A new league dress code was put into effect at the beginning of the year by commissioner David Stern.
The Miami Heat win their first NBA championship in franchise history. They become the third franchise (joining the 1969 Boston Celtics and 1977 Portland Trail Blazers) to win the NBA Finals after losing the first two games. They are also the first of the four 1988/89 expansion franchises to win a championship.
The All-Star Game was played on February 19, 2006 at the Toyota Center in Houston with the East beating the West 122–120. LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers won the game's MVP honors also becoming the youngest player to win the All-Star MVP at age 21.
This season marked the first season of the Charlotte Bobcats in their new arena in downtown Charlotte.
Due to the damages caused by Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Hornets played 32 regular season games in the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, 6 games at LSU's Pete Maravich Assembly Center, and just 3 games at the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans in March.[1] Due to the split, the team was officially referred to as the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets.
This season marked the first under the NBA's new Collective Bargaining Agreement, agreed upon by the owners and the player union on June 21.
The season was marked by the 30th anniversary of the absorption of four American Basketball Association members into the league: The Indiana Pacers, the New Jersey Nets, the Denver Nuggets and the San Antonio Spurs all joined in 1976.
On January 22, 2006, Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant scored 81 points in a game against the Toronto Raptors. This was the second-highest single game scoring total in league history, second only to Wilt Chamberlain's 100-point game in 1962.
Scottie Pippen (Bulls), Karl Malone (Jazz), and Reggie Miller (Pacers) had their numbers retired by their respective franchises.
The NBA held the Hardwood Classics program for the fifth straight season. The Bulls, Rockets, Clippers, Grizzlies, Heat, Nets, Knicks, Magic, Suns, Sonics, and Wizards all took part by wearing throwback jerseys for select games.
On the last day of the regular season, Ray Allen broke the single season record for most three-pointers, at 269.[2]
The NBA Finals was jokingly referred to as the "American Airlines" series since both competing teams played in an arena sponsored by the same airline. The Miami Heat play their games at AmericanAirlines Arena while the Dallas Mavericks reside in the American Airlines Center.
All five teams in the Central Division made the playoffs, marking the first time all teams in a division made the playoffs since the entire Midwest Division made it in 20 years before.
The Los Angeles Clippers made it back to the playoffs since 1997 and won their first playoff series since 1976 when they were still known as the Buffalo Braves.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves sport a patch in their warmups in memory of Hall of Fame player George Mikan, who passed away June 1, 2005 at the age of 80.
Final standings[]
Eastern Conference[]
Atlantic Division
Team
W
L
PCT.
GB
New Jersey Nets-y (4)
49
33
.598
-
Philadelphia 76ers
38
44
.463
11
Boston Celtics
33
49
.402
16
Toronto Raptors
27
55
.329
22
New York Knicks
23
59
.280
26
Central Division
Team
W
L
PCT.
GB
Detroit Pistons-z (1)
64
18
.780
-
Cleveland Cavaliers-x (3)
50
32
.610
14
Indiana Pacers-x (6)
41
41
.500
23
Chicago Bulls-x (7)
41
41
.500
23
Milwaukee Bucks-x (8)
40
42
.488
24
Southeast Division
Team
W
L
PCT.
GB
Miami Heat-y (2) C
52
30
.634
-
Washington Wizards-x (5)
42
40
.512
10
Orlando Magic
36
46
.439
16
Charlotte Bobcats
26
56
.317
26
Atlanta Hawks
26
56
.317
26
Western Conference[]
Northwest Division
Team
W
L
PCT.
GB
Denver Nuggets-y (4)
44
38
.537
-
Utah Jazz
41
41
.500
3
Seattle SuperSonics
35
47
.427
9
Minnesota Timberwolves
33
49
.402
11
Portland Trail Blazers
21
61
.256
23
Southwest Division
Team
W
L
PCT.
GB
San Antonio Spurs-z (1)
63
19
.768
-
Dallas Mavericks-x (2)
60
22
.732
3
Memphis Grizzlies-x (5)
49
33
.598
14
NO/OKC Hornets
38
44
.463
25
Houston Rockets
34
48
.415
29
Pacific Division
Team
W
L
PCT.
GB
Phoenix Suns-y (3)
54
28
.659
-
Los Angeles Clippers-x (6)
47
35
.573
7
Los Angeles Lakers-x (7)
45
37
.549
9
Sacramento Kings-x (8)
44
38
.537
10
Golden State Warriors
34
48
.415
20
x - Clinched playoff berth
y - Clinched division title
z - Clinched top conference record
(1) – (8) - Playoff seedings
C - NBA Champions
[3]
Statistics leaders[]
Category
Player
Team
Stat
Points per game
Kobe Bryant
Los Angeles Lakers
35.4
Rebounds per game
Kevin Garnett
Minnesota Timberwolves
12.7
Assists per game
Steve Nash
Phoenix Suns
10.5
Steals per game
Gerald Wallace
Charlotte Bobcats
2.5
Blocks per game
Marcus Camby
Denver Nuggets
3.29
FG%
Shaquille O'Neal
Miami Heat
60.0%
FT%
Steve Nash
Phoenix Suns
92.1%
3FG%
Richard Hamilton
Detroit Pistons
45.8%
NBA awards[]
Most Valuable Player: Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns
Finals MVP: Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
Rookie of the Year: Chris Paul, New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets
Defensive Player of the Year: Ben Wallace, Detroit Pistons
Sixth Man of the Year: Mike Miller, Memphis Grizzlies
Most Improved Player: Boris Diaw, Phoenix Suns
Coach of the Year: Avery Johnson, Dallas Mavericks
Executive of the Year: Elgin Baylor, Los Angeles Clippers
Sportsmanship Award: Elton Brand, Los Angeles Clippers
