2003–04 Detroit Pistons season
Encyclopedia
NBA Draft
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | School/Club Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Darko Miličić Darko Milicic Darko Miličić is a Serbian professional basketball center for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association . He was selected by the Detroit Pistons as the second overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft after LeBron James, and ahead of players such as Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh,... |
Forward/Center | Hemofarm Vrsac KK Hemofarm Košarkaški klub Hemofarm is a professional basketball club from Vršac, Serbia. The club currently participates in the Adriatic League and Serbian League... (Serbia and Montenegro Naša Sinalko Liga -Champions:* 2006–07 to present: Basketball League of Serbia-Championship winning teams:* Including titles in SFR Yugoslavia, FR Yugoslavia, Serbia and Montenegro and Serbia-Euroleague:-Eurocup:Ex. European Cup Winner's Cup, Saporta Cup... and Adriatic League NLB League Liga ABA, also known as Adriatic League, until September 2011 known as the NLB Liga ABA for sponsorship reasons, is a top-level regional basketball league, featuring teams from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Israel, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia.The league exists alongside scaled-down national... ) |
|
| 1 | 25 | Carlos Delfino Carlos Delfino Carlos Francisco Delfino is an Argentine professional basketball player. He also has Italian citizenship. Delfino plays at the small forward and shooting guard positions. He stands tall and weighs . He is also noted for his defensive skills... |
Guard | Unión de Santa Fe Unión de Santa Fe Club Atlético Unión is a sports club from Santa Fe, the capital city of the province with the same name in Argentina. The club, founded in 1907, has a strong rivalry with Colón de Santa Fe.... (Argentina Liga Nacional de Básquetbol The Liga Nacional de Básquet is the top level of the Argentine basketball league system. The league is controlled by the Basketball Clubs' Association... ) |
|
| 2 | 58 | Andreas Glyniadakis Andreas Glyniadakis Andreas Glyniadakis is a Greek professional basketball player. He is a , 280 lb. center... |
Center | AEK AEK Athens BC AEK BC , the Athletic Union of Constantinople, is a Greek professional sports basketball club based in Athens, Greece. The club was established in Athens in 1924 by Greek refugees from Constantinople in the wake of the Greco-Turkish War .... |
|
Depth chart
| Pos. | Starter | Bench | Reserve | Inactive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C Center (basketball) The center, colloquially known as the five or the post, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well... |
Ben Wallace Ben Wallace Ben Camey Wallace is an American basketball center for the Detroit Pistons of the NBA. A native of Alabama, Wallace attended Cuyahoga Community College and Virginia Union University and signed with the Washington Bullets as an undrafted free agent in 1996... |
Elden Campbell Elden Campbell Elden Jerome Campbell is a retired American professional basketball player who played center in the National Basketball Association .-Playing Career:... |
Darko Miličić Darko Milicic Darko Miličić is a Serbian professional basketball center for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the National Basketball Association . He was selected by the Detroit Pistons as the second overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft after LeBron James, and ahead of players such as Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh,... |
|
| PF Power forward (basketball) Power forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". It has also been referred to as the "post" position. Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low... |
Rasheed Wallace Rasheed Wallace Rasheed Abdul Wallace is a retired American professional basketball power forward and center who played from 1995 to 2010 in the National Basketball Association... |
Mehmet Okur Mehmet Okur Mehmet Murat Okur is a Turkish professional basketball player who currently plays for Türk Telekom B.K.. He is also under contract with the Utah Jazz of the NBA, and can return to that team when the 2011 NBA lockout ends... |
||
| SF Small forward The small forward, or colloquially known as three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall... |
Tayshaun Prince Tayshaun Prince Tayshaun Durell Prince is an American basketball player who last played for the Detroit Pistons in the National Basketball Association. Prince is a small forward, listed at and . A graduate of Dominguez High School and the University of Kentucky, Prince was drafted in the first round by the... |
Corliss Williamson | Darvin Ham Darvin Ham Darvin Ham is an American former professional basketball player. He played eight seasons in the NBA from 1996 to 2005 and later for the Philippine Basketball Association and NBA Development League until 2008.- Basketball career :... |
Tremaine Fowlkes Tremaine Fowlkes Tremaine Fowlkes is an American former professional basketball player at the small forward position. Fowlkes was drafted out of Fresno State by the Denver Nuggets with the 54th pick of the 1998 NBA Draft, though he did not make an NBA on-court appearance until the 2001-02 season... |
| SG Shooting guard The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team... |
Richard Hamilton Richard Hamilton (basketball) Richard "Rip" Hamilton is an American basketball player who currently plays for the Detroit Pistons. Hamilton is 6'7" tall, weighs 193 lbs , and plays shooting guard. He currently is the Pistons' team captain.... |
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| PG Point guard Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that... |
Chauncey Billups Chauncey Billups Chauncey Ray Billups is an American professional basketball point guard for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association . He has also played for Team USA. Billups won the NBA Finals MVP in 2004, helping the Detroit Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals, and was given the... |
Lindsey Hunter Lindsey Hunter Lindsey Benson Hunter, Jr. is a former American professional basketball player. He was a point guard in the National Basketball Association from 1993 to 2010, spending most of his career with Detroit Pistons... |
Mike James Mike James Michael Lamont James is an American professional basketball player.-Early years:The youngest of seven siblings, James's childhood was not without challenges. Crime, drugs, and violence troubled his neighborhood streets. Lack of social and economic opportunity made urban living grueling and... |
Regular season
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78 | 78 | 35.4 | .394 | .388 | .878 | 3.5 | 5.7 | 1.08 | .10 | 16.9 | |
| 65 | 27 | 13.7 | .439 | .000 | .685 | 3.2 | .7 | .32 | .77 | 5.6 | |
| 36 | 0 | 7.3 | .313 | .125 | .722 | 1.5 | .4 | .25 | .08 | 1.2 | |
| 54 | 2 | 9.0 | .493 | .500 | .600 | 1.7 | .3 | .24 | .15 | 1.8 | |
| 78 | 78 | 35.5 | .455 | .265 | .868 | 3.6 | 4.0 | 1.32 | .22 | 17.6 | |
| 33 | 8 | 20.0 | .343 | .280 | .625 | 2.0 | 2.6 | 1.18 | .18 | 3.5 | |
| 26 | 0 | 19.7 | .401 | .364 | .844 | 2.2 | 3.7 | 1.00 | .04 | 6.3 | |
| 34 | 0 | 4.7 | .262 | .000 | .583 | 1.3 | .2 | .21 | .44 | 1.4 | |
| 71 | 33 | 22.3 | .463 | .375 | .775 | 5.9 | 1.0 | .51 | .89 | 9.6 | |
| 82 | 80 | 32.9 | .467 | .363 | .766 | 4.8 | 2.3 | .77 | .84 | 10.3 | |
| 81 | 81 | 37.7 | .421 | .125 | .490 | 12.4 | 1.7 | 1.77 | 3.04 | 9.5 | |
| 22 | 21 | 30.6 | .431 | .319 | .704 | 7.0 | 1.8 | 1.09 | 2.05 | 13.7 | |
| 79 | 0 | 19.9 | .505 | .000 | .731 | 3.2 | .7 | .38 | .25 | 9.5 |
Playoffs
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 23 | 38.3 | .385 | .346 | .890 | 3.0 | 5.9 | 1.35 | .09 | 16.4 | |
| 14 | 0 | 8.9 | .286 | .000 | .556 | 1.8 | .7 | .43 | .64 | 2.1 | |
| 22 | 0 | 4.9 | .500 | .000 | .000 | .6 | .0 | .14 | .18 | .7 | |
| 23 | 23 | 40.2 | .447 | .385 | .848 | 4.6 | 4.2 | 1.17 | .04 | 21.5 | |
| 23 | 0 | 11.9 | .292 | .233 | .917 | 1.4 | .9 | .78 | .17 | 2.4 | |
| 22 | 0 | 8.9 | .396 | .429 | .563 | 1.2 | 1.1 | .23 | .00 | 2.6 | |
| 8 | 0 | 1.8 | .000 | .000 | .250 | .4 | .1 | .13 | .00 | .1 | |
| 22 | 0 | 11.5 | .470 | .400 | .692 | 2.8 | .4 | .23 | .41 | 3.7 | |
| 23 | 23 | 34.6 | .410 | .265 | .745 | 6.0 | 2.3 | 1.09 | 1.35 | 9.9 | |
| 23 | 23 | 40.2 | .454 | .000 | .427 | 14.3 | 1.9 | 1.91 | 2.43 | 10.3 | |
| 23 | 23 | 34.9 | .413 | .243 | .767 | 7.8 | 1.6 | .57 | 1.96 | 13.0 | |
| 22 | 0 | 14.9 | .364 | .000 | .809 | 2.2 | .7 | .27 | .14 | 5.7 |
Series summary
| Team/Game | 1 | 2 (OT) | 3 | 4 | 5 | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles (West) | 75 | 99 | 68 | 80 | 87 | 1 |
| Detroit (East) | 87 | 91 | 88 | 88 | 100 | 4 |
The Finals were played using a 2-3-2 site format, where the first two and last two games are held at the team with home court advantage
Home Field Advantage
Home Field Advantage is a 2000 independent film starring Tony Award-winning actor Dan Fogler in the role of Charlie....
. This is only used in the Finals, all other playoff series are held in a 2-2-1-1-1 format (the team with home court advantage starts).
Aspects
The Lakers had a lineup of stars such as Karl MaloneKarl Malone
Karl Anthony Malone , nicknamed "The Mailman", is a retired American professional basketball power forward who spent the majority of his career with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association . Malone spent his first 18 seasons with the Jazz and formed a formidable duo with his teammate...
, Gary Payton
Gary Payton
Gary Dwayne Payton is a former American professional basketball point guard. He is best known for his 13-year tenure with the Seattle SuperSonics, and holds Seattle franchise records in points, assists, and steals...
, Derek Fisher
Derek Fisher
Derek Lamar Fisher is an American professional basketball point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His NBA career has spanned more than 14 years, during which he has won five NBA Championships...
, Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant is an American professional basketball player who plays shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . Bryant enjoyed a successful high school basketball career at Lower Merion High School, where he was recognized as the top high school...
, and Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal , nicknamed "Shaq" , is a former American professional basketball player. Standing tall and weighing , he was one of the heaviest players ever to play in the NBA...
- their offensive capability was expected to overpower Detroit's defensive-based gameplan.
Payton and Malone also added to the publicity of the Finals. Perennial All-Stars
National Basketball Association All-Star Game
The National Basketball Association staged its first All-Star Game in the Boston Garden on March 2, 1951. From that year on, the game has matched the best players in the Eastern Conference with the best players in the Western Conference....
who had both previously reached the Finals, Payton had led the Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
there in 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...
, while Malone had led the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They are currently a part of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
there in 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...
. However, Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan
Michael Jeffrey Jordan is a former American professional basketball player, active entrepreneur, and majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats...
and the Bulls denied them championship rings a total of three times. By the time of Jordan's retirement in 2003, the two veterans were aged and failed to lead their teams deep into the playoffs. Thus, this Finals series was seen as the last chance for two of the greatest players in NBA history to finally become NBA champions (Later on, Malone retired while Payton became a champion as a key bench player for the Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
).
Game One
Sunday, June 6, 2004, 14:30 at the Staples CenterStaples Center
Staples Center is a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. Opening on October 17, 1999, it is one of the major sporting facilities in the Greater Los Angeles...
.
Considered to be a stunning upset by most of the NBA world, the Detroit Pistons managed to defeat the Lakers with imposing defense. Defensively clamping down on everyone but Bryant and O'Neal, the Pistons managed to hold everyone else to a total of 16 points.
The Pistons trailed the Lakers 41–40 at halftime, but a 10–4 surge capped by Billups's 3-pointer gave the Pistons the lead. O'Neal's foul trouble furthered the scoring gap, with the Pistons leading by 13 points early in the fourth quarter.
| Team | 1st Qt. | 2nd Qt. | 3rd Qt. | 4th Qt. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | 22 | 18 | 24 | 23 | 87 |
| Los Angeles | 19 | 22 | 17 | 17 | 75 |
Game Two
Tuesday, June 8, 2004, 15:04 at the Staples Center.The second game was close throughout the first half, but in the third quarter Detroit would score 30 points, cutting the deficit 68–66. However, at the end of the fourth quarter, Kobe Bryant's 3-point shot at 2.1 seconds to go would tie the game at 89–89. The Lakers and Pistons would then go to overtime, with the Lakers outscoring the Pistons 10–2.
| Team | 1st Qt. | 2nd Qt. | 3rd Qt. | 4th Qt. | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | 16 | 20 | 30 | 23 | 2 | 91 |
| Los Angeles | 18 | 26 | 24 | 21 | 10 | 99 |
Game Three
Thursday, June 10, 2004, 14:31 at The Palace of Auburn HillsThe Palace of Auburn Hills
The Palace of Auburn Hills, often referred to simply as The Palace, is a sports and entertainment venue in Auburn Hills, Michigan, a suburb on the northern outskirts of Detroit, Michigan, United States. Opened in 1988, it is the home of the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association...
.
The Pistons beat Los Angeles by 20 in their first NBA Finals appearance together at The Palace of Auburn Hills since 1989 to take a 2–1 lead in the series. The 68 points scored by the Lakers set a (post-shot clock
Shot clock
A shot clock is used in some sports to quicken the pace of the game. It is normally associated with basketball, but has also found use in sports such as snooker, professional lacrosse, water polo, and korfball....
) franchise record for the fewest number of points scored in a playoff game. (Even Jay Leno
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
was upset, saying in his Tonight Show monologue: "68 points? 68 is a great score...if you're playing golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
!")
| Team | 1st Qt. | 2nd Qt. | 3rd Qt. | 4th Qt. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 16 | 16 | 19 | 17 | 68 |
| Detroit | 24 | 15 | 24 | 25 | 88 |
Game Four
Sunday, June 13, 2004, 14:49 at The Palace of Auburn Hills.Again, the Pistons defeated the Lakers, although this time by eight, to take a 3–1 series advantage.
| Team | 1st Qt. | 2nd Qt. | 3rd Qt. | 4th Qt. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 22 | 17 | 17 | 24 | 80 |
| Detroit | 21 | 20 | 15 | 32 | 88 |
Game Five
Tuesday, June 15, 2004, 14:32 at The Palace of Auburn Hills.In Game 5, the Pistons won their first championship since 1990, and Larry Brown finally won a title as an NBA head coach. The Pistons defense had overcome the high-scoring Laker offense, winning the game by 13, winning the series 4-1, and also ending a long Laker dynasty that lasted for many years. The game saw the end of Phil Jackson's first run as the coach (he returned for the 2005-06 season), and saw O'Neal, Payton, and Malone's last games in Laker uniforms (O'Neal and Payton were both acquired by the soon-to-be NBA Champions Miami Heat
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat is a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami...
and Malone retired).
| Team | 1st Qt. | 2nd Qt. | 3rd Qt. | 4th Qt. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 24 | 21 | 14 | 28 | 87 |
| Detroit | 25 | 30 | 27 | 18 | 100 |