1989 NBA playoffs

The 1989 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1988–89 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 0 in the NBA Finals. Joe Dumars was named NBA Finals MVP. The Pistons had one of the most dominant playoff runs in NBA history, finishing 15–2 with their only losses to the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals.

1989 NBA playoffs
DatesApril 27–June 13, 1989
Season1988–89
Teams16
ChampionsDetroit Pistons (1st title)
Runners-upLos Angeles Lakers (20th finals appearance)
Semifinalists
← 1988 1990 →
A ticket for Game 1 of the 1989 Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Chicago Bulls and the New York Knicks.

The Lakers won the Western Conference title without losing a game, and entered the NBA Finals as the heavy favorites.[1] However, they were swept in the Finals by the Pistons, due in part to season-ending injuries suffered by Magic Johnson and Byron Scott.[2] The Lakers became the first team in NBA history to open an NBA post-season with 11 straight victories and to sweep three series in an NBA post-season.

Chicago advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1975 (and the first time in Michael Jordan's career), but their season was ended by Detroit for the second straight year. Two rounds earlier, Jordan hit "The Shot" over Craig Ehlo at the buzzer to beat the Cavs.

The Boston Celtics' first-round playoff sweep by the Pistons was the first time they failed to get past the round of 16. Boston's chances were hampered by the absence of Larry Bird during these playoffs due to a season-ending injury earlier in the season; the first and only time in Bird's NBA career he'd miss playing in the playoffs.

Former Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan made the first of 19 playoff appearances in a 22-year tenure. The only time he missed the playoffs with Utah was 2004–2006. Prior to this, he had last appeared in the playoffs in 1981 with the Bulls. His Jazz were ousted by the Golden State Warriors 3–0, the second time a seventh seed had beaten the second seed in the playoffs. Under Don Nelson, the Warriors became famous for their up-tempo game that made up for an undersized lineup, as well as their ability to create mismatches. The Warriors made history as the only team to beat either of the top two seeds three times in the NBA Playoffs; they beat the second-seed San Antonio Spurs in 1991 and top-seeded Dallas Mavericks (a team Nelson also coached) in 2007.

Bracket
  First Round Conference Semifinals Conference Finals NBA Finals
                                     
1 LA Lakers 3  
8 Portland 0  
  1 LA Lakers 4  
  4 Seattle 0  
4 Seattle 3
5 Houston 1  
  1 LA Lakers 4  
Western Conference
  3 Phoenix 0  
3 Phoenix 3  
6 Denver 0  
  3 Phoenix 4
  7 Golden State 1  
2 Utah 0
7 Golden State 3  
  W1 LA Lakers 0
  E1 Detroit 4
1 Detroit 3  
8 Boston 0  
  1 Detroit 4
  5 Milwaukee 0  
4 Atlanta 2
5 Milwaukee 3  
  1 Detroit 4
Eastern Conference
  6 Chicago 2  
3 Cleveland 2  
6 Chicago 3  
  6 Chicago 4
  2 New York 2  
2 New York 3
7 Philadelphia 0  

Western Conference

Champion: Los Angeles Lakers

1st Round

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Portland Trail Blazers: Lakers win series 3–0

  • Game 1 @ Great Western Forum, Los Angeles (April 27): Los Angeles 128, Portland 108
  • Game 2 @ Great Western Forum, Los Angeles (April 30): Los Angeles 113, Portland 105
  • Game 3 @ Memorial Coliseum, Portland (May 3): Los Angeles 116, Portland 108

This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning two of the first three meetings.

(2) Utah Jazz vs. (7) Golden State Warriors: Warriors win series 3–0

  • Game 1 @ Salt Palace, Salt Lake City (April 27): Golden State 123, Utah 119
  • Game 2 @ Salt Palace, Salt Lake City (April 29): Golden State 99, Utah 91
  • Game 3 @ Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland (May 2): Golden State 120, Utah 106

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Warriors winning the first meeting.

(3) Phoenix Suns vs. (6) Denver Nuggets: Suns win series 3–0

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning one series apiece.

(4) Seattle SuperSonics vs. (5) Houston Rockets: Sonics win series 3–1

  • Game 1 @ Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle (April 28): Seattle 111, Houston 107
  • Game 2 @ Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle (April 30): Seattle 109, Houston 97
  • Game 3 @ The Summit, Houston (May 3): Houston 126, Seattle 107
  • Game 4 @ The Summit, Houston (May 5): Seattle 98, Houston 96 (Derrick McKey hits the series-winning alley-oop layup at the buzzer)

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the SuperSonics winning the first two meetings.

Conference Semifinals

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Seattle SuperSonics: Lakers win series 4–0

  • Game 1 @ Great Western Forum, Los Angeles (May 7): Los Angeles 113, Seattle 102
  • Game 2 @ Great Western Forum, Los Angeles (May 10): Los Angeles 130, Seattle 108
  • Game 3 @ Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle (May 12): Los Angeles 91, Seattle 86
  • Game 4 @ Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle (May 14): Los Angeles 97, Seattle 95 (Lakers posted the greatest comeback in Playoff history by overcoming a 29-point deficit (43–14))

This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning two series apiece.

(3) Phoenix Suns vs. (7) Golden State Warriors: Suns win series 4–1

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Suns winning the first meeting.

Conference Finals

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Phoenix Suns: Lakers win series 4–0

  • Game 1 @ Great Western Forum, Los Angeles (May 20): Los Angeles 127, Phoenix 119
  • Game 2 @ Great Western Forum, Los Angeles (May 23): Los Angeles 101, Phoenix 95
  • Game 3 @ Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix (May 26): Los Angeles 110, Phoenix 107
  • Game 4 @ Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix (May 28): Los Angeles 122, Phoenix 117

This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first five meetings.

Eastern Conference

Champion: Detroit Pistons

1st Round

(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Boston Celtics: Pistons win series 3–0

This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning three of the first four meetings.

(2) New York Knicks vs. (7) Philadelphia 76ers: Knicks win series 3–0

This was the ninth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the 76ers winning six of the first eight meetings.

(3) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (6) Chicago Bulls: Bulls win series 3–2

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bulls winning the first meeting.

(4) Atlanta Hawks vs. (5) Milwaukee Bucks: Bucks win series 3–2

  • Game 1 @ The Omni, Atlanta (April 27): Atlanta 100, Milwaukee 92
  • Game 2 @ The Omni, Atlanta (April 29): Milwaukee 108, Atlanta 98
  • Game 3 @ Bradley Center, Milwaukee (May 2): Milwaukee 117, Atlanta 113
  • Game 4 @ Bradley Center, Milwaukee (May 5): Atlanta 113, Milwaukee 106
  • Game 5 @ The Omni, Atlanta (May 7): Milwaukee 96, Atlanta 92

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning one series apiece.

Conference Semifinals

(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (5) Milwaukee Bucks: Pistons win series 4–0

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Pistons winning the first meeting.

(2) New York Knicks vs. (6) Chicago Bulls: Bulls win series 4–2

This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bulls winning the first meeting.

Conference Finals

(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (6) Chicago Bulls: Pistons win series 4–2

This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning one series apiece.

NBA Finals
Main article: 1989 NBA Finals

(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (1) Los Angeles Lakers: Pistons win series 4–0

This was the 11th playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning nine of the first ten meetings.

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References
  1. "Can Lakers sweep Pistons in Finals?". Vidette-Messenger of Porter County. Valparaiso, Indiana. June 6, 1989. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. "If Magic rests, Rivers must get into flow". Detroit Free Press. Detroit, Michigan. June 11, 1989. p. 54 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Lakers versus Portland Trail Blazers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  4. "Team Rivalry Finder — Golden State Warriors versus Utah Jazz (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  5. "Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Phoenix Suns (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  6. "Team Rivalry Finder — Houston Rockets versus Oklahoma City Thunder (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  7. "Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Lakers versus Oklahoma City Thunder (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  8. "Team Rivalry Finder — Golden State Warriors versus Phoenix Suns (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  9. "Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Lakers versus Phoenix Suns (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  10. "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Detroit Pistons (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  11. "Team Rivalry Finder — New York Knicks versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  12. "Team Rivalry Finder — Chicago Bulls versus Cleveland Cavaliers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  13. "Team Rivalry Finder — Atlanta Hawks versus Milwaukee Bucks (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  14. "Team Rivalry Finder — Detroit Pistons versus Milwaukee Bucks (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  15. "Team Rivalry Finder — Chicago Bulls versus New York Knicks (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  16. "Team Rivalry Finder — Chicago Bulls versus Detroit Pistons (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  17. "Team Rivalry Finder — Detroit Pistons versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
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