1991 NBA Finals
Encyclopedia
The 1991 NBA Finals was the championship
round of the 1990–91 NBA season. It was also the first NBA Finals broadcast by NBC after 17 years with CBS.
The season documentary "Learning to Fly" recaps Chicago's successful first championship season, narrated by Jeff Kaye (who is also the narrator for NFL Films
). The theme song is "Learning to Fly" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
.
The Chicago Bulls
of the East Conference
took on the Los Angeles Lakers
of the Western Conference
for the title, with Chicago having home court advantage. This Finals was Michael Jordan's first NBA Finals appearance, Magic Johnson's last and the last NBA Finals
's trip of the Lakers
until 2000
. The Bulls would win the series 4-1. Jordan averaged 31.2 points on 56% shooting, 11.4 assists, 6.6 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 1.4 blocks on route to his first NBA Finals MVP Award.
The finals series was Jim Durham
's only appearance as the Bulls' radio announcer (he also announced Bulls games on television via simulcast during the regular season and playoffs). He would later announce several NBA Finals games on ESPN Radio
. Neil Funk
succeeded Durham the following season and was the radio voice on five NBA Finals involving the Bulls (1992
, 1993
, 1996
, 1997
and 1998
). The simulcasts would also end after the season, with Wayne Larrivee
(on WGN-TV
) and Tom Dore
(on cable) becoming the Bulls' television announcers the next season.
NBC Sports used Ahmad Rashad
(Bulls
sideline) and Steve Jones (Lakers
sideline)
The series wasn't the first time that the Bulls and Lakers faced off in the playoffs. Prior to 1991, they've already met in the playoffs four times (1968
, 1971
, 1972
and 1973
), all Lakers victories, and the Bulls were a member of the Western Conference
at the time. The 1991 Finals marked the first time the Bulls defeated the Lakers in a playoff series. It also helped vindicate the former Bulls players who played against the Lakers during the period; namely Norm Van Lier
, Jerry Sloan
, Bob Love
and Tom Boerwinkle
, who lost against the Lakers of Wilt Chamberlain
, Jerry West
and Elgin Baylor
.
and Detroit Pistons
had several hard-fought, bitter encounters during the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1988
, after finally ousting the Boston Celtics
as the best in the Eastern Conference, the Pistons lost to the Los Angeles Lakers
before sweeping them for the title in 1989
, and defeating the Portland Trail Blazers
to repeat in 1990
.
The 1988-89 season
marked a second straight year of major off-season moves (after making noise by winning 50 games in the regular season before losing to the Pistons in five games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals) for the Chicago Bulls. Popular power forward Charles Oakley
, who had led the league in total rebounds in both 1987
and 1988
, was traded to the New York Knicks
for center Bill Cartwright and a draft pick which they used on center Will Perdue
. The new starting lineup of John Paxson
, Michael Jordan
, Scottie Pippen
, Horace Grant, and Bill Cartwright took some time to mesh, winning fewer games than the previous season, but making it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals
, where they were subdued in six games by the eventual NBA champion Pistons.
In 1989-90
, Jordan led the league in scoring for the fourth straight season, and was joined on the All-Star squad
for the first time by Scottie Pippen. There was also a major change on the sidelines, where Doug Collins
was replaced by assistant Phil Jackson
, a specialist in the triangle offense
. The Bulls also picked up rookie center Stacey King and rookie point guard B.J. Armstrong in the 1989 draft
. With these additional pieces and the previous year's starting five, the Bulls again made it to the Conference Finals, and pushed the Pistons to seven games before being edged out for the third straight year by Detroit.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, no team had an answer for Jordan defensively until the advent of the "Bad Boy" Pistons, named for their physical, street-thug tactics. Pistons coach Chuck Daly
developed a specific strategy that he called "The Jordan Rules", detailing how to stop the league's most prolific scorer. Detroit's main protagonists of this style of play were Dennis Rodman
and Bill Laimbeer
, known respectively as "The Worm" and "The Prince of Darkness" in some NBA arenas respectively. There were many cheapshots, punches thrown and media barbs thrown between the two during their rivalry.
By the 1990-91 season, the Chicago Bulls had run out of excuses, and charged through the year on a mission. In 1991, the rivalry climaxed when the Bulls swept the Pistons out of the Conference Finals, in which the Pistons, in their last show of defiance, walked off the court with :08 left on the clock in a blowout loss at home so as not to congratulate the new Eastern Conference Champions, though Joe Dumars
, Vinnie Johnson
, and John Salley
did remain to shake the Bulls' hands.
became the all-time assist leader, surpassing Oscar Robertson
. The Los Angeles Lakers
' first-year coach, Mike Dunleavy, Sr.
(who succeeded Pat Riley
) was able to take them to the Finals. The year before, the Lakers seemed to adapt well to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
's absence. New center Vlade Divac
helped the team to a 63-win season and their ninth consecutive division title, and Magic took another MVP award. However, the Phoenix Suns
had their number that year in the playoffs
.
In the 1990-91 season, the Portland Trail Blazers
(the defending Western Conference champions) posted a 63-19 record—the best in the league and the best in franchise history. They ended the Lakers' nine-year reign over the Pacific Division and won home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. They easily dispatched their first two opponents in the playoffs; but the season ended in heartbreak when the Lakers defeated the Blazers 4-2 in the Western Conference Finals. The Lakers narrowly won Game 1 on the road, but the home teams took each succeeding game, culminating in a Game 6 victory at home for the Lakers.
This was also the last Sunday NBA Finals game aired at 3:30pm ET/12:30pm PT.
game to be played in The Forum
. It will be also the Lakers
' last lost in the NBA Finals
until 2004
(against the Pistons
).
the Bulls won their second straight NBA title, winning a then-franchise record 67 wins and defeated the Portland Trail Blazers
in six games of the 1992 NBA Finals
.
The Lakers' Showtime era would end in November 1991, as Magic Johnson
announced his retirement due to the HIV virus. He did, however, play in the 1992 NBA All-Star Game
and eventually with the Dream Team
in the 1992 Summer Olympics
. The Lakers would decline in the years following Magic's retirement, being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs two straight years (1992
- 1993
) before missing the playoffs entirely in 1994
. It would be nine years before the Lakers returned to the NBA Finals.
This was the only NBA Finals series in which recently departed Lakers coach Pat Riley
worked as a broadcaster; he was paired with Bob Costas
in the pre-game, half-time and post-game presentations. Riley was then hired as head coach by the New York Knicks
in the 1991 offseason.
Championship
Championship is a term used in sport to refer to various forms of competition in which the aim is to decide which individual or team is the champion.- Title match system :...
round of the 1990–91 NBA season. It was also the first NBA Finals broadcast by NBC after 17 years with CBS.
The season documentary "Learning to Fly" recaps Chicago's successful first championship season, narrated by Jeff Kaye (who is also the narrator for NFL Films
NFL Films
NFL Films is a Mount Laurel, New Jersey-based company devoted to producing commercials, television programs, feature films, and documentaries on the National Football League, as well as other unrelated major events and awards shows...
). The theme song is "Learning to Fly" by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers are an American rock band from Gainesville, Florida. They were formed in 1976 by Tom Petty , Mike Campbell , Benmont Tench , , Ron Blair and Stan Lynch...
.
The Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
of the East Conference
Eastern Conference (NBA)
The Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, organized in three divisions of five teams each.The three division winners and the non-division winner with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 for the playoffs in order of their records, with all...
took on the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
of the Western Conference
Western Conference (NBA)
Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
for the title, with Chicago having home court advantage. This Finals was Michael Jordan's first NBA Finals appearance, Magic Johnson's last and the last NBA Finals
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
's trip of the Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
until 2000
2000 NBA Finals
The 2000 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1999-2000 National Basketball Association season. The Los Angeles Lakers of the Western Conference took on the Indiana Pacers of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Lakers holding home court advantage...
. The Bulls would win the series 4-1. Jordan averaged 31.2 points on 56% shooting, 11.4 assists, 6.6 rebounds, 2.8 steals and 1.4 blocks on route to his first NBA Finals MVP Award.
The finals series was Jim Durham
Jim Durham
Jim Durham is an American sportscaster.Since 1995, he has called numerous National Basketball Association games for ESPN and ESPN Radio. Durham has spent more than 32 years calling NBA games on TV and radio; his previous assignments were with the Chicago Bulls, the Dallas Mavericks, TNT and TBS...
's only appearance as the Bulls' radio announcer (he also announced Bulls games on television via simulcast during the regular season and playoffs). He would later announce several NBA Finals games on ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
. Neil Funk
Neil Funk
Neil Funk is the current television play-by-play announcer for the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls.A 1969 graduate of Syracuse University, Funk's first broadcasting job was covering high school sports for a small radio station in Danville, Illinois. He quickly moved up the ranks to...
succeeded Durham the following season and was the radio voice on five NBA Finals involving the Bulls (1992
1992 NBA Finals
The 1992 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1991–92 NBA season. The Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference took on the Portland Trail Blazers of the Western Conference for the title, with Chicago having home court advantage, as they had the best record in the NBA.The two teams appeared...
, 1993
1993 NBA Finals
The 1993 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1992-93 NBA season, featuring the Chicago Bulls, led by Michael Jordan, and the Phoenix Suns, winners of 62 games and led by regular season MVP Charles Barkley...
, 1996
1996 NBA Finals
The 1996 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 1995-96 NBA season of the National Basketball Association. The Seattle SuperSonics of the Western Conference took on the Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference, with the Bulls holding home court advantage...
, 1997
1997 NBA Finals
The 1997 NBA Finals was the concluding series of the 1997 NBA Playoffs that determined the champion of the 1996–97 NBA season. The Utah Jazz of the Western Conference took on the Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Bulls holding home court advantage...
and 1998
1998 NBA Finals
The 1998 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1997-98 National Basketball Association season. The Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference played against the Utah Jazz of the Western Conference, with the Jazz holding home-court advantage with the first 2 games in Salt Lake City...
). The simulcasts would also end after the season, with Wayne Larrivee
Wayne Larrivee
Wayne Larrivee is an American sportscaster, who is the radio play-by-play voice of the Green Bay Packers and football and basketball play-by-play voice for the Big Ten Network.-Early life and career:...
(on WGN-TV
WGN-TV
WGN-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the CW-affiliated television station in Chicago, Illinois built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WGN-TV's studios and offices are located at 2501 W...
) and Tom Dore
Tom Dore
Tom Dore is a retired American basketball player and former Comcast SportsNet play-by-play announcer for the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls....
(on cable) becoming the Bulls' television announcers the next season.
NBC Sports used Ahmad Rashad
Ahmad Rashad
Ahmad Rashād is an American sportscaster and former professional football player. An All-American running back and wide receiver from Oregon known as Bobby Moore, Rashad was the fourth overall pick in the 1972 NFL Draft, drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals...
(Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
sideline) and Steve Jones (Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
sideline)
The series wasn't the first time that the Bulls and Lakers faced off in the playoffs. Prior to 1991, they've already met in the playoffs four times (1968
1968 NBA Playoffs
The 1968 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1967–1968 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers, four games to two in the NBA Finals.The Celtics won...
, 1971
1971 NBA Playoffs
The 1971 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1970-1971 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Milwaukee Bucks defeating the Eastern Conference champion Baltimore Bullets, four games to none in the NBA Finals.Led by...
, 1972
1972 NBA Playoffs
The 1972 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1971–72 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks, four games to one in the NBA Finals...
and 1973
1973 NBA Playoffs
The 1973 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1972-1973 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers, four games to one in the NBA Finals. The Knicks...
), all Lakers victories, and the Bulls were a member of the Western Conference
Western Conference (NBA)
Below is a list of current Western Conference NBA team rosters.-Western Conference:There are a total of 15 teams in the Western Conference. The current leading team of the Western conference are the Dallas Mavericks....
at the time. The 1991 Finals marked the first time the Bulls defeated the Lakers in a playoff series. It also helped vindicate the former Bulls players who played against the Lakers during the period; namely Norm Van Lier
Norm Van Lier
Norman Allen Van Lier III was an NBA basketball player and television broadcaster who spent the majority of his career with the Chicago Bulls.-Biography:...
, Jerry Sloan
Jerry Sloan
Gerald Eugene "Jerry" Sloan , is an American former National Basketball Association player and head coach, and a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. NBA commissioner David Stern called Sloan "one of the greatest and most respected coaches in NBA history." Sloan had a career regular-season...
, Bob Love
Bob Love
Robert ' Earl “Butterbean” Love is a retired American professional basketball player who spent the prime of his career with the NBA's Chicago Bulls...
and Tom Boerwinkle
Tom Boerwinkle
Thomas F. Boerwinkle is a retired National Basketball Association center who spent his entire career with the Chicago Bulls....
, who lost against the Lakers of Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
, Jerry West
Jerry West
Jerry Alan West is a retired American basketball player who played his entire professional career for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His nicknames include "Mr...
and Elgin Baylor
Elgin Baylor
Elgin Gay Baylor is a retired Hall of Fame American basketball player and former NBA general manager who played 13 seasons as a forward for the NBA's Minneapolis Lakers/Los Angeles Lakers....
.
The Road to the Finals: The Chicago Bulls
The Chicago BullsChicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
and Detroit Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
had several hard-fought, bitter encounters during the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1988
1987-88 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls*Rookie of the Year: Mark Jackson, New York Knicks*Defensive Player of the Year: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls...
, after finally ousting the Boston Celtics
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are a National Basketball Association team based in Boston, Massachusetts. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946, the team is currently owned by Boston Basketball Partners LLC. The Celtics play their home games at the TD Garden, which...
as the best in the Eastern Conference, the Pistons lost to the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
before sweeping them for the title in 1989
1989 NBA Finals
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....
, and defeating the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
to repeat in 1990
1990 NBA Finals
The 1990 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1989-90 NBA season. The series pitted the Detroit Pistons against the Portland Trail Blazers...
.
The 1988-89 season
1988-89 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers*Rookie of the Year: Mitch Richmond, Golden State Warriors*Defensive Player of the Year: Mark Eaton, Utah Jazz...
marked a second straight year of major off-season moves (after making noise by winning 50 games in the regular season before losing to the Pistons in five games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals) for the Chicago Bulls. Popular power forward Charles Oakley
Charles Oakley
Charles Oakley is a retired American professional basketball player and is currently an assistant coach for the Charlotte Bobcats of the National Basketball Association...
, who had led the league in total rebounds in both 1987
1986-87 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-Yearly awards:* Most Valuable Player: Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers* Rookie of the Year: Chuck Person, Indiana Pacers* Defensive Player of the Year: Michael Cooper, Los Angeles Lakers...
and 1988
1987-88 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls*Rookie of the Year: Mark Jackson, New York Knicks*Defensive Player of the Year: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls...
, was traded to the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
for center Bill Cartwright and a draft pick which they used on center Will Perdue
Will Perdue
William Edward Perdue is a retired American NBA basketball player who won four NBA Championships. Perdue is now an ESPN basketball commentator and analyst.Perdue attended Merritt Island High School, Merritt Island, Florida...
. The new starting lineup of John Paxson
John Paxson
John MacBeth Paxson is a retired American basketball player. He is currently the VP of Basketball Operations of the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls.-High school career:...
, Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
, Scottie Pippen
Scottie Pippen
Scottie Maurice Pippen is a retired American professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association . He is most remembered for his time with the Chicago Bulls, with whom he was instrumental in six NBA Championships and their record 1995–96 season of 72 wins...
, Horace Grant, and Bill Cartwright took some time to mesh, winning fewer games than the previous season, but making it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals
NBA Conference Finals
The National Basketball Association Conference Finals are the Eastern Conference and Western Conference Championship series of the National Basketball Association , a major professional basketball league in North America. The NBA was founded in 1946 as the Basketball Association of America...
, where they were subdued in six games by the eventual NBA champion Pistons.
In 1989-90
1989-90 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers*Rookie of the Year: David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs*Defensive Player of the Year: Dennis Rodman, Detroit Pistons...
, Jordan led the league in scoring for the fourth straight season, and was joined on the All-Star squad
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
for the first time by Scottie Pippen. There was also a major change on the sidelines, where Doug Collins
Doug Collins
Paul Douglas "Doug" Collins is a retired American basketball player, a former four-time NBA All-Star and currently the head coach of the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers.-High school and college:...
was replaced by assistant Phil Jackson
Phil Jackson
Philip Douglas "Phil" Jackson is a retired American professional basketball coach and player. Jackson is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in the history of the National Basketball Association . His reputation was established as head coach of the Chicago Bulls from 1989 through 1998;...
, a specialist in the triangle offense
Triangle offense
The Triangle Offense, also known as the triple-post offense, is an offensive strategy in basketball. Its basic ideas were initially established by Hall of Fame coach Sam Barry at the University of Southern California. His system was later refined by former Kansas State University head basketball...
. The Bulls also picked up rookie center Stacey King and rookie point guard B.J. Armstrong in the 1989 draft
1989 NBA Draft
The 1989 NBA Draft took place on June 27, 1989 in New York City, New York, USA. It has been regarded as one of the worst drafts in NBA history, along with the 1986 NBA Draft and the 2000 NBA Draft. Though the draft produced talented players such as Shawn Kemp, Glen Rice, Sean Elliott, Nick...
. With these additional pieces and the previous year's starting five, the Bulls again made it to the Conference Finals, and pushed the Pistons to seven games before being edged out for the third straight year by Detroit.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, no team had an answer for Jordan defensively until the advent of the "Bad Boy" Pistons, named for their physical, street-thug tactics. Pistons coach Chuck Daly
Chuck Daly
Charles Jerome "Chuck" Daly was an American basketball head coach. He led the Detroit Pistons to consecutive National Basketball Association Championships in 1989 and 1990, and the Dream Team to the men's basketball gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics. He had a 14-year NBA coaching...
developed a specific strategy that he called "The Jordan Rules", detailing how to stop the league's most prolific scorer. Detroit's main protagonists of this style of play were Dennis Rodman
Dennis Rodman
Dennis Keith Rodman is a retired American Hall of Fame professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, he was nicknamed "Dennis the Menace" and "The...
and Bill Laimbeer
Bill Laimbeer
William "Bill" Laimbeer, Jr. is a retired National Basketball Association player for the Detroit Pistons. Playing at center, the 6'11" Laimbeer was a four-time All-Star and integral part of the Pistons teams that won two championships...
, known respectively as "The Worm" and "The Prince of Darkness" in some NBA arenas respectively. There were many cheapshots, punches thrown and media barbs thrown between the two during their rivalry.
By the 1990-91 season, the Chicago Bulls had run out of excuses, and charged through the year on a mission. In 1991, the rivalry climaxed when the Bulls swept the Pistons out of the Conference Finals, in which the Pistons, in their last show of defiance, walked off the court with :08 left on the clock in a blowout loss at home so as not to congratulate the new Eastern Conference Champions, though Joe Dumars
Joe Dumars
Joe Dumars III , nicknamed Joe D, is a retired American basketball player in the NBA, and currently the Detroit Pistons' President of Basketball Operations....
, Vinnie Johnson
Vinnie Johnson
Vincent "Vinnie" Johnson is a retired American professional basketball player and a key player as sixth man for the Detroit Pistons during the team's NBA championships of 1989 and 1990.-College basketball career:...
, and John Salley
John Salley
John Thomas "Spider" Salley is a retired American professional basketball player, actor and talk show host. He was the first player in NBA history to play on three different championship-winning franchises....
did remain to shake the Bulls' hands.
The Road to the Finals: The Los Angeles Lakers
Also in the 1989-90 season, Magic JohnsonMagic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
became the all-time assist leader, surpassing Oscar Robertson
Oscar Robertson
Oscar Palmer Robertson , nicknamed "The Big O", is a former American NBA player with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks...
. The Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
' first-year coach, Mike Dunleavy, Sr.
Mike Dunleavy, Sr.
Michael Joseph Dunleavy is a retired American professional basketball player, former head coach, and former general manager of the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers. He is the father of Indiana Pacers player Mike Dunleavy, Jr.-Early life:...
(who succeeded Pat Riley
Pat Riley
Patrick James "Pat" Riley is an American professional basketball executive, and a retired coach and player in the NBA. Currently, he is team president of the Miami Heat. Widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams...
) was able to take them to the Finals. The year before, the Lakers seemed to adapt well to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
's absence. New center Vlade Divac
Vlade Divac
Vlade Divac is a retired Yugoslav and Serbian professional basketball player who spent most of his career in the NBA. At , he played center and was known for his passing skills...
helped the team to a 63-win season and their ninth consecutive division title, and Magic took another MVP award. However, the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
had their number that year in the playoffs
1990 NBA Playoffs
The 1990 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1989-1990 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons successfully defending their championship by beating the Western Conference champion Portland Trail Blazers...
.
In the 1990-91 season, the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
(the defending Western Conference champions) posted a 63-19 record—the best in the league and the best in franchise history. They ended the Lakers' nine-year reign over the Pacific Division and won home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. They easily dispatched their first two opponents in the playoffs; but the season ended in heartbreak when the Lakers defeated the Blazers 4-2 in the Western Conference Finals. The Lakers narrowly won Game 1 on the road, but the home teams took each succeeding game, culminating in a Game 6 victory at home for the Lakers.
Series summary
| Game | Date | Home Team | Result | Road Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Sunday, June 2 | Chicago Bulls | 91-93 (0-1) | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Game 2 | Wednesday, June 5 | Chicago Bulls | 107-86 (1-1) | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Game 3 | Friday, June 7 | Los Angeles Lakers | 96-104 OT (1-2) | Chicago Bulls |
| Game 4 | Sunday, June 9 | Los Angeles Lakers | 82-97 (1-3) | Chicago Bulls |
| Game 5 | Wednesday, June 12 | Los Angeles Lakers | 101-108 (1-4) | Chicago Bulls |
Game 1
Michael Jordan started dominating with 15 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists in the first quarter alone. In the second quarter, the Lakers continued to stay competitive despite Magic Johnson not attempting one field goal in the second quarter. Despite this, Magic Johnson would hit back-to-back 3 pointers in the third period to give the Lakers their largest lead, and also Magic Johnson's 29th career playoff triple-double. Jordan made a comeback in the fourth quarter with 13 points, but it was Scottie Pippen's two free throws that would give the Bulls a 91-89 lead. Each team ran the shot clock down but neither could hit a shot until Sam Perkins hit a 3-pointer with 14 seconds left to give the Lakers a 92-91 lead. Michael Jordan's 17-foot jumper then rattled out, and Byron Scott would connect only one of his free throws. The Bulls, unfortunately, were out of time outs so all they could manage was a 50-foot heave by Pippen that went off the back of the rim.This was also the last Sunday NBA Finals game aired at 3:30pm ET/12:30pm PT.
Game 2
The biggest decision of the game was putting Scottie Pippen on Magic Johnson, while Michael Jordan guarded Vlade Divac. This proved to be effective as Scottie Pippen stopped Magic from "going off" keeping him to only 14 points and 10 assists. For the Bulls, the hero was Horace Grant who led the Bulls with 14 first half points, while Jordan only had 2 points for the first 20 minutes; however, for Jordan, this shooting drought would only prove to be temporary and Jordan would hit his next 13 shots in compensation. The Lakers were in the game even when Chicago was leading 58-51 until Byron Scott fouled Pippen, and the Bulls would make 17 of their next 20 field goals in the third quarter despite Jordan on the bench with foul trouble. By the time Jordan returned, their lead was 16 and then Jordan led the Bulls to a 11-0 run to a Bulls victory. This is the game where Jordan made a miraculous layup over Sam Perkins that has become a highlight reel mainstay.Game 3
The Bulls were having trouble in the frontcourt (in Game 1, the Lakers frontcourt outscored Chicago's 60-31). In Game 3, the Lakers would be the ones having trouble, setting a rebounding low in the Finals. Despite this problem, the Lakers went for an 18-2 run that brought them from 3 down (49-52) to 13 up (67-54). The Bulls would answer with a 20-7 run that would tie the game in the 4th quarter at 74. Horace Grant's layup gave the Bulls a 3 point lead with 1:07 to play, while Perkins then scored to cut the lead to 1 with 0:39 left. Vlade would then go for a layup, only to be fouled and give the Lakers a 2 point lead. Michael then went up and shot a 2 point field goal to tie the game. In overtime, Jordan would score half of the Bulls 12 points to win the game.Game 4
The Lakers had a 28-27 lead in the first quarter; only the second time in the 1991 playoffs that a team led the Bulls at the end of the first quarter. This did not matter as Chicago went on a 19-9 run to start the second period and gain a 46-37 lead. While Michael Jordan scored 11 points in the second quarter, the Lakers only made 12 of their 41 shots in the second and third quarters. The Lakers faced a huge blow as Worthy and Scott left the game (and eventually the series) with an injury to the ankle and shoulder, respectively. With the lack of Worthy and Scott, and bad shooting, the Bulls were able to take a 16 point lead in the third quarter. Lakers refused to go down and brought the deficit to 7 points in the fourth quarter, but that is the closest they would go, as Pippen and Jordan led the Bulls to a 19-8 run to put them one game to the NBA Championship.Game 5
The Lakers were facing elimination, and the absences of James Worthy and Byron Scott were not any help to the Lakers. This would not stop Magic Johnson as Johnson had 20 assists in the game. Elden Campbell outscored Michael Jordan with 13 points in the first half. The Lakers still fought and even led 93-90 in the fourth quarter, but the Bulls went on a 9-0 run, and Paxson's 10 points in the final half of the fourth quarter helped secure the Chicago Bulls', and Michael Jordan's, first NBA title. This was the last NBA FinalsNBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
game to be played in The Forum
The Forum (Inglewood, California)
The Forum is an indoor arena, in Inglewood, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. From 2000 to 2010, it was owned by the Faithful Central Bible Church, which occasionally used it for church services, while also leasing the building for sporting events, concerts and other events.Along with Madison...
. It will be also the Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
' last lost in the NBA Finals
NBA Finals
The NBA Finals is the championship series of the National Basketball Association . The series was named the NBA World Championship Series until 1986....
until 2004
2004 NBA Finals
The 2004 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2003–04 National Basketball Association season. The Finals were between the Los Angeles Lakers of the Western Conference and the Detroit Pistons of the Eastern Conference; the Lakers held home court advantage...
(against the Pistons
Detroit Pistons
The Detroit Pistons are a franchise of the National Basketball Association based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The team's home arena is The Palace of Auburn Hills. It was originally founded in Fort Wayne, Indiana as the Fort Wayne Pistons as a member of the National Basketball League in 1941, where...
).
Quotes of the Finals
Aftermath
The Bulls championship started the dynasty that lasted through the 1990s. In the 1991-92 NBA season1991-92 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls*Rookie of the Year: Larry Johnson, Charlotte Hornets*Defensive Player of the Year: David Robinson, San Antonio Spurs...
the Bulls won their second straight NBA title, winning a then-franchise record 67 wins and defeated the Portland Trail Blazers
Portland Trail Blazers
The Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
in six games of the 1992 NBA Finals
1992 NBA Finals
The 1992 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1991–92 NBA season. The Chicago Bulls of the Eastern Conference took on the Portland Trail Blazers of the Western Conference for the title, with Chicago having home court advantage, as they had the best record in the NBA.The two teams appeared...
.
The Lakers' Showtime era would end in November 1991, as Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers...
announced his retirement due to the HIV virus. He did, however, play in the 1992 NBA All-Star Game
1992 NBA All-Star Game
The 1992 NBA All-Star Game was the 42nd edition of the All-Star Game. The event took place at the Orlando Arena in Orlando, Florida. The West defeated the East, 153-113. The game is most remembered for the return of Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson, who retired before the 1991-92 NBA season...
and eventually with the Dream Team
1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team
The 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team, nicknamed the "Dream Team", was the first American Olympic team to feature active NBA players. Often considered one of the strongest teams assembled in any sport, it defeated its opponents by an average of almost 44 points en route to the gold ...
in the 1992 Summer Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
. The Lakers would decline in the years following Magic's retirement, being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs two straight years (1992
1992 NBA Playoffs
NBA Champions: Chicago BullsThe 1992 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament following the National Basketball Association's 1991-1992 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning their second consecutive NBA championship by defeating the Western...
- 1993
1993 NBA Playoffs
The 1993 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1992-1993 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Chicago Bulls winning their third consecutive championship by defeating the Western Conference champion Phoenix Suns four...
) before missing the playoffs entirely in 1994
1993-94 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-NBA awards:*Most Valuable Player: Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets*Rookie of the Year: Chris Webber, Golden State Warriors*Defensive Player of the Year: Hakeem Olajuwon, Houston Rockets...
. It would be nine years before the Lakers returned to the NBA Finals.
This was the only NBA Finals series in which recently departed Lakers coach Pat Riley
Pat Riley
Patrick James "Pat" Riley is an American professional basketball executive, and a retired coach and player in the NBA. Currently, he is team president of the Miami Heat. Widely regarded as one of the greatest NBA coaches of all time, Riley has served as the head coach of five championship teams...
worked as a broadcaster; he was paired with Bob Costas
Bob Costas
Robert Quinlan "Bob" Costas is an American sportscaster, on the air for the NBC network since the early 1980s.-Early life:...
in the pre-game, half-time and post-game presentations. Riley was then hired as head coach by the New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
in the 1991 offseason.