The Blazers won their second Western Conference title in the past three years, third overall in franchise history, behind the leadership of Clyde Drexler.
The Jazz made the Western Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history. They returned in 1994 and 1996 before finally breaking through in 1997.
The fourth-year Miami Heat became the first of the 1988 and 1989 expansion teams to make the playoffs, though they were swept in the first round by the Bulls. In 2006, the Heat would become the first of these teams to win the NBA title.
This was the first year since 1987 that the Bulls and Pistons did not meet in the playoffs. They did not meet again until 2007.
This was the first time since 1986, that the Pistons did not reach the Eastern Conference Finals, as well as, losing in the first round.
The Clippers made it to the playoffs for the first time since 1976, when they were the Buffalo Braves. It was also the first time since the Clipper's arrival in Los Angeles in 1984 that both of Los Angeles' NBA teams, the Clippers and Lakers, qualified for postseason play together.
Despite Magic Johnson's stunning retirement due to testing HIV positive prior to the start of the season, the Los Angeles Lakers still managed to make their 16th straight NBA playoff appearance. It was their first appearance since 1974 without Johnson, Michael Cooper, or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Two games were postponed due to the Los Angeles riots following the Rodney King verdict, one being the Trail Blazers at the Lakers and the other was the Jazz at the Clippers. For safety purposes, both the Lakers and Clippers decided to move their home games to a nearby alternate venue; the Lakers played at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada (formerly an alternate home arena of the Jazz in 1983–84 and 1984–85 seasons; later host to the 2007 NBA All-Star Game) for Game 4, the Clippers at Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California for Game 4 (the Clippers returned to Anaheim at Arrowhead Pond in 1994 as an alternate venue and played there until 1999 whenever the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena was unavailable).
Game 4 of the Blazers-Suns series was the last game ever played at the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum. It was a long game that lasted two overtimes and broke the NBA's playoff game record for points scored in one game, the Trail Blazers outlasting the Suns by a score of 153–151.[1]
The Celtics' first-round sweep of the Pacers would be their last playoff series win until 2002. After losing in the second round to Cleveland, Larry Bird retired after 13 seasons. As for the Cavs, it was their first Conference Finals appearance since 1976, but fell to the Bulls in 6 games. They would not return again until 2007.
Terry Porter hits the game-tying 3-point play with 33.6 seconds left in regulation to force the first OT; Kevin Johnson hits the game-tying jumper with 2.7 seconds left in the first OT to force the second OT.
