The Knicks–Pacers rivalry started in their first-round encounter, which New York won, 3–1. But it wasn't until the next two meetings (1994 and 1995) that the rivalry became even more intense, particularly due to Reggie Miller's heroics in the Garden that made him a household name and Indiana legitimate contenders in the East.[citation needed]
The Charlotte Hornets made their playoff debut. Their opening-round series versus Boston was also the last time the Celtics made the playoffs with Kevin McHale, who retired after the series, and Robert Parish, who left as a free agent. Game 1 of the series was the final game of Reggie Lewis' career, as he collapsed during the first quarter and did not play for the rest of the series; he died in July of a heart attack.
Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals saw the Suns attempt sixty-four free throws while connecting on fifty-seven of them, both NBA postseason records.[1]
Celtics forward Reggie Lewis's final NBA game, he collapses on the court and did not play for the rest of the series; he dies 3 months later from a heart defect.
Xavier McDaniel hits the game-tying jumper with 25.8 seconds left in regulation to force the first OT; Kevin McHale hits the game-tying jumper with 6 seconds left in the first OT to force the second OT.
Dan Majerle hits the game-tying shot with 13.6 seconds left to force OT; After losing the first two games of the series, at the post game press conference Suns head coach Paul Westphal said that they would go to LA and win the next two games and then come back to Phoenix and win game 5, "and everyone will say what a great series it was."
Alonzo Mourning hits the game-tying shot with 30.9 seconds left in regulation to force the first OT, then hits the game-tying free throws with 12 seconds left in the first OT to force the second OT)
Charles Barkley hits the series-winning shot with 1.8 seconds left, also the Spurs played their final game at the HemisFair Arena before moving to the Alamodome the following season.
This game marks the second time in NBA Finals history that a game goes to triple OT after game 5 of the 1976 NBA Finals (in which the Suns lost to the Boston Celtics); Horace Grant hits the game-tying 3-point play with 1:33 left in regulation to force the first OT; Tom Chambers hits the game-tying lay-up with 50.9 seconds left in the first OT to force the second OT; Dan Majerle hits the game-tying shot with 3.2 seconds left in the second OT to force the third OT.
The league's best team during the regular season, the Phoenix Suns, were on the verge of playoff elimination after losing the first two games at home against the #8 seeded Los Angeles Lakers. However, they recovered to win Games 3 and 4 in Los Angeles to tie the series at 2–2. In Game 5, Dan Majerie hit an off-balance mid-range to force overtime. The Suns eventually pulled away to win Game 5, 112–104, at home to avoid becoming the first #1 seed to lose to a #8 seed. This would happen the following postseason, when the #8 Denver Nuggets defeated the #1 Seattle SuperSonics 3–2 (the Nuggets came back from a 2–0 series deficit to pull it off).
Both #5 seeds, Charlotte and San Antonio, beat their #4 seeded opponent in the first round.
The fifth-year Charlotte Hornets made their playoff debut, and became the first of the 1988/89 expansion teams (Charlotte, Orlando, Minnesota, and Miami) to win a playoff series, beating Boston 3–1.
The New York Knicks took a 2–0 series lead over the Chicago Bulls in the Conference Finals. However, headlines in New York papers and tabloids angered and energized Bulls superstar Michael Jordan, who torched the Knicks for 54 points in Game 4 [17] after shooting 3–18 in Game 3 to even up the series.[18] This performance surpassed Sam Jones's 51-point game against the 1967 Knicks as the most points ever scored by a player against the Knicks in a playoff game.[19] The Bulls went to Madison Square Garden, won Game 5 97–94, and clinched the series at home in Game 6 with a 96–88 victory.[20]
Celtics' star Reggie Lewis fainted on the court during Game 1 against the Hornets. He briefly returned to the game before sitting out the rest of the series. He died less than three months later from a heart condition.[citation needed]
After the Suns defeated the Sonics in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, there were complaints[by whom?] about the free throw comparison between the two teams.[citation needed]
Game 6 of the Suns–Spurs series was the last game ever played at the HemisFair Arena.
The Cavaliers defeated the Nets in the Eastern Conference First Round, which was their last playoff series victory until 2006, and their last without LeBron James until 2024. Game 5 of that series was also the last game played by Dražen Petrović, who died in a car accident five weeks later.
