The 1985 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1984–85 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was named NBA Finals MVP for the second time (he had won the award under his birth name, Lew Alcindor, as a Buck in 1971).
The Lakers had been unsuccessful in their previous eight attempts to defeat the Celtics in the NBA Finals, losing 7 times from 1959–1969 and 1984. The Lakers, moreover, won the title in Boston, something no other NBA team would accomplish until 2022, and would be the only road team to clinch the title at Boston Garden.
The Cavaliers made the playoffs for the first time since 1978.
It was also the first time that all three teams from Texas made the playoffs in the same year.
The Denver Nuggets advanced to the conference finals for the first time since 1978 and would not advance that far again until 2009. The Philadelphia 76ers, on the other hand, advanced to the conference finals for the fifth time in six years, but would not reach that level again until 2001.
It was also the first time that Turner Broadcasting was covering the playoffs as TBS was the home for some playoff games.
Games 3 and 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals at the Spectrum forced a Phil Collins concert at the arena to be canceled so that he would play the Philadelphia half of Live Aid, as noted by Charlie Van Dyke when he sub-hosted an episode of American Top 40 on July 6 of that year.
Bracket
First round
Eastern Conference first round
(1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Cleveland Cavaliers
Dennis Johnson blocks a World B. Free 3 with 2 seconds left.
+Regular-season seriesBoston won 6–0 in the regular-season series
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first meeting. +Previous playoff seriesBoston leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
(2) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (7) Chicago Bulls
Michael Jordan hits his first playoff game-winner with 22 seconds left.
+Regular-season seriesTied 3–3 in the regular-season series
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bucks winning the first meeting. +Previous playoff seriesMilwaukee leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (6) Washington Bullets
+Regular-season seriesPhiladelphia won 4–2 in the regular-season series
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bullets winning two of the first three meetings. +Previous playoff seriesWashington leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series
(4) Detroit Pistons vs. (5) New Jersey Nets
+Regular-season seriesNew Jersey won 5–1 in the regular-season series
This was the first playoff meeting between the Nets and the Pistons.
Western Conference first round
(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Phoenix Suns
+Regular-season seriesLos Angeles won 5–1 in the regular-season series
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first four meetings. +Previous playoff seriesLos Angeles leads 4–0 in all-time playoff series
(2) Denver Nuggets vs. (7) San Antonio Spurs
+Regular-season seriesTied 3–3 in the regular-season series
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Spurs winning the first meeting. +Previous playoff seriesSan Antonio leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
(3) Houston Rockets vs. (6) Utah Jazz
+Regular-season seriesTied 3–3 in the regular-season series
This was the first playoff meeting between the Jazz and the Rockets.
(4) Dallas Mavericks vs. (5) Portland Trail Blazers
+Regular-season seriesDallas won 4–1 in the regular-season series
This was the first playoff meeting between the Mavericks and the Trail Blazers.
Conference semifinals
Eastern Conference semifinals
(1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Detroit Pistons
+Regular-season seriesBoston won 4–2 in the regular-season series
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first meeting. +Previous playoff seriesBoston leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
(2) Milwaukee Bucks vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers
+Regular-season seriesTied 3–3 in the regular-season series
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the 76ers winning three of the first four meetings. +Previous playoff seriesPhiladelphia leads 3–1 in all-time playoff series
Western Conference semifinals
(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Portland Trail Blazers
The CBS coverage of this game would mark the final on-air assignment for Frank Glieber (calling the game alongside James Brown); as Glieber died from a heart attack three days later at the age of 51.
+Regular-season seriesLos Angeles won 5–1 in the regular-season series
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning one series apiece. +Previous playoff seriesTied 1–1 in all-time playoff series
(2) Denver Nuggets vs. (6) Utah Jazz
+Regular-season seriesDenver won 4–2 in the regular-season series
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Jazz winning the first meeting. +Previous playoff seriesUtah leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
Conference finals
Eastern Conference finals
(1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers
Larry Bird makes the game-saving steal from Andrew Toney in the closing seconds to help the Celtics advance to the Finals.
+Regular-season seriesTied 3–3 in the regular-season series
This was the 18th playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning nine of the first 17 meetings. +Previous playoff seriesBoston leads 9–8 in all-time playoff series
Western Conference finals
(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (2) Denver Nuggets
Dan Issel's final NBA game.
+Regular-season seriesLos Angeles won 3–2 in the regular-season series
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first meeting. +Previous playoff seriesLos Angeles leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series
NBA Finals: (E1) Boston Celtics vs. (W1) Los Angeles Lakers
"Memorial Day Massacre"
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar breaks Jerry West's all-time playoff scoring record.
Dennis Johnson hits the game-winner at the buzzer.
The Lakers become the only road team to win the NBA title in Boston Garden. They were the last visitor to win the title in Boston until the Golden State Warriors did it in the 2022 NBA Finals at TD Garden.
+Regular-season seriesTied 1–1 in the regular-season series
This was the ninth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning the first eight meetings. +Previous playoff seriesBoston leads 8–0 in all-time playoff series
Statistical leaders Category Game high Average Player Team High Player Team Avg. Points Larry BirdRolando Blackman Boston CelticsDallas Mavericks 43 Rolando Blackman Dallas Mavericks 32.8 4 Rebounds Ralph Sampson Houston Rockets 24 Ralph Sampson Houston Rockets 16.6 5 Assists Magic Johnson Los Angeles Lakers 23 Magic Johnson Los Angeles Lakers 15.2 19 Steals Julius ErvingKareem Abdul-JabbarClyde DrexlerPaul PresseyMoses Malone Philadelphia 76ersLos Angeles LakersPortland Trail BlazersMilwaukee BucksPhiladelphia 76ers 5 Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls 2.8 4 Blocks Mark Eaton Utah Jazz 10 Mark Eaton Utah Jazz 5.8 5
References
External links Basketball-Reference.com's 1985 NBA Playoffs page
fi:NBA-kausi 1984–1985#Pudotuspelit