox]] 24
|rebounds1=[[Kevon Looney]] 22 |rebounds2=[[Domantas Sabonis]] 10
|assist1=Stephen Curry 8 |assist2=De'Aaron Fox 9
|attendance=18,253
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Mark Lindsay, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Golden State leads series, 3–2
}} In spite of their 11–32 record on the road this season, the Warriors came away with a critical Game 5 victory as Golden State won a road game for the NBA-record 28th straight playoff series. [[Stephen Curry]] spearheaded the victory with 31 points, while [[Draymond Green]] had his highest scoring output since 2019 with 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting. [[Klay Thompson]] added 25 points and five three-pointers, [[Andrew Wiggins]] had 20 points, and [[Kevon Looney]] matched his career-high with 22 rebounds. Despite a broken index finger on his shooting hand, [[De'Aaron Fox]] scored 24 points for the Kings, while [[Malik Monk]] and [[Domantas Sabonis]] added 21 points apiece, but it wasn't enough to overcome the defending champions.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 28|time=8:00 pm {{small|(5:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Sacramento Kings]]''' |score1='''118'''
|team2=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score2=99
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/sac-vs-gsw-0042200166 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''25'''|Q2='''35'''–26|Q3='''32'''–29|Q4='''28'''–19
|points1=[[Malik Monk]] 28 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 29
|rebounds1=[[Keegan Murray]] 12 |rebounds2=[[Kevon Looney]] 13
|assist1=[[De'Aaron Fox]] 11 |assist2=[[Draymond Green]] 10
|attendance=18,064
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Ben Taylor
|series=Series tied, 3–3
}} The Kings, led by [[Malik Monk]]'s 28 points, staved off elimination on the road and forced the first Game 7 of the 2023 playoffs. [[De'Aaron Fox]] added 26 points and 11 assists, and rookie [[Keegan Murray]] scored his first playoff double-double. For Golden State, [[Stephen Curry]] scored 29, [[Klay Thompson]] had 22, and [[Kevon Looney]] pulled down 13 rebounds. However, starters [[Andrew Wiggins]] and [[Jordan Poole]] combined for just 20 points on 29% shooting (7-of-24). Although [[Domantas Sabonis]] fouled out in the fourth quarter, the Kings controlled the game in the second half, never allowing the Warriors to get closer than seven points in the fourth quarter.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 30|time=3:30 pm {{small|(12:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Golden 1 Center]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score1='''120'''
|team2=[[Sacramento Kings]] |score2=100
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0042200167 Recap]
|Q1=30–'''31''' |Q2=26–'''27''' |Q3='''35'''–23 |Q4='''29'''–19
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 50 |points2=[[Domantas Sabonis]] 22
|rebounds1=[[Kevon Looney]] 21 |rebounds2=[[Kevin Huerter|Huerter]], [[Malik Monk|Monk]] 9 each
|assist1=[[Draymond Green]] 8 |assist2=Domantas Sabonis 7
|attendance=18,253
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Kevin Scott, [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=Golden State wins series, 4–3
}} [[Stephen Curry]] scored a playoff career-high to help the Warriors advance to the Western Conference semifinals, becoming the first player ever to score 50 points in a game 7. While the rest of his team shot 37% from the field, Curry shot 20-of-38 (53%) with seven three-pointers to go along with eight rebounds and six assists, as no one else for Golden State scored more than 17 points. In addition to Curry's performance, [[Kevon Looney]] grabbed 21 rebounds, including ten offensive boards, to mark his third 20-rebound game of the series. For the Kings, [[Domantas Sabonis]] had 22 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, but the Warriors held [[De'Aaron Fox]] in check as he scored 16 points on 5-of-19 shooting in his third game with a broken finger. Although they trailed at halftime, the Warriors opened the second half with a 22–8 run and held Sacramento to 42 points on 33% shooting after the break.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Golden State won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 23, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/sac-vs-gsw-0022200042 Recap]
| team1 = [[Sacramento Kings]] | score1 = 125
| team2 = '''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' | score2 = '''130'''
| place = [[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = November 7, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/sac-vs-gsw-0022200156 Recap]
| team1 = Sacramento Kings | score1 = 113
| team2 = '''Golden State Warriors''' | score2 = '''116'''
| place = Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = November 13, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0022200197 Recap]
| team1 = Golden State Warriors | score1 = 115
| team2 = '''Sacramento Kings''' | score2 = '''122'''
| place = [[Golden 1 Center]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 7, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0022201211 Recap]
| team1 = '''Golden State Warriors''' | score1 = '''119'''
| team2 = Sacramento Kings | score2 = 97
| place = Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
}}
|}

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=SAC&opp_id=GSW&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Sacramento Kings versus Golden State Warriors (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 12, 2023|archive-date=April 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409221642/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=SAC&opp_id=GSW&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

====(4) Phoenix Suns vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 16 |time=8:00 pm {{small|(5:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Los Angeles Clippers]]''' |score1='''115'''
|team2=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score2=110
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-phx-0042200171 Recap]
|Q1='''30'''–18 |Q2=29–'''36''' |Q3=22–'''27''' |Q4='''34'''–29
|points1=[[Kawhi Leonard]] 38 |points2=[[Kevin Durant]] 27
|rebounds1=[[Ivica Zubac]] 15 |rebounds2=[[Chris Paul]] 11
|assist1=[[Russell Westbrook]] 8 |assist2=Kevin Durant 11
|attendance=17,071
|referee=Marc Davis, Kevin Scott, Brian Forte
|series=LA Clippers lead series, 1–0
}} In the absence of [[Paul George]], [[Kawhi Leonard]] took charge for the Clippers, scoring 38 points and hitting two crucial three-pointers in the closing moments to secure the series opener. Despite a poor shooting performance from [[Russell Westbrook]], who went 3-of-19 from the field, he added 11 rebounds, eight assists, and made two crucial free throws late in the game. He also blocked [[Devin Booker]]'s layup attempt in the final minute to secure the win. For Phoenix, [[Kevin Durant]] scored 27 points to go along with nine rebounds and 11 assists, while Booker contributed 26 points, three blocks, and four steals. Notably, this marked Durant's first loss as a member of the Suns.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 18|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score1=109
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''123'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-phx-0042200172 Recap]
|Q1='''29'''–24 |Q2=30–'''35''' |Q3=28–'''33''' |Q4=22–'''31'''
|points1=[[Kawhi Leonard]] 31 |points2=[[Devin Booker]] 38
|rebounds1=Kawhi Leonard 8 |rebounds2=[[Deandre Ayton]] 13
|assist1=Kawhi Leonard 7 |assist2=Devin Booker 9
|attendance=17,071
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], [[JB DeRosa]]
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} The Suns overcame a slow start and a 13-point deficit midway through the second quarter to even the series at one game apiece. [[Devin Booker]] led the Suns with 38 points and nine assists on 14-of-22 shooting, while [[Kevin Durant]] added 25 points. Although the Clippers' bench outscored Phoenix's 30–13, The Suns' starters combined for 110 points on 45-of-74 (61%) from the field as Phoenix went on a 23–4 run during the middle two quarters to take control of the game. [[Kawhi Leonard]] led Los Angeles with 31 points, while [[Russell Westbrook]] added 28 points on an improved 9-of-16 shooting. Notably, [[Chris Paul]] had his 13-game playoff losing streak snapped when referee [[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]] is on the floor.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 20|time=10:30 pm {{small|(7:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score1='''129'''
|team2=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score2=124
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200173 Recap]
|Q1=27–27|Q2='''27'''–24|Q3='''40'''–34|Q4=35–'''39'''
|points1=[[Devin Booker]] 45 |points2=[[Norman Powell]] 42
|rebounds1=[[Deandre Ayton]] 11 |rebounds2=[[Russell Westbrook|Westbrook]], [[Ivica Zubac|Zubac]] 8 each
|assist1=[[Chris Paul]] 7 |assist2=Russell Westbrook 12
|attendance=19,068
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Jacyn Goble
|series=Phoenix leads series, 2–1
}} [[Devin Booker]] and [[Kevin Durant]] combined for 73 points to take a 2–1 series lead. Despite [[Kawhi Leonard]]'s absence, the Clippers remained competitive in the first half, with neither team leading by more than eight points. The Suns pulled away in the third quarter, with Booker scoring eight points in a 17–8 run to give Phoenix its first double-digit lead of the game. [[Norman Powell]] stepped up for Los Angeles, scoring a career playoff-high 42 points on 15-of-23 shooting, while [[Russell Westbrook]] dropped 30 points and 12 assists. [[Bones Hyland]] (20 points) came off the bench and outscored the Phoenix bench (18 points), but it was not enough to overcome the Suns' starters, as they combined for 110+ points for the second straight game.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 22|time=3:30 pm {{small|(12:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score1='''112'''
|team2=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score2=100
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lac-0042200174 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''30''' |Q2='''25'''–17 |Q3='''35'''–31 |Q4='''29'''–22
|points1=[[Kevin Durant]] 31 |points2=[[Russell Westbrook]] 37
|rebounds1=[[Deandre Ayton]] 13 |rebounds2=[[Ivica Zubac]] 9
|assist1=[[Chris Paul]] 9 |assist2=[[Terance Mann|Mann]], Westbrook 4 each
|attendance=19,068
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], [[Curtis Blair]], [[Nick Buchert]]
|series=Phoenix leads series, 3–1
}} [[Kevin Durant]] scored 31 points, [[Devin Booker]] added 30, and [[Chris Paul]] finished with 19 points and nine assists as the Suns won their third straight game against Los Angeles. The Clippers were without [[Kawhi Leonard]] and [[Paul George]], but [[Russell Westbrook]] carried the team in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 points, including nine in a row when they twice pulled within two points. However, Paul staved off the Clippers in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting against his former team. Westbrook finished with a game-high 37 points, while [[Norman Powell]] added 14 points and [[Terance Mann]] had 13 off the bench.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 25|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score1=130
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''136'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-phx-0042200175 Recap]
|Q1=30–'''32'''|Q2='''40'''–29|Q3=24–'''50'''|Q4='''36'''–25
|points1=[[Norman Powell]] 27 |points2=[[Devin Booker]] 47
|rebounds1=[[Mason Plumlee|Plumlee]], [[Ivica Zubac|Zubac]] 10 each |rebounds2=[[Deandre Ayton]] 11
|assist1=[[Russell Westbrook]] 8 |assist2=Devin Booker 10
|attendance=17,071
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Ben Taylor, Karl Lane
|series=Phoenix wins series, 4–1
}} [[Devin Booker]] led Phoenix past the Clippers with a 47-point performance, including 25 points in the third quarter, to advance to the Western Semifinals for the third straight season. The Clippers attempted to come back from a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter, hitting four straight three-pointers to quickly close the gap, and had multiple chances to tie the game in the final three minutes but could never convert. [[Kevin Durant]] sealed the win for the Suns by making a layup to extend their lead to 134–130, and then made two free throws to put them up six with 31 seconds left. Durant finished with 31 points while [[Deandre Ayton]] had 21 points and 11 rebounds. Booker shot 19-of-27 from the field, including 4-of-7 from three-point range.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 23, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lac-0022200043 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' | score1 = '''112'''
| team2 = [[Los Angeles Clippers]] | score2 = 95
| place = [[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = December 15, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lac-0022200427 Recap]
| team1 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score1 = '''111'''
| team2 = Los Angeles Clippers | score2 = 95
| place = Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 16, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-phx-0022200885 Recap]
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Clippers''' | score1 = '''116'''
| team2 = Phoenix Suns | score2 = 107
| place = [[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 9, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lac-0022201229 Recap]
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Clippers''' | score1 = '''119'''
| team2 = Phoenix Suns | score2 = 114
| place = Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ
}}
|}

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Suns winning the first two meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=PHO&opp_id=LAC&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Phoenix Suns versus Los Angeles Clippers (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 9, 2023|archive-date=April 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409035844/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=PHO&opp_id=LAC&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Phoenix leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| date = 2006
| team1 = '''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Los Angeles Clippers]] | score2 = 3
| place = [[2006 NBA playoffs#(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (6) Los Angeles Clippers|2006 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2021
| team1 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Los Angeles Clippers | score2 = 2
| place = [[2021 NBA playoffs#(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (4) Los Angeles Clippers|2021 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
|}

==Conference semifinals==
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

===Eastern Conference semifinals===

====(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 1 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score1='''119'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=115
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0042200211 Recap]
|Q1=31–'''38''' |Q2='''32'''–28 |Q3='''24'''–21 |Q4='''32'''–28
|points1=[[James Harden]] 45 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 39
|rebounds1=[[Paul Reed (basketball)|Paul Reed]] 13 |rebounds2=Jayson Tatum 11
|assist1=James Harden 6 |assist2=[[Marcus Smart]] 7
|attendance=19,156
|referee=David Guthrie, Courtney Kirkland, Karl Lane
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 1–0
}} Led by [[James Harden]]'s 45 points, the 76ers rallied without [[Joel Embiid]] to beat the Celtics on the road to take a 1–0 series lead. Harden, who tied his playoff career-high, hit a go-ahead, step-back three-pointer over [[Al Horford]] with less than ten seconds left to help secure the victory. [[Tyrese Maxey]] added 26 points and [[Tobias Harris]] finished with 18 for Philadelphia, who made 17 three-pointers in the absence of [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]] Embiid. [[Jayson Tatum]] led the Celtics with 39 points and 11 rebounds, while [[Jaylen Brown]] added 23 points and [[Malcolm Brogdon]] finished with 20 points. The Celtics had one final chance and got the ball to Tatum, but he lost the ball to [[Paul Reed (basketball)|Paul Reed]], who later hit a pair of free throws to seal the win for Philadelphia.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 3|time=8:00 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score1=87
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''121'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0042200212 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''28''' |Q2=27–'''29''' |Q3=16–'''35''' |Q4=22–'''29'''
|points1=[[Tobias Harris]] 16 |points2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 25
|rebounds1=[[James Harden]] 10 |rebounds2=''three players'' 7 each{{efn|[[Al Horford|Horford]], [[Jayson Tatum|Tatum]], and [[Robert Williams III|Williams III]]}}
|assist1=James Harden 4 |assist2=''three players'' 4 each{{efn|Brown, [[Grant Williams (basketball)|Williams]], and Williams III}}
|attendance=19,156
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Kevin Scott, [[Rodney Mott]]
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} The Celtics bounced back from their series opening loss to rout the 76ers by 34 points and hand Philadelphia their first loss of the playoffs. [[Jaylen Brown]] scored a game-high 25 points, while [[Malcolm Brogdon]] added 23 points, connecting on six of Boston's 20 three-pointers. [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] and [[Marcus Smart]] scored 15 points apiece, while [[Jayson Tatum]] struggled with fouls and scored just seven points. The Celtics stepped up their defense and limited the 76ers, who made 17 threes in Game 1, to just 6-of-30 from beyond the arc. [[Joel Embiid]] returned from injury to score 15 points and notch five blocks, while [[James Harden]] struggled to find his rhythm, shooting just 2-of-14 from the field and missing all six of his three-point attempts.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 5|time=7:30 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''114'''
|team2=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score2=102
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-phi-0042200213 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''29''' |Q2='''29'''–21 |Q3='''31'''–27 |Q4='''26'''–25
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 27 |points2=[[Joel Embiid]] 30
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 10 |rebounds2=Joel Embiid 13
|assist1=[[Malcolm Brogdon]] 6 |assist2=[[James Harden]] 11
|attendance=21,290
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Ben Taylor, Mark Lindsay
|series=Boston leads series, 2–1
}} With [[Joel Embiid]] receiving his [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]] trophy in a pregame ceremony in front of his home floor, the duo of [[Jayson Tatum]] and [[Jaylen Brown]] spoiled the show for Philadelphia, combining for 50 points and giving the Celtics a 2–1 series advantage. Boston led the majority of the game thanks to a 14–4 run to start the game, with six Celtics players scoring in double figures. Although Philadelphia pulled within four points late in the final quarter, Boston hit timely three-pointers that prevented the 76ers from gaining any more ground. Despite Embiid's 30-point and 13-rebound performance on one good knee, [[James Harden]] and [[Tyrese Maxey]]'s combined shooting of 7-for-30 (23%) left him with little offensive support.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 7|time=3:30 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Boston Celtics]] |score1=115
|team2='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score2='''116''' |overtime=OT
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-phi-0042200214 Recap]
|Q1=19–'''27''' |Q2=31–'''32''' |Q3=33–33 |Q4='''24'''–15 |OT=8–'''9'''
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 24 |points2=[[James Harden]] 42
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 18 |rebounds2=[[Joel Embiid]] 13
|assist1=[[Marcus Smart]] 7 |assist2=James Harden 9
|attendance=21,264
|referee=John Goble, James Williams, Gediminas Petraitis
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}} After having the worst shooting stretch of his career over any two-game span in Games 2 and 3, [[James Harden]] bounced back in Game 4 by scoring 42 points on 16-of-23 shooting to help Philadelphia tie the series at two games apiece. After Boston rallied from a 16-point deficit to take a five-point lead with two minutes left in the fourth quarter, the 76ers responded with key baskets from Harden and [[P. J. Tucker]], including a floater from Harden with 16 seconds left to force overtime. In overtime, [[Joel Embiid]] hit a pair of free-throws to give Philadelphia the lead, but [[Jayson Tatum]] hit a step-back three to put the Celtics ahead by two with less than a minute remaining. However, Harden answered back with his sixth three-pointer of the night, putting the 76ers back in front with 18 seconds to go. Although [[Marcus Smart]] had a chance to win it for Boston, his shot was ruled too late, securing the victory for Philadelphia.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 9|time=7:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score1='''115'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=103
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0042200215 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–26|Q2='''25'''–23|Q3='''30'''–23|Q4=27–'''31'''
|points1=[[Joel Embiid]] 33 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 36
|rebounds1=[[Tobias Harris]] 11 |rebounds2=Jayson Tatum 10
|assist1=[[James Harden]] 10 |assist2=Jayson Tatum 5
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 3–2
}} With a commanding performance on the road, the 76ers moved to the brink of their first conference finals berth in 22 years. [[Joel Embiid]] recorded 33 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks as Philadelphia built an early 42–27 lead and never looked back, leading by as much as 21 points. [[Tyrese Maxey]] also stepped up for the 76ers, contributing 30 points and six three-pointers, while [[James Harden]] had 17 points, ten assists, and eight rebounds on 50% shooting. [[Jayson Tatum]] scored 36 points for Boston, but he struggled to shoot efficiently, going 11-of-27 from the field. [[Jaylen Brown]] contributed 24 points, but the Celtics struggled to find their shot throughout the game, shooting just 40% from the field and 31% from beyond the arc.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 11|time=7:30 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''95'''
|team2=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score2=86
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-phi-0042200216 Recap]
|Q1='''29'''–22 |Q2=21–21 |Q3=21–'''30''' |Q4='''24'''–13
|points1=[[Marcus Smart]] 22 |points2=[[Joel Embiid|Embiid]], [[Tyrese Maxey|Maxey]] 26 each
|rebounds1=[[Al Horford]] 11 |rebounds2=Joel Embiid 10
|assist1=Marcus Smart 7 |assist2=[[James Harden]] 9
|attendance=21,337
|referee=David Guthrie, Ed Malloy, [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=Series tied, 3–3
}} [[Jayson Tatum]] struggled mightily in the first three quarters, scoring just three points on 1-of-13 shooting. However, he came alive during the final quarter, dropping 16 points and leading a crucial 14–1 run in the final five minutes to force a Game 7 back in Boston. Despite trailing by as much as 16 points in the first half, the 76ers rallied thanks to the efforts of [[Joel Embiid]] and [[Tyrese Maxey]], who helped the team take the lead entering the fourth quarter. However, Philadelphia faltered down the stretch, missing all eight of their three-point attempts in the fourth and failing to make a single field goal over the last six minutes until [[garbage time]]. Embiid and Maxey scored 26 points each, while [[James Harden]] shot a poor 4-of-16 from the field.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 14|time=3:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score1=88
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''112'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0042200217 Recap]
|Q1='''29'''–23 |Q2=23–'''32''' |Q3=10–'''33''' |Q4='''26'''–24
|points1=[[Tobias Harris]] 19 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 51
|rebounds1=[[Joel Embiid]] 8 |rebounds2=Jayson Tatum 13
|assist1=[[James Harden]] 7 |assist2=Jayson Tatum 5
|attendance=19,156
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]]
|series=Boston wins series, 4–3
}} In a historic performance, [[Jayson Tatum]] scored a playoff career-high 51 points, setting a new record for the most points ever scored in a game 7 as he led the Celtics to their fifth conference finals appearance in seven years. Tatum started off strong, scoring 25 points in a competitive first half and adding 17 more in Boston's 33–10 third quarter, which turned a three-point lead into a blowout victory. Tatum also finished with 13 rebounds, five assists, and zero turnovers, setting a playoff record for most points in a game with zero turnovers. Meanwhile, the 76ers lost in the conference semifinals for the fifth time in six years, with [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]] [[Joel Embiid]] scoring just 15 points on 5-for-18 shooting, while [[James Harden]] scored nine points on 3-of-11 shooting. Additionally, 76ers head coach [[Doc Rivers]] has now lost a record 10 game 7's, with his teams going 4–13 in their last 17 chances to close out a playoff series.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Boston won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 18, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0022200001 Recap]
| team1 = [[Philadelphia 76ers]] | score1 = 117
| team2 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score2 = '''126'''
| place = [[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 8, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0022200824 Recap]
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 99
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''106'''
| place = TD Garden, Boston, MA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 25, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-phi-0022200908 Recap]
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''110'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 107
| place = [[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 4, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-phi-0022201181 Recap]
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 101
| team2 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score2 = '''103'''
| place = Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
}}
|}

This was the 23rd playoff meeting between these two teams, and the 15th since the [[History of the Philadelphia 76ers|Syracuse Nationals]] relocated to Philadelphia in 1963, with the Celtics winning 14 of the first 22 meetings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=BOS&opp_id=PHI&is_playoffs=Y|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 28, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoffs series
|-
!Boston leads 14–8 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1953
| team1 = [[Syracuse Nationals]] | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1953 NBA playoffs#(2) Syracuse Nationals vs. (3) Boston Celtics|1953 Eastern Division semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1954
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''Syracuse Nationals''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1954 NBA playoffs#(1) New York Knicks, (2) Boston Celtics, (3) Syracuse Nationals|1954 Eastern Division Round Robin Semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1954
| team1 = '''Syracuse Nationals''' | score1 = '''2'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 0
| place = [[1954 NBA playoffs#(1) Syracuse Nationals vs. (2) Boston Celtics|1954 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1955
| team1 = '''Syracuse Nationals''' | score1 = '''3'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 1
| place = [[1955 NBA playoffs#(1) Syracuse Nationals vs. (3) Boston Celtics|1955 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1956
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Syracuse Nationals''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1956 NBA playoffs#(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals|1956 Eastern Division semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1957
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''3'''
| team2 = Syracuse Nationals | score2 = 0
| place = [[1957 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Syracuse Nationals|1957 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1959
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Syracuse Nationals | score2 = 3
| place = [[1959 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals|1959 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1961
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Syracuse Nationals | score2 = 1
| place = [[1961 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals|1961 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1965
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Philadelphia 76ers]] | score2 = 3
| place = [[1965 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|1965 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1966
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1966 NBA playoffs#(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (2) Boston Celtics|1966 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1967
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 1
| place = [[1967 NBA playoffs#(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (2) Boston Celtics|1967 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1968
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1968 NBA playoffs#(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (2) Boston Celtics|1968 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1969
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1969 NBA playoffs#(2) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (4) Boston Celtics|1969 Eastern Division semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1977
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 3
| place = [[1977 NBA playoffs#(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (4) Boston Celtics|1977 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1980
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1980 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|1980 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1981
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 3
| place = [[1981 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|1981 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1982
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1982 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|1982 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1985
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 1
| place = [[1985 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|1985 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2002
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''3'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 2
| place = [[2002 NBA playoffs#(3) Boston Celtics vs. (6) Philadelphia 76ers|2002 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 2012
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 3
| place = [[2012 NBA playoffs#(4) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers|2012 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2018
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 1
| place = [[2018 NBA playoffs#(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|2018 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2020
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 0
| place = [[2020 NBA playoffs#(3) Boston Celtics vs. (6) Philadelphia 76ers|2020 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(5) New York Knicks vs. (8) Miami Heat====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 30 |time=1:00 pm |place=[[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''108'''
|team2=[[New York Knicks]] |score2=101
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-nyk-0042200201 Recap]
|Q1=21–'''32''' |Q2='''29'''–23 |Q3='''31'''–20 |Q4='''27'''–26
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 25 |points2=[[RJ Barrett]] 26
|rebounds1=Jimmy Butler 11 |rebounds2=[[Mitchell Robinson]] 14
|assist1=[[Kyle Lowry]] 6 |assist2=Barrett, [[Jalen Brunson|Brunson]] 7 each
|attendance=19,812
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Miami leads series, 1–0
}} After the Knicks led the majority of the first half, the Heat pulled away in the third quarter with a 21–5 run highlighted by a [[Kevin Love]] three-pointer that gave Miami a lead they would not relinquish. [[Jimmy Butler]] led the way for the Heat with 25 points and 11 rebounds before rolling his ankle in the fourth quarter. Butler got help from his teammates, however, as [[Gabe Vincent]], [[Kyle Lowry]], and [[Bam Adebayo]] each scored 15+ points as all three players made key plays down the stretch. The Heat's defense also held firm, as they limited New York to just 7-of-34 shooting from beyond the arc. The Knicks, who were without [[Julius Randle]], were led by [[RJ Barrett]] and [[Jalen Brunson]] who scored 26 and 25 points, respectively.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 2 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=105
|team2='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score2='''111'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-nyk-0042200202 Recap]
|Q1=29–'''31''' |Q2='''25'''–20 |Q3=23–'''25''' |Q4=28–'''35'''
|points1=[[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] 22 |points2=[[Jalen Brunson]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo|Adebayo]], Martin 8 each |rebounds2=[[Julius Randle]] 12
|assist1=Adebayo, [[Kyle Lowry|Lowry]] 6 each |assist2=[[Josh Hart]] 9
|attendance=19,812
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Curtis Blair]], Mark Lindsay
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} After shooting 20% from deep in the series opener, New York bounced back, converting 40% of their three-point attempts as the Knicks evened up the series at one game apiece. [[Jalen Brunson]] atoned for his 0-for-7 three-point shooting in Game 1, as he shot 6-of-10 from beyond the arc, finishing with 30 points. [[Josh Hart]] finished an assist shy of a triple-double, as he scored ten of his 14 points in the final five minutes of the game. [[Julius Randle]] returned to the Knicks lineup and contributed 25 points and 12 rebounds, while [[RJ Barrett]] added 24 points. For the Heat, [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] stepped up in place of the injured [[Jimmy Butler]], scoring 22 points, while [[Gabe Vincent]] and [[Max Strus]] combined for 38 points, all of whom were undrafted.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 6 |time=3:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[New York Knicks]] |score1=86
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''105'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-mia-0042200203 Recap]
|Q1=21–'''29''' |Q2=23–'''29''' |Q3=26–'''29''' |Q4=16–'''18'''
|points1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 20 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 28
|rebounds1=[[Julius Randle]] 14 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 12
|assist1=Jalen Brunson 8 |assist2=''three players'' 4 each{{efn|[[Kevin Love|Love]], [[Kyle Lowry|Lowry]], and [[Gabe Vincent|Vincent]]}}
|attendance=19,927
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, Brian Forte
|series=Miami leads series, 2–1
}} The Heat improved to 3–0 at home this postseason, putting them just two wins away from becoming the second eighth seed ever to advance to the conference finals. Miami started the game by setting the tone on both ends of the court, as they made ten of their first 15 shots, while the Knicks missed 13 of their first 17. [[Jimmy Butler]], who returned from his one-game absence, scored 28 points, [[Max Strus]] added 19 points, and [[Bam Adebayo]] had a double-double for the Heat, who never trailed. Meanwhile, New York struggled to find their rhythm, as their top three scorers from the regular season ([[Jalen Brunson]], [[Julius Randle]], and [[RJ Barrett]]) shot a combined 16-of-51 (31%) from the field, including 2-of-17 (12%) from beyond the arc.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 8 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[New York Knicks]] |score1=101
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''109'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-mia-0042200204 Recap]
|Q1=30–'''31''' |Q2=18–'''25''' |Q3=33–'''34''' |Q4='''20'''–19
|points1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 32 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 27
|rebounds1=[[Julius Randle]] 9 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 13
|assist1=Jalen Brunson 11 |assist2=Jimmy Butler 10
|attendance=19,769
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Courtney Kirkland, Ben Taylor
|series=Miami leads series, 3–1
}} Led by [[Jimmy Butler]] and [[Bam Adebayo]], the Heat moved one win away from their third trip to the conference finals in four years. Butler finished with 27 points and ten assists, while Adebayo contributed 23 points and 13 rebounds as Miami became the fourth No. 8 seed to win at least seven playoff games. Although the Heat struggled in the fourth quarter, as they missed 12 of their first 15 shots, the Knicks failed to take full advantage. After New York gave up six offensive rebounds in the first three quarters, they gave up seven more in the fourth quarter alone. [[Jalen Brunson]] led the Knicks with 32 points and 11 assists, while [[RJ Barrett]] had 24 points and [[Julius Randle]] scored 20 before fouling out in the final minutes.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 10 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=103
|team2='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score2='''112'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200205 Recap]
|Q1='''24'''–14|Q2=23–'''36'''|Q3=27–'''34'''|Q4='''29'''–28
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 19 |points2=[[Jalen Brunson]] 38
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 8 |rebounds2=[[Mitchell Robinson]] 11
|assist1=Jimmy Butler 9 |assist2=Jalen Brunson 7
|attendance=19,812
|referee=John Goble, [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Karl Lane
|series=Miami leads series, 3–2
}} [[Jalen Brunson]] played all 48 minutes and contributed 38 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists to help keep the Knicks' season alive. [[RJ Barrett]] scored 26 points, while [[Julius Randle]] added 24 as the trio combined for 88 of New York's 112 points. Although the Knicks built a 19-point lead in the third quarter, the Heat cut it down to two with under three minutes remaining in the game. However, New York closed the game out on a 9–2 run to force a Game 6 in Miami. [[Jimmy Butler]] led the Heat with 19 points, as he was held below 25 points for the first time this postseason. [[Bam Adebayo]] and [[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] also contributed with 18 and 17 points respectively, but Miami struggled from deep, missing 21 of their first 25 three-pointers.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 12 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[New York Knicks]] |score1=92
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''96'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200206 Recap]
|Q1='''31'''–24|Q2=19–'''27'''|Q3=21–'''23'''|Q4=21–'''22'''
|points1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 41 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 24
|rebounds1=[[Julius Randle|Randle]], [[Mitchell Robinson|Robinson]] 11 each |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 9
|assist1=''three players'' 3 each{{efn|Brunson, [[Quentin Grimes|Grimes]], and Randle}} |assist2=[[Kyle Lowry]] 9
|attendance=19,737
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Kevin Scott, Tre Maddox
|series=Miami wins series, 4–2
}} The Heat advanced to the conference finals for the seventh time in the last 13 years and became just the second No. 8 seed ever to reach the conference finals. Despite an early 14-point lead by the Knicks, Miami took the lead by halftime and held it throughout the second half. However, up by six with under a minute remaining, [[Gabe Vincent]]'s [[flagrant foul]] on [[Jalen Brunson]] allowed New York to score four points in five seconds. After a [[Jimmy Butler]] miss, the Knicks had an opportunity to tie the game, but [[Kyle Lowry]] came up with a steal, and Butler made free throws with 14 seconds left to clinch the win for the Heat. Butler scored 24 points, [[Bam Adebayo]] added 23, and Lowry had nine assists. Meanwhile, Brunson scored 41 points, accounting for over half of the Knicks' 27 made field goals. But his teammates only scored 51 points, with [[Julius Randle]] and [[RJ Barrett]] combining for just 26 points on 4-of-24 shooting.
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!New York won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 2, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-nyk-0022200780 Recap]
| team1 = [[Miami Heat]] | score1 = 104
| team2 = '''[[New York Knicks]]''' | score2 = '''106'''
| place = [[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 3, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-mia-0022200949 Recap]
| team1 = '''New York Knicks''' | score1 = '''122'''
| team2 = Miami Heat | score2 = 120
| place = [[Miami-Dade Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 22, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-mia-0022201084 Recap]
| team1 = New York Knicks | score1 = 120
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = '''127'''
| place = Miami-Dade Arena, Miami, FL
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 29, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-nyk-0022201138 Recap]
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 92
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''101'''
| place = Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
}}
|}

This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Knicks winning three of the first five meetings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — New York Knicks versus Miami Heat (Playoffs)|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=NYK&opp_id=MIA&is_playoffs=Y|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 27, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!New York leads 3–2 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| date = 1997
| team1 = '''[[Miami Heat]]''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[New York Knicks]] | score2 = 3
| place = [[1997 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (3) New York Knicks|1997 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1998
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''3'''
| place = [[1998 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) New York Knicks|1998 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1999
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''3'''
| place = [[1999 NBA playoffs#(1) Miami Heat vs. (8) New York Knicks|1999 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2000
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2000 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (3) New York Knicks|2000 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2012
| team1 = '''Miami Heat''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = New York Knicks | score2 = 1
| place = [[2012 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) New York Knicks|2012 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

===Western Conference semifinals===
====(1) Denver Nuggets vs. (4) Phoenix Suns====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 29 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}}|place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score1=107
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''125'''
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-0042200221 Recap]
|Q1='''32'''–31 |Q2=19–'''37''' |Q3='''30'''–26 |Q4=26–'''31'''
|points1=[[Kevin Durant]] 29 |points2=[[Jamal Murray]] 34
|rebounds1=Kevin Durant 14 |rebounds2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 19
|assist1=[[Devin Booker]] 8 |assist2=Jamal Murray 9
|attendance=19,762
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, Tre Maddox
|series=Denver leads series, 1–0
}} After missing their previous matchup in 2021 due to injury, [[Jamal Murray]] led the Nuggets' fast-paced offense with 34 points and six three-pointers as Denver snapped their seven-game playoff losing streak to the Suns. [[Nikola Jokić]] was productive as well, recording 24 points and 19 rebounds (8 of them offensive), while [[Aaron Gordon]] added 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting. For Phoenix, [[Kevin Durant]] scored 29 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for the Suns, while [[Devin Booker]] added 27 points and eight assists as the duo each scored 25+ points for the sixth straight game. Although the Suns finished with a better field goal percentage, the Nuggets dominated the three-point line, outscoring Phoenix by a 48–21 margin and forcing 16 turnovers.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 1 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score1=87
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''97'''
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-0042200222 Recap]
|Q1='''21'''–18 |Q2=21–'''22''' |Q3='''31'''–30 |Q4=14–'''27'''
|points1=[[Devin Booker]] 35 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 39
|rebounds1=[[Deandre Ayton|Ayton]], [[Kevin Durant|Durant]] 8 each |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 16
|assist1=Booker, [[Chris Paul|Paul]] 6 each |assist2=[[Jamal Murray]] 8
|attendance=19,592
|referee=John Goble, [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Sean Wright
|series=Denver leads series, 2–0
}} [[Nikola Jokić]] scored 26 of his 39 points in the second half and had 16 rebounds to lead the Nuggets to a 2–0 series advantage over the Suns. Jokic's performance was crucial for Denver, as [[Jamal Murray]] only scored ten points on 3-of-15 shooting, having scored 34 in the series opener. [[Aaron Gordon]] added 16 points and [[Kentavious Caldwell-Pope]] contributed 14 points, including back-to-back three-pointers that put the Nuggets ahead for good in the fourth quarter. [[Devin Booker]] led Phoenix with 35 points, but the team lost [[Chris Paul]] to a groin injury, and they struggled shooting in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 points on 28% shooting. [[Kevin Durant]] added 24 points, but went 10-of-27 shooting, including just 2-for-12 from beyond the arc.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 5 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score1=114
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''121'''
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0042200223 Recap]
|Q1='''31'''–29 |Q2=21–'''38''' |Q3='''36'''–23 |Q4=26–'''31'''
|points1=[[Jamal Murray]] 32 |points2=[[Devin Booker]] 47
|rebounds1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 17 |rebounds2=''three players'' 9 each{{efn|[[Deandre Ayton|Ayton]], [[Kevin Durant|Durant]], and [[Jock Landale|Landale]]}}
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 17 |assist2=Devin Booker 9
|attendance=17,071
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], James Williams, Sean Corbin
|series=Denver leads series, 2–1
}} Without [[Chris Paul]] and down 2–0 in the series, [[Devin Booker]] shot 80% (20-of-25) from the field and tied his playoff career-high with 47 points, recording his third 45-point performance of the playoffs en route to cutting Denver's series lead to 2–1. [[Kevin Durant]] contributed 39 points as he and Booker accounted for 86 of Phoenix's 121 points, as no one else on the Suns scored more than seven points. For Denver, [[Nikola Jokić]] had a triple-double with 30 points, 17 assists, and 17 rebounds, [[Jamal Murray]] added 32 points, and [[Michael Porter Jr.]] chipped in 21 points and 12 rebounds. Despite a 15-point halftime lead, Phoenix trailed by three late in the third quarter. However, they rode a 14–0 run to give them a lead they would not relinquish.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 7 |time=8:00 pm {{small|(5:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score1=124
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''129'''
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0042200224 Recap]
|Q1='''34'''–32 |Q2=27–'''31''' |Q3=31–'''35''' |Q4='''32'''–31
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 53 |points2=[[Devin Booker|Booker]], [[Kevin Durant|Durant]] 36 each
|rebounds1=[[Michael Porter Jr.]] 10 |rebounds2=Kevin Durant 11
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 11 |assist2=Devin Booker 12
|attendance=17,071
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Ed Malloy, Jacyn Goble
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}} Despite a career-high 53 points from [[Nikola Jokić]], the Suns were able to defend home court and tie the series at two games apiece, with [[Devin Booker]] and [[Kevin Durant]] each scoring 36 points. Booker shot 14-of-18 from the field, as he boosted his shooting percentage at home to 79% (34-of-43) for the series. The Suns were able to take a six-point lead into the fourth quarter after a scoring flurry from Booker, who had 17 points in the third quarter. Although Denver attempted to rally, backup guard [[Landry Shamet]] made four timely three-pointers to keep Phoenix ahead, as the Suns' bench outscored the Nuggets' bench 40–11. For Denver, Nikola Jokić shot 20-of-30 from the field, while [[Jamal Murray]] added 28 points and seven assists.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 9 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score1=102
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''118'''
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-0042200225 Recap]
|Q1=24–'''35''' |Q2='''25'''–17 |Q3=25–'''39''' |Q4='''28'''–27
|points1=[[Devin Booker]] 28 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 29
|rebounds1=[[Kevin Durant]] 11 |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 13
|assist1=Kevin Durant 7 |assist2=Nikola Jokić 12
|attendance=19,773
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Brian Forte
|series=Denver leads series, 3–2
}} [[Nikola Jokić]]'s tenth career playoff triple-double led the Nuggets to a pivotal Game 5 victory over the Suns, improving to 37–4 at home this season with Jokić on the floor. Jokić had a standout third quarter, as he made 7-of-8 shots for 17 points and helped the Nuggets turn a three-point halftime lead into a 91–74 advantage. [[Michael Porter Jr.]] scored 14 of his 19 points in the first quarter, [[Jamal Murray]] contributed 19 points and six assists, and [[Bruce Brown (basketball)|Bruce Brown]] scored 25 of Denver's 34 bench points. Although [[Devin Booker]] and [[Kevin Durant]] each scored 25+ points for the ninth time this postseason, the Suns were outrebounded 50–42 and outshot from beyond the arc 48% to 33%, as they trailed by as much as 24 points.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 11 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''125'''
|team2=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score2=100
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0042200226 Recap]
|Q1='''44'''–26 |Q2='''37'''–25 |Q3=22–'''25''' |Q4=22–'''24'''
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 32 |points2=[[Cameron Payne]] 31
|rebounds1=Nikola Jokić 10 |rebounds2=Payne, [[Landry Shamet|Shamet]] 6 each
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 12 |assist2=[[Devin Booker]] 8
|attendance=17,071
|referee=Marc Davis, Ben Taylor, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Denver wins series, 4–2
}} The Nuggets secured a spot in the conference finals by defeating the shorthanded Suns by 25 points, the largest win margin by a road team this postseason. Denver dominated the game, using a 23–2 run in the latter part of the first quarter to establish a commanding 44–26 lead. [[Kentavious Caldwell-Pope]], who had been averaging 9.5 points in the playoffs, scored 17 points in the first quarter, while [[Nikola Jokić]] contributed 14. Denver's offensive onslaught continued, as the lead had grown to 81–51 by halftime. Jokić finished the game with his third triple-double of the series, and [[Jamal Murray]] added 26 points. [[Cameron Payne]] led Phoenix, who were without [[Deandre Ayton]] and [[Chris Paul]], with a career-high 31 points, hitting 7-of-9 three-pointers. [[Kevin Durant]] added 23 points, but missed nine of his first ten shots as the Suns fell behind by 30 points at halftime in an elimination game for the second straight year.
Notably, this was [[Al McCoy (announcer)|Al McCoy]]'s final game, concluding his 51-year career as the Suns' play-by-play radio announcer.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 25, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-0022200497 Recap]
| team1 = [[Phoenix Suns]] | score1 = 125
| team2 = '''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' | score2 = '''128''' |overtime=OT
| place = [[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 11, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-0022200624 Recap]
| team1 = Phoenix Suns | score1 = 97
| team2 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score2 = '''126'''
| place = Ball Arena, Denver, CO
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 31, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0022201160 Recap]
| team1 = Denver Nuggets | score1 = 93
| team2 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score2 = '''100'''
| place = [[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 6, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0022201201 Recap]
| team1 = Denver Nuggets | score1 = 115
| team2 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score2 = '''119'''
| place = Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ
}}
|}

This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Suns winning three of the first four meetings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Phoenix Suns (Playoffs)|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DEN&opp_id=PHO&is_playoffs=Y|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 25, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Phoenix leads 3–1 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| date = 1982
| team1 = [[Denver Nuggets]] | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1982 NBA playoffs#(4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) Phoenix Suns|1982 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1983
| team1 = Phoenix Suns | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1983 NBA playoffs#(3) Phoenix Suns vs. (6) Denver Nuggets|1983 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1989
| team1 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score1 = '''3'''
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 0
| place = [[1989 NBA playoffs#(3) Phoenix Suns vs. (6) Denver Nuggets|1989 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2021
| team1 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 0
| place = [[2021 NBA playoffs#(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (3) Denver Nuggets|2021 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
|}

====(6) Golden State Warriors vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 2 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score1='''117'''
|team2=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score2=112
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-gsw-0042200231 Recap]
|Q1=29–'''31''' |Q2='''36'''–33 |Q3='''31'''–24 |Q4=21–'''24'''
|points1=[[Anthony Davis]] 30 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 27
|rebounds1=Anthony Davis 23 |rebounds2=[[Kevon Looney]] 23
|assist1=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 6 |assist2=[[Draymond Green]] 7
|attendance=18,064
|referee=Marc Davis, Ed Malloy, [[Nick Buchert]]
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 1–0
}} [[Anthony Davis]] put up 30 points, 23 rebounds, and four blocks, while [[LeBron James]] added 22 points and 11 boards as the Lakers held off a late push by Golden State to win Game 1 on the road. [[D'Angelo Russell]] had 19 points and six assists, while [[Dennis Schröder]] scored 19 points off the bench. The Warriors, who made 21 three-pointers, were led by [[Stephen Curry]]'s 27 points, [[Klay Thompson]]'s 25 points, and [[Kevon Looney]]'s career-high 23 rebounds, marking his fourth 20-rebound game of the playoffs. Down 14 with under six minutes left, Golden State went on a 14–0 run to tie the game. The Lakers regained the lead, and the Warriors' late rally fell short as [[Jordan Poole]] missed a three to tie the game with under ten seconds left.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 4 |time=9:00 pm {{small|(6:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=100
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''127'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-gsw-0042200232 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–26 |Q2=23–'''41''' |Q3=24–'''43''' |Q4='''20'''–17
|points1=[[LeBron James]] 23 |points2=[[Klay Thompson]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Anthony Davis|Davis]], James 7 each |rebounds2=[[Draymond Green]] 11
|assist1=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 8 |assist2=[[Stephen Curry]] 12
|attendance=18,064
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Pat Fraher
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} After Los Angeles took a seven-point lead into the second quarter, the defending champions took control of the game, outscoring the Lakers 84–47 in the second and third quarters to even the series at 1–1. [[Klay Thompson]] scored 30 points with eight three-pointers, while [[Stephen Curry]] added 20 points and 12 assists as the Warriors made 21 more threes in Game 2, giving them an NBA-record 42 total in the series' first two games. [[JaMychal Green]] scored a playoff career-high 15 points in his first playoff start since 2019, while [[Draymond Green]] contributed 11 points, 11 boards, and nine assists. [[LeBron James]] scored 23 points for the Lakers, but [[Anthony Davis]] had a quiet night, finishing with 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 6 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(5:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=97
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''127'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-lal-0042200233 Recap]
|Q1='''30'''–23 |Q2=18–'''36''' |Q3=20–'''27''' |Q4=29–'''41'''
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 23 |points2=[[Anthony Davis]] 25
|rebounds1=[[Andrew Wiggins]] 9 |rebounds2=Anthony Davis 13
|assist1=[[Jordan Poole]] 6 |assist2=[[LeBron James]] 8
|attendance=18,997
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Mitchell Ervin
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 2–1
}} After Golden State took a seven-point lead into the second quarter, the seventh-seeded Lakers took control of the game, outscoring the Warriors 63–38 in the second and third quarters to regain the series lead. [[Anthony Davis]] led the way with 25 points and 13 rebounds on 7-of-10 shooting, while [[LeBron James]] finished the game with 21 points, eight assists, and eight rebounds. [[D'Angelo Russell]] also hit five three-pointers and scored 21 points for Los Angeles, who moved to 4–0 at home in the playoffs. Golden State meanwhile struggled offensively, committing 19 turnovers and shooting 40% from the field. [[Stephen Curry]] scored 23 points, while [[Andrew Wiggins]] had 16 for the Warriors, who trailed by as much as 34 points.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 8 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=101
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''104'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-lal-0042200234 Recap]
|Q1=21–'''22''' |Q2='''31'''–27 |Q3='''32'''–28 |Q4=17–'''27'''
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 31 |points2=[[LeBron James]] 27
|rebounds1=Curry, [[Draymond Green|D. Green]] 10 each |rebounds2=[[Anthony Davis]] 15
|assist1=Stephen Curry 14 |assist2=LeBron James 6
|attendance=18,997
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Kevin Scott, [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 3–1
}} Down by seven entering the final quarter, the Lakers rode a 15-point fourth-quarter performance from [[Lonnie Walker IV]] to take a 3–1 series lead over the defending champions. Walker, who made the same number of field goals as the Warriors did in the fourth quarter, hit a go-ahead jumper with under two minutes left and made two crucial free throws with 15 seconds to play. [[LeBron James]] contributed 27 points and six assists, [[Austin Reaves]] scored 21 points, and [[Anthony Davis]] had 23 points and 15 rebounds for Los Angeles. For the Warriors, [[Stephen Curry]] had 31 points, ten rebounds, and 14 assists in his third career postseason triple-double, but he missed 11-of-14 three-point attempts and turned the ball over in the final seconds.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 10 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=106
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''121'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-gsw-0042200235 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''32''' |Q2=31–'''38''' |Q3=23–23 |Q4=24–'''28'''
|points1=[[LeBron James]] 25 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 27
|rebounds1=[[Anthony Davis|Davis]], James 9 each |rebounds2=[[Draymond Green]] 10
|assist1=[[Austin Reaves]] 5 |assist2=Stephen Curry 8
|attendance=18,064
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], James Williams, Gediminas Petraitis
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 3–2
}} In a must-win situation, the Warriors rallied behind [[Stephen Curry]]'s 27 points and eight assists, along with [[Andrew Wiggins]]' 25 points and seven rebounds to avoid elimination. [[Draymond Green]] contributed 20 points and ten rebounds, while [[Gary Payton II]] scored 13 points. Golden State made seven of their 13 total three-pointers in the first quarter as they took an 11-point lead into halftime, with their 70 first half points marking the most they've scored since 2019. Meanwhile, the Lakers struggled with rebounding, being outrebounded 48–38 overall, along with committing 14 turnovers that led to 20 Warriors points. [[LeBron James]] had 25 points and nine rebounds, while [[Anthony Davis]] added 23 points and nine boards for Los Angeles.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 12 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=101
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''122'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-lal-0042200236 Recap]
|Q1=26–'''31''' |Q2=20–'''25''' |Q3=31–'''35''' |Q4=24–'''31'''
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 32 |points2=[[LeBron James]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Kevon Looney]] 18 |rebounds2=[[Anthony Davis]] 20
|assist1=Curry, [[Klay Thompson|Thompson]] 5 each |assist2=LeBron James 9
|attendance=18,997
|referee=John Goble, Courtney Kirkland, Mark Lindsay
|series=LA Lakers win series, 4–2
}} After starting the season with a 2–10 record, the Lakers advanced to their second conference finals in four years and became just the second No. 7 seed to clinch a conference finals berth. [[LeBron James]] had 30 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, while [[Anthony Davis]] contributed 17 points and 20 rebounds. Additionally, [[Austin Reaves]] scored 23 points, including a 54-foot shot from midcourt at the halftime buzzer, as Los Angeles never trailed in the game. [[Stephen Curry]] scored a game-high 32 points, but [[Donte DiVincenzo]] was his only teammate to finish in double figures. [[Klay Thompson]] missed ten of his 12 three-point attempts as the [[Splash Brothers]] went dry when it mattered most, with Thompson going 10-of-36 from deep in the final four games, while Curry was 14-of-49. This series also marked the Warriors' first playoff series loss to a Western Conference opponent since 2014, having previously gone 19–0.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!LA Lakers won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 18, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-gsw-0022200002 Recap]
| team1 = [[Los Angeles Lakers]] | score1 = 109
| team2 = '''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' | score2 = '''123'''
| place = [[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 11, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-gsw-0022200853 Recap]
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 109
| team2 = Golden State Warriors | score2 = 103
| place = Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 23, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-lal-0022200893 Recap]
| team1 = Golden State Warriors | score1 = 111
| team2 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score2 = '''124'''
| place = [[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 5, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-lal-0022200964 Recap]
| team1 = Golden State Warriors | score1 = 105
| team2 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score2 = '''113'''
| place = Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
}}
|}

This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning six of the first seven meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=GSW&opp_id=LAL&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Golden State Warriors versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 30, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!LA Lakers lead 6–1 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1967
| team1 = '''[[San Francisco Warriors]]''' | score1 = 3
| team2 = [[Los Angeles Lakers]] | score2 = 0
| place = [[1967 NBA playoffs#(1) San Francisco Warriors vs. (3) Los Angeles Lakers|1967 Western Division semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1968
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = San Francisco Warriors | score2 = 0
| place = [[1968 NBA playoffs#(2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) San Francisco Warriors|1968 Western Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1969
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = San Francisco Warriors | score2 = 2
| place = [[1969 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) San Francisco Warriors|1969 Western Division semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1973
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = [[Golden State Warriors]] | score2 = 1
| place = [[1973 NBA playoffs#(2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Golden State Warriors|1973 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1977
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Golden State Warriors | score2 = 3
| place = [[1977 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Golden State Warriors|1977 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1987
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Golden State Warriors | score2= 1
| place = [[1987 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Golden State Warriors|1987 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1991
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Golden State Warriors | score2 = 1
| place = [[1991 NBA playoffs#(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (7) Golden State Warriors|1991 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
|}

==Conference finals==
{{Main|NBA Conference finals}}
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

===Eastern Conference finals===
====(2) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Miami Heat====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 17 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''123'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=116
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0042200301 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''30''' |Q2=29–'''36''' |Q3='''46'''–25 |Q4=20–'''25'''
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 35 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 8 |rebounds2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 9
|assist1=Jimmy Butler 7 |assist2=[[Marcus Smart]] 11
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Marc Davis, Ed Malloy, [[Rodney Mott]]
|series=Miami leads series, 1–0
}} [[Jimmy Butler]] and the eight-seeded Heat rallied in the second half to win Game 1 on the road for the third straight series, becoming just the fifth team ever to do so. Trailing by nine at halftime, Miami scored a franchise playoff-record 46 points in the third quarter, as they were fueled by their success from beyond the arc, shooting over 50% from deep (16-of-31). Butler scored a game-high 35 points to go along with seven assists, six steals, and five rebounds. [[Bam Adebayo]] added 20 points, while [[Kyle Lowry]], [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]], [[Gabe Vincent]], and [[Max Strus]] each scored 15 points. [[Jayson Tatum]] led the Celtics with 30 points, but failed to attempt a shot in the fourth quarter. [[Jaylen Brown]] added 22 points and nine rebounds, while [[Malcolm Brogdon]] contributed 19 points. Although Boston narrowed the deficit to four points late in the fourth quarter, they ultimately fell short, dropping to 4–4 at home this postseason.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 19 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''111'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=105
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0042200302 Recap]
|Q1=24–'''25''' |Q2='''30'''–25 |Q3=21–'''33''' |Q4='''36'''–22
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 27 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 34
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 17 |rebounds2=Jayson Tatum 13
|assist1=Bam Adebayo 9 |assist2=Jayson Tatum 8
|attendance=19,156
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], James Williams, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Miami leads series, 2–0
}} Similar to how they defeated the [[Milwaukee Bucks]] and [[New York Knicks]], the Heat overcame their sixth double-digit deficit of the playoffs to take a commanding 2–0 series lead back to Miami. [[Jimmy Butler]] scored 27 points, including nine points during an 18–4 run late in the fourth quarter that turned a nine-point deficit into a 105–100 lead. [[Bam Adebayo]] recorded 22 points, 17 rebounds, and nine assists, while [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] came off the bench and provided a season-high 25 points as the Heat became the first No. 8 seed to take a 2–0 series lead in the conference finals. Meanwhile, [[Jayson Tatum]] put up 34 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists, but he failed to make a field goal in the fourth quarter for the second straight game. [[Jaylen Brown]] did not fare well either, as he converted just seven of his 23 shot attempts and went 1-of-5 from the field in the fourth, as Miami outscored Boston 36–22 in the final quarter.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 21 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Boston Celtics]] |score1=102
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''128'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0042200303 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''30''' |Q2=24–'''31''' |Q3=17–'''32''' |Q4='''39'''–35
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 14 |points2=[[Gabe Vincent]] 29
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 10 |rebounds2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 8
|assist1=[[Marcus Smart]] 8 |assist2=Jimmy Butler 6
|attendance=20,088
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Kevin Scott, [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=Miami leads series, 3–0
}} In a dominant team effort, the eight-seeded Heat improved to 6–0 at home this postseason and moved one win away from their sixth NBA Finals appearance in the last 13 seasons. [[Gabe Vincent]] scored a career-high 29 points on 11-of-14 shooting, [[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] scored 22, and [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] added 18 points, all of whom went undrafted. In addition, [[Jimmy Butler]] had 16 points and six assists, [[Bam Adebayo]] added 13, and [[Max Strus]] scored ten points for the Heat. For Boston, the [[All-NBA team|All-NBA]] duo of [[Jayson Tatum]] and [[Jaylen Brown]] were a no-show, as they combined for just 26 points on 12-of-35 (34%) from the field and 1-of-14 (7%) from three-point range. The Celtics also lacked effort on defense, as they allowed Miami to shoot 57% from the field and 54% from beyond the arc, resulting in a substantial 33-point deficit in the third quarter that prompted head coach [[Joe Mazzulla]] to empty his bench for the final 12 minutes.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 23 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''116'''
|team2=[[Miami Heat]] |score2=99
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0042200304 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''29''' |Q2=27–27 |Q3='''38'''–23 |Q4='''28'''–20
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 33 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 29
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 11 |rebounds2=Jimmy Butler 9
|assist1=Jayson Tatum 7 |assist2=[[Kyle Lowry]] 6
|attendance=20,147
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], John Goble, Courtney Kirkland
|series=Miami leads series, 3–1
}} Led by [[Jayson Tatum]]'s 33 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, the Celtics fought off elimination and forced the series back to Boston. The Heat initially held a nine-point lead in the second half, but a 48–22 scoring run by Boston in just 14 minutes turned the game in their favor, as Tatum scored 25 of his 33 points in the second half. [[Jaylen Brown]] contributed 17 points and [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] added 16 points, while [[Grant Williams (basketball)|Grant Williams]], [[Al Horford]], and [[Marcus Smart]] each scored in double figures. [[Jimmy Butler]] led the Heat's efforts with 29 points and nine rebounds, while [[Gabe Vincent]] and [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] added 17 and 16 points, respectively. The Heat struggled from beyond the arc, shooting 8-of-32 (25%) from deep, while the Celtics made 18-of-45 (40%) three-pointers, creating a significant 30-point difference in scoring from long range. Boston also capitalized on Miami's mistakes, as they scored 27 points off 16 turnovers.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 25 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=97
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''110'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0042200305 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''35''' |Q2=24–'''26''' |Q3=28–'''29''' |Q4='''25'''–20
|points1=[[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] 18 |points2=[[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] 24
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 8 |rebounds2=[[Al Horford]] 11
|assist1=Duncan Robinson 9 |assist2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 11
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Marc Davis, David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]]
|series=Miami leads series, 3–2
}} In front of their home crowd, the Celtics dominated the Heat from the jump, surging to a 23–7 lead that set the tone for the rest of the game as Boston moved two wins away from becoming the first NBA team ever to [[List of teams to overcome 3–0 series deficits|overcome a 3–0 series deficit]]. [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] scored 24 points and connected on six three-pointers, while [[Marcus Smart]] contributed 23 points and five steals. [[Jayson Tatum]] and [[Jaylen Brown]] each added 21 points as Boston improved to 4–0 in elimination games this postseason. With [[Gabe Vincent]] out with an ankle sprain, Miami struggled to find their offensive footing, as the Heat were forced into ten first-half turnovers that led to 17 Boston points. [[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] led Miami in scoring with 18 points, while [[Bam Adebayo]] contributed 16 points and eight rebounds. [[Jimmy Butler]], who had been averaging 30 points this postseason, finished with an underwhelming 14 points as Miami never led.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 27 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''104'''
|team2=[[Miami Heat]] |score2=103
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0042200306 Recap]
|Q1='''34'''–29 |Q2=23–'''24''' |Q3='''22'''–19 |Q4=25–'''31'''
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 31 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 24
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 12 |rebounds2=[[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] 15
|assist1=[[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] 6 |assist2=Jimmy Butler 8
|attendance=20,201
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Josh Tiven, James Williams
|series=Series tied, 3–3
}} With just a mere tenth of a second remaining on the clock, [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] emerged as the hero, scoring a crucial putback to secure the win for the Celtics, joining [[Michael Jordan]] as the second player in NBA history to hit a [[Buzzer beater|buzzer-beater]] with his team trailing and facing elimination. In addition, [[Jayson Tatum]] scored 31 points, [[Jaylen Brown]] scored 26, and [[Marcus Smart]] added 21 for Boston, who became only the fourth team to [[List of teams to overcome 3–0 series deficits|erase a 0–3 deficit]] and force a decisive game 7. For the Heat, the duo of [[Jimmy Butler]] and [[Bam Adebayo]] went 5-of-30 from the field in the first three quarters, combining for just 18 points. However, trailing by ten with under four minutes to go, Butler scored 13 of his 24 points during a 15–4 run that gave Miami the lead with three seconds left. After a Celtics timeout, White inbounded the ball to Smart, who missed a three-pointer, but White crashed the boards and scored the game-winning tip shot.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 29 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''103'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=84
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0042200307 Recap]
|Q1='''22'''–15 |Q2='''30'''–26 |Q3=24–'''25''' |Q4='''27'''–18
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 28 |points2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 19
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo|Adebayo]], [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Martin]] 10 each |rebounds2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 11
|assist1=Bam Adebayo 7 |assist2=Jaylen Brown 5
|attendance=19,156
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Tony Brothers]], John Goble
|series=Miami wins series, 4–3
}} Following their defeat in a decisive seventh game against the Celtics last year, the Heat overcame the setback of squandering a 3–0 series lead to secure their second NBA Finals appearance in four seasons. [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]], who averaged just 9.6 points in the regular season, scored a playoff career-high 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting, finishing the series averaging 19.3 points. [[Jimmy Butler]] scored a game-high 28 points, while [[Bam Adebayo]] recorded his seventh double-double of the playoffs as the Heat became the first No. 8 seed to reach the Finals in a full 82-game regular season. The Celtics meanwhile were discombobulated from the start, as they missed their first 12 three-point attempts and finished the game shooting 21% from deep. [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] scored 18 for Boston, and [[Jayson Tatum]] had 14 points with 11 rebounds after turning his ankle on the first play of the game. [[Jaylen Brown]] contributed 19 points and eight rebounds, but shot 1-of-9 from beyond the arc and committed a playoff-high eight turnovers as Boston lost their 12th playoff game at home over the last two postseasons.

Butler was awarded the second annual [[NBA Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award|Eastern Conference finals MVP]], averaging 24.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 6.1 assists on 42% from the field, 35% from beyond the arc, and 83% from the free-throw line. Had the Celtics won the game, they would have become the first NBA team to overcome the 3–0 series deficit (and second basketball team overall, after the [[Philippine Basketball Association|PBA]]'s [[San Miguel Beermen]] in the [[2015–16 PBA Philippine Cup Finals]]).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Marther|first=Victor|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/29/sports/basketball/miami-heat-boston-celtics-blow-series-lead.html|title=The Miami Heat Are on the Brink of Bad History|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=May 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530013223/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/29/sports/basketball/miami-heat-boston-celtics-blow-series-lead.html|archive-date=May 30, 2023|url-status=live|url-access=subscription|access-date=December 2, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 21, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0022200022 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score1 = '''111'''
| team2 = [[Miami Heat]] | score2 = 104
| place = [[FTX Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = November 30, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0022200314 Recap]
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 121
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''134'''
| place = [[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 2, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0022200328 Recap]
| team1 = '''Miami Heat''' | score1 = '''120'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 116 |overtime=OT
| place = TD Garden, Boston, MA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 24, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0022200714 Recap]
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 95
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = '''98'''
| place = [[Miami-Dade Arena]], Miami, FL
}}
|}

This was the sixth playoff meeting between the two teams, with the Heat winning three of the first five meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=BOS&opp_id=MIA&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Miami Heat (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|date=May 14, 2023|access-date=May 14, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoffs series
|-
!Miami leads 3–2 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2010
| team1 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = [[Miami Heat]] | score2 = 1
| place = [[2010 NBA playoffs#(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Miami Heat|2010 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2011
| team1 = '''Miami Heat''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 1
| place = [[2011 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (3) Boston Celtics|2011 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2012
| team1 = '''Miami Heat''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 3
| place = [[2012 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (4) Boston Celtics|2012 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2020
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[2020 NBA playoffs#(3) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Miami Heat|2020 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2022
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[2022 NBA playoffs#(1) Miami Heat vs. (2) Boston Celtics|2022 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
|}

===Western Conference finals===
====(1) Denver Nuggets vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 16 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=126
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''132'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-den-0042200311 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''37''' |Q2=29–'''35''' |Q3='''38'''–34 |Q4='''34'''–26
|points1=[[Anthony Davis]] 40 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 34
|rebounds1=[[LeBron James]] 12 |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 21
|assist1=LeBron James 9 |assist2=Nikola Jokić 14
|attendance=19,633
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Ben Taylor
|series=Denver leads series, 1–0
}} Looking to advance to their first NBA Finals in their 47th season, the Nuggets got off on the right track, as [[Nikola Jokić]] recorded his sixth triple-double of the playoffs to propel Denver to a 1–0 series lead. Jokić notched 34 points, 21 rebounds, and 14 assists on 12-of-17 shooting as he outrebounded the Lakers by himself in the first half, 16 to 13. Jokić's performance was backed by his teammates, as five other Denver players finished in double figures, with [[Jamal Murray]] scoring 31 points on 60% shooting. For the Lakers, [[Anthony Davis]] finished with 40 points, while [[LeBron James]] put up 26 points, 12 boards, and nine assists. Los Angeles trailed by as many as 21 but they pulled within three points multiple times in the fourth quarter, with [[Austin Reaves]] scoring 11 of his 23 points in the final quarter. However, the Lakers couldn't fully recover from their slow start, as the Nuggets improved to 7–0 at home this postseason.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 18 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=103
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''108'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-den-0042200312 Recap]
|Q1=27–27 |Q2='''26'''–21 |Q3=26–'''28''' |Q4=24–'''32'''
|points1=[[LeBron James|James]], [[Austin Reaves|Reaves]] 22 each |points2=[[Jamal Murray]] 37
|rebounds1=[[Anthony Davis]] 14 |rebounds2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 17
|assist1=LeBron James 10 |assist2=Nikola Jokić 12
|attendance=19,742
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], David Guthrie, Brian Forte
|series=Denver leads series, 2–0
}} Behind [[Jamal Murray]]'s 23-point fourth quarter performance, the Nuggets took a commanding 2–0 series lead in the conference finals for the first time in franchise history. Although Murray was 5-of-17 from the field entering the fourth quarter, he shot 6-of-7 from the field and scored 23 of the Nuggets' 32 fourth quarter points. Murray's performance fueled a pivotal 15–1 run that gave Denver a lead they would not relinquish. [[Nikola Jokić]] also recorded his 13th playoff triple-double, contributing 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 12 assists as Denver moved to 39–4 at home this season with Jokić on the floor. Meanwhile, [[Rui Hachimura]] shot 7-for-7 in the first half and finished with 21 points for the Lakers, while [[Austin Reaves]] scored 22 points. However, the star duo of [[LeBron James]] and [[Anthony Davis]] shot a combined 13-of-34 from the floor, with James going 0-of-10 from beyond the arc in the first two games of the series.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 20 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(5:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''119'''
|team2=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score2=108
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-lal-0042200313 Recap]
|Q1='''32'''–20 |Q2=26–'''35''' |Q3=26–'''27''' |Q4='''35'''–26
|points1=[[Jamal Murray]] 37 |points2=[[Anthony Davis]] 28
|rebounds1=[[Michael Porter Jr.]] 10 |rebounds2=Anthony Davis 18
|assist1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 8 |assist2=[[LeBron James]] 12
|attendance=18,997
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Mark Lindsay
|series=Denver leads series, 3–0
}} After the [[Memphis Grizzlies]] and [[Golden State Warriors]] were both blown out in their first road game against the Lakers, the Nuggets flipped the script, as they handed the Lakers their first home loss since March 26 and moved to the brink of their first NBA Finals appearance. Trailing by one with under eight minutes remaining, the Nuggets orchestrated a decisive 13–0 run, capitalizing on a disciplined team performance that yielded 30 assists to just five turnovers. [[Jamal Murray]] picked up where he left off in Game 2, as he scored 30 of his 37 points in the first half, while [[Nikola Jokić]] scored 15 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter. [[Anthony Davis]] led the Lakers with 28 points and 18 rebounds, [[LeBron James]] contributed 23 points and 12 assists, and [[Austin Reaves]] contributed 23 points and seven rebounds. However, Los Angeles lacked scoring depth, as [[Rui Hachimura]] was the only other player to reach double figures.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 22 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(5:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''113'''
|team2=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score2=111
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-lal-0042200314 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''34''' |Q2=30–'''39''' |Q3='''36'''–16 |Q4=19–'''22'''
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 30 |points2=[[LeBron James]] 40
|rebounds1=Nikola Jokić 14 |rebounds2=[[Anthony Davis]] 14
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 13 |assist2=LeBron James 9
|attendance=18,997
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, Tre Maddox
|series=Denver wins series, 4–0
}} The Nuggets exorcised their playoff demons against the Lakers and advanced to their first NBA Finals in their 47-year history. Denver faced a 15-point halftime deficit but opened the second half on a 36–14 run. Los Angeles tied the game in the closing minutes after erasing a seven-point deficit, but [[Nikola Jokić]]'s 25-foot fallaway three-pointer and go-ahead layup sealed the Nuggets' first playoff series sweep in franchise history. Jokić broke an NBA playoff record with his eighth triple-double of the playoffs, recording 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists, while [[Jamal Murray]] and [[Aaron Gordon]] contributed 25 and 22 points, respectively. [[LeBron James]] matched his playoff career-high as a Laker with 40 points, ten boards, and nine assists, as his 31 points in the first half marked the highest-scoring playoff half of his career. However, James missed critical shots, including a potential game-tying shot that was blocked by Gordon in the final seconds. [[Anthony Davis]] contributed 21 points and 14 rebounds, and [[Austin Reaves]] scored 17 points as the Lakers were swept for the 11th time in team history.

Jokić was awarded the second annual [[NBA Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award|Western Conference finals MVP]], averaging 27.8 points, 14.5 rebounds, and 11.8 assists on 51% from the field, 47% from beyond the arc, and 78% from the free-throw line.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 26, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-den-0022200064 Recap]
| team1 = [[Los Angeles Lakers]] | score1 = 99
| team2 = '''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' | score2 = '''110'''
| place = [[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = October 30, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-lal-0022200095 Recap]
| team1 = Denver Nuggets | score1 = 110
| team2 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score2 = '''121'''
| place = [[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 16, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-lal-0022200437 Recap]
| team1 = Denver Nuggets | score1 = 108
| team2 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score2 = '''126'''
| place = Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 9, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-den-0022200609 Recap]
| team1 = Los Angeles Lakers | score1 = 109
| team2 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score2 = '''122'''
| place = Ball Arena, Denver, CO
}}
|}

This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first seven meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DEN&opp_id=LAL&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=May 13, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoffs series
|-
!LA Lakers lead 7–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1979
| team1 = [[Denver Nuggets]] | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' | score2 = 2
| place = [[1979 NBA playoffs#(4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) Los Angeles Lakers|1979 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1985
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 1
| place = [[1985 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (2) Denver Nuggets|1985 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1987
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 3
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 0
| place = [[1987 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Denver Nuggets|1987 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2008
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 0
| place = [[2008 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Denver Nuggets|2008 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2009
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 2
| place = [[2009 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (2) Denver Nuggets|2009 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2012
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 3
| place = [[2012 NBA playoffs#(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Denver Nuggets|2012 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2020
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 1
| place = [[2020 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Denver Nuggets|2020 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
|}

==NBA Finals: (W1) Denver Nuggets vs. (E8) Miami Heat==
{{Main article|2023 NBA Finals}}
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 1 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=93
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''104'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-den-0042200401 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''29''' |Q2=22–'''30''' |Q3=21–'''25''' |Q4='''30'''–20
|points1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 26 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 27
|rebounds1=Bam Adebayo 13 |rebounds2=[[Michael Porter Jr.]] 13
|assist1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 7 |assist2=Nikola Jokić 14
|attendance=19,528
|referee=Marc Davis, David Guthrie, Ed Malloy
|series=Denver leads series, 1–0
}}
{{Basketballbox |date=June 4 |time=8:00 pm {{small|(6:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''111'''
|team2=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score2=108
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-den-0042200402 Recap]
|Q1='''26'''–23 |Q2=25–'''34''' |Q3=24–'''26''' |Q4='''36'''–25
|points1=[[Gabe Vincent]] 23 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 41
|rebounds1=[[Kevin Love]] 10 |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 11
|assist1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 9 |assist2=[[Jamal Murray]] 10
|attendance=19,537
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], John Goble, Courtney Kirkland
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 7 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''109'''
|team2=[[Miami Heat]] |score2=94
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-mia-0042200403 Recap]
|Q1=24–24 |Q2='''29'''–24 |Q3='''29'''–20 |Q4='''27'''–26
|points1=[[Jamal Murray]] 34 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 28
|rebounds1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 21 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 17
|assist1=Jokić, Murray 10 each |assist2=[[Kyle Lowry|Lowry]], [[Max Strus|Strus]] 5 each
|attendance=20,019
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Josh Tiven, Kevin Scott
|series=Denver leads series, 2–1
}}
{{Basketballbox |date=June 9 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''108'''
|team2=[[Miami Heat]] |score2=95
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-mia-0042200404 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''21''' |Q2='''35'''–30 |Q3='''31'''–22 |Q4=22–22
|points1=[[Aaron Gordon]] 27 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 25
|rebounds1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 12 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 11
|assist1=[[Jamal Murray]] 12 |assist2=Butler, [[Kyle Lowry|Lowry]] 7 each
|attendance=20,184
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], James Williams, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]]
|series=Denver leads series, 3–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 12 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=89
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''94'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-den-0042200405 Recap]
|Q1='''24'''–22 |Q2='''27'''–22 |Q3=20–'''26''' |Q4=18–'''24'''
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 21 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 28
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 12 |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 16
|assist1=Jimmy Butler 5 |assist2=[[Jamal Murray]] 8
|attendance=19,537
|referee=Marc Davis, David Guthrie, Josh Tiven
|series=Denver wins series, 4–1
}}

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Denver won 2–0 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 30, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-den-0022200535 Recap]
| team1 = [[Miami Heat]] | score1 = 119
| team2 = '''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' | score2 = '''124'''
| place = [[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 13, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-mia-0022200861 Recap]
| team1 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score1 = '''112'''
| team2 = Miami Heat | score2 = 108
| place = [[Miami-Dade Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]]
}}
|}

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DEN&opp_id=MIA&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Miami Heat (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|date=May 30, 2023|access-date=May 30, 2023}}</ref>

==Statistical leaders==
{|class=wikitable style="text-align:left;"
|-
!rowspan=2|Category !!colspan=3|Game High !!colspan=4|Average
|-
! Player !! Team !! High !! Player !! Team !! Avg. !! {{tooltip|GP|Games played}}
|-
| [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| [[Jimmy Butler]]|| [[Miami Heat]] || 56
| [[Devin Booker]] || [[Phoenix Suns]] || 33.7 || 11
|-
| [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| [[Kevon Looney]] [[Anthony Davis]] || [[Golden State Warriors]] [[Los Angeles Lakers]] || 23
| Anthony Davis || Los Angeles Lakers || 14.1 || 16
|-
| [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
| [[Nikola Jokić]] || [[Denver Nuggets]] || 17
| [[Trae Young]] || [[Atlanta Hawks]] || 10.2 || 6
|-
| [[Steal (basketball)|Steals]]
| Jimmy Butler || Miami Heat || 6
| [[De'Aaron Fox]] || [[Sacramento Kings]] || 2.1 || 7
|-
| [[Block (basketball)|Blocks]]
| Anthony Davis || Los Angeles Lakers || 7
| Anthony Davis || Los Angeles Lakers || 3.1 || 16
|}

== Playoff Statistic Total Leaders ==
'''Points'''

# Nikola Jokić - 600
# Jimmy Butler - 592
# Jayson Tatum - 543
# Jamal Murray - 522
# Jaylen Brown - 453

'''Rebounds'''

# Nikola Jokić - 269
# Bam Adebayo - 227
# Anthony Davis - 225
# Jayson Tatum - 210
# Kevon Looney - 170

'''Assists'''

# Nikola Jokić - 190
# Jamal Murray - 142
# Jimmy Butler - 129
# Jayson Tatum - 105
# LeBron James - 104

'''Steals'''

# Jimmy Butler - 39
# Jamal Murray - 30
# Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - 26
# Marcus Smart - 25
# Kyle Lowry - 24

'''Blocks'''

# Anthony Davis - 50
# Al Horford - 34
# Robert Williams - 25
# Joel Embiid - 25
# Jayson Tatum - 21

==Media coverage==
In the United States, games aired nationally across [[NBA on ABC|ABC]], [[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]], [[NBA on TNT|TNT]], and [[NBA TV]]. Each team's regional broadcaster televised local coverage of first-round games, with the exception of weekend games on ABC.{{efn|Game 3 of the Cavaliers–Knicks first round series aired nationally on ABC and co-existed with the teams' respective regional sports networks.}} In general during the first two rounds, ABC broadcast Sunday afternoon games, TNT aired Sunday through Wednesday night games, and ESPN televised Friday night games. For Thursday night games, TNT had them in the first round and ESPN in the second round. NBA TV also televised selected Tuesday through Thursday night first-round games. ABC also aired a Friday night first-round game, and ESPN televised a Sunday afternoon second-round game due to ABC's coverage of the [[Miami Grand Prix]]. Saturday first-round games were split, with ESPN airing five games, TNT two games, and ABC one game. TNT then aired the opening Saturday second-round game (in place of any potential first-round game 7's that were originally scheduled on that day). ABC aired the remaining Saturday second-round games. As per the alternating rotation, ESPN/ABC had exclusive coverage of the Western Conference finals while TNT had exclusive coverage of the Eastern Conference finals. ABC had exclusive coverage of the NBA Finals for the 21st straight year.<ref>{{cite web|title=ESPN and ABC's star-studded 2022-23 NBA television schedule|url=https://www.nba.com/news/espn-and-abcs-star-studded-2022-23-nba-television-schedule|work=NBA.com|date=August 17, 2022|access-date=March 19, 2023|archive-date=March 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230319225334/https://www.nba.com/news/espn-and-abcs-star-studded-2022-23-nba-television-schedule|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=NBA Playoffs TV schedule|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-playoff-tv-schedule-2023-espn-abc-tnt-stream-live/|work=Sports Media Watch|access-date=April 14, 2023|archive-date=April 14, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230414054821/https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-playoff-tv-schedule-2023-espn-abc-tnt-stream-live/|url-status=live}}</ref> Select ESPN broadcasts received an alternate presentation similar to [[Manningcast]], anchored by [[Stephen A. Smith]] on [[ESPN2]] and streamed on [[ESPN+]] as ''NBA in Stephen A's World''.<ref name="StevenA">{{cite web|url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2023/04/espns-nba-in-stephen-as-world-alternate-presentation-returns-april-12-for-nba-play-in-tournament-coverage/|title=ESPN's NBA in Stephen A's World Alternate Presentation Returns April 12 for NBA Play-In Tournament Coverage|last=Rajan|first=Ronce|publisher=ESPN Interactive|website=ESPNPressroom.com|date=April 11, 2023|access-date=April 17, 2023}}</ref>

NBA TV games were available on [[NBA League Pass]] as part of its normal streaming service for that channel.<ref name=NBATVRound1>{{cite press release|url=https://wbd.com/nba-tvs-2023-nba-playoffs-coverage-to-tip-off-with-atlanta-hawks-visiting-boston-celtics-first-round-game-2-on-tuesday-april-18-at-7-p-m-et/|title=NBA TV's 2023 NBA Playoffs Coverage to Tip Off with Atlanta Hawks Visiting Boston Celtics, First Round Game 2, on Tuesday, April 18, at 7 p.m. ET |publisher=Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc|website=www.wbd.com|date=April 14, 2023}}</ref> Only selected ESPN/ABC games streamed live on ESPN+. For other games, live streams were only available for pay-TV subscribers via [[authenticated streaming]] on ESPN and TNT's respective apps.<ref name=StevenA/><ref name=ESPNRound1>{{cite web|url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2023/04/espn-platforms-to-televise-at-least-12-first-round-games-as-nba-playoffs-presented-by-google-pixel-begin/|title=ESPN Platforms to Televise at Least 12 First Round Games as NBA Playoffs Presented by Google Pixel Begin|last=Hughes Martin|first=Katie|publisher=ESPN Interactive|website=ESPNPressroom.com|date=April 13, 2023|access-date=April 17, 2023}}</ref><ref name=TNTRound1>{{cite press release|url=https://wbd.com/nba-on-tnts-2023-nba-playoffs-coverage-to-tip-off-with-three-games-on-sunday-april-16-followed-by-daily-doubleheaders-monday-april-17-thursday-april-20/|title=NBA on TNT's 2023 NBA Playoffs Coverage to Tip Off with Three Games on Sunday, April 16, Followed by Daily Doubleheaders, Monday, April 17-Thursday, April 20|publisher=Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc|website=www.wbd.com|date=April 14, 2023}}</ref> In Canada, coverage was split between [[Sportsnet]] and [[The Sports Network|TSN]], with both simulcasting the U.S. national feed.

=== Most viewed playoff games ===

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Rank || Round || Date || Game || class="unsortable" | Away team || class="unsortable" | Score || class="unsortable" | Home team || Network || data-sort-type="number" | Viewers (millions) || data-sort-type="number" | TV rating
|-
|1
|[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]
|June 12
|Game 5
|[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]
|89–94
|'''[[2022-23 Denver Nuggets season|Nuggets]]'''
|rowspan="1"|[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|13.08<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=NBA Finals ends with four-year Game 5 high|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-ratings-nuggets-heat-most-watched-game-five-four-years/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 13, 2023|access-date=June 13, 2023}}</ref>
|7.0
|-
|2
|[[2023 NBA playoffs#(2) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Miami Heat|Eastern Conference Finals]]
|May 29
|Game 7
|'''[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]'''
|103–84
|[[2022-23 Boston Celtics season|Celtics]]
|rowspan="1"|[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|12.00<ref name="Lewis">{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Twelve million viewers for Heat-Celtics Game 7|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/05/heat-celtics-ratings-game-seven-viewership-most-watched-years-tnt/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 1, 2023|access-date=June 17, 2023}}</ref>
|5.8
|-
|3
|[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]
|June 4
|Game 2
|'''[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]'''
|111–108
|[[2022-23 Denver Nuggets season|Nuggets]]
|rowspan="5"|[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|11.91<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=NBA Finals Game 2 viewership same as last year|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-ratings-game-two-viewership-same-last-year-heat-nuggets/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 6, 2023|access-date=June 6, 2023|archive-date=June 6, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606154920/https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-ratings-game-two-viewership-same-last-year-heat-nuggets/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|6.0
|-
|4
|[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]
|June 1
|Game 1
|[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]
|93–104
|'''[[2022-23 Denver Nuggets season|Nuggets]]'''
|11.58<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Heat-Nuggets opens within 3% of C's-Warriors|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-game-1-ratings-heat-nuggets-nearly-matches-celtics-warriors/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 5, 2023|access-date=June 5, 2023|archive-date=June 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605183302/https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-game-1-ratings-heat-nuggets-nearly-matches-celtics-warriors/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|6.0
|-
|5
|[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]
|June 7
|Game 3
|'''[[2022-23 Denver Nuggets season|Nuggets]]'''
|109–94
|[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]
|11.24<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Nuggets-Heat again just slightly off last year's pace|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nuggets-heat-finals-ratings-viewership-down-slightly-warriors-celtics/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 8, 2023|access-date=June 9, 2023|archive-date=June 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609032550/https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nuggets-heat-finals-ratings-viewership-down-slightly-warriors-celtics/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|6.0
|-
|6
|[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]
|June 9
|Game 4
|'''[[2022-23 Denver Nuggets season|Nuggets]]'''
|108–95
|[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]
|10.41<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Nuggets-Heat hits series-low in Game 4|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-ratings-game-four-nuggets-heat-least-watched/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 12, 2023|access-date=June 12, 2023}}</ref>
|5.4
|-
|7
|[[2023 NBA playoffs#(3) Sacramento Kings vs. (6) Golden State Warriors|Western Conference First Round]]
|April 30
|Game 7
|'''[[2022-23 Golden State Warriors season|Warriors]]'''
|120–100
|[[2022-23 Sacramento Kings season|Kings]]
|9.84<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Warriors-Kings finale nears 10 million, top first round game since '99|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/05/warriors-kings-game-7-ratings-abc-nba-playoffs-viewership-heat-knicks/|date=May 2, 2023|access-date=June 17, 2023}}</ref>
|5.0
|-
|8
|[[2023 NBA playoffs#(2) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Miami Heat|Eastern Conference Finals]]
|May 27
|Game 6
|'''[[2022-23 Boston Celtics season|Celtics]]'''
|104–103
|[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]
|rowspan="1"|[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|8.71<ref name="Lewis"/>
|4.0
|-
|9
|[[2023 NBA playoffs#(6) Golden State Warriors vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers|Western Conference Semifinals]]
|May 12
|Game 6
|[[2022-23 Golden State Warriors season|Warriors]]
|101–122
|'''[[2022-23 Los Angeles Lakers season|Lakers]]'''
|rowspan="1"|[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|8.64<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Lakers-Warriors most-watched semifinal series since 1996|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/05/lakers-warriors-ratings-viewership-series-high-game-six/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=May 15, 2023|access-date=June 17, 2023}}</ref>
|4.3
|-
|10
|[[2023 NBA playoffs#(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|Eastern Conference Semifinals]]
|May 14
|Game 7
|[[2022-23 Philadelphia 76ers season|76ers]]
|88–112
|'''[[2022-23 Boston Celtics season|Celtics]]'''
|rowspan="1"|[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|8.44<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Celtics' Game 7 rout of Sixers latest big number for NBA|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/05/celtics-sixers-game-seven-ratings-abc-nba-playoff-viewership-strong/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=May 15, 2023|access-date=June 17, 2023}}</ref>
|3.9
|}

==Sponsorship==
For the second straight year, the playoffs were officially known as the "2023 NBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel". During the multiyear agreement with [[Google Pixel]], this sponsorship provided the logo branding inside the venues and in official digital properties on-court, as well as commercial inventory during ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV's telecasts of the playoff games.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://theathletic.com/news/nba-reaches-deal-to-make-google-pixel-first-presenting-partner-of-nba-playoffs/vdNiFbAdZ5JR/|title=NBA reaches deal to make Google Pixel first presenting partner of NBA playoffs|website=TheAthletic.com|date=October 18, 2021|access-date=March 31, 2023|archive-date=December 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221224182327/https://theathletic.com/news/nba-reaches-deal-to-make-google-pixel-first-presenting-partner-of-nba-playoffs/vdNiFbAdZ5JR/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==See also==
* [[NBA records]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Sports}}
*[https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_2023.html Basketball – Reference.com's 2023 Playoffs section]

{{NBAPlayoffs}}
{{2022–23 NBA season by team}}

[[Category:2022–23 NBA season|Playoffs]]
[[Category:National Basketball Association playoffs]]

2023 NBA playoffs

2023-12-16T06:23:01Z

Rangers00: Undid revision 1190150038 by Rangers00 (talk)

{{Short description|Professional basketball tournament to determine the 2023 champion of the NBA}}
{{use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox basketball tournament season
| title = NBA playoffs
| image =
| year = 2023
| season = [[2022–23 NBA season|2022–23]]
| dates = April 15 – June 12, 2023
| num_teams = 16
| winners = [[2022–23 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]]
| count = 1
| second = [[2022–23 Miami Heat season|Miami Heat]]
| semifinal1 = [[2022–23 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]]
| semifinal2 = [[2022–23 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]]
| prev_season = [[2022 NBA playoffs|2022]]
| next_season = [[NBA playoffs|2024]]
}}
The '''2023 NBA playoffs''' was the [[NBA playoffs|postseason tournament]] of the [[National Basketball Association]]'s [[2022–23 NBA season|2022–23 season]]. The playoffs began on April 15 and concluded on June 12 with the [[Denver Nuggets]] winning the [[2023 NBA Finals]].

==Overview==
{{Prose|section|date=June 2023}}

===Updates to postseason appearances===
* The [[2022–23 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]] entered the postseason for the seventh consecutive season and also clinched the best record in the NBA for the third time in the last five seasons.
* The [[2022–23 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]] entered the postseason for the fifth consecutive season and also clinched the best record in the Western Conference for the first time in franchise history.
** The Nuggets also entered the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.
* The [[2022–23 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]] entered the postseason for the ninth consecutive season, currently the longest such streak in the NBA and the second longest playoffs streak in Major North American Sports behind the [[MLB]]'s [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] after the [[NHL]]'s [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] missed the [[2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs]] for the first time in 16 years.
* The [[2022–23 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]] entered the postseason for the sixth consecutive season.
* The [[2022–23 Brooklyn Nets season|Brooklyn Nets]] entered the postseason for the fifth consecutive season.
* The [[2022–23 Miami Heat season|Miami Heat]] entered the postseason for the fourth consecutive season.
** The Heat also entered the NBA Finals for the first time since [[2020 NBA Finals|2020]] and the seventh time in franchise history.
* The [[2022–23 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis Grizzlies]], [[2022–23 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]], and [[2022–23 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks]] entered the postseason for the third consecutive season.
* The [[2022–23 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]] and [[2022–23 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota Timberwolves]] entered the postseason for the second consecutive season.
* The [[2022–23 New York Knicks season|New York Knicks]], [[2022–23 Los Angeles Clippers season|Los Angeles Clippers]], and [[2022–23 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] entered the postseason for the first time since [[2021 NBA playoffs|2021]].
* The [[2022–23 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland Cavaliers]] entered the postseason for the first time since [[2017–18 Cleveland Cavaliers season|2018]], and the first time without [[LeBron James]] on their roster since [[1997–98 Cleveland Cavaliers season|1998]].
* The [[2022–23 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento Kings]] entered the postseason for the first time since [[2005–06 Sacramento Kings season|2006]], snapping the [[List of NBA franchise post-season droughts|longest postseason drought in NBA history]].
* The [[2022–23 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas Mavericks]] missed the postseason for the first time since [[2018–19 Dallas Mavericks season|2019]].
* The [[2022–23 Utah Jazz season|Utah Jazz]] missed the postseason for the first time since [[2015–16 Utah Jazz season|2016]].
* The [[2022–23 Charlotte Hornets season|Charlotte Hornets]] missed the postseason for the seventh consecutive season, currently the longest active postseason drought in the NBA.

===Notable occurrences===
* For the first time since the [[2000–01 NBA season|2000–01 season]], no team won at least 60 games in an 82-game regular season.{{Efn|Excluding the [[2011–12 NBA season|2011–12]] season, which was shortened due to the [[2011 NBA lockout|lockout]], and the [[2019–20 NBA season|2019–20]] and [[2020–21 NBA season|2020–21 seasons]], both of which were shortened due to the [[Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on basketball|COVID-19 pandemic]].}}
* This season marked the first time since the [[2004–05 NBA season|2004–05 season]] that two of the league's top three scorers ([[Luka Dončić]] and [[Damian Lillard]]) failed to reach the playoffs.
* All three Texas teams ([[Dallas Mavericks|Dallas]], [[Houston Rockets|Houston]], and [[San Antonio Spurs|San Antonio]]) missed the playoffs in the same season for the first time since the Mavericks formed in [[1980–81 NBA season|1980]]. This also marked the first time since [[1976 NBA playoffs|1976]] that Texas did not appear in the playoffs.
* All four California teams ([[Golden State Warriors|Golden State]], [[Los Angeles Clippers|LA Clippers]], [[Los Angeles Lakers|LA Lakers]], and [[Sacramento Kings|Sacramento]]) made the playoffs in the same season for the first time since the Kings relocated to Sacramento in [[1985–86 NBA season|1985]].
* All five teams from the [[Pacific Division (NBA)|Pacific Division]] qualified for the playoffs, marking the third instance every team in a division qualified for the playoffs since the NBA adopted the current six division format in [[2004–05 NBA season|2004–05]]. Previously, all five teams from the [[Central Division (NBA)|Central Division]] during the [[2005–06 NBA season|2005–06]] season and the [[Southwest Division (NBA)|Southwest Division]] during the [[2014–15 NBA season|2014–15]] season qualified for the playoffs.
* A No. 10 seed advanced to the second stage of the play-in tournament for the first time since the implementation of the [[Page playoff system|Page–McIntyre system]] in [[NBA play-in tournament#2021|2021]].
* The [[Miami Heat]] became the first team since the [[2000–01 Indiana Pacers season|2001 Indiana Pacers]] to drop from a No. 1 seed in the playoffs to a No. 8 seed the following year.

====First Round====
* The [[Philadelphia 76ers]] swept the [[Brooklyn Nets]], marking the 47th year in a row that a sweep occurred. The last time a sweep did not occur was in [[1976 NBA playoffs|1976]]. This was the 183rd series sweep in NBA playoffs history.
* [[Ja Morant]] scored 22 straight points for the [[Memphis Grizzlies]] in game 3 against the Los Angeles Lakers, becoming the first player to score at least 22 straight points for their team in a playoff game since [[Kobe Bryant]] in [[2010 NBA playoffs|2010]].
* [[Jimmy Butler]] became the sixth player in NBA history to score 56 or more points in a playoff game, joining [[Michael Jordan]] (twice), [[Elgin Baylor]], [[Donovan Mitchell]], [[Charles Barkley]], and [[Wilt Chamberlain]].
* [[Devin Booker]] became the third player since 1997 to score at least 25 points in a quarter in a playoff game, joining Damian Lillard (25 in [[2019 NBA playoffs|2019]]) and [[Allen Iverson]] (26 in [[2001 NBA playoffs|2001]]).
* Devin Booker and [[Kevin Durant]] became the first duo in playoff history to each score 25+ points in each of their first six games of a postseason.
* The [[New York Knicks]] won a playoff series for the first time since [[2013 NBA playoffs|2013]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/knicks-close-out-cavaliers-to-win-first-playoff-series-since-2013-but-julius-randles-health-a-concern/|title=Knicks close out Cavaliers to win first playoff series since 2013, but Julius Randle's health a concern|work=CBS Sports|date=April 26, 2023|author=Kaskey-Blomain, Michael}}</ref>
* [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] missed 13 free throws in game 5 against the Heat, marking the most free throw misses in a playoff game since [[DeAndre Jordan]] in [[2015 NBA playoffs|2015]], and the most misses in any game (regular season or playoffs) since [[Ben Simmons]] in [[2017–18 NBA season|2017]].
* The Heat became the first [[NBA play-in tournament|play–in]] team in NBA history to win a playoff series.
* The eighth-seeded Heat defeated the top-seeded [[Milwaukee Bucks]] in five games, marking the sixth instance in NBA history of an 8th-seeded team defeating a 1st-seeded team in the first round, following previous instances in [[1994 NBA playoffs|1994]], [[1999 NBA playoffs|1999]], [[2007 NBA playoffs|2007]], [[2011 NBA playoffs|2011]], and [[2012 NBA playoffs|2012]]. Additionally, this was the fourth time such an upset occurred in a best-of-seven series, and the first to be completed in fewer than six games.
* The seventh-seeded Lakers defeated the second-seeded Grizzlies in six games, marking the sixth instance in NBA history of a 7th-seeded team defeating a 2nd-seeded team in the first round, following previous instances in [[1987 NBA playoffs|1987]], [[1989 NBA playoffs|1989]], [[1991 NBA playoffs|1991]], [[1998 NBA playoffs|1998]], and [[2010 NBA playoffs|2010]]. Additionally, this was only the second time such an upset occurred in a best-of-seven series.
* A seventh-seed (Lakers) and an eighth-seed (Heat) both advanced in the first round of the playoffs, marking the first time this happened since the 16-team format began in [[1984 NBA playoffs|1984]]. In all previous instances when a seventh or eighth seed advanced, only one or the other advanced (not both).
* The Kings–Warriors series was the first of the 2023 playoffs to have a game 7, making it the 24th consecutive NBA postseason to feature a game 7. The last time a game 7 did not occur in the playoffs was [[1999 NBA playoffs|1999]]. This was the 148th game 7 in NBA playoffs history.
* [[Stephen Curry]]'s 50 points against the Kings was the first 50-point performance in a game 7 in NBA history.

====Conference semifinals====
* This was the first time in NBA history that every seed number from 1 through 8 made it to the second round across both conferences.
* The sixth-seeded Warriors had home-court advantage in the western semifinals, becoming the lowest seed to have home-court advantage since the sixth-seeded [[Houston Rockets]] in [[1987 NBA playoffs|1987]].
* [[P. J. Tucker]] had zero field goal attempts and zero free throw attempts in 37 minutes played against the [[Boston Celtics]], marking the most minutes played without a field goal or free throw attempt in a playoff game in the [[shot clock|shot-clock]] era (since [[1954–55 NBA season|1954–55]]).
* Devin Booker's 35.9 points per game were the most through a player's first ten games of a postseason since Michael Jordan in [[1990 NBA playoffs|1990]].
* The [[Denver Nuggets]]' 81 first half points in game 6 against the [[Phoenix Suns]] were the most in a first half by an away team in postseason history.
* [[Jalen Brunson]] became the fourth player in NBA history to make more field goals than the rest of the team combined in an elimination game, joining [[LeBron James]] (twice), Kobe Bryant, and [[Penny Hardaway]].
* With the defending champion Warriors losing to the Los Angeles Lakers, the 2023 playoffs marked the fourth straight year where the defending champion was eliminated before the conference finals.
* The Warriors lost a playoff series to a Western Conference opponent for the first time since [[2014 NBA playoffs|2014]], when the [[2013–14 Los Angeles Clippers season|Los Angeles Clippers]] defeated them in seven games.
* With the Lakers' series win over the Warriors, LeBron James earned his 41st career playoff series win, setting a new NBA record for the most career playoff series wins and surpassing [[Derek Fisher]]'s previous record of 40.
* After losing Game 5 in the Warriors series, LeBron James lost 3 consecutive games at the first chance of clinching a series. The streak included Game 5 losses to the Grizzlies in the previous round and to the Heat in the 2020 Finals. Before the current losing streak, James won 5 straight and 15 of his last 16.
* [[Jayson Tatum]]'s 51 points against the 76ers were the most in a game 7 in NBA history.
** Additionally, his 51 points and zero turnovers set a playoff record for the most points in a game without any turnovers.
* There have been four 50-point games this postseason, the most in a single postseason.

====Conference finals====
* The Heat became the second eight-seeded team to reach the conference finals, joining the [[1998–99 New York Knicks season|1999 New York Knicks]].<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/sports/basketball/heat-become-first-eighth-seed-reach-conference-finals-24-years-2023-05-13/ Heat become first eighth seed to reach Conference finals in 24 years], [[Reuters]], May 13, 2023</ref>
** The Heat also became the first eight-seeded team to reach the conference finals in a full 82-game season, as the [[1998–99 NBA season|1998–99 season]] was shortened due to a [[1998–99 NBA lockout|lockout]].
* The Lakers became the second seven-seeded team to reach the conference finals, joining the [[1986–87 Seattle SuperSonics season|1987 Seattle SuperSonics]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lakeshowlife.com/2023/05/01/lakers-farthest-7-seed-advanced-nba-playoffs|title= Lakers: What's the farthest a 7 seed has advanced in the NBA Playoffs?|work=LakeShowLife|author=Reed, Jason|date= May 2023}}</ref>
* All four teams in the conference finals from the [[2020 NBA playoffs|2020 Bubble]] returned to the 2023 conference finals.
** Like the aforementioned season, the Heat and Celtics have both beaten the Bucks and 76ers, respectively. The Heat also had beaten the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals.
* The Heat became the fifth team to win the series opener on the road in each of their first three playoff series, joining the [[1980–81 Houston Rockets season|1981 Houston Rockets]], [[1988–89 Chicago Bulls season|1989 Chicago Bulls]], 1999 New York Knicks, and [[2020–21 Atlanta Hawks season|2021 Atlanta Hawks]].
* The Heat became the first eight-seeded team since the 1999 Knicks to go up 3–0 in a series.
* The Heat became the first eight-seeded team to win a playoff game by more than 25 points.
* The Celtics lost their 6th game 7 at home, while no other team has lost more than three.
* This was the second instance (following the [[2015 NBA playoffs|2015 playoffs]]) where both conference finals series had teams go up 3–0 in the series.
* [[Nikola Jokić]] recorded his eighth [[triple-double]] of the 2023 playoffs in game 4 against the Lakers, breaking the record held by Wilt Chamberlain for the [[List of National Basketball Association career playoff triple-double leaders|most triple-doubles]] in a single postseason.
* The Nuggets beat the Lakers 4–0 in the conference finals, marking their first playoff series sweep in franchise history.
** The Nuggets also became the last of the four teams from the [[American Basketball Association]] to reach the NBA Finals.
** The Nuggets also eliminated the Lakers in the playoffs for the first time in eight encounters, having been eliminated by the Lakers in 1979, 1985, 1987, 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2020.
* This marked the third time LeBron James was swept in a playoff series. The last two times he was swept were in the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs in [[2007 NBA Finals|2007]] and the Golden State Warriors in [[2018 NBA Finals|2018]].
* Jokić became the second player to average a triple-double in multiple playoff series in a single postseason, joining Wilt Chamberlain in [[1967 NBA playoffs|1967]].
* The Celtics became the fourth team ever to force a game 7 after trailing 0–3 in a series, and the first team to do so since [[2003 NBA playoffs|2003]].
** Additionally, the Celtics became the first team to host a game 7 after trailing 0–3.
* [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] became the second player in NBA history to hit a buzzer-beater with his team trailing and facing elimination, joining Michael Jordan's "[[The Shot]]" in [[1989 NBA playoffs|1989]].
** It was also the sixth game-winning buzzer-beater when facing elimination in NBA history, and the first since [[Kawhi Leonard]] in [[2019 NBA playoffs|2019]]. Coincidentally, Jimmy Butler has been on the losing side of three of those buzzer-beaters.
* [[Jaylen Brown]] became the fifth player with 8+ turnovers in a game 7 since individual turnovers were tracked in 1978, joining [[Shawn Kemp]], LeBron James, Donovan Mitchell, and [[Joel Embiid]].
* After Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, the Lakers lost six consecutive games while facing playoff elimination. The streak included Game 6 vs. the Suns (2021), Game 4 vs. the Spurs (2013), Game 5 vs. the Thunder (2012), Game 4 vs. the Mavericks and Game 6 vs. the Celtics (2008). They also lost 15 out of their last 16. Before winning Game 5 of the 2008 Finals against the Celtics, they also lost Game 5 vs. the Suns (2007), Game 7 vs. the Suns (2006), Game 5 vs. the Pistons (2004), Game 6 vs. the Spurs (2003), Game 4 vs. the Spurs (1999), Game 4 vs. the Jazz (1998), Game 5 vs. the Jazz (1997), Game 4 vs. the Rockets (1996), and Game 6 vs. the Spurs (1995).

====NBA Finals====
* The Heat became the second eight-seeded team to reach the NBA Finals, joining the 1999 New York Knicks. Coincidentally, both the Knicks and the Heat beat each other during their respective run to the Finals.
** The Heat also became the first eight-seeded team to reach the Finals in a full 82-game season, as the [[1998–99 NBA season|1998–99 season]] was shortened due to a [[1998–99 NBA lockout|lockout]].
** For the first time, an NHL and NBA team from the same metro area made the final as the lowest seed in the same season. Ironically, both the Heat and the [[Florida Panthers]] would lose to the [[Vegas Golden Knights|number 1 seed]] in the Western Conference in 5 games.
* The Heat became the first team to make the NBA Finals after making the playoffs via the Play-In tournament.
* The Heat became the third team in NBA history to finish last in PPG (points per game) during the regular season and reach the NBA Finals, joining the [[1955–56 Fort Wayne Pistons season|1956 Fort Wayne Pistons]] and [[1963–64 San Francisco Warriors season|1964 San Francisco Warriors]].
* In game 1, the Heat had two free throw attempts, breaking the NBA record for the fewest free throw attempts in a playoff game. The previous playoff record was three, by the [[New Jersey Nets]] in 1993 and the previous Finals record was five, by the [[Los Angeles Lakers]] in 1983.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Linn |first=Joey |date=2023-06-01 |title=Miami Heat Set Bad Record in NBA Finals Game 1 |url=https://www.si.com/nba/nuggets/news/miami-heat-set-bad-nba-record-nba-finals-game-1 |access-date=2023-06-02 |website=Sports Illustrated Denver Nuggets News, Analysis and More |language=en}}</ref>
* The Heat collected their 13th win of the playoffs in game 2 against the Nuggets, breaking a tie with the 1999 Knicks for the most wins ever by a No. 8 seed in a single postseason.
* In game 3, Nikola Jokić and [[Jamal Murray]] became the first teammates to record a triple-double in the NBA Finals and the first teammates to both record 30-point triple-doubles in any game.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-07 |title=Jokic and Murray both have triple-doubles, Nuggets beat Heat 109-94 for 2-1 lead |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/recap/_/gameId/401544848 |access-date=2023-06-07 |website=ESPN.com |language= |agency=Associated Press}}</ref>
* [[Udonis Haslem]], aged 42 years, 363 days, became the oldest player to play in the NBA Finals, coming off the bench in the last minute.
* Nikola Jokić became the first player in NBA history to put up at least 500 points, 250 rebounds, and 150 assists in a single postseason run.
* Nikola Jokić became the first player in NBA history to lead the league in points (600), rebounds (269), and assists (190) in a single postseason.
* Nikola Jokić was the lowest-selected player to be named [[NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award|NBA Finals MVP]]. Jokić was selected 41st overall in the [[2014 NBA draft]].

==Format==
{{see also|NBA playoffs#Format}}
Eight teams from each conference participated in the playoffs. The top six teams in each conference, based on [[winning percentage]], directly qualified for the playoffs; the [[Seed (sports)|seeding]] order of those teams was also based on winning percentage. If two or more teams had the same record, standard NBA tiebreaker rules were used.

The NBA Board of Governors adopted a format starting in [[2021 NBA playoffs|2021]] to have a [[NBA play-in tournament|play-in tournament]] involving the teams ranked 7th through 10th in each conference. The 7th place team and 8th place team participated in a "double-chance" game, with the winner advancing to the playoffs as the 7-seed. The loser then played the winner of the elimination game between the 9th place and 10th place teams to determine the playoff's 8-seed. The NBA's regular playoff format then proceeded as normal.<ref>{{cite news|title=NBA adopts Play-In Tournament on full-time basis|url=https://www.nba.com/news/nba-adopts-play-in-tournament-on-full-time-basis|publisher=Warner Bros. Discovery Sports|location=Las Vegas|last=Reynolds|first=Tim|agency=Associated Press|date=July 12, 2022|access-date=July 28, 2022|archive-date=July 28, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220728135427/https://www.nba.com/news/nba-adopts-play-in-tournament-on-full-time-basis|url-status=live}}</ref>

Each conference's bracket was fixed with no reseeding. All rounds were a best-of-seven series; a series ended when one team won four games, and that team advanced to the next round. All rounds, including the NBA Finals, were in a 2–2–1–1–1 format with regards to hosting. In the conference playoffs, home-court advantage went to the higher-seeded team (number one being the highest). For the NBA Finals, home-court advantage went to the team with the better regular season record, and, if needed, ties were broken based on head-to-head record, followed by intra-conference record.

==Playoff qualifying==
On March 14, 2023, the [[2022–23 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]] became the first team to clinch a playoff spot.<ref name="Bucksclinch">{{cite web|last=Owczarski|first=Jim|title=Milwaukee Bucks become first team to clinch playoff spot with win over Phoenix Suns|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2023/03/14/bucks-clinch-playoff-spot-50-wins-suns/11475598002/|work=USA Today|date=March 14, 2022|access-date=March 15, 2022|archive-date=March 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230315051941/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/bucks/2023/03/14/bucks-clinch-playoff-spot-50-wins-suns/11475598002/|url-status=live}}</ref> While noted in the below tables, division titles have no bearing on seeding.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/5-things-to-know-nba-division-winners-not-guaranteed-playoff-spot/ |title=5 Things to Know: NBA division winners not guaranteed playoff spot |first=Matt |last=Moore |work=[[CBS Sports]] |date=September 9, 2015 |access-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-date=December 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221203190054/https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/5-things-to-know-nba-division-winners-not-guaranteed-playoff-spot/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

''Seeds 7 and 8 in each conference were determined via the first-stage play-in tournament, held April 11–14.''

{{further|NBA play-in tournament#2023}}

===Eastern Conference===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center"
|-
!rowspan=2|Seed !!rowspan=2|Team !!rowspan=2|Record !!colspan=5|Clinched
|-
!Play-in berth !! Playoff berth !! Division title !! Best record in conference !! Best record in NBA
|-
| 1 || align=left|[[2022–23 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee Bucks]] || 58–24 || — || March 14<ref name="Bucksclinch"/> || March 28<ref name="Bucksdivision">{{cite web |title=Hawks beat Cavaliers 120-118, help Bucks clinch Central |url=https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/hawks-beat-cavaliers-120-118-023731941.html |publisher=Yahoo Sports |access-date=March 29, 2023 |date=March 28, 2023 |archive-date=March 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230329025256/https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/hawks-beat-cavaliers-120-118-023731941.html |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 5<ref name="Bucksbestrecord">{{cite web |last1=Maloney |first1=Jack |title=Bucks clinch NBA's best record: 'Game 7s at home are gonna be big' for Milwaukee |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/bucks-clinch-nbas-best-record-game-7s-at-home-are-gonna-be-big-for-milwaukee/ |work=CBS Sports |access-date=April 6, 2023 |date=April 5, 2023 |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406181350/https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/bucks-clinch-nbas-best-record-game-7s-at-home-are-gonna-be-big-for-milwaukee/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 5<ref name="Bucksbestrecord"/>
|-
| 2 || align=left|[[2022–23 Boston Celtics season|Boston Celtics]] || 57–25 || — || March 18<ref name="Celticsclinch">{{cite web |last1=Goss |first1=Nick |title=Celtics Officially Clinch NBA Playoff Spot for Ninth Straight Season |url=https://www.nbcboston.com/news/sports/nbcsports/celtics-officially-clinch-nba-playoff-spot-for-ninth-straight-season/3000225/ |publisher=NBC Boston |access-date=March 20, 2023 |date=March 19, 2023 |archive-date=March 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320002436/https://www.nbcboston.com/news/sports/nbcsports/celtics-officially-clinch-nba-playoff-spot-for-ninth-straight-season/3000225/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 5<ref>{{cite web |last1=Grasso |first1=Justin |title=76ers Lock Up Playoff Seed After Celtics Defeat Raptors |url=https://www.si.com/nba/76ers/news/76ers-lock-up-playoff-seed-after-celtics-defeat-raptors |website=si.com |access-date=April 6, 2023 |date=April 5, 2023 |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406183948/https://www.si.com/nba/76ers/news/76ers-lock-up-playoff-seed-after-celtics-defeat-raptors |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || —
|-
| 3 || align=left|[[2022–23 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]] || 54–28 || — || March 21<ref name="76ersclinch">{{cite web |last1=Carlin |first1=Ky |title=Sixers clinch playoff spot after Nets fall to Cavaliers at home |url=https://sixerswire.usatoday.com/2023/03/21/sixers-clinch-playoff-spot-after-nets-fall-to-cavaliers-at-home/ |publisher=Sixers Wire |access-date=March 21, 2023 |date=March 21, 2023 |archive-date=March 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230322022453/https://sixerswire.usatoday.com/2023/03/21/sixers-clinch-playoff-spot-after-nets-fall-to-cavaliers-at-home/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 4 || align=left|[[2022–23 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland Cavaliers]] || 51–31 || — || March 26<ref name="Cavaliersclinch">{{cite web |last1=Fedor |first1=Chris |title=Cavs clinch playoff spot with dominant 108-91 win over Houston Rockets |url=https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2023/03/cavs-clinch-playoff-spot-with-dominant-108-91-win-over-houston-rockets.html |publisher=cleveland.com |access-date=March 26, 2023 |date=March 26, 2023 |archive-date=March 27, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230327003154/https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2023/03/cavs-clinch-playoff-spot-with-dominant-108-91-win-over-houston-rockets.html |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 5 || align=left|[[2022–23 New York Knicks season|New York Knicks]] || 47–35 || — || April 2<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bernstein |first1=Jeffrey |title=Knicks clinch playoff berth with 118-109 win over Wizards |url=https://apnews.com/article/knicks-playoff-berth-wizards-11d6adf03b6a0a587c7ab06529e420d7 |publisher=AP News |access-date=April 2, 2023 |date=April 2, 2023 |archive-date=April 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230403010837/https://apnews.com/article/knicks-playoff-berth-wizards-11d6adf03b6a0a587c7ab06529e420d7 |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 6 || align=left|[[2022–23 Brooklyn Nets season|Brooklyn Nets]] || 45–37 || — || April 7<ref>{{cite web |title=Nets lock up 6-seed in East, get Sixers in 1st round of playoffs |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/36110995/nets-lock-6-seed-east-get-sixers-1st-round-playoffs |website=espn.com |access-date=April 8, 2023 |date=April 7, 2023 |archive-date=April 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408021909/https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/36110995/nets-lock-6-seed-east-get-sixers-1st-round-playoffs |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 7 || align=left|[[2022–23 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks]] || 41–41 || April 5<ref>{{cite web |last1=Umontuen |first1=Itoro |title=Atlanta Hawks clinch spot in NBA's play-in tournament with victory over the Wizards |url=https://theatlantavoice.com/atlanta-hawks-clinch-spot-in-nbas-play-in-tournament-with-victory-over-the-wizards/ |publisher=The Atlanta Voice |access-date=April 6, 2023 |date=April 6, 2023 |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406042914/https://theatlantavoice.com/atlanta-hawks-clinch-spot-in-nbas-play-in-tournament-with-victory-over-the-wizards/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 11<ref>{{cite web |last1=Reynolds |first1=Tim |title=Hawks grab No. 7 seed in East, hold off Heat 116-105 |url=https://apnews.com/article/hawks-heat-playoffs-playin-nba-6231c6063bb3b81ca9b6da858cf748e7 |publisher=AP News |access-date=April 12, 2023 |date=April 11, 2023 |archive-date=April 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412022729/https://apnews.com/article/hawks-heat-playoffs-playin-nba-6231c6063bb3b81ca9b6da858cf748e7 |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 8 || align=left|[[2022–23 Miami Heat season|Miami Heat]] || 44–38 || April 7<ref>{{cite web |last1=Winderman |first1=Ira |title=Heat rest regulars in 114-108 loss to Wizards, will host Hawks in Tuesday play-in game |url=https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-heat/fl-sp-miami-heat-washington-wizards-20230408-467t2r5rm5cwza7ci3nhbjnd3e-story.html |website=sun-sentinel.com |access-date=April 8, 2023 |date=April 7, 2023 |archive-date=April 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408051735/https://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/miami-heat/fl-sp-miami-heat-washington-wizards-20230408-467t2r5rm5cwza7ci3nhbjnd3e-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 14<ref name="Heatclinch">{{cite web |last1=Reynolds |first1=Tim |title=Heat eliminate Bulls 102-91, will face Bucks in Round 1 |url=https://apnews.com/article/bulls-heat-nba-playoffs-playin-ff87abfc5dd6e428b5587f59c4afb9d1 |publisher=AP News |access-date=April 15, 2023 |date=April 14, 2023 |archive-date=April 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415020652/https://apnews.com/article/bulls-heat-nba-playoffs-playin-ff87abfc5dd6e428b5587f59c4afb9d1 |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 6<ref>{{cite web |last1=Chiang |first1=Anthony |title=Takeaways from Heat's blowout win in Philadelphia to keep slim hopes alive of escaping play-in |url=https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nba/miami-heat/article274053560.html |website=miamiherald.com |access-date=April 7, 2023 |date=April 6, 2023 |archive-date=April 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407213122/https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nba/miami-heat/article274053560.html |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || —
|}

[[2022–23 Toronto Raptors season|Toronto]] (41–41) and [[2022–23 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago]] (40–42) also secured play-in berths but did not advance to the playoffs.<ref>{{cite web |title=Raptors fall to Bulls in play-in tournament, eliminated from playoff contention |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/raptors-fall-to-bulls-in-play-in-tournament-eliminated-from-playoff-contention/ |publisher=Sportsnet |access-date=April 13, 2023 |date=April 12, 2023 |archive-date=April 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413094852/https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/raptors-fall-to-bulls-in-play-in-tournament-eliminated-from-playoff-contention/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Heatclinch"/>

===Western Conference===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align:center"
|-
!rowspan=2|Seed !!rowspan=2|Team !!rowspan=2|Record !!colspan=5|Clinched
|-
!Play-in berth !! Playoff berth !! Division title !! Best record in conference !! Best record in NBA
|-
| 1 || align=left|[[2022–23 Denver Nuggets season|Denver Nuggets]] || 53–29 || — || March 16<ref name="Nuggetsclinch">{{cite web |last1=Lage |first1=Larry |title=Nuggets top Pistons to end skid, clinch Northwest Division |url=https://apnews.com/article/nuggets-jokic-pistons-8d9ec3bbf4904275255be9f28ab4e23e |publisher=AP News |date=March 16, 2023 |access-date=March 20, 2023 |archive-date=March 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230320002832/https://apnews.com/article/nuggets-jokic-pistons-8d9ec3bbf4904275255be9f28ab4e23e |url-status=live }}</ref> || March 16<ref name="Nuggetsclinch"/> || April 5<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sarles |first1=Jesse |title=Denver Nuggets clinch No. 1 seed in NBA's Western Conference for first time in franchise history |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/denver-nuggets-clinch-no-1-seed-nba-western-conference-first-time-franchise-history/ |publisher=CBS News |access-date=April 6, 2023 |date=April 5, 2023 |archive-date=April 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406183948/https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/denver-nuggets-clinch-no-1-seed-nba-western-conference-first-time-franchise-history/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || —
|-
| 2 || align=left|[[2022–23 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis Grizzlies]] || 51–31 || — || March 24<ref name="Grizzliesclinch">{{cite web |last1=Bailey |first1=Clay |title=Grizzlies clinch playoff berth with 151-114 rout of Rockets |url=https://apnews.com/article/rockets-grizzlies-ja-morant-6a0afcdd81a2639dbba9ce1a881f0074 |publisher=AP News |date=March 24, 2023 |access-date=March 25, 2023 |archive-date=March 25, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230325025147/https://apnews.com/article/rockets-grizzlies-ja-morant-6a0afcdd81a2639dbba9ce1a881f0074 |url-status=live }}</ref> || March 22<ref name="Grizzliesclinch"/> || — || —
|-
| 3 || align=left|[[2022–23 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento Kings]] || 48–34 || — || March 29<ref>{{cite web |last1=Spears |first1=Marc |title=Kings clinch first playoff berth since 2006 with win over Blazers |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35999564/kings-clinch-first-playoff-berth-2006-win-blazers |website=espn.com |access-date=30 March 2023 |date=March 30, 2023 |archive-date=March 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330042125/https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35999564/kings-clinch-first-playoff-berth-2006-win-blazers |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 4<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kraemer |first1=Mackenzie |title=Sacramento Kings clinch Pacific Division as historic long shot |url=https://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/36002853/sacramento-kings-clinch-pacific-division-historic-long-shot |website=espn.com |access-date=April 4, 2023 |date=April 4, 2023 |archive-date=April 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405031136/https://www.espn.com/chalk/story/_/id/36002853/sacramento-kings-clinch-pacific-division-historic-long-shot |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || —
|-
| 4 || align=left|[[2022–23 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]] || 45–37 || — || April 4<ref>{{cite web |last1=Thompson |first1=Jack |title=Suns clinch playoff spot, rout injury-riddled Spurs 115-94 |url=https://apnews.com/article/suns-spurs-playoffs-booker-durant-2b5a7590fbdbd45838ce9dbf28a28e2a |publisher=AP News |access-date=April 5, 2023 |date=April 4, 2023 |archive-date=April 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405051359/https://apnews.com/article/suns-spurs-playoffs-booker-durant-2b5a7590fbdbd45838ce9dbf28a28e2a |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 5 || align=left|[[2022–23 Los Angeles Clippers season|Los Angeles Clippers]] || 44–38 || — || April 9<ref name="Finalday">{{cite web |last1=Owens |first1=Jason |title=NBA playoff picture: Warriors, Clippers secure West's final playoff spots, send Lakers to play-in |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-playoff-picture-warriors-clippers-secure-wests-final-playoff-spots-send-lakers-to-play-in-221342194.html |publisher=Yahoo Sports |access-date=April 9, 2023 |date=April 9, 2023 |archive-date=April 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409222321/https://sports.yahoo.com/nba-playoff-picture-warriors-clippers-secure-wests-final-playoff-spots-send-lakers-to-play-in-221342194.html |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 6 || align=left|[[2022–23 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]] || 44–38 || — || April 9<ref name="Finalday"/> || — || — || —
|-
| 7 || align=left|[[2022–23 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]] || 43–39 || April 9<ref name="Finalday"/> || April 11<ref>{{cite web |title=Lakers clinch No. 7 seed with overtime win over Minnesota Timberwolves in Play-In Tournament |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/lakers-clinch-no-7-seed-with-overtime-win-over-minnesota-timberwolves-in-play-in-tournament/ |publisher=CBS News |access-date=April 12, 2023 |date=April 11, 2023 |archive-date=April 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412051711/https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/lakers-clinch-no-7-seed-with-overtime-win-over-minnesota-timberwolves-in-play-in-tournament/ |url-status=live }}</ref> || — || — || —
|-
| 8 || align=left|[[2022–23 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota Timberwolves]] || 42–40 || April 8<ref>{{cite web |last1=Schad |first1=Chris |title=Timberwolves' 3-point barrage vs. Spurs sets up Sunday showdown with Pelicans |url=https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/timberwolves/timberwolves-3-point-barrage-vs-spurs-sets-up-sunday-showdown-with-pelicans |website=si.com |access-date=April 8, 2023 |date=April 8, 2023 |archive-date=April 8, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408233735/https://www.si.com/fannation/bringmethesports/timberwolves/timberwolves-3-point-barrage-vs-spurs-sets-up-sunday-showdown-with-pelicans |url-status=live }}</ref> || April 14<ref name="Wolvesclinch">{{cite web |title=Timberwolves crush Thunder in play-in to claim Western Conference's eighth seed |url=https://www.sportsnet.ca/nba/article/timberwolves-cruise-past-thunder-in-play-in-to-claim-western-conferences-eighth-seed/ |publisher=Sportsnet |access-date=15 April 2023}}</ref> || — || — || —
|}

[[2022–23 New Orleans Pelicans season|New Orleans]] (42–40) and [[2022–23 Oklahoma City Thunder season|Oklahoma City]] (40–42) also secured play-in berths but did not advance to the playoffs.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Helin |first1=Kurt |title=Gilgeous-Alexander outduels Ingram and gets more help, Thunder eliminate Pelicans |url=https://nba.nbcsports.com/2023/04/13/gilgeous-alexander-outduels-ingram-and-gets-more-help-thunder-eliminate-pelicans/ |publisher=NBC Sports |access-date=April 13, 2023 |date=April 12, 2023 |archive-date=April 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230413081642/https://nba.nbcsports.com/2023/04/13/gilgeous-alexander-outduels-ingram-and-gets-more-help-thunder-eliminate-pelicans/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Wolvesclinch"/>

==Bracket==
Teams in bold advanced to the next round. The numbers to the left of each team indicate the team's seeding in its conference, and the numbers to the right indicate the number of games the team won in that round. The division champions are marked by an asterisk. Teams with home-court advantage (i.e., the higher-seeded team) are shown in italics.
<section begin=Bracket />{{16TeamBracket
| RD1=[[2023 NBA playoffs#First Round 2|First round]]
| RD2=[[2023 NBA playoffs#Conference semifinals 2|Conference semifinals]]
| RD3=[[2023 NBA playoffs#Conference finals 2|Conference finals]]
| RD4=[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]

| RD2-group1='''[[Eastern Conference (NBA)|Eastern Conference]]'''
| RD2-group2='''[[Western Conference (NBA)|Western Conference]]'''


| RD1-seed01=E1
| RD1-team01=''[[2022–23 Milwaukee Bucks season|Milwaukee]]''*
| RD1-score01=1
| RD1-seed02='''E8'''
| RD1-team02='''[[2022–23 Miami Heat season|Miami]]*'''
| RD1-score02='''4'''

| RD1-seed03=E4
| RD1-team03=''[[2022–23 Cleveland Cavaliers season|Cleveland]]''
| RD1-score03=1
| RD1-seed04='''E5'''
| RD1-team04='''[[2022–23 New York Knicks season|New York]]'''
| RD1-score04='''4'''

| RD1-seed05='''E3'''
| RD1-team05='''''[[2022–23 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]]'''''
| RD1-score05='''4'''
| RD1-seed06=E6
| RD1-team06=[[2022–23 Brooklyn Nets season|Brooklyn]]
| RD1-score06=0

| RD1-seed07='''E2'''
| RD1-team07='''''[[2022–23 Boston Celtics season|Boston]]''*'''
| RD1-score07='''4'''
| RD1-seed08=E7
| RD1-team08=[[2022–23 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta]]
| RD1-score08=2


| RD1-seed09='''W1'''
| RD1-team09='''''[[2022–23 Denver Nuggets season|Denver]]''*'''
| RD1-score09='''4'''
| RD1-seed10=W8
| RD1-team10=[[2022–23 Minnesota Timberwolves season|Minnesota]]
| RD1-score10=1

| RD1-seed11='''W4'''
| RD1-team11='''''[[2022–23 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix]]'''''
| RD1-score11='''4'''
| RD1-seed12=W5
| RD1-team12=[[2022–23 Los Angeles Clippers season|LA Clippers]]
| RD1-score12=1

| RD1-seed13=W3
| RD1-team13=''[[2022–23 Sacramento Kings season|Sacramento]]''*
| RD1-score13=3
| RD1-seed14='''W6'''
| RD1-team14='''[[2022–23 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State]]'''
| RD1-score14='''4'''

| RD1-seed15=W2
| RD1-team15=''[[2022–23 Memphis Grizzlies season|Memphis]]''*
| RD1-score15=2
| RD1-seed16='''W7'''
| RD1-team16='''[[2022–23 Los Angeles Lakers season|LA Lakers]]'''
| RD1-score16='''4'''


| RD2-seed01='''E8'''
| RD2-team01='''Miami*'''
| RD2-score01='''4'''
| RD2-seed02=E5
| RD2-team02=''New York''
| RD2-score02=2

| RD2-seed03=E3
| RD2-team03=Philadelphia
| RD2-score03=3
| RD2-seed04='''E2'''
| RD2-team04='''''Boston''*'''
| RD2-score04='''4'''


| RD2-seed05='''W1'''
| RD2-team05='''''Denver''*'''
| RD2-score05='''4'''
| RD2-seed06=W4
| RD2-team06=Phoenix
| RD2-score06=2

| RD2-seed07=W6
| RD2-team07=''Golden State''
| RD2-score07=2
| RD2-seed08='''W7'''
| RD2-team08='''LA Lakers'''
| RD2-score08='''4'''


| RD3-seed01='''E8'''
| RD3-team01='''Miami'''*
| RD3-score01='''4'''
| RD3-seed02=E2
| RD3-team02=''Boston''*
| RD3-score02=3


| RD3-seed03='''W1'''
| RD3-team03='''''Denver'''''*
| RD3-score03='''4'''
| RD3-seed04=W7
| RD3-team04=LA Lakers
| RD3-score04=0


| RD4-seed01=E8
| RD4-team01=Miami*
| RD4-score01=1
| RD4-seed02='''W1'''
| RD4-team02='''''Denver'''''*
| RD4-score02='''4'''
}}{{ubl
|<nowiki>*</nowiki> Division winner
|'''Bold''' Series winner
|''Italic'' Team with home-court advantage
}}<section end=Bracket />

==First Round==
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

===Eastern Conference First Round===

====(1) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (8) Miami Heat====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 16|time=5:30 pm {{small|(4:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1= '''130'''
|team2=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score2= 117
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200101 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–24 |Q2='''35'''–31 |Q3='''34'''–33 |Q4=28–'''29'''
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 35 |points2=[[Khris Middleton]] 33
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 9 |rebounds2=Khris Middleton 9
|assist1=Jimmy Butler 11 |assist2=[[Jrue Holiday]] 16
|attendance=17,381
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]], Michael Smith
|series=Miami leads series, 1–0
}} The Heat took advantage of [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]]'s early exit in the first half to secure a 1–0 series lead. [[Jimmy Butler]] led Miami with 35 points, while [[Bam Adebayo]] contributed 22 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. However, the Heat also suffered a setback, as they lost [[Tyler Herro]] to a broken hand in the second quarter. Miami had built a 68–55 halftime lead before Herro's departure and maintained their advantage by shooting an impressive 60% from beyond the arc, their highest percentage of the season. [[Khris Middleton]] stepped up for the Bucks, finishing with 33 points and nine rebounds, but Milwaukee shooting 24.4% from the three-point line hindered any chance at a comeback.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 19 |time=9:00 pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=122
|team2='''[[Milwaukee Bucks]]''' |score2='''138'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200102 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''35''' |Q2=27–'''46''' |Q3=30–'''37''' |Q4='''37'''–20
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 25 |points2=[[Brook Lopez]] 25
|rebounds1=[[Cody Zeller]] 8 |rebounds2=[[Bobby Portis]] 15
|assist1=[[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] 6 |assist2=[[Jrue Holiday]] 11
|attendance=17,576
|referee=John Goble, Brian Forte, Tre Maddox
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} After shooting 11-of-45 from three-point range in their Game 1 loss, the Bucks shot 25-of-49 from beyond the arc, tying the [[2015–16 Cleveland Cavaliers season|2016 Cleveland Cavaliers]] for the most three-point makes by a team in a playoff game. Despite [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]]'s absence, Milwaukee managed to dominate the Heat thanks to a team effort, as six Bucks players scored at least 16 points. [[Brook Lopez]] scored 25 points, [[Jrue Holiday]] added 24 points, and [[Pat Connaughton]] dropped a playoff career-high 22 points, shooting 6-of-10 from beyond the arc. [[Jimmy Butler]] scored 25 for Miami, but it wasn't enough to keep up with the hot shooting of the Bucks, as they led by as much as 36 points.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 22 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score1=99
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''121'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200103 Recap]
|Q1=21–'''29''' |Q2=32–'''37''' |Q3=26–'''28''' |Q4=20–'''27'''
|points1=[[Khris Middleton]] 23 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Bobby Portis]] 10 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo|Adebayo]], [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Martin]] 11 each
|assist1=Khris Middleton 6 |assist2=Bam Adebayo 5
|attendance=19,734
|referee=[[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Kevin Scott, [[Rodney Mott]]
|series=Miami leads series, 2–1
}} The No. 8 seeded Heat retook their series lead with a 121–99 victory over the shorthanded Bucks. [[Jimmy Butler]] led the way for Miami with 30 points in 28 minutes on 12-of-19 shooting. After Milwaukee went 10-of-18 (56%) from deep in the first half, they cooled off after halftime, shooting only 5-of-21 (24%) from three-point range in the second half. [[Khris Middleton]] scored 23 points, while [[Jrue Holiday]] added 19 and [[Grayson Allen]] scored 14. Meanwhile, Miami's [[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] scored 20 points on his 29th birthday, while [[Kyle Lowry]] added 15 points as the Heat led by as much as 29 points. The No. 8 seeded Heat retook their series lead with a 121–99 victory over the shorthanded Bucks. [[Jimmy Butler]] led the way for Miami with 30 points in 28 minutes on 12-of-19 shooting. After Milwaukee went 10-of-18 (56%) from deep in the first half, they cooled off after halftime, shooting only 5-of-21 (24%) from three-point range in the second half. [[Khris Middleton]] scored 23 points, while [[Jrue Holiday]] added 19 and [[Grayson Allen]] scored 14. Meanwhile, Miami's [[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] scored 20 points on his 29th birthday, while [[Kyle Lowry]] added 15 points as the Heat led by as much as 29 points. However, [[Victor Oladipo]] left the game with a season-ending knee injury in the fourth quarter.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 24|time=7:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score1=114
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''119'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200104 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–28 |Q2='''24'''–22 |Q3='''32'''–28 |Q4=25–'''41'''
|points1=[[Brook Lopez]] 36 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 56
|rebounds1=Brook Lopez 11 |rebounds2=Butler, [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Martin]] 9 each
|assist1=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 13 |assist2=[[Gabe Vincent]] 8
|attendance=19,614
|referee=Marc Davis, Mark Lindsay, Jacyn Goble
|series=Miami leads series, 3–1
}} [[Jimmy Butler]] scored a career-high 56 points, which included 21 in the fourth quarter to push the team with the best overall record on the verge of elimination. Down by 12 with under six minutes remaining, the Heat went on a pivotal 27–8 run, which included a 13–0 run to take their first lead of the night. Butler, who scored 22 of Miami's 28 first quarter points, finished 19-of-28 from the field, 15-of-18 from the foul line, and added nine rebounds. His 56 points also set a franchise playoff record for the Heat. [[Brook Lopez]] was the leading scorer for the Bucks, with 36 points and 11 rebounds. [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] returned from a two-game absence with a bruised back and had a triple-double, with 26 points, ten rebounds, and 13 assists.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 26|time=9:30 pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''128'''
|team2=[[Milwaukee Bucks]] |score2=126 |overtime=OT
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200105 Recap]
|Q1='''36'''–33 |Q2=27–'''36''' |Q3=23–'''33''' |Q4='''32'''–16 |OT='''10'''–8
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 42 |points2=[[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] 38
|rebounds1=[[Kevin Love]] 12 |rebounds2=Giannis Antetokounmpo 20
|assist1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 10 |assist2=[[Jrue Holiday|Holiday]], [[Khris Middleton|Middleton]] 6 each
|attendance=18,113
|referee=James Williams, Sean Wright, Pat Fraher
|series=Miami wins series, 4–1
}} Two nights after outscoring Milwaukee 30–13 in the final six minutes of a 119–115 victory in Miami, the Heat came back from a 16-point fourth-quarter deficit and tied the game on [[Jimmy Butler]]'s layup with half a second left in regulation. The Heat went on to win in overtime, becoming the sixth 8-seeded team to knock off a No. 1 seed and the first play-in team ever to win a playoff series. Butler, who averaged 37.6 points throughout the series, led Miami with 42 points, while [[Bam Adebayo]] dropped a 20-point triple-double. [[Khris Middleton]] scored 33 points for the Bucks, while [[Giannis Antetokounmpo]] had 38 points and 20 rebounds. However, he missed a career-high 13 free-throw attempts, the most misses by any player in a playoff game since 2015. Despite leading 102–86 heading into the fourth quarter, the Bucks crumbled under pressure, shooting just 5-of-25 from the floor in the final quarter and overtime.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 12, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-mia-0022200628 Recap]
| team1 = [[Milwaukee Bucks]] | score1 = 102
| team2 = '''[[Miami Heat]]''' | score2 = '''108'''
| place = [[FTX Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 14, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mil-vs-mia-0022200641 Recap]
| team1 = Milwaukee Bucks | score1 = 95
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = '''111'''
| place = [[Miami-Dade Arena]], Miami, FL
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 4, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-mil-0022200797 Recap]
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 115
| team2 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score2 = '''123'''
| place = [[Fiserv Forum]], [[Milwaukee|Milwaukee, WI]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 24, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-mil-0022200897 Recap]
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 99
| team2 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score2 = '''128'''
| place = Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee, WI
}}
|}

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Heat winning two of the first three meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=MIL&opp_id=MIA&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Milwaukee Bucks versus Miami Heat (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 15, 2023|archive-date=April 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415013401/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=MIL&opp_id=MIA&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Miami leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2013
| team1 = '''[[Miami Heat]]''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Milwaukee Bucks]] | score2 = 0
| place = [[2013 NBA playoffs#(1) Miami Heat vs. (8) Milwaukee Bucks|2013 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 2020
| team1 = Milwaukee Bucks | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2020 NBA playoffs#(1) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (5) Miami Heat|2020 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2021
| team1 = '''Milwaukee Bucks''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Miami Heat | score2 = 0
| place = [[2021 NBA playoffs#(3) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (6) Miami Heat|2021 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(2) Boston Celtics vs. (7) Atlanta Hawks====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 15 |time=3:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score1=99
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''112'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200111 Recap]
|Q1=19–'''29''' |Q2=25–'''45''' |Q3='''31'''–20 |Q4='''24'''–18
|points1=[[Dejounte Murray]] 24 |points2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 29
|rebounds1=[[Clint Capela|Capela]], Murray 8 each |rebounds2=Jaylen Brown 12
|assist1=[[Trae Young]] 8 |assist2=[[Marcus Smart|Smart]], [[Derrick White (basketball)|White]] 7 each
|attendance=19,156
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Ben Taylor
|series=Boston leads series, 1–0
}} [[Jaylen Brown]] guided Boston to a 112–99 victory with 29 points and 12 rebounds, while [[Jayson Tatum]] added 25 points, 21 of which came in the first half as the Celtics built a 30-point lead at halftime. [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] also had a strong performance with 24 points and seven assists. The Hawks meanwhile struggled with their shooting, missing their first ten three-point attempts and shooting 5-of-29 from beyond the arc for the game. Despite a late push from Atlanta in the fourth quarter, the Celtics regained control and secured the victory, as they held [[Dejounte Murray]] and [[Trae Young]] to a combined 15-of-43 shooting.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 18 |time=7:00 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score1=106
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''119'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200112 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''28''' |Q2=24–'''33''' |Q3='''32'''–29 |Q4=25–'''29'''
|points1=[[Dejounte Murray]] 29 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 29
|rebounds1=[[De'Andre Hunter]] 12 |rebounds2=Jayson Tatum 10
|assist1=Murray, [[Trae Young|Young]] 6 each |assist2=[[Malcolm Brogdon]] 8
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Mark Lindsay, Karl Lane, James Williams
|series=Boston leads series, 2–0
}} [[Jayson Tatum]] led the Celtics to a 2–0 series lead over the Hawks, finishing with 29 points and ten rebounds. The Hawks once again tried mounting a comeback, as they pulled within eight points with under eight minutes left in regulation. However, the Celtics responded with a 20–6 run to put the game out of reach. [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] contributed 26 points, seven rebounds, and three blocks for Boston, while [[Jaylen Brown]] added 18 points. Although Young and [[Dejounte Murray]] combined for 53 points, Atlanta couldn't keep up with Boston, who outscored them 64–40 in the paint.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 21 |time=7:00 pm |place=[[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Boston Celtics]] |score1=122
|team2='''[[Atlanta Hawks]]''' |score2='''130'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200113 Recap]
|Q1='''37'''–33 |Q2=30–'''41'''|Q3=26–26 |Q4=29–'''30'''
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 29 |points2=[[Trae Young]] 32
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 10 |rebounds2=[[Clint Capela]] 11
|assist1=[[Marcus Smart]] 8 |assist2=Trae Young 9
|attendance=18,536
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Pat Fraher, Mitchell Ervin
|series=Boston leads series, 2–1
}} In danger of falling behind 3–0 in the series, [[Trae Young]] scored 32 points and nine assists in his first 30-point game since the Hawks' Conference finals run two years ago as Atlanta put up their most points in a playoff game since 1986. Young was supported by his backcourt partner [[Dejounte Murray]], who had 25 points, six rebounds, and five assists. The duo played their best when it mattered most, as they accounted for 22 of Atlanta's 30 points in the final quarter. [[Jayson Tatum]] scored 29 points, while [[Marcus Smart]] added 24, but Boston was forced to play catch-up the majority of the game, as they allowed Atlanta to knock down 30-of-46 shots (65%) in the first half.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 23 |time=7:00 pm |place=[[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''129'''
|team2=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score2=121
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-atl-0042200114 Recap]
|Q1='''35'''–25 |Q2='''30'''–28 |Q3=27–'''34''' |Q4='''37'''–34
|points1=[[Jaylen Brown|Brown]], [[Jayson Tatum|Tatum]] 31 each |points2=[[Trae Young]] 35
|rebounds1=[[Robert Williams III]] 15 |rebounds2=[[Dejounte Murray]] 9
|assist1=[[Al Horford]] 5 |assist2=Trae Young 15
|attendance=19,144
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]], Gediminas Petraitis
|series=Boston leads series, 3–1
}} After starting off the game shooting 1-of-7, [[Jaylen Brown]] removed his protective mask in the second quarter as he went on to shoot 11-of-15 the rest of the way, moving Boston to the brink of advancing to the second round. [[Jayson Tatum]] also had 31 points for the Celtics, as both Brown and Tatum combined to score their team's final 16 points, thwarting any attempt by the Hawks to even the series. In addition to the duo's combined 62 points, [[Marcus Smart]] added 19 points and [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] had 18. Although [[Trae Young]] scored 35 points and 15 assists, and [[De'Andre Hunter]] and [[Dejounte Murray]] combined for 50 points, the Hawks were unable to gain a lead after the first quarter.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 25 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Atlanta Hawks]]''' |score1='''119'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=117
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-bos-0042200115 Recap]
|Q1='''30'''–27 |Q2=28–'''39''' |Q3=24–'''26''' |Q4='''37'''–25
|points1=[[Trae Young]] 38 |points2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 35
|rebounds1=[[Clint Capela]] 7 |rebounds2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 8
|assist1=Trae Young 13 |assist2=Jayson Tatum 8
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Josh Tiven, Courtney Kirkland, Tre Maddox
|series=Boston leads series, 3–2
}} Facing elimination, [[Trae Young]] scored 38 points and hit a deep three-pointer with less than two seconds left to give the Hawks the lead and ultimately force a Game 6 in Atlanta. Young also had 16 points in a frenetic fourth quarter, getting support from his teammates who knocked down a series-best 19 three-pointers. [[John Collins (basketball)|John Collins]] added 22 points for Atlanta, who played without [[Dejounte Murray]], who was suspended for bumping an official in Game 4. Despite an impressive performance from [[Jaylen Brown]], who scored 35 points, and [[Jayson Tatum]], who added 19, the Celtics ultimately lost control of the game in the fourth quarter, allowing Atlanta to outscore them 23–8 in the final minutes, with 14 of those points coming from Young.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 27 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''128'''
|team2=[[Atlanta Hawks]] |score2=120
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200116 Recap]
|Q1='''35'''–34|Q2=33–33|Q3=30–'''33'''|Q4='''30'''–20
|points1=[[Jaylen Brown]] 32 |points2=[[Trae Young]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 14 |rebounds2=[[Onyeka Okongwu]] 11
|assist1=Jayson Tatum 7 |assist2=[[Dejounte Murray]] 11
|attendance=19,176
|referee=Marc Davis, [[Curtis Blair]], Jacyn Goble
|series=Boston wins series, 4–2
}} After collapsing late in Game 5, the Celtics responded by closing out Game 6 on an 18–7 run to advance to their sixth Eastern Semifinals appearance in seven years. Leading the way for the Celtics were [[Jaylen Brown]] with 32 points, [[Jayson Tatum]] with 30 points and 14 rebounds, [[Marcus Smart]] with 22 points, and [[Malcolm Brogdon]] with 17 points off the bench. Meanwhile, [[Trae Young]], who finished with 30 points and ten assists, missed 12-of-13 shots in the second half and finished just 9-of-28 from the field. His backcourt partner [[Dejounte Murray]] also struggled, scoring zero points in the first half as the duo ultimately combined for a shooting percentage of 34% (14-of-41).

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Boston won 3–0 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = November 16, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-atl-0022200214 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score1 = '''126'''
| team2 = [[Atlanta Hawks]] | score2 = 101
| place = [[State Farm Arena]], [[Atlanta|Atlanta, GA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 11, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-atl-0022201008 Recap]
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''134'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 125
| place = State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = April 9, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/atl-vs-bos-0022201216 Recap]
| team1 = Atlanta Hawks | score1 = 114
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''120'''
| place = [[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]]
}}
|}

This was the 13th playoff meeting between these two teams, and the ninth since the [[Atlanta Hawks#1965–1975: Relocation to Atlanta|St. Louis Hawks]] relocated to Atlanta in 1968, with the Celtics winning ten of the first twelve meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=BOS&opp_id=ATL&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Atlanta Hawks (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 12, 2023|archive-date=April 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412015731/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=BOS&opp_id=ATL&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Boston leads 10–2 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1957
| team1 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[St. Louis Hawks]] | score2 = 3
| place = [[1957 NBA Finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1958
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''St. Louis Hawks''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1958 NBA Finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1960
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = St. Louis Hawks | score2 = 3
| place = [[1960 NBA Finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1961
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = St. Louis Hawks | score2 = 1
| place = [[1961 NBA Finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1972
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Atlanta Hawks]] | score2 = 2
| place = [[1972 NBA playoffs#(A1) Boston Celtics vs. (C2) Atlanta Hawks|1972 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1973
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 2
| place = [[1973 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Atlanta Hawks|1973 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1983
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''2'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 1
| place = [[1983 NBA playoffs#(3) Boston Celtics vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks|1983 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1986
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 1
| place = [[1986 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Atlanta Hawks|1986 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1988
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 3
| place = [[1988 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Atlanta Hawks|1988 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2008
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 3
| place = [[2008 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Atlanta Hawks|2008 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2012
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Atlanta Hawks | score2 = 2
| place = [[2012 NBA playoffs#(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Atlanta Hawks|2012 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2016
| team1 = '''Atlanta Hawks''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 2
| place = [[2016 NBA playoffs#(4) Atlanta Hawks vs. (5) Boston Celtics|2016 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) Brooklyn Nets====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 15|time=1:00 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score1=101
|team2='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score2='''121'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-phi-0042200121 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''30''' |Q2=33–'''37''' |Q3=23–'''26''' |Q4=20–'''28'''
|points1=[[Mikal Bridges]] 30 |points2=[[Joel Embiid]] 26
|rebounds1=[[Nic Claxton]] 10 |rebounds2=[[P. J. Tucker]] 7
|assist1=[[Spencer Dinwiddie]] 7 |assist2=[[James Harden]] 13
|attendance=20,913
|referee=James Williams, Mark Lindsay, [[JB DeRosa]]
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 1–0
}} [[James Harden]] led the way for the 76ers with 23 points and 13 assists, including seven three-pointers as Philadelphia moved to 5–0 against the Nets this season. [[Joel Embiid]] contributed 26 points for Philadelphia, while [[Tobias Harris]] added 21 points. The 76ers also set a team record for playoff three-pointers, with 21 made shots from beyond the arc; with 13 of them coming in the first half. [[Mikal Bridges]] had a standout performance for the Nets, making 10-of-16 shots for 23 points in the first half and keeping Brooklyn within nine at halftime, but the Nets never led in the game.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 17 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score1=84
|team2='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score2='''96'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-phi-0042200122 Recap]
|Q1=25–25 |Q2='''24'''–19 |Q3=14–'''24''' |Q4=21–'''28'''
|points1=[[Cameron Johnson]] 28 |points2=[[Tyrese Maxey]] 33
|rebounds1=[[Dorian Finney-Smith]] 7 |rebounds2=[[Joel Embiid]] 19
|assist1=[[Mikal Bridges]] 7 |assist2=Embiid, [[James Harden|Harden]] 7 each
|attendance=20,958
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Curtis Blair]], Tre Maddox
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 2–0
}} Being heavily defended throughout the game, [[Joel Embiid]] showed increased trust in his teammates as [[Tyrese Maxey]] scored 33 points and [[Tobias Harris]] had 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Embiid contributed with 19 rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks as Philadelphia took a commanding 2–0 series lead. After a slow start, the 76ers rallied in the second half and held off the Nets, who shot 35% from the field in the second half. [[Cameron Johnson]] scored 22 of his 28 points in the first half, but Brooklyn was unable to get anything going in the second half, scoring just 35 points.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 20 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score1='''102'''
|team2=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score2=97
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bkn-0042200123 Recap]
|Q1='''32'''–28 |Q2='''26'''–19 |Q3=18–'''35''' |Q4='''26'''–15
|points1=[[Tyrese Maxey]] 25 |points2=[[Mikal Bridges]] 26
|rebounds1=[[Joel Embiid]] 10 |rebounds2=[[Dorian Finney-Smith]] 9
|assist1=[[James Harden|Harden]], [[P. J. Tucker|Tucker]] 4 each|assist2=[[Spencer Dinwiddie]] 7
|attendance=17,910
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Ben Taylor, [[Nick Buchert]]
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 3–0
}} With [[James Harden]] ejected in the third quarter and [[Joel Embiid]] struggling offensively, the 76ers rode [[Tyrese Maxey]]'s team-high 25 points, including ten points in the final three minutes to give Philadelphia a 3–0 series lead. Although [[Joel Embiid]] was held to just 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting, he remained dominant on the defensive end and sealed the game by blocking a potential game-tying layup by [[Spencer Dinwiddie]] with just under ten seconds left. [[Mikal Bridges]] led the Nets with 26 points, but Brooklyn was held to just 15 points in the fourth quarter as the 76ers finished the game on an 11–1 run to hand the Nets their ninth consecutive playoff loss.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 22 |time=1:00 pm |place=[[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score1='''96'''
|team2=[[Brooklyn Nets]] |score2=88
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bkn-0042200124 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''29''' |Q2=18–'''19''' |Q3='''26'''–15 |Q4='''30'''–25
|points1=[[Tobias Harris]] 25 |points2=[[Spencer Dinwiddie]] 20
|rebounds1=[[Paul Reed (basketball)|Paul Reed]] 15 |rebounds2=[[Nic Claxton]] 12
|assist1=[[James Harden]] 11 |assist2=Spencer Dinwiddie 6
|attendance=18,037
|referee=John Goble, Sean Wright, Karl Lane
|series=Philadelphia wins series, 4–0
}} Without [[Joel Embiid]], [[Tobias Harris]] led Philadelphia with 25 points and 12 rebounds, while [[James Harden]] contributed 17 points and 11 assists as the 76ers swept a playoff opponent for the first time since 1991. [[Paul Reed (basketball)|Paul Reed]], who replaced Embiid in the starting lineup, contributed ten points and 15 rebounds, while [[De'Anthony Melton]] scored all 15 of his points in the fourth quarter. The 76ers' defense also limited the Nets to 40 points in the second half and outscored Brooklyn 21–4 during an eight-minute stretch in the third quarter. Despite [[Spencer Dinwiddie]]'s 20 points and [[Nic Claxton]]'s 19 points and 12 rebounds, the Nets lost their tenth consecutive playoff game. Additionally, they went 0–8 against Philadelphia this season.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Philadelphia won 4–0 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = November 22, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-phi-0022200256 Recap]
| team1 = [[Brooklyn Nets]] | score1 = 106
| team2 = '''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' | score2 = '''115'''
| place = [[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 25, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bkn-vs-phi-0022200721 Recap]
| team1 = Brooklyn Nets | score1 = 133
| team2 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score2 = '''137'''
| place = Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 11, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bkn-0022200846 Recap]
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = '''101'''
| team2 = Brooklyn Nets | score2 = 98
| place = [[Barclays Center]], [[Brooklyn|Brooklyn, NY]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 9, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bkn-0022201217 Recap]
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = '''134'''
| team2 = Brooklyn Nets | score2 = 105
| place = Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
}}
|}

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, and the second since the [[History of the Brooklyn Nets|New Jersey Nets]] relocated to Brooklyn in 2012, with the 76ers winning two of the first three meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=PHI&opp_id=NJN&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Philadelphia 76ers versus Brooklyn Nets (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 8, 2023|archive-date=April 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408034120/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=PHI&opp_id=NJN&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Philadelphia leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1979
| team1 = '''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' | score1 = '''2'''
| team2 = [[New Jersey Nets]] | score2 = 0
| place = [[1979 NBA playoffs#(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) New Jersey Nets|1979 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1984
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''New Jersey Nets''' | score2 = '''3'''
| place = [[1984 NBA playoffs#(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) New Jersey Nets|1984 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2019
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Brooklyn Nets]] | score2 = 1
| place = [[2019 NBA playoffs#(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) Brooklyn Nets|2019 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) New York Knicks====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 15 |time=6:00 pm |place=[[Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse]], [[Cleveland|Cleveland, OH]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score1='''101'''
|team2=[[Cleveland Cavaliers]] |score2=97
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-cle-0042200131 Recap]
|Q1='''30'''–24 |Q2=20–'''21''' |Q3='''28'''–25 |Q4=23–'''27'''
|points1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 27 |points2=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 38
|rebounds1=[[Josh Hart|Hart]], [[Julius Randle|Randle]] 10 each |rebounds2=[[Jarrett Allen]] 14
|assist1=[[RJ Barrett]] 6 |assist2=Donovan Mitchell 8
|attendance=19,432
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], [[Curtis Blair]], Sean Corbin
|series=New York leads series, 1–0
}} With the help of 27 points from [[Jalen Brunson]], the Knicks stunned the Cavaliers in Cleveland. [[Julius Randle]] and [[Josh Hart]] each had ten rebounds, in addition to scoring 19 and 17 points, respectively. [[Donovan Mitchell]] led the way for Cleveland in the losing effort, logging 38 points, eight assists, and five rebounds in 44 minutes. [[Jarrett Allen]] finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds, and [[Darius Garland]] scored 17 points. Cleveland rallied from ten points behind early in the fourth quarter to lead by one with a little over two minutes left in the game, but the Knicks regained the lead on a three-pointer by Hart and an offensive rebound by Randle sealed the win for New York.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 18 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse]], [[Cleveland|Cleveland, OH]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[New York Knicks]] |score1=90
|team2='''[[Cleveland Cavaliers]]''' |score2='''107'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-cle-0042200132 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''25''' |Q2=17–'''34''' |Q3=21–'''23''' |Q4='''30'''–25
|points1=[[Julius Randle]] 22 |points2=[[Darius Garland]] 32
|rebounds1=Julius Randle 8 |rebounds2=[[Evan Mobley]] 13
|assist1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 6 |assist2=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 13
|attendance=19,432
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Ben Taylor, Brent Barnaky
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} After a lackluster playoff debut, [[Darius Garland]] bounced back with a dominant performance, scoring 26 of his 32 points in the first half to lead the Cavaliers to their first playoff victory without [[LeBron James]] on their roster since 1998. [[Caris LeVert]] scored 24 points off the bench for Cleveland and [[Donovan Mitchell]] added 17 points and a playoff career-high 13 assists. Cleveland capitalized on New York's mistakes, scoring 27 points off of 14 turnovers in the first half, the most by a team in a half since 2009. Although [[Julius Randle]] led the Knicks with 22 points, the team's starters shot just 33.3% from the field, making only 18 of their 54 attempted shots.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 21 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Cleveland Cavaliers]] |score1=79
|team2='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score2='''99'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200133 Recap]
|Q1=17–17|Q2=15–'''28'''|Q3=23–'''27'''|Q4=24–'''27'''
|points1=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 22 |points2=[[Jalen Brunson]] 21
|rebounds1=[[Evan Mobley]] 10 |rebounds2=[[RJ Barrett|Barrett]], [[Julius Randle|Randle]] 8 each
|assist1=Donovan Mitchell 5 |assist2=Jalen Brunson 6
|attendance=19,812
|referee=Josh Tiven, Courtney Kirkland, Justin Van Duyne
|series=New York leads series, 2–1
}} In the Knicks' first sold-out home playoff game since 2013, they limited the Cavaliers to 79 points, the lowest point total by any team in a game this season. [[Jalen Brunson]] scored a team-high 21 points, while [[Josh Hart]] added 13 points off the bench. [[RJ Barrett]], who was 6-of-25 in the first two games, shot 8-of-12 from the field and scored 14 of his 19 points in the first half. For Cleveland, [[Donovan Mitchell]] scored 22 points, but [[Darius Garland]], who scored 32 points in Game 2, managed just ten points on 4-of-21 shooting. The Cavaliers struggled mightily with their offense, shooting 7-of-33 from beyond the arc, committing 20 turnovers, and scoring just 32 points in the first half.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 23 |time=1:00 pm |place=[[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Cleveland Cavaliers]] |score1=93
|team2='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score2='''102'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/cle-vs-nyk-0042200134 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''30''' |Q2=22–'''24''' |Q3='''26'''–19 |Q4=22–'''29'''
|points1=[[Darius Garland]] 23 |points2=[[Jalen Brunson]] 29
|rebounds1=[[Caris LeVert]] 9 |rebounds2=[[Mitchell Robinson]] 11
|assist1=Darius Garland 10 |assist2=Jalen Brunson 6
|attendance=19,812
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Tre Maddox, Kevin Cutler
|series=New York leads series, 3–1
}} In a pivotal Game 4, [[Jalen Brunson]] led the way for the Knicks with 29 points, while [[RJ Barrett]] contributed 26 points and [[Josh Hart]] added 19 points and seven rebounds as the Knicks took a 3–1 series lead over the Cavaliers. Although [[Darius Garland]] rebounded with 23 points and ten assists after a poor showing in Game 3, [[Donovan Mitchell]] struggled mightily, finishing with just 11 points and six turnovers on 5-of-18 shooting, as he made just one field goal in the second half. [[Caris LeVert]] and [[Jarrett Allen]] each scored 14 points, but Allen was outrebounded by the Knicks' [[Mitchell Robinson]], who finished with a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds as New York held Cleveland to under 100 points for the third time this series.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 26|time=7:00 pm |place=[[Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse]], [[Cleveland|Cleveland, OH]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score1='''106'''
|team2=[[Cleveland Cavaliers]] |score2=95
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200135 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–26|Q2='''28'''–25|Q3='''26'''–24|Q4=19–'''20'''
|points1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 23 |points2=[[Donovan Mitchell]] 28
|rebounds1=[[Mitchell Robinson]] 18 |rebounds2=[[Evan Mobley]] 9
|assist1=[[Julius Randle]] 6 |assist2=Donovan Mitchell 5
|attendance=19,432
|referee=John Goble, Kevin Scott, Mitchell Ervin
|series=New York wins series, 4–1
}} For the fourth time in five games, New York held Cleveland to under 100 points as the Knicks won a playoff series for just the second time in 23 years. The Knicks were once again led by [[Jalen Brunson]], who scored 23 points, and [[RJ Barrett]], who added 21. Brunson was consistent throughout the series for New York, averaging 24 points in the series and leading the team in scoring in all four wins. [[Mitchell Robinson]] anchored the Knicks' defense with 18 rebounds (11 of them offensive) as he outrebounded Cleveland's [[Jarrett Allen]] and [[Evan Mobley]] for the second straight game. Although [[Donovan Mitchell]] and [[Darius Garland]] both scored 20+ points in the same game for the first time this series, the Cavaliers were never able to gain a lead.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!New York won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 30, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-cle-0022200090 Recap]
| team1 = [[New York Knicks]] | score1 = 108
| team2 = '''[[Cleveland Cavaliers]]''' | score2 = '''121'''
| place = [[Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse]], [[Cleveland|Cleveland, OH]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = December 4, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/cle-vs-nyk-0022200348 Recap]
| team1 = Cleveland Cavaliers | score1 = 81
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''92'''
| place = [[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 24, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/cle-vs-nyk-0022200715 Recap]
| team1 = Cleveland Cavaliers | score1 = 103
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''105'''
| place = Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 31, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-cle-0022201154 Recap]
| team1 = '''New York Knicks''' | score1 = '''130'''
| team2 = Cleveland Cavaliers | score2 = 116
| place = Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, Cleveland, OH
}}
|}

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Knicks winning the first three meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=CLE&opp_id=NYK&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Cleveland Cavaliers versus New York Knicks (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 5, 2023|archive-date=April 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405224239/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=CLE&opp_id=NYK&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!New York leads 3–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1978
| team1 = [[Cleveland Cavaliers]] | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''[[New York Knicks]]''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1978 NBA playoffs#(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) New York Knicks|1978 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1995
| team1 = '''New York Knicks''' | score1 = '''3'''
| team2 = Cleveland Cavaliers | score2 = 1
| place = [[1995 NBA playoffs#(3) New York Knicks vs. (6) Cleveland Cavaliers|1995 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1996
| team1 = Cleveland Cavaliers | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''3'''
| place = [[1996 NBA playoffs#(4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (5) New York Knicks|1996 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

===Western Conference First Round===

====(1) Denver Nuggets vs. (8) Minnesota Timberwolves====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 16 |time=10:30 pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Minnesota Timberwolves]] |score1=80
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''109'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200141 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''26''' |Q2=21–'''29''' |Q3=14–'''32''' |Q4=22–22
|points1=[[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] 18 |points2=[[Jamal Murray]] 24
|rebounds1=[[Rudy Gobert]] 13 |rebounds2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 14
|assist1=Anthony Edwards 5 |assist2=Jamal Murray 8
|attendance=19,628
|referee=Josh Tiven, Pat Fraher, [[Rodney Mott]]
|series=Denver leads series, 1–0
}} The Nuggets thrashed the Timberwolves in the opening game of the series, holding Minnesota to 30-of-81 field goal shooting and 11-of-36 from beyond the arc. In his first playoff game since the [[2020 NBA Bubble]], [[Jamal Murray]] led the scoring for Denver, scoring 24 points. [[Nikola Jokić]] and [[Michael Porter Jr.]] both achieved double-doubles, the former having 13 points and 14 rebounds, while the latter finished with 18 points and grabbed 11 boards. [[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] scored 18 points in the losing effort, while [[Karl-Anthony Towns]] had 11 points and ten rebounds. Minnesota's 80 points were their lowest in a game since 2016 and tied for the fewest points scored by any team this season.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 19|time=10:00 pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}}|place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Minnesota Timberwolves]] |score1=113
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''122'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200142 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''31''' |Q2=27–'''33''' |Q3='''40'''–23 |Q4=24–'''35'''
|points1=[[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] 41 |points2=[[Jamal Murray]] 40
|rebounds1=[[Karl-Anthony Towns]] 12 |rebounds2=[[Aaron Gordon]] 10
|assist1=[[Mike Conley Jr.|Mike Conley]] 7 |assist2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 9
|attendance=19,683
|referee=Marc Davis, Ed Malloy, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Denver leads series, 2–0
}} [[Jamal Murray]] scored 40 points and [[Michael Porter Jr.]] had 13 of his 16 in the fourth quarter, powering the Nuggets past the Timberwolves to seize a 2–0 series lead. [[Nikola Jokić]] had another strong performance for the Nuggets, finishing with 27 points, nine assists, and nine rebounds as Denver built a 21-point lead in the first half. For Minnesota, [[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] scored a playoff career-high 41 points as the Wolves shot 17-of-21 (81%) in the third quarter to send Denver trailing entering the final quarter. However, the Nuggets regained their lead thanks to Porter Jr. scoring eight straight points to begin the fourth and a three-pointer with 6:25 left that permanently gave Denver the lead.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 21|time=9:30 pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[Target Center]], [[Minneapolis|Minneapolis, MN]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''120'''
|team2=[[Minnesota Timberwolves]] |score2=111
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200143 Recap]
|Q1=28–28 |Q2='''33'''–27 |Q3=33–33 |Q4='''26'''–23
|points1=[[Michael Porter Jr.]] 25 |points2=[[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] 36
|rebounds1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 11 |rebounds2=[[Rudy Gobert]] 10
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 12 |assist2=[[Kyle Anderson (basketball)|Kyle Anderson]] 6
|attendance=19,536
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], James Williams, Eric Dalen
|series=Denver leads series, 3–0
}} The Nuggets delivered a disciplined performance to take a commanding 3–0 series lead, with two-time reigning MVP [[Nikola Jokić]] leading the team with his seventh career triple-double in the playoffs. [[Michael Porter Jr.]] added a team-high 25 points and nine rebounds, while [[Jamal Murray]] contributed 18 points and nine assists. Despite another impressive performance by [[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]], who scored 36 points, the Timberwolves struggled to keep up, as Denver had two 9–0 runs in the first half and started the second quarter by making 12 of their first 16 shots on their way to a 13-point lead. The Wolves' [[Karl-Anthony Towns]] had 27 points, while [[Rudy Gobert]] had 18 points and ten rebounds.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 23|time=9:30 pm {{small|(8:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}}|place=[[Target Center]], [[Minneapolis|Minneapolis, MN]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score1=108
|team2='''[[Minnesota Timberwolves]]''' |score2='''114''' |overtime=OT
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200144 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''23''' |Q2='''30'''–25 |Q3=22–'''32''' |Q4='''22'''–16 |OT=12–'''18'''
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 43 |points2=[[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] 34
|rebounds1=Nikola Jokić 11 |rebounds2=[[Rudy Gobert]] 15
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 6 |assist2=[[Mike Conley Jr.|Mike Conley]] 8
|attendance=18,978
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Ray Acosta
|series=Denver leads series, 3–1
}} Down by 12 with under three minutes left in the fourth quarter, Denver went on a 12–0 run to tie it at 96–96, but the Timberwolves ultimately prevented a series sweep in overtime. [[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] again led the Timberwolves in scoring, logging 34 points in addition to six rebounds and five assists. [[Nikola Jokić]] scored 43 points, tying his playoff career-high, on 15-of-26 shooting, while also having 11 rebounds and six assists. [[Mike Conley Jr.|Mike Conley]] contributed 19 points, [[Karl-Anthony Towns]] had 17 points and 11 rebounds, and [[Rudy Gobert]] produced 14 points and 15 rebounds in the victory. [[Jamal Murray]] scored 19, while [[Michael Porter Jr.]] had 15 points in the losing effort.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 25|time=9:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1=[[Minnesota Timberwolves]] |score1=109
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''112'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200145 Recap]
|Q1='''29'''–22|Q2=18–'''26'''|Q3='''30'''–29|Q4=32–'''35'''
|points1=[[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] 29 |points2=[[Jamal Murray]] 35
|rebounds1=[[Rudy Gobert]] 15 |rebounds2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 17
|assist1=[[Mike Conley Jr.|Mike Conley]] 9 |assist2=Nikola Jokić 12
|attendance=19,691
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Curtis Blair]], Brian Forte
|series=Denver wins series, 4–1
}} After a sluggish start, Denver managed to rally and secure their fourth Western Semifinals appearance in five years behind the performances of [[Nikola Jokić]] and [[Jamal Murray]]. Down by 15 in the first half, the Nuggets came crawling back, as neither team led by more than six after the Nuggets made it 34–28 with 7:15 left in the second quarter. Jokić notched his second triple-double of the series, scoring 28 points despite missing 21-of-29 shots, while Murray scored a game-high 35 points. [[Anthony Edwards (basketball)|Anthony Edwards]] led the Wolves with 29 points, but missed a potential game-tying three-pointer as time expired. [[Karl-Anthony Towns]] and [[Rudy Gobert]] both scored 26 and 16 points respectively, but both centers fouled out in the fourth quarter.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 2, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/0022200557 Recap]
| team1 = [[Denver Nuggets]] | score1 = 111
| team2 = '''[[Minnesota Timberwolves]]''' | score2 = '''124'''
| place = [[Target Center]], [[Minneapolis|Minneapolis, MN]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 18, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/min-vs-den-0022200676 Recap]
| team1 = Minnesota Timberwolves | score1 = 118
| team2 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score2 = '''122'''
| place = [[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 5, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-min-0022200806 Recap]
| team1 = Denver Nuggets | score1 = 98
| team2 = '''Minnesota Timberwolves''' | score2 = '''128'''
| place = Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 7, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/min-vs-den-0022200820 Recap]
| team1 = Minnesota Timberwolves | score1 = 112
| team2 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score2 = '''146'''
| place = Ball Arena, Denver, CO
}}
|}

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Timberwolves winning the first meeting.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DEN&opp_id=MIN&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Minnesota Timberwolves (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 15, 2023|archive-date=April 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230415041050/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DEN&opp_id=MIN&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Minnesota leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| date = 2004
| team1 = '''[[Minnesota Timberwolves]]''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Denver Nuggets]] | score2 = 1
| place = [[2004 NBA playoffs#(1) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (8) Denver Nuggets|2004 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(2) Memphis Grizzlies vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 16 |time=3:00 pm {{small|(2:00 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis, TN]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score1='''128'''
|team2=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score2=112
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200151 Recap]
|Q1='''32'''–27 |Q2=27–'''38''' |Q3='''37'''–25 |Q4='''32'''–22
|points1=[[Rui Hachimura]] 29 |points2=[[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] 31
|rebounds1=[[Anthony Davis]] 12 |rebounds2=[[Santi Aldama|Aldama]], [[Ja Morant|Morant]] 6 each
|assist1=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 7 |assist2=[[Desmond Bane]] 6
|attendance=18,487
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Aaron Smith
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 1–0
}} The Lakers finished the game on a 15–0 run to seal a Game 1 victory in Memphis. Led by [[Rui Hachimura]] and [[Austin Reaves]], the duo combined for 37 of the Lakers' 69 points in the second half, including nine straight points from Reaves in the closing minutes to put the game away. [[LeBron James]] contributed 21 points and 11 rebounds, while [[Anthony Davis]] added 22 points and seven blocks. [[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] led the Grizzlies with 31 points, and [[Desmond Bane]] scored 22. [[Ja Morant]] had 18 points but left the game in the fourth quarter with an injured right hand.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 19|time= 7:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}}|place=[[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis, TN]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=93
|team2='''[[Memphis Grizzlies]]''' |score2='''103'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-mem-0042200152 Recap]
|Q1=19–'''30''' |Q2=25–'''29''' |Q3='''27'''–24 |Q4='''22'''–20
|points1=[[LeBron James]] 28 |points2=[[Xavier Tillman]] 22
|rebounds1=LeBron James 12 |rebounds2=Xavier Tillman 13
|assist1=[[Austin Reaves|Reaves]], [[D'Angelo Russell|Russell]] 4 each |assist2=[[Tyus Jones]] 8
|attendance=17,928
|referee=Josh Tiven, Courtney Kirkland, Justin Van Duyne
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} In danger of falling behind 2–0 in the series and without their All-Star [[Ja Morant]], [[Xavier Tillman]] stepped up for Memphis, scoring a career-high 22 points and a season-high 13 rebounds. Newly named [[NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award|Defensive Player of the Year]] [[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] added 18 points and three blocks, while [[Desmond Bane]] and [[Tyus Jones]] had 17 and ten points, respectively. [[LeBron James]] led the Lakers with 28 points and 12 rebounds, and [[Rui Hachimura]] dropped 20 points off the bench, but starters [[Anthony Davis]] and [[D'Angelo Russell]] struggled, combining for just 18 points on a combined 6-of-25 from the field.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 22|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]|TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score1=101
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''111'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-lal-0042200153 Recap]
|Q1=9–'''35''' |Q2='''28'''–18 |Q3=31–'''35''' |Q4='''33'''–23
|points1=[[Ja Morant]] 45 |points2=[[Anthony Davis]] 31
|rebounds1=[[Xavier Tillman]] 12 |rebounds2=Anthony Davis 17
|assist1=Ja Morant 13 |assist2=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 7
|attendance=18,997
|referee=Marc Davis, Ed Malloy, Brian Forte
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 2–1
}} In their first sold-out playoff home game since 2013, the Lakers produced one of the greatest first quarters in team history, as they stormed out to a 35–9 lead, tying an NBA record by taking a 26-point lead into the second quarter. [[Anthony Davis]] dropped 31 points and 17 rebounds, [[LeBron James]] finished with 25 points, and [[Rui Hachimura]] scored 16 points off the bench. For Memphis, [[Dillon Brooks]] was ejected early in the second half for striking James in the groin. [[Ja Morant]] scored 45 points in his return from a one-game absence, scoring 22 consecutive points for Memphis during his 24-point fourth quarter. Morant also had 13 assists and nine rebounds, but Memphis could not fully recover from their slow start.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 24|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]|TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score1=111
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''117''' |overtime=OT
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-lal-0042200154 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''29''' |Q2='''29'''–25 |Q3='''31'''–27 |Q4=21–'''23''' |OT=7–'''13'''
|points1=[[Desmond Bane]] 36 |points2=[[Austin Reaves]] 23
|rebounds1=[[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] 14 |rebounds2=[[LeBron James]] 20
|assist1=[[Ja Morant]] 7 |assist2=LeBron James 7
|attendance=18,997
|referee=John Goble, Sean Wright, Mitchell Ervin
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 3–1
}} In his 270th career playoff game, [[LeBron James]] made a game-tying layup with less than a second left in regulation and scored four of his 22 points in overtime to help the No. 7-seeded Lakers take a 3–1 series lead. James also grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds for the first 20–20 game of his 20-year career. [[Austin Reaves]] scored 23 points and [[Anthony Davis]] had five of his 12 points in overtime as Los Angeles surged back from a seven-point deficit with five minutes left in regulation with a rally that began when [[D'Angelo Russell]] hit three consecutive three-pointers. The Grizzlies' [[Desmond Bane]] scored 36 points, and [[Ja Morant]] scored 19 points with an injured right hand, but Davis blocked his jumper at the regulation buzzer.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 26|time=7:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Central Time Zone|CDT]])}} |place=[[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis, TN]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=99
|team2='''[[Memphis Grizzlies]]''' |score2='''116'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200155 Recap]
|Q1=24–'''38'''|Q2='''28'''–23|Q3=24–'''33'''|Q4='''23'''–22
|points1=[[Anthony Davis]] 31 |points2=[[Desmond Bane]] 33
|rebounds1=Anthony Davis 19 |rebounds2=''three players'' 10 each{{efn|Bane, [[Jaren Jackson Jr.|Jackson Jr.]], and [[Ja Morant|Morant]]}}
|assist1=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 10 |assist2=Ja Morant 7
|attendance=18,117
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], [[Nick Buchert]]
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 3–2
}} The No. 2 seeded Grizzlies staved off elimination with a collaborative team effort. [[Desmond Bane]] had his second-straight 30-point game to go along with ten rebounds, while [[Ja Morant]] added 31 points and ten boards, and [[Jaren Jackson Jr.]] contributed 18 points and ten rebounds. [[LeBron James]] started off 1-of-7 shooting and ultimately finished with 15 points and ten rebounds, while [[Anthony Davis]] led the Lakers with 31 points and 19 boards. Although they trailed for most of the game, the Lakers pulled within one point with 4:36 left in the third quarter. However, Memphis responded with a 26–2 run that effectively put the game away. Los Angeles tried to rally with a 20–7 run in the fourth quarter, but couldn't get closer than 12 points.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 28|time=10:30 pm {{small|(7:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]|TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Memphis Grizzlies]] |score1=85
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''125'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-lal-0042200156 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''31''' |Q2=22–'''28''' |Q3=25–'''41''' |Q4=18–'''25'''
|points1=[[Santi Aldama]] 16 |points2=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 31
|rebounds1=[[David Roddy|Roddy]], [[Xavier Tillman|Tillman]] 6 each |rebounds2=[[Anthony Davis]] 14
|assist1=[[Ja Morant]] 6 |assist2=[[Austin Reaves]] 8
|attendance=18,997
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Kevin Scott, Sean Corbin
|series=LA Lakers win series, 4–2
}} Los Angeles dominated throughout the game, building a 20-point lead in the first half and a 36-point lead in the third quarter as the Lakers won a playoff series in their home arena for the first time since 2012. [[LeBron James]] led the way with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting, while [[Anthony Davis]] put on a defensive clinic with 16 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocks. [[D'Angelo Russell]] had a career playoff-high 31 points, and [[Austin Reaves]] contributed 11 points, eight assists, and six rebounds. [[Ja Morant]], who was playing with an injured right hand, struggled mightily, scoring just ten points on 3-of-16 shooting. [[Dillon Brooks]], who gained notoriety throughout the series, scored just ten points and finished the series shooting 31% from the field.
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!LA Lakers won 2–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 20, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-lal-0022200690 Recap]
| team1 = [[Memphis Grizzlies]] | score1 = 121
| team2 = '''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' | score2 = '''122'''
| place = [[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 28, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-mem-0022200927 Recap]
| team1 = Los Angeles Lakers | score1 = 109
| team2 = '''Memphis Grizzlies''' | score2 = '''121'''
| place = [[FedExForum]], [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis, TN]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 7, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mem-vs-lal-0022200984 Recap]
| team1 = Memphis Grizzlies | score1 = 103
| team2 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score2 = '''112'''
| place = Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
}}
|}

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=MEM&opp_id=LAL&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Memphis Grizzlies versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 12, 2023|archive-date=April 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230412054647/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=MEM&opp_id=LAL&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

====(3) Sacramento Kings vs. (6) Golden State Warriors====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 15|time=8:30 pm {{small|(5:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Golden 1 Center]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=123
|team2='''[[Sacramento Kings]]''' |score2='''126'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0042200161 Recap]
|Q1=29–29 |Q2='''32'''–26 |Q3=29–'''36''' |Q4=33–'''35'''
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 30 |points2=[[De'Aaron Fox]] 38
|rebounds1=[[Draymond Green|D. Green]], [[Kevon Looney|Looney]] 9 each |rebounds2=[[Domantas Sabonis]] 16
|assist1=Draymond Green 11 |assist2=De'Aaron Fox 5
|attendance=18,253
|referee=John Goble, Ed Malloy, Sean Wright
|series=Sacramento leads series, 1–0
}}
In his playoff debut, [[De'Aaron Fox]] finished with 38 points, five assists, and three steals as he led Sacramento to their first playoff win in 17 years. [[Malik Monk]], who was also making his playoff debut, came off the bench and scored 32 points on 8-of-13 shooting and 14-of-14 from the free throw line in 29 minutes of play. [[Domantas Sabonis]], the league leader in double-doubles this season, came up with another, posting 12 points and 16 rebounds. [[Stephen Curry]] was the leading scorer for the Warriors in this game, scoring 30 points on 6-of-14 shooting from beyond the arc, but missed the potential game-tying three-pointer in the final seconds. [[Klay Thompson]] added 21 points, while [[Draymond Green]] had 11 assists and nine rebounds.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 17|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}}|place=[[Golden 1 Center]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=106
|team2='''[[Sacramento Kings]]''' |score2='''114'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0042200162 Recap]
|Q1='''23'''–17 |Q2=29–'''41''' |Q3=23–'''25''' |Q4=31–31
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 28 |points2=[[De'Aaron Fox|Fox]], [[Domantas Sabonis|Sabonis]] 24 each
|rebounds1=[[Kevon Looney]] 7 |rebounds2=Domantas Sabonis 9
|assist1=Stephen Curry 6 |assist2=De'Aaron Fox 9
|attendance=18,253
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Courtney Kirkland, Gediminas Petraitis
|series=Sacramento leads series, 2–0
}} Tied 95–95 late in the fourth quarter, The Kings went on a 17–8 run to become the first team to take a 2–0 series lead over the Warriors under [[Steve Kerr]]'s tenure. [[De'Aaron Fox]] scored 24 points and hit a crucial three-pointer that helped seal the victory for Sacramento. [[Domantas Sabonis]] added 24 points, and [[Malik Monk]] scored 18 off the bench. [[Stephen Curry]] led the Warriors with 28 points, but went 3-for-13 from beyond the arc as the Warriors committed 20 turnovers and 26 personal fouls. The game got heated midway through the fourth quarter, as [[Draymond Green]] was ejected for stepping on Sabonis' chest after Sabonis fell down and grabbed Green's leg following a rebound attempt.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 20|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Sacramento Kings]] |score1=97
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''114'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200163 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''29''' |Q2=21–'''24''' |Q3=31–31 |Q4=25–'''30'''
|points1=[[De'Aaron Fox]] 26 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 36
|rebounds1=[[Domantas Sabonis]] 16 |rebounds2=[[Kevon Looney]] 20
|assist1=De'Aaron Fox 9 |assist2=Kevon Looney 9
|attendance=18,064
|referee=[[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Kevin Scott, Sean Corbin
|series=Sacramento leads series, 2–1
}} The Warriors entered Game 3 trailing 2–0 and missing two of their top defenders, including [[Draymond Green]], who was suspended as a result of his actions the previous game. The Warriors responded to the challenge by dominating the Kings 114–97, as Sacramento never led in the game. [[Stephen Curry]] scored 36 points, [[Kevon Looney]] matched his career high with 20 rebounds to go with nine assists, and [[Andrew Wiggins]] added 20 points and seven rebounds. The Kings’ [[De'Aaron Fox]] scored 26 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, while [[Domantas Sabonis]] added 15 points and 16 rebounds as the Kings missed a season-high 36 three-point attempts.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 23|time=3:30 pm {{small|(12:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Sacramento Kings]] |score1=125
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''126'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/sac-vs-gsw-0042200164 Recap]
|Q1='''32'''–31 |Q2='''37'''–34 |Q3=23–'''37''' |Q4='''33'''–24
|points1=[[De'Aaron Fox]] 38 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 32
|rebounds1=De'Aaron Fox 9 |rebounds2=[[Kevon Looney]] 14
|assist1=[[Domantas Sabonis]] 8 |assist2=[[Draymond Green]] 7
|attendance=18,064
|referee=Josh Tiven, James Williams, Pat Fraher
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}} In a collaborative team effort, [[Stephen Curry]] scored 32 points, [[Klay Thompson]] added 26, and [[Jordan Poole]] dropped 22 points as the Warriors tied the series at two games apiece. [[Draymond Green]] returned from his one-game suspension and provided 12 points, ten rebounds, and seven assists, while [[Andrew Wiggins]] contributed 18 points. Despite the victory, the Warriors made a late blunder when Curry called a timeout that they did not have, giving the Kings a chance to win the game in the final seconds. However, [[Harrison Barnes]] missed a three-pointer at the buzzer, allowing the Warriors to hold on for the win. For the Kings, [[De'Aaron Fox]] put up 38 points and nine rebounds while [[Keegan Murray]] contributed 23 points.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 26|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Golden 1 Center]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score1='''123'''
|team2=[[Sacramento Kings]] |score2=116
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0042200165 Recap]
|Q1=33–'''36'''|Q2='''27'''–20|Q3='''39'''–34|Q4=24–'''26'''
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 31 |points2=[[De'Aaron Fox]] 24
|rebounds1=[[Kevon Looney]] 22 |rebounds2=[[Domantas Sabonis]] 10
|assist1=Stephen Curry 8 |assist2=De'Aaron Fox 9
|attendance=18,253
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Mark Lindsay, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Golden State leads series, 3–2
}} In spite of their 11–32 record on the road this season, the Warriors came away with a critical Game 5 victory as Golden State won a road game for the NBA-record 28th straight playoff series. [[Stephen Curry]] spearheaded the victory with 31 points, while [[Draymond Green]] had his highest scoring output since 2019 with 21 points on 8-of-10 shooting. [[Klay Thompson]] added 25 points and five three-pointers, [[Andrew Wiggins]] had 20 points, and [[Kevon Looney]] matched his career-high with 22 rebounds. Despite a broken index finger on his shooting hand, [[De'Aaron Fox]] scored 24 points for the Kings, while [[Malik Monk]] and [[Domantas Sabonis]] added 21 points apiece, but it wasn't enough to overcome the defending champions.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 28|time=8:00 pm {{small|(5:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Sacramento Kings]]''' |score1='''118'''
|team2=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score2=99
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/sac-vs-gsw-0042200166 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''25'''|Q2='''35'''–26|Q3='''32'''–29|Q4='''28'''–19
|points1=[[Malik Monk]] 28 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 29
|rebounds1=[[Keegan Murray]] 12 |rebounds2=[[Kevon Looney]] 13
|assist1=[[De'Aaron Fox]] 11 |assist2=[[Draymond Green]] 10
|attendance=18,064
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Ben Taylor
|series=Series tied, 3–3
}} The Kings, led by [[Malik Monk]]'s 28 points, staved off elimination on the road and forced the first Game 7 of the 2023 playoffs. [[De'Aaron Fox]] added 26 points and 11 assists, and rookie [[Keegan Murray]] scored his first playoff double-double. For Golden State, [[Stephen Curry]] scored 29, [[Klay Thompson]] had 22, and [[Kevon Looney]] pulled down 13 rebounds. However, starters [[Andrew Wiggins]] and [[Jordan Poole]] combined for just 20 points on 29% shooting (7-of-24). Although [[Domantas Sabonis]] fouled out in the fourth quarter, the Kings controlled the game in the second half, never allowing the Warriors to get closer than seven points in the fourth quarter.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 30|time=3:30 pm {{small|(12:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Golden 1 Center]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score1='''120'''
|team2=[[Sacramento Kings]] |score2=100
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0042200167 Recap]
|Q1=30–'''31''' |Q2=26–'''27''' |Q3='''35'''–23 |Q4='''29'''–19
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 50 |points2=[[Domantas Sabonis]] 22
|rebounds1=[[Kevon Looney]] 21 |rebounds2=[[Kevin Huerter|Huerter]], [[Malik Monk|Monk]] 9 each
|assist1=[[Draymond Green]] 8 |assist2=Domantas Sabonis 7
|attendance=18,253
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Kevin Scott, [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=Golden State wins series, 4–3
}} [[Stephen Curry]] scored a playoff career-high to help the Warriors advance to the Western Conference semifinals, becoming the first player ever to score 50 points in a game 7. While the rest of his team shot 37% from the field, Curry shot 20-of-38 (53%) with seven three-pointers to go along with eight rebounds and six assists, as no one else for Golden State scored more than 17 points. In addition to Curry's performance, [[Kevon Looney]] grabbed 21 rebounds, including ten offensive boards, to mark his third 20-rebound game of the series. For the Kings, [[Domantas Sabonis]] had 22 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, but the Warriors held [[De'Aaron Fox]] in check as he scored 16 points on 5-of-19 shooting in his third game with a broken finger. Although they trailed at halftime, the Warriors opened the second half with a 22–8 run and held Sacramento to 42 points on 33% shooting after the break.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Golden State won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 23, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/sac-vs-gsw-0022200042 Recap]
| team1 = [[Sacramento Kings]] | score1 = 125
| team2 = '''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' | score2 = '''130'''
| place = [[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = November 7, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/sac-vs-gsw-0022200156 Recap]
| team1 = Sacramento Kings | score1 = 113
| team2 = '''Golden State Warriors''' | score2 = '''116'''
| place = Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = November 13, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0022200197 Recap]
| team1 = Golden State Warriors | score1 = 115
| team2 = '''Sacramento Kings''' | score2 = '''122'''
| place = [[Golden 1 Center]], [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 7, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-sac-0022201211 Recap]
| team1 = '''Golden State Warriors''' | score1 = '''119'''
| team2 = Sacramento Kings | score2 = 97
| place = Golden 1 Center, Sacramento, CA
}}
|}

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=SAC&opp_id=GSW&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Sacramento Kings versus Golden State Warriors (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 12, 2023|archive-date=April 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409221642/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=SAC&opp_id=GSW&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

====(4) Phoenix Suns vs. (5) Los Angeles Clippers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 16 |time=8:00 pm {{small|(5:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Los Angeles Clippers]]''' |score1='''115'''
|team2=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score2=110
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-phx-0042200171 Recap]
|Q1='''30'''–18 |Q2=29–'''36''' |Q3=22–'''27''' |Q4='''34'''–29
|points1=[[Kawhi Leonard]] 38 |points2=[[Kevin Durant]] 27
|rebounds1=[[Ivica Zubac]] 15 |rebounds2=[[Chris Paul]] 11
|assist1=[[Russell Westbrook]] 8 |assist2=Kevin Durant 11
|attendance=17,071
|referee=Marc Davis, Kevin Scott, Brian Forte
|series=LA Clippers lead series, 1–0
}} In the absence of [[Paul George]], [[Kawhi Leonard]] took charge for the Clippers, scoring 38 points and hitting two crucial three-pointers in the closing moments to secure the series opener. Despite a poor shooting performance from [[Russell Westbrook]], who went 3-of-19 from the field, he added 11 rebounds, eight assists, and made two crucial free throws late in the game. He also blocked [[Devin Booker]]'s layup attempt in the final minute to secure the win. For Phoenix, [[Kevin Durant]] scored 27 points to go along with nine rebounds and 11 assists, while Booker contributed 26 points, three blocks, and four steals. Notably, this marked Durant's first loss as a member of the Suns.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 18|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score1=109
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''123'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-phx-0042200172 Recap]
|Q1='''29'''–24 |Q2=30–'''35''' |Q3=28–'''33''' |Q4=22–'''31'''
|points1=[[Kawhi Leonard]] 31 |points2=[[Devin Booker]] 38
|rebounds1=Kawhi Leonard 8 |rebounds2=[[Deandre Ayton]] 13
|assist1=Kawhi Leonard 7 |assist2=Devin Booker 9
|attendance=17,071
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], [[JB DeRosa]]
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} The Suns overcame a slow start and a 13-point deficit midway through the second quarter to even the series at one game apiece. [[Devin Booker]] led the Suns with 38 points and nine assists on 14-of-22 shooting, while [[Kevin Durant]] added 25 points. Although the Clippers' bench outscored Phoenix's 30–13, The Suns' starters combined for 110 points on 45-of-74 (61%) from the field as Phoenix went on a 23–4 run during the middle two quarters to take control of the game. [[Kawhi Leonard]] led Los Angeles with 31 points, while [[Russell Westbrook]] added 28 points on an improved 9-of-16 shooting. Notably, [[Chris Paul]] had his 13-game playoff losing streak snapped when referee [[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]] is on the floor.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 20|time=10:30 pm {{small|(7:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA TV]]
|team1='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score1='''129'''
|team2=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score2=124
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200173 Recap]
|Q1=27–27|Q2='''27'''–24|Q3='''40'''–34|Q4=35–'''39'''
|points1=[[Devin Booker]] 45 |points2=[[Norman Powell]] 42
|rebounds1=[[Deandre Ayton]] 11 |rebounds2=[[Russell Westbrook|Westbrook]], [[Ivica Zubac|Zubac]] 8 each
|assist1=[[Chris Paul]] 7 |assist2=Russell Westbrook 12
|attendance=19,068
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Jacyn Goble
|series=Phoenix leads series, 2–1
}} [[Devin Booker]] and [[Kevin Durant]] combined for 73 points to take a 2–1 series lead. Despite [[Kawhi Leonard]]'s absence, the Clippers remained competitive in the first half, with neither team leading by more than eight points. The Suns pulled away in the third quarter, with Booker scoring eight points in a 17–8 run to give Phoenix its first double-digit lead of the game. [[Norman Powell]] stepped up for Los Angeles, scoring a career playoff-high 42 points on 15-of-23 shooting, while [[Russell Westbrook]] dropped 30 points and 12 assists. [[Bones Hyland]] (20 points) came off the bench and outscored the Phoenix bench (18 points), but it was not enough to overcome the Suns' starters, as they combined for 110+ points for the second straight game.
{{Basketballbox |date=April 22|time=3:30 pm {{small|(12:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score1='''112'''
|team2=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score2=100
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lac-0042200174 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''30''' |Q2='''25'''–17 |Q3='''35'''–31 |Q4='''29'''–22
|points1=[[Kevin Durant]] 31 |points2=[[Russell Westbrook]] 37
|rebounds1=[[Deandre Ayton]] 13 |rebounds2=[[Ivica Zubac]] 9
|assist1=[[Chris Paul]] 9 |assist2=[[Terance Mann|Mann]], Westbrook 4 each
|attendance=19,068
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], [[Curtis Blair]], [[Nick Buchert]]
|series=Phoenix leads series, 3–1
}} [[Kevin Durant]] scored 31 points, [[Devin Booker]] added 30, and [[Chris Paul]] finished with 19 points and nine assists as the Suns won their third straight game against Los Angeles. The Clippers were without [[Kawhi Leonard]] and [[Paul George]], but [[Russell Westbrook]] carried the team in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 points, including nine in a row when they twice pulled within two points. However, Paul staved off the Clippers in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting against his former team. Westbrook finished with a game-high 37 points, while [[Norman Powell]] added 14 points and [[Terance Mann]] had 13 off the bench.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 25|time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Clippers]] |score1=130
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''136'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-phx-0042200175 Recap]
|Q1=30–'''32'''|Q2='''40'''–29|Q3=24–'''50'''|Q4='''36'''–25
|points1=[[Norman Powell]] 27 |points2=[[Devin Booker]] 47
|rebounds1=[[Mason Plumlee|Plumlee]], [[Ivica Zubac|Zubac]] 10 each |rebounds2=[[Deandre Ayton]] 11
|assist1=[[Russell Westbrook]] 8 |assist2=Devin Booker 10
|attendance=17,071
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Ben Taylor, Karl Lane
|series=Phoenix wins series, 4–1
}} [[Devin Booker]] led Phoenix past the Clippers with a 47-point performance, including 25 points in the third quarter, to advance to the Western Semifinals for the third straight season. The Clippers attempted to come back from a 20-point deficit in the fourth quarter, hitting four straight three-pointers to quickly close the gap, and had multiple chances to tie the game in the final three minutes but could never convert. [[Kevin Durant]] sealed the win for the Suns by making a layup to extend their lead to 134–130, and then made two free throws to put them up six with 31 seconds left. Durant finished with 31 points while [[Deandre Ayton]] had 21 points and 11 rebounds. Booker shot 19-of-27 from the field, including 4-of-7 from three-point range.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 23, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lac-0022200043 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' | score1 = '''112'''
| team2 = [[Los Angeles Clippers]] | score2 = 95
| place = [[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = December 15, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lac-0022200427 Recap]
| team1 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score1 = '''111'''
| team2 = Los Angeles Clippers | score2 = 95
| place = Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 16, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lac-vs-phx-0022200885 Recap]
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Clippers''' | score1 = '''116'''
| team2 = Phoenix Suns | score2 = 107
| place = [[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 9, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-lac-0022201229 Recap]
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Clippers''' | score1 = '''119'''
| team2 = Phoenix Suns | score2 = 114
| place = Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ
}}
|}

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Suns winning the first two meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=PHO&opp_id=LAC&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Phoenix Suns versus Los Angeles Clippers (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 9, 2023|archive-date=April 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230409035844/https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=PHO&opp_id=LAC&is_playoffs=Y|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Phoenix leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| date = 2006
| team1 = '''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Los Angeles Clippers]] | score2 = 3
| place = [[2006 NBA playoffs#(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (6) Los Angeles Clippers|2006 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2021
| team1 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Los Angeles Clippers | score2 = 2
| place = [[2021 NBA playoffs#(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (4) Los Angeles Clippers|2021 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
|}

==Conference semifinals==
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

===Eastern Conference semifinals===

====(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 1 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score1='''119'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=115
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0042200211 Recap]
|Q1=31–'''38''' |Q2='''32'''–28 |Q3='''24'''–21 |Q4='''32'''–28
|points1=[[James Harden]] 45 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 39
|rebounds1=[[Paul Reed (basketball)|Paul Reed]] 13 |rebounds2=Jayson Tatum 11
|assist1=James Harden 6 |assist2=[[Marcus Smart]] 7
|attendance=19,156
|referee=David Guthrie, Courtney Kirkland, Karl Lane
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 1–0
}} Led by [[James Harden]]'s 45 points, the 76ers rallied without [[Joel Embiid]] to beat the Celtics on the road to take a 1–0 series lead. Harden, who tied his playoff career-high, hit a go-ahead, step-back three-pointer over [[Al Horford]] with less than ten seconds left to help secure the victory. [[Tyrese Maxey]] added 26 points and [[Tobias Harris]] finished with 18 for Philadelphia, who made 17 three-pointers in the absence of [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]] Embiid. [[Jayson Tatum]] led the Celtics with 39 points and 11 rebounds, while [[Jaylen Brown]] added 23 points and [[Malcolm Brogdon]] finished with 20 points. The Celtics had one final chance and got the ball to Tatum, but he lost the ball to [[Paul Reed (basketball)|Paul Reed]], who later hit a pair of free throws to seal the win for Philadelphia.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 3|time=8:00 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score1=87
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''121'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0042200212 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''28''' |Q2=27–'''29''' |Q3=16–'''35''' |Q4=22–'''29'''
|points1=[[Tobias Harris]] 16 |points2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 25
|rebounds1=[[James Harden]] 10 |rebounds2=''three players'' 7 each{{efn|[[Al Horford|Horford]], [[Jayson Tatum|Tatum]], and [[Robert Williams III|Williams III]]}}
|assist1=James Harden 4 |assist2=''three players'' 4 each{{efn|Brown, [[Grant Williams (basketball)|Williams]], and Williams III}}
|attendance=19,156
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Kevin Scott, [[Rodney Mott]]
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} The Celtics bounced back from their series opening loss to rout the 76ers by 34 points and hand Philadelphia their first loss of the playoffs. [[Jaylen Brown]] scored a game-high 25 points, while [[Malcolm Brogdon]] added 23 points, connecting on six of Boston's 20 three-pointers. [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] and [[Marcus Smart]] scored 15 points apiece, while [[Jayson Tatum]] struggled with fouls and scored just seven points. The Celtics stepped up their defense and limited the 76ers, who made 17 threes in Game 1, to just 6-of-30 from beyond the arc. [[Joel Embiid]] returned from injury to score 15 points and notch five blocks, while [[James Harden]] struggled to find his rhythm, shooting just 2-of-14 from the field and missing all six of his three-point attempts.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 5|time=7:30 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''114'''
|team2=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score2=102
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-phi-0042200213 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''29''' |Q2='''29'''–21 |Q3='''31'''–27 |Q4='''26'''–25
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 27 |points2=[[Joel Embiid]] 30
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 10 |rebounds2=Joel Embiid 13
|assist1=[[Malcolm Brogdon]] 6 |assist2=[[James Harden]] 11
|attendance=21,290
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Ben Taylor, Mark Lindsay
|series=Boston leads series, 2–1
}} With [[Joel Embiid]] receiving his [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]] trophy in a pregame ceremony in front of his home floor, the duo of [[Jayson Tatum]] and [[Jaylen Brown]] spoiled the show for Philadelphia, combining for 50 points and giving the Celtics a 2–1 series advantage. Boston led the majority of the game thanks to a 14–4 run to start the game, with six Celtics players scoring in double figures. Although Philadelphia pulled within four points late in the final quarter, Boston hit timely three-pointers that prevented the 76ers from gaining any more ground. Despite Embiid's 30-point and 13-rebound performance on one good knee, [[James Harden]] and [[Tyrese Maxey]]'s combined shooting of 7-for-30 (23%) left him with little offensive support.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 7|time=3:30 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Boston Celtics]] |score1=115
|team2='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score2='''116''' |overtime=OT
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-phi-0042200214 Recap]
|Q1=19–'''27''' |Q2=31–'''32''' |Q3=33–33 |Q4='''24'''–15 |OT=8–'''9'''
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 24 |points2=[[James Harden]] 42
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 18 |rebounds2=[[Joel Embiid]] 13
|assist1=[[Marcus Smart]] 7 |assist2=James Harden 9
|attendance=21,264
|referee=John Goble, James Williams, Gediminas Petraitis
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}} After having the worst shooting stretch of his career over any two-game span in Games 2 and 3, [[James Harden]] bounced back in Game 4 by scoring 42 points on 16-of-23 shooting to help Philadelphia tie the series at two games apiece. After Boston rallied from a 16-point deficit to take a five-point lead with two minutes left in the fourth quarter, the 76ers responded with key baskets from Harden and [[P. J. Tucker]], including a floater from Harden with 16 seconds left to force overtime. In overtime, [[Joel Embiid]] hit a pair of free-throws to give Philadelphia the lead, but [[Jayson Tatum]] hit a step-back three to put the Celtics ahead by two with less than a minute remaining. However, Harden answered back with his sixth three-pointer of the night, putting the 76ers back in front with 18 seconds to go. Although [[Marcus Smart]] had a chance to win it for Boston, his shot was ruled too late, securing the victory for Philadelphia.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 9|time=7:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Philadelphia 76ers]]''' |score1='''115'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=103
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0042200215 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–26|Q2='''25'''–23|Q3='''30'''–23|Q4=27–'''31'''
|points1=[[Joel Embiid]] 33 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 36
|rebounds1=[[Tobias Harris]] 11 |rebounds2=Jayson Tatum 10
|assist1=[[James Harden]] 10 |assist2=Jayson Tatum 5
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Philadelphia leads series, 3–2
}} With a commanding performance on the road, the 76ers moved to the brink of their first conference finals berth in 22 years. [[Joel Embiid]] recorded 33 points, seven rebounds, and four blocks as Philadelphia built an early 42–27 lead and never looked back, leading by as much as 21 points. [[Tyrese Maxey]] also stepped up for the 76ers, contributing 30 points and six three-pointers, while [[James Harden]] had 17 points, ten assists, and eight rebounds on 50% shooting. [[Jayson Tatum]] scored 36 points for Boston, but he struggled to shoot efficiently, going 11-of-27 from the field. [[Jaylen Brown]] contributed 24 points, but the Celtics struggled to find their shot throughout the game, shooting just 40% from the field and 31% from beyond the arc.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 11|time=7:30 pm |place=[[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''95'''
|team2=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score2=86
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-phi-0042200216 Recap]
|Q1='''29'''–22 |Q2=21–21 |Q3=21–'''30''' |Q4='''24'''–13
|points1=[[Marcus Smart]] 22 |points2=[[Joel Embiid|Embiid]], [[Tyrese Maxey|Maxey]] 26 each
|rebounds1=[[Al Horford]] 11 |rebounds2=Joel Embiid 10
|assist1=Marcus Smart 7 |assist2=[[James Harden]] 9
|attendance=21,337
|referee=David Guthrie, Ed Malloy, [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=Series tied, 3–3
}} [[Jayson Tatum]] struggled mightily in the first three quarters, scoring just three points on 1-of-13 shooting. However, he came alive during the final quarter, dropping 16 points and leading a crucial 14–1 run in the final five minutes to force a Game 7 back in Boston. Despite trailing by as much as 16 points in the first half, the 76ers rallied thanks to the efforts of [[Joel Embiid]] and [[Tyrese Maxey]], who helped the team take the lead entering the fourth quarter. However, Philadelphia faltered down the stretch, missing all eight of their three-point attempts in the fourth and failing to make a single field goal over the last six minutes until [[garbage time]]. Embiid and Maxey scored 26 points each, while [[James Harden]] shot a poor 4-of-16 from the field.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 14|time=3:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Philadelphia 76ers]] |score1=88
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''112'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0042200217 Recap]
|Q1='''29'''–23 |Q2=23–'''32''' |Q3=10–'''33''' |Q4='''26'''–24
|points1=[[Tobias Harris]] 19 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 51
|rebounds1=[[Joel Embiid]] 8 |rebounds2=Jayson Tatum 13
|assist1=[[James Harden]] 7 |assist2=Jayson Tatum 5
|attendance=19,156
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]]
|series=Boston wins series, 4–3
}} In a historic performance, [[Jayson Tatum]] scored a playoff career-high 51 points, setting a new record for the most points ever scored in a game 7 as he led the Celtics to their fifth conference finals appearance in seven years. Tatum started off strong, scoring 25 points in a competitive first half and adding 17 more in Boston's 33–10 third quarter, which turned a three-point lead into a blowout victory. Tatum also finished with 13 rebounds, five assists, and zero turnovers, setting a playoff record for most points in a game with zero turnovers. Meanwhile, the 76ers lost in the conference semifinals for the fifth time in six years, with [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award|MVP]] [[Joel Embiid]] scoring just 15 points on 5-for-18 shooting, while [[James Harden]] scored nine points on 3-of-11 shooting. Additionally, 76ers head coach [[Doc Rivers]] has now lost a record 10 game 7's, with his teams going 4–13 in their last 17 chances to close out a playoff series.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Boston won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 18, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0022200001 Recap]
| team1 = [[Philadelphia 76ers]] | score1 = 117
| team2 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score2 = '''126'''
| place = [[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 8, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phi-vs-bos-0022200824 Recap]
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 99
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''106'''
| place = TD Garden, Boston, MA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 25, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-phi-0022200908 Recap]
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''110'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 107
| place = [[Wells Fargo Center (Philadelphia)|Wells Fargo Center]], [[Philadelphia|Philadelphia, PA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 4, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-phi-0022201181 Recap]
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 101
| team2 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score2 = '''103'''
| place = Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia, PA
}}
|}

This was the 23rd playoff meeting between these two teams, and the 15th since the [[History of the Philadelphia 76ers|Syracuse Nationals]] relocated to Philadelphia in 1963, with the Celtics winning 14 of the first 22 meetings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=BOS&opp_id=PHI&is_playoffs=Y|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 28, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoffs series
|-
!Boston leads 14–8 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1953
| team1 = [[Syracuse Nationals]] | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1953 NBA playoffs#(2) Syracuse Nationals vs. (3) Boston Celtics|1953 Eastern Division semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1954
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 0
| team2 = '''Syracuse Nationals''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1954 NBA playoffs#(1) New York Knicks, (2) Boston Celtics, (3) Syracuse Nationals|1954 Eastern Division Round Robin Semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1954
| team1 = '''Syracuse Nationals''' | score1 = '''2'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 0
| place = [[1954 NBA playoffs#(1) Syracuse Nationals vs. (2) Boston Celtics|1954 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1955
| team1 = '''Syracuse Nationals''' | score1 = '''3'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 1
| place = [[1955 NBA playoffs#(1) Syracuse Nationals vs. (3) Boston Celtics|1955 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1956
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Syracuse Nationals''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1956 NBA playoffs#(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals|1956 Eastern Division semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1957
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''3'''
| team2 = Syracuse Nationals | score2 = 0
| place = [[1957 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Syracuse Nationals|1957 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1959
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Syracuse Nationals | score2 = 3
| place = [[1959 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals|1959 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1961
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Syracuse Nationals | score2 = 1
| place = [[1961 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals|1961 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1965
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[Philadelphia 76ers]] | score2 = 3
| place = [[1965 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|1965 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1966
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1966 NBA playoffs#(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (2) Boston Celtics|1966 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1967
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 1
| place = [[1967 NBA playoffs#(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (2) Boston Celtics|1967 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1968
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1968 NBA playoffs#(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (2) Boston Celtics|1968 Eastern Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1969
| team1 = Philadelphia 76ers | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1969 NBA playoffs#(2) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (4) Boston Celtics|1969 Eastern Division semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1977
| team1 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 3
| place = [[1977 NBA playoffs#(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (4) Boston Celtics|1977 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1980
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1980 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|1980 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1981
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 3
| place = [[1981 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|1981 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1982
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''Philadelphia 76ers''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[1982 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|1982 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1985
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 1
| place = [[1985 NBA playoffs#(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|1985 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2002
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''3'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 2
| place = [[2002 NBA playoffs#(3) Boston Celtics vs. (6) Philadelphia 76ers|2002 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 2012
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 3
| place = [[2012 NBA playoffs#(4) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Philadelphia 76ers|2012 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2018
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 1
| place = [[2018 NBA playoffs#(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|2018 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2020
| team1 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Philadelphia 76ers | score2 = 0
| place = [[2020 NBA playoffs#(3) Boston Celtics vs. (6) Philadelphia 76ers|2020 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

====(5) New York Knicks vs. (8) Miami Heat====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 30 |time=1:00 pm |place=[[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''108'''
|team2=[[New York Knicks]] |score2=101
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-nyk-0042200201 Recap]
|Q1=21–'''32''' |Q2='''29'''–23 |Q3='''31'''–20 |Q4='''27'''–26
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 25 |points2=[[RJ Barrett]] 26
|rebounds1=Jimmy Butler 11 |rebounds2=[[Mitchell Robinson]] 14
|assist1=[[Kyle Lowry]] 6 |assist2=Barrett, [[Jalen Brunson|Brunson]] 7 each
|attendance=19,812
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Miami leads series, 1–0
}} After the Knicks led the majority of the first half, the Heat pulled away in the third quarter with a 21–5 run highlighted by a [[Kevin Love]] three-pointer that gave Miami a lead they would not relinquish. [[Jimmy Butler]] led the way for the Heat with 25 points and 11 rebounds before rolling his ankle in the fourth quarter. Butler got help from his teammates, however, as [[Gabe Vincent]], [[Kyle Lowry]], and [[Bam Adebayo]] each scored 15+ points as all three players made key plays down the stretch. The Heat's defense also held firm, as they limited New York to just 7-of-34 shooting from beyond the arc. The Knicks, who were without [[Julius Randle]], were led by [[RJ Barrett]] and [[Jalen Brunson]] who scored 26 and 25 points, respectively.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 2 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=105
|team2='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score2='''111'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-nyk-0042200202 Recap]
|Q1=29–'''31''' |Q2='''25'''–20 |Q3=23–'''25''' |Q4=28–'''35'''
|points1=[[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] 22 |points2=[[Jalen Brunson]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo|Adebayo]], Martin 8 each |rebounds2=[[Julius Randle]] 12
|assist1=Adebayo, [[Kyle Lowry|Lowry]] 6 each |assist2=[[Josh Hart]] 9
|attendance=19,812
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Curtis Blair]], Mark Lindsay
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} After shooting 20% from deep in the series opener, New York bounced back, converting 40% of their three-point attempts as the Knicks evened up the series at one game apiece. [[Jalen Brunson]] atoned for his 0-for-7 three-point shooting in Game 1, as he shot 6-of-10 from beyond the arc, finishing with 30 points. [[Josh Hart]] finished an assist shy of a triple-double, as he scored ten of his 14 points in the final five minutes of the game. [[Julius Randle]] returned to the Knicks lineup and contributed 25 points and 12 rebounds, while [[RJ Barrett]] added 24 points. For the Heat, [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] stepped up in place of the injured [[Jimmy Butler]], scoring 22 points, while [[Gabe Vincent]] and [[Max Strus]] combined for 38 points, all of whom were undrafted.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 6 |time=3:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[New York Knicks]] |score1=86
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''105'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-mia-0042200203 Recap]
|Q1=21–'''29''' |Q2=23–'''29''' |Q3=26–'''29''' |Q4=16–'''18'''
|points1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 20 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 28
|rebounds1=[[Julius Randle]] 14 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 12
|assist1=Jalen Brunson 8 |assist2=''three players'' 4 each{{efn|[[Kevin Love|Love]], [[Kyle Lowry|Lowry]], and [[Gabe Vincent|Vincent]]}}
|attendance=19,927
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, Brian Forte
|series=Miami leads series, 2–1
}} The Heat improved to 3–0 at home this postseason, putting them just two wins away from becoming the second eighth seed ever to advance to the conference finals. Miami started the game by setting the tone on both ends of the court, as they made ten of their first 15 shots, while the Knicks missed 13 of their first 17. [[Jimmy Butler]], who returned from his one-game absence, scored 28 points, [[Max Strus]] added 19 points, and [[Bam Adebayo]] had a double-double for the Heat, who never trailed. Meanwhile, New York struggled to find their rhythm, as their top three scorers from the regular season ([[Jalen Brunson]], [[Julius Randle]], and [[RJ Barrett]]) shot a combined 16-of-51 (31%) from the field, including 2-of-17 (12%) from beyond the arc.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 8 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[New York Knicks]] |score1=101
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''109'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-mia-0042200204 Recap]
|Q1=30–'''31''' |Q2=18–'''25''' |Q3=33–'''34''' |Q4='''20'''–19
|points1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 32 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 27
|rebounds1=[[Julius Randle]] 9 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 13
|assist1=Jalen Brunson 11 |assist2=Jimmy Butler 10
|attendance=19,769
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Courtney Kirkland, Ben Taylor
|series=Miami leads series, 3–1
}} Led by [[Jimmy Butler]] and [[Bam Adebayo]], the Heat moved one win away from their third trip to the conference finals in four years. Butler finished with 27 points and ten assists, while Adebayo contributed 23 points and 13 rebounds as Miami became the fourth No. 8 seed to win at least seven playoff games. Although the Heat struggled in the fourth quarter, as they missed 12 of their first 15 shots, the Knicks failed to take full advantage. After New York gave up six offensive rebounds in the first three quarters, they gave up seven more in the fourth quarter alone. [[Jalen Brunson]] led the Knicks with 32 points and 11 assists, while [[RJ Barrett]] had 24 points and [[Julius Randle]] scored 20 before fouling out in the final minutes.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 10 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=103
|team2='''[[New York Knicks]]''' |score2='''112'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200205 Recap]
|Q1='''24'''–14|Q2=23–'''36'''|Q3=27–'''34'''|Q4='''29'''–28
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 19 |points2=[[Jalen Brunson]] 38
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 8 |rebounds2=[[Mitchell Robinson]] 11
|assist1=Jimmy Butler 9 |assist2=Jalen Brunson 7
|attendance=19,812
|referee=John Goble, [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Karl Lane
|series=Miami leads series, 3–2
}} [[Jalen Brunson]] played all 48 minutes and contributed 38 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists to help keep the Knicks' season alive. [[RJ Barrett]] scored 26 points, while [[Julius Randle]] added 24 as the trio combined for 88 of New York's 112 points. Although the Knicks built a 19-point lead in the third quarter, the Heat cut it down to two with under three minutes remaining in the game. However, New York closed the game out on a 9–2 run to force a Game 6 in Miami. [[Jimmy Butler]] led the Heat with 19 points, as he was held below 25 points for the first time this postseason. [[Bam Adebayo]] and [[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] also contributed with 18 and 17 points respectively, but Miami struggled from deep, missing 21 of their first 25 three-pointers.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 12 |time=7:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[New York Knicks]] |score1=92
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''96'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/0042200206 Recap]
|Q1='''31'''–24|Q2=19–'''27'''|Q3=21–'''23'''|Q4=21–'''22'''
|points1=[[Jalen Brunson]] 41 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 24
|rebounds1=[[Julius Randle|Randle]], [[Mitchell Robinson|Robinson]] 11 each |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 9
|assist1=''three players'' 3 each{{efn|Brunson, [[Quentin Grimes|Grimes]], and Randle}} |assist2=[[Kyle Lowry]] 9
|attendance=19,737
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Kevin Scott, Tre Maddox
|series=Miami wins series, 4–2
}} The Heat advanced to the conference finals for the seventh time in the last 13 years and became just the second No. 8 seed ever to reach the conference finals. Despite an early 14-point lead by the Knicks, Miami took the lead by halftime and held it throughout the second half. However, up by six with under a minute remaining, [[Gabe Vincent]]'s [[flagrant foul]] on [[Jalen Brunson]] allowed New York to score four points in five seconds. After a [[Jimmy Butler]] miss, the Knicks had an opportunity to tie the game, but [[Kyle Lowry]] came up with a steal, and Butler made free throws with 14 seconds left to clinch the win for the Heat. Butler scored 24 points, [[Bam Adebayo]] added 23, and Lowry had nine assists. Meanwhile, Brunson scored 41 points, accounting for over half of the Knicks' 27 made field goals. But his teammates only scored 51 points, with [[Julius Randle]] and [[RJ Barrett]] combining for just 26 points on 4-of-24 shooting.
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!New York won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 2, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-nyk-0022200780 Recap]
| team1 = [[Miami Heat]] | score1 = 104
| team2 = '''[[New York Knicks]]''' | score2 = '''106'''
| place = [[Madison Square Garden]], [[New York City|New York City, NY]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 3, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-mia-0022200949 Recap]
| team1 = '''New York Knicks''' | score1 = '''122'''
| team2 = Miami Heat | score2 = 120
| place = [[Miami-Dade Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 22, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/nyk-vs-mia-0022201084 Recap]
| team1 = New York Knicks | score1 = 120
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = '''127'''
| place = Miami-Dade Arena, Miami, FL
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 29, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-nyk-0022201138 Recap]
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 92
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''101'''
| place = Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY
}}
|}

This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Knicks winning three of the first five meetings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — New York Knicks versus Miami Heat (Playoffs)|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=NYK&opp_id=MIA&is_playoffs=Y|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 27, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!New York leads 3–2 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| date = 1997
| team1 = '''[[Miami Heat]]''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = [[New York Knicks]] | score2 = 3
| place = [[1997 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (3) New York Knicks|1997 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1998
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''3'''
| place = [[1998 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) New York Knicks|1998 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1999
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''3'''
| place = [[1999 NBA playoffs#(1) Miami Heat vs. (8) New York Knicks|1999 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2000
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''New York Knicks''' | score2 = '''4'''
| place = [[2000 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (3) New York Knicks|2000 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2012
| team1 = '''Miami Heat''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = New York Knicks | score2 = 1
| place = [[2012 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (7) New York Knicks|2012 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
|}

===Western Conference semifinals===
====(1) Denver Nuggets vs. (4) Phoenix Suns====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=April 29 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}}|place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score1=107
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''125'''
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-0042200221 Recap]
|Q1='''32'''–31 |Q2=19–'''37''' |Q3='''30'''–26 |Q4=26–'''31'''
|points1=[[Kevin Durant]] 29 |points2=[[Jamal Murray]] 34
|rebounds1=Kevin Durant 14 |rebounds2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 19
|assist1=[[Devin Booker]] 8 |assist2=Jamal Murray 9
|attendance=19,762
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, Tre Maddox
|series=Denver leads series, 1–0
}} After missing their previous matchup in 2021 due to injury, [[Jamal Murray]] led the Nuggets' fast-paced offense with 34 points and six three-pointers as Denver snapped their seven-game playoff losing streak to the Suns. [[Nikola Jokić]] was productive as well, recording 24 points and 19 rebounds (8 of them offensive), while [[Aaron Gordon]] added 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting. For Phoenix, [[Kevin Durant]] scored 29 points and grabbed 14 rebounds for the Suns, while [[Devin Booker]] added 27 points and eight assists as the duo each scored 25+ points for the sixth straight game. Although the Suns finished with a better field goal percentage, the Nuggets dominated the three-point line, outscoring Phoenix by a 48–21 margin and forcing 16 turnovers.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 1 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score1=87
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''97'''
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-0042200222 Recap]
|Q1='''21'''–18 |Q2=21–'''22''' |Q3='''31'''–30 |Q4=14–'''27'''
|points1=[[Devin Booker]] 35 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 39
|rebounds1=[[Deandre Ayton|Ayton]], [[Kevin Durant|Durant]] 8 each |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 16
|assist1=Booker, [[Chris Paul|Paul]] 6 each |assist2=[[Jamal Murray]] 8
|attendance=19,592
|referee=John Goble, [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Sean Wright
|series=Denver leads series, 2–0
}} [[Nikola Jokić]] scored 26 of his 39 points in the second half and had 16 rebounds to lead the Nuggets to a 2–0 series advantage over the Suns. Jokic's performance was crucial for Denver, as [[Jamal Murray]] only scored ten points on 3-of-15 shooting, having scored 34 in the series opener. [[Aaron Gordon]] added 16 points and [[Kentavious Caldwell-Pope]] contributed 14 points, including back-to-back three-pointers that put the Nuggets ahead for good in the fourth quarter. [[Devin Booker]] led Phoenix with 35 points, but the team lost [[Chris Paul]] to a groin injury, and they struggled shooting in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 points on 28% shooting. [[Kevin Durant]] added 24 points, but went 10-of-27 shooting, including just 2-for-12 from beyond the arc.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 5 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score1=114
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''121'''
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0042200223 Recap]
|Q1='''31'''–29 |Q2=21–'''38''' |Q3='''36'''–23 |Q4=26–'''31'''
|points1=[[Jamal Murray]] 32 |points2=[[Devin Booker]] 47
|rebounds1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 17 |rebounds2=''three players'' 9 each{{efn|[[Deandre Ayton|Ayton]], [[Kevin Durant|Durant]], and [[Jock Landale|Landale]]}}
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 17 |assist2=Devin Booker 9
|attendance=17,071
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], James Williams, Sean Corbin
|series=Denver leads series, 2–1
}} Without [[Chris Paul]] and down 2–0 in the series, [[Devin Booker]] shot 80% (20-of-25) from the field and tied his playoff career-high with 47 points, recording his third 45-point performance of the playoffs en route to cutting Denver's series lead to 2–1. [[Kevin Durant]] contributed 39 points as he and Booker accounted for 86 of Phoenix's 121 points, as no one else on the Suns scored more than seven points. For Denver, [[Nikola Jokić]] had a triple-double with 30 points, 17 assists, and 17 rebounds, [[Jamal Murray]] added 32 points, and [[Michael Porter Jr.]] chipped in 21 points and 12 rebounds. Despite a 15-point halftime lead, Phoenix trailed by three late in the third quarter. However, they rode a 14–0 run to give them a lead they would not relinquish.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 7 |time=8:00 pm {{small|(5:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score1=124
|team2='''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' |score2='''129'''
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0042200224 Recap]
|Q1='''34'''–32 |Q2=27–'''31''' |Q3=31–'''35''' |Q4='''32'''–31
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 53 |points2=[[Devin Booker|Booker]], [[Kevin Durant|Durant]] 36 each
|rebounds1=[[Michael Porter Jr.]] 10 |rebounds2=Kevin Durant 11
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 11 |assist2=Devin Booker 12
|attendance=17,071
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Ed Malloy, Jacyn Goble
|series=Series tied, 2–2
}} Despite a career-high 53 points from [[Nikola Jokić]], the Suns were able to defend home court and tie the series at two games apiece, with [[Devin Booker]] and [[Kevin Durant]] each scoring 36 points. Booker shot 14-of-18 from the field, as he boosted his shooting percentage at home to 79% (34-of-43) for the series. The Suns were able to take a six-point lead into the fourth quarter after a scoring flurry from Booker, who had 17 points in the third quarter. Although Denver attempted to rally, backup guard [[Landry Shamet]] made four timely three-pointers to keep Phoenix ahead, as the Suns' bench outscored the Nuggets' bench 40–11. For Denver, Nikola Jokić shot 20-of-30 from the field, while [[Jamal Murray]] added 28 points and seven assists.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 9 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(8:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score1=102
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''118'''
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-0042200225 Recap]
|Q1=24–'''35''' |Q2='''25'''–17 |Q3=25–'''39''' |Q4='''28'''–27
|points1=[[Devin Booker]] 28 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 29
|rebounds1=[[Kevin Durant]] 11 |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 13
|assist1=Kevin Durant 7 |assist2=Nikola Jokić 12
|attendance=19,773
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Brian Forte
|series=Denver leads series, 3–2
}} [[Nikola Jokić]]'s tenth career playoff triple-double led the Nuggets to a pivotal Game 5 victory over the Suns, improving to 37–4 at home this season with Jokić on the floor. Jokić had a standout third quarter, as he made 7-of-8 shots for 17 points and helped the Nuggets turn a three-point halftime lead into a 91–74 advantage. [[Michael Porter Jr.]] scored 14 of his 19 points in the first quarter, [[Jamal Murray]] contributed 19 points and six assists, and [[Bruce Brown (basketball)|Bruce Brown]] scored 25 of Denver's 34 bench points. Although [[Devin Booker]] and [[Kevin Durant]] each scored 25+ points for the ninth time this postseason, the Suns were outrebounded 50–42 and outshot from beyond the arc 48% to 33%, as they trailed by as much as 24 points.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 11 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MST]])}} |place=[[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''125'''
|team2=[[Phoenix Suns]] |score2=100
|report= [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0042200226 Recap]
|Q1='''44'''–26 |Q2='''37'''–25 |Q3=22–'''25''' |Q4=22–'''24'''
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 32 |points2=[[Cameron Payne]] 31
|rebounds1=Nikola Jokić 10 |rebounds2=Payne, [[Landry Shamet|Shamet]] 6 each
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 12 |assist2=[[Devin Booker]] 8
|attendance=17,071
|referee=Marc Davis, Ben Taylor, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Denver wins series, 4–2
}} The Nuggets secured a spot in the conference finals by defeating the shorthanded Suns by 25 points, the largest win margin by a road team this postseason. Denver dominated the game, using a 23–2 run in the latter part of the first quarter to establish a commanding 44–26 lead. [[Kentavious Caldwell-Pope]], who had been averaging 9.5 points in the playoffs, scored 17 points in the first quarter, while [[Nikola Jokić]] contributed 14. Denver's offensive onslaught continued, as the lead had grown to 81–51 by halftime. Jokić finished the game with his third triple-double of the series, and [[Jamal Murray]] added 26 points. [[Cameron Payne]] led Phoenix, who were without [[Deandre Ayton]] and [[Chris Paul]], with a career-high 31 points, hitting 7-of-9 three-pointers. [[Kevin Durant]] added 23 points, but missed nine of his first ten shots as the Suns fell behind by 30 points at halftime in an elimination game for the second straight year.
Notably, this was [[Al McCoy (announcer)|Al McCoy]]'s final game, concluding his 51-year career as the Suns' play-by-play radio announcer.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 25, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-0022200497 Recap]
| team1 = [[Phoenix Suns]] | score1 = 125
| team2 = '''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' | score2 = '''128''' |overtime=OT
| place = [[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 11, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/phx-vs-den-0022200624 Recap]
| team1 = Phoenix Suns | score1 = 97
| team2 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score2 = '''126'''
| place = Ball Arena, Denver, CO
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = March 31, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0022201160 Recap]
| team1 = Denver Nuggets | score1 = 93
| team2 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score2 = '''100'''
| place = [[Footprint Center]], [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix, AZ]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = April 6, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-phx-0022201201 Recap]
| team1 = Denver Nuggets | score1 = 115
| team2 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score2 = '''119'''
| place = Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ
}}
|}

This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Suns winning three of the first four meetings.<ref>{{cite web|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Phoenix Suns (Playoffs)|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DEN&opp_id=PHO&is_playoffs=Y|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 25, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!Phoenix leads 3–1 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| date = 1982
| team1 = [[Denver Nuggets]] | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''[[Phoenix Suns]]''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1982 NBA playoffs#(4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) Phoenix Suns|1982 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1983
| team1 = Phoenix Suns | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score2 = '''2'''
| place = [[1983 NBA playoffs#(3) Phoenix Suns vs. (6) Denver Nuggets|1983 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = 1989
| team1 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score1 = '''3'''
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 0
| place = [[1989 NBA playoffs#(3) Phoenix Suns vs. (6) Denver Nuggets|1989 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2021
| team1 = '''Phoenix Suns''' | score1 = '''4'''
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 0
| place = [[2021 NBA playoffs#(2) Phoenix Suns vs. (3) Denver Nuggets|2021 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
|}

====(6) Golden State Warriors vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 2 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score1='''117'''
|team2=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score2=112
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-gsw-0042200231 Recap]
|Q1=29–'''31''' |Q2='''36'''–33 |Q3='''31'''–24 |Q4=21–'''24'''
|points1=[[Anthony Davis]] 30 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 27
|rebounds1=Anthony Davis 23 |rebounds2=[[Kevon Looney]] 23
|assist1=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 6 |assist2=[[Draymond Green]] 7
|attendance=18,064
|referee=Marc Davis, Ed Malloy, [[Nick Buchert]]
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 1–0
}} [[Anthony Davis]] put up 30 points, 23 rebounds, and four blocks, while [[LeBron James]] added 22 points and 11 boards as the Lakers held off a late push by Golden State to win Game 1 on the road. [[D'Angelo Russell]] had 19 points and six assists, while [[Dennis Schröder]] scored 19 points off the bench. The Warriors, who made 21 three-pointers, were led by [[Stephen Curry]]'s 27 points, [[Klay Thompson]]'s 25 points, and [[Kevon Looney]]'s career-high 23 rebounds, marking his fourth 20-rebound game of the playoffs. Down 14 with under six minutes left, Golden State went on a 14–0 run to tie the game. The Lakers regained the lead, and the Warriors' late rally fell short as [[Jordan Poole]] missed a three to tie the game with under ten seconds left.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 4 |time=9:00 pm {{small|(6:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=100
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''127'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-gsw-0042200232 Recap]
|Q1='''33'''–26 |Q2=23–'''41''' |Q3=24–'''43''' |Q4='''20'''–17
|points1=[[LeBron James]] 23 |points2=[[Klay Thompson]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Anthony Davis|Davis]], James 7 each |rebounds2=[[Draymond Green]] 11
|assist1=[[D'Angelo Russell]] 8 |assist2=[[Stephen Curry]] 12
|attendance=18,064
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Pat Fraher
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}} After Los Angeles took a seven-point lead into the second quarter, the defending champions took control of the game, outscoring the Lakers 84–47 in the second and third quarters to even the series at 1–1. [[Klay Thompson]] scored 30 points with eight three-pointers, while [[Stephen Curry]] added 20 points and 12 assists as the Warriors made 21 more threes in Game 2, giving them an NBA-record 42 total in the series' first two games. [[JaMychal Green]] scored a playoff career-high 15 points in his first playoff start since 2019, while [[Draymond Green]] contributed 11 points, 11 boards, and nine assists. [[LeBron James]] scored 23 points for the Lakers, but [[Anthony Davis]] had a quiet night, finishing with 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 6 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(5:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=97
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''127'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-lal-0042200233 Recap]
|Q1='''30'''–23 |Q2=18–'''36''' |Q3=20–'''27''' |Q4=29–'''41'''
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 23 |points2=[[Anthony Davis]] 25
|rebounds1=[[Andrew Wiggins]] 9 |rebounds2=Anthony Davis 13
|assist1=[[Jordan Poole]] 6 |assist2=[[LeBron James]] 8
|attendance=18,997
|referee=David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Mitchell Ervin
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 2–1
}} After Golden State took a seven-point lead into the second quarter, the seventh-seeded Lakers took control of the game, outscoring the Warriors 63–38 in the second and third quarters to regain the series lead. [[Anthony Davis]] led the way with 25 points and 13 rebounds on 7-of-10 shooting, while [[LeBron James]] finished the game with 21 points, eight assists, and eight rebounds. [[D'Angelo Russell]] also hit five three-pointers and scored 21 points for Los Angeles, who moved to 4–0 at home in the playoffs. Golden State meanwhile struggled offensively, committing 19 turnovers and shooting 40% from the field. [[Stephen Curry]] scored 23 points, while [[Andrew Wiggins]] had 16 for the Warriors, who trailed by as much as 34 points.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 8 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=101
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''104'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-lal-0042200234 Recap]
|Q1=21–'''22''' |Q2='''31'''–27 |Q3='''32'''–28 |Q4=17–'''27'''
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 31 |points2=[[LeBron James]] 27
|rebounds1=Curry, [[Draymond Green|D. Green]] 10 each |rebounds2=[[Anthony Davis]] 15
|assist1=Stephen Curry 14 |assist2=LeBron James 6
|attendance=18,997
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], Kevin Scott, [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 3–1
}} Down by seven entering the final quarter, the Lakers rode a 15-point fourth-quarter performance from [[Lonnie Walker IV]] to take a 3–1 series lead over the defending champions. Walker, who made the same number of field goals as the Warriors did in the fourth quarter, hit a go-ahead jumper with under two minutes left and made two crucial free throws with 15 seconds to play. [[LeBron James]] contributed 27 points and six assists, [[Austin Reaves]] scored 21 points, and [[Anthony Davis]] had 23 points and 15 rebounds for Los Angeles. For the Warriors, [[Stephen Curry]] had 31 points, ten rebounds, and 14 assists in his third career postseason triple-double, but he missed 11-of-14 three-point attempts and turned the ball over in the final seconds.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 10 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=106
|team2='''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' |score2='''121'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-gsw-0042200235 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''32''' |Q2=31–'''38''' |Q3=23–23 |Q4=24–'''28'''
|points1=[[LeBron James]] 25 |points2=[[Stephen Curry]] 27
|rebounds1=[[Anthony Davis|Davis]], James 9 each |rebounds2=[[Draymond Green]] 10
|assist1=[[Austin Reaves]] 5 |assist2=Stephen Curry 8
|attendance=18,064
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], James Williams, Gediminas Petraitis
|series=LA Lakers lead series, 3–2
}} In a must-win situation, the Warriors rallied behind [[Stephen Curry]]'s 27 points and eight assists, along with [[Andrew Wiggins]]' 25 points and seven rebounds to avoid elimination. [[Draymond Green]] contributed 20 points and ten rebounds, while [[Gary Payton II]] scored 13 points. Golden State made seven of their 13 total three-pointers in the first quarter as they took an 11-point lead into halftime, with their 70 first half points marking the most they've scored since 2019. Meanwhile, the Lakers struggled with rebounding, being outrebounded 48–38 overall, along with committing 14 turnovers that led to 20 Warriors points. [[LeBron James]] had 25 points and nine rebounds, while [[Anthony Davis]] added 23 points and nine boards for Los Angeles.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 12 |time=10:00 pm {{small|(7:00 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Golden State Warriors]] |score1=101
|team2='''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' |score2='''122'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-lal-0042200236 Recap]
|Q1=26–'''31''' |Q2=20–'''25''' |Q3=31–'''35''' |Q4=24–'''31'''
|points1=[[Stephen Curry]] 32 |points2=[[LeBron James]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Kevon Looney]] 18 |rebounds2=[[Anthony Davis]] 20
|assist1=Curry, [[Klay Thompson|Thompson]] 5 each |assist2=LeBron James 9
|attendance=18,997
|referee=John Goble, Courtney Kirkland, Mark Lindsay
|series=LA Lakers win series, 4–2
}} After starting the season with a 2–10 record, the Lakers advanced to their second conference finals in four years and became just the second No. 7 seed to clinch a conference finals berth. [[LeBron James]] had 30 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, while [[Anthony Davis]] contributed 17 points and 20 rebounds. Additionally, [[Austin Reaves]] scored 23 points, including a 54-foot shot from midcourt at the halftime buzzer, as Los Angeles never trailed in the game. [[Stephen Curry]] scored a game-high 32 points, but [[Donte DiVincenzo]] was his only teammate to finish in double figures. [[Klay Thompson]] missed ten of his 12 three-point attempts as the [[Splash Brothers]] went dry when it mattered most, with Thompson going 10-of-36 from deep in the final four games, while Curry was 14-of-49. This series also marked the Warriors' first playoff series loss to a Western Conference opponent since 2014, having previously gone 19–0.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!LA Lakers won 3–1 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 18, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-gsw-0022200002 Recap]
| team1 = [[Los Angeles Lakers]] | score1 = 109
| team2 = '''[[Golden State Warriors]]''' | score2 = '''123'''
| place = [[Chase Center]], [[San Francisco|San Francisco, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 11, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-gsw-0022200853 Recap]
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 109
| team2 = Golden State Warriors | score2 = 103
| place = Chase Center, San Francisco, CA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = February 23, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-lal-0022200893 Recap]
| team1 = Golden State Warriors | score1 = 111
| team2 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score2 = '''124'''
| place = [[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = March 5, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/gsw-vs-lal-0022200964 Recap]
| team1 = Golden State Warriors | score1 = 105
| team2 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score2 = '''113'''
| place = Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
}}
|}

This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning six of the first seven meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=GSW&opp_id=LAL&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Golden State Warriors versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=April 30, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoff series
|-
!LA Lakers lead 6–1 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1967
| team1 = '''[[San Francisco Warriors]]''' | score1 = 3
| team2 = [[Los Angeles Lakers]] | score2 = 0
| place = [[1967 NBA playoffs#(1) San Francisco Warriors vs. (3) Los Angeles Lakers|1967 Western Division semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1968
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = San Francisco Warriors | score2 = 0
| place = [[1968 NBA playoffs#(2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) San Francisco Warriors|1968 Western Division finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1969
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = San Francisco Warriors | score2 = 2
| place = [[1969 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) San Francisco Warriors|1969 Western Division semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1973
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = [[Golden State Warriors]] | score2 = 1
| place = [[1973 NBA playoffs#(2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Golden State Warriors|1973 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1977
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Golden State Warriors | score2 = 3
| place = [[1977 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Golden State Warriors|1977 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1987
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Golden State Warriors | score2= 1
| place = [[1987 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Golden State Warriors|1987 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1991
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Golden State Warriors | score2 = 1
| place = [[1991 NBA playoffs#(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (7) Golden State Warriors|1991 Western Conference semifinals]]|
}}
|}

==Conference finals==
{{Main|NBA Conference finals}}
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

===Eastern Conference finals===
====(2) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Miami Heat====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 17 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''123'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=116
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0042200301 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''30''' |Q2=29–'''36''' |Q3='''46'''–25 |Q4=20–'''25'''
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 35 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 30
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 8 |rebounds2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 9
|assist1=Jimmy Butler 7 |assist2=[[Marcus Smart]] 11
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Marc Davis, Ed Malloy, [[Rodney Mott]]
|series=Miami leads series, 1–0
}} [[Jimmy Butler]] and the eight-seeded Heat rallied in the second half to win Game 1 on the road for the third straight series, becoming just the fifth team ever to do so. Trailing by nine at halftime, Miami scored a franchise playoff-record 46 points in the third quarter, as they were fueled by their success from beyond the arc, shooting over 50% from deep (16-of-31). Butler scored a game-high 35 points to go along with seven assists, six steals, and five rebounds. [[Bam Adebayo]] added 20 points, while [[Kyle Lowry]], [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]], [[Gabe Vincent]], and [[Max Strus]] each scored 15 points. [[Jayson Tatum]] led the Celtics with 30 points, but failed to attempt a shot in the fourth quarter. [[Jaylen Brown]] added 22 points and nine rebounds, while [[Malcolm Brogdon]] contributed 19 points. Although Boston narrowed the deficit to four points late in the fourth quarter, they ultimately fell short, dropping to 4–4 at home this postseason.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 19 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''111'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=105
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0042200302 Recap]
|Q1=24–'''25''' |Q2='''30'''–25 |Q3=21–'''33''' |Q4='''36'''–22
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 27 |points2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 34
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 17 |rebounds2=Jayson Tatum 13
|assist1=Bam Adebayo 9 |assist2=Jayson Tatum 8
|attendance=19,156
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], James Williams, [[Tyler Ford (referee)|Tyler Ford]]
|series=Miami leads series, 2–0
}} Similar to how they defeated the [[Milwaukee Bucks]] and [[New York Knicks]], the Heat overcame their sixth double-digit deficit of the playoffs to take a commanding 2–0 series lead back to Miami. [[Jimmy Butler]] scored 27 points, including nine points during an 18–4 run late in the fourth quarter that turned a nine-point deficit into a 105–100 lead. [[Bam Adebayo]] recorded 22 points, 17 rebounds, and nine assists, while [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] came off the bench and provided a season-high 25 points as the Heat became the first No. 8 seed to take a 2–0 series lead in the conference finals. Meanwhile, [[Jayson Tatum]] put up 34 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists, but he failed to make a field goal in the fourth quarter for the second straight game. [[Jaylen Brown]] did not fare well either, as he converted just seven of his 23 shot attempts and went 1-of-5 from the field in the fourth, as Miami outscored Boston 36–22 in the final quarter.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 21 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Boston Celtics]] |score1=102
|team2='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score2='''128'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0042200303 Recap]
|Q1=22–'''30''' |Q2=24–'''31''' |Q3=17–'''32''' |Q4='''39'''–35
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 14 |points2=[[Gabe Vincent]] 29
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 10 |rebounds2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 8
|assist1=[[Marcus Smart]] 8 |assist2=Jimmy Butler 6
|attendance=20,088
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Kevin Scott, [[Curtis Blair]]
|series=Miami leads series, 3–0
}} In a dominant team effort, the eight-seeded Heat improved to 6–0 at home this postseason and moved one win away from their sixth NBA Finals appearance in the last 13 seasons. [[Gabe Vincent]] scored a career-high 29 points on 11-of-14 shooting, [[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] scored 22, and [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] added 18 points, all of whom went undrafted. In addition, [[Jimmy Butler]] had 16 points and six assists, [[Bam Adebayo]] added 13, and [[Max Strus]] scored ten points for the Heat. For Boston, the [[All-NBA team|All-NBA]] duo of [[Jayson Tatum]] and [[Jaylen Brown]] were a no-show, as they combined for just 26 points on 12-of-35 (34%) from the field and 1-of-14 (7%) from three-point range. The Celtics also lacked effort on defense, as they allowed Miami to shoot 57% from the field and 54% from beyond the arc, resulting in a substantial 33-point deficit in the third quarter that prompted head coach [[Joe Mazzulla]] to empty his bench for the final 12 minutes.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 23 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''116'''
|team2=[[Miami Heat]] |score2=99
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0042200304 Recap]
|Q1=23–'''29''' |Q2=27–27 |Q3='''38'''–23 |Q4='''28'''–20
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 33 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 29
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 11 |rebounds2=Jimmy Butler 9
|assist1=Jayson Tatum 7 |assist2=[[Kyle Lowry]] 6
|attendance=20,147
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], John Goble, Courtney Kirkland
|series=Miami leads series, 3–1
}} Led by [[Jayson Tatum]]'s 33 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists, the Celtics fought off elimination and forced the series back to Boston. The Heat initially held a nine-point lead in the second half, but a 48–22 scoring run by Boston in just 14 minutes turned the game in their favor, as Tatum scored 25 of his 33 points in the second half. [[Jaylen Brown]] contributed 17 points and [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] added 16 points, while [[Grant Williams (basketball)|Grant Williams]], [[Al Horford]], and [[Marcus Smart]] each scored in double figures. [[Jimmy Butler]] led the Heat's efforts with 29 points and nine rebounds, while [[Gabe Vincent]] and [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] added 17 and 16 points, respectively. The Heat struggled from beyond the arc, shooting 8-of-32 (25%) from deep, while the Celtics made 18-of-45 (40%) three-pointers, creating a significant 30-point difference in scoring from long range. Boston also capitalized on Miami's mistakes, as they scored 27 points off 16 turnovers.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 25 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=97
|team2='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score2='''110'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0042200305 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''35''' |Q2=24–'''26''' |Q3=28–'''29''' |Q4='''25'''–20
|points1=[[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] 18 |points2=[[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] 24
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 8 |rebounds2=[[Al Horford]] 11
|assist1=Duncan Robinson 9 |assist2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 11
|attendance=19,156
|referee=Marc Davis, David Guthrie, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]]
|series=Miami leads series, 3–2
}} In front of their home crowd, the Celtics dominated the Heat from the jump, surging to a 23–7 lead that set the tone for the rest of the game as Boston moved two wins away from becoming the first NBA team ever to [[List of teams to overcome 3–0 series deficits|overcome a 3–0 series deficit]]. [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] scored 24 points and connected on six three-pointers, while [[Marcus Smart]] contributed 23 points and five steals. [[Jayson Tatum]] and [[Jaylen Brown]] each added 21 points as Boston improved to 4–0 in elimination games this postseason. With [[Gabe Vincent]] out with an ankle sprain, Miami struggled to find their offensive footing, as the Heat were forced into ten first-half turnovers that led to 17 Boston points. [[Duncan Robinson (basketball)|Duncan Robinson]] led Miami in scoring with 18 points, while [[Bam Adebayo]] contributed 16 points and eight rebounds. [[Jimmy Butler]], who had been averaging 30 points this postseason, finished with an underwhelming 14 points as Miami never led.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 27 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Boston Celtics]]''' |score1='''104'''
|team2=[[Miami Heat]] |score2=103
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0042200306 Recap]
|Q1='''34'''–29 |Q2=23–'''24''' |Q3='''22'''–19 |Q4=25–'''31'''
|points1=[[Jayson Tatum]] 31 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 24
|rebounds1=Jayson Tatum 12 |rebounds2=[[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]] 15
|assist1=[[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] 6 |assist2=Jimmy Butler 8
|attendance=20,201
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], Josh Tiven, James Williams
|series=Series tied, 3–3
}} With just a mere tenth of a second remaining on the clock, [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] emerged as the hero, scoring a crucial putback to secure the win for the Celtics, joining [[Michael Jordan]] as the second player in NBA history to hit a [[Buzzer beater|buzzer-beater]] with his team trailing and facing elimination. In addition, [[Jayson Tatum]] scored 31 points, [[Jaylen Brown]] scored 26, and [[Marcus Smart]] added 21 for Boston, who became only the fourth team to [[List of teams to overcome 3–0 series deficits|erase a 0–3 deficit]] and force a decisive game 7. For the Heat, the duo of [[Jimmy Butler]] and [[Bam Adebayo]] went 5-of-30 from the field in the first three quarters, combining for just 18 points. However, trailing by ten with under four minutes to go, Butler scored 13 of his 24 points during a 15–4 run that gave Miami the lead with three seconds left. After a Celtics timeout, White inbounded the ball to Smart, who missed a three-pointer, but White crashed the boards and scored the game-winning tip shot.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 29 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]] |TV=[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''103'''
|team2=[[Boston Celtics]] |score2=84
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0042200307 Recap]
|Q1='''22'''–15 |Q2='''30'''–26 |Q3=24–'''25''' |Q4='''27'''–18
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 28 |points2=[[Jaylen Brown]] 19
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo|Adebayo]], [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Martin]] 10 each |rebounds2=[[Jayson Tatum]] 11
|assist1=Bam Adebayo 7 |assist2=Jaylen Brown 5
|attendance=19,156
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Tony Brothers]], John Goble
|series=Miami wins series, 4–3
}} Following their defeat in a decisive seventh game against the Celtics last year, the Heat overcame the setback of squandering a 3–0 series lead to secure their second NBA Finals appearance in four seasons. [[Caleb Martin (basketball)|Caleb Martin]], who averaged just 9.6 points in the regular season, scored a playoff career-high 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting, finishing the series averaging 19.3 points. [[Jimmy Butler]] scored a game-high 28 points, while [[Bam Adebayo]] recorded his seventh double-double of the playoffs as the Heat became the first No. 8 seed to reach the Finals in a full 82-game regular season. The Celtics meanwhile were discombobulated from the start, as they missed their first 12 three-point attempts and finished the game shooting 21% from deep. [[Derrick White (basketball)|Derrick White]] scored 18 for Boston, and [[Jayson Tatum]] had 14 points with 11 rebounds after turning his ankle on the first play of the game. [[Jaylen Brown]] contributed 19 points and eight rebounds, but shot 1-of-9 from beyond the arc and committed a playoff-high eight turnovers as Boston lost their 12th playoff game at home over the last two postseasons.

Butler was awarded the second annual [[NBA Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award|Eastern Conference finals MVP]], averaging 24.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 6.1 assists on 42% from the field, 35% from beyond the arc, and 83% from the free-throw line. Had the Celtics won the game, they would have become the first NBA team to overcome the 3–0 series deficit (and second basketball team overall, after the [[Philippine Basketball Association|PBA]]'s [[San Miguel Beermen]] in the [[2015–16 PBA Philippine Cup Finals]]).<ref>{{Cite web|last=Marther|first=Victor|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/29/sports/basketball/miami-heat-boston-celtics-blow-series-lead.html|title=The Miami Heat Are on the Brink of Bad History|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=May 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530013223/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/29/sports/basketball/miami-heat-boston-celtics-blow-series-lead.html|archive-date=May 30, 2023|url-status=live|url-access=subscription|access-date=December 2, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 21, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0022200022 Recap]
| team1 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score1 = '''111'''
| team2 = [[Miami Heat]] | score2 = 104
| place = [[FTX Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = November 30, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0022200314 Recap]
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 121
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = '''134'''
| place = [[TD Garden]], [[Boston|Boston, MA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 2, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-bos-0022200328 Recap]
| team1 = '''Miami Heat''' | score1 = '''120'''
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 116 |overtime=OT
| place = TD Garden, Boston, MA
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = January 24, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/bos-vs-mia-0022200714 Recap]
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 95
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = '''98'''
| place = [[Miami-Dade Arena]], Miami, FL
}}
|}

This was the sixth playoff meeting between the two teams, with the Heat winning three of the first five meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=BOS&opp_id=MIA&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Miami Heat (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|date=May 14, 2023|access-date=May 14, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoffs series
|-
!Miami leads 3–2 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2010
| team1 = '''[[Boston Celtics]]''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = [[Miami Heat]] | score2 = 1
| place = [[2010 NBA playoffs#(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Miami Heat|2010 Eastern Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2011
| team1 = '''Miami Heat''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 1
| place = [[2011 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (3) Boston Celtics|2011 Eastern Conference semifinals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2012
| team1 = '''Miami Heat''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Boston Celtics | score2 = 3
| place = [[2012 NBA playoffs#(2) Miami Heat vs. (4) Boston Celtics|2012 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2020
| team1 = Boston Celtics | score1 = 2
| team2 = '''Miami Heat''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[2020 NBA playoffs#(3) Boston Celtics vs. (5) Miami Heat|2020 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2022
| team1 = Miami Heat | score1 = 3
| team2 = '''Boston Celtics''' | score2 = 4
| place = [[2022 NBA playoffs#(1) Miami Heat vs. (2) Boston Celtics|2022 Eastern Conference finals]]|
}}
|}

===Western Conference finals===
====(1) Denver Nuggets vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers====
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 16 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=126
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''132'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-den-0042200311 Recap]
|Q1=25–'''37''' |Q2=29–'''35''' |Q3='''38'''–34 |Q4='''34'''–26
|points1=[[Anthony Davis]] 40 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 34
|rebounds1=[[LeBron James]] 12 |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 21
|assist1=LeBron James 9 |assist2=Nikola Jokić 14
|attendance=19,633
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], [[Eric Lewis (referee)|Eric Lewis]], Ben Taylor
|series=Denver leads series, 1–0
}} Looking to advance to their first NBA Finals in their 47th season, the Nuggets got off on the right track, as [[Nikola Jokić]] recorded his sixth triple-double of the playoffs to propel Denver to a 1–0 series lead. Jokić notched 34 points, 21 rebounds, and 14 assists on 12-of-17 shooting as he outrebounded the Lakers by himself in the first half, 16 to 13. Jokić's performance was backed by his teammates, as five other Denver players finished in double figures, with [[Jamal Murray]] scoring 31 points on 60% shooting. For the Lakers, [[Anthony Davis]] finished with 40 points, while [[LeBron James]] put up 26 points, 12 boards, and nine assists. Los Angeles trailed by as many as 21 but they pulled within three points multiple times in the fourth quarter, with [[Austin Reaves]] scoring 11 of his 23 points in the final quarter. However, the Lakers couldn't fully recover from their slow start, as the Nuggets improved to 7–0 at home this postseason.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 18 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score1=103
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''108'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-den-0042200312 Recap]
|Q1=27–27 |Q2='''26'''–21 |Q3=26–'''28''' |Q4=24–'''32'''
|points1=[[LeBron James|James]], [[Austin Reaves|Reaves]] 22 each |points2=[[Jamal Murray]] 37
|rebounds1=[[Anthony Davis]] 14 |rebounds2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 17
|assist1=LeBron James 10 |assist2=Nikola Jokić 12
|attendance=19,742
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], David Guthrie, Brian Forte
|series=Denver leads series, 2–0
}} Behind [[Jamal Murray]]'s 23-point fourth quarter performance, the Nuggets took a commanding 2–0 series lead in the conference finals for the first time in franchise history. Although Murray was 5-of-17 from the field entering the fourth quarter, he shot 6-of-7 from the field and scored 23 of the Nuggets' 32 fourth quarter points. Murray's performance fueled a pivotal 15–1 run that gave Denver a lead they would not relinquish. [[Nikola Jokić]] also recorded his 13th playoff triple-double, contributing 23 points, 17 rebounds, and 12 assists as Denver moved to 39–4 at home this season with Jokić on the floor. Meanwhile, [[Rui Hachimura]] shot 7-for-7 in the first half and finished with 21 points for the Lakers, while [[Austin Reaves]] scored 22 points. However, the star duo of [[LeBron James]] and [[Anthony Davis]] shot a combined 13-of-34 from the floor, with James going 0-of-10 from beyond the arc in the first two games of the series.
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=May 20 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(5:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''119'''
|team2=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score2=108
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-lal-0042200313 Recap]
|Q1='''32'''–20 |Q2=26–'''35''' |Q3=26–'''27''' |Q4='''35'''–26
|points1=[[Jamal Murray]] 37 |points2=[[Anthony Davis]] 28
|rebounds1=[[Michael Porter Jr.]] 10 |rebounds2=Anthony Davis 18
|assist1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 8 |assist2=[[LeBron James]] 12
|attendance=18,997
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]], Mark Lindsay
|series=Denver leads series, 3–0
}} After the [[Memphis Grizzlies]] and [[Golden State Warriors]] were both blown out in their first road game against the Lakers, the Nuggets flipped the script, as they handed the Lakers their first home loss since March 26 and moved to the brink of their first NBA Finals appearance. Trailing by one with under eight minutes remaining, the Nuggets orchestrated a decisive 13–0 run, capitalizing on a disciplined team performance that yielded 30 assists to just five turnovers. [[Jamal Murray]] picked up where he left off in Game 2, as he scored 30 of his 37 points in the first half, while [[Nikola Jokić]] scored 15 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter. [[Anthony Davis]] led the Lakers with 28 points and 18 rebounds, [[LeBron James]] contributed 23 points and 12 assists, and [[Austin Reaves]] contributed 23 points and seven rebounds. However, Los Angeles lacked scoring depth, as [[Rui Hachimura]] was the only other player to reach double figures.
{{Basketballbox |date=May 22 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(5:30 pm [[Pacific Time Zone|PDT]])}} |place=[[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]] |TV=[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''113'''
|team2=[[Los Angeles Lakers]] |score2=111
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-lal-0042200314 Recap]
|Q1=28–'''34''' |Q2=30–'''39''' |Q3='''36'''–16 |Q4=19–'''22'''
|points1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 30 |points2=[[LeBron James]] 40
|rebounds1=Nikola Jokić 14 |rebounds2=[[Anthony Davis]] 14
|assist1=Nikola Jokić 13 |assist2=LeBron James 9
|attendance=18,997
|referee=Marc Davis, Josh Tiven, Tre Maddox
|series=Denver wins series, 4–0
}} The Nuggets exorcised their playoff demons against the Lakers and advanced to their first NBA Finals in their 47-year history. Denver faced a 15-point halftime deficit but opened the second half on a 36–14 run. Los Angeles tied the game in the closing minutes after erasing a seven-point deficit, but [[Nikola Jokić]]'s 25-foot fallaway three-pointer and go-ahead layup sealed the Nuggets' first playoff series sweep in franchise history. Jokić broke an NBA playoff record with his eighth triple-double of the playoffs, recording 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 13 assists, while [[Jamal Murray]] and [[Aaron Gordon]] contributed 25 and 22 points, respectively. [[LeBron James]] matched his playoff career-high as a Laker with 40 points, ten boards, and nine assists, as his 31 points in the first half marked the highest-scoring playoff half of his career. However, James missed critical shots, including a potential game-tying shot that was blocked by Gordon in the final seconds. [[Anthony Davis]] contributed 21 points and 14 rebounds, and [[Austin Reaves]] scored 17 points as the Lakers were swept for the 11th time in team history.

Jokić was awarded the second annual [[NBA Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award|Western Conference finals MVP]], averaging 27.8 points, 14.5 rebounds, and 11.8 assists on 51% from the field, 47% from beyond the arc, and 78% from the free-throw line.

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = October 26, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-den-0022200064 Recap]
| team1 = [[Los Angeles Lakers]] | score1 = 99
| team2 = '''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' | score2 = '''110'''
| place = [[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = October 30, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-lal-0022200095 Recap]
| team1 = Denver Nuggets | score1 = 110
| team2 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score2 = '''121'''
| place = [[Crypto.com Arena]], [[Los Angeles|Los Angeles, CA]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 16, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-lal-0022200437 Recap]
| team1 = Denver Nuggets | score1 = 108
| team2 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score2 = '''126'''
| place = Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, CA
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = January 9, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/lal-vs-den-0022200609 Recap]
| team1 = Los Angeles Lakers | score1 = 109
| team2 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score2 = '''122'''
| place = Ball Arena, Denver, CO
}}
|}

This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first seven meetings.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DEN&opp_id=LAL&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|access-date=May 13, 2023}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Previous playoffs series
|-
!LA Lakers lead 7–0 in all-time playoff series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1979
| team1 = [[Denver Nuggets]] | score1 = 1
| team2 = '''[[Los Angeles Lakers]]''' | score2 = 2
| place = [[1979 NBA playoffs#(4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) Los Angeles Lakers|1979 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1985
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 1
| place = [[1985 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (2) Denver Nuggets|1985 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 1987
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 3
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 0
| place = [[1987 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Denver Nuggets|1987 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2008
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 0
| place = [[2008 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Denver Nuggets|2008 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2009
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 2
| place = [[2009 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (2) Denver Nuggets|2009 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2012
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 3
| place = [[2012 NBA playoffs#(3) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (6) Denver Nuggets|2012 Western Conference First Round]]|
}}
{{basketballbox
| bg=#fff
| date = 2020
| team1 = '''Los Angeles Lakers''' | score1 = 4
| team2 = Denver Nuggets | score2 = 1
| place = [[2020 NBA playoffs#(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Denver Nuggets|2020 Western Conference finals]]|
}}
|}

==NBA Finals: (W1) Denver Nuggets vs. (E8) Miami Heat==
{{Main article|2023 NBA Finals}}
:''Note: Times are [[Eastern Time Zone|EDT]] ([[UTC−04:00|UTC−4]]) as listed by NBA. If the venue is located in a different time zone, the local time is also given.''

{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 1 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=93
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''104'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-den-0042200401 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''29''' |Q2=22–'''30''' |Q3=21–'''25''' |Q4='''30'''–20
|points1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 26 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 27
|rebounds1=Bam Adebayo 13 |rebounds2=[[Michael Porter Jr.]] 13
|assist1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 7 |assist2=Nikola Jokić 14
|attendance=19,528
|referee=Marc Davis, David Guthrie, Ed Malloy
|series=Denver leads series, 1–0
}}
{{Basketballbox |date=June 4 |time=8:00 pm {{small|(6:00 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Miami Heat]]''' |score1='''111'''
|team2=[[Denver Nuggets]] |score2=108
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-den-0042200402 Recap]
|Q1='''26'''–23 |Q2=25–'''34''' |Q3=24–'''26''' |Q4='''36'''–25
|points1=[[Gabe Vincent]] 23 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 41
|rebounds1=[[Kevin Love]] 10 |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 11
|assist1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 9 |assist2=[[Jamal Murray]] 10
|attendance=19,537
|referee=[[Zach Zarba]], John Goble, Courtney Kirkland
|series=Series tied, 1–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 7 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''109'''
|team2=[[Miami Heat]] |score2=94
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-mia-0042200403 Recap]
|Q1=24–24 |Q2='''29'''–24 |Q3='''29'''–20 |Q4='''27'''–26
|points1=[[Jamal Murray]] 34 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 28
|rebounds1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 21 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 17
|assist1=Jokić, Murray 10 each |assist2=[[Kyle Lowry|Lowry]], [[Max Strus|Strus]] 5 each
|attendance=20,019
|referee=[[Tony Brothers]], Josh Tiven, Kevin Scott
|series=Denver leads series, 2–1
}}
{{Basketballbox |date=June 9 |time=8:30 pm |place=[[Kaseya Center]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score1='''108'''
|team2=[[Miami Heat]] |score2=95
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-mia-0042200404 Recap]
|Q1=20–'''21''' |Q2='''35'''–30 |Q3='''31'''–22 |Q4=22–22
|points1=[[Aaron Gordon]] 27 |points2=[[Jimmy Butler]] 25
|rebounds1=[[Nikola Jokić]] 12 |rebounds2=[[Bam Adebayo]] 11
|assist1=[[Jamal Murray]] 12 |assist2=Butler, [[Kyle Lowry|Lowry]] 7 each
|attendance=20,184
|referee=[[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], James Williams, [[Bill Kennedy (referee)|Bill Kennedy]]
|series=Denver leads series, 3–1
}}
{{Basketballbox|bg=#eee |date=June 12 |time=8:30 pm {{small|(6:30 pm [[Mountain Time Zone|MDT]])}} |place=[[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]] |TV=[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|team1=[[Miami Heat]] |score1=89
|team2='''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' |score2='''94'''
|report=[https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-den-0042200405 Recap]
|Q1='''24'''–22 |Q2='''27'''–22 |Q3=20–'''26''' |Q4=18–'''24'''
|points1=[[Jimmy Butler]] 21 |points2=[[Nikola Jokić]] 28
|rebounds1=[[Bam Adebayo]] 12 |rebounds2=Nikola Jokić 16
|assist1=Jimmy Butler 5 |assist2=[[Jamal Murray]] 8
|attendance=19,537
|referee=Marc Davis, David Guthrie, Josh Tiven
|series=Denver wins series, 4–1
}}

{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
|+class="nowrap" | Regular-season series
|-
!Denver won 2–0 in the regular-season series
|-
|
{{basketballbox
| bg = #fff
| date = December 30, 2022
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/mia-vs-den-0022200535 Recap]
| team1 = [[Miami Heat]] | score1 = 119
| team2 = '''[[Denver Nuggets]]''' | score2 = '''124'''
| place = [[Ball Arena]], [[Denver|Denver, CO]]
}}
{{basketballbox
| date = February 13, 2023
| report = [https://www.nba.com/game/den-vs-mia-0022200861 Recap]
| team1 = '''Denver Nuggets''' | score1 = '''112'''
| team2 = Miami Heat | score2 = 108
| place = [[Miami-Dade Arena]], [[Miami|Miami, FL]]
}}
|}

This was the first playoff meeting between these two teams.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://stathead.com/basketball/rivals.cgi?request=1&team_id=DEN&opp_id=MIA&is_playoffs=Y|title=Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Miami Heat (Playoffs)|publisher=basketball-reference.com|date=May 30, 2023|access-date=May 30, 2023}}</ref>

==Statistical leaders==
{|class=wikitable style="text-align:left;"
|-
!rowspan=2|Category !!colspan=3|Game High !!colspan=4|Average
|-
! Player !! Team !! High !! Player !! Team !! Avg. !! {{tooltip|GP|Games played}}
|-
| [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| [[Jimmy Butler]]|| [[Miami Heat]] || 56
| [[Devin Booker]] || [[Phoenix Suns]] || 33.7 || 11
|-
| [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| [[Kevon Looney]] [[Anthony Davis]] || [[Golden State Warriors]] [[Los Angeles Lakers]] || 23
| Anthony Davis || Los Angeles Lakers || 14.1 || 16
|-
| [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
| [[Nikola Jokić]] || [[Denver Nuggets]] || 17
| [[Trae Young]] || [[Atlanta Hawks]] || 10.2 || 6
|-
| [[Steal (basketball)|Steals]]
| Jimmy Butler || Miami Heat || 6
| [[De'Aaron Fox]] || [[Sacramento Kings]] || 2.1 || 7
|-
| [[Block (basketball)|Blocks]]
| Anthony Davis || Los Angeles Lakers || 7
| Anthony Davis || Los Angeles Lakers || 3.1 || 16
|}

== Playoff Statistic Total Leaders ==
'''Points'''

# Nikola Jokić - 600
# Jimmy Butler - 592
# Jayson Tatum - 543
# Jamal Murray - 522
# Jaylen Brown - 453

'''Rebounds'''

# Nikola Jokić - 269
# Bam Adebayo - 227
# Anthony Davis - 225
# Jayson Tatum - 210
# Kevon Looney - 170

'''Assists'''

# Nikola Jokić - 190
# Jamal Murray - 142
# Jimmy Butler - 129
# Jayson Tatum - 105
# LeBron James - 104

'''Steals'''

# Jimmy Butler - 39
# Jamal Murray - 30
# Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - 26
# Marcus Smart - 25
# Kyle Lowry - 24

'''Blocks'''

# Anthony Davis - 50
# Al Horford - 34
# Robert Williams - 25
# Joel Embiid - 25
# Jayson Tatum - 21

==Media coverage==
In the United States, games aired nationally across [[NBA on ABC|ABC]], [[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]], [[NBA on TNT|TNT]], and [[NBA TV]]. Each team's regional broadcaster televised local coverage of first-round games, with the exception of weekend games on ABC.{{efn|Game 3 of the Cavaliers–Knicks first round series aired nationally on ABC and co-existed with the teams' respective regional sports networks.}} In general during the first two rounds, ABC broadcast Sunday afternoon games, TNT aired Sunday through Wednesday night games, and ESPN televised Friday night games. For Thursday night games, TNT had them in the first round and ESPN in the second round. NBA TV also televised selected Tuesday through Thursday night first-round games. ABC also aired a Friday night first-round game, and ESPN televised a Sunday afternoon second-round game due to ABC's coverage of the [[Miami Grand Prix]]. Saturday first-round games were split, with ESPN airing five games, TNT two games, and ABC one game. TNT then aired the opening Saturday second-round game (in place of any potential first-round game 7's that were originally scheduled on that day). ABC aired the remaining Saturday second-round games. As per the alternating rotation, ESPN/ABC had exclusive coverage of the Western Conference finals while TNT had exclusive coverage of the Eastern Conference finals. ABC had exclusive coverage of the NBA Finals for the 21st straight year.<ref>{{cite web|title=ESPN and ABC's star-studded 2022-23 NBA television schedule|url=https://www.nba.com/news/espn-and-abcs-star-studded-2022-23-nba-television-schedule|work=NBA.com|date=August 17, 2022|access-date=March 19, 2023|archive-date=March 19, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230319225334/https://www.nba.com/news/espn-and-abcs-star-studded-2022-23-nba-television-schedule|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=NBA Playoffs TV schedule|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-playoff-tv-schedule-2023-espn-abc-tnt-stream-live/|work=Sports Media Watch|access-date=April 14, 2023|archive-date=April 14, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230414054821/https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/nba-playoff-tv-schedule-2023-espn-abc-tnt-stream-live/|url-status=live}}</ref> Select ESPN broadcasts received an alternate presentation similar to [[Manningcast]], anchored by [[Stephen A. Smith]] on [[ESPN2]] and streamed on [[ESPN+]] as ''NBA in Stephen A's World''.<ref name="StevenA">{{cite web|url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2023/04/espns-nba-in-stephen-as-world-alternate-presentation-returns-april-12-for-nba-play-in-tournament-coverage/|title=ESPN's NBA in Stephen A's World Alternate Presentation Returns April 12 for NBA Play-In Tournament Coverage|last=Rajan|first=Ronce|publisher=ESPN Interactive|website=ESPNPressroom.com|date=April 11, 2023|access-date=April 17, 2023}}</ref>

NBA TV games were available on [[NBA League Pass]] as part of its normal streaming service for that channel.<ref name=NBATVRound1>{{cite press release|url=https://wbd.com/nba-tvs-2023-nba-playoffs-coverage-to-tip-off-with-atlanta-hawks-visiting-boston-celtics-first-round-game-2-on-tuesday-april-18-at-7-p-m-et/|title=NBA TV's 2023 NBA Playoffs Coverage to Tip Off with Atlanta Hawks Visiting Boston Celtics, First Round Game 2, on Tuesday, April 18, at 7 p.m. ET |publisher=Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc|website=www.wbd.com|date=April 14, 2023}}</ref> Only selected ESPN/ABC games streamed live on ESPN+. For other games, live streams were only available for pay-TV subscribers via [[authenticated streaming]] on ESPN and TNT's respective apps.<ref name=StevenA/><ref name=ESPNRound1>{{cite web|url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2023/04/espn-platforms-to-televise-at-least-12-first-round-games-as-nba-playoffs-presented-by-google-pixel-begin/|title=ESPN Platforms to Televise at Least 12 First Round Games as NBA Playoffs Presented by Google Pixel Begin|last=Hughes Martin|first=Katie|publisher=ESPN Interactive|website=ESPNPressroom.com|date=April 13, 2023|access-date=April 17, 2023}}</ref><ref name=TNTRound1>{{cite press release|url=https://wbd.com/nba-on-tnts-2023-nba-playoffs-coverage-to-tip-off-with-three-games-on-sunday-april-16-followed-by-daily-doubleheaders-monday-april-17-thursday-april-20/|title=NBA on TNT's 2023 NBA Playoffs Coverage to Tip Off with Three Games on Sunday, April 16, Followed by Daily Doubleheaders, Monday, April 17-Thursday, April 20|publisher=Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc|website=www.wbd.com|date=April 14, 2023}}</ref> In Canada, coverage was split between [[Sportsnet]] and [[The Sports Network|TSN]], with both simulcasting the U.S. national feed.

=== Most viewed playoff games ===

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Rank || Round || Date || Game || class="unsortable" | Away team || class="unsortable" | Score || class="unsortable" | Home team || Network || data-sort-type="number" | Viewers (millions) || data-sort-type="number" | TV rating
|-
|1
|[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]
|June 12
|Game 5
|[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]
|89–94
|'''[[2022-23 Denver Nuggets season|Nuggets]]'''
|rowspan="1"|[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|13.08<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=NBA Finals ends with four-year Game 5 high|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-ratings-nuggets-heat-most-watched-game-five-four-years/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 13, 2023|access-date=June 13, 2023}}</ref>
|7.0
|-
|2
|[[2023 NBA playoffs#(2) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Miami Heat|Eastern Conference Finals]]
|May 29
|Game 7
|'''[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]'''
|103–84
|[[2022-23 Boston Celtics season|Celtics]]
|rowspan="1"|[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|12.00<ref name="Lewis">{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Twelve million viewers for Heat-Celtics Game 7|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/05/heat-celtics-ratings-game-seven-viewership-most-watched-years-tnt/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 1, 2023|access-date=June 17, 2023}}</ref>
|5.8
|-
|3
|[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]
|June 4
|Game 2
|'''[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]'''
|111–108
|[[2022-23 Denver Nuggets season|Nuggets]]
|rowspan="5"|[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|11.91<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=NBA Finals Game 2 viewership same as last year|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-ratings-game-two-viewership-same-last-year-heat-nuggets/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 6, 2023|access-date=June 6, 2023|archive-date=June 6, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606154920/https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-ratings-game-two-viewership-same-last-year-heat-nuggets/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|6.0
|-
|4
|[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]
|June 1
|Game 1
|[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]
|93–104
|'''[[2022-23 Denver Nuggets season|Nuggets]]'''
|11.58<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Heat-Nuggets opens within 3% of C's-Warriors|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-game-1-ratings-heat-nuggets-nearly-matches-celtics-warriors/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 5, 2023|access-date=June 5, 2023|archive-date=June 5, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230605183302/https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-game-1-ratings-heat-nuggets-nearly-matches-celtics-warriors/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|6.0
|-
|5
|[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]
|June 7
|Game 3
|'''[[2022-23 Denver Nuggets season|Nuggets]]'''
|109–94
|[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]
|11.24<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Nuggets-Heat again just slightly off last year's pace|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nuggets-heat-finals-ratings-viewership-down-slightly-warriors-celtics/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 8, 2023|access-date=June 9, 2023|archive-date=June 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609032550/https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nuggets-heat-finals-ratings-viewership-down-slightly-warriors-celtics/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|6.0
|-
|6
|[[2023 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]]
|June 9
|Game 4
|'''[[2022-23 Denver Nuggets season|Nuggets]]'''
|108–95
|[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]
|10.41<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Nuggets-Heat hits series-low in Game 4|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/06/nba-finals-ratings-game-four-nuggets-heat-least-watched/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=June 12, 2023|access-date=June 12, 2023}}</ref>
|5.4
|-
|7
|[[2023 NBA playoffs#(3) Sacramento Kings vs. (6) Golden State Warriors|Western Conference First Round]]
|April 30
|Game 7
|'''[[2022-23 Golden State Warriors season|Warriors]]'''
|120–100
|[[2022-23 Sacramento Kings season|Kings]]
|9.84<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Warriors-Kings finale nears 10 million, top first round game since '99|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/05/warriors-kings-game-7-ratings-abc-nba-playoffs-viewership-heat-knicks/|date=May 2, 2023|access-date=June 17, 2023}}</ref>
|5.0
|-
|8
|[[2023 NBA playoffs#(2) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Miami Heat|Eastern Conference Finals]]
|May 27
|Game 6
|'''[[2022-23 Boston Celtics season|Celtics]]'''
|104–103
|[[2022-23 Miami Heat season|Heat]]
|rowspan="1"|[[NBA on TNT|TNT]]
|8.71<ref name="Lewis"/>
|4.0
|-
|9
|[[2023 NBA playoffs#(6) Golden State Warriors vs. (7) Los Angeles Lakers|Western Conference Semifinals]]
|May 12
|Game 6
|[[2022-23 Golden State Warriors season|Warriors]]
|101–122
|'''[[2022-23 Los Angeles Lakers season|Lakers]]'''
|rowspan="1"|[[NBA on ESPN|ESPN]]
|8.64<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Lakers-Warriors most-watched semifinal series since 1996|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/05/lakers-warriors-ratings-viewership-series-high-game-six/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=May 15, 2023|access-date=June 17, 2023}}</ref>
|4.3
|-
|10
|[[2023 NBA playoffs#(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers|Eastern Conference Semifinals]]
|May 14
|Game 7
|[[2022-23 Philadelphia 76ers season|76ers]]
|88–112
|'''[[2022-23 Boston Celtics season|Celtics]]'''
|rowspan="1"|[[NBA on ABC|ABC]]
|8.44<ref>{{cite web|last=Lewis|first=Jon|title=Celtics' Game 7 rout of Sixers latest big number for NBA|url=https://www.sportsmediawatch.com/2023/05/celtics-sixers-game-seven-ratings-abc-nba-playoff-viewership-strong/|work=Sports Media Watch|date=May 15, 2023|access-date=June 17, 2023}}</ref>
|3.9
|}

==Sponsorship==
For the second straight year, the playoffs were officially known as the "2023 NBA Playoffs presented by Google Pixel". During the multiyear agreement with [[Google Pixel]], this sponsorship provided the logo branding inside the venues and in official digital properties on-court, as well as commercial inventory during ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV's telecasts of the playoff games.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://theathletic.com/news/nba-reaches-deal-to-make-google-pixel-first-presenting-partner-of-nba-playoffs/vdNiFbAdZ5JR/|title=NBA reaches deal to make Google Pixel first presenting partner of NBA playoffs|website=TheAthletic.com|date=October 18, 2021|access-date=March 31, 2023|archive-date=December 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221224182327/https://theathletic.com/news/nba-reaches-deal-to-make-google-pixel-first-presenting-partner-of-nba-playoffs/vdNiFbAdZ5JR/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==See also==
* [[NBA records]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|Sports}}
*[https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_2023.html Basketball – Reference.com's 2023 Playoffs section]

{{NBAPlayoffs}}
{{2022–23 NBA season by team}}

[[Category:2022–23 NBA season|Playoffs]]
[[Category:National Basketball Association playoffs]]