High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The 2002 NBA Playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association`s 2001–02 season. This would be the final postseason that held a best-of-5 first-round series; next year`s postseason would see those series expanded to a best-of-7 format. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers winning their third consecutive championship by sweeping the Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Nets 4 games to none.