2004 NBA playoffs


The 2004 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2003–04 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals. Chauncey Billups was named NBA Finals MVP.
The Minnesota Timberwolves, after missing the playoffs their first seven seasons and losing in the first round the next seven, won their first two playoff series in 2004 before losing to the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. , these are the Wolves' only two series victories. The Timberwolves would not make the playoffs again until 2018.
The Indiana Pacers made the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since their NBA Finals run in 2000, after which they significantly changed the makeup of their team. Game 2 of the series with the Pistons was pivotal, as Tayshaun Prince blocked a lay-up by Reggie Miller late in the game to preserve the victory; the Pistons won 4–2.
The 2004 playoffs was the first appearance for the Memphis Grizzlies in their 9-year history which began in Vancouver. However, they failed to win a single game in their first 3 playoff appearances, before earning their first playoff game and series victories in 2011.
This was the last playoff appearance for the New York Knicks until 2011, when they would be swept in the first round.
The Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz missed the playoffs for the first time since 1982 and 1983, respectively.
This was the Denver Nuggets' first playoff appearance since 1995.
The New Orleans Hornets made their final postseason appearance as a member of the East. They would not make the playoffs again until 2008, as a member of the West. Their playoff series with the Miami Heat, led by Dwyane Wade, was the last playoff series where the home team won all 7 games until 2008's Boston–Atlanta and Boston–Cleveland playoff series.
2004 was the first time in 14 years that all Texas teams made the playoffs, and the second time that all former ABA teams made the playoffs.
The Rockets returned to the playoffs for the first time since 1999. They lost to the Lakers in five games of the opening round. This was Steve Francis' only career playoff appearance.

Playoff qualifying

Eastern Conference

Best record in NBA

The Indiana Pacers clinched the best record in the NBA, and had earned home court advantage throughout the entire playoffs. However, when Indiana lost to the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals, home court advantage for the NBA Finals switched to the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers, who had posted a better regular season record at 56-26 than the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons at 54-28.

Clinched a playoff berth

The following teams clinched a playoff berth in the East:
  1. Indiana Pacers
  2. Detroit Pistons
  3. New Jersey Nets
  4. Miami Heat
  5. New Orleans Hornets
  6. Milwaukee Bucks
  7. New York Knicks
  8. Boston Celtics

    Western Conference

Best record in conference

The Minnesota Timberwolves clinched the best record in the Western Conference, and had home court advantage throughout the Western Conference playoffs. However, when Minnesota lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, the Lakers gained home court advantage for the NBA Finals because the Lakers posted a better regular season record at 56-26 than the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons at 54-28.

Clinched a playoff berth

The following teams clinched a playoff berth in the West:
  1. Minnesota Timberwolves
  2. San Antonio Spurs
  3. Los Angeles Lakers
  4. Sacramento Kings
  5. Dallas Mavericks
  6. Memphis Grizzlies
  7. Houston Rockets
  8. Denver Nuggets

    Bracket

New jersey 3rd
Los angeles 3rd

Eastern Conference

Champion: Detroit Pistons

First Round

(1) Indiana Pacers vs. (8) Boston Celtics

Indiana won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first three meetings.
Boston leads 3–0 in all-time playoff series

(2) New Jersey Nets vs. (7) New York Knicks

New Jersey won 3–1 in the regular-season series


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

(3) Detroit Pistons vs. (6) Milwaukee Bucks

Detroit won 3–1 in the regular-season series


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

(4) Miami Heat vs. (5) New Orleans Hornets

Miami won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Heat and the New Orleans Pelicans/Hornets franchise.

Conference Semifinals

(1) Indiana Pacers vs. (4) Miami Heat

Indiana won 3–0 in the regular-season series


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

(3) Detroit Pistons vs. (2) New Jersey Nets

Tied 2–2 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

Conference Finals: (1) Indiana Pacers vs. (3) Detroit Pistons

Indiana won 3–1 in the regular-season series


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

Western Conference

Champion: Los Angeles Lakers

First Round

(1) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (8) Denver Nuggets

Minnesota won 3–1 in the regular-season series


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

(2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (7) Houston Rockets

Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series


This was the seventh playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning three series apiece.
Tied 3–3 in all-time playoff series

(3) San Antonio Spurs vs. (6) Memphis Grizzlies

Memphis won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the first playoff meeting between the Grizzlies and the Spurs.

(4) Sacramento Kings vs. (5) Dallas Mavericks

Dallas 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

Conference Semifinals

(1) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (4) Sacramento Kings

Minnesota won 3–1 in the regular-season series


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

(3) San Antonio Spurs vs. (2) Los Angeles Lakers

In the final seconds of Game 5, Tim Duncan hits a fadeaway shot over Shaquille O'Neal to give the Spurs the lead, but with 0.4 seconds left, Derek Fisher off the inbounds pass hits a miracle buzzer beater to give the Lakers the victory.
Los Angeles won 3–1 in the regular-season series


This was the tenth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning six of the first nine meetings.
Los Angeles leads 6–3 in all-time playoff series

Conference Finals: (1) Minnesota Timberwolves vs. (2) Los Angeles Lakers

Minnesota won 3–1 in the regular-season series


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

NBA Finals: (W2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (E3) Detroit Pistons

Tied 1–1 in the regular-season series


This was the 12th playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning nine of the first 11 meetings.
Los Angeles leads 9–2 in all-time playoff series