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The 2001–02 NBA season was the 56th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Los Angeles Lakers winning their third straight championship, beating the New Jersey Nets 4–0 in the 2002 NBA Finals.

Notable occurrences

• The Grizzlies relocated from Vancouver, British Columbia to Memphis, Tennessee. They played their first seasons at The Pyramid in Memphis.
• The Hornets played their final season in Charlotte, before relocating to New Orleans for the following season.
• The San Antonio Spurs played their final home game at the Alamodome.
• The 2002 NBA All-Star Game was held at First Union Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Kobe Bryant of the Lakers took MVP honors amidst boos from the Philadelphia fans following a 135-120 victory by the West.
• Prior to the start of the season, NBA legend Michael Jordan, then part-owner of the Washington Wizards, announced his second comeback to the NBA, this time with the Wizards.
• The Dallas Mavericks played their first game at the American Airlines Center, not to be confused with the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida.
• This was the last season that both NBC and TBS televise NBA games.
• NBA teams wore patches on their jerseys with the American flag and ribbon, in honor of the victims of the September 11 attacks. The Raptors wore the American and Canadian flags on theirs.
• The Toronto Raptors, after losing 17 of 18 to drop to 30-38, win 12 of their last 14 to finish at 42-40 and go to the NBA playoffs with the seventh seed in the East.
• The New Jersey Nets, who had never won 50 games in a season and had only been to the second round of the playoffs once, won 52 games and go to their first NBA Finals.
• With the Nets appearing in the Finals, the Denver Nuggets are now the only former ABA team to not reach the Finals.
• Former All-Star Jayson Williams was charged with the murder of his limo driver on 14 February 2002. He was immediately fired from his spot on NBC's Verizon Wireless at the Half shortly after appearing on TV during the All-Star Game the previous week.
• Marv Albert and Mike Fratello were involved in a limo crash prior to the start of the 2002 Playoffs and were unable to announce for NBC. Marv returned to announce the 2002 Western Conference Finals and NBA Finals.
• The 2002 NBA Playoffs featured several controversial last-second shots. During Game 4 of the series between the Charlotte Hornets and Orlando Magic, Baron Davis hit a three-pointer at the buzzer that should have counted, but was waved off. Later, Reggie Miller of the Indiana Pacers was awarded a game-tying three-pointer from half-court against the New Jersey Nets that should not have counted, but was. In the Western Conference Finals between the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Lakers, Lakers forward Samaki Walker hit a three-pointer to end the half (the three points would later haunt the Kings as Robert Horry won the game on a last second shot). After the playoffs ended, it was decided that instant replay was needed in the NBA. In addition, NBA backboards are provided with red light beams to determine the end of the shot clock and/or the game clock.
• This season marked the first time the league's scoring leader (in this case Allen Iverson) failed to make the All-NBA First Team.

Final standings

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

C - NBA Champions

Statistics leaders

NBA awards

• Most Valuable Player: Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
• Rookie Of The Year: Pau Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies
• Defensive Player Of The Year: Ben Wallace, Detroit Pistons
• Sixth Man Of The Year: Corliss Williamson, Detroit Pistons
• Most Improved Player: Jermaine O'Neal, Indiana Pacers
• Coach Of The Year: Rick Carlisle, Detroit Pistons
• Executive of the Year: Rod Thorn, New Jersey Nets
• Sportsmanship Award: Steve Smith, San Antonio Spurs
• NBA First Team
  • Tracy McGrady, Orlando Magic
  • Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
  • Shaquille O'Neal, Los Angeles Lakers
  • Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
  • Jason Kidd, New Jersey Nets
• NBA Second Team
  • Chris Webber, Sacramento Kings
  • Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas Mavericks
  • Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves
  • Allen Iverson, Philadelphia 76ers
  • Gary Payton, Seattle SuperSonics
• NBA Third Team
  • Jermaine O'Neal, Indiana Pacers
  • Ben Wallace, Detroit Pistons
  • Dikembe Mutombo, Philadelphia 76ers
  • Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics
  • Steve Nash, Dallas Mavericks
• NBA Defensive First Team
  • Ben Wallace, Detroit Pistons
  • Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
  • Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves
  • Jason Kidd, New Jersey Nets
  • Gary Payton, Seattle SuperSonics
• NBA Defensive Second Team
  • Bruce Bowen, San Antonio Spurs
  • Clifford Robinson, Detroit Pistons
  • Dikembe Mutombo, Philadelphia 76ers
  • Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
  • Doug Christie, Sacramento Kings
• Rookie First Team
  • Shane Battier, Memphis Grizzlies
  • Andrei Kirilenko, Utah Jazz
  • Pau Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies
  • Jason Richardson, Golden State Warriors
  • Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs
• Rookie Second Team
  • Vladimir Radmanović, Seattle SuperSonics
  • Joe Johnson, Phoenix Suns
  • Eddie Griffin, Houston Rockets
  • Željko Rebrača, Detroit Pistons
  • Jamaal Tinsley, Indiana Pacers
  • Richard Jefferson, New Jersey Nets

Note: All information on this page were obtained on the History section on NBA.com

See also