1986 Western Conference Semifinals vs Jazz

Lore & Background

The franchise began with the Rochester Seagrams (a semi-professional team) from Rochester, New York, that formed in 1923. They joined the National Basketball League in 1945 as the renamed Rochester Royals, winning that league's championship in their first season, 1945–46. In 1948 they jumped with three other NBL teams to the Basketball Association of America, which later merged with the NBL to form the NBA. As the Royals, the team won the NBA championship in 1951. The team relocated to Cincinnati before the 1957–58 season, becoming the Cincinnati Royals. Before the 1972–73 season, the team relocated again to Kansas City, Missouri, and was renamed the Kansas City–Omaha Kings, later truncated to Kansas City Kings. The franchise moved after the 1984–85 season to Sacramento, playing the entire 1985–86 season as the Sacramento Kings.

In Their Own Story

The arena hummed with nervous energy as the Kings took the court for Game 7 in Salt Lake City. The hardwood seemed to vibrate under the weight of expectation, every pass and dribble echoing louder than usual. Mitch Richmond drove hard to the basket, his jersey fluttering, but the Jazz defense held firm, a wall of determination that refused to break until the very final buzzer.

Reader's Guide

The Kings' best seasons in Sacramento were in the early 2000s, including a very successful 2001–02 season when they had the best record in the NBA at 61–21. Between 2006 and 2022, the Kings had 16 consecutive losing seasons, the most in NBA history. The Kings also had the longest active postseason drought in the four major North American sports, which started in 2006 and lasted until 2023. The franchise has the most losses in NBA history.

Did You Know?

• The Kings are the oldest team in the NBA.
• The franchise won its only NBA championship in 1951 as the Rochester Royals.
• The Kings had 16 consecutive losing seasons from 2006 to 2022, the most in NBA history.
• The team's longest postseason drought started in 2006 and lasted until 2023.

Tournament Overview and Finals Outcome

The postseason tournament for the 2001–02 season concluded with the Los Angeles Lakers securing the championship by sweeping the New Jersey Nets four games to zero in the NBA Finals. This victory marked a significant milestone as it was the first time since 1995 that a team swept an entire Finals series. Shaquille O'Neal dominated the competition, earning the NBA Finals MVP award for the third consecutive year during this campaign. The tournament structure itself held historical significance, representing the final postseason where the initial round consisted of best-of-five series before expanding to seven games in 2003. A total of seventy playoff games were played throughout the bracket. Additionally, this era marked a transition in television broadcasting rights, with Game Four of the Finals being the last telecast on NBC until the 2025-26 season, as ESPN and ABC took over following ownership changes involving the Walt Disney Company.

Western Conference Controversy

The Western Conference Finals between the two-time defending champion Lakers and the Sacramento Kings remains one of the most debated series in league history. Despite the Kings clinching the best record in the NBA to earn home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, they fell short against Los Angeles. Widespread criticism emerged regarding officiating decisions that appeared to favor the Lakers, particularly during Game Six. Years later, disgraced referee Tim Donaghy alleged that the crew fixing the game acted at the behest of the league's front office. The Lakers ultimately won in seven games, marking the first time since 1982 that a road team secured victory in a conference finals Game Seven. This outcome prevented a potential matchup between Boston and Los Angeles in the championship series, as the Nets had advanced past the Celtics to reach the Finals for the franchise's inaugural appearance.

Eastern Conference Resurgences

Several franchises experienced significant returns or milestones during this postseason. The Boston Celtics returned to the playoffs after a seven-year absence, last appearing in 1995, and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1988. Similarly, the New Jersey Nets reached the conference finals for the first time in franchise history after defeating the Charlotte Hornets. This victory marked their first best-of-seven series win ever. The Nets also won a playoff series against the Indiana Pacers for the first time since 1984. In Game Three of the Eastern Conference Finals, Boston engineered a massive comeback, overcoming a twenty-one-point deficit to win ninety-four to ninety. Meanwhile, the Charlotte Hornets made their last playoff appearance until 2010 before relocating to New Orleans. Their Game Four match against New Jersey was the final contest ever played at the Charlotte Coliseum.

Broadcast Milestones and Venue History

Beyond on-court action, this tournament featured several venue and media milestones. Game Five of the Lakers versus Spurs series was the last NBA playoff game aired on TBS, as well as the final contest held in a multipurpose stadium at the Alamodome. The New York Knicks missed the playoffs for the first time since 1987, while Miami Heat missed out for the first time since 1995, ending Pat Riley's streak of consecutive playoff appearances as a coach. In the West, the Minnesota Timberwolves and Portland Trail Blazers were swept in three games by Dallas and Los Angeles respectively on April twenty-eight. The Utah Jazz secured a berth with a forty-four to thirty-eight record. Ultimately, the Nets prevented a Celtics-Lakers Finals matchup by defeating Boston in Game Six, ensuring New Jersey faced Los Angeles for the title instead of their historic rivals from the East.