After the Utah Jazz were eliminated by the buzzer-beating Phoenix Suns, the first round of the 89-90 playoffs concluded, with the semifinal matchups set.
The situation was the same in the Eastern and Western conferences, with strong teams advancing, but the fifth seed managed to upset the fourth seed.
The young New York Knicks defeated the aging Boston Celtics and will face the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, in the next round.
Patrick Ewing averaged 31.6 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game in the series, showcasing his ability as a superstar center.
In the decisive Game 5 at Boston Garden, Ewing scored 31 points, grabbed 8 rebounds, dished out 10 assists, and blocked 4 shots on 14-of-26 shooting.
Aside from his perennial failure to box out for rebounds (Oakley grabbed 17 rebounds), Ewing was nearly perfect in every other aspect.
