The 2018 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2017–18 season. The playoffs began on April 14, 2018 and ended on June 8 at the conclusion of the 2018 NBA Finals.
Overview
Western Conference
The Houston Rockets entered the playoffs with their best regular–season record in franchise history and appeared in their sixth consecutive postseason. They also finished with the best record in the NBA. The Golden State Warriors entered their sixth consecutive postseason, tying their franchise streak of 6 straight postseason appearances since the league's first six years of existence (1946–47 to 1951–52). The San Antonio Spurs entered their 21st consecutive postseason. The Minnesota Timberwolves qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2004 and snapped the league's longest active streak of seasons without a playoff appearance. The New Orleans Pelicans qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2015.
Eastern Conference
The Toronto Raptors also finished with a franchise record for single-season victories, winning 59 games and finished with the best record in the Eastern Conference. The Philadelphia 76ers qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2012. The Miami Heat returned to the NBA playoffs after a one season absence.
First Round
With their first round sweep of the Portland Trail Blazers, the New Orleans Pelicans won their first playoff series since 2008. Game 5 of the Sixers–Heat series was Dwyane Wade’s final NBA postseason game. He would retire the following season. In Game 5 of their series against the Utah Jazz, the Oklahoma City Thunder rallied from a 25 point deficit in the second half to win the game 107–99. Game 7 between the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks ensured a 19th–straight postseason in which at least one Game 7 was played; 1999 was the most recent postseason to not feature a Game 7. Game 6 of the Celtics–Bucks series was the last game played at the Bradley Center. For the first time in his career, LeBron James was forced to play a Game 7 in the first round of the playoffs, courtesy of the Indiana Pacers’ 121–87 victory in Game 6 over the Cleveland Cavaliers. As of 2023, this remains the Pacers’ most recent postseason victory.
Conference semifinals
Game 2 of the Raptors–Cavaliers series was the last game before the Air Canada Centre was renamed to Scotiabank Arena. Game 3 of the Raptors–Cavaliers series was extremely notable for LeBron James’ floater to win the game 105–103 for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Toronto Raptors became the first top seeded team to be swept from the conference semifinals as well as the first top seed to be swept out of the playoffs since the 2015 Atlanta Hawks (who were, ironically, also swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers). With their Game 5 win over the Utah Jazz, the Houston Rockets made the Western Conference finals for the first time since 2015.
Conference finals
For the first time since 1994, the Houston Rockets held home court advantage in the Western Conference finals. Game 6 and Game 7 of the Western Conference finals was extremely notable for the Golden State Warriors’ second half comebacks to beat the Houston Rockets. The Warriors trailed the Rockets by as many as 17 points in Game 6 and as many as 11 points in Game 7 before coming back to win 115–86 and 101–92, respectively. For the first time since 1979 both Conference finals series went to a deciding Game 7. In both Conference finals series, the road teams won both Game 7s. In the other two instances in which both Conference finals series went to a Game 7, the home team won each Conference finals Game 7 in the 1963 and 1979 Playoffs. The Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors advanced to their fourth consecutive NBA Finals appearances. This also marked the first time the same two NBA teams met in the NBA Finals four seasons in a row.
NBA Finals
Game 1 of the NBA Finals was notable for JR Smith’s infamous play that cost the Cleveland Cavaliers the game in the waning moments in regulation (they would lose in Overtime to the Golden State Warriors). LeBron James scored 51 points in the losing effort. Game 4 of the 2018 NBA Finals was the last game LeBron James played as a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers. This was also the first time a team was swept in the NBA Finals since 2007. Like in 2007, the Cleveland Cavaliers were also the team that got swept in the 2018 NBA Finals. The Golden State Warriors won their second consecutive championship, their third in four seasons.
Format
Within each conference, the eight teams with the most wins qualify for the playoffs. The seedings are based on each team's record.