1989 NBA Playoffs

1989 NBA playoffs
← 1988 1990 →
A ticket for Game 1 of the 1989 Eastern Conference Semifinals between the Chicago Bulls and the New York Knicks.

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. The Lakers won the Western Conference title without losing a game. They were swept in the Finals by the Pistons, due in part to season-ending injuries suffered by Magic Johnson and Byron Scott. The Lakers thus earned the distinction of being the only team to sweep the first three playoff rounds, then be swept in the NBA Finals.

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, he 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.

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. His last playoff appearance was 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 thrice 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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

References

  1. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Lakers versus Portland Trail Blazers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Golden State Warriors versus Utah Jazz (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Denver Nuggets versus Phoenix Suns (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Houston Rockets versus Oklahoma City Thunder (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Lakers versus Oklahoma City Thunder (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Golden State Warriors versus Phoenix Suns (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  7. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Los Angeles Lakers versus Phoenix Suns (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Boston Celtics versus Detroit Pistons (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — New York Knicks versus Philadelphia 76ers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Chicago Bulls versus Cleveland Cavaliers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Atlanta Hawks versus Milwaukee Bucks (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Detroit Pistons versus Milwaukee Bucks (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Chicago Bulls versus New York Knicks (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Chicago Bulls versus Detroit Pistons (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Team Rivalry Finder — Detroit Pistons versus Los Angeles Lakers (Playoffs)". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.

External links

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/12/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.