1990–91 Detroit Pistons season

The 1990–91 NBA season was the Pistons' 43rd season in the National Basketball Association, and 34th season in the city of Detroit.[1] The Pistons entered the season as the two-time defending NBA champions and looked to win a third consecutive title. The team posted a nine-game winning streak in November as they finished the first month of the season with a 13–2 record. However, they would lose six of their next seven games in early December. Midway through the season, the Pistons won eleven consecutive games, finishing second in the Central Division with a 50–32 record, eleven games behind the Chicago Bulls. Last year's Finals MVP Isiah Thomas played just 48 games this season due to a wrist injury.[2] Dennis Rodman was named Defensive Player of The Year for the second straight season. Thomas and Joe Dumars were both selected for the 1991 NBA All-Star Game, but Thomas did not play due to injury.

1990–91 Detroit Pistons season
Head coachChuck Daly
General managerJack McCloskey
OwnersWilliam Davidson
ArenaThe Palace of Auburn Hills
Results
Record50–32 (.610)
PlaceDivision: 2nd (Central)
Conference: 3rd (Eastern)
Playoff finishEast Conference Finals
(Lost to Bulls 0–4)
Local media
TelevisionWKBD
PASS Sports
RadioWJR

Entering the playoffs as the #3 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Pistons won their first series against the Atlanta Hawks 3–2, and their second against the Boston Celtics 4–2. This put them in their fifth consecutive Eastern Conference Finals, where they would be swept by the Bulls and be denied a fourth consecutive appearance in the NBA Finals.

Toward the end of the loss to the Bulls in Game 4, which occurred on the Pistons' home floor at The Palace of Auburn Hills, most of the Pistons' players walked off the court toward the locker room without congratulating their opponents or shaking hands.[3] It was seen as a sign of disrespect by the outgoing champions, and was concocted by Thomas and Bill Laimbeer in response to comments made by Michael Jordan about the Pistons' physical playing style being bad for basketball, and that he felt the league would be happy to see the Pistons lose.

Following the season, James Edwards was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, and Vinnie Johnson signed as a free agent with the San Antonio Spurs.

Draft picks
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College
1 26 Lance Blanks PG/SG  United States Texas

Roster
Roster listing
Detroit Pistons roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.NameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY-MM-DD)From
SF 23 Aguirre, Mark 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 232 lb (105 kg) DePaul
C 00 Bedford, William 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Memphis
SG 32 Blanks, Lance 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 190 lb (86 kg) Texas
SG 4 Dumars, Joe 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 190 lb (86 kg) McNeese State
C 53 Edwards, James 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 225 lb (102 kg) Washington
PF 35 Hastings, Scott 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Arkansas
PG 12 Henderson, Gerald 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Virginia Commonwealth
PG 15 Johnson, Vinnie 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Baylor
C 40 Laimbeer, Bill 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 245 lb (111 kg) Notre Dame
PF 10 Rodman, Dennis 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) 210 lb (95 kg) Southeastern Oklahoma State
C 30 Rollins, Tree 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) 235 lb (107 kg) Clemson
PF 22 Salley, John 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) 230 lb (104 kg) Georgia Tech
PG 11 Thomas, Isiah 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Indiana
Head coach
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured

Regular season

Season standings
Central Division W L PCT GB Home Road Div
y-Chicago Bulls6121.744—35–626–1525–5
x-Detroit Pistons5032.6101132–918–2319-11
x-Milwaukee Bucks4834.5851333–815–2616–14
x-Atlanta Hawks4339.5241829–1214–2711–19
x-Indiana Pacers4141.5002029-1212–2915-15
Cleveland Cavaliers3349.4022823–1810–3111-19
Charlotte Hornets2656.3173517–249–328–22
# Eastern Conference
Team W L PCT GB
1 c-Chicago Bulls6121.744–
2 y-Boston Celtics5626.6835
3 x-Detroit Pistons5032.61011
4 x-Milwaukee Bucks4834.58513
5 x-Philadelphia 76ers4438.53717
6 x-Atlanta Hawks4339.52418
7 x-Indiana Pacers4141.50020
8 x-New York Knicks3943.47622
9 Cleveland Cavaliers3349.40228
10 Washington Bullets3052.36631
11 New Jersey Nets2656.31735
12 Charlotte Hornets2656.31735
13 Miami Heat2458.29337
z - clinched division title
y - clinched division title
x - clinched playoff spot

Record vs. opponents
1990-91 NBA Records
Team ATL BOS CHA CHI CLE DAL DEN DET GSW HOU IND LAC LAL MIA MIL MIN NJN NYK ORL PHI PHO POR SAC SAS SEA UTA WAS
Atlanta —3–11–41–43–22–01–10–51–11–14–12–01–14–02–31–13–13–11–10–40–21–12–02–01–11–12–2
Boston 1–3—3–12–23–12–02–02–21–12–02–22–01–14–12–22–04–15–01–12–31–11–12–01–12–01–15–1
Charlotte 4–11–3—0–51–41–10–21–41–10–20–51–10–22–22–31–12–20–42–02–20–20–22–01–10–20–22–2
Chicago 4–12–25–0—5–02–02–03–21–10–24–12–01–14–04–12–03–14–02–01–31–10–22–00–22–02–03–1
Cleveland 2–31–34–10–5—2–01–12–30–20–21–41–11–13–12–31–12–23–12–02–20–20–21–10–21–10–21–3
Dallas 0–20–21–10–20–2—3–10–22–21–32–01–32–20–21–11–42–02–01–41–10–41–32–21–42–20–52–0
Denver 1–10–22–00–21–11–3—0–21–30–50–20–40–40–21–13–21–11–12–30–20–40–43–11–40–41–31–1
Detroit 5–02–24–12–33–22–02–0—1–12–03–22–00–23–12–32–03–11–32–02–20–21–12–00–21–10–23–1
Golden State 1–11–11–11–12–02–23–11–1—2–21–13–22–32–01–13–11–12–02–22–01–32–32–32–23–11–30–2
Houston 1–10–22–02–02–03–15–00–22–2—1–12–21–32–02–05–02–02–03–22–03–10–43–12–32–22–21–1
Indiana 1–42–25–01–44–10–22–02–31–11–1—1–10–22–22–31–13–12–21–11–31–10–22–01–11–12–02–2
L.A. Clippers 0–20–21–10–21–13–14–00–22–32–21–1—0–40–21–13–11–10–21–30–22–31–33–22–22–31–30–2
L.A. Lakers 1–11–12–01–11–12–24–02–03–23–12–04–0—2–00–23–12–01–14–01–13–22–34–03–13–22–22–0
Miami 0–41–42–20–41–32–02–01–30–20–22–22–00–2—0–40–23–31–41–11–40–20–21–10–20–21–13–2
Milwaukee 3–22–23–21–43–21–11–13–21–10–23–21–12–04–0—1–12–24–02–02–21–11–11–11–11–11–13–1
Minnesota 1–10–21–10–21–14–12–30–21–30–51–11–31–32–01–1—1–11–12–22–00–40–43–10–42–21–41–1
New Jersey 1–31–42–21–32–20–21–11–31–10–21–31–10–23–32–21–1—0–51–12–31–10–21–10–21–10–22–3
New York 1–30–54–00–41–30–21–13–10–20–22–22–01–14–10–41–15–0—0–25–10–20–22–01–11–12–03–2
Orlando 1–11–10–20–20–24–13–20–22–22–31–13–10–41–10–22–21–12–0—0–22–20–42–21–31–31–41–1
Philadelphia 4–03–22–23–12–21–12–02–20–20–23–12–01–14–12–20–23–21–52–0—1–11–11–10–21–10–23–2
Phoenix 2–01–12–01–12–04–04–02–03–11–31–13–22–32–01–14–01–12–02–21–1—3–23–11–33–22–22–0
Portland 1–11–12–02–02–03–14–01–13–24–02–03–13–22–01–14–02–02–04–01–12–3—3–22–24–03–12–0
Sacramento 0–20–20–20–21–12–21–30–23–21–30–22–30–41–11–11–31–10–22–21–11–32–3—1–31–41–32–0
San Antonio 0–21–11–12–02–04–14–12–02–23–21–12–21–32–01–14–02–01–13–12–03–12–23–1—3–12–32–0
Seattle 1–10–22–00–21–12–24–01–11–32–21–13–22–32–01–12–21–11–13–11–12–30–44–11–3—1–32–0
Utah 1–11–12–00–22–05–03–12–03–12–20–23–12–21–11–14–12–00–24–12–02–21–33–13–23–1—2–0
Washington 2–21–52–21–33–10–21–11–32–01–12–22–00–22–31–31–13–22–31–12–30–20–20–20–20–20–2—

Game log

Playoffs

East First Round

(3) Detroit Pistons vs. (6) Atlanta Hawks: Pistons win series 3-2

  • Game 1 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (April 26): Atlanta 103, Detroit 98
  • Game 2 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (April 28): Detroit 101, Atlanta 88
  • Game 3 @ The Omni, Atlanta (April 30): Detroit 103, Atlanta 91
  • Game 4 @ The Omni, Atlanta (May 2): Atlanta 123, Detroit 111
  • Game 5 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (May 5): Detroit 113, Atlanta 81

Last Playoff Meeting: 1987 Eastern Conference Semifinals (Detroit won 4-1)

East Conference Semifinals

(2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Detroit Pistons: Pistons win series 4-2

  • Game 1 @ Boston Garden, Boston (May 7): Detroit 86, Boston 75
  • Game 2 @ Boston Garden, Boston (May 9): Boston 109, Detroit 103
  • Game 3 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (May 11): Boston 115, Detroit 83
  • Game 4 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (May 13): Detroit 104, Boston 97
  • Game 5 @ Boston Garden, Boston (May 15): Detroit 116, Boston 111
  • Game 6 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (May 17): Detroit 117, Boston 113 (OT)

Last Playoff Meeting: 1989 Eastern Conference First Round (Detroit won 3-0)

East Conference Finals

(1) Chicago Bulls vs. (3) Detroit Pistons: Bulls win series 4-0

  • Game 1 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (May 19): Chicago 94, Detroit 83
  • Game 2 @ Chicago Stadium, Chicago (May 21): Chicago 105, Detroit 97
  • Game 3 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (May 25): Chicago 113, Detroit 107
  • Game 4 @ The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills (May 27): Chicago 115, Detroit 94

Last Playoff Meeting: 1990 Eastern Conference Finals (Detroit won 4-3)

Player statistics
Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game

Season
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Mark Aguirre
William Bedford
Lance Blanks
Joe Dumars
James Edwards
Scott Hastings
Gerald Henderson
Vinnie Johnson
Bill Laimbeer
John Long
Dennis Rodman
Tree Rollins
John Salley
Isiah Thomas

Playoffs
Player GP GS MPG FG% 3FG% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Mark Aguirre
William Bedford
Joe Dumars
James Edwards
Scott Hastings
Gerald Henderson
Vinnie Johnson
Bill Laimbeer
Dennis Rodman
Tree Rollins
John Salley
Isiah Thomas

Awards and records

Transactions

References
  1. 1990-91 Detroit Pistons
  2. "SPORTS PEOPLE: PRO BASKETBALL; Isiah Thomas To Undergo Surgery". New York Times. January 26, 1991. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
  3. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/158201-the-day-the-bad-boys-walked-out

See also
  • 1990-91 NBA season
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