2001-02 NBA ATS Standings

Here are the final NBA standings for the 2001-02 basketball season. Included are the straight up records, ats records, offensive efficiency, and defensive efficiency for the teams.

REGULAR SEASON

PLAYOFFS

View ATS and straight up records for the previous NBA seasons below.

Recap of the 2001-02 NBA Basketball Season

The '01 - '02 season fulfilled a promise.

The Los Angeles Lakers' superstars, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, stated at the end of their first championship run that their team would repeat, "back-to-back-to-back". And this season, the Lakers delivered on that pledge.

In the offseason, big news was heard as NBA legend Michael Jordan, then part-owner of the Washington Wizards, announced his second comeback to the NBA, this time with the Wizards. Things looked okay for Washington through the first 52 games; they went a respectable 27-25 and had their sights set on an Eastern Conference playoff berth. However, late in the season Jordan faltered due to knee trouble, and the Wizards finished 37 - 45, missing the postseason.

The Sacramento Kings had one of their best seasons, finishing with the best record in the NBA at 61 - 21. The Philadelphia 76ers, because of an offseason injury to star Allen Iverson, weren't able to summon up the same effort they opened the previous season with, opening instead with five consecutive losses. Iverson did manage to recapture the scoring title for the third time in four years, but he played in only 60 games and the Sixers finished with only 43 wins.

The biggest surprise of the season was the New Jersey Nets, who, with the addition of All-Star Jason Kidd, won more than 50 games for the first time in franchise history and went to their first NBA Finals. The Lakers had a merely adequate 58 - 24 season; Shaq was plagued by injuries all year, but stepped up in the playoffs to help Los Angeles take their third consecutive title.

The playoffs featured several controversial and game-deciding last-second shots; so controversial were the shots that after the playoffs ended, it was decided that instant replay was needed in the NBA, as well as special backboards that provided red bar alerts for when the shot or game clock was up. It was later alleged by criminally convicted NBA referee Tim Donaghy that certain games of the 2002 playoffs had been fixed.

The Lakers had the home-court advantage going into the Finals, where they swept the Nets. Shaq took home his third Finals MVP, joining Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson as the only players to have done so.

Other honors included the Rookie of the Year award, given to Pau Gasol of the Memphis Grizzlies, while the Most Improved Player award was taken home by Jermaine O'Neal. The Pistons left quite an impression on the season: the Defensive Player of the Year award was given to Ben Wallace, the Sixth Man of the Year award was presented to Corliss Williamson, and Coach Robert Carlisle was named Coach of the Year.

The All-Star Game was held in Philadelphia, where the Western Conference defeated the East 135 - 120. Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers took home MVP honors, but he was booed by Philly fans upon accepting the trophy.