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1981 NBA Playoff Summary
Summary / Leaders / Player Statistics
Finals (4-2): Boston Celtics over Houston Rockets
| Game 1 | May 5 | Boston Celtics | 98 | Houston Rockets | 95 |
| Game 2 | May 7 | Boston Celtics | 90 | Houston Rockets | 92 |
| Game 3 | May 9 | Houston Rockets | 71 | Boston Celtics | 94 |
| Game 4 | May 10 | Houston Rockets | 91 | Boston Celtics | 86 |
| Game 5 | May 12 | Boston Celtics | 109 | Houston Rockets | 80 |
| Game 6 | May 14 | Houston Rockets | 91 | Boston Celtics | 102 |
Western Conference Finals (4-1): Houston Rockets over Kansas City Kings
| Game 1 | April 21 | Kansas City Kings | 78 | Houston Rockets | 97 |
| Game 2 | April 22 | Kansas City Kings | 88 | Houston Rockets | 79 |
| Game 3 | April 24 | Houston Rockets | 92 | Kansas City Kings | 88 |
| Game 4 | April 26 | Houston Rockets | 100 | Kansas City Kings | 89 |
| Game 5 | April 29 | Kansas City Kings | 88 | Houston Rockets | 97 |
Eastern Conference Finals (4-3): Boston Celtics over Philadelphia 76ers
| Game 1 | April 21 | Boston Celtics | 104 | Philadelphia 76ers | 105 |
| Game 2 | April 22 | Boston Celtics | 118 | Philadelphia 76ers | 99 |
| Game 3 | April 24 | Philadelphia 76ers | 110 | Boston Celtics | 100 |
| Game 4 | April 26 | Philadelphia 76ers | 107 | Boston Celtics | 105 |
| Game 5 | April 29 | Boston Celtics | 111 | Philadelphia 76ers | 109 |
| Game 6 | May 1 | Philadelphia 76ers | 98 | Boston Celtics | 100 |
| Game 7 | May 3 | Boston Celtics | 91 | Philadelphia 76ers | 90 |
Western Conference Semifinals (4-3): Kansas City Kings over Phoenix Suns
| Game 1 | April 7 | Phoenix Suns | 102 | Kansas City Kings | 80 |
| Game 2 | April 8 | Phoenix Suns | 83 | Kansas City Kings | 88 |
| Game 3 | April 10 | Kansas City Kings | 93 | Phoenix Suns | 92 |
| Game 4 | April 12 | Kansas City Kings | 102 | Phoenix Suns | 95 |
| Game 5 | April 15 | Phoenix Suns | 101 | Kansas City Kings | 89 |
| Game 6 | April 17 | Kansas City Kings | 76 | Phoenix Suns | 81 |
| Game 7 | April 19 | Phoenix Suns | 88 | Kansas City Kings | 95 |
Western Conference Semifinals (4-3): Houston Rockets over San Antonio Spurs
| Game 1 | April 7 | San Antonio Spurs | 98 | Houston Rockets | 107 |
| Game 2 | April 8 | San Antonio Spurs | 125 | Houston Rockets | 113 |
| Game 3 | April 10 | Houston Rockets | 112 | San Antonio Spurs | 99 |
| Game 4 | April 12 | Houston Rockets | 112 | San Antonio Spurs | 114 |
| Game 5 | April 14 | San Antonio Spurs | 117 | Houston Rockets | 123 |
| Game 6 | April 15 | Houston Rockets | 96 | San Antonio Spurs | 101 |
| Game 7 | April 17 | San Antonio Spurs | 100 | Houston Rockets | 105 |
Eastern Conference Semifinals (4-3): Philadelphia 76ers over Milwaukee Bucks
| Game 1 | April 5 | Philadelphia 76ers | 125 | Milwaukee Bucks | 122 |
| Game 2 | April 7 | Philadelphia 76ers | 99 | Milwaukee Bucks | 109 |
| Game 3 | April 10 | Milwaukee Bucks | 103 | Philadelphia 76ers | 108 |
| Game 4 | April 12 | Milwaukee Bucks | 109 | Philadelphia 76ers | 98 |
| Game 5 | April 15 | Philadelphia 76ers | 116 | Milwaukee Bucks | 99 |
| Game 6 | April 17 | Milwaukee Bucks | 109 | Philadelphia 76ers | 86 |
| Game 7 | April 19 | Philadelphia 76ers | 99 | Milwaukee Bucks | 98 |
Eastern Conference Semifinals (4-0): Boston Celtics over Chicago Bulls
| Game 1 | April 5 | Boston Celtics | 121 | Chicago Bulls | 109 |
| Game 2 | April 7 | Boston Celtics | 106 | Chicago Bulls | 97 |
| Game 3 | April 10 | Chicago Bulls | 107 | Boston Celtics | 113 |
| Game 4 | April 12 | Chicago Bulls | 103 | Boston Celtics | 109 |
Western Conference First Round (2-1): Kansas City Kings over Portland Trail Blazers
| Game 1 | April 1 | Portland Trail Blazers | 97 | Kansas City Kings | 98 |
| Game 2 | April 3 | Kansas City Kings | 119 | Portland Trail Blazers | 124 |
| Game 3 | April 5 | Portland Trail Blazers | 95 | Kansas City Kings | 104 |
Western Conference First Round (2-1): Houston Rockets over Los Angeles Lakers
| Game 1 | April 1 | Los Angeles Lakers | 107 | Houston Rockets | 111 |
| Game 2 | April 3 | Houston Rockets | 106 | Los Angeles Lakers | 111 |
| Game 3 | April 5 | Los Angeles Lakers | 86 | Houston Rockets | 89 |
Eastern Conference First Round (2-0): Philadelphia 76ers over Indiana Pacers
| Game 1 | March 31 | Philadelphia 76ers | 124 | Indiana Pacers | 108 |
| Game 2 | April 2 | Indiana Pacers | 85 | Philadelphia 76ers | 96 |
Eastern Conference First Round (2-0): Chicago Bulls over New York Knickerbockers
| Game 1 | March 31 | New York Knickerbockers | 80 | Chicago Bulls | 90 |
| Game 2 | April 3 | Chicago Bulls | 115 | New York Knickerbockers | 114 |