The 2003 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2002-03 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs defeating the Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Nets 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. Tim Duncan was named NBA Finals MVP for the second time.
This postseason was notable for being the first time all series were conducted in a best-of-7 format. It was also the only time in playoff history that no team was swept in a first-round series. From 1984–2002, the first-round series was best-of-5.
This is the first time that the NBA Playoffs carried more games on cable television than regular broadcast television. This also marks the debut for the NBA Playoffs to be aired on NBA TV, and the return broadcast on ESPN & ABC after the NBA departed from NBC and TBS.
The Detroit Pistons advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since the Isiah Thomas and Joe Dumars-led team were swept by the Chicago Bulls in 1991, ending the Pistons' quest for a third consecutive title.
The Dallas Mavericks also ended a long conference finals drought by making it there for the first time since 1988.
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