#2003 dallas mavericks roster series

With their Eastern Conference Finals sweep of the Detroit Pistons, the New Jersey Nets won ten straight postseason games, the most since the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers. This was the first Western Conference Finals since 1995 to take place entirely in the state of Texas. With their conference semifinals victory over the Sacramento Kings, the Dallas Mavericks made the conference finals for the first time since 1988. The Pistons would go on to appear in six consecutive Eastern Conference Finals through 2008, the most consecutive appearances for any Eastern Conference team since the Bill Russell-led Boston Celtics (1956–69).

With their conference semifinals win over the Philadelphia 76ers, the Detroit Pistons advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since the Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars-led team was swept by the Chicago Bulls in 1991. With the win, the Spurs returned to the Western Conference Finals for the third time in five seasons. With their conference semifinals loss to the San Antonio Spurs, the Lakers’ championship streak was snapped at 3.

#2003 dallas mavericks roster series

With their conference semifinals loss to the New Jersey Nets, the Boston Celtics were swept in a postseason series for the first time since 1983, and would not return to the Conference Semifinals until 2008. They would not return to the playoffs until 2009. The Trail Blazers also became the third team in NBA History to force a Game 7 after trailing 0–3 before bowing out. The Portland Trail Blazers snapped a ten game NBA Playoff losing streak dating back to 2000 with a Game 4 win in their first round series against the Dallas Mavericks. They would break that streak by winning their first playoff series the following postseason. With their first round series loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Minnesota Timberwolves earned the dubious distinction of making their first seven postseason appearances, only to lose in the first round. After this, the Jazz would not return to the playoffs until 2007. Stockton would retire after the season while Malone would sign with the Lakers in the offseason. Game 5 of the Kings–Jazz series was the final game featuring Karl Malone and John Stockton as members of the Utah Jazz.

The Magic would not win another playoff game again until 2008. The Orlando Magic became the seventh team to lose a playoff series despite leading 3–1, losing to the Detroit Pistons in the first round. In addition, they were awarded home-court advantage for the first time in franchise history in their series against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Minnesota Timberwolves entered their seventh consecutive postseason. The Portland Trail Blazers and Utah Jazz continued the longest active Western Conference playoff appearance streaks at the time, entering their twenty first and twentieth postseason appearances, respectively.

After Charlotte reclaimed the Hornets name and pre 2002–03 history in 2014 (and the Pelicans claimed the Hornet’s history from 2002–03 onwards), this marked the first postseason for the New Orleans franchise.

This was the final postseason appearance for David Robinson, Steve Kerr, and John Stocktonĭespite relocating to New Orleans in the offseason, the Hornets made their third consecutive postseason.

This is the first postseason that the NBA Playoffs carried more games on cable television than regular broadcast television, and marks the debut for the NBA Playoffs to be aired on NBA TV, and the return broadcast on ESPN and ABC after the NBA departed from NBC and TBS.

It is also notable as the only time the first round did not include any series sweeps. From 1984 to 2002, the first–round series were best–of–five.

For the first time since 1974 that all series were conducted in a best–of–seven format.

This postseason featured the most series decided by six games in NBA Playoff history (Ironically, the Spurs won every single playoff series in six games en route to the championship).

The 2003 Playoffs were notable for several reasons. Tim Duncan was named NBA Finals MVP for the second time. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs defeating the Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Nets, 4 games to 2, in the NBA Finals. The 2003 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2002–03 season.