1990–91 Detroit Pistons season
1990–91 Detroit Pistons season | |
---|---|
Head coach | Chuck Daly |
General manager | Jack McCloskey |
Owner(s) | William Davidson |
Arena | The Palace of Auburn Hills |
Results | |
Record | 50–32 (.610) |
Place |
Division: 2nd (Central) Conference: 3rd (Eastern) |
Playoff finish |
East Conference Finals (eliminated 0-4) |
Local media | |
Television | PASS Sports, WKBD |
Radio | WCXI |
The 1990-91 NBA season was the Pistons' 43rd season in the NBA and 34th season in the city of Detroit.[1] The Pistons entered the season as the two-time defending NBA champions and looked to win a third consecutive title. They finished second in the Central Division with a 50–32 record, eleven games behind the Chicago Bulls.
Entering the playoffs as the #3 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Pistons won their first series against the Atlanta Hawks 3–2 and their second against the Boston Celtics 4–1. This put them in their fifth consecutive Eastern Conference Finals, where they would be swept by the Bulls and be denied a fourth consecutive appearance in the NBA Finals.
Toward the end of the loss to the Bulls in Game 4, which occurred on the Pistons' home floor at The Palace of Auburn Hills, most of the Pistons' players walked off the court toward the locker room without congratulating their opponents or shaking hands.[2] It was seen as a sign of disrespect by the outgoing champions and was concocted by Isiah Thomas and Bill Laimbeer in response to comments made by Michael Jordan about the Pistons' physical playing style being bad for basketball and that he felt the league would be happy to see the Pistons lose. Following the season, James Edwards was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers.
Draft picks
Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 26 | Lance Blanks | PG/SG | United States | Texas |
Roster
Detroit Pistons roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Regular season
Season standings
Central Division | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
y-Chicago Bulls | 61 | 21 | .744 | — | 35–6 | 26–15 | 25–5 |
x-Detroit Pistons | 50 | 32 | .610 | 11 | 32–9 | 18–23 | 19-11 |
x-Milwaukee Bucks | 48 | 34 | .585 | 13 | 33–8 | 15–26 | 16–14 |
x-Atlanta Hawks | 43 | 39 | .524 | 18 | 29–12 | 14–27 | 11–19 |
x-Indiana Pacers | 41 | 41 | .500 | 20 | 29-12 | 12–29 | 15-15 |
Cleveland Cavaliers | 33 | 49 | .402 | 28 | 23–18 | 10–31 | 11-19 |
Charlotte Hornets | 26 | 56 | .317 | 35 | 17–24 | 9–32 | 8–22 |
# | Eastern Conference | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | PCT | GB | |
1 | c-Chicago Bulls | 61 | 21 | .744 | – |
2 | y-Boston Celtics | 56 | 26 | .683 | 5 |
3 | x-Detroit Pistons | 50 | 32 | .610 | 11 |
4 | x-Milwaukee Bucks | 48 | 34 | .585 | 13 |
5 | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 44 | 38 | .537 | 17 |
6 | x-Atlanta Hawks | 43 | 39 | .524 | 18 |
7 | x-Indiana Pacers | 41 | 41 | .500 | 20 |
8 | x-New York Knicks | 39 | 43 | .476 | 22 |
9 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 33 | 49 | .402 | 28 |
10 | Washington Bullets | 30 | 52 | .366 | 31 |
11 | New Jersey Nets | 26 | 56 | .317 | 35 |
12 | Charlotte Hornets | 26 | 56 | .317 | 35 |
13 | Miami Heat | 24 | 58 | .293 | 37 |
- z - clinched division title
- y - clinched division title
- x - clinched playoff spot
Record vs. opponents
1990-91 NBA Records | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Team | ATL | BOS | CHA | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MIA | MIL | MIN | NJN | NYK | ORL | PHI | PHO | POR | SAC | SAS | SEA | UTA | WAS |
Atlanta | — | 3–1 | 1–4 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 |
Boston | 1–3 | — | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 5–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 5–1 |
Charlotte | 4–1 | 1–3 | — | 0–5 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 |
Chicago | 4–1 | 2–2 | 5–0 | — | 5–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 |
Cleveland | 2–3 | 1–3 | 4–1 | 0–5 | — | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 |
Dallas | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — | 3–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 0–5 | 2–0 |
Denver | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | — | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–5 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 1–4 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–1 |
Detroit | 5–0 | 2–2 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | — | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–1 |
Golden State | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–1 | — | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 2–3 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 |
Houston | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 5–0 | 0–2 | 2–2 | — | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 |
Indiana | 1–4 | 2–2 | 5–0 | 1–4 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | — | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 |
L.A. Clippers | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | — | 0–4 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 0–2 |
L.A. Lakers | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 3–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | — | 2–0 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 |
Miami | 0–4 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | — | 0–4 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 1–4 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 |
Milwaukee | 3–2 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–4 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | — | 1–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
Minnesota | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 0–5 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–4 | 0–4 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–4 | 1–1 |
New Jersey | 1–3 | 1–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | — | 0–5 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 |
New York | 1–3 | 0–5 | 4–0 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 5–0 | — | 0–2 | 5–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 3–2 |
Orlando | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 3–2 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | — | 0–2 | 2–2 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 1–4 | 1–1 |
Philadelphia | 4–0 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 1–5 | 2–0 | — | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–2 |
Phoenix | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | — | 3–2 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 3–2 | 2–2 | 2–0 |
Portland | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 2–3 | — | 3–2 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 |
Sacramento | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 3–2 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 0–4 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–3 | — | 1–3 | 1–4 | 1–3 | 2–0 |
San Antonio | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | — | 3–1 | 2–3 | 2–0 |
Seattle | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–4 | 4–1 | 1–3 | — | 1–3 | 2–0 |
Utah | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 5–0 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 3–1 | — | 2–0 |
Washington | 2–2 | 1–5 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 3–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — |
Playoffs
East First Round
(3) Detroit Pistons vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks: Pistons win series 3-2
- Game 1 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (April 26): Atlanta 103, Detroit 98
- Game 2 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (April 28): Detroit 101, Atlanta 88
- Game 3 @ The Omni, Atlanta (April 30): Detroit 103, Atlanta 91
- Game 4 @ The Omni, Atlanta (May 2): Atlanta 123, Detroit 111
- Game 5 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (May 5): Detroit 113, Atlanta 81
Last Playoff Meeting: 1987 Eastern Conference Semifinals (Detroit won 4-1)
East Conference Semifinals
(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Detroit Pistons: Pistons win series 4-2
- Game 1 @ Boston Garden, Boston (May 7): Detroit 86, Boston 75
- Game 2 @ Boston Garden, Boston (May 9): Boston 109, Detroit 103
- Game 3 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (May 11): Boston 115, Detroit 83
- Game 4 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (May 13): Detroit 104, Boston 97
- Game 5 @ Boston Garden, Boston (May 15): Detroit 116, Boston 111
- Game 6 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (May 17): Detroit 117, Boston 113 (OT)
Last Playoff Meeting: 1989 Eastern Conference First Round (Detroit won 3-0)
East Conference Finals
(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (3) Detroit Pistons: Bulls win series 4-0
- Game 1 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (May 19): Chicago 94, Detroit 83
- Game 2 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (May 21): Chicago 105, Detroit 97
- Game 3 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (May 25): Chicago 113, Detroit 107
- Game 4 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (May 27): Chicago 115, Detroit 94
Last Playoff Meeting: 1990 Eastern Conference Finals (Detroit won 4-3)
Player statistics
Legend | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
Season
Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mark Aguirre | |||||||||||
William Bedford | |||||||||||
Lance Blanks | |||||||||||
Joe Dumars | |||||||||||
James Edwards | |||||||||||
Scott Hastings | |||||||||||
Gerald Henderson | |||||||||||
Vinnie Johnson | |||||||||||
Bill Laimbeer | |||||||||||
John Long | |||||||||||
Dennis Rodman | |||||||||||
Tree Rollins | |||||||||||
John Salley | |||||||||||
Isiah Thomas |
Playoffs
Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3FG% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mark Aguirre | |||||||||||
William Bedford | |||||||||||
Joe Dumars | |||||||||||
James Edwards | |||||||||||
Scott Hastings | |||||||||||
Gerald Henderson | |||||||||||
Vinnie Johnson | |||||||||||
Bill Laimbeer | |||||||||||
Dennis Rodman | |||||||||||
Tree Rollins | |||||||||||
John Salley | |||||||||||
Isiah Thomas |
Awards and records
- Dennis Rodman, NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award
- Joe Dumars, All-NBA Third Team
- Joe Dumars, NBA All-Defensive Second Team
- Dennis Rodman, NBA All-Defensive First Team