The 1986 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1985–86 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. Larry Bird was named NBA Finals MVP for the second time.
This was the second NBA Finals meeting between the Celtics and Rockets; they met in the 1981 NBA Finals with the same result. It was the third of four straight Eastern Conference championships for Boston, who won 67 games that year, and went 40–1 at home. The Rockets, meanwhile had won just their second conference title in franchise history.
Second-year player Michael Jordan put on a record-setting performance in Game 2 of the Bulls' first-round series against the Celtics, scoring 63 points in a 2-OT loss, which surpassed Elgin Baylor's 61-point performance from the 1962 NBA Finals and still stands as the NBA Playoff scoring record. Jordan averaged 43.7 points per game in the series but was unable to prevent the Bulls from being swept by a more experienced, more talented Celtics team. The Bulls set a dubious mark by posting the second worst record for a playoff-qualifying team in history, going just 30–52 during the season. Game 2, where the record was set, was ranked by TV Guide as the 26th Most Memorable Moment in Television History, and is credited with boosting the NBA's popularity surge and eventual rise to near the top of the United States television sports market, trailing only football by the mid-90s.
The 1986 playoffs marked the third time in four years that the Milwaukee Bucks advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, but it would be their last appearance in the series until 2001. The Celtics avenged their 1983 sweep by sweeping the Bucks in four games.
As for the Philadelphia 76ers, this was the last time they would play in a Game 7 until 2001. After their first round loss to the Atlanta Hawks, the Detroit Pistons would advance past the first round in each of the next five seasons (1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991), which include all appearances in the conference finals, three NBA Finals, and two championships.
After moving from Kansas City, where the franchise played its previous thirteen seasons, the Sacramento Kings made their first postseason appearance in their first season in its new city.
Bracket
First round
Eastern Conference first round
(1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Chicago Bulls
Michael Jordan hits the game-tying free throws with no time left in regulation to force the first OT; Danny Ainge hits the game-tying lay-up with 12 seconds left in the first OT to force the second OT. Michael Jordan's 63 points scored is an NBA playoff record As it turned out, this was George Gervin's final NBA game, as he played in Europe for a few seasons afterwards.
+Regular-season seriesBoston won 5–1 in the regular-season series
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first meeting. +Previous playoff seriesBoston leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
(2) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (7) New Jersey Nets
+Regular-season seriesMilwaukee won 4–2 in the regular-season series
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bucks winning the first meeting. +Previous playoff seriesMilwaukee leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) Washington Bullets
Dudley Bradley hits the game-winning 3 capping off a rally from 17 points down.
+Regular-season seriesTied 3–3 in the regular-season series
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning two of the first four meetings. +Previous playoff seriesTied 2–2 in all-time playoff series
(4) Atlanta Hawks vs. (5) Detroit Pistons
+Regular-season seriesAtlanta won 4–2 in the regular-season series
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Hawks winning two of the first three meetings while in St. Louis. +Previous playoff seriesAtlanta/ St. Louis leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series
Western Conference first round
(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) San Antonio Spurs
+Regular-season seriesLos Angeles won 4–1 in the regular-season series
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first two meetings. +Previous playoff seriesLos Angeles leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series
(2) Houston Rockets vs. (7) Sacramento Kings
+Regular-season seriesHouston won 4–2 in the regular-season series
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Rockets winning the first meeting. +Previous playoff seriesHouston leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
(3) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Portland Trail Blazers
This is the most recent playoff series between the Nuggets & Trail Blazers until 2019.
+Regular-season seriesDenver won 3–2 in the regular-season series
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Trail Blazers winning the first meeting. +Previous playoff seriesPortland leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
(4) Dallas Mavericks vs. (5) Utah Jazz
+Regular-season seriesDallas won 5–1 in the regular-season series
This was the first playoff meeting between the Jazz and the Mavericks.
Conference semifinals
Eastern Conference semifinals
(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Atlanta Hawks
Hawks only scored 1 field goal in the third quarter.
+Regular-season seriesBoston won 6–0 in the regular-season series
This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning six of the first seven meetings. +Previous playoff seriesBoston leads 6–1 in all-time playoff series
(2) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers
Charles Barkley's goaltending on Craig Hodges with 29 seconds left; Bob McAdoo's and Bobby Jones' final NBA game.
+Regular-season seriesMilwaukee won 4–1 in the regular-season series
This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the 76ers winning four of the first five meetings. +Previous playoff seriesPhiladelphia leads 4–1 in all-time playoff series
Western Conference semifinals
(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Dallas Mavericks
Derek Harper redeemed himself from his 1984 mistake by hitting the game-winning 3 with 3 seconds left.
+Regular-season seriesLos Angeles won 4–1 in the regular-season series
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first meeting. +Previous playoff seriesLos Angeles leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
(2) Houston Rockets vs. (3) Denver Nuggets
+Regular-season seriesTied 3–3 in the regular-season series
This was the first playoff meeting between the Nuggets and the Rockets.
Conference finals
Eastern Conference finals
(1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Milwaukee Bucks
+Regular-season seriesBoston won 5–0 in the regular-season series
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning two of the first three meetings. +Previous playoff seriesBoston leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series
Western Conference finals
(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (2) Houston Rockets
Ralph Sampson hits the famous off-balanced series winner at the buzzer; Hakeem Olajuwon was ejected in the fourth quarter for fighting Lakers forward Mitch Kupchak.
+Regular-season seriesLos Angeles won 4–1 in the regular-season series
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Rockets winning the first meeting. +Previous playoff seriesHouston leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
NBA Finals: (E1) Boston Celtics vs. (W2) Houston Rockets
+Regular-season seriesBoston won 2–0 in the regular-season series
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first three meetings. +Previous playoff seriesBoston leads 3–0 in all-time playoff series
Statistical leaders Category Game high Average Player Team High Player Team Avg. Points Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls 63 Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls 43.7 3 Rebounds Ralph SampsonCharles Barkley Houston RocketsPhiladelphia 76ers 22 Charles Barkley Philadelphia 76ers 15.8 12 Assists Magic Johnson Los Angeles Lakers 20 Magic Johnson Los Angeles Lakers 15.1 14 Steals Craig Hodges Milwaukee Bucks 8 Artis GilmoreMichael JordanAlvin Robertson San Antonio SpursChicago BullsSan Antonio Spurs 2.3 3 Blocks Manute Bol Washington Bullets 9 Manute Bol Washington Bullets 5.8 5
References
External links Basketball-Reference.com's 1986 NBA Playoffs page
fi:NBA-kausi 1985–1986#Pudotuspelit