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^[update], 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.

Bracket

Western Conference

1st Round

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

• Game 1 @ Portland (April 12): Portland 96, Chicago 83
• Game 2 @ Chicago (April 15): Chicago 107, Portland 104
• Game 3 @ Portland (April 17): Portland 106, Chicago 98

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

• Game 1 @ Golden State (April 12): Detroit 95, Golden State 90
• Game 2 @ Detroit (April 14): Golden State 138, Detroit 108
• Game 3 @ Golden State (April 17): Golden State 109, Detroit 101
  • Game 2 was the last NBA playoff game in the city of Detroit until 2019.

Last playoff meeting: 1976 Western Conference Semifinals (Golden State won 4-2)

Conference Semifinals

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Golden State Warriors: Lakers win series 4-3

• Game 1 @ Los Angeles (April 20): Los Angeles 115, Golden State 106
• Game 2 @ Los Angeles (April 22): Los Angeles 95, Golden State 86
• Game 3 @ Golden State (April 24): Golden State 109, Los Angeles 105
• Game 4 @ Golden State (April 26): Golden State 114, Los Angeles 103
• Game 5 @ Los Angeles (April 29): Los Angeles 112, Golden State 105
• Game 6 @ Golden State (May 1): Golden State 115, Los Angeles 106
• Game 7 @ Los Angeles (May 4): Los Angeles 97, Golden State 84

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

• Game 1 @ Denver (April 20): Portland 101, Denver 100
• Game 2 @ Denver (April 22): Denver 121, Portland 110
• Game 3 @ Portland (April 24): Portland 110, Denver 106
• Game 4 @ Portland (April 26): Portland 105, Denver 96
• Game 5 @ Denver (May 1): Denver 114, Portland 105 (OT)
• Game 6 @ Portland (May 2): Portland 108, Denver 92

Last playoff meeting: This was the first meeting between the Nuggets and the Trail Blazers.

Conference Finals

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Portland Trail Blazers: Blazers win series 4-0

• Game 1 @ Los Angeles (May 6): Portland 121, Los Angeles 109
• Game 2 @ Los Angeles (May 8): Portland 99, Los Angeles 97
• Game 3 @ Portland (May 10): Portland 102, Los Angeles 97 (Bill Walton's famous dunk on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar)
• Game 4 @ Portland (May 13): Portland 105, Los Angeles 101

Last playoff meeting: This is the first meeting between the Lakers and the Trail Blazers.

Eastern Conference

Champion: Philadelphia 76ers

1st Round

(1) Philadelphia 76ers & (2) Houston Rockets have first round byes.

(3) Washington Bullets vs. (6) Cleveland Cavaliers: Bullets win series 2-1

• Game 1 @ Washington (April 13): Washington 109, Cleveland 100
• Game 2 @ Cleveland (April 15): Cleveland 91, Washington 83 (Nate Thurmond's final NBA game)
• Game 3 @ Washington (April 17): Washington 104, Cleveland 98

Last playoff meeting: 1976 Eastern Conference Semifinals (Cleveland won 4-3)

(4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) San Antonio Spurs: Celtics win series 2-0

• Game 1 @ Boston (April 12): Boston 104, San Antonio 94
• Game 2 @ San Antonio (April 15): Boston 113, San Antonio 109

Last playoff meeting: This is the first meeting between the Celtics and the Spurs.

Conference Semifinals

(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (4) Boston Celtics: 76ers win series 4-3

• Game 1 @ Philadelphia (April 17): Boston 113, Philadelphia 111 (Jo Jo White's buzzer-beater)
• Game 2 @ Philadelphia (April 20): Philadelphia 113, Boston 101
• Game 3 @ Boston (April 22): Philadelphia 109, Boston 100
• Game 4 @ Boston (April 24): Boston 124, Philadelphia 119
• Game 5 @ Philadelphia (April 27): Philadelphia 110, Boston 91
• Game 6 @ Boston (April 29): Boston 113, Philadelphia 108
• Game 7 @ Philadelphia (May 1): Philadelphia 83, Boston 77

Last playoff meeting: 1969 Eastern Division Semifinals (Boston won 4-1)

(2) Houston Rockets vs. (3) Washington Bullets: Rockets win series 4-2

• Game 1 @ Houston (April 19): Washington 111, Houston 101
• Game 2 @ Houston (April 21): Houston 124, Washington 118 (OT)
• Game 3 @ Washington (April 24): Washington 93, Houston 90
• Game 4 @ Washington (April 26): Houston 107, Washington 103
• Game 5 @ Houston (April 29): Houston 123, Washington 115
• Game 6 @ Washington (May 1): Houston 108, Washington 103

Last playoff meeting: This is the first meeting between the Rockets and the Bullets.

Conference Finals

(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (2) Houston Rockets: 76ers win series 4-2

• Game 1 @ Philadelphia (May 5): Philadelphia 128, Houston 117
• Game 2 @ Philadelphia (May 8): Philadelphia 106, Houston 97
• Game 3 @ Houston (May 11): Houston 118, Philadelphia 94
• Game 4 @ Houston (May 13): Philadelphia 107, Houston 95
• Game 5 @ Philadelphia (May 15): Houston 118, Philadelphia 115
• Game 6 @ Houston (May 17): Philadelphia 112, Houston 109 (Controversial charging foul on John Lucas wipes out game-tying field goal with 5 seconds left)

Last playoff meeting: This is the first meeting between the Rockets and the 76ers.

NBA Finals

(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (3) Portland Trail Blazers: Blazers win series 4-2

• Game 1 @ Philadelphia (May 22): Philadelphia 107, Portland 101
• Game 2 @ Philadelphia (May 26): Philadelphia 107, Portland 89 (Notable for a brawl between the Blazers' Maurice Lucas and the 76ers' Darryl Dawkins)
• Game 3 @ Portland (May 29): Portland 129, Philadelphia 107 (Bill Walton's two famous plays of tipping the ball against Darryl Dawkins off an alley-oop from Bob Gross, then dunking the ball off of Dave Twardzik's steal and alley-oop pass)
• Game 4 @ Portland (May 31): Portland 130, Philadelphia 98
• Game 5 @ Philadelphia (June 3): Portland 110, Philadelphia 104
• Game 6 @ Portland (June 5): Portland 109, Philadelphia 107 (Portland becomes the second team in finals history, after the 1969 Celtics, to overcome a 2-0 series deficit)

Last playoff meeting: This is the first meeting between the 76ers and the Trail Blazers.

External links

• Basketball-Reference.com's 1977 NBA Playoffs page