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The 2021 NBA playoffs marked just the second time in postseason history that both number one seeds in the East and West failed to reach the Conference Finals.
The Western Conference leaders, Utah Jazz, lost to the LA Clippers in six games in round two. They had finished the regular season with the best record in the league (52-20), also breaking their franchise record for the best win/loss ratio. Despite leading the series 2-0, the Jazz couldn't hold off the Clippers as they lost the next four games.
The Jazz were without point guard Mike Conley for the first five games, while Donovan Mitchell was not at 100% because of an ankle sprain suffered earlier in the series. However, it would be fair to say that the Jazz were simply outplayed by the Clippers. The Western Conference leaders gave up huge leads in their last two games, including a 25-point lead in the do-or-die Game 6 contest.
Meanwhile, Eastern Conference leaders, the Philadelphia 76ers, saw their campaign come to an end against underdogs Atlanta Hawks in seven games in round two as well. The Sixers squandered a 2-1 series lead and eventually lost in seven games.
The Hawks were fabulous in capitalizing on the Sixers' inefficiency to close out games, overturning a 16-point deficit in Game 4 and a 26-point one in Game 5 to turn the series in their favor. Trae Young was the MVP for the Hawks and averaged 29 points and 10.9 assists per contest in the seven-game series.
NBA Playoffs: When was the last time both number one seeds failed to make the Conference Finals?
The 1994 NBA playoffs was the last time both number one seeds failed to make the Conference Finals. From the Western Conference, it was the Seattle Supersonics, who failed to get past the first round, losing to the eighth seed, the Denver Nuggets, 2-3.
It was one of the most surprising results as the Supersonics had finished with an impressive 63-19 record, the best in the league that season.
From the Eastern Conference, it was the Atlanta Hawks who failed to reach the Conference Finals. They lost to the fourth-seeded Indiana Pacers 2-4 in the second round. The Hawks finished with a 57-25 record.
The Houston Rockets and the New York Knicks made the NBA finals that year, with the Knicks ending up winning the series 4-3. The 1994 NBA Playoffs also saw a record number of Game 7s (5), a mark that was tied in the 2014 NBA playoffs and the 2016 NBA playoffs as well.
Guess the Lakers players!
