The NBA’s Biggest Playoff Win in History
Contents
- The NBA’s biggest playoff win in history
- The teams involved in the biggest playoff win
- The players who made the biggest impact in the game
- The fans who witnessed the biggest playoff win
- The aftermath of the biggest playoff win
- The legacy of the biggest playoff win
- The impact of the biggest playoff win on the NBA
- The significance of the biggest playoff win for the teams involved
- The importance of the biggest playoff win for the players involved
- The meaning of the biggest playoff win for the fans who witnessed it
On April 28, 1986, the Boston Celtics won the NBA Finals against the Houston Rockets giving them the biggest playoff win in NBA history
The NBA’s biggest playoff win in history
On May 7th, 1985, the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Boston Celtics in game seven of the NBA Finals The final score was 111-102, giving the Lakers a4-2 series victory. This was the Lakers’ ninth championship, and cemented their place as one of the NBA’s all-time great dynasties.
The teams involved in the biggest playoff win
The Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers are two of the most iconic teams in the NBA. They have a long-standing rivalry that extends beyond the basketball court Recently, the two teams met in the playoffs for what was one of the most anticipated match-ups in recent memory.
The Boston Celtics came into the series as the heavy favorite. They had one of the best records in the league and were led by All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving The Los Angeles Lakers on the other hand, were considered to be an underdog. They were led by rookie point guard Lonzo Ball
Despite being the underdog, the Lakers managed to win Game One of the series. This was a huge upset and it set the tone for the rest of the series. The Lakers went on to win three more games and they ended up winning the series 4-2.
This was arguably the biggest playoff win in history. It is certainly one of the most memorable moments in recent memory.
The players who made the biggest impact in the game
When it comes to the NBA playoffs there have been some incredible team performances over the years. But which players have had the biggest impact on their team’s success?
Here are the top 10 players in terms of playoff win shares* since the basketball-reference database began tracking the stat in 1985:
Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls (1990-91): 14.6 win shares
Lebron James Miami Heat (2012-13): 11.9 win shares
Hakeem Olajuwon Houston Rockets (1993-94): 11.4 win shares
Dwyane Wade Miami Heat (2005-06): 10.7 win shares
Tim Duncan San Antonio Spurs (2001-02): 10.5 win shares
Charles Barkley Phoenix Suns (1992-93): 10.2 win shares
Shaquille O’Neal, Los Angeles Lakers (2000-01): 9.9 win shares
Larry Bird Boston Celtics (1985-86): 9.6 win shares
Magic Johnson Los Angeles Lakers (1987-88): 9.4 win shares
Scottie Pippen Chicago Bulls (1991-92): 8.9 win shares
*Win share is a stat that attempts to measure a player’s contribution to their team’s success and is expressed as a number of games won.
The fans who witnessed the biggest playoff win
On May 7, 1994, the New York Knicks beat the Houston Rockets 90-84 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals to win their first championship in more than two decades. The victory capped an improbable run for a team that had finished the regular season with a record of just 27-23.
For Knicks fans, it was a momentous occasion. Many of them had grown up watching the team lose year after year, and now they were finally able to see their team hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
But for one fan in particular, it was an even more special moment. John Starks who played a pivotal role in the Knicks’ victory with 28 points and eight assists, was able to celebrate with his father, John Sr., who had never seen his son play in an NBA game before.
John Sr. had always been supportive of his son’s career, but he had never been able to see him play in person because he lived in Oklahoma and the Knicks were based in New York. But thanks to the wonders of modern technology, he was able to watch the game on television and share in his son’s triumph.
The aftermath of the biggest playoff win
It was the single biggest playoff win in NBA history and when it was over the Boston Celtics danced on their home court in triumph. The Los Angeles Lakers had come in boasting a 16-game Winning Streak with many experts predicting they would win easily. But the Celtics were having none of it, crushing the defending champions 129-96.
The game was close for a while, with the Lakers even leading by 6 points at halftime. But in the second half, the Celtics took control, outscoring the Lakers by 28 points. It was a complete rout, and when it was over there was no doubt who the better team was.
The Celtics will now go on to face the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, while the Lakers will head home to lick their wounds and try to figure out what went wrong.
The legacy of the biggest playoff win
In 2012, the Miami Heat came from behind to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 4 of the NBA Finals The win not only helped the Heat even the series at two games apiece, but it also cemented LeBron James’ legacy as one of the greatest players in NBA history
Since that time, the Heat have gone on to win two more championships, but that Game 4 victory will always be remembered as one of the most important moments in franchise history.
The impact of the biggest playoff win on the NBA
On May 7, 1996, the Chicago Bulls set an NBA Playoff record by defeating the Miami Heat 115-114 in overtime. The victory gave the Bulls a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series and was the largest margin of victory in an NBA playoff game up to that point.
The win had a significant impact on the NBA. First, it showed that the Bulls were a force to be reckoned with and that they could not be taken lightly. Second, it showed that the Heat were not as good as they thought they were and that they needed to make some changes if they wanted to compete with the best teams in the league. Lastly, it showed that the NBA was becoming more competitive and that any team could win on any given night.
What made this win even more impressive was that it came against a Miami team that had won 62 games during the regular season The Heat were a team on the rise and were expected to give the Bulls a tough series. But after this loss, they would go on to lose the next two games by an even larger margin, ultimately losing the series in five games.
This win was a sign of things to come for the Bulls, who would go on to win three more championships in 1996, 1997, and 1998. It was also a sign of things to come for the NBA, which would become more competitive in subsequent years.
The significance of the biggest playoff win for the teams involved
In the NBA, the term “playoff” refers to the postseason tournament held at the end of every season to determine the champion. The playoffs are a single-elimination tournament, meaning that once a team loses, they are out of the running for the title.
The biggest playoff win in NBA history took place on May 7, 2018, when the Golden State Warriors defeated the Houston Rockets by a score of 115-86. This was not only the biggest win in Playoff History but it was also the biggest margin of victory in any game, Regular Season or playoffs.
For the Warriors, this win was particularly significant because it sent them to the Finals for the fourth consecutive year. This is an unprecedented feat in NBA history and it cemented Golden State’s place as one of the best teams ever assembled. For the Rockets, this loss was crushing because they had been one of the best teams all season and were favored to win the title.
The importance of the biggest playoff win for the players involved
In the NBA, the playoffs are where legacies are made. The biggest moments and performances in league history have come in the playoffs, and the players who have done it always seem to find a way to rise to the occasion when it matters most.
For the players on the court, the importance of winning in the playoffs can’t be overstated. It’s not just about winning a championship; it’s about proving that you’re one of the best players in the world, and that you can perform when it matters most.
The biggest playoff win in NBA history happened on May 7, 1998, when the Chicago Bulls defeated the Utah Jazz in Game 6 of the NBA Finals The Bulls were led by Michael Jordan who scored 45 points in what would be his final game with the team.
The win was a defining moment for Jordan and cemented his legacy as one of the greatest players of all time. It also solidified the Bulls as one of the greatest teams in NBA history
The meaning of the biggest playoff win for the fans who witnessed it
The Boston Celtics’ 2007-2008 season will be remembered for many reasons. It was the team’s first championship season in 22 years. It was also the year of the “Big Three” – Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce – who led the team to an impressive 66-16 regular season record. But for many fans, the most memorable moment of that season was not the Championship game itself, but rather the Celtics’ game 7 second round playoff victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers
With the score tied at 97 and less than a minute remaining in regulation, Celtics guard Rajon Rondo drove to the basket and made a layup to give his team a two-point lead. The Cavaliers had one last chance to tie the game, but Lebron James missed a jump shot as time expired, giving the Celtics a 101-99 victory and a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals
For Celtics fans, this was more than just a Big Win it was a symbolic victory over a longtime rival. The Cavaliers had been one of the best teams in the NBA for several years, and they had always seemed to find a way to beat the Celtics when it mattered most. But in this game, with everything on the line, it was the Celtics who came out on top. And for those fans who witnessed it, it was a moment they will never forget.