The structure of the National Basketball Association’s postseason tournament in 1991, visually represented as a diagram, outlined the path each team needed to navigate to reach the NBA Finals. It illustrated the matchups between teams in both the Eastern and Western Conferences, detailing the series formats (best-of-five in the first round, best-of-seven thereafter) and potential opponents at each stage of the competition, from the first round to the Conference Finals. Each team’s placement in this structure was determined by their regular season record and seeding.
This specific postseason diagram offers a significant historical snapshot of professional basketball during that era. It documents the competitive landscape, showcasing the dominant teams and emerging contenders vying for the championship. Analyzing the teams’ respective paths to the Finals provides insights into the strengths and weaknesses of each franchise, as well as the strategic decisions made by coaches and general managers. Moreover, it serves as a benchmark for comparing the league’s evolution over time, highlighting changes in team dynamics, playing styles, and overall competitiveness.