1968 NBA playoffs

The 1968 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1967-68 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals.

The Celtics won their 10th NBA title, first under player/coach Bill Russell after Red Auerbach's retirement.

In the Eastern Division Finals, the Celtics became the first team in NBA history to rally from a 3-1 series deficit to win, as they knocked off the defending champion 76ers in 7. In the West, the Lakers swept the Warriors in 4 games.

It was the first time since 1954 that the top team in a division failed to make the Division Finals; from 1955–1966 the league gave the regular-season division champion a first-round bye.

	Division Semifinals					Division Finals					NBA Finals
	1	St. Louis	2
	3	San Francisco	4
						3	San Francisco	0
	Western Division
						2	L.A. Lakers	4
	4	Chicago	1
	2	L.A. Lakers	4
											W2	L.A. Lakers	2
											E2	Boston	4
	1	Philadelphia	4
	3	New York	2
						1	Philadelphia	3
	Eastern Division
						2	Boston	4
	4	Detroit	2
	2	Boston	4

Western Division

Champion: Los Angeles Lakers

Division Semifinals

(1) St. Louis Hawks vs. (3) San Francisco Warriors: Warriors win series 4-2

• Game 1 @ St. Louis: San Francisco 111, St. Louis 106
• Game 2 @ St. Louis: St. Louis 111, San Francisco 103
• Game 3 @ San Francisco: San Francisco 124, St. Louis 109
• Game 4 @ San Francisco: San Francisco 108, St. Louis 107 (Jeff Mullins hits the game-winner)
• Game 5 @ St. Louis: St. Louis 129, San Francisco 103
• Game 6 @ San Francisco: San Francisco 111, St. Louis 106

Last Playoff Meeting: 1967 Western Division Finals (San Francisco won 4-2)

(2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Chicago Bulls: Lakers win series 4-1

• Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 109, Chicago 101
• Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 113, Chicago 106
• Game 3 @ Chicago: Chicago 104, Los Angeles 98
• Game 4 @ Chicago: Los Angeles 93, Chicago 87
• Game 5 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 122, Chicago 99

This is the first playoff meeting between the Lakers and Bulls.

Division Finals

(2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) San Francisco Warriors: Lakers win series 4-0

• Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 133, San Francisco 105
• Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 115, San Francisco 112
• Game 3 @ San Francisco: Los Angeles 128, San Francisco 124
• Game 4 @ San Francisco: Los Angeles 106, San Francisco 100

Last Playoff Meeting: 1967 Western Division Semifinals (San Francisco won 3-0)

Eastern Division

Champion: Boston Celtics

Division Semifinals

(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (3) New York Knicks: 76ers win series 4-2

• Game 1 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 118, New York 110
• Game 2 @ New York: New York 128, Philadelphia 117
• Game 3 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 138, New York 132 (2OT)
• Game 4 @ New York: New York 107, Philadelphia 98
• Game 5 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 123, New York 105
• Game 6 @ New York: Philadelphia 113, New York 97

Last Playoff Meeting: 1959 Eastern Division Semifinals (Syracuse, the predecessor to Philadelphia, won 3-2)

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Detroit Pistons: Celtics win series 4-2

• Game 1 @ Boston: Boston 123, Detroit 116
• Game 2 @ Detroit: Detroit 126, Boston 116
• Game 3 @ Boston: Detroit 109, Boston 98
• Game 4 @ Detroit: Boston 135, Detroit 110
• Game 5 @ Boston: Boston 110, Detroit 96
• Game 6 @ Detroit: Boston 111, Detroit 103

This is the first playoff meeting between the Celtics and the Pistons.

Division Finals

(1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (2) Boston Celtics: Celtics win series 4-3

• Game 1 @ Philadelphia: Boston 127, Philadelphia 118
• Game 2 @ Boston: Philadelphia 115, Boston 106
• Game 3 @ Philadelphia: Philadelphia 122, Boston 114
• Game 4 @ Boston: Philadelphia 110, Boston 105
• Game 5 @ Philadelphia: Boston 122, Philadelphia 104
• Game 6 @ Boston: Boston 114, Philadelphia 106
• Game 7 @ Philadelphia: Boston 100, Philadelphia 96 (The Celtics become the first team in playoff history to come back from a 3-1 series deficit)

Last Playoff Meeting: 1967 Eastern Division Finals (Philadelphia won 4-1)

NBA Finals

Main article: 1968 NBA Finals

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Los Angeles Lakers: Celtics win series 4-2

• Game 1 @ Boston: Boston 107, Los Angeles 101
• Game 2 @ Boston: Los Angeles 123, Boston 113
• Game 3 @ Los Angeles: Boston 127, Los Angeles 119
• Game 4 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 118, Boston 105
• Game 5 @ Boston: Boston 120, Los Angeles 117 (OT)
• Game 6 @ Los Angeles: Boston 124, Los Angeles 109

Last Playoff Meeting: 1966 NBA Finals (Boston won 4-3)

External links

• Basketball-Reference.com's 1968 NBA Playoffs page