1989 NBA Playoffs

The 1989 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1988-1989 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers, who were severely hampered by injuries, four games to none in the Finals, earning their first NBA championship. Joe Dumars of the Pistons was named the NBA Finals MVP.

The Pistons had one of the most dominating playoff runs in NBA history, finishing 15-2 with their only two losses to the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference finals. The Lakers won the Western Conference championship without losing a game. Ironically, they would be swept in the championship round by the Pistons, due largely to season-ending injuries suffered by Magic Johnson and Byron Scott.

The Chicago Bulls advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 1975 (and for the first time in the career of Michael Jordan), but their season was ended by the Pistons for the second of what would ultimately be three consecutive years. Two rounds earlier, Jordan made "The Shot" over Craig Ehlo at the buzzer for the Bulls to beat the Cavs.

The Boston Celtics' first-round playoff sweeping by the Pistons was the first time the Celtics failed to get past the round of 16.

Bracket

16TeamBracket

RD1=First Round
RD2=Conference Semifinals
RD3=Conference Finals
RD4=NBA Finals
group1=Western Conference
group2=Eastern Conference

RD1-seed01=1
RD1-team01=L.A. Lakers
RD1-score01=3
RD1-seed02=8
RD1-team02=Portland
RD1-score02=0

RD1-seed03=4
RD1-team03=Seattle
RD1-score03=3
RD1-seed04=5
RD1-team04=Houston
RD1-score04=1

RD1-seed05=3
RD1-team05=Phoenix
RD1-score05=3
RD1-seed06=6
RD1-team06=Denver
RD1-score06=0

RD1-seed07=2
RD1-team07=Utah
RD1-score07=0
RD1-seed08=7
RD1-team08="'Golden State
RD1-score08=3

RD1-seed09=1
RD1-team09=Detroit
RD1-score09=3
RD1-seed10=8
RD1-team10=Boston
RD1-score10=0

RD1-seed11=4
RD1-team11=Atlanta
RD1-score11=2
RD1-seed12=5
RD1-team12=Milwaukee
RD1-score12=3

RD1-seed13=3
RD1-team13=Cleveland
RD1-score13=2
RD1-seed14=6
RD1-team14=Chicago
RD1-score14=3

RD1-seed15=2
RD1-team15=New York
RD1-score15=3
RD1-seed16=7
RD1-team16=Philadelphia
RD1-score16=0

RD2-seed01=1
RD2-team01=L.A. Lakers
RD2-score01=4
RD2-seed02=4
RD2-team02=Seattle
RD2-score02=0

RD2-seed03=3
RD2-team03=Phoenix
RD2-score03=4
RD2-seed04=7
RD2-team04=Golden State
RD2-score04=1

RD2-seed05=1
RD2-team05=Detroit
RD2-score05=4
RD2-seed06=5
RD2-team06=Milwaukee
RD2-score06=0

RD2-seed07=6
RD2-team07=Chicago
RD2-score07=4
RD2-seed08=2
RD2-team08=New York
RD2-score08=2

RD3-seed01=1
RD3-team01=L.A. Lakers
RD3-score01=4
RD3-seed02=3
RD3-team02=Phoenix
RD3-score02=0

RD3-seed03=1
RD3-team03=Detroit
RD3-score03=4
RD3-seed04=6
RD3-team04=Chicago
RD3-score04=2

RD4-seed01=W1
RD4-team01=L.A. Lakers
RD4-score01=0
RD4-seed02=E1
RD4-team02=Detroit
RD4-score02=4

Western Conference

Champion: Los Angeles Lakers

1st Round

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Portland Trail Blazers:"Lakers win series 3-0
*Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 128, Portland 108
*Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 113, Portland 105
*Game 3 @ Portland: Los Angeles 116, Portland 108

(2) Utah Jazz vs. (7) Golden State Warriors:"Warriors win series 3-0"
*Game 1 @ Utah: Golden State 123, Utah 119
*Game 2 @ Utah: Golden State 99, Utah 91
*Game 3 @ Golden State: Golden State 120, Utah 106

(3) Phoenix Suns vs. (6) Denver Nuggets:"Suns win series 3-0"
*Game 1 @ Phoenix: Phoenix 104, Denver 103
*Game 2 @ Phoenix: Phoenix 132, Denver 114
*Game 3 @ Denver: Phoenix 130, Denver 121

(4) Seattle SuperSonics vs. (5) Houston Rockets:"Sonics win series 3-1"
*Game 1 @ Seattle: Seattle 111, Houston 107
*Game 2 @ Seattle: Seattle 109, Houston 97
*Game 3 @ Houston: Houston 126, Seattle 107
*Game 4 @ Houston: Seattle 98, Houston 96

Conference Semifinals

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Seattle SuperSonics:"Lakers win series 4-0"
*Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 113, Seattle 102
*Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 130, Seattle 108
*Game 3 @ Seattle: Los Angeles 91, Seattle 86
*Game 4 @ Seattle: Los Angeles 97, Seattle 95

(3) Phoenix Suns vs. (7) Golden State Warriors:"Suns win series 4-1"
*Game 1 @ Phoenix: Phoenix 130, Golden State 103
*Game 2 @ Phoenix: Golden State 127, Phoenix 122
*Game 3 @ Golden State: Phoenix 113, Golden State 104
*Game 4 @ Golden State: Phoenix 135, Golden State 99
*Game 5 @ Phoenix: Phoenix 116, Golden State 104

Conference Finals

(1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Phoenix Suns:"Lakers win series 4-0"
*Game 1 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 127, Phoenix 119
*Game 2 @ Los Angeles: Los Angeles 101, Phoenix 95
*Game 3 @ Phoenix: Los Angeles 110, Phoenix 107
*Game 4 @ Phoenix: Los Angeles 122, Phoenix 117

Eastern conference

Champion: Detroit Pistons

1st Round

(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Boston Celtics:"Pistons win series 3-0"
*Game 1 @ Detroit: Detroit 101, Boston 91
*Game 2 @ Detroit: Detroit 102, Boston 95
*Game 3 @ Boston: Detroit 100, Boston 85

(2) New York Knicks vs. (7) Philadelphia 76ers:"Knicks win series 3-0"
*Game 1 @ New York: New York 102, Philadelphia 96
*Game 2 @ New York: New York 107, Philadelphia 106
*Game 3 @ Philadelphia: New York 116, Philadelphia 115

(3) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (6) Chicago Bulls:"Bulls win series 3-2"
*Game 1 @ Cleveland: Chicago 95, Cleveland 88
*Game 2 @ Cleveland: Cleveland 96, Chicago 88
*Game 3 @ Chicago: Chicago 101, Cleveland 94
*Game 4 @ Chicago: Cleveland 108, Chicago 105
*Game 5 @ Cleveland: Chicago 101, Cleveland 100

(4) Atlanta Hawks vs. (5) Milwaukee Bucks:"Bucks win series 3-2"
*Game 1 @ Atlanta: Atlanta 100, Milwaukee 92
*Game 2 @ Atlanta: Milwaukee 108, Atlanta 98
*Game 3 @ Milwaukee: Milwaukee 117, Atlanta 113
*Game 4 @ Milwaukee: Atlanta 113, Milwaukee 106
*Game 5 @ Atlanta: Milwaukee 96, Atlanta 92

Conference Semifinals

(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (5) Milwaukee Bucks:"Pistons win series 4-0"
*Game 1 @ Detroit: Detroit 85, Milwaukee 80
*Game 2 @ Detroit: Detroit 112, Milwaukee 92
*Game 3 @ Milwaukee: Detroit 110, Milwaukee 90
*Game 4 @ Milwaukee: Detroit 96, Milwaukee 94

(2) New York Knicks vs. (6) Chicago Bulls:"Bulls win series 4-2"
*Game 1 @ New York: Chicago 120, New York 109
*Game 2 @ New York: New York 114, Chicago 97
*Game 3 @ Chicago: Chicago 111, New York 88
*Game 4 @ Chicago: Chicago 106, New York 93
*Game 5 @ New York: New York 121, Chicago 114
*Game 6 @ Chicago: Chicago 113, New York 111

Conference Finals

(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (6) Chicago Bulls:"Pistons win series 4-2"
*Game 1 @ Detroit: Chicago 94, Detroit 88
*Game 2 @ Detroit: Detroit 100, Chicago 91
*Game 3 @ Chicago: Chicago 99, Detroit 97
*Game 4 @ Chicago: Detroit 86, Chicago 80
*Game 5 @ Detroit: Detroit 94, Chicago 85
*Game 6 @ Chicago: Detroit 103, Chicago 94

NBA Finals

(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (1) Los Angeles Lakers:"Pistons win series 4-0"
*Game 1 @ Detroit: Detroit 109, Los Angeles 97
*Game 2 @ Detroit: Detroit 108, Los Angeles 105
*Game 3 @ Los Angeles: Detroit 114, Los Angeles 108
*Game 4 @ Los Angeles: Detroit 105, Los Angeles 97

External links

* [http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1989.html Basketball-Reference.com's 1989 NBA Playoffs page]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3Fpi8lqg-w&feature=PlayList&p=E87B8728A476F202&index=0&playnext=1 Eastern Conf. First round Game 5 "Chicago Bulls vs. Cleveland Cavs" on Youtube.com]