2003-04 NBA ATS Standings

Here are the final NBA standings for the 2003-04 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 2003-04 NBA Basketball Season

The '03 - '04 season put an end to some championship dreams.

Prior to the beginning of the season, Karl Malone and Gary Payton each took a significant pay cut to leave their respective teams and join the Lakers for a chance at a championship ring. This would be Malone's last season; Scottie Pippen would also play his last game in the NBA, returning to play his final season with the Chicago Bulls.

2003 showed one of the strongest drafts in NBA history; among the greatly hyped rookies were Lebron James, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade; James, who went to the Cleveland Cavaliers, went on to win Rookie of the Year.

The Indiana Pacers amassed the best record in the NBA, going 61 - 21. The Minnesota Timberwolves, with their "Big Three" of Kevin Garnett, Latrell Sprewell and Sam Cassell, came in second place with a 58 - 24 record. They were expected to finally win a first round playoff series, after being eliminated in the first round for the previous seven years and gaining a reputation for choking under pressure.

After eight seasons under .500, the Memphis Grizzlies managed a 50 - 32 record and made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. All Midwest Division teams finished with a record better than.500, but the Utah Jazz missed the playoffs for the first time in nine years.

The Orlando Magic proved once again that one star couldn't hold a team on his shoulders; although they had the league's top scorer in Tracy McGrady, they finished with the worst record in the NBA with a 21 - 61 record.

The All-Star game was held in Los Angeles, where the Western Conference defeated the East, 136 - 132. Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal was named the game's Most Valuable Player.

Postseason, the Timberwolves finally broke through their first round woes and advanced to the Western Conference Finals, where the Lakers sent them packing in six games. The Pacers, with the home court advantage and Reggie Miller's clutch shooting, made the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. Defensive titan Detroit, however, would eliminate them here, 4 - 2, to face the Lakers in the championship series.

Although the Pistons had been only the third-seeded team in the Eastern Conference, they shocked the basketball world by denying Shaq and Kobe their fourth ring, taking the championship series in only five games with their tremendous defensive capabilities. In Game 3 the Pistons won by 20 points, holding the Lakers to a franchise-low (for a playoff game) of 68 points. The Finals MVP trophy went to Chauncy Billups

Other honors included the Defensive Player of the Year award, given to Ron Artest of the Indiana Pacers, and the Sixth Man of the Year award, presented to Antawn Jamison of the Dallas Mavericks. Zach Randolph, from the Portland Trail Blazers, was honored with the Most Improved Player award, while Hubie Brown, head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies, was named Coach of the Year.