1988–89 Detroit Pistons season

The 1988–89 Detroit Pistons season was the 41st season for the Detroit Pistons in the National Basketball Association, and their 32nd season in Detroit, Michigan.^[1] Before the start of the regular season, the Pistons moved from the Pontiac Silverdome to their brand-new arena known as The Palace of Auburn Hills.^[1]

The Pistons got off to a fast start by winning their first eight games of the regular season.^[2] The team got off to a 16–4 start to the season, and later on held a 31–13 record at the All-Star break.^[3] However, Adrian Dantley was unhappy with his role on the team, losing playing time to Dennis Rodman at the small forward position.^[4][5][6] At mid-season, the Pistons traded Dantley to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for All-Star forward Mark Aguirre, a childhood friend of Isiah Thomas;^[7][8][9] Dantley felt that Thomas had a major role in engineering the trade, so that Aguirre could have the opportunity of winning a championship, an accusation that Thomas denied.^[5][10][6] With the addition of Aguirre, the Pistons posted a nine-game winning streak in March, posted an eight-game winning streak between March and April, and then won their final five games of the season, finishing in first place in the Central Division with a league-best 63–19 record, and earning the first seed in the Eastern Conference.^[11][12]

Thomas averaged 18.2 points, 8.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game, while Joe Dumars averaged 17.2 points and 5.7 assists per game, and Aguirre provided the team with 15.5 points per game in 36 games after the trade. In addition, Vinnie Johnson contributed 13.8 points and 3.0 assists per game off the bench, while Bill Laimbeer provided with 13.7 points and 9.6 rebounds per game, and Rodman averaged 9.0 points and 9.4 rebounds per game off the bench. Meanwhile, Rick Mahorn averaged 7.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, while also off the bench, James Edwards contributed 7.3 points per game, and John Salley provided with 7.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.^[13]

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Houston Astrodome in Houston, Texas, Thomas was selected for the 1989 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Eastern Conference All-Star team. Thomas scored 19 points along with 14 assists and 4 steals, despite the Eastern Conference losing to the Western Conference, 143–134.^[14][15][16] Dumars and Rodman were both named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team; Thomas and Dumars both finished tied in 17th place in Most Valuable Player voting,^[17][18] while Rodman finished in third place in Defensive Player of the Year voting,^[19][18] finished in third place in Sixth Man of the Year voting,^[20][18] and also tied in seventh place in Most Improved Player voting,^[21][18] and head coach Chuck Daly finished in fourth place in Coach of the Year voting.^[22][18]

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1989 NBA playoffs, and for the third consecutive year, the Pistons faced off against the 8th–seeded Boston Celtics, a team that featured the trio of All-Star forward Kevin McHale, All-Star center Robert Parish, and second-year guard Reggie Lewis. The Celtics were without All-Star forward Larry Bird, who was out due to a season-ending heel injury. The Pistons won the first two games over the Celtics at home at The Palace of Auburn Hills, before winning Game 3 on the road, 100–85 at the Boston Garden to win the series in a three-game sweep.^[23][24][25]

In the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, the team faced off against the 5th–seeded Milwaukee Bucks, a team that featured All-Star forward Terry Cummings, sixth man Ricky Pierce, and Jack Sikma. The Pistons won the first two games over the Bucks at The Palace of Auburn Hills, and then won the next two games on the road, including a Game 4 win over the Bucks at the Bradley Center, 96–94 to win the series in a four-game sweep.^[26][27][28]

In the Eastern Conference Finals, and for the second consecutive year, the Pistons faced off against the 6th–seeded Chicago Bulls, who were led by All-Star guard Michael Jordan, and second-year stars, Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant. The Bulls managed to take a 2–1 series lead over the Pistons, winning Game 3 at the Chicago Stadium, 99–97. However, the Pistons managed to win Game 4 on the road, 86–80 to even the series. After winning Game 5 at home, 94–85 at The Palace of Auburn Hills, the Pistons won Game 6 over the Bulls at the Chicago Stadium, 103–94 to win the series in six games, and advance to the NBA Finals for the second consecutive year.^[29][30][31]

In the 1989 NBA Finals, the Pistons once again faced off against the top–seeded, and 2-time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers, a team that featured the quartet of All-Star guard, and Most Valuable Player of the Year, Magic Johnson, All-Star forward James Worthy, Byron Scott, and All-Star center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Due to injuries to Magic Johnson and Scott, the Pistons won the first two games over the Lakers at The Palace of Auburn Hills, taking a 2–0 series lead, and then won the next two games on the road, including a Game 4 win over the Lakers at the Great Western Forum, 105–97. The Pistons won the series over the Lakers in a four-game sweep to win their first ever NBA championship, becoming the last of the NBA's original eight charter teams to win a championship.^[32] Dumars, who scored 23 points in Game 4, was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player.^[33][34][35] This series was a rematch from last year's NBA Finals, with the Pistons avenging their NBA Finals loss. The Pistons clinched every series victory on the road that was later followed by the 1999 San Antonio Spurs, and the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Pistons finished second in the NBA in home-game attendance behind the expansion Charlotte Hornets, with an attendance of 879,405 at The Palace of Auburn Hills during the regular season.^[13][36] Following the season, Mahorn was left unprotected in the 1989 NBA expansion draft, where he was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves expansion team;^[37][38][39] however, Mahorn would never play for the Timberwolves due to a contract dispute, and was later on traded to the Philadelphia 76ers.^[40][41][42]

The Pistons and Lakers would face each other again 15 years later in the NBA Finals in 2004, where the Pistons won in five games en route to their third NBA championship, despite being underdogs to the heavily-favored Lakers.

^[43]

On February 15, 1989, the Pistons traded Adrian Dantley to the Dallas Mavericks for Mark Aguirre. Dantley was unhappy relegating the leadership role on the Pistons to Isiah Thomas, while Aguirre had clashed with his coaches and teammates in Dallas. Aguirre was more amenable to deferring to Thomas, and accepted his role in Chuck Daly's system. His ability to shoot the three, post up, run the floor, and pass was instrumental in the growth of the team.

After finishing with the best record in the NBA, the Pistons swept through the first two rounds of the playoffs. In the Eastern Conference finals, they faced the Chicago Bulls, whom they had defeated in the conference semifinals a year earlier. Although the Bulls were able to win two of the first three games, the Pistons' use of their "Jordan Rules" defense wore out Michael Jordan, setting up Detroit's second consecutive NBA Finals appearance against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Player statistics citation:^[13]

The Pistons' overpowering play allowed them to sweep the Lakers, who struggled to fill the defensive void left by Byron Scott's injury prior to the start of the Finals. Joe Dumars was named Finals MVP. In addition, Magic Johnson pulled a hamstring early in the second game, and unable to play the rest of the series. The Lakers' depleted backcourt allowed the Pistons to easily win the 1988–89 NBA Championship.

Pistons win series 4–0

• Joe Dumars, NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award
• Joe Dumars, NBA All-Defensive First Team
• Dennis Rodman, NBA All-Defensive First Team

• Detroit Pistons on Database Basketball
• Detroit Pistons on Basketball Reference