| Year | Opponent | W/L | Series Result | Round |
| 1947 | Cleveland | W | 2-1 | BAA Quarterfinals |
| Philadelphia | L | 2-0 | BAA Semifinals |
| 1948 | Baltimore | L | 2-1 | BAA Quarterfinals |
| 1949 | Baltimore | W | 2-1 | Eastern Division Semifinals |
| Washington | L | 2-1 | Eastern Division Finals |
| 1950 | Washington | W | 2-0 | Eastern Division Semifinals |
| Syracuse | L | 2-0 | Eastern Division Finals |
| 1951 | Boston | W | 2-0 | Eastern Division Semifinals |
| Syracuse | W | 3-2 | Eastern Division Finals |
| Rochester | L | 4-3 | NBA Finals |
| 1952 | Boston | W | 2-1 | Eastern Division Semifinals |
| Syracuse | W | 3-1 | Eastern Division Finals |
| Minneapolis | L | 4-3 | NBA Finals |
| 1953 | Baltimore | W | 2-0 | Eastern Division Semifinals |
| Boston | W | 3-1 | Eastern Division Finals |
| Minneapolis | L | 4-1 | NBA Finals |
| 1954 | Syracuse/Boston | L | 4-0 | Eastern Division Round Robin |
| 1955 | Boston | L | 2-1 | Eastern Division Semifinals |
| 1956 | Syracuse | L | 1-0 | Eastern Division Tiebreaker |
| 1959 | Syracuse | L | 2-0 | Eastern Division Semifinals |
| 1967 | Boston | L | 3-1 | Eastern Division Semifinals |
| 1968 | Philadelphia | L | 4-2 | Eastern Division Semifinals |
| 1969 | Baltimore | W | 4-0 | Eastern Division Semifinals |
| Boston | L | 4-2 | Eastern Division Finals |
| 1970 | Baltimore | W | 4-3 | Eastern Division Semifinals |
| Milwaukee | W | 4-1 | Eastern Division Finals |
| LA Lakers | W | 4-3 | NBA CHAMPIONS |
| 1971 | Atlanta | W | 4-1 | Eastern Conference Semifinals |
| Baltimore | L | 4-3 | Eastern Conference Finals |
| 1972 | Baltimore | W | 4-2 | Eastern Conference Semifinals |
| Boston | W | 4-1 | Eastern Conference Finals |
| LA Lakers | L | 4-1 | NBA Finals |
| 1973 | Baltimore | W | 4-1 | Eastern Conference Semifinals |
| Boston | W | 4-3 | Eastern Conference Finals |
| LA Lakers | W | 4-1 | NBA CHAMPIONS |
| 1974 | Capital Bullets | W | 4-3 | Eastern Conference Semifinals |
| Boston | L | 4-1 | Eastern Conference Finals |
| 1975 | Houston | L | 2-1 | Eastern Conference First Round |
| 1978 | Cleveland | W | 2-0 | Eastern Conference First Round |
| Philadelphia | L | 4-0 | Eastern Conference Semifinals |
| 1981 | Chicago | L | 2-0 | Eastern Conference First Round |
| 1983 | New Jersey | W | 2-0 | Eastern Conference First Round |
| Philadelphia | L | 4-0 | Eastern Conference Semifinals |
| 1984 | Detroit | W | 3-2 | Eastern Conference First Round |
| Boston | L | 4-3 | Eastern Conference Semifinals |
| 1988 | Boston | L | 3-1 | Eastern Conference First Round |
| 1989 | Philadelphia | W | 3-0 | Eastern Conference First Round |
| Chicago | L | 4-2 | Eastern Conference Semifinals |
| 1990 | Boston | W | 3-2 | Eastern Conference First Round |
| Detroit | L | 4-1 | Eastern Conference Semifinals |
| 1991 | Chicago | L | 3-0 | Eastern Conference First Round |
| 1992 | Detroit | W | 3-2 | Eastern Conference First Round |
| Chicago | L | 4-3 | Eastern Conference Semifinals |
| 1993 | Indiana | W | 3-1 | Eastern Conference First Round |
| Charlotte | W | 4-1 | Eastern Conference Semifinals |
| Chicago | L | 4-2 | Eastern Conference Finals |
| 1994 | New Jersey | W | 3-1 | Eastern Conference First Round |
| Chicago | W | 4-3 | Eastern Conference Semifinals |
| Indiana | W | 4-3 | Eastern Conference Finals |
| Houston | L | 4-3 | NBA Finals |
| 1995 | Cleveland | W | 3-1 | Eastern Conference First Round |
| Indiana | L | 4-3 | Eastern Conference Semifinals |
| 1996 | Cleveland | W | 3-0 | Eastern Conference First Round |
| Chicago | L | 4-1 | Eastern Conference Semifinals |
| 1997 | Charlotte | W | 3-0 | Eastern Conference First Round |
| Miami | L | 4-3 | Eastern Conference Semifinals |
| 1998 | Miami | W | 3-2 | Eastern Conference First Round |
| Indiana | L | 4-1 | Eastern Conference Semifinals |
| 1999 | Miami | W | 3-2 | Eastern Conference First Round |
| Atlanta | W | 4-0 | Eastern Conference Semifinals |
| Indiana | W | 4-2 | Eastern Conference Finals |
| San Antonio | L | 4-1 | NBA Finals |
| 2000 | Toronto | W | 3-0 | Eastern Conference First Round |
| Miami | W | 4-3 | Eastern Conference Semifinals |
| Indiana | L | 4-2 | Eastern Conference Finals |
| 2001 | Toronto | L | 3-2 | Eastern Conference First Round |
| 2004 | New Jersey | L | 4-0 | Eastern Conference First Round |
| 2011 | Boston | L | 4-0 | Eastern Conference Quarterfinal |
| 2012 | Miami | L | 4-1 | Eastern Conference Quarterfinal |
| 2013 | Boston | W | 4-2 | Eastern Conference Quarterfinal |
| Indiana | L | 4-2 | Eastern Conference Semifinals |
