1988–89 Detroit Pistons season

[1] The Pistons moved from the Pontiac Silverdome to the brand-new Palace of Auburn Hills before the start of the season.

[3] However, Adrian Dantley was unhappy with his role on the team, losing playing time to Dennis Rodman at the small forward position.

Dantley was unhappy relegating the leadership role on the Pistons to Isiah Thomas, while Aguirre had clashed with his coaches and teammates in Dallas.

Player Statistics Citation:[22] The Pistons' overpowering play allowed them to sweep the Lakers, who struggled to fill the defensive void left by Byron Scott's injury prior to the start of the Finals.

In addition, Magic Johnson pulled a hamstring early in the second game, and unable to play the rest of the series.