2003–04 NBA season




































2003–04 NBA season
LeagueNational Basketball Association
SportBasketball
DurationOctober 28, 2003 – April 14, 2004
April 17 – June 1, 2004 (Playoffs)
June 6 – 15, 2004 (Finals)
Number of teams29
TV partner(s)
ABC, TNT, ESPN, NBA TV
Draft
Top draft pickLeBron James
Picked byCleveland Cavaliers
Regular season
Top seedIndiana Pacers
Season MVP

Kevin Garnett (Minnesota)
Top scorer
Tracy McGrady (Orlando)
Playoffs

Eastern champions
Detroit Pistons
  Eastern runners-upIndiana Pacers

Western champions
Los Angeles Lakers
  Western runners-upMinnesota Timberwolves
Finals
ChampionsDetroit Pistons
  Runners-upLos Angeles Lakers
Finals MVP

Chauncey Billups (Detroit)
NBA seasons

← 2002–03

2004–05 →



The San Antonio Spurs hosting the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the 2004 Western Conference Semifinals at the SBC Center.


The 2003–04 NBA season was the 58th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Detroit Pistons defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 4–1 in the 2004 NBA Finals.




Contents





  • 1 Events


  • 2 Coaching


  • 3 Standings

    • 3.1 By division


    • 3.2 By conference



  • 4 Playoffs


  • 5 Statistics leaders


  • 6 Awards

    • 6.1 Yearly awards


    • 6.2 Players of the month


    • 6.3 Rookies of the month


    • 6.4 Coaches of the month



  • 7 References




Events


This was the final season for the original two-division format in both the Eastern and Western Conferences, before each of the conferences added a third division the following season. As a result, this would also be the final season for the NBA Midwest Division, as the Minnesota Timberwolves were that division's last champion, the only division title the franchise has won in their twenty-nine seasons in the NBA.


The All-Star Game was held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The West won 136-132; Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal was named Most Valuable Player.


For the first time in 21 years the Portland Trail Blazers did not make the playoffs, ending the second longest streak in NBA history. For the first time in 20 years the Utah Jazz did not make the playoffs, ending the third longest streak in NBA history.


Prior to the start of the season, Karl Malone and Gary Payton took major paycuts to leave their teams and join Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal on the Lakers for a chance at a possible NBA title. However, that title chase came to an end in the NBA Finals, as the Detroit Pistons won 4-1. The Minnesota Timberwolves, behind their "Big Three" of Kevin Garnett, Latrell Sprewell, and Sam Cassell, amassed the best record in the Western Conference, and were expected to finally win a first round playoff series. They won two and advanced to the Western Conference Finals, which they lost to the Lakers. It would be their last playoff appearance until the 2017–18 season.


LeBron James (1st overall to Cleveland), Carmelo Anthony (3rd overall to Denver), Chris Bosh (4th overall to Toronto), and Dwyane Wade (5th overall to Miami), among others, formed one of the strongest drafts in NBA history. Among the highly touted rookies, Anthony and Wade led their teams to the playoffs, and Wade's play pushed the Heat into the second round. James went on to win NBA Rookie of the Year. Anthony became the first NBA rookie to lead a playoff team in scoring since David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs during the 1989–90 season.


Tracy McGrady was the first scoring leader since Bernard King in 1984–85 whose team did not make the playoffs.



Coaching



































































Coaching changes
Offseason
Team
2002–03 coach
2003–04 coach

Cleveland Cavaliers

Keith Smart

Paul Silas

Detroit Pistons

Rick Carlisle

Larry Brown

Houston Rockets

Rudy Tomjanovich

Jeff Van Gundy

Indiana Pacers

Isiah Thomas

Rick Carlisle

Los Angeles Clippers

Dennis Johnson

Mike Dunleavy, Sr.

Miami Heat

Pat Riley

Stan Van Gundy

Milwaukee Bucks

George Karl

Terry Porter

New Orleans Hornets

Paul Silas

Tim Floyd

Philadelphia 76ers

Larry Brown

Randy Ayers

Toronto Raptors

Lenny Wilkens

Kevin O'Neill

Washington Wizards

Doug Collins

Eddie Jordan
In-season
Team
Outgoing coach
Incoming coach

Boston Celtics

Jim O'Brien

John Carroll

Chicago Bulls

Bill Cartwright

Pete Myers

Pete Myers

Scott Skiles

New Jersey Nets

Byron Scott

Lawrence Frank

New York Knicks

Don Chaney

Herb Williams

Herb Williams

Lenny Wilkens

Orlando Magic

Doc Rivers

Johnny Davis

Philadelphia 76ers

Randy Ayers

Chris Ford

Phoenix Suns

Frank Johnson

Mike D'Antoni


Standings



By division









By conference








Notes



  • z – Clinched home court advantage for the entire playoffs


  • c – Clinched home court advantage for the conference playoffs


  • y – Clinched division title


  • x – Clinched playoff spot


Playoffs


Teams in bold advanced to the next round. The numbers to the left of each team indicate the team's seeding in its conference, and the numbers to the right indicate the number of games the team won in that round. The division champions are marked by an asterisk. Home court advantage does not necessarily belong to the higher-seeded team, but instead the team with the better regular season record; teams enjoying the home advantage are shown in italics.










































































































































































































 
Conference Quarterfinals

Conference Semifinals

Conference Finals


NBA Finals
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


E1

Indiana*

4
 


E8

Boston
0
 

 

E1

Indiana*

4
 



 

E4

Miami
2
 


E4

Miami

4



E5

New Orleans
3
 


 

E1

Indiana*
2
 


Eastern Conference

 

E3

Detroit

4
 


E3

Detroit

4
 



E6

Milwaukee
1
 

 

E3

Detroit

4



 

E2

New Jersey*
3
 


E2

New Jersey*

4



E7

New York
0
 


 

E3

Detroit

4




 

W2

LA Lakers*
1


W1

Minnesota*

4
 



W8

Denver
1
 

 

W1

Minnesota*

4



 

W4

Sacramento
3
 


W4

Sacramento

4



W5

Dallas
1
 


 

W1

Minnesota*
2


Western Conference

 

W2

LA Lakers*

4
 


W3

San Antonio

4
 



W6

Memphis
0
 

 

W3

San Antonio
2



 

W2

LA Lakers*

4
 


W2

LA Lakers*

4



W7

Houston
1
 



* Division winner
Bold Series winner
Italic Team with home-court advantage






Statistics leaders








































CategoryPlayerTeamStat
Points per gameTracy McGradyOrlando Magic28.0
Rebounds per gameKevin GarnettMinnesota Timberwolves13.9
Assists per gameJason KiddNew Jersey Nets9.2
Steals per gameBaron DavisNew Orleans Hornets2.36
Blocks per gameTheo RatliffPortland Trail Blazers3.61
FG%Shaquille O'NealLos Angeles Lakers.584
FT%Peja StojakovićSacramento Kings.927
3FG%Anthony PeelerSacramento Kings.482


Awards



Yearly awards



  • Most Valuable Player: Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves


  • Rookie of the Year: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers


  • Defensive Player of the Year: Ron Artest, Indiana Pacers


  • Sixth Man of the Year: Antawn Jamison, Dallas Mavericks


  • Most Improved Player: Zach Randolph, Portland Trail Blazers


  • Coach of the Year: Hubie Brown, Memphis Grizzlies


  • Executive of the Year: Jerry West, Memphis Grizzlies


  • Sportsmanship Award: P. J. Brown, New Orleans Hornets


  • J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award: Reggie Miller, Indiana Pacers





















Players of the month


The following players were named the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Month.























Month
Eastern Conference
Western Conference

October – November

Baron Davis (New Orleans Hornets) (1/1)

Peja Stojaković (Sacramento Kings) (1/1)

December

Jermaine O'Neal (Indiana Pacers) (1/1)

Kevin Garnett (Minnesota Timberwolves) (1/4)

January

Michael Redd (Milwaukee Bucks) (1/1)

Kevin Garnett (Minnesota Timberwolves) (2/4)

February

Kenyon Martin (New Jersey Nets) (1/1)

Kevin Garnett (Minnesota Timberwolves) (3/4)

March

Lamar Odom (Miami Heat) (1/1)

Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers) (1/1)

April

Jamaal Magloire (New Orleans Hornets) (1/1)

Kevin Garnett (Minnesota Timberwolves) (4/4)


Rookies of the month


The following players were named the Eastern and Western Conference Rookies of the Month.























Month
Eastern Conference
Western Conference

October – November

LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers) (1/6)

Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets) (1/6)

December

LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers) (2/6)

Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets) (2/6)

January

LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers) (3/6)

Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets) (3/6)

February

LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers) (4/6)

Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets) (4/6)

March

LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers) (5/6)

Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets) (5/6)

April

LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers) (6/6)

Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets) (6/6)


Coaches of the month


The following coaches were named the Eastern and Western Conference Coaches of the Month.























Month
Eastern Conference
Western Conference

October – November

Rick Carlisle (Indiana Pacers) (1/1)

Phil Jackson (Los Angeles Lakers) (1/1)

December

Byron Scott (New Jersey Nets) (1/1)

Gregg Popovich (San Antonio Spurs) (1/1)

January

Larry Brown (Detroit Pistons) (1/2)

Rick Adelman (Sacramento Kings) (1/1)

February

Lawrence Frank (New Jersey Nets) (1/1)

Hubie Brown (Memphis Grizzlies) (1/2)

March

Stan Van Gundy (Miami Heat) (1/1)

Hubie Brown (Memphis Grizzlies) (2/2)

April

Larry Brown (Detroit Pistons) (2/2)

Flip Saunders (Minnesota Timberwolves) (1/1)


References


  • http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695268141,00.html








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