Just before the start of the season after the Chicago Bulls' first three–peat, Michael Jordan shocked the basketball world by announcing his first retirement from the NBA following the death of his father. Jordan would be back on the court in March 1995 and complete another three–peat.
The Chicago Bulls played their final season at Chicago Stadium.
Laker legend Magic Johnson tried his hand at coaching, but the Lakers missed the playoffs for just the fourth time in NBA history and Johnson refused to come back for the 1994-95 season.
The Houston Rockets tied a record set in 1948 by the Washington Capitols in starting the season with 15 victories; they started the season 22-1 before finishing with a 58-24 record.
On February 17, David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs recorded the NBA's 4th quadruple-double (34 points, 10 each rebounds, assists, and blocks) in a home game against the Detroit Pistons. This is the last time a quadruple-double was made in an NBA game.
The 1994 NBA All-Star Game was played at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with the East defeating the West 127-118. Scottie Pippen of the Chicago Bulls took home the game's MVP honors.
On the season's final day, Spurs center David Robinson scored 71 points against the Los Angeles Clippers to capture the scoring title.
Reggie Miller of the Indiana Pacers became just the third member of the 50-40-90 Club by shooting 50% from the field, 42% from three, and 91% from the line for the course of the entire season. Only Larry Bird and Mark Price had achieved this feat at that time; only Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki have achieved it since.
Neither the Los Angeles Lakers nor the Boston Celtics made the playoffs, making this the only season in NBA history that neither team has qualified.
The Denver Nuggets made NBA Playoff history by becoming the first eight-seed to defeat a one-seed in the first round of a playoff series when they defeated the Seattle SuperSonics 3 games to 2.
The Indiana Pacers won their first NBA playoff series by sweeping the Orlando Magic, who were making their playoff debut. The Pacers would go on to their first Eastern Conference Finals, eventually losing to the New York Knicks in seven games.
The New York Knicks came one game away from playing the maximum number of playoff contests. Had the New Jersey Nets captured one more victory over them in the first round, this would have been done as the Knicks played seven-game series in the next three rounds against the Bulls, Pacers, and Rockets. The Boston Celtics would later exceed the mark in 2008.
This year's NBA Finals would be the last to go seven games until 2005. This was also the only year in which both the NBA Finals and the Stanley Cup Finals would go to seven games and involve teams from the same city.
Final standings[]
Eastern Conference[]
Atlantic Division
Team
W
L
PCT.
GB
New York Knicks
57
25
.695
-
Orlando Magic
50
32
.610
7
New Jersey Nets
45
37
.549
12
Miami Heat
42
40
.512
15
Boston Celtics
32
50
.390
25
Philadelphia 76ers
25
57
.305
32
Washington Bullets
24
58
.293
33
Central Division
Team
W
L
PCT.
GB
Atlanta Hawks
57
25
.695
-
Chicago Bulls
55
27
.671
2
Cleveland Cavaliers
47
35
.573
10
Indiana Pacers
47
35
.573
10
Charlotte Hornets
41
41
.500
16
Milwaukee Bucks
20
62
.244
37
Detroit Pistons
20
62
.244
37
Western Conference[]
Midwest Division
Team
W
L
PCT.
GB
Houston Rockets C
58
24
.707
-
San Antonio Spurs
55
27
.671
3
Utah Jazz
53
29
.646
5
Denver Nuggets
42
40
.512
16
Minnesota Timberwolves
20
62
.244
38
Dallas Mavericks
13
69
.159
45
Pacific Division
Team
W
L
PCT.
GB
Seattle SuperSonics
63
19
.768
-
Phoenix Suns
56
26
.683
7
Golden State Warriors
50
32
.610
13
Portland Trail Blazers
47
35
.573
16
Los Angeles Lakers
33
49
.402
30
Sacramento Kings
28
54
.341
35
Los Angeles Clippers
27
55
.329
36
C - NBA Champions
Statistics leaders[]
Category
Player
Team
Stat
Points per game
David Robinson
San Antonio Spurs
29.8
Rebounds per game
Dennis Rodman
San Antonio Spurs
17.3
Assists per game
John Stockton
Utah Jazz
12.6
Steals per game
Nate McMillan
Seattle SuperSonics
3.0
Blocks per game
Dikembe Mutombo
Denver Nuggets
4.1
FG%
Shaquille O'Neal
Orlando Magic
59.9
FT%
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
Denver Nuggets
95.6
3FG%
Tracy Murray
Portland Trail Blazers
45.9
NBA awards[]
Most Valuable Player: Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets
Rookie of the Year: Chris Webber, Golden State Warriors
Defensive Player of the Year: Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets
Sixth Man of the Year: Dell Curry, Charlotte Hornets
Most Improved Player: Don MacLean, Washington Bullets
Coach of the Year: Lenny Wilkens, Atlanta Hawks
All-NBA First Team:
F - Karl Malone, Utah Jazz
F - Scottie Pippen, Chicago Bulls
C - Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets
G - John Stockton, Utah Jazz
G - Latrell Sprewell, Golden State Warriors
All-NBA Second Team:
F - Shawn Kemp, Seattle SuperSonics
F - Charles Barkley, Phoenix Suns
C - David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs
G - Mitch Richmond, Sacramento Kings
G - Kevin Johnson, Phoenix Suns
All-NBA Third Team:
F - Derrick Coleman, New Jersey Nets
F - Dominique Wilkins, Atlanta Hawks/Los Angeles Clippers
