2004 NBA Finals
Encyclopedia
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. The series was played under a best-of-seven format, so the first team to collect four game victories would win the series.
Although the Lakers were the heavy favorite, the Pistons won the series four games to one to win their first title since 1990
. The Pistons were so dominant in the series that it came to be known as a "five-game sweep." Piston point guard
Chauncey Billups
was named the Most Valuable Player of the series. In winning, the Pistons won their fifth championship (three NBA Championships, two NBL Championships). The series was noted for the perceived underdog, the Pistons, dominating a Laker team that had four future Hall of Famers. The Lakers' collapse resulted in only one of the stars, Kobe Bryant
remaining on the team for the next season. Pistons owner William Davidson
became the first owner in sports history to win two championships in one year. Eight days earlier, the other team that Davidson owned, the Tampa Bay Lightning
of the National Hockey League
won the Stanley Cup
in seven games over the Calgary Flames
.
Rodd Houston narrated the season-ending documentary for NBA Entertainment
.
to 2002
, but lost to the San Antonio Spurs
in the Western Conference playoffs in 2003 to end their streak at three.
In the 2003 offseason, the Lakers made major changes, with initially varying results. Needing to find a point guard and a power forward
to defend against Tim Duncan
and the Spurs, the Lakers signed veteran stars Gary Payton
and Karl Malone
for well below market value; they also hoped to give both veterans their first championship ring. The Lakers were afterwards considered the favorites to win the NBA title.
During the regular season, after starting the season 18–3, the Lakers were afflicted by numerous injuries and stumbled to a 56–26 record to finish the season with the second seed in the Western Conference.
The Lakers breezed past their first-round opponent, the Houston Rockets
, 4–1, but then lost the first two games in their series against the Spurs before a dramatic comeback that saw them win 4–2. Then, they faced the Minnesota Timberwolves
and their superstar forward Kevin Garnett
. The Lakers won the series 4–2 to advance to the Finals.
and 1990
, but with retirements and departures of several stars, they faded from playoff prominence. The team hired former star Joe Dumars
as general manager of the team in 2000, and he began stockpiling draft picks and trading players. He landed defensive stalwart Ben Wallace
and guard Richard Hamilton
by trading established stars in controversial trades, signed Chauncey Billups (considered an underachiever), and drafted Tayshaun Prince
with the 23rd pick in the 2002 Draft
. He was named the NBA Executive of the Year
in 2003 for returning the Pistons to prominence.
The Pistons made a major change as well, but perhaps a riskier change, firing head coach
Rick Carlisle
, who had led the Pistons to two consecutive Central Division titles and had received the NBA Coach of the Year Award
in 2002. In his place, Dumars hired legendary coach Larry Brown
, who had most recently led the Philadelphia 76ers
to the NBA Finals
in 2001.
In a three-team trade at the trade deadline, Dumars traded Chucky Atkins
, Lindsey Hunter
, Bobby Sura
, Željko Rebrača
and other considerations for guard Mike James
and forward Rasheed Wallace
, who proved to be the final pieces of the championship team (Hunter would rejoin the Pistons a week later). The Pistons, who were already a good defensive team, became a defensive force to be reckoned with. They became the first team in NBA history to hold five consecutive opponents under 70 points, and finished the season with a 54–28 record and the second seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Pistons easily overcame the Milwaukee Bucks
4–1, but struggled against the New Jersey Nets
and narrowly escaped 4–3. In a defensive series with Indiana, the Pistons offense proved more productive and they won 4–2 to advance to the NBA Finals.
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
. This is only used in the Finals, all other playoff games are held in a 2–2–1–1–1 format (the team with home court advantage starts).
The Pistons became the fourth team to sweep the middle three games since the NBA started using the 2-3-2 format in 1985. But they became the first to do so at home; the previous three times this has occurred were done by road teams (1990 Pistons
, 1991 Chicago Bulls
, 2001 Lakers
). With this, Detroit became the only team to have both swept the middle three games at home and on the road.
This was the first Finals series to be played on the current Sunday–Tuesday–Thursday rotation since 1990
. It is also the last series to have Game 1 be played on a Sunday. From 2005 to 2010, the championship series started on either the first or second Thursday in June.
, Gary Payton
, Kobe Bryant
, and Shaquille O'Neal
- their offensive capability was expected to overpower Detroit's defensive-based game plan.
Payton and Malone also added to the publicity of the Finals. Perennial All-Stars
who had both previously reached the Finals, Payton had led the Seattle SuperSonics
there in 1996
, while Malone had led the Utah Jazz
there in 1997
and 1998
. However, Michael Jordan
and the Bulls denied them championship rings a total of three times. By the time of Jordan's second retirement in 1998, the two veterans were aged and failed to lead their teams deep into the playoffs. It would be Malone's final chance to win a championship, as he would retire before the subsequent season.
The Pistons trailed the Lakers 41–40 at halftime, but by the fourth quarter the Pistons had opened up a 13 point lead; they would not trail for the rest of the game.
O'Neal scored 36 for the Lakers and Bryant scored 20 but shot 32 percent from the field.
Malone would play his last game, as a knee injury would not allow him to dress in Game Five.
by Al Michaels and Doc Rivers. Brent Musburger
and Dr. Jack Ramsay broadcast the Finals nationally on ESPN Radio
.
To promote the series, the NBA used The Black Eyed Peas
' song "Let's Get It Started
", which it had also used throughout the 2004 NBA Playoffs
.
, losing to the Spurs in a tough seven-game series. That season, the Pistons won 54 games and defeated the Philadelphia 76ers
(5 games), Indiana Pacers
(6 games) and Miami Heat
(7 games) on their way back to the finals. However the Spurs, who likewise play a defensive style, would defeat them in a tough Game 7.
The Lakers' collapse became apparent in the days following the Finals. Head coach Phil Jackson
abruptly resigned as head coach. Shaquille O'Neal
was traded to the Miami Heat
, then Gary Payton
was also traded and Karl Malone
was left unsigned, then retired. The 2004-05 NBA season
was a tough one for the Lakers, winning only 34 games and missed the playoffs for only the sixth time in the team's history. Jackson returned to the Lakers in the offseason; despite writing a book called The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul
, in which he voiced disdain on Kobe Bryant
by calling him 'uncoachable', he and Bryant would bury the hatchet once the season began. Jackson and Bryant would later produce three more NBA Finals appearances and two NBA championships in five seasons. Meanwhile, O'Neal, along with Payton, led by Dwyane Wade of the Heat won the 2006 championship
.
With the Pistons' win, it was the 21st championship among the four professional sports teams in Detroit (NFL
's Lions
, MLB
's Tigers
and NHL
's Red Wings
). The Red Wings made it 22 upon winning the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals
.
2003-04 NBA season
-Statistics leaders:-Yearly awards:*Most Valuable Player: Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves*Rookie of the Year: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers*Defensive Player of the Year: Ron Artest, Indiana Pacers...
. The Finals were between 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....
and the 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...
of the Eastern 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...
; the Lakers held home court advantage. The series was played under a best-of-seven format, so the first team to collect four game victories would win the series.
Although the Lakers were the heavy favorite, the Pistons won the series four games to one to win their first title since 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 Pistons were so dominant in the series that it came to be known as a "five-game sweep." Piston point guard
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...
was named the Most Valuable Player of the series. In winning, the Pistons won their fifth championship (three NBA Championships, two NBL Championships). The series was noted for the perceived underdog, the Pistons, dominating a Laker team that had four future Hall of Famers. The Lakers' collapse resulted in only one of the stars, 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...
remaining on the team for the next season. Pistons owner William Davidson
William Davidson
William Morse "Bill" Davidson, J. D. was an American businessman who was President, Chairman and CEO of Guardian Industries, one of the world's largest manufacturers of architectural and automotive glass...
became the first owner in sports history to win two championships in one year. Eight days earlier, the other team that Davidson owned, the Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
won the Stanley Cup
2004 Stanley Cup Finals
The 2004 Stanley Cup Finals was a best-of-seven playoff series that determined the National Hockey League champion for the 2003–04 season. As a culmination of the 2004 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Western Conference champion Calgary Flames...
in seven games over the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
.
Rodd Houston narrated the season-ending documentary for NBA Entertainment
NBA Entertainment
NBA Entertainment is the production arm of the National Basketball Association and produces numerous NBA-related films including team championship videos and blooper and entertainment reels. It was previously associated with CBS/Fox Video, but now distributes its films through Warner Bros....
.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers had won consecutive championships from 20002000 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...
to 2002
2002 NBA Finals
The 2002 NBA Finals was the National Basketball Association championship series for the 2001–02 season. The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Los Angeles Lakers, champions of the Western Conference and two-time defending NBA champions, and the New Jersey Nets, champions of the...
, but lost to the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
in the Western Conference playoffs in 2003 to end their streak at three.
In the 2003 offseason, the Lakers made major changes, with initially varying results. Needing to find a point guard and a power forward
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...
to defend against Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan
Timothy Theodore "Tim" Duncan is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association . The 6-foot 11-inch , 255-pound power forward/center is a four-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA Finals MVP, and NBA Rookie of the Year...
and the Spurs, the Lakers signed veteran stars 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...
and Karl Malone
Karl 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...
for well below market value; they also hoped to give both veterans their first championship ring. The Lakers were afterwards considered the favorites to win the NBA title.
During the regular season, after starting the season 18–3, the Lakers were afflicted by numerous injuries and stumbled to a 56–26 record to finish the season with the second seed in the Western Conference.
The Lakers breezed past their first-round opponent, the Houston Rockets
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
, 4–1, but then lost the first two games in their series against the Spurs before a dramatic comeback that saw them win 4–2. Then, they faced the Minnesota Timberwolves
Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves are an American professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . Founded in 1989, the team is currently owned by Glen Taylor...
and their superstar forward Kevin Garnett
Kevin Garnett
Kevin Maurice Garnett is an American professional basketball player who currently plays power forward for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . After a high school basketball career at Farragut Career Academy which included winning a national player of the year award, he...
. The Lakers won the series 4–2 to advance to the Finals.
Detroit Pistons
The Pistons won two back-to-back championships in 19891989 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 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...
, but with retirements and departures of several stars, they faded from playoff prominence. The team hired former star 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....
as general manager of the team in 2000, and he began stockpiling draft picks and trading players. He landed defensive stalwart 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...
and guard 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....
by trading established stars in controversial trades, signed Chauncey Billups (considered an underachiever), and drafted 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...
with the 23rd pick in the 2002 Draft
2002 NBA Draft
The 2002 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2002 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting 57 amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from non-North...
. He was named the NBA Executive of the Year
NBA Executive of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Executive of the Year Award is an annual award given since the 1972–73 NBA season, to the league's best general managers. Before 2009, the Executive of the Year is presented annually by Sporting News, although it is officially recognized by the NBA. Since then,...
in 2003 for returning the Pistons to prominence.
The Pistons made a major change as well, but perhaps a riskier change, firing head coach
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
Rick Carlisle
Rick Carlisle
Richard Preston Carlisle is the head coach of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. He has also coached the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons, and was previously a player in the NBA. He is also one of the only 11 people to win an NBA championship both as a player and as a coach.-Playing career:Carlisle...
, who had led the Pistons to two consecutive Central Division titles and had received the NBA Coach of the Year Award
NBA Coach of the Year Award
The National Basketball Association's Coach of the Year is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1962–63 NBA season. The winner receives the Red Auerbach Trophy, which is named in honor of the head coach who led the Boston Celtics to nine NBA Championships from 1956 to 1966...
in 2002. In his place, Dumars hired legendary coach Larry Brown
Larry Brown (basketball)
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" Brown is an American basketball coach and former player. He most recently served as head coach of the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Bobcats....
, who had most recently led the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
to the NBA Finals
2001 NBA Finals
The 2001 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2000-01 National Basketball Association season. The Los Angeles Lakers of the Western Conference took on the Philadelphia 76ers of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Lakers holding home court advantage in a best-of-seven format.The...
in 2001.
In a three-team trade at the trade deadline, Dumars traded Chucky Atkins
Chucky Atkins
Kenneth Lavon "Chucky" Atkins is an American professional basketball player. He is currently a free agent.-Basketball career:...
, 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...
, Bobby Sura
Bob Sura
Robert Sura Jr. is an American former professional basketball player who last played for the Houston Rockets in the NBA. At 6'5" , 200 lb , he played as a guard....
, Željko Rebrača
Željko Rebraca
Željko Rebrača is a retired Serbian professional basketball player. Formerly in the NBA, he finished his career with the Spanish ACB League team Pamesa Valencia.-Europe:He began his professional career in 1991 with KK Partizan...
and other considerations for guard 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...
and forward 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...
, who proved to be the final pieces of the championship team (Hunter would rejoin the Pistons a week later). The Pistons, who were already a good defensive team, became a defensive force to be reckoned with. They became the first team in NBA history to hold five consecutive opponents under 70 points, and finished the season with a 54–28 record and the second seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Pistons easily overcame the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are a professional basketball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. They are part of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1968 as an expansion team, and currently plays at the Bradley Center....
4–1, but struggled against the New Jersey Nets
New Jersey Nets
The New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team based in Newark, New Jersey. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
and narrowly escaped 4–3. In a defensive series with Indiana, the Pistons offense proved more productive and they won 4–2 to advance to the NBA Finals.
2004 Los Angeles Lakers
Series summary
| Game | Date | Home Team | Result | Road Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1 | Sunday, June 6 | Los Angeles Lakers | 75-87 (0-1) | Detroit Pistons |
| Game 2 | Tuesday, June 8 | Los Angeles Lakers | 99-91 OT (1-1) | Detroit Pistons |
| Game 3 | Thursday, June 10 | Detroit Pistons | 88-68 (2-1) | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Game 4 | Sunday, June 13 | Detroit Pistons | 88-80 (3-1) | Los Angeles Lakers |
| Game 5 | Tuesday, June 15 | Detroit Pistons | 100-87 (4-1) | Los Angeles Lakers |
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 games are held in a 2–2–1–1–1 format (the team with home court advantage starts).
The Pistons became the fourth team to sweep the middle three games since the NBA started using the 2-3-2 format in 1985. But they became the first to do so at home; the previous three times this has occurred were done by road teams (1990 Pistons
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...
, 1991 Chicago Bulls
1991 NBA Finals
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....
, 2001 Lakers
2001 NBA Finals
The 2001 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2000-01 National Basketball Association season. The Los Angeles Lakers of the Western Conference took on the Philadelphia 76ers of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Lakers holding home court advantage in a best-of-seven format.The...
). With this, Detroit became the only team to have both swept the middle three games at home and on the road.
This was the first Finals series to be played on the current Sunday–Tuesday–Thursday rotation since 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...
. It is also the last series to have Game 1 be played on a Sunday. From 2005 to 2010, the championship series started on either the first or second Thursday in June.
Features
The NBA heavily publicized the series as it has done with all other NBA Finals series. There was a sentiment among fans that the Pistons were the clear underdogs, and many described the series as a David vs. Goliath match-up. 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...
, 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 game plan.
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 second retirement in 1998, the two veterans were aged and failed to lead their teams deep into the playoffs. It would be Malone's final chance to win a championship, as he would retire before the subsequent season.
Game One
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 by the fourth quarter the Pistons had opened up a 13 point lead; they would not trail for the rest of the game.
Game Two
The second game wasn't close throughout the first half, but in the third quarter the Pistons scored 30 points, cutting the deficit 68–66. Kobe Bryant's 3-point shot with 2.1 seconds left in the fourth quarter would force overtime, where the Pistons would make only one two-point field goal (compared to Los Angeles scoring ten points).Game Three
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 franchise record for the lowest number of points scored in a playoff game.Game Four
Again, the Pistons defeated the Lakers, although this time by eight, to take a 3–1 series advantage.O'Neal scored 36 for the Lakers and Bryant scored 20 but shot 32 percent from the field.
Malone would play his last game, as a knee injury would not allow him to dress in Game Five.
Game Five
In Game 5, the Pistons won their first championship since 1990, and Larry Brown finally won a professional title. 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 in the 2005-06 season), and saw O'Neal, Payton, and Malone's last games in Laker uniforms. At the end of the series, Al Michaels observed that the Lakers had Hall of Fame players, while the Pistons used players that nobody else wanted.Broadcast notes
The games were broadcast on ABCAmerican Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
by Al Michaels and Doc Rivers. Brent Musburger
Brent Musburger
Brent Woody Musburger is an American sportscaster for the ESPN and ABC television networks. Formerly with CBS Sports and one of the original members of their legendary program The NFL Today, Musburger has covered NASCAR, NBA, MLB, NCAA football and basketball games. Musburger has also served as a...
and Dr. Jack Ramsay broadcast the Finals nationally on ESPN Radio
NBA on ESPN Radio
The NBA on ESPN Radio is a broadcast of National Basketball Association games on the ESPN Radio network. Games on ESPN Radio are distributed on over 200 radio stations in the United States and Canada. The program began on January 21, 1996 and the current contract runs through the 2015-2016 season...
.
To promote the series, the NBA used The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas
The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide...
' song "Let's Get It Started
Let's Get It Started
"Let's Get It Started", , appears on The Black Eyed Peas' 2003 album Elephunk. It is the fourth single from the album...
", which it had also used throughout the 2004 NBA Playoffs
2004 NBA Playoffs
The 2004 NBA Playoffs were the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2003–04 season. Consisting of 16 teams in two conferences, the playoffs involved about two months of play. The playoffs were conducted in seven-game series, with the team with the better record holding home court...
.
Aftermath
The Pistons made the Finals again in 20052005 NBA Finals
The 2005 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2004-05 National Basketball Association season. The San Antonio Spurs of the Western Conference faced the Detroit Pistons of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Spurs holding home court advantage. The series was played under a...
, losing to the Spurs in a tough seven-game series. That season, the Pistons won 54 games and defeated the Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
(5 games), Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
(6 games) and 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...
(7 games) on their way back to the finals. However the Spurs, who likewise play a defensive style, would defeat them in a tough Game 7.
The Lakers' collapse became apparent in the days following the Finals. Head coach 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;...
abruptly resigned as head coach. 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...
was traded to 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...
, then 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...
was also traded and Karl Malone
Karl 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...
was left unsigned, then retired. The 2004-05 NBA season
2004-05 NBA season
The 2004–05 NBA season was the 59th season of the National Basketball Association . It began on November 2, 2004 and ended June 23, 2005. The season ended with the San Antonio Spurs defeating defending champion Detroit Pistons 4–3 in the NBA Finals....
was a tough one for the Lakers, winning only 34 games and missed the playoffs for only the sixth time in the team's history. Jackson returned to the Lakers in the offseason; despite writing a book called The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul
The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul
The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul is a book published by American basketball coach Phil Jackson; it deals with the ups and downs of the Los Angeles Lakers' 2003-04 season...
, in which he voiced disdain on 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...
by calling him 'uncoachable', he and Bryant would bury the hatchet once the season began. Jackson and Bryant would later produce three more NBA Finals appearances and two NBA championships in five seasons. Meanwhile, O'Neal, along with Payton, led by Dwyane Wade of the Heat won the 2006 championship
2006 NBA Finals
The 2006 NBA Finals was the championship series of the 2005–06 National Basketball Association season. The Miami Heat won the championship in six games over the Dallas Mavericks, winning the final game at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, and becoming the third team to win a championship...
.
With the Pistons' win, it was the 21st championship among the four professional sports teams in Detroit (NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
, MLB
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
's Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
and NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
's Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
). The Red Wings made it 22 upon winning the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals
2008 Stanley Cup Finals
The 2008 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven playoff series that determined the National Hockey League champion for the 2007–08 season. As a culmination of the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings defeated the Eastern Conference champion Pittsburgh...
.