As the defending champions, the Pistons had another successful season winning 13 consecutive games around January and February,[2] holding a 35–14 record at the All-Star break,[3] then posting a 12-game winning streak in March,[4][5] as they finished first place in the Eastern Conference with a 59–23 record.
[6] Isiah Thomas led the team with 18.4 points, 9.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game, while last year's Finals MVP Joe Dumars averaged 17.8 points and 4.9 assists per game, and was named to the All-NBA Third Team, and Dennis Rodman provided the team with 8.8 points and 9.7 rebounds per game, and was named Defensive Player of the Year.
In the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Pistons swept the Indiana Pacers in three straight games,[16][17][18][19] then defeated the 5th-seeded New York Knicks four games to one in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals.
[24][25][26][27] In the Finals, the Pistons faced the Portland Trail Blazers, who were led by Clyde Drexler.
[34][35][36][37][38] The Pistons would not reach the NBA Finals again until 2004, in which they won the Finals in five games against their heavily favored rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers to win their third NBA championship.