Dates | April 12-June 5, 1977 |
---|---|
Season | 1976-77 |
Teams | 12 |
Champions | Portland Trail Blazers (1st title) |
Runners-up | Philadelphia 76ers (5th finals appearance) |
Semifinalists | |
The 1977 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1976-77 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Portland Trail Blazers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. It was Portland's first (and so far , only) NBA title. Bill Walton was named NBA Finals MVP.
Portland won the NBA title in its first playoff appearance, something that had not taken place since the early days of the BAA (and has not since, as of 2020). The Trail Blazers went 10-0 at home in the playoffs.
This was the first NBA playoffs after the ABA-NBA merger; two of the former ABA teams (the San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets) made their playoff debuts in their first NBA season. The New Jersey Nets made their playoff debut in 1979, and the Indiana Pacers in 1981.
The NBA Playoffs added 1 more team from each conference, for a total of 12 contestants, up from 10 the previous year. Also, the two division winners in each conference were automatically given a first-round bye and started the playoffs in the conference semifinals.
This was the Detroit Pistons last playoff appearance of the decade and their last as a Western Conference team as they would move to the East in 1978. They would not make the postseason again until 1984.
After losing in the semifinals to Los Angeles, the Golden State Warriors wouldn't return to the playoffs again until 1987.
For the first time since 1956, the Eastern Conference Finals had neither the Celtics nor Knicks participating.
The referees went on strike during these playoffs. Two high-profile veterans, Richie Powers and Earl Strom, did not honor the strike and stayed on the job.
It was the first time since 1950 that the NBA Champion had to win 4 rounds.
1st round | Conference semifinals | Conference finals | NBA Finals | |||||||||||||||
1 | Los Angeles | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
4 | Golden State | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
4 | Golden State | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
5 | Detroit | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
1 | Los Angeles | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
Western Conference | ||||||||||||||||||
3 | Portland | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
3 | Portland | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
6 | Chicago | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
3 | Portland | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
2 | Denver | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
W3 | Portland | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
E1 | Philadelphia | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
1 | Philadelphia | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
4 | Boston | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
4 | Boston | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
5 | San Antonio | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
1 | Philadelphia | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
Eastern Conference | ||||||||||||||||||
2 | Houston | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
3 | Washington | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
6 | Cleveland | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
3 | Washington | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
2 | Houston | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
Champion: Portland Trail Blazers
(1) Los Angeles Lakers & (2) Denver Nuggets have first round byes.
(3) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (6) Chicago Bulls: Blazers win series 2-1
Last playoff meeting: This is the first meeting between the Bulls and the Trail Blazers.
(4) Golden State Warriors vs. (5) Detroit Pistons: Warriors win series 2-1
Last playoff meeting: 1976 Western Conference Semifinals (Golden State won 4-2)
(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Golden State Warriors: Lakers win series 4-3
Last playoff meeting: 1973 Western Conference Finals (Los Angeles won 4-1)
(2) Denver Nuggets vs. (3) Portland Trail Blazers: Blazers win series 4-2
Last playoff meeting: This was the first meeting between the Nuggets and the Trail Blazers.
(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Portland Trail Blazers: Blazers win series 4-0
Last playoff meeting: This is the first meeting between the Lakers and the Trail Blazers.
Champion: Philadelphia 76ers
(1) Philadelphia 76ers & (2) Houston Rockets have first round byes.
(3) Washington Bullets vs. (6) Cleveland Cavaliers: Bullets win series 2-1
Last playoff meeting: 1976 Eastern Conference Semifinals (Cleveland won 4-3)
(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) San Antonio Spurs: Celtics win series 2-0
Last playoff meeting: This is the first meeting between the Celtics and the Spurs.
(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (4) Boston Celtics: 76ers win series 4-3
Last playoff meeting: 1969 Eastern Division Semifinals (Boston won 4-1)
(2) Houston Rockets vs. (3) Washington Bullets: Rockets win series 4-2
Last playoff meeting: This is the first meeting between the Rockets and the Bullets.
(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (2) Houston Rockets: 76ers win series 4-2
Last playoff meeting: This is the first meeting between the Rockets and the 76ers.
(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (3) Portland Trail Blazers: Blazers win series 4-2
Last playoff meeting: This is the first meeting between the 76ers and the Trail Blazers.