The NBA Playoffs :
The 2009 NBA Playoffs is the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2008–09 season. The playoffs started on April 18 with ABC, ESPN, TNT, and NBA TV broadcasting the games in the United States. Eight teams from each of the league's two conferences qualified for the playoffs, all seeded 1 to 8 in a tournament bracket, with all rounds in a best-of-seven format.
The Los Angeles Lakers clinched the top seed in the Western Conference with 65 wins in the regular season. However, the playoffs seedings below #1 were unable to be determined until the final day of the regular season with four teams were still in contention to clinch three of the top four seed and the home court advantage in the first round.
The Cleveland Cavaliers finished with 66 wins in the regular season to clinch the number one seed in the Eastern Conference. They also won the Central Division for the first time in 33 years, and earned the home court advantage throughout the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
The Lakers and the number three seed in the Eastern Conference, the Orlando Magic advanced to the 2009 NBA Finals, with the Lakers holding the home court advantage in the Finals.
