The Rise of an Era

Throughout the 1980's, the NBA Championships had become predictable to say the least. Every year, from 1980 on, the finals involved either the Lakers or the Celtics, and from 1983-1988, one of those two teams stood as victors at the end of the tournament. In 1989, despite the Lakers making an appearance, things changed. The Detroit Pistons returned, having lost in the finals to The Lakers in 1988, with a fire burning. That fire resulted in The Pistons defeating The Lakers in a four game sweep! This was the first time in NBA history that a team had swept the first three rounds of the playoffs to then be swept in the finals. This incredible playoff performance for The Pistons set the tone for the following year. The grit and hard work displayed earned the team the nickname "The Bad Boys." 

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The following year, The Pistons lead the Eastern Conference going into the finals and swept The Pacers in round 1. Rounds 2 and 3 proved more difficult, with The Pistons defeating The Knicks and The Bulls in 5 and 7 games respectively. Moving into the finals, it was the first time in a decade that neither The Lakers nor Celtics made an appearance. Instead, The Pistons matched up against The Portland Trail Blazers. Through the first few rounds, The Trail Blazers had a similar experience to The Pistons, winning with a sweep, then 7 and 6 games series. Their luck, however, changed when they faced Detroit. The Pistons only lost Game 2 to the Trail Blazers, despite no game having a spread of more than 6 points. After Game 5 in Portland, The Pistons became only the third franchise to ever win back-to-back championships.

 

These monumental seasons, paired with the incredible characters that were "The Bad Boys,"  cemented the teams place in history.