1998 NBA playoffs


The 1998 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1997–98 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls defeating the Western Conference champion Utah Jazz 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. The Bulls also achieved a second three peat, a goal unrivaled since the Boston Celtics in 1966. The 1998 playoffs was the last involving the Jordan-led Bulls. Michael Jordan was named NBA Finals MVP for the sixth and final time.
The Indiana Pacers took the Bulls to the limit in the Eastern Conference Finals, becoming 1 of only 2 teams to force a Game 7 in the Bulls' title years. This team was later named by Pacers.com as the greatest in franchise history, even better than the 2000 team that won the Eastern Conference Title, primarily due to their record.
The New Jersey Nets made the playoffs for the first time since 1994, but did not appear again until 2002. Their presence was a mere asterisk compared to what they accomplished in 2002, getting swept by the eventual champion Bulls.
The Cleveland Cavaliers lost to Indiana in the first round 3–1 and did not appear again until 2006.
The Los Angeles Lakers advanced to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 1991. They were ultimately swept by the Jazz.
Game 5 of the Jazz-Rockets series would be the final game of Clyde Drexler's career.

Bracket

Playoff qualifying

Western Conference

Home court advantage

The Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls tied for the best record in the NBA. However, Utah won the season series 2–0 and was awarded home court advantage throughout the playoffs.

Clinched a playoff berth

The following teams clinched a playoff berth in the West:
  1. Utah Jazz
  2. Seattle SuperSonics
  3. Los Angeles Lakers
  4. Phoenix Suns
  5. San Antonio Spurs
  6. Portland Trail Blazers
  7. Minnesota Timberwolves
  8. Houston Rockets

    Eastern Conference

Best record in conference

The Chicago Bulls clinched the best record in the East, and earned home court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Clinched a playoff berth

The following teams clinched a playoff berth in the East:
  1. Chicago Bulls
  2. Miami Heat
  3. Indiana Pacers
  4. Charlotte Hornets
  5. Atlanta Hawks
  6. Cleveland Cavaliers
  7. New York Knicks
  8. New Jersey Nets

    Western Conference

Champion: Utah Jazz

First Round

(1) [Utah Jazz] vs. (8) [Houston Rockets]

Game 5 is Clyde Drexler's final NBA game.
Utah won 4–0 in the regular-season series


This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning two series apiece.
Tied 2–2 in all-time playoff series

(4) [Phoenix Suns] vs. (5) [San Antonio Spurs]

Phoenix won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Suns winning two of the first three meetings.
Phoenix leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series

(2) [Seattle SuperSonics] vs. (7) [Minnesota Timberwolves]

Seattle won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Timberwolves and the SuperSonics.

(3) [Los Angeles Lakers] vs. (6) [Portland Trail Blazers]

Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series


This was the eighth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning five of the first seven meetings.
Los Angeles leads 5–2 in all-time playoff series

Conference Semifinals

(1) [Utah Jazz] vs. (5) [San Antonio Spurs]

Utah won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Jazz winning the first two meetings.
Utah leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series

(2) [Seattle SuperSonics] vs. (3) [Los Angeles Lakers]

Seattle won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the seventh playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning four of the first six meetings.
Los Angeles leads 4–2 in all-time playoff series

Conference Finals

(1) [Utah Jazz] vs. (3) [Los Angeles Lakers]

Los Angeles won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning one series apiece.
Tied 1–1 in all-time playoff series

Eastern Conference

Champion: Chicago Bulls

First Round

(1) [Chicago Bulls] vs. (8) [New Jersey Nets]

Chicago won 4–0 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Bulls and the Nets.

(4) [Charlotte Hornets] vs. (5) [Atlanta Hawks]

Atlanta won 4–0 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Hawks and the Hornets.

(2) [Miami Heat] vs. (7) [New York Knicks]

Mourning-Johnson fight in Game 4.
Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series


This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Heat winning the first meeting.
Miami leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series

(3) [Indiana Pacers] vs. (6) [Cleveland Cavaliers]

Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Cavaliers and the Pacers.

Conference Semifinals

(1) [Chicago Bulls] vs. (4) [Charlotte Hornets]

Chicago won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bulls winning the first meeting.
Chicago leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series

(3) [Indiana Pacers] vs. (7) [New York Knicks]

In Game 4, Reggie Miller hits the game-tying 3 with 5.1 seconds left to force OT.
Indiana won 2–1 in the regular-season series


This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Knicks winning two of the first three meetings.
New York leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series

Conference Finals

(1) [Chicago Bulls] vs. (3) [Indiana Pacers]

In Game 4, Reggie Miller hits the game-winning 3 with 7 tenths left.
Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Bulls and the Pacers.

NBA Finals

[Chicago Bulls] vs. [Utah Jazz]

Utah won 2–0 in the regular-season series


This was the second NBA Finals meeting between these two teams, with the Bulls winning the first meeting.
Chicago leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series