2006 vs. 1994Since the NBA playoffs expanded to 16 teams in 1984, the conference semifinals have featured three Game 7s only once -- until this year.
In 1994, New York beat its nemesis, Chicago, 4-3 in a series that remains controversial -- a foul call against Scottie Pippen was debated (jokingly) just last week on ESPN. That's also the series in which Pippen notoriously sat out the final 1.8 seconds of Game 3, won by the Bulls on Toni Kukoc's buzzer-beater.

On the day before the Knicks knocked out the Bulls, two Game 7s decided things in the West. The No. 5 Utah Jazz finished off the surprising No. 8 Denver Nuggets, who had registered perhaps the greatest upset in playoff history when they beat the top-seeded Seattle SuperSonics in the first round.



And the Houston Rockets (featuring Hakeem Olajuwon and young players Robert Horry, Kenny Smith and Sam Cassell) completed an unlikely comeback over the defending Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns after the Suns had won the first two games of the series in Houston.

On top of all that drama, you had a seven-game NBA Finals in which the Rockets outlasted the Knicks.

(And speaking of drama, it was during the Knicks-Rockets Finals that NBC cut into Game 5 to show the infamous slow-speed car chase, with O.J. Simpson in a white Bronco.)

So the 1994 playoffs are in the running for "Greatest Playoffs Ever," right?

Not so fast.

There are two reasons the '94 postseason isn't remembered all that fondly.

First, it was the first postseason of Michael Jordan's first retirement, and His Airness cast a shadow over the whole affair. His absence was considered by many the reason the Knicks were able to -- for once -- beat the Bulls, and it opened the door for a new, somewhat devalued NBA champion.

Second, the '94 Finals are considered by many as the nadir of pro basketball, as the Knicks and Rockets slugged it out for seven ugly games in which neither team reached 94 points.

No MJ and no 94 in '94? Not quite the equal of '06, with LBJ, Kobe, the Pistons, the Suns, the Clippers, the Mavs and the Spurs creating so many memorable moments so far.

-- Royce Webb
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-060521




imreally starting to grow tired of b eing a knicks fan, godamn it dolan sell ythis bitch

not hate of the Knicks, just hate on slug-it-out basketball.

People were hooked on mj. He was the league to millions of casual fans. That's the only reason I would lend an credibilty to the idea that it was unpopular or viewership was down.

That was a great series, imo.

that was a great finals what the **** is everyone talking about i can name plenty way worse, how can u say a game 7 finals is bad?????? doesent make sense.. who cares the style of play.. it was hard tough basketball nothing wrong with that... what about when the nets got swept by the lakers... that was a bad finals... lets be real here this is hate