The 2001-02 NBA season is the 56th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Los Angeles Lakers winning their third straight championship, beating the New Jersey Nets 4 games to zero in the 2002 NBA Finals.
Notable Occurrences
- The Grizzlies relocate from Vancouver, British Columbia to Memphis, Tennessee. They play their first seasons at the Pyramid in Memphis.
- The All-Star Game was held at First Union Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Kobe Bryant of the Lakers took MVP honors following a 135-120 victory by the West.
- Prior to the start of the season, NBA legend Michael Jordan, now part owner of the Washington Wizards, announces his second comeback to the NBA, this time with the Wizards.
- The Dallas Mavericks play their first game at the American Airlines Center, not to be confused with the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida.
- The NBA parted with broadcast partner NBC after twelve years.
Final standings
Eastern Conference
| Team | W | L | Ptc(%) | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:NewJerseyNets 100.png New Jersey Nets | 52 | 30 | .534 | - |
| File:BostonCeltics 100.png Boston Celtics | 49 | 33 | .598 | 3.0 |
| File:OrlandoMagic 100.png Orlando Magic | 44 | 38 | .537 | 8.0 |
| File:Philadelphia76ersmain.gif Philadelphia 76ers | 43 | 39 | .524 | 9.0 |
| File:Washington wizards.gif Washington Wizards | 37 | 45 | .451 | 15.0 |
| File:MiamiHeat 100.png Miami Heat | 36 | 46 | .439 | 16.0 |
| File:Knicks logo.gif New York Knicks | 30 | 52 | .366 | 22.0 |
| Team | W | L | Ptc(%) | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:DetroitPistons 100.png Detroit Pistons | 50 | 32 | .610 | - |
| File:Hornetslogo33.gif Charlotte Hornets | 44 | 38 | .537 | 6.0 |
| File:TorontoRaptors 100.png Toronto Raptors | 42 | 40 | .512 | 8.0 |
| File:IndianaPacers 100.png Indiana Pacers | 42 | 40 | .512 | 8.0 |
| File:MilwaukeeBucks 100.png Milwaukee Bucks | 41 | 41 | .500 | 9.0 |
| File:AtlantaHawksPrimaryLogo.gif Atlanta Hawks | 33 | 49 | .402 | 17.0 |
| File:ClevelandCavaliersOld1.png Cleveland Cavaliers | 29 | 53 | .354 | 21.0 |
| File:ChicagoBulls 100.png Chicago Bulls | 21 | 61 | .256 | 29.0 |
Western Conference
| Team | W | L | Ptc(%) | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:Spurs 90-02 logo.jpg San Antonio Spurs | 58 | 24 | .707 | - |
| File:DallasMavericks 100.png Dallas Mavericks | 57 | 25 | .695 | 1.0 |
| File:MinnesotaTimberwolves.gif Minnesota Timberwolves | 50 | 32 | .610 | 8.0 |
| File:JazzLate90sLogo.gif Utah Jazz | 44 | 38 | .537 | 14.0 |
| File:HoustonRocketsOld1.png Houston Rockets | 28 | 54 | .341 | 30.0 |
| File:DenverNuggets90slogo.jpg Denver Nuggets | 27 | 55 | .329 | 31.0 |
| File:OldMemphisGrizzliesLogo.gifMemphis Grizzlies | 23 | 59 | .280 | 35.0 |
| Team | W | L | Ptc(%) | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| File:SacramentoKings 100.png Sacramento Kings | 61 | 21 | .744 | - |
| File:LosAngelesLakers 100.png Los Angeles Lakers File:NBATrophyLogo.gif | 58 | 24 | .707 | 3.0 |
| File:PortlandTrailBlazers 100.png Portland Trail Blazers | 49 | 33 | .598 | 12.0 |
| File:SeattleSSonics5.png Seattle Supersonics | 45 | 37 | .549 | 16.0 |
| File:LosAngelesClippers 100.png Los Angeles Clippers | 39 | 43 | .476 | 22.0 |
| File:PhoenixSunsmainlogo.gif Phoenix Suns | 36 | 46 | .439 | 25.0 |
| File:GoldenStateWarriors 100.png Golden State Warriors | 21 | 61 | .256 | 40.0 |
File:NBATrophyLogo.gif - NBA Champions
NBA awards
- Most Valuable Player: Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
- Rookie of the Year: Pau Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies
- Defensive Player of the Year: Ben Wallace, Detroit Pistons
- Sixth Man of the Year: Corliss Williamson, Detroit Pistons
- Most Improved Player: Jermaine O'Neal, Indiana Pacers
- Coach of the Year: Rick Carlisle, Detroit Pistons
- All-NBA First Team:
- F - Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
- F - Tracy McGrady, Orlando Magic
- C - Shaquille O'Neal, Los Angeles Lakers
- G - Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
- G - Jason Kidd, New Jersey Nets
- All-NBA Rookie Team:
- Pau Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies
- Shane Battier, Memphis Grizzlies
- Jason Richardson, Golden State Warriors
- Tony Parker, San Antonio Spurs
- Andrei Kirilenko, Utah Jazz
Note: All information on this page were obtained on the History section on NBA.com