1999 NBA playoffs
1999 NBA playoffs
Main page

1999 NBA playoffs

logo
Community Hub0 subscribers

1999 NBA playoffs

logo
Community Hub0 subscribers
What are your thoughts?
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
1999 NBA playoffs

The 1999 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association’s 1998-99 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs defeating the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks 4 games to 1. Tim Duncan was named NBA Finals MVP.

The 1999 Playoffs are memorable in part because a #8 seed (the Knicks) made it to the Finals for the first time in history, following a lockout–shortened 50–game season. It was one of only two NBA Finals to include a #8 seed, the other occurring in 2023.

The Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks returned to the playoffs for the first time since 1991 (coincidentally they faced each other in the opening round that year), and it was also the 76ers’ first appearance since drafting Allen Iverson with the #1 overall pick in 1996. Iverson later led the Sixers to the 2001 NBA Finals.

After spending their first thirteen seasons in Sacramento in mediocrity, with no winning record and two playoff appearances in 1986 and 1996, the Kings franchise made the first of eight consecutive playoff appearances, which included a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2002. This was their first winning record since 1982–83, which they were based in Kansas City.

The Bulls, despite being defending champions, missed the playoffs for the first time since 1984 (mostly due to the second retirement of Michael Jordan and the departures of Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman). They also became the first defending champion since the 1969–70 Boston Celtics to miss the playoffs.

With their first round sweep of the Phoenix Suns, the Portland Trail Blazers won a playoff series for the first time since 1992, when they last made the NBA Finals.

Game 4 of the Lakers–Rockets series was the final postseason appearance of Charles Barkley’s Hall of Fame career. It was also the final playoff game ever held at the Compaq Center.

Game 5 of the Hawks–Pistons series is the last NBA playoff game played in a college basketball-specific arena (Georgia Tech's then-named Alexander Memorial Coliseum), and among the final NBA games played in a college basketball-specific arena. Many teams formerly played playoff games on college campuses, especially in the NBA's early days, but the increasing professionalization and ownership of arena times made the practice obsolete.

See all
User Avatar
No comments yet.