The 2003 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2002–03 season.

In addition, they were awarded home-court advantage for the first time in franchise history in their series against the Los Angeles Lakers.

With their first-round series loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Minnesota Timberwolves earned the dubious distinction of making their first seven postseason appearances, only to lose in the first round.

The Portland Trail Blazers snapped a ten-game playoff losing streak dating back to 2000 with a Game 4 win in their first-round series against the Dallas Mavericks.

With their conference semifinals loss to the San Antonio Spurs, the Lakers' championship streak was snapped at 3.

With their Eastern Conference Finals sweep of the Detroit Pistons, the New Jersey Nets won ten straight postseason games, the most since the 2001 Los Angeles Lakers.

In Game 6 of the Spurs–Mavericks series, Steve Kerr and Manu Ginóbili sparked a 42–15 run to help the Spurs advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.

As of 2024, the 49–win New Jersey Nets are the most recent NBA Finals participant to win fewer than 50 games in an 82–game season.

[4] In Game 1, after Amar'e Stoudemire banks in a game-tying 3 with 7.9 seconds left in regulation, Stephon Marbury hits the game-winning 3 at the buzzer in OT.

It was also Karl Malone's last game in Utah as he joined the Los Angeles Lakers during the following offseason.

Steve Kerr puts on a shooting performance for the ages connecting on 4 3-pointers closing out Dallas in game 6.