A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | CH | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
Tournament details | |
---|---|
Dates | April 26–June 14, 1990 |
Season | 1989–90 |
Teams | 16 |
Final positions | |
Champions | Detroit Pistons (2nd title) |
Runner-up | Portland Trail Blazers |
Semifinalists | |
The 1990 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1989–90 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons defeating the Western Conference champion Portland Trail Blazers 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals. Isiah Thomas was named NBA Finals MVP.
It was the Blazers' first trip to the NBA Finals since their victory in the 1977 NBA Finals.
The New York Knicks fell behind 2–0 to the Boston Celtics in their first round matchup, but took the series 3–2 by winning Game 5 121–114 in Boston Garden. Prior to this, the Celtics had beaten the Knicks 26 straight at the Boston Garden. This deciding game featured a missed dunk by Larry Bird late in the fourth with the Celtics trailing by four (103-99) and a clinching 3-point basket by Patrick Ewing on a play where he chased down an errant pass by Charles Oakley on the sideline in front of the Knicks' bench and hurled up a desperation shot as the shot clock was reaching zero. The basket put the Knicks up 113-101 and essentially clinched the game and the series.
The Phoenix Suns defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in a playoff series for the first time ever. It also marked the first time since 1981 that the Lakers failed to reach the Western Conference Finals, ending the longest such run since the Bill Russell-led Boston Celtics, who made the Eastern Conference Finals thirteen consecutive times between 1957 and 1969.
It was the first NBA Finals to not feature the Lakers or Celtics since 1979.
The Chicago Bulls lost Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals 93–76 in Detroit, making it the third straight year they were ousted in the playoffs by the Pistons.
The Indiana Pacers made only their third playoff appearance since their NBA debut in the 1976–77 season; they proceeded to make the playoffs 16 out of the next 17 years (missing only in 1997).
The Dallas Mavericks made their only playoff appearance of the decade. They did not return until 2001.
Game 5 of the NBA Finals was the last NBA game to be televised on CBS.
Bracket
First Round | Conference Semifinals | Conference Finals | NBA Finals | ||||||||||||||||
E1 | Detroit* | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
E8 | Indiana | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
E1 | Detroit* | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
E5 | New York | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
E4 | Boston | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
E5 | New York | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
E1 | Detroit* | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
Eastern Conference | |||||||||||||||||||
E3 | Chicago | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
E3 | Chicago | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
E6 | Milwaukee | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
E3 | Chicago | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
E2 | Philadelphia* | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
E2 | Philadelphia* | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
E7 | Cleveland | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
E1 | Detroit* | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
W3 | Portland | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
W1 | LA Lakers* | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
W8 | Houston | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
W1 | LA Lakers* | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
W5 | Phoenix | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
W4 | Utah | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
W5 | Phoenix | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
W5 | Phoenix | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
Western Conference | |||||||||||||||||||
W3 | Portland | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
W3 | Portland | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
W6 | Dallas | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
W3 | Portland | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
W2 | San Antonio* | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
W2 | San Antonio* | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
W7 | Denver | 0 |
- * Division winner
- Bold Series winner
- Italic Team with home-court advantage
First round
Eastern Conference first round
(1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Indiana Pacers
April 26
|
Indiana Pacers 92, Detroit Pistons 104 | ||
Scoring by quarter: 17–32, 28–24, 29–26, 18–22 | ||
Pts: Detlef Schrempf 26 Rebs: Detlef Schrempf 7 Asts: Vern Fleming 8 |
Pts: James Edwards 21 Rebs: Bill Laimbeer 14 Asts: Thomas, Dumars 5 each | |
Detroit leads series, 1–0 |
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
Attendance: 21,454 Referees: Dan Crawford, Mike Mathis, Wally Rooney |
April 28
|
Indiana Pacers 87, Detroit Pistons 100 | ||
Scoring by quarter: 16–20, 25–21, 22–33, 24–26 | ||
Pts: Reggie Miller 23 Rebs: Chuck Person 12 Asts: Vern Fleming 7 |
Pts: Bill Laimbeer 22 Rebs: Bill Laimbeer 11 Asts: Isiah Thomas 12 | |
Detroit leads series, 2–0 |
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
Attendance: 21,454 Referees: Joe Forte, Darell Garretson, Ronnie Nunn |
May 1
|
Detroit Pistons 108, Indiana Pacers 96 | ||
Scoring by quarter: 26–23, 28–22, 28–27, 26–24 | ||
Pts: Isiah Thomas 23 Rebs: Bill Laimbeer 19 Asts: Isiah Thomas 9 |
Pts: Reggie Miller 22 Rebs: LaSalle Thompson 8 Asts: Reggie Miller 4 | |
Detroit wins series, 3–0 |
Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, Indiana
Attendance: 15,301 Referees: Paul Mihalak, Jack Nies, Earl Strom |
Detroit won 4–1 in the regular-season series |
---|
This was the first playoff meeting between the Pistons and the Pacers.[1]
(2) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (7) Cleveland Cavaliers
April 26
|
Cleveland Cavaliers 106, Philadelphia 76ers 111 | ||
Scoring by quarter: 21–22, 28–23, 33–40, 24–26 | ||
Pts: Hot Rod Williams 23 Rebs: Hot Rod Williams 10 Asts: Mark Price 12 |
Pts: Charles Barkley 38 Rebs: Charles Barkley 21 Asts: Johnny Dawkins 9 | |
Philadelphia leads series, 1–0 |
Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 15,319 Referees: Joe Forte, Darell Garretson, Tommy Nunez Sr. |
April 29
|
Cleveland Cavaliers 101, Philadelphia 76ers 107 | ||
Scoring by quarter: 26–32, 33–24, 19–26, 23–25 | ||
Pts: Mark Price 27 Rebs: Brad Daugherty 13 Asts: Craig Ehlo 8 |
Pts: Charles Barkley 32 Rebs: Rick Mahorn 9 Asts: Johnny Dawkins 11 | |
Philadelphia leads series, 2–0 |
Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 18,168 Referees: Ron Garretson, Bill Oakes, Ed T. Rush |
May 1
|
Philadelphia 76ers 95, Cleveland Cavaliers 122 | ||
Scoring by quarter: 15–32, 32–28, 17–35, 31–27 | ||
Pts: Hersey Hawkins 19 Rebs: Charles Barkley 11 Asts: Johnny Dawkins 7 |
Pts: Craig Ehlo 25 Rebs: Ehlo, Daugherty 10 each Asts: Ehlo, Daugherty 9 each | |
Philadelphia leads series, 2–1 |
Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio
Attendance: 16,317 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Hugh Evans, Eddie F. Rush |
May 3
|
Philadelphia 76ers 96, Cleveland Cavaliers 108 | ||
Scoring by quarter: 23–34, 27–26, 32–26, 14–22 | ||
Pts: Charles Barkley 23 Rebs: Barkley, Mahorn 11 each Asts: Johnny Dawkins 10 |
Pts: Brad Daugherty 34 Rebs: Brad Daugherty 9 Asts: Mark Price 18 | |
Series tied, 2–2 |
May 5
|
Cleveland Cavaliers 97, Philadelphia 76ers 113 | ||
Scoring by quarter: 29–38, 20–21, 23–33, 25–21 | ||
Pts: Brad Daugherty 25 Rebs: Hot Rod Williams 13 Asts: Craig Ehlo 5 |
Pts: Hersey Hawkins 39 Rebs: Charles Barkley 19 Asts: Johnny Dawkins 14 | |
Philadelphia wins series, 3–2 |
Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Attendance: 18,168 Referees: Jess Kersey, Jack Madden, Jake O'Donnell |
Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series |
---|
This was the first playoff meeting between the Cavaliers and the 76ers.[2]
(3) Chicago Bulls vs. (6) Milwaukee Bucks
April 27
|
Milwaukee Bucks 97, Chicago Bulls 111 | ||
Scoring by quarter: 27–26, 25–28, 22–25, 23–32 | ||
Pts: Alvin Robertson 22 Rebs: Brad Lohaus 7 Asts: Jay Humphries 12 |
Pts: Michael Jordan 38 Rebs: Scottie Pippen 10 Asts: Scottie Pippen 13 | |
Chicago leads series, 1–0 |
April 29
|
Milwaukee Bucks 102, Chicago Bulls 109 | ||
Scoring by quarter: 18–33, 34–18, 23–28, 27–30 | ||
Pts: Paul Pressey 25 Rebs: Greg Anderson 10 Asts: Paul Pressey 12 |
Pts: Michael Jordan 36 Rebs: Michael Jordan 9 Asts: Michael Jordan 11 | |
Chicago leads series, 2–0 |
May 1
|
Chicago Bulls 112, Milwaukee Bucks 119 | ||
Scoring by quarter: 31–27, 29–31, 25–32, 27–29 | ||
Pts: Michael Jordan 48 Rebs: Horace Grant 11 Asts: Scottie Pippen 9 |
Pts: Alvin Robertson 38 Rebs: Alvin Robertson 8 Asts: Paul Pressey 12 | |
Chicago leads series, 2–1 |
Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Attendance: 18,575 Referees: Joe Crawford, Ron Garretson, Bennett Salvatore |
May 3
|
Chicago Bulls 110, Milwaukee Bucks 86 | ||
Scoring by quarter: 27–20, 29–19, 28–21, 26–26 | ||
Pts: Michael Jordan 25 Rebs: Horace Grant 14 Asts: Michael Jordan 5 |
Pts: Alvin Robertson 20 Rebs: Lohaus, Anderson 8 each Asts: Alvin Robertson 4 | |
Chicago wins series, 3–1 |
Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Attendance: 18,633 Referees: Bernie Fryer, Paul Mihalak, Jake O'Donnell |