1995-96 NBA SEASON

'The 1995-96 NBA season' was the 50th season of the National Basketball Association, although the league didn't celebrate this anniversary until the following season. The season ended with the Chicago Bulls defeating the Seattle SuperSonics 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals to win the franchise's 4th championship.

Contents

Notable occurrences

Final standings

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

1995-96 NBA statistics leaders

NBA awards

See also

Notable occurrences

★ The Chicago Bulls break the record for most wins in a season and highest winning percentage, going 72-10 (.878). They are the closest that any team has come to avoiding back-to-back losses in a season, allowing this just once in mid-season.

★ Michael Jordan became the first player to win the NBA Finals MVP Award four times.

★ The Boston Celtics play their first game at the 'Fleet Center' (now TD Banknorth Garden).

★ The NBA marks its return to Canada after almost 50 years as the Toronto Raptors and the Vancouver Grizzlies make their debuts as the NBA's 28th and 29th franchises. The Grizzlies began play at GM Place while the Raptors set up shop at SkyDome. In addition to that, both franchises emerge victorious in their debut games.

★ The NBA All-Star Game was played at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, with the East defeating the West 129–118. Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls was named the game's MVP.

★ The Seattle SuperSonics play their first game at Key Arena.

★ The Portland Trail Blazers play their first game at the Rose Garden.

★ Referees were locked out to begin the season, but reached an agreement to return to work in December 1995.

★ Magic Johnson comes out of retirement to play in 32 games for Los Angeles before retiring again at the end of the season.

★ The Bulls finish the season with a combined regular season and postseason record of 87-13, the best in NBA history.

★ On March 24, the first-year Toronto Raptors managed to defeat the Chicago Bulls, a team that would go on to win 72 games during the regular season.

★ The Philadelphia 76ers play their final game at The Spectrum.

Final standings

Eastern Conference

'Atlantic Division' Team W L PCT. GB Orlando Magic 60 22 .732 - New York Knicks 47 35 .573 13 Miami Heat 42 40 .512 18 Washington Bullets 39 43 .476 21 Boston Celtics 33 49 .402 27 New Jersey Nets 30 52 .366 30 Philadelphia 76ers 18 64 .220 42

'Central Division' Team W L PCT. GB Chicago Bulls 'C' 72 10 .878 - Indiana Pacers 52 30 .634 20 Cleveland Cavaliers 47 35 .573 25 Atlanta Hawks 46 36 .561 26 Detroit Pistons 46 36 .561 26 Charlotte Hornets 41 41 .500 31 Milwaukee Bucks 25 57 .305 47 Toronto Raptors 21 61 .256 51

Western Conference

'Midwest Division' Team W L PCT. GB San Antonio Spurs 59 23 .720 - Utah Jazz 55 27 .671 4 Houston Rockets 48 34 .585 11 Denver Nuggets 35 47 .427 24 Dallas Mavericks 26 56 .317 33 Minnesota Timberwolves 26 56 .317 33 Vancouver Grizzlies 15 67 .183 44

'Pacific Division' Team W L PCT. GB Seattle SuperSonics 64 18 .780 - Los Angeles Lakers 53 29 .646 11 Portland Trail Blazers 44 38 .537 20 Phoenix Suns 41 41 .500 23 Sacramento Kings 39 43 .476 25 Golden State Warriors 36 46 .439 28 Los Angeles Clippers 29 53 .354 35

'C' - NBA Champions

1995-96 NBA statistics leaders

Category	Player	Team	Stat
Points per game	Michael Jordan	Chicago Bulls	30.4
Rebounds per game	Dennis Rodman	Chicago Bulls	14.9
Assists per game	John Stockton	Utah Jazz	11.2
Steals per game	Gary Payton	Seattle SuperSonics	2.9
Blocks per game	Dikembe Mutombo	Denver Nuggets	4.5
FG%	Gheorghe Muresan	Washington Bullets	58.4
FT%	Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf	Denver Nuggets	93.0
3FG%	Tim Legler	Washington Bullets	52.2

NBA awards

★ 'Most Valuable Player:' Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls

★ 'Rookie of the Year:' Damon Stoudamire, Toronto Raptors

★ 'Defensive Player of the Year:' Gary Payton, Seattle SuperSonics

★ 'Sixth Man of the Year:' Toni Kukoč, Chicago Bulls

★ 'Most Improved Player:' Gheorghe Muresan, Washington Bullets

★ 'Coach of the Year:' Phil Jackson, Chicago Bulls

★ 'All-NBA First Team:'

★
★ F - Karl Malone, Utah Jazz

★
★ F - Scottie Pippen, Chicago Bulls

★
★ C - David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs

★
★ G - Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls

★
★ G - Anfernee Hardaway, Orlando Magic

★ 'All-NBA Second Team:'

★
★ F - Shawn Kemp, Seattle Supersonics

★
★ F - Grant Hill, Detroit Pistons

★
★ C - Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets

★
★ G - Gary Payton, Seattle Supersonics

★
★ G - John Stockton, Utah Jazz

★ 'All-NBA Third Team:'

★
★ F - Charles Barkley, Phoenix Suns

★
★ F - Juwan Howard, Washington Bullets

★
★ C - Shaquille O'Neal, Orlando Magic

★
★ G - Mitch Richmond, Sacramento Kings

★
★ G - Reggie Miller, Indiana Pacers

★ 'NBA All-Defensive First Team:'

★
★ F - Denis Rodman, Chicago Bulls

★
★ F - Scottie Pippen, Chicago Bulls

★
★ C - David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs

★
★ G - Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls

★
★ G - Gary Payton, Seattle Supersonics

★ 'NBA All-Defensive Second Team:'

★
★ F - Horace Grant, Orlando Magic

★
★ F - Derrick McKey, Indiana Pacers

★
★ C - Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets

★
★ G - Bobby Phills, Cleveland Cavaliers

★
★ G - Mookie Blaylock, Atlanta Hawks

★ 'All-NBA Rookie First Team:'

★
★ Damon Stoudamire, Toronto Raptors

★
★ Joe Smith, Golden State Warriors

★
★ Jerry Stackhouse, Philadelphia 76ers

★
★ Antonio McDyess, Denver Nuggets

★
★ Arvydas Sabonis, Portland TrailBlazers

★
★ Michael Finley, Phoenix Suns

★ 'All-NBA Rookie Second Team:'

★
★ Rasheed Wallace, Washington Bullets

★
★ Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves

★
★ Bryant Reeves, Vancouver Grizzlies

★
★ Brent Barry, Los Angeles Clippers

★
★ Tyus Edney, Sacramento Kings
''Note: All information on this page were obtained on the History section on NBA.com''

See also

★ 1996 NBA Playoffs

★ 1996 NBA Finals

★ 1996 NBA Draft