1989 NBA Finals

NBA Finals summary


caption =
year = 1989
runnerup = Los Angeles Lakers
runnerup_coach = Pat Riley
runnerup_games = 0
champion = Detroit Pistons
champion_coach = Chuck Daly
champion_games = 4
date= June 6 - June 13
MVP = Joe Dumars
(Detroit Pistons)
television = CBS (U.S.)
announcers = Dick Stockton and Hubie Brown
HOFers = Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1995)
Adrian Dantley (2008)
Joe Dumars (2006)
Magic Johnson (2002)
Isiah Thomas (2000)
James Worthy (2003)
Coaches:
Chuck Daly (1994)
Pat Riley (2008)
radio_network =
radio_announcers =
referees_1 =
referees_2 =
referees_3 =
referees_4 = Jess Kersey, Jack Madden, and Earl Strom
ECF result = Pistons defeat Bulls, 4-2
WCF result = Lakers defeat Suns, 4-0

The 1989 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1988-89 NBA season. The series was a rematch of the previous year's Championship Round between the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers.

During the season, the Los Angeles Lakers had won their division, with Magic Johnson collecting his second MVP award. The team swept the first three playoff series, resulting in a rematch with the Detroit Pistons in the Finals. Johnson and Byron Scott were injured with Scott suffering a hamstring injury in practice before Game 1 and Johnson pulling a hamstring during Game 2. The Lakers had won two straight NBA championships in 1987 and 1988 ('88 was against the Pistons).

The Pistons had dominated the Eastern Conference, winning 63 games during the regular season. After sweeping the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks, the Pistons beat the Chicago Bulls in six games, earning a second straight trip to the NBA Finals. The season before the Lakers had beaten them in as tough, seven game series.

The Pistons won the series in a four-game sweep.

For their rough physical play, and sometimes arrogant demeanor, Pistons' center Bill Laimbeer nicknamed the team 'The Bad Boys'. The name became an unofficial 'slogan' for the Pistons throughout the next season as well.

Following the series, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar announced his retirement at 42, after 20 years with the NBA.

Pistons' guard Joe Dumars was named MVP for the series.

This series was aired on CBS. Dick Stockton and Hubie Brown called the action. The former narrated the season-ending documentary "Motor City Madness" for NBA Entertainment.

Game One

Just before Game 1, Lakers guard Byron Scott suffered a severe hamstring injury in practice. He would miss at least the first two games, and his absence would especially be felt on the defensive end. Magic Johnson had a size advantage, but was too slow to defend against the Pistons' three-headed backcourt monster of Joe Dumars, Isiah Thomas, and Vinnie Johnson. Super-sub Michael Cooper would have to log more minutes than he was accustomed to, and rookie David Rivers was inexperienced. Another option was Tony Campbell, but he played very little during the season.

Without Scott's quick switches and help defense, the Piston guards smoked the Lakers in Game 1. Thomas had 24 points, Dumars 22, and Johnson 19. With six minutes left, Detroit led 97-79 and the final score was 109-97.

Game Two

The short-handed Lakers snapped right back in Game 2, pounding the boards and taking a strong first-quarter lead. Joe Dumars had a hot first half with 24 points (he would finish with 33) to keep Detroit close. Los Angeles held a 62-56 lead at halftime.

With about four minutes left in the third period, a major misfortune would befall the Lakers, leading 75-73. John Salley blocked a Mychal Thompson shot, which started a Detroit fast break. Magic Johnson dropped back to play defense, and in so doing, pulled his hamstring. Magic was visibly hurt and frustrated, and had to be coaxed into leaving the floor.

The Pistons had made the bucket on the break to tie the game at 75-75, but the Lakers, minus Johnson, charged to a 90-81 lead late in the period. In the fourth, however, the Lakers missed three easy baskets and committed an offensive foul as Detroit first tied the game, then went up 102-95. The gritty Lakers charged back and cut the lead to 106-104. The Pistons committed a 24-second violation, giving the Lakers the ball with eight seconds left.

James Worthy, the lone Laker weapon left, drove to the basket and was fouled, giving him an opportunity to tie the game. The 1988 Finals MVP, however, missed one of two, leaving the Lakers short at 106-105. Isiah Thomas then hit two free throws with a second remaining for the final 108-105 score.

Game Three

The Pistons had a 2-0 series lead, but knew it would be tough going in L.A. Magic Johnson tried to play, but the pain of his hamstring injury was just too great. He left Game 3 after just five minutes of the first quarter with the Lakers leading, 11-8.

Without Magic, the Lakers made a heroic effort. James Worthy scored 26 points, and the 42-year old Kareem Abdul-Jabbar found the fountain of youth, contributing 24 points and 13 rebounds. Michael Cooper, the last remaining backcourt veteran, had 13 assists and 15 points. But it wasn't enough.

Dennis Rodman, despite suffering from painful back spasms, pulled down 19 rebounds between trips to the sideline for rubdowns. But, the main effort came from the guards. Joe Dumars scored 31, including a remarkable third quarter in which he scored 17 consecutive points (21 in all for the period). Vinnie Johnson added 17, including 13 points in the fourth. Isiah Thomas pitched in with 26 points and eight assists, including six and three in the final period.

The Pistons led 113-108 with 15 left, when Thomas allowed A.C. Green to tie him up and steal the ball. Thomas then fouled Lakers rookie point guard David Rivers, who made both free throws, pulling Los Angeles to within three at 113-110 with 13 seconds left. Dumars then lost the ball out of bounds with nine seconds left, giving the Lakers a shot at the tie.

The Lakers then ran a play where Rivers got free for an open three-pointer in the corner. From about eight feet to Rivers' right, Dumars wheeled and lunged at the shot. Not only did he block it, he landed and saved the ball from going out of bounds. The Pistons then ran out the clock to close the 113-110 win and got on the verge of an unexpected sweep.

Game Four

With the Lakers' backs to the wall, coach Pat Riley admonished his lone weapon, James Worthy, to step up his game. Worthy responded with a championship effort of 40 points on 17-of-26 field-goal shooting with Rick Mahorn in his face every step of the way. But Worthy couldn't do it alone. The Forum crowd was also anticipating Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's possible curtain call. During the pre-game warmups and introductions, Kareem received several well-deserved ovations.

With Worthy playing out of his mind, the Lakers took a 35-23 lead at the end of the first period. Despite trouble at the free-throw line (11 missed), the Pistons began to claw back as Los Angeles led 55-49 at intermission.

The Pistons started fast in the third quarter, beginning with a three-point basket by Bill Laimbeer. Mahorn then scored four quick points, and the Pistons took a 59-58 lead moments later. Dumars hit a driving bank shot, drew the foul and made the free throw, giving him 19 points on the evening. Mahorn followed that with another bucket and the Lakers called timeout. Worthy heroically led the Lakers back into a 78-76 lead at the end of the third, but they knew the Pistons were coming on.

The Pistons took control of the game in the fourth, with James Edwards scoring particularly well. With 3:23 left and the Pistons with a 100-94 lead, the crowd rose to a standing ovation as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar left the game, more a note of thanks than a plea for a miracle. For the next two mintues, it seemed nobody wanted to hit a shot. Abdul-Jabbar re-entered the game and spun and hit a bank shot with 1:37 left, his last two NBA points, cutting the Pistons' margin to 100-96. Kareem went out of the game with 47 seconds remaining amid thunderous applause.

Laimbeer hit a jumper at the 28-second mark, and the Pistons began celebrating. Riley sent Abdul-Jabbar back in after the timeout, but Michael Cooper missed a three-pointer and Isiah Thomas was fouled. Riley then sent Orlando Woolridge in for "the Captain", this time for good. The hobbled Magic Johnson came out to meet him amid the crowd's warm applause. The Pistons, in a show of sportsmanship, all came to the floor and faced the Laker bench to join in. Thomas then hit the foul shots, essentially closing out the 105-97 win and the championship. Joe Dumars deservedly was named MVP.

NBA Finals

"Pistons win series 4-0"

Team rosters

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titlestyle = background:darkblue; color:red;
title = Detroit Pistons 1988-89 NBA Champions
list1 =

4 Dumars (Finals MVP) !10 Rodman !11 Thomas !15 Johnson !22 Salley !23 Aguirre !24 Williams !25 Long !34 Dembo !40 Laimbeer !44 Mahorn !53 Edwards !Coach Daly

Trivia

*As of 2008, the Pistons are the last Finals champion to have been the runner-up the previous season as they were in 1988.

External links

* [http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19881989.html NBA History]