1973 NBA Playoffs
Encyclopedia
The 1973 NBA Playoffs
was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association
's 1972-1973 season
. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference
champion New York Knicks
defeating the Western Conference
champion Los Angeles Lakers
, four games to one in the NBA Finals
. The Knicks won their second (and , most recent) NBA championship. New York's Willis Reed
became the first player to win the NBA Finals MVP twice, in the fifth year of the award's existence.
The playoff format was modified, as only the divisional champions qualified automatically; two wild-cards were also added from each conference. Once qualification was determined, the four qualifiers were seeded 1-2-3-4 based entirely on record; divisional position no longer mattered. The #1 seed then played #4, and #2 played #3. Because of this new format, New York, the Atlantic Division runner-up, had the home-court advantage versus the Baltimore Bullets
, the Central Division champion, since the Knicks had the better regular-season record. The Bullets had had the home-court advantage in the 1972 playoffs versus the Knicks and in the 1971 playoffs versus Philadelphia, even though their record was worse than New York's and Philadelphia's were those seasons, because they had won their division, while the '72 Knicks and '71 76ers were runners-up.
This was the second consecutive time (and third in the last four years) that the Lakers and Knicks met in the championship series, and the Lakers-Knicks rivalry ended with two championships won by the Knicks and one by the Lakers. Los Angeles would have to wait until 1980
to return to the finals; New York would not be back in the championship round until 1994
.
Conference Semifinals
(1) Milwaukee Bucks
vs. (4) Golden State Warriors
:
Warriors win series 4-2
(2) Los Angeles Lakers
vs. (3) Chicago Bulls
:
Lakers win series 4-3
Conference Finals
(2) Los Angeles Lakers
vs. (4) Golden State Warriors
:
Lakers win series 4-1
Conference Semifinals
(1) Boston Celtics
vs. (4) Atlanta Hawks
:
Celtics win series 4-2
(2) New York Knicks
vs. (3) Baltimore Bullets
:
Knicks win series 4-1
Conference Finals
(1) Boston Celtics
vs. (2) New York Knicks
:
Knicks win series 4-3
VS. (2) New York Knicks
:
Knicks win series 4-1
NBA Playoffs
The National Basketball Association Playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament among sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference , ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the NBA Conference Finals.-Format:Following the NBA regular season, eight teams in...
was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
's 1972-1973 season
1972-73 NBA season
The 1972–73 NBA season was the 27th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the New York Knicks winning the NBA Championship, beating the Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals.- Notable occurrences :...
. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference
Eastern Conference (NBA)
The Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, organized in three divisions of five teams each.The three division winners and the non-division winner with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 for the playoffs in order of their records, with all...
champion New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
defeating the Western Conference
Western Conference (NBA)
Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
champion Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
, four games to one in the NBA Finals
1973 NBA Finals
For the third time in four seasons, the New York Knicks of the Eastern Conference met the Los Angeles Lakers of the Western Conference for the NBA World Championship in the 1973 NBA Finals...
. The Knicks won their second (and , most recent) NBA championship. New York's Willis Reed
Willis Reed
Willis Reed, Jr. is a retired American basketball player, coach and manager of basketball teams. He spent his entire professional playing career with the New York Knicks. In 1982, his outstanding record and achievements were recognized by his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall...
became the first player to win the NBA Finals MVP twice, in the fifth year of the award's existence.
The playoff format was modified, as only the divisional champions qualified automatically; two wild-cards were also added from each conference. Once qualification was determined, the four qualifiers were seeded 1-2-3-4 based entirely on record; divisional position no longer mattered. The #1 seed then played #4, and #2 played #3. Because of this new format, New York, the Atlantic Division runner-up, had the home-court advantage versus the Baltimore Bullets
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
, the Central Division champion, since the Knicks had the better regular-season record. The Bullets had had the home-court advantage in the 1972 playoffs versus the Knicks and in the 1971 playoffs versus Philadelphia, even though their record was worse than New York's and Philadelphia's were those seasons, because they had won their division, while the '72 Knicks and '71 76ers were runners-up.
This was the second consecutive time (and third in the last four years) that the Lakers and Knicks met in the championship series, and the Lakers-Knicks rivalry ended with two championships won by the Knicks and one by the Lakers. Los Angeles would have to wait until 1980
1980 NBA Playoffs
The 1980 NBA Playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1979-1980 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers four games to two in the Finals...
to return to the finals; New York would not be back in the championship round until 1994
1994 NBA Playoffs
The 1994 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1993-94 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets defeating the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals...
.
Western Conference
Champion: Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
Conference Semifinals
(1) Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
vs. (4) Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
:
Warriors win series 4-2
- Game 1 @ Milwaukee: Milwaukee 110, Golden State 90
- Game 2 @ Milwaukee: Golden State 95, Milwaukee 92
- Game 3 @ Golden State: Milwaukee 113, Golden State 93
- Game 4 @ Golden State: Golden State 102, Milwaukee 97
- Game 5 @ Milwaukee: Golden State 100, Milwaukee 97
- Game 6 @ Golden State: Golden State 100, Milwaukee 86
(2) Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
vs. (3) Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
:
Lakers win series 4-3
- Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 107, Chicago 104
- Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 108, Chicago 93
- Game 3 @ Chicago: Chicago 96, Los Angeles 86
- Game 4 @ Chicago: Chicago 98, Los Angeles 94
- Game 5 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 123, Chicago 102
- Game 6 @ Chicago: Chicago 101, Los Angeles 93
- Game 7 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 95, Chicago 92
Conference Finals
(2) Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
vs. (4) Golden State Warriors
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in Oakland, California. They are part of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
:
Lakers win series 4-1
- Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 101, Golden State 99
- Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 104, Golden State 93
- Game 3 @ Golden State: Los Angeles 126, Golden State 70
- Game 4 @ Golden State: Golden State 117, Los Angeles 109
- Game 5 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 128, Golden State 118
Eastern Conference
Champion: New York KnicksNew York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
Conference Semifinals
(1) Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
vs. (4) Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association .-The first years:...
:
Celtics win series 4-2
- Game 1 @ Boston: Boston 134, Atlanta 109
- Game 2 @ Atlanta: Boston 126, Atlanta 113
- Game 3 @ Boston: Atlanta 118, Boston 105
- Game 4 @ Atlanta: Atlanta 97, Boston 94
- Game 5 @ Boston: Boston 108, Atlanta 101
- Game 6 @ Atlanta: Boston 121, Atlanta 103
(2) New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
vs. (3) Baltimore Bullets
Baltimore Bullets
Baltimore Bullets has been the name of three different basketball franchises:* Baltimore Bullets , an American Basketball League franchise and National Basketball Association franchise that folded in 1954....
:
Knicks win series 4-1
- Game 1 @ New York: New York 95, Baltimore 83
- Game 2 @ New York: New York 123, Baltimore 103
- Game 3 @ Baltimore: New York 103, Baltimore 96
- Game 4 @ Baltimore: Baltimore 97, New York 89
- Game 5 @ New York: New York 109, Baltimore 99
Conference Finals
(1) Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
vs. (2) New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
:
Knicks win series 4-3
- Game 1 @ Boston: Boston 134, New York 108
- Game 2 @ New York: New York 129, Boston 96
- Game 3 @ Boston: New York 98, Boston 91
- Game 4 @ New York: New York 117, Boston 110
- Game 5 @ Boston: Boston 98, New York 97
- Game 6 @ New York: Boston 110, New York 100
- Game 7 @ Boston: New York 94, Boston 78
NBA finals
(2) Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
VS. (2) New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
:
Knicks win series 4-1
- Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 115, New York 112
- Game 2 @ Los Angeles: New York 99, Los Angeles 95
- Game 3 @ New York: New York 87, Los Angeles 83
- Game 4 @ New York: New York 103, Los Angeles 98
- Game 5 @ Los Angeles: New York 102, Los Angeles 93 (Wilt ChamberlainWilt ChamberlainWilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
’s final NBA game)