2002 NBA Playoffs: Going for Four
- From the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary “We the North”
___________________________________________________
That Hornets series… that was erasing a demon that had been haunting us since 1997: “We could never beat Michael Jordan”… man, we wanted to put that to rest. Everybody expected that series to go the distance, but we knew we had the same killer instinct that Jordan’s teams had, whether it was the Bulls or the Hornets. Sweeping the Hornets, we proved to ourselves that we could beat anybody.
- Kobe Bryant, from the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary “We the North”
___________________________________________________
Raptors Games:
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals: Toronto Raptors (1) vs. Charlotte Hornets (8)
Game 1 (@ Toronto): Toronto 108, Charlotte 72: Toronto leads 1-0
Game 2 (@ Toronto): Toronto 116, Charlotte 76: Toronto leads 2-0
Game 3 (@ Charlotte): Toronto 116, Charlotte 93: Toronto wins 3-0
Toronto Raptors defeat Charlotte Hornets 3-0, advance to Eastern Conference Semifinals against Detroit Pistons
___________________________________________________
2002 NBA Conference Quarterfinals Results:
Eastern Conference Quarterfinals:
Toronto (1) over Charlotte (8): Toronto 3, Charlotte 0
Game 1 (@ Toronto): Toronto 108, Charlotte 72: Toronto leads 1-0
Game 2 (@ Toronto): Toronto 116, Charlotte 76: Toronto leads 2-0
Game 3 (@ Charlotte): Toronto 116, Charlotte 93: Toronto wins 3-0
Detroit (4) over Atlanta (5): Detroit 3, Atlanta 0
Game 1 (@ Detroit): Detroit 114, Atlanta 104: Detroit leads 1-0
Game 2 (@ Detroit): Detroit 109, Atlanta 103: Detroit leads 2-0
Game 3 (@ Atlanta): Detroit 101, Atlanta 86: Detroit wins 3-0
Philadelphia (6) over Boston (3): Philadelphia 3, Boston 2
Game 1 (@ Boston): Boston 108, Philadelphia 86: Boston leads 1-0
Game 2 (@ Boston): Boston 105, Philadelphia 96: Boston leads 2-0
Game 3 (@ Philadelphia): Philadelphia 110, Boston 109: Boston leads 2-1 (Jerry Stackhouse makes game-winning three-pointer with 45.3 seconds to go; Paul Pierce misses buzzer-beating half-court shot)
Game 4 (@ Philadelphia): Philadelphia 107, Boston 96
Game 5 (@ Boston): Philadelphia 98, Boston 94
New York (7) over Orlando (2): New York 3, Orlando 2
Game 1 (@ Orlando): Orlando 113, New York 94: Orlando leads 1-0
Game 2 (@ Orlando): New York 95, Orlando 93: Tied 1-1
Game 3 (@ New York): New York 106, Orlando 83: New York leads 2-1
Game 4 (@ New York): Orlando 103, New York 95: Tied 2-2
Game 5 (@ Orlando): New York 98, Orlando 91: New York wins 3-2
Western Conference Quarterfinals:
Vancouver (1) over Portland (8): Vancouver 3, Portland 2
Game 1 (@ Vancouver): Vancouver 108, Portland 87: Vancouver leads 1-0
Game 2 (@ Vancouver): Portland 90, Vancouver 86: Tied 1-1
Game 3 (@ Portland): Portland 101, Vancouver 96: Portland leads 2-1
Game 4 (@ Portland): Vancouver 101, Portland 97: Tied 2-2 (Shawn Marion sinks go-ahead three-pointer with 31.4 seconds to go)
Game 5 (@ Vancouver): Vancouver 99, Portland 91: Vancouver wins 3-2
LA Lakers (5) over Dallas (4): LA Lakers 3, Dallas 0
Game 1 (@ Dallas): LA Lakers 140, Dallas 110: LA Lakers lead 1-0
Game 2 (@ Dallas): LA Lakers 123, Dallas 100: LA Lakers lead 2-0
Game 3 (@ LA Lakers): LA Lakers 124, Dallas 108: LA Lakers win 3-0
Sacramento (3) over San Antonio (6): Sacramento 3, San Antonio 2
Game 1 (@ Sacramento): San Antonio 118, Sacramento 97: San Antonio leads 1-0
Game 2 (@ Sacramento): San Antonio 100, Sacramento 87: San Antonio leads 2-0
Game 3 (@ San Antonio): Sacramento 100, San Antonio 71: San Antonio leads 2-1
Game 4 (@ San Antonio): Sacramento 95, San Antonio 88: Tied 2-2
Game 5 (@ Sacramento): Sacramento 95, San Antonio 91: Sacramento wins 3-2
Denver (2) over Utah (7): Denver 3, Utah 0
Game 1 (@ Denver): Denver 97, Utah 78: Denver leads 1-0
Game 2 (@ Denver): Denver 105, Utah 88: Denver leads 2-0
Game 3 (@ Utah): Denver 98, Utah 78: Denver wins 3-0
Eastern Conference Semifinals:
Toronto (1) vs. Detroit (4)
New York (7) vs. Philadelphia (6)
Western Conference Semifinals:
Vancouver (1) vs. LA Lakers (5)
Denver (2) vs. Sacramento (3)
___________________________________________________
The first round of the 2002 NBA Playoffs proved to be one of the most controversial in the league’s history. The officiating in the deciding games both the New York-Orlando series and the Boston-Philadelphia series would come under federal investigation years later, and is said by many to be the reason why there was a second-round series between the Knicks and 76ers as opposed to a highly anticipated Magic-Celtics second-round series.
While many call the accusations crazy, a look at these YouTube videos would suggest otherwise:
Link to YouTube video: “NBA RIGGED: 2002 KNICKS VS. MAGIC GAME 5”
Link to YouTube video: “NBA RIGGED: 2002 CELTICS VS. 76ERS GAME 5”
While there had been controversy surrounding the NBA before, particularly with its handling of the Toronto Raptors and Vancouver Grizzlies as expansion teams, this was the first time since the 1970’s “Drug Era” that the controversy was widespread. Basketball fans, commentators, and insiders alike called the outcomes of the series “a disgrace to the game of basketball,” while NBA Commissioner David Stern remained notably silent. Little did they know that this would be a sign of things to come.
- From the Infowars.com article “Basket-blackballed: An Investigation Into the Real History of the NBA,” published June 6, 2009
___________________________________________________
“We’re ignoring the facts here. The Magic and Celtics were absolutely screwed in the 2002 NBA Playoffs, and I think that the Magic would have beaten the Celtics if it came down to a second-round series, setting up an epic Conference Finals between the Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic. Maybe the Magic could have even made the NBA Finals… that mid-2000’s Orlando Magic team with Kidd, T-Mac, & Odom… oh my god.”
LOL please. No way ANY team in the East is getting past the Raptors during the 2000’s, even if officiating was unbiased. Besides, this forum isn’t the place to discuss conspiracy theories.
- Post by Colonel Zoidberg on alternatehistory.com thread, “WI: The Magic beat the Knicks in the 2002 NBA Playoffs”
___________________________________________________
After the first-round sweep against the Hornets, the Raptors would go on to face Grant Hill and the Detroit Pistons. The “401 Series” was now a best-of-7 for the right to go to the Eastern Conference Finals. And early in Game 1, Ben Wallace would set the series’ tone with one game-changing play.
- From the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary “We the North”
___________________________________________________
2002 NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS, GAME 1
Courtesy of NBC
Aired May 5, 2002
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT.
MARV ALBERT: Raptors up by 6… as the first half winds down. Hill… out to McCloud for three… REJECTED BY WALLACE! And Wallace will grab the rebound… to Bryant… no good! Raptors 70, Pistons 64 as we head into the first half… but the incredible block by Ben Wallace!
DOUG COLLINS: Ben came out of nowhere with the incredible save… just robbing George McCloud.
(cut to instant replay)
DOUG COLLINS: Look at this… Wallace is in the paint, he sees it going to a wide-open McCloud. Everybody think McCloud’s got this three. But look at how quickly Ben Wallace closes in, and how he manages to block the shot! He was in the paint a couple of seconds ago… and he manages to get to the three-point line… oh my god!
___________________________________________________
I saw Grant (Hill) trying to get in the paint, and then I saw Kobe (Bryant) swarming him for the double-team, along with Kobe (Bryant). George (McCloud) was wide open, so I knew that ball was going to George when Kobe left him open. I was in the paint, and they weren’t taking a shot there, because Kevin (Garnett) and I were there. So I start running to the three-point line, hoping I can get him without drawing the foul, and it worked. It was halftime… we would’ve been up by only 3 if George made it… that’d give the Pistons a chance to take Game 1 & the home-court advantage. I couldn’t let that happen, man.
- Ben Wallace, from the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary “We the North”
___________________________________________________
The Raptors blew out the Pistons in both Games 1 and 2. However, their winning streak would end there, as the Pistons would take Game 3 back in Detroit. The Raptors had lost for the first time in nearly 4 months, shocking the world. However, all was not lost: the Raptors would respond by staving off a late Pistons comeback in Game 4, and sending them home for the summer in Toronto in Game 5. It was on to the Eastern Conference Finals again for the Raptors, and many were wondering when they would even be tested.
- From the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary “We the North”
___________________________________________________
The Pistons series showed us that we could be beaten, and that was an important lesson. We had just won something like 50 straight games when Detroit beat us in Game 3 of that series, and we knew when that happened that we had to turn it up, because when a team like the Detroit Pistons gets a win on you, they can jump on you and use that momentum to go all the way. We realized that, and then made a promise to ourselves to never lose the rest of these playoffs. Of course, that’s easier said than done, but you still have to do it.
- Steve Nash, from the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary “We the North”
___________________________________________________
Raptors Games:
Eastern Conference Semifinals: Toronto Raptors (1) vs. Detroit Pistons (4)
Game 1 (@ Toronto): Toronto 127, Detroit 102: Toronto leads 1-0
Game 2 (@ Toronto): Toronto 106, Detroit 76: Toronto leads 2-0
Game 3 (@ Detroit): Detroit 110, Toronto 100: Toronto leads 2-1
Game 4 (@ Detroit): Toronto 106, Detroit 98: Toronto leads 3-1
Game 5 (@ Toronto): Toronto 99, Detroit 89: Toronto wins 4-1
Toronto Raptors defeat Detroit Pistons 4-1, advance to Eastern Conference Finals against Philadelphia 76ers
___________________________________________________
2002 NBA Conference Semifinals Results:
Eastern Conference Semifinals:
Toronto (1) over Detroit (4): Toronto 4, Detroit 1
Game 1 (@ Toronto): Toronto 127, Detroit 102: Toronto leads 1-0
Game 2 (@ Toronto): Toronto 106, Detroit 76: Toronto leads 2-0
Game 3 (@ Detroit): Detroit 110, Toronto 100: Toronto leads 2-1
Game 4 (@ Detroit): Toronto 106, Detroit 98: Toronto leads 3-1
Game 5 (@ Toronto): Toronto 99, Detroit 89: Toronto wins 4-1
Philadelphia (6) over New York (7): Philadelphia 4, New York 2
Game 1 (@ Philadelphia): Philadelphia 102, New York 93: Philadelphia leads 1-0
Game 2 (@ Philadelphia): New York 120, Philadelphia 101: Tied 1-1
Game 3 (@ New York): Philadelphia 110, New York 82: Philadelphia leads 2-1
Game 4 (@ New York): New York 127, Philadelphia 118: Tied 2-2
Game 5 (@ Philadelphia): Philadelphia 111, New York 86: Philadelphia leads 3-2
Game 6 (@ New York): Philadelphia 127, New York 120: Philadelphia wins 4-2
Western Conference Semifinals:
LA Lakers (5) over Vancouver (1): LA Lakers 4, Vancouver 1
Game 1 (@ Vancouver): LA Lakers 126, Vancouver 123: LA Lakers lead 1-0 (Allen Iverson takes the lead with stepback jumper with 22.5 seconds to go)
Game 2 (@ Vancouver): Vancouver 135, LA Lakers 107: Tied 1-1
Game 3 (@ LA Lakers): LA Lakers 137, Vancouver 108: LA Lakers lead 2-1
Game 4 (@ LA Lakers): LA Lakers 130, Vancouver 118: LA Lakers lead 3-1
Game 5 (@ Vancouver): LA Lakers 127, Vancouver 125: LA Lakers win 4-1 (Shaquille O’Neal puts back the go-ahead dunk with 48.2 seconds to go, then blocks Damon Stoudamire’s half-court heave at the buzzer)
Sacramento (3) over Denver (2): Sacramento 4, Denver 3
Game 1 (@ Denver): Sacramento 90, Denver 85: Sacramento leads 1-0
Game 2 (@ Denver): Denver 102, Sacramento 62: Tied 1-1
Game 3 (@ Sacramento): Sacramento 111, Denver 98: Sacramento leads 2-1
Game 4 (@ Sacramento): Sacramento 110, Denver 108: Sacramento leads 3-1
Game 5 (@ Denver): Denver 107, Sacramento 94: Sacramento leads 3-2
Game 6 (@ Sacramento): Denver 104, Sacramento 102: Tied 3-3 (Chauncey Billups sinks go-ahead three-pointer with 42.5 seconds to go)
Game 7 (@ Denver): Sacramento 120, Detroit 118: Sacramento wins 4-3
Eastern Conference Finals: Toronto (1) vs. Philadelphia (6)
Western Conference Finals: LA Lakers (5) vs. Sacramento (3)
___________________________________________________
The Raptors’ victory over the Pistons would set up an Eastern Conference Finals rematch against the Philadelphia 76ers, with many expecting a repeat of last year’s utterly dominant sweep by the Raptors against the 76ers. And it went that way, with the Raptors sweeping the 76ers, with all the games being blowout victories of 26 points or more. It seemed as if the Raptors’ fourth championship was a mere formality.
- From the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary "We the North"
___________________________________________________
Raptors Games:
Eastern Conference Finals: Toronto Raptors (1) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (4)
Game 1 (@ Toronto): Toronto 110, Philadelphia 83: Toronto leads 1-0
Game 2 (@ Toronto): Toronto 131, Philadelphia 99: Toronto leads 2-0
Game 3 (@ Philadelphia): Toronto 128, Philadelphia 99: Toronto leads 3-0
Game 4 (@ Philadelphia): Toronto 113, Philadelphia 87: Toronto wins 4-0
Toronto Raptors defeat Philadelphia 76ers 4-0, advance to NBA Finals against TBD
___________________________________________________
2002 NBA Conference Finals Results:
Eastern Conference Finals: Toronto (1) over Philadelphia (4): Toronto 4, Philadelphia 0
Game 1 (@ Toronto): Toronto 110, Philadelphia 83: Toronto leads 1-0
Game 2 (@ Toronto): Toronto 131, Philadelphia 99: Toronto leads 2-0
Game 3 (@ Philadelphia): Toronto 128, Philadelphia 99: Toronto leads 3-0
Game 4 (@ Philadelphia): Toronto 113, Philadelphia 87: Toronto wins 4-0
Western Conference Finals: Sacramento (3) over LA Lakers (5): Sacramento 4, LA Lakers 1
Game 1 (@ Sacramento): Sacramento 106, LA Lakers 103: Sacramento leads 1-0 (Jalen Rose misses game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer)
Game 2 (@ Sacramento): Sacramento 114, LA Lakers 90: Sacramento leads 2-0 (Allen Iverson goes down with injury that keeps him out for the series)
Game 3 (@ LA Lakers): Sacramento 132, LA Lakers 126: Sacramento leads 3-0
Game 4 (@ LA Lakers): LA Lakers 115, Sacramento 100: Sacramento leads 3-1
Game 5 (@ Sacramento): Sacramento 107, LA Lakers 105: Sacramento wins 4-1
2002 NBA Finals: Toronto (E1) vs. Sacramento (W3)
___________________________________________________
I remember going into the Finals rematch against the Sacramento Kings thinking to myself, “Damn, them again?” This was because we weren’t the same teams that matched up in the Finals 2 years ago. I was looking forward to going up against Doug Christie again; he hadn’t been on our team since my rookie year. These Finals were gonna be a fun series.
- Kobe Bryant, from the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary “We the North”
Last edited:
