Michael Jordan became the only rookie in NBA history to lead a team in four statistics (points, assists, rebounds, steals).
The Clippers relocated from San Diego, California to Los Angeles, California.
Turner Broadcasting began a relationship with the NBA that has spanned over 20 years (and still continues today) when TBS signed a 2 year, 20 million dollar deal with the NBA.
The Kings played their final game in Kansas City, Missouri, and moved their franchise to Sacramento, California the following season. In one of their final home games, New York Knicks forward Bernard King, who finished the year as the scoring champion, ruptured his ACL in his right knee and was out of action for two years. King would come back in 1987, but would not return to the All-Star Game until 1991.
Due to a roof collapse at the Pontiac Silverdome, the Pistons were forced to rent the Joe Louis Arena for the remainder of the season and into the playoffs.
At age 38, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar became the oldest player to ever win the honor of Finals MVP. Kareem's team, the Los Angeles Lakers, became the first visiting team to win the NBA title at Boston Garden, beating their archrivals, the Boston Celtics, in six games.
The Finals adopted the 2–3–2 format which was used through the 2013 NBA Finals after which the league returned to the 2–2–1–1–1 format.
The Cleveland Cavaliers returned to the playoffs after a seven-year absence. They were eliminated by the Boston Celtics in four games. They would not make the playoffs again until 1988. The Cavaliers were coached by George Karl, then making his NBA coaching debut.
At New Orleans' Lakefront Arena (where the Atlanta Hawks played 12 of 41 home games that season), Larry Bird scored a Boston Celtics franchise record 60 points in Boston's 126-115 victory over the Hawks on March 12. Bird broke the previous franchise record set by teammate Kevin McHale (56) nine days earlier at Boston Garden against the Detroit Pistons.
