NBA 2006/07

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
NBA.svg National Basketball Association
◄ previous 2006/07 season next ►
Duration October 31, 2006 - June 14, 2007
Season games per team 82
Number of teams 30th
Regular season
Best record United StatesUnited States Dallas Mavericks
Season MVP GermanyGermany Dirk Nowitzki
Top scorer United StatesUnited States Kobe Bryant
Playoffs
Eastern - Champion United StatesUnited States Cleveland Cavaliers
  Runner-up team      United StatesUnited States Detroit Pistons
Western - Champion United StatesUnited States San Antonio Spurs
  Runner-up team      United StatesUnited States Utah Jazz
Finals
NBA champions United StatesUnited States San Antonio Spurs
   Runner-up      United StatesUnited States Cleveland Cavaliers
Finals MVP FranceFrance Tony Parker

The 2006–07 NBA season marked the National Basketball Association's 61st season . The regular season began on October 31, 2006 and ended on April 18, 2007 . 30 teams, each playing 82 games, took part. The top eight in each conference qualified for the NBA Playoffs , which began on April 21, 2007 and were completed by the NBA Finals on June 14 .

The San Antonio Spurs won the NBA championship for the fourth time in the club's history. In the NBA Finals, they defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 4-0.

The German Dirk Nowitzki of the Dallas Mavericks was the first European player in NBA history to be voted Most Valuable Player (best player of the season).

Season Notes

Final results

S = wins, N = defeats, PCT = percentage of wins, P = deficit on division leaders

The placements in the seed lists of the respective conference playoffs are listed in brackets.

Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
# team S. N PCT P
1 Toronto Raptors (3) 47 35 .573 -
2 New Jersey Nets (6) 41 41 .500 6th
3 Philadelphia 76ers 35 47 .427 12
4th New York Knicks 33 49 .402 14th
5 Boston Celtics 24 58 .293 23
Central Division
# team S. N PCT P
1 Detroit Pistons (1) 53 29 .646 -
2 Cleveland Cavaliers (2) 50 32 .610 3
3 Chicago Bulls (5) 49 33 .598 4th
4th Indiana Pacers 35 47 .427 18th
5 Milwaukee Bucks 28 54 .341 25th
Southeast Division
# team S. N PCT P
1 Miami Heat (4) 44 38 .537 -
2 Washington Wizards (7) 41 41 .500 3
3 Orlando Magic (8) 40 42 .488 4th
4th Charlotte Bobcats 33 49 .402 11
5 Atlanta Hawks 30th 52 .366 14th
Western Conference
Northwest Division
# team S. N PCT P
1 Utah Jazz (4) 51 31 .622 -
2 Denver Nuggets (6) 45 37 .549 6th
3 Portland Trail Blazers 32 50 .390 19th
4th Minnesota Timberwolves 32 50 .390 19th
5 Seattle SuperSonics 31 51 .378 20th
Pacific Division
# team S. N PCT P
1 Phoenix Suns (2) 61 21st .744 -
2 Los Angeles Lakers (7) 42 40 .512 19th
3 Golden State Warriors (8) 42 40 .512 19th
4th Los Angeles Clippers 40 42 .488 21st
5 Sacramento Kings 33 49 .402 28
Southwest Division
# team S. N PCT P
1 Dallas Mavericks (1) 67 15th .817 -
2 San Antonio Spurs (3) 58 24 .707 9
3 Houston Rockets (5) 52 30th .634 15th
4th NO / OKC Hornets 39 43 .476 28
5 Memphis grizzlies 22nd 60 .268 45

Leading the player stats

category player team value
Points per game Kobe Bryant Los Angeles Lakers 31.6
Rebounds per game Kevin Garnett Minnesota Timberwolves 12.8
Assists per game Steve Nash Phoenix Suns 11.6
Steals per game Baron Davis Golden State Warriors 2.14
Blocks per game Marcus Camby Denver nuggets 3.3
Field throw quota Mikki Moore New Jersey Nets 60.6%
Free throw rate Kyle Korver Philadelphia 76ers 91.4%
Three-point throw quota Jason Kapono Miami Heat 51.4%

Honors

Play-offs 2007

All play-off rounds are played in best-of-seven mode.

  First round   Conference semifinals   Conference Finals   NBA finals
                                     
1 * Detroit 4th                  
8th Orlando 0  
1 Detroit 4th
  5 Chicago 2  
4th * Miami 0
 
5 Chicago 4th  
1 Detroit 2
Eastern Conference
  2 Cleveland 4th  
3 * Toronto 2      
 
6th New Jersey 4th  
6th New Jersey 2
  2 Cleveland 4th  
2 Cleveland 4th
 
7th Washington 0  
E2 Cleveland 0
  W3 San Antonio 4th
1 * Dallas 2            
 
8th Golden State 4th  
8th Golden State 1
  4th Utah 4th  
4th * Utah 4th
 
5 Houston 3  
4th Utah 1
Western Conference
  3 San Antonio 4th  
3 San Antonio 4th      
 
6th Denver 1  
3 San Antonio 4th
  2 Phoenix 2  
2 * Phoenix 4th
 
7th LA Lakers 1  

 * Division winner

Play-off notes

  • The Houston Rockets and Chicago Bulls each had the home advantage in the first round, although they were lower than their respective opponents. Both teams had a better season record, but played against division champions.
  • The biggest surprise in the first play-off round was certainly the Golden State Warriors . They threw the Dallas Mavericks 4-2 out of the race and were the first team in a best-of-seven series (and third team ever) to be ranked 8th, beating first place.
  • Since the Miami Heat were also eliminated, both last year's finalists were eliminated in the first round.
  • In the first round, Jason Kidd of the New Jersey Nets was able to record a triple-double on average . He made an average of 14.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 13.2 assists in the six games against the Toronto Raptors . He achieved this for the second time in his career (after the Conference Finals in 2002 against the Boston Celtics ). Before him, only Wilt Chamberlain and Magic Johnson managed to triple-double in a play-off series more than once in their careers.
  • The conference semifinal series between the San Antonio Spurs and the Phoenix Suns became one of the most hotly contested in recent times. It was characterized by hard work, which culminated in a bleeding nose from Steve Nash and game bans for Amar'e Stoudemire and Boris Diaw in Game 5 and for Robert Horry in Games 5 and 6. The Spurs won the series 4-2 even though the Suns had the home advantage.
  • On May 30, the Spurs qualified as the first finals participant after they could defeat the Utah Jazz 4-1 in the conference finals. They were in the NBA Finals for the fourth time in the club's history.
  • On June 3, the Cleveland Cavaliers qualified for the first time in their club history for the NBA Finals. They won the sixth game against the Detroit Pistons with 98:82. Particularly important in this series was the fifth and penultimate game that Cleveland won after two extra time with 109: 107. LeBron James posted a franchise playoff record of 48 points in that game .

NBA Finals 2007

game date Home team Away team Result was standing
1 June 7th San Antonio Cleveland 85:76 1-0
2 June 10th San Antonio Cleveland 103: 92 2-0
3 June 12 Cleveland San Antonio 72:75 0: 3
4th 14th June Cleveland San Antonio 82:83 0: 4
  • The 2007 NBA Finals began on June 7th and ended on June 14th after just four games. This was the first "sweep" in the NBA Finals for the Spurs, who won their fourth NBA title after 1999 , 2003 and 2005 . So far, only three other clubs have been champions at least four times ( Boston Celtics , Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls ).
  • Tony Parker of the Spurs has been named the NBA Finals MVP . The Frenchman was the first European player in NBA history to receive this award. In the four games against the Cavaliers, Parker averaged 24.5 points per game, with a hit rate of 56.8 percent (42 of 74 throws).
  • Robert Horry won his seventh NBA championship. He is the only non- Celtics player in NBA history who has ever won so many titles.
  • Of the 22 finals that the San Antonio Spurs have played so far, they have won 16. The 72.7 percent win rate is the highest in NBA Finals history.

See also

Web links