2001–02 NBA season

The NBA season 2001/ 02 was the 56th season of the National Basketball Association. At the regular season total of 29 teams took part. Each team completed 82 games. The eight best each conference qualified for the NBA playoffs.

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated in the NBA Finals, the New Jersey Nets 4-0. They were for the third time in a row and the 14th time ever NBA champions.

Season notes

• The Grizzlies moved from Vancouver ( British Columbia) to Memphis to. They played their first season in the Pyramid Arena in Memphis.
• The All-Star Game was held at the First Union Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Kobe Bryant of the Lakers was All-Star Game MVP, after the West with the East 135:120 defeated.
• Before the start of the regular season announced NBA legend Michael Jordan, a partner in the Washington Wizards, his second comeback with the Wizards.
• The Dallas Mavericks played their first game at the American Airlines Center, not to be confused with the American Airlines Arena in Miami.
• The NBA separated from her TV broadcast partner NBC after 12 years.
• NBA teams wore patches and bands with the symbol of the American flag on their jerseys in memory of the victims of September 11th. The Toronto Raptors wore the American and Canadian flag on their shirts.
• The New Jersey Nets, who had never won more than 49 games and had only come once to the second round of the playoffs, won 52 games and took part in their first NBA Finals.

End figures

W = Wins, L = Losses, PCT = percentage share of victory, P = behind Division leaders

In parentheses are the rankings in the seedings of the respective Conference playoffs are listed.

Leading the Player Statistics

Play-offs

• 2001-02 was the last season in which the first round in the best- of-five format was played.
• All other play-off rounds were best- of-seven series.

NBA Finals 2002

Shaquille O'Neal of the Lakers was elected Finals MVP. He was after Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson only the third player in the NBA history, at least three times to win this trophy ( later also Tim Duncan ).