2000–01 NBA season

2000–01 NBA season
LeagueNational Basketball Association
SportBasketball
Duration
  • October 31, 2000 – April 18, 2001
  • April 21 – June 3, 2001 (Playoffs)
  • June 6 – 15, 2001 (Finals)
Number of teams29
TV partner(s)NBC, TBS, TNT
Draft
Top draft pickKenyon Martin
Picked byNew Jersey Nets
Regular season
Top seedSan Antonio Spurs
Season MVPAllen Iverson (Philadelphia)
Top scorerAllen Iverson (Philadelphia)
Playoffs
Eastern championsPhiladelphia 76ers
  Eastern runners-upMilwaukee Bucks
Western championsLos Angeles Lakers
  Western runners-upSan Antonio Spurs
Finals
ChampionsLos Angeles Lakers
  Runners-upPhiladelphia 76ers
Finals MVPShaquille O'Neal (L.A. Lakers)
NBA seasons

The 2000–01 NBA season was the 55th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Los Angeles Lakers winning their second straight championship, beating the Philadelphia 76ers 4 games to 1 in the 2001 NBA Finals.[1]

Notable occurrences

Coaching changes
Offseason
Team 1999–2000 coach 2000–01 coach
Atlanta Hawks Lenny Wilkens Lon Kruger
Golden State Warriors Garry St. Jean Dave Cowens
Indiana Pacers Larry Bird Isiah Thomas
Los Angeles Clippers Jim Todd Alvin Gentry
New Jersey Nets Don Casey Byron Scott
Toronto Raptors Butch Carter Lenny Wilkens
Vancouver Grizzlies Lionel Hollins Sidney Lowe
Washington Wizards Darrell Walker Leonard Hamilton
In-season
Team Outgoing coach Incoming coach
Boston Celtics Rick Pitino Jim O'Brien
Seattle SuperSonics Paul Westphal Nate McMillan
  • The NBA All-Star Game was held at the MCI Center in Washington, D.C.. The East won 111–110, with Philadelphia's Allen Iverson being named the game's Most Valuable Player. The game is noted for the Eastern Conference's 21-point comeback in the fourth quarter.
  • The Grizzlies play their final season in Vancouver, British Columbia before relocating to Memphis, Tennessee for the following season leaving the Toronto Raptors as the only Canadian team left in the NBA.
  • Rick Pitino resigned as head coach and president of the Boston Celtics, ending a three-plus-year tenure filled with turmoil, disappointment and three consecutive below .500, non-playoff seasons.[2]
  • The Dallas Mavericks played their final season at Reunion Arena. They also made the playoffs for the first time since the 1989–90 season. They also made it past the first round for the first time since the 1987–88 season.
  • The Los Angeles Lakers win their second straight title by going 15–1 in the playoffs, then the best playoff winning percentage in NBA history (later surpassed by the 2017 Golden State Warriors).
  • The Toronto Raptors advanced to the second round of the NBA playoffs for the first time in franchise history, defeating the New York Knicks three games to two. The Raptors would eventually lose in the second round to the Philadelphia 76ers four games to three.
  • Prior to the season, Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning announced that he suffered a kidney disorder and missed the first five months of the season. Mourning would receive a kidney transplant two years later.
  • This was the last time a team with the best regular season record did not win 60 or more games in a full 82-game season until 2023. The San Antonio Spurs finished with the league's best record at 58–24. Though the 2011–12 Chicago Bulls and the 2011–12 San Antonio Spurs each won 50 games and the top conference seeds, they did so during a 66-game lockout-shortened regular season.
  • Effective of this season, the league now permitted players to wear knee-length shorts by default, although players like John Stockton opted to continue wearing short shorts during the season. This would be the case for other players in the future as players like Chris Douglas-Roberts in the 2014–15 season and LeBron James for some of the 2015–16 season would opt to wear short shorts.
  • Three teams in the Western Conference who missed the playoffs won 40 or more games. The ninth-placed Houston Rockets finished the season with a 45–37 record, the tenth-placed Seattle SuperSonics finished with a 44–38 record, and the eleventh-placed Denver Nuggets ended the season with a 40–42 record.

2000–01 NBA changes

  • The Los Angeles Clippers changed their uniforms, added side panels to their jerseys and shorts.
  • The New Jersey Nets slightly changed their alternate uniforms.
  • The Orlando Magic changed their logo.
  • The Philadelphia 76ers slightly changed their uniforms.
  • The Phoenix Suns changed their logo and uniforms, added side panels to their jerseys and shorts, adding grey to their color scheme.
  • The Vancouver Grizzlies changed their home uniforms, while the alternate uniforms became their primary road jersey.

Teams

2000-01 National Basketball Association
Eastern Conference
Division Team City Arena Capacity
Atlantic Boston Celtics Boston, Massachusetts FleetCenter 19,156
Miami Heat Miami, Florida American Airlines Arena 19,500
New Jersey Nets East Rutherford, New Jersey Continental Airlines Arena 20,049
New York Knicks New York, New York Madison Square Garden 19,812
Orlando Magic Orlando, Florida TD Waterhouse Centre 17,283
Philadelphia 76ers Philadelphia, Pennsylvania First Union Center 20,338
Washington Wizards Washington, District of Columbia MCI Center 20,356
Central Atlanta Hawks Atlanta, Georgia Philips Arena 20,233
Charlotte Hornets Charlotte, North Carolina Charlotte Coliseum 24,042
Chicago Bulls Chicago, Illinois United Center 21,711
Cleveland Cavaliers Cleveland, Ohio Gund Arena 19,432
Detroit Pistons Auburn Hills, Michigan The Palace of Auburn Hills 22,076
Indiana Pacers Indianapolis, Indiana Conseco Fieldhouse 18,345
Milwaukee Bucks Milwaukee, Wisconsin Bradley Center 18,717
Toronto Raptors Toronto, Ontario Air Canada Centre 19,800
Western Conference
Midwest Dallas Mavericks Dallas, Texas Reunion Arena 18,293
Denver Nuggets Denver, Colorado Pepsi Center 19,099
Houston Rockets Houston, Texas Compaq Center 16,285
Minnesota Timberwolves Minneapolis, Minnesota Target Center 18,798
San Antonio Spurs San Antonio, Texas Alamodome 20,557
Utah Jazz Salt Lake City, Utah Delta Center 18,306
Vancouver Grizzlies Vancouver, British Columbia General Motors Place 19,193
Pacific Golden State Warriors Oakland, California The Arena in Oakland 19,596
Los Angeles Clippers Los Angeles, California Staples Center 19,079
Los Angeles Lakers Los Angeles, California Staples Center 19,079
Phoenix Suns Phoenix, Arizona America West Arena 19,023
Portland Trail Blazers Portland, Oregon Rose Garden 21,401
Sacramento Kings Sacramento, California ARCO Arena 17,317
Seattle SuperSonics Seattle, Washington Key Arena 17,072

Map of teams

Atlantic Division Central Division Midwest Division Pacific Division

Standings

By division

Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Philadelphia 76ers 56 26 .683 – 29–12 27–14 18–6
x-Miami Heat 50 32 .610 6 29–12 21–20 15–10
x-New York Knicks 48 34 .585 8 30–11 18–23 16–9
x-Orlando Magic 43 39 .524 13 26–15 17–24 14–10
Boston Celtics 36 46 .439 20 20–21 16–25 11–13
New Jersey Nets 26 56 .317 30 18–23 8–33 8–16
Washington Wizards 19 63 .232 37 12–29 7–34 3–21
Central Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Milwaukee Bucks 52 30 .634 – 31–10 21–20 19–9
x-Toronto Raptors 47 35 .573 5 27–14 20–21 18–10
x-Charlotte Hornets 46 36 .561 6 28–13 18–23 20–8
x-Indiana Pacers 41 41 .500 11 26–15 15–26 15–13
Detroit Pistons 32 50 .390 20 18-23 14–27 16–12
Cleveland Cavaliers 30 52 .366 22 20–21 10–31 11–17
Atlanta Hawks 25 57 .305 27 18–23 7–34 9–19
Chicago Bulls 15 67 .183 37 10–31 5–36 4–24
Western Conference
Midwest Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
z-San Antonio Spurs 58 24 .707 – 33–8 25–16 19–5
x-Utah Jazz 53 29 .646 5 28–13 25–16 14–10
x-Dallas Mavericks 53 29 .646 5 28–13 25–16 14–10
x-Minnesota Timberwolves 47 35 .573 11 30–11 17–24 11–13
Houston Rockets 45 37 .549 13 24–17 21–20 11–13
Denver Nuggets 40 42 .488 18 29–12 11–30 13–11
Vancouver Grizzlies 23 59 .280 35 15–26 8–33 2–22
Pacific Division
 W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Los Angeles Lakers 56 26 .683 – 31–10 25–16 14–10
x-Sacramento Kings 55 27 .671 1 33–8 22–19 16–8
x-Phoenix Suns 51 31 .622 5 31–10 20–21 12–12
x-Portland Trail Blazers 50 32 .610 6 28–13 22–19 12–12
Seattle SuperSonics 44 38 .537 12 26–15 18–23 17–7
Los Angeles Clippers 31 51 378 25 22–19 9–32 9–15
Golden State Warriors 17 65 .207 39 11–30 6–35 4–20

By conference

Notes

  • z – Clinched home court advantage for the entire playoffs
  • c – Clinched home court advantage for the conference playoffs
  • y – Clinched division title
  • x – Clinched playoff spot

Playoffs

Main article: 2001 NBA playoffs

Teams in bold advanced to the next round. The numbers to the left of each team indicate the team's seeding in its conference, and the numbers to the right indicate the number of games the team won in that round. The division champions are marked by an asterisk. Home-court advantage does not necessarily belong to the higher-seeded team, but instead the team with the better regular season record; teams enjoying the home advantage are shown in italics.

First Round Conference Semifinals Conference Finals NBA Finals
            
E1 Philadelphia* 3
E8 Indiana 1
E1 Philadelphia* 4
E5 Toronto 3
E4 New York 2
E5 Toronto 3
E1 Philadelphia* 4
Eastern Conference
E2 Milwaukee* 3
E3 Miami 0
E6 Charlotte 3
E6 Charlotte 3
E2 Milwaukee* 4
E2 Milwaukee* 3
E7 Orlando 1
E1 Philadelphia* 1
W2 LA Lakers* 4
W1 San Antonio* 3
W8 Minnesota 1
W1 San Antonio* 4
W5 Dallas 1
W4 Utah 2
W5 Dallas 3
W1 San Antonio 0
Western Conference
W2 LA Lakers* 4
W3 Sacramento 3
W6 Phoenix 1
W3 Sacramento 0
W2 LA Lakers* 4
W2 LA Lakers* 3
W7 Portland 0
  • * Division winner
  • Bold Series winner
  • Italic Team with home-court advantage

Statistics leaders

Category Player Team Stat
Points per game Allen Iverson Philadelphia 76ers 31.1
Rebounds per game Dikembe Mutombo Atlanta Hawks
Philadelphia 76ers		 13.5
Assists per game Jason Kidd Phoenix Suns 9.8
Steals per game Allen Iverson Philadelphia 76ers 2.51
Blocks per game Theo Ratliff Philadelphia 76ers 3.74
FG% Shaquille O'Neal Los Angeles Lakers .572
FT% Reggie Miller Indiana Pacers .928
3FG% Brent Barry Seattle SuperSonics .472

Awards

Yearly awards

Source:[3]

Players of the month

The following players were named the Players of the Month.

Month Player
October – November Karl Malone (Utah Jazz)
December Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)
January Allen Iverson (Philadelphia 76ers)
February Tracy McGrady (Orlando Magic)
March Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics)
April Shaquille O'Neal (Los Angeles Lakers)

Rookies of the month

The following players were named the Rookies of the Month.

Month Player
October – November Kenyon Martin (New Jersey Nets)
December Marc Jackson (Golden State Warriors)
January Marc Jackson (Golden State Warriors)
February Mike Miller (Orlando Magic)
March Kenyon Martin (New Jersey Nets)
Mike Miller (Orlando Magic)
April Courtney Alexander (Dallas Mavericks)

Coaches of the month

The following coaches were named Coaches of the Month.

Month Coach
October – November Larry Brown (Philadelphia 76ers)
December Pat Riley (Miami Heat)
January Flip Saunders (Minnesota Timberwolves)
February Jerry Sloan (Utah Jazz)
March Gregg Popovich (San Antonio Spurs)
April Isiah Thomas (Indiana Pacers)

Notes

See also

References

  1. ^ "Season Review: 2000-01". NBA.com. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  2. ^ "On this day: Rick Pitino resigns as coach, president; Parish gets 13k boards". Celtics Wire. January 8, 2023. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  3. ^ "Season Review: 2000-01". NBA.com. Retrieved September 27, 2023.