2005 NBA Playoffs

The 2005 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2004-05 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs defeating the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals. Tim Duncan was named Finals MVP.

The NBA Finals marked the first time since 1987 that the 2 previous champions met in the Finals (the Spurs won in 2003, the Pistons in 2004). For the Spurs, it was their 3rd title (they also won in the lockout-shortened season of 1999).

The Wizards and Bulls ended long playoff droughts in 2005 (and met each other in the first round). For Washington it was their first playoff appearance since 1997 (and even more ironic their opponents for that postseason appearance were the Bulls who swept them on their way to the NBA title), and only their third since 1988. Their 4-2 series victory over the Bulls was their first since 1982.

The Miami Heat became the first team to go 8-0 through the first 2 rounds (the first round having been made into a best-of-7 in the 2003 NBA Playoffs). The 2009 Cavs and 2010 Magic followed suit. No team, however, has made the finals after going 8-0 in the first two rounds, let alone win 12 straight games going to the NBA Finals.

It was the Bulls' first post-Michael Jordan playoff appearance, as their last playoff game was Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. They consistently placed at or near the bottom of the Central Division in between, but their 47-35 season in 2005 was a 24-game improvement from 2004.

For the 3rd straight year (5th overall) the Pacers met the Celtics in the first round. Boston won in 2003 4–2, while Indiana swept Boston in 2004. It would be Boston's last playoff appearance until 2008.

For the Los Angeles Lakers, it marked the first time in 11 seasons (dating back to 1994) and the fifth time in NBA history that they missed the playoffs.

This was the last time that the Seattle SuperSonics would be in the playoffs before they relocated to Oklahoma to become the Oklahoma City Thunder.