# 1989 NBA playoffs

The 1989 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1988–89 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 0 in the NBA Finals. Joe Dumars was named NBA Finals MVP. The Pistons had one of the most dominant playoff runs in NBA history, finishing 15–2 with their only losses to the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals. This NBA playoffs also holds the record for the most sweeps in an entire NBA playoffs with 9 out of 15 series being decided in just 3 or 4 games.
The Lakers won the Western Conference title without losing a game, and entered the NBA Finals as the heavy favorites. However, they were swept in the Finals by the Pistons, due in part to season-ending injuries suffered by Magic Johnson and Byron Scott. The Lakers became the first team in NBA history to open an NBA post-season with 11 straight victories and to sweep three series in an NBA post-season.
Chicago advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1975 (back when they were a member of the Western Conference) (and the first time in Michael Jordan's career), but their season was ended by Detroit for the second straight year. Two rounds earlier, Jordan hit "The Shot" over Craig Ehlo at the buzzer to beat the Cavs.
The Boston Celtics' first-round playoff sweep by the Pistons was the first time they failed to get past the round of 16. Boston's chances were hampered by the absence of Larry Bird during these playoffs due to a season-ending injury earlier in the season; the first and only time in Bird's NBA career he'd miss playing in the playoffs.
Former Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan made the first of 19 playoff appearances in a 22-year tenure. The only time he missed the playoffs with Utah was 2004–2006. Prior to this, he had last appeared in the playoffs in 1981 with the Bulls. His Jazz were ousted by the Golden State Warriors 3–0, the second time a seventh seed had beaten the second seed in the playoffs.

## Bracket

| First Round | First Round | First Round | | | Conference Semifinals | Conference Semifinals | Conference Semifinals | Conference Finals | Conference Finals | Conference Finals | | NBA Finals | NBA Finals | NBA Finals |
| E1 | Detroit* | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| E8 | Boston | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| E8 | Boston | 0 | | | E1 | Detroit* | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | E5 | Milwaukee | 0 | | | | | | | |
| E4 | Atlanta | 2 | | | E5 | Milwaukee | 0 | | | | | | | |
| E5 | Milwaukee | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| E5 | Milwaukee | 3 | | | | | | E1 | Detroit* | 4 | | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | E1 | Detroit* | 4 | | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | E6 | Chicago | 2 | | | | |
| E3 | Cleveland | 2 | | | | | | | | | E6 | Chicago | 2 | | | | |
| E6 | Chicago | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| E6 | Chicago | 3 | | | E6 | Chicago | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | E2 | New York* | 2 | | | | | | | |
| E2 | New York* | 3 | | | E2 | New York* | 2 | | | | | | | |
| E7 | Philadelphia | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| E7 | Philadelphia | 0 | | | | | | | | | | E1 | Detroit* | 4 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | W1 | LA Lakers* | 0 |
| W1 | LA Lakers* | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | W1 | LA Lakers* | 0 |
| W8 | Portland | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| W8 | Portland | 0 | | | W1 | LA Lakers* | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | W4 | Seattle | 0 | | | | | | | |
| W4 | Seattle | 3 | | | W4 | Seattle | 0 | | | | | | | |
| W5 | Houston | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| W5 | Houston | 1 | | | | | | W1 | LA Lakers* | 4 | | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | W1 | LA Lakers* | 4 | | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | W3 | Phoenix | 0 | | | | |
| W3 | Phoenix | 3 | | | | | | | | | W3 | Phoenix | 0 | | | | |
| W6 | Denver | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| W6 | Denver | 0 | | | W3 | Phoenix | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | W7 | Golden State | 1 | | | | | | | |
| W2 | Utah* | 0 | | | W7 | Golden State | 1 | | | | | | | |
| W7 | Golden State | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
* * Division winner
* Bold Series winner
* Italic Team with home-court advantage

## First round
### Eastern Conference first round
#### (1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Boston Celtics

* April 28
* Boxscore
Boston Celtics 91, Detroit Pistons 101 :
| Scoring by quarter: 25–27, 10–21, 28–27, 28–26 |||
| Pts: Kevin McHale 27 Rebs: Robert Parish 12 Asts: Brian Shaw 8 | Pts: Joe Dumars 25 Rebs: Bill Laimbeer 12 Asts: Isiah Thomas 10 |
| Detroit leads series, 1–0 |||
* The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan Attendance: 21,454 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Ed Middleton, Earl Strom
* April 30
* Boxscore
Boston Celtics 95, Detroit Pistons 102 :
| Scoring by quarter: 27–31, 30–23, 25–27, 13–21 |||
| Pts: Reggie Lewis 21 Rebs: Kevin McHale 11 Asts: Lewis, Johnson 5 each | Pts: Isiah Thomas 26 Rebs: Bill Laimbeer 15 Asts: Isiah Thomas 8 |
| Detroit leads series, 2–0 |||
* The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan Attendance: 21,454 Referees: Joe Crawford, Ron Garretson, Bill Oakes
* May 2
* Boxscore
Detroit Pistons 100, Boston Celtics 85 :
| Scoring by quarter: 31–29, 20–26, 20–18, 29–12 |||
| Pts: Vinnie Johnson 25 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 9 Asts: Isiah Thomas 10 | Pts: Reggie Lewis 20 Rebs: Joe Kleine 11 Asts: Brian Shaw 7 |
| Detroit wins series, 3–0 |||
* Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts Attendance: 14,890 Referees: Joe Forte, Eddie F. Rush, Ed T. Rush
Detroit won 3–1 in the regular-season series :
November 11, 1988
Recap
Detroit Pistons 116, Boston Celtics 107
Boston Garden, Boston
January 16, 1989
Recap
Boston Celtics 87, Detroit Pistons 96
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
January 22, 1989
Recap
Detroit Pistons 99, Boston Celtics 112
Boston Garden, Boston
March 17, 1989
Recap
Boston Celtics 98, Detroit Pistons 106
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan :
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning three of the first four meetings.
Boston leads 3–1 in all-time playoff series :
1968
Boston Celtics 4, Detroit Pistons 2
1968 Eastern Division Semifinals
1985
Boston Celtics 4, Detroit Pistons 2
1985 Eastern Conference Semifinals
1987
Boston Celtics 4, Detroit Pistons 3
1987 Eastern Conference Finals
1988
Boston Celtics 2, Detroit Pistons 4
1988 Eastern Conference Finals :

#### (2) New York Knicks vs. (7) Philadelphia 76ers

* April 27
* Boxscore
Philadelphia 76ers 96, New York Knicks 102 :
| Scoring by quarter: 28–27, 23–22, 27–31, 18–22 |||
| Pts: Ron Anderson 26 Rebs: Charles Barkley 12 Asts: Maurice Cheeks 16 | Pts: Gerald Wilkins 34 Rebs: Charles Oakley 12 Asts: Mark Jackson 9 |
| New York leads series, 1–0 |||
* Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Attendance: 19,591 Referees: Joe Forte, Darell Garretson, Eddie F. Rush
* April 29
* Boxscore
Philadelphia 76ers 106, New York Knicks 107 :
| Scoring by quarter: 31–33, 23–25, 25–19, 27–30 |||
| Pts: Charles Barkley 30 Rebs: Charles Barkley 12 Asts: Maurice Cheeks 12 | Pts: Johnny Newman 20 Rebs: Charles Oakley 12 Asts: Mark Jackson 10 |
| New York leads series, 2–0 |||
* Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Attendance: 19,591 Referees: Hugh Evans, Jack Nies, Wally Rooney
* May 2
* Boxscore
New York Knicks 116, Philadelphia 76ers 115 (OT) :
| Scoring by quarter: 28–24, 19–28, 32–26, 27–28, Overtime: 10–9 |||
| Pts: Mark Jackson 24 Rebs: Charles Oakley 17 Asts: Mark Jackson 9 | Pts: Charles Barkley 29 Rebs: Charles Barkley 11 Asts: Maurice Cheeks 11 |
| New York wins series, 3–0 |||
* Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Attendance: 16,236 Referees: Bruce Alexander, Hue Hollins, Tommy Nunez Sr.
* Gerald Wilkins hits the series-winning shot with 6 seconds left.
Philadelphia won 4–2 in the regular-season series :
November 18, 1988
Recap
New York Knicks 135, Philadelphia 76ers 137
Spectrum, Philadelphia
November 19, 1988
Recap
Philadelphia 76ers 122, New York Knicks 141
Madison Square Garden, New York City
March 16, 1989
Recap
Philadelphia 76ers 121, New York Knicks 112
Madison Square Garden, New York City
March 20, 1989
Recap
New York Knicks 129, Philadelphia 76ers 109
Spectrum, Philadelphia
April 4, 1989
Recap
Philadelphia 76ers 124, New York Knicks 113
Madison Square Garden, New York City
April 16, 1989
Recap
New York Knicks 112, Philadelphia 76ers 115
Spectrum, Philadelphia :
This was the ninth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the 76ers winning six of the first eight meetings.
Philadelphia leads 6–2 in all-time playoff series :
1950
New York Knicks 1, Syracuse Nationals 2
1950 Eastern Division Finals
1951
New York Knicks 3, Syracuse Nationals 2
1951 Eastern Division Finals
1952
New York Knicks 3, Syracuse Nationals 1
1952 Eastern Division Finals
1954
New York Knicks 0, Syracuse Nationals 2
1954 Eastern Division Round Robin Semifinals
1959
New York Knicks 0, Syracuse Nationals 2
1959 Eastern Division Semifinals
1968
New York Knicks 2, Philadelphia 76ers 4
1968 Eastern Division Semifinals
1978
New York Knicks 0, Philadelphia 76ers 4
1978 Eastern Conference Semifinals
1983
New York Knicks 0, Philadelphia 76ers 4
1983 Eastern Conference Semifinals :

#### (3) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. (6) Chicago Bulls

* April 28
* Boxscore
Chicago Bulls 95, Cleveland Cavaliers 88 :
| Scoring by quarter: 24–14, 23–26, 30–17, 18–31 |||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 31 Rebs: Horace Grant 13 Asts: Michael Jordan 11 | Pts: Craig Ehlo 19 Rebs: Brad Daugherty 7 Asts: Darnell Valentine 6 |
| Chicago leads series, 1–0 |||
* Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio Attendance: 19,312 Referees: Joe Crawford, Ron Garretson, Bill Oakes
* April 30
* Boxscore
Chicago Bulls 88, Cleveland Cavaliers 96 :
| Scoring by quarter: 29–23, 18–26, 21–23, 20–24 |||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 30 Rebs: Horace Grant 14 Asts: Michael Jordan 10 | Pts: Ron Harper 31 Rebs: Ron Harper 11 Asts: Larry Nance 5 |
| Series tied, 1–1 |||
* Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio Attendance: 20,273 Referees: Ed Middleton, Tommy Nunez Sr., Earl Strom
* May 3
* Boxscore
Cleveland Cavaliers 94, Chicago Bulls 101 :
| Scoring by quarter: 20–35, 19–15, 30–29, 25–22 |||
| Pts: Hot Rod Williams 22 Rebs: Hot Rod Williams 11 Asts: Darnell Valentine 8 | Pts: Michael Jordan 44 Rebs: Horace Grant 17 Asts: Michael Jordan 10 |
| Chicago leads series, 2–1 |||
* Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois Attendance: 17,721 Referees: Bernie Fryer, Darell Garretson, Lee Jones
* May 5
* Boxscore
Cleveland Cavaliers 108, Chicago Bulls 105 (OT) :
| Scoring by quarter: 23–22, 26–26, 25–28, 25–23, Overtime: 9–6 |||
| Pts: Larry Nance 27 Rebs: Brad Daugherty 17 Asts: Mark Price 7 | Pts: Michael Jordan 50 Rebs: Horace Grant 16 Asts: Pippen, Hodges 5 each |
| Series tied, 2–2 |||
* Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois Attendance: 18,264 Referees: Steve Javie, Jess Kersey, Ed T. Rush
* Brad Daugherty hits the game-tying free throws with 4 second left in regulation to force OT.
* May 7
* Boxscore
Chicago Bulls 101, Cleveland Cavaliers 100 :
| Scoring by quarter: 24–28, 22–20, 23–27, 32–25 |||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 44 Rebs: Scottie Pippen 10 Asts: Michael Jordan 6 | Pts: Craig Ehlo 24 Rebs: Brad Daugherty 11 Asts: Mark Price 7 |
| Chicago wins series, 3–2 |||
* Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio Attendance: 20,273 Referees: Hugh Evans, Jack Madden, Jake O'Donnell
* Michael Jordan hits the series-winning shot at the buzzer.
Cleveland won 6–0 in the regular-season series :
December 27, 1988
Recap
Cleveland Cavaliers 107, Chicago Bulls 96
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
January 5, 1989
Recap
Chicago Bulls 98, Cleveland Cavaliers 103
The Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio
March 15, 1989
Recap
Chicago Bulls 91, Cleveland Cavaliers 115
The Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio
March 31, 1989
Recap
Cleveland Cavaliers 109, Chicago Bulls 100
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
April 16, 1989
Recap
Chicago Bulls 92, Cleveland Cavaliers 111
The Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio
April 23, 1989
Recap
Cleveland Cavaliers 90, Chicago Bulls 84
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois :
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bulls winning the first meeting.
Chicago leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series :
1988
Chicago Bulls 3, Cleveland Cavaliers 2
1988 Eastern Conference First Round :

#### (4) Atlanta Hawks vs. (5) Milwaukee Bucks

* April 27
* Boxscore
Milwaukee Bucks 92, Atlanta Hawks 100 :
| Scoring by quarter: 22–25, 26–24, 23–23, 21–28 |||
| Pts: Jay Humphries 20 Rebs: Terry Cummings 8 Asts: Sidney Moncrief 6 | Pts: Dominique Wilkins 28 Rebs: Moses Malone 13 Asts: Doc Rivers 10 |
| Atlanta leads series, 1–0 |||
* Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, Georgia Attendance: 14,541 Referees: Hugh Evans, Wally Rooney, Don Vaden
* April 29
* Boxscore
Milwaukee Bucks 108, Atlanta Hawks 98 :
| Scoring by quarter: 28–27, 26–20, 26–26, 28–25 |||
| Pts: Terry Cummings 22 Rebs: Terry Cummings 8 Asts: Jack Sikma 7 | Pts: Dominique Wilkins 32 Rebs: Moses Malone 8 Asts: Doc Rivers 8 |
| Series tied, 1–1 |||
* Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, Georgia Attendance: 15,742 Referees: Bruce Alexander, Dick Bavetta, Hue Hollins
* May 2
* Boxscore
Atlanta Hawks 113, Milwaukee Bucks 117 (OT) :
| Scoring by quarter: 21–30, 23–26, 34–25, 24–21, Overtime: 11–15 |||
| Pts: Dominique Wilkins 30 Rebs: Jon Koncak 11 Asts: Reggie Theus 5 | Pts: Ricky Pierce 35 Rebs: Terry Cummings 14 Asts: Jay Humphries 10 |
| Milwaukee leads series, 2–1 |||
* Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Attendance: 18,469 Referees: Joe Crawford, Bill Oakes, Bennett Salvatore
* May 5
* Boxscore
Atlanta Hawks 113, Milwaukee Bucks 106 (OT) :
| Scoring by quarter: 28–28, 30–17, 20–24, 20–29, Overtime: 15–8 |||
| Pts: Malone, Wilkins 24 each Rebs: Moses Malone 17 Asts: Spud Webb 7 | Pts: Jack Sikma 24 Rebs: Larry Krystkowiak 10 Asts: Jay Humphries 15 |
| Series tied, 2–2 |||
* Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Attendance: 18,633 Referees: Bernie Fryer, Mike Mathis, Jake O'Donnell
* May 7
* Boxscore
Milwaukee Bucks 96, Atlanta Hawks 92 :
| Scoring by quarter: 21–19, 23–25, 29–26, 23–22 |||
| Pts: Ricky Pierce 25 Rebs: Jack Sikma 9 Asts: Jay Humphries 5 | Pts: Moses Malone 25 Rebs: Moses Malone 16 Asts: Rivers, Theus 6 each |
| Milwaukee wins series, 3–2 |||
* Omni Coliseum, Atlanta, Georgia Attendance: 16,220 Referees: Darell Garretson, Paul Mihalak, Earl Strom
Atlanta won 6–0 in the regular-season series :
November 5, 1988
Recap
Atlanta Hawks 107, Milwaukee Bucks 94
Bradley Center, Milwaukee
December 16, 1988
Recap
Milwaukee Bucks 112, Atlanta Hawks 115
The Omni, Atlanta
December 30, 1988
Recap
Atlanta Hawks 117, Milwaukee Bucks 113
Bradley Center, Milwaukee
January 17, 1989
Recap
Milwaukee Bucks 98, Atlanta Hawks 111
The Omni, Atlanta
April 15, 1989
Recap
Milwaukee Bucks 100, Atlanta Hawks 125
The Omni, Atlanta
April 19, 1989
Recap
Atlanta Hawks 100, Milwaukee Bucks 92
Bradley Center, Milwaukee :
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning one series apiece.
Tied 1–1 in all-time playoff series :
1984
Atlanta Hawks 2, Milwaukee Bucks 3
1984 Eastern Conference First Round
1988
Atlanta Hawks 3, Milwaukee Bucks 2
1988 Eastern Conference First Round :

### Western Conference first round
#### (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Portland Trail Blazers

* April 27
* Boxscore
Portland Trail Blazers 108, Los Angeles Lakers 128 :
| Scoring by quarter: 21–34, 30–30, 25–31, 32–33 |||
| Pts: Clyde Drexler 30 Rebs: Kersey, Porter 9 each Asts: Terry Porter 10 | Pts: Magic Johnson 30 Rebs: Scott, Abdul-Jabbar 8 each Asts: Magic Johnson 16 |
| LA Lakers lead series, 1–0 |||
* Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California Attendance: 17,505 Referees: Terry Durham, Lee Jones, Mike Mathis
* April 30
* Boxscore
Portland Trail Blazers 105, Los Angeles Lakers 113 :
| Scoring by quarter: 23–35, 23–21, 30–30, 29–27 |||
| Pts: Clyde Drexler 28 Rebs: Jerome Kersey 11 Asts: Clyde Drexler 10 | Pts: Magic Johnson 35 Rebs: A.C. Green 13 Asts: Magic Johnson 12 |
| LA Lakers lead series, 2–0 |||
* Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California Attendance: 17,505 Referees: Jake O'Donnell, Blane Reichelt, Bill Saar
* May 3
* Boxscore
Los Angeles Lakers 116, Portland Trail Blazers 108 :
| Scoring by quarter: 27–22, 22–32, 37–22, 30–32 |||
| Pts: Byron Scott 25 Rebs: A.C. Green 13 Asts: Magic Johnson 7 | Pts: Terry Porter 29 Rebs: Clyde Drexler 8 Asts: Terry Porter 9 |
| LA Lakers win series, 3–0 |||
* Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon Attendance: 12,880 Referees: Jim Clark, Jack Nies, Earl Strom
Los Angeles won 5–0 in the regular-season series :
November 18, 1988
Recap
Portland Trail Blazers 105, Los Angeles Lakers 106
The Forum, Inglewood, California
January 4, 1989
Recap
Portland Trail Blazers 120, Los Angeles Lakers 133
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California
February 3, 1989
Recap
Portland Trail Blazers 129, Los Angeles Lakers 140
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California
February 16, 1989
Recap
Los Angeles Lakers 110, Portland Trail Blazers 101
Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon
April 21, 1989
Recap
Los Angeles Lakers 121, Portland Trail Blazers 114
Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon :
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning two of the first three meetings.
Los Angeles leads 2–1 in all-time playoff series :
1977
Los Angeles Lakers 0, Portland Trail Blazers 4
1977 Western Conference Finals
1983
Los Angeles Lakers 4, Portland Trail Blazers 1
1983 Western Conference Semifinals
1985
Los Angeles Lakers 4, Portland Trail Blazers 1
1985 Western Conference Semifinals :

#### (2) Utah Jazz vs. (7) Golden State Warriors

* April 27
* Boxscore
Golden State Warriors 123, Utah Jazz 119 :
| Scoring by quarter: 35–25, 26–34, 32–29, 30–31 |||
| Pts: Chris Mullin 41 Rebs: Larry Smith 11 Asts: Winston Garland 8 | Pts: John Stockton 30 Rebs: Karl Malone 13 Asts: John Stockton 14 |
| Golden State leads series, 1–0 |||
* Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, Utah Attendance: 12,444 Referees: Steve Javie, Ed T. Rush, Bill Saar
* April 29
* Boxscore
Golden State Warriors 99, Utah Jazz 91 :
| Scoring by quarter: 26–28, 19–20, 26–26, 28–17 |||
| Pts: Chris Mullin 22 Rebs: three players 7 each Asts: Chris Mullin 7 | Pts: Karl Malone 37 Rebs: Karl Malone 22 Asts: John Stockton 11 |
| Golden State leads series, 2–0 |||
* Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, Utah Attendance: 12,444 Referees: Bernie Fryer, Lee Jones, Mike Mathis
* May 2
* Boxscore
Utah Jazz 106, Golden State Warriors 120 :
| Scoring by quarter: 22–23, 27–25, 22–34, 35–38 |||
| Pts: John Stockton 34 Rebs: Karl Malone 14 Asts: John Stockton 16 | Pts: Chris Mullin 35 Rebs: Rod Higgins 14 Asts: Mitch Richmond 11 |
| Golden State wins series, 3–0 |||
* Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland, California Attendance: 15,025 Referees: Dan Crawford, Bob Delaney, Jess Kersey
* In the 16-team playoff format, this is the only time a top 2 seed has been swept in the First Round in NBA history. However, a top 2 seed has yet to be swept in the First Round in a best-of-seven series format.
Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series :
December 6, 1988
Recap
Utah Jazz 103, Golden State Warriors 114
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland, California
January 14, 1989
Recap
Utah Jazz 105, Golden State Warriors 131
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland, California
March 10, 1989
Recap
Golden State Warriors 112, Utah Jazz 126
Salt Palace, Salt Lake City
April 22, 1989
Recap
Golden State Warriors 95, Utah Jazz 111
Salt Palace, Salt Lake City :
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Warriors winning the first meeting.
Golden State leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series :
1987
Utah Jazz 2, Golden State Warriors 3
1987 Western Conference First Round :

#### (3) Phoenix Suns vs. (6) Denver Nuggets

* April 28
* Boxscore
Denver Nuggets 103, Phoenix Suns 104 :
| Scoring by quarter: 20–23, 22–32, 32–22, 29–27 |||
| Pts: Walter Davis 34 Rebs: Fat Lever 12 Asts: Fat Lever 17 | Pts: Chambers, K. Johnson 26 each Rebs: Tom Chambers 17 Asts: Kevin Johnson 9 |
| Phoenix leads series, 1–0 |||
* Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 14,471 Referees: Steve Javie, Ed T. Rush, Bill Saar
* April 30
* Boxscore
Denver Nuggets 114, Phoenix Suns 132 :
| Scoring by quarter: 24–30, 21–37, 40–35, 29–30 |||
| Pts: Alex English 36 Rebs: Michael Adams 12 Asts: English, Cook 6 each | Pts: Kevin Johnson 34 Rebs: Tom Chambers 12 Asts: Kevin Johnson 14 |
| Phoenix leads series, 2–0 |||
* Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 14,471 Referees: Bob Delaney, Jess Kersey, Paul Mihalak
* May 2
* Boxscore
Phoenix Suns 130, Denver Nuggets 121 :
| Scoring by quarter: 27–36, 27–36, 34–29, 42–20 |||
| Pts: Chambers, K. Johnson 32 each Rebs: Tom Chambers 17 Asts: Kevin Johnson 16 | Pts: Walter Davis 26 Rebs: Elston Turner 7 Asts: Bill Hanzlik 6 |
| Phoenix wins series, 3–0 |||
* McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, Colorado Attendance: 12,660 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Jake O'Donnell, Don Vaden
Phoenix won 3–1 in the regular-season series :
December 22, 1988
Recap
Phoenix Suns 126, Denver Nuggets 118
McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, Colorado
December 23, 1988
Recap
Denver Nuggets 107, Phoenix Suns 119
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona
January 28, 1989
Recap
Phoenix Suns 138, Denver Nuggets 142
McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, Colorado
January 30, 1989
Recap
Denver Nuggets 100, Phoenix Suns 126
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona :
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning one series apiece.
Tied 1–1 in all-time playoff series :
1982
Denver Nuggets 1, Phoenix Suns 2
1982 Western Conference First Round
1983
Denver Nuggets 2, Phoenix Suns 1
1983 Western Conference First Round :

#### (4) Seattle SuperSonics vs. (5) Houston Rockets

* April 28
* Boxscore
Houston Rockets 107, Seattle SuperSonics 111 :
| Scoring by quarter: 25–23, 30–30, 21–32, 31–26 |||
| Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 28 Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 9 Asts: Sleepy Floyd 7 | Pts: Dale Ellis 25 Rebs: Xavier McDaniel 11 Asts: Nate McMillan 11 |
| Seattle leads series, 1–0 |||
* Kingdome, Seattle, Washington Attendance: 14,250 Referees: Paul Mihalak, Jake O'Donnell, Blane Reichelt
* April 30
* Boxscore
Houston Rockets 97, Seattle SuperSonics 109 :
| Scoring by quarter: 26–26, 20–20, 27–29, 24–34 |||
| Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 30 Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 12 Asts: Sleepy Floyd 6 | Pts: McDaniel, Lister 20 each Rebs: Olden Polynice 10 Asts: Nate McMillan 8 |
| Seattle leads series, 2–0 |||
* Kingdome, Seattle, Washington Attendance: 12,887 Referees: Jim Clark, Dan Crawford, Darell Garretson
* May 3
* Boxscore
Seattle SuperSonics 107, Houston Rockets 126 :
| Scoring by quarter: 20–31, 27–32, 29–31, 31–32 |||
| Pts: Dale Ellis 26 Rebs: Michael Cage 10 Asts: Nate McMillan 10 | Pts: Sleepy Floyd 28 Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 18 Asts: Sleepy Floyd 6 |
| Seattle leads series, 2–1 |||
* The Summit, Houston, Texas Attendance: 16,611 Referees: Hugh Evans, Wally Rooney, Bennett Salvatore
* May 5
* Boxscore
Seattle SuperSonics 98, Houston Rockets 96 :
| Scoring by quarter: 29–27, 22–26, 25–26, 22–17 |||
| Pts: Dale Ellis 26 Rebs: Xavier McDaniel 10 Asts: Nate McMillan 10 | Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 24 Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 13 Asts: Floyd, Woodson 7 each |
| Seattle wins series, 3–1 |||
* The Summit, Houston, Texas Attendance: 16,611 Referees: Jack Madden, Bill Oakes, Earl Strom
* Derrick McKey hits the series-winning alley-oop layup at the buzzer.
Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series :
December 10, 1988
Recap
Seattle SuperSonics 91, Houston Rockets 110
The Summit, Houston
January 19, 1989
Recap
Houston Rockets 108, Seattle SuperSonics 124
Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle
March 3, 1989
Recap
Houston Rockets 108, Seattle SuperSonics 118
Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle
March 28, 1989
Recap
Seattle SuperSonics 117, Houston Rockets 120
The Summit, Houston :
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the SuperSonics winning the first two meetings.
Seattle leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series :
1982
Houston Rockets 1, Seattle SuperSonics 2
1982 Western Conference First Round
1987
Houston Rockets 2, Seattle SuperSonics 4
1987 Western Conference Semifinals :

## Conference semifinals
### Eastern Conference semifinals
#### (1) Detroit Pistons vs. (5) Milwaukee Bucks

* May 10
* Boxscore
Milwaukee Bucks 80, Detroit Pistons 85 :
| Scoring by quarter: 25–21, 23–18, 21–25, 11–21 |||
| Pts: Ricky Pierce 25 Rebs: Sidney Moncrief 6 Asts: Jay Humphries 6 | Pts: Bill Laimbeer 19 Rebs: Bill Laimbeer 17 Asts: Joe Dumars 6 |
| Detroit leads series, 1–0 |||
* The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan Attendance: 21,454 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Hugh Evans, Tommy Nunez Sr.
* May 12
* Boxscore
Milwaukee Bucks 92, Detroit Pistons 112 :
| Scoring by quarter: 23–26, 26–23, 19–26, 24–37 |||
| Pts: Krystkowiak, Pierce 22 each Rebs: Larry Krystkowiak 13 Asts: Rickey Green 6 | Pts: John Salley 23 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 13 Asts: Isiah Thomas 10 |
| Detroit leads series, 2–0 |||
* The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan Attendance: 21,454 Referees: Hue Hollins, Jack Madden, Bennett Salvatore
* May 14
* Boxscore
Detroit Pistons 110, Milwaukee Bucks 90 :
| Scoring by quarter: 24–16, 23–22, 38–25, 25–27 |||
| Pts: Isiah Thomas 26 Rebs: Bill Laimbeer 11 Asts: Joe Dumars 10 | Pts: Ricky Pierce 22 Rebs: Randy Breuer 8 Asts: Jay Humphries 5 |
| Detroit leads series, 3–0 |||
* Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Attendance: 18,633 Referees: Steve Javie, Jess Kersey, Mike Mathis
* May 15
* Boxscore
Detroit Pistons 96, Milwaukee Bucks 94 :
| Scoring by quarter: 20–33, 24–21, 32–17, 20–23 |||
| Pts: Joe Dumars 22 Rebs: Isiah Thomas 10 Asts: Isiah Thomas 13 | Pts: Fred Roberts 33 Rebs: Randy Breuer 9 Asts: Jay Humphries 14 |
| Detroit wins series, 4–0 |||
* Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Attendance: 18,633 Referees: Joe Forte, Bernie Fryer, Darell Garretson
Milwaukee won 4–2 in the regular-season series :
December 6, 1988
Recap
Detroit Pistons 84, Milwaukee Bucks 109
Bradley Center, Milwaukee
December 14, 1988
Recap
Milwaukee Bucks 119, Detroit Pistons 110
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
January 15, 1989
Recap
Detroit Pistons 112, Milwaukee Bucks 120
Bradley Center, Milwaukee
February 8, 1989
Recap
Milwaukee Bucks 96, Detroit Pistons 107
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
March 18, 1989
Recap
Detroit Pistons 100, Milwaukee Bucks 117
Bradley Center, Milwaukee
April 9, 1989
Recap
Milwaukee Bucks 91, Detroit Pistons 100
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan :
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Pistons winning the first meeting.
Detroit leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series :
1976
Detroit Pistons 2, Milwaukee Bucks 1
1976 Western Conference First Round :

#### (2) New York Knicks vs. (6) Chicago Bulls

* May 9
* Boxscore
Chicago Bulls 120, New York Knicks 109 (OT) :
| Scoring by quarter: 27–27, 20–19, 27–29, 29–28, Overtime: 17–6 |||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 34 Rebs: Bill Cartwright 14 Asts: Michael Jordan 12 | Pts: Johnny Newman 27 Rebs: Patrick Ewing 10 Asts: Mark Jackson 11 |
| Chicago leads series, 1–0 |||
* Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Attendance: 19,591 Referees: Mike Mathis, Paul Mihalak, Bill Saar
Michael Jordan hits the game tying free throws with 1:15 left in regulation to force OT
* May 11
* Boxscore
Chicago Bulls 97, New York Knicks 114 :
| Scoring by quarter: 15–21, 26–29, 23–27, 33–37 |||
| Pts: John Paxson 16 Rebs: Charles Davis 9 Asts: Scottie Pippen 5 | Pts: Patrick Ewing 23 Rebs: Charles Oakley 13 Asts: Mark Jackson 16 |
| Series tied, 1–1 |||
* Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Attendance: 19,591 Referees: Joe Crawford, Joe Forte, Lee Jones
* May 13
* Boxscore
New York Knicks 88, Chicago Bulls 111 :
| Scoring by quarter: 20–24, 26–42, 21–17, 21–28 |||
| Pts: Patrick Ewing 19 Rebs: Charles Oakley 9 Asts: Mark Jackson 6 | Pts: Michael Jordan 40 Rebs: Michael Jordan 15 Asts: Michael Jordan 9 |
| Chicago leads series, 2–1 |||
* Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois Attendance: 18,599 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Tommy Nunez Sr., Earl Strom
* May 14
* Boxscore
New York Knicks 93, Chicago Bulls 106 :
| Scoring by quarter: 23–27, 30–28, 20–22, 20–29 |||
| Pts: Johnny Newman 23 Rebs: Charles Oakley 16 Asts: Gerald Wilkins 5 | Pts: Michael Jordan 47 Rebs: Michael Jordan 11 Asts: Scottie Pippen 8 |
| Chicago leads series, 3–1 |||
* Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois Attendance: 18,637 Referees: Hugh Evans, Bernie Fryer, Hue Hollins
* May 16
* Boxscore
Chicago Bulls 114, New York Knicks 121 :
| Scoring by quarter: 28–33, 31–29, 18–32, 37–27 |||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 38 Rebs: Scottie Pippen 9 Asts: Michael Jordan 10 | Pts: Patrick Ewing 32 Rebs: Charles Oakley 13 Asts: Mark Jackson 14 |
| Chicago leads series, 3–2 |||
* Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Attendance: 19,591 Referees: Jess Kersey, Jack Madden, Bill Oakes
* May 19
* Boxscore
New York Knicks 111, Chicago Bulls 113 :
| Scoring by quarter: 31–32, 30–27, 18–27, 32–27 |||
| Pts: three players 22 each Rebs: Patrick Ewing 13 Asts: Mark Jackson 12 | Pts: Michael Jordan 40 Rebs: Bill Cartwright 8 Asts: Michael Jordan 10 |
| Chicago wins series, 4–2 |||
* Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois Attendance: 18,676 Referees: Darell Garretson, Jake O'Donnell, Ed T. Rush
* Michael Jordan hits the series-winning free throws with 4 seconds left.
Chicago won 3–2 in the regular-season series :
November 8, 1988
Recap
Chicago Bulls 117, New York Knicks 126
Madison Square Garden, New York City
December 29, 1988
Recap
New York Knicks 106, Chicago Bulls 108
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
March 4, 1989
Recap
Chicago Bulls 104, New York Knicks 122
Madison Square Garden, New York City
March 17, 1989
Recap
New York Knicks 124, Chicago Bulls 129
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
April 17, 1989
Recap
New York Knicks 100, Chicago Bulls 104
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois :
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bulls winning the first meeting.
Chicago leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series :
1981
Chicago Bulls 2, New York Knicks 0
1981 Eastern Conference First Round :

### Western Conference semifinals
#### (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Seattle SuperSonics

* May 7
* Boxscore
Seattle SuperSonics 102, Los Angeles Lakers 113 :
| Scoring by quarter: 22–27, 32–25, 27–28, 21–33 |||
| Pts: Derrick McKey 23 Rebs: Olden Polynice 10 Asts: Nate McMillan 12 | Pts: James Worthy 28 Rebs: James Worthy 12 Asts: Magic Johnson 14 |
| LA Lakers lead series, 1–0 |||
* Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California Attendance: 17,505 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Hue Hollins, Ed Middleton
* May 10
* Boxscore
Seattle SuperSonics 108, Los Angeles Lakers 130 :
| Scoring by quarter: 26–32, 27–31, 19–32, 36–35 |||
| Pts: Xavier McDaniel 17 Rebs: Xavier McDaniel 8 Asts: Sedale Threatt 9 | Pts: James Worthy 30 Rebs: A.C. Green 8 Asts: Magic Johnson 12 |
| LA Lakers lead series, 2–0 |||
* Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California Attendance: 17,505 Referees: Dan Crawford, Jess Kersey, Wally Rooney
* May 12
* Boxscore
Los Angeles Lakers 91, Seattle SuperSonics 86 :
| Scoring by quarter: 25–19, 23–26, 25–15, 18–26 |||
| Pts: James Worthy 20 Rebs: Magic Johnson 9 Asts: Magic Johnson 14 | Pts: Dale Ellis 30 Rebs: Xavier McDaniel 12 Asts: Sedale Threatt 9 |
| LA Lakers lead series, 3–0 |||
* Kingdome, Seattle, Washington Attendance: 14,541 Referees: Jim Clark, Bill Oakes, Ed T. Rush
* May 14
* Boxscore
Los Angeles Lakers 97, Seattle SuperSonics 95 :
| Scoring by quarter: 12–32, 31–22, 22–19, 32–22 |||
| Pts: James Worthy 33 Rebs: A.C. Green 10 Asts: Magic Johnson 9 | Pts: Xavier McDaniel 30 Rebs: Xavier McDaniel 11 Asts: Nate McMillan 8 |
| LA Lakers win series, 4–0 |||
* Kingdome, Seattle, Washington Attendance: 14,006 Referees: Paul Mihalak, Jack Nies, Jake O'Donnell
* The Lakers posted the greatest comeback in NBA playoff history by overcoming a 29-point deficit (43–14), which has since been surpassed.
Los Angeles won 4–2 in the regular-season series :
November 11, 1988
Recap
Seattle SuperSonics 103, Los Angeles Lakers 114
The Forum, Inglewood, California
November 17, 1988
Recap
Los Angeles Lakers 98, Seattle SuperSonics 101
Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle
November 30, 1988
Recap
Seattle SuperSonics 106, Los Angeles Lakers 110
The Forum, Inglewood, California
January 3, 1989
Recap
Los Angeles Lakers 106, Seattle SuperSonics 116
Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle
April 4, 1989
Recap
Los Angeles Lakers 115, Seattle SuperSonics 97
Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle
April 23, 1989
Recap
Seattle SuperSonics 117, Los Angeles Lakers 121
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California :
This was the fifth playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning two series apiece.
Tied 2–2 in all-time playoff series :
1978
Los Angeles Lakers 1, Seattle SuperSonics 2
1978 Western Conference First Round
1979
Los Angeles Lakers 1, Seattle SuperSonics 4
1979 Western Conference Semifinals
1980
Los Angeles Lakers 4, Seattle SuperSonics 1
1980 Western Conference Finals
1987
Los Angeles Lakers 4, Seattle SuperSonics 0
1987 Western Conference Finals :

#### (3) Phoenix Suns vs. (7) Golden State Warriors

* May 6
* Boxscore
Golden State Warriors 103, Phoenix Suns 130 :
| Scoring by quarter: 29–35, 22–31, 22–41, 30–23 |||
| Pts: Mullin, Teagle 18 each Rebs: Larry Smith 8 Asts: Winston Garland 6 | Pts: Tom Chambers 25 Rebs: Eddie Johnson 9 Asts: Kevin Johnson 11 |
| Phoenix leads series, 1–0 |||
* Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 14,471 Referees: Joe Crawford, Joe Forte, Bennett Salvatore
* May 9
* Boxscore
Golden State Warriors 127, Phoenix Suns 122 :
| Scoring by quarter: 31–32, 34–32, 35–34, 27–24 |||
| Pts: Chris Mullin 37 Rebs: Mitch Richmond 13 Asts: Chris Mullin 5 | Pts: Eddie Johnson 35 Rebs: Eddie Johnson 9 Asts: Kevin Johnson 12 |
| Series tied, 1–1 |||
* Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 14,471 Referees: Bruce Alexander, Bill Oakes, Ed T. Rush
* May 11
* Boxscore
Phoenix Suns 113, Golden State Warriors 104 :
| Scoring by quarter: 35–20, 24–30, 26–32, 28–22 |||
| Pts: Tom Chambers 31 Rebs: Chambers, Corbin 14 each Asts: Kevin Johnson 15 | Pts: Chris Mullin 32 Rebs: Higgins, Bol 9 each Asts: Chris Mullin 6 |
| Phoenix leads series, 2–1 |||
* Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland, California Attendance: 15,025 Referees: Steve Javie, Ed Middleton, Jake O'Donnell
* May 13
* Boxscore
Phoenix Suns 135, Golden State Warriors 99 :
| Scoring by quarter: 31–22, 36–39, 35–22, 33–16 |||
| Pts: Eddie Johnson 34 Rebs: Tyrone Corbin 13 Asts: Hornacek, K. Johnson 8 each | Pts: Chris Mullin 28 Rebs: Chris Mullin 7 Asts: Winston Garland 4 |
| Phoenix leads series, 3–1 |||
* Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland, California Attendance: 15,025 Referees: Dan Crawford, Darell Garretson, Wally Rooney
* May 16
* Boxscore
Golden State Warriors 104, Phoenix Suns 116 :
| Scoring by quarter: 26–22, 24–27, 24–30, 30–37 |||
| Pts: Mitch Richmond 23 Rebs: Larry Smith 9 Asts: Chris Mullin 6 | Pts: K. Johnson, Chambers 24 each Rebs: E. Johnson, Chambers 11 each Asts: Kevin Johnson 11 |
| Phoenix wins series, 4–1 |||
* Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 14,471 Referees: Hue Hollins, Paul Mihalak, Earl Strom
Phoenix won 4–2 in the regular-season series :
November 5, 1988
Recap
Phoenix Suns 104, Golden State Warriors 117
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland, California
November 11, 1988
Recap
Golden State Warriors 103, Phoenix Suns 141
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona
December 9, 1988
Recap
Golden State Warriors 105, Phoenix Suns 110
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona
January 9, 1989
Recap
Phoenix Suns 124, Golden State Warriors 130
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland, California
February 21, 1989
Recap
Golden State Warriors 121, Phoenix Suns 139
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona
March 23, 1989
Recap
Phoenix Suns 154, Golden State Warriors 124
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland, California :
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Suns winning the first meeting.
Phoenix leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series :
1976
Golden State Warriors 3, Phoenix Suns 4
1976 Western Conference Finals :

## Conference finals
### Eastern Conference finals
#### (1) Detroit Pistons vs. (6) Chicago Bulls

* May 21
* Boxscore
Chicago Bulls 94, Detroit Pistons 88 :
| Scoring by quarter: 33–17, 17–17, 21–29, 23–25 |||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 32 Rebs: Jordan, Pippen 11 each Asts: Scottie Pippen 6 | Pts: Rick Mahorn 17 Rebs: Bill Laimbeer 15 Asts: Isiah Thomas 10 |
| Chicago leads series, 1–0 |||
* The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan Attendance: 21,454 Referees: Joe Crawford, Hugh Evans, Tommy Nunez Sr.
* May 23
* Boxscore
Chicago Bulls 91, Detroit Pistons 100 :
| Scoring by quarter: 23–19, 26–30, 21–26, 21–25 |||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 27 Rebs: Horace Grant 20 Asts: John Paxson 6 | Pts: Isiah Thomas 33 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 12 Asts: Isiah Thomas 4 |
| Series tied, 1–1 |||
* The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan Attendance: 21,454 Referees: Mike Mathis, Bill Saar, Earl Strom
* May 27
* Boxscore
Detroit Pistons 97, Chicago Bulls 99 :
| Scoring by quarter: 28–27, 28–18, 21–21, 20–33 |||
| Pts: Mark Aguirre 25 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 13 Asts: Isiah Thomas 11 | Pts: Michael Jordan 46 Rebs: Scottie Pippen 8 Asts: Jordan, Hodges 5 each |
| Chicago leads series, 2–1 |||
* Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois Attendance: 18,676 Referees: Jack Madden, Bill Oakes, Ed T. Rush
* Michael Jordan hits the game-winner with 3 seconds left.
* May 29
* Boxscore
Detroit Pistons 86, Chicago Bulls 80 :
| Scoring by quarter: 22–26, 20–13, 22–21, 22–20 |||
| Pts: Isiah Thomas 27 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 18 Asts: Isiah Thomas 6 | Pts: Michael Jordan 23 Rebs: Horace Grant 12 Asts: Craig Hodges 5 |
| Series tied, 2–2 |||
* Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois Attendance: 18,676 Referees: Jess Kersey, Jake O'Donnell, Wally Rooney
* May 31
* Boxscore
Chicago Bulls 85, Detroit Pistons 94 :
| Scoring by quarter: 25–17, 20–24, 19–24, 21–29 |||
| Pts: Craig Hodges 19 Rebs: Bill Cartwright 12 Asts: Michael Jordan 9 | Pts: Vinnie Johnson 22 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 14 Asts: Isiah Thomas 12 |
| Detroit leads series, 3–2 |||
* The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan Attendance: 21,454 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Darell Garretson, Hue Hollins
* June 2
* Boxscore
Detroit Pistons 103, Chicago Bulls 94 :
| Scoring by quarter: 24–26, 25–21, 28–22, 26–25 |||
| Pts: Isiah Thomas 33 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 15 Asts: Joe Dumars 9 | Pts: Michael Jordan 32 Rebs: Horace Grant 13 Asts: Michael Jordan 13 |
| Detroit wins series, 4–2 |||
* Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois Attendance: 18,676 Referees: Joe Crawford, Hugh Evans, Earl Strom
Detroit won 6–0 in the regular-season series :
November 4, 1988
Recap
Detroit Pistons 107, Chicago Bulls 94
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
December 7, 1988
Recap
Chicago Bulls 89, Detroit Pistons 102
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
January 31, 1989
Recap
Detroit Pistons 104, Chicago Bulls 98 (OT)
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
February 5, 1989
Recap
Chicago Bulls 102, Detroit Pistons 113
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
April 6, 1989
Recap
Chicago Bulls 108, Detroit Pistons 115
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
April 7, 1989
Recap
Detroit Pistons 114, Chicago Bulls 112 (OT)
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois :
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with each team winning one series apiece.
Tied 1–1 in all-time playoff series :
1974
Chicago Bulls 4, Detroit Pistons 3
1974 Western Conference Semifinals
1988
Chicago Bulls 1, Detroit Pistons 4
1988 Eastern Conference Semifinals :

### Western Conference finals
#### (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Phoenix Suns

* May 20
* Boxscore
Phoenix Suns 119, Los Angeles Lakers 127 :
| Scoring by quarter: 24–38, 35–27, 30–26, 30–36 |||
| Pts: Kevin Johnson 27 Rebs: Tom Chambers 10 Asts: Kevin Johnson 18 | Pts: James Worthy 32 Rebs: A.C. Green 10 Asts: Magic Johnson 12 |
| LA Lakers lead series, 1–0 |||
* Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California Attendance: 17,505 Referees: Lee Jones, Jack Madden, Mike Mathis
* May 23
* Boxscore
Phoenix Suns 95, Los Angeles Lakers 101 :
| Scoring by quarter: 28–27, 27–24, 18–20, 22–30 |||
| Pts: Kevin Johnson 22 Rebs: Tom Chambers 10 Asts: Kevin Johnson 10 | Pts: Byron Scott 30 Rebs: Magic Johnson 9 Asts: Magic Johnson 14 |
| LA Lakers lead series, 2–0 |||
* Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California Attendance: 17,505 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Jess Kersey, Jake O'Donnell
* May 26
* Boxscore
Los Angeles Lakers 110, Phoenix Suns 107 :
| Scoring by quarter: 25–19, 25–35, 32–21, 28–32 |||
| Pts: James Worthy 29 Rebs: James Worthy 12 Asts: Magic Johnson 11 | Pts: Tom Chambers 26 Rebs: Jeff Hornacek 11 Asts: Kevin Johnson 13 |
| LA Lakers lead series, 3–0 |||
* Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 14,471 Referees: Dan Crawford, Darell Garretson, Hue Hollins
* May 28
* Boxscore
Los Angeles Lakers 122, Phoenix Suns 117 :
| Scoring by quarter: 31–26, 29–23, 27–25, 35–43 |||
| Pts: Byron Scott 35 Rebs: A.C. Green 11 Asts: Magic Johnson 20 | Pts: Tom Chambers 41 Rebs: Tom Chambers 13 Asts: Kevin Johnson 10 |
| LA Lakers win series, 4–0 |||
* Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 14,471 Referees: Joe Crawford, Hugh Evans, Paul Mihalak
Tied 3–3 in the regular-season series :
December 7, 1988
Recap
Phoenix Suns 111, Los Angeles Lakers 125
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California
December 26, 1988
Recap
Los Angeles Lakers 96, Phoenix Suns 111
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona
February 1, 1989
Recap
Los Angeles Lakers 97, Phoenix Suns 114
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona
February 26, 1989
Recap
Phoenix Suns 122, Los Angeles Lakers 134
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California
March 26, 1989
Recap
Phoenix Suns 116, Los Angeles Lakers 118
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California
March 28, 1989
Recap
Los Angeles Lakers 104, Phoenix Suns 127
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona :
This was the sixth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first five meetings.
Los Angeles leads 5–0 in all-time playoff series :
1970
Los Angeles Lakers 4, Phoenix Suns 3
1970 Western Division Semifinals
1980
Los Angeles Lakers 4, Phoenix Suns 1
1980 Western Conference Semifinals
1982
Los Angeles Lakers 4, Phoenix Suns 0
1982 Western Conference Semifinals
1984
Los Angeles Lakers 4, Phoenix Suns 2
1984 Western Conference Finals
1985
Los Angeles Lakers 3, Phoenix Suns 0
1985 Western Conference First Round :

## NBA Finals: (E1) Detroit Pistons vs. (W1) Los Angeles Lakers

* June 6
* Boxscore
Los Angeles Lakers 97, Detroit Pistons 109 :
| Scoring by quarter: 22–28, 26–27, 18–24, 31–30 |||
| Pts: Johnson, Worthy 17 each Rebs: A.C. Green 8 Asts: Magic Johnson 14 | Pts: Isiah Thomas 24 Rebs: Aguirre, Rodman 10 each Asts: Isiah Thomas 9 |
| Detroit leads series, 1–0 |||
* The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan Attendance: 21,454 Referees: Jake O'Donnell, Jess Kersey, Jack Madden
* June 8
* Boxscore
Los Angeles Lakers 105, Detroit Pistons 108 :
| Scoring by quarter: 32–26, 30–30, 30–28, 13–24 |||
| Pts: Cooper, Worthy 19 each Rebs: A.C. Green 9 Asts: Magic Johnson 9 | Pts: Joe Dumars 33 Rebs: Mark Aguirre 6 Asts: Isiah Thomas 7 |
| Detroit leads series, 2–0 |||
* The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan Attendance: 21,454 Referees: Darell Garretson, Hue Hollins, Joe Crawford
* June 11
* Boxscore
Detroit Pistons 114, Los Angeles Lakers 110 :
| Scoring by quarter: 27–22, 30–33, 29–33, 28–22 |||
| Pts: Joe Dumars 31 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 19 Asts: Isiah Thomas 8 | Pts: James Worthy 26 Rebs: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 13 Asts: Michael Cooper 13 |
| Detroit leads series, 3–0 |||
* Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California Attendance: 17,505 Referees: Ed T. Rush, Mike Mathis, Hugh Evans
* Joe Dumars blocks David Rivers' potential game-tying 3 with 8 seconds left.
* June 13
* Boxscore
Detroit Pistons 105, Los Angeles Lakers 97 :
| Scoring by quarter: 23–35, 26–20, 27–23, 29–19 |||
| Pts: Joe Dumars 23 Rebs: Johnson, Laimbeer 6 each Asts: three players 5 each | Pts: James Worthy 40 Rebs: A.C. Green 12 Asts: Michael Cooper 9 |
| Detroit wins series, 4–0 |||
* Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California Attendance: 17,505 Referees: Jess Kersey, Jack Madden, Earl Strom
* Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's final NBA game.
Detroit won 2–0 in the regular-season series :
November 26, 1988
Recap
Los Angeles Lakers 99, Detroit Pistons 102
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
February 14, 1989
Recap
Detroit Pistons 111, Los Angeles Lakers 103
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California :
This was the 11th playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning nine of the first ten meetings.
Los Angeles leads 9–1 in all-time playoff series :
1950
Fort Wayne Pistons 0, Minneapolis Lakers 2
1950 Central Division Finals
1953
Fort Wayne Pistons 2, Minneapolis Lakers 3
1953 Western Division Finals
1954
Fort Wayne Pistons 0, Minneapolis Lakers 2
1954 Western Division Round Robin Semifinals
1955
Fort Wayne Pistons 3, Minneapolis Lakers 1
1955 Western Division Finals
1957
Fort Wayne Pistons 0, Minneapolis Lakers 2
1957 Western Division Semifinals
1959
Detroit Pistons 1, Minneapolis Lakers 2
1959 Western Division Semifinals
1960
Detroit Pistons 0, Minneapolis Lakers 2
1960 Western Division Semifinals
1961
Detroit Pistons 2, Los Angeles Lakers 3
1961 Western Division Semifinals
1962
Detroit Pistons 2, Los Angeles Lakers 4
1962 Western Division Finals
1988
Detroit Pistons 3, Los Angeles Lakers 4
1988 NBA Finals :

## Statistical leaders

| Category | Game High | Game High | Game High | Average | Average | Average | Average |
| Category | Player | Team | High | Player | Team | Avg. | GP |
| Points | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls | 50 | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls | 34.8 | 17 |
| Rebounds | Karl Malone | Utah Jazz | 22 | Karl Malone | Utah Jazz | 16.3 | 3 |
| Assists | Magic Johnson | Los Angeles Lakers | 20 | John Stockton | Utah Jazz | 13.7 | 3 |
| Steals | Michael Jordan Byron Scott Sedale Threatt John Stockton | Chicago Bulls Los Angeles Lakers Seattle SuperSonics Utah Jazz | 6 | John Stockton | Utah Jazz | 3.3 | 3 |
| Blocks | Alton Lister | Seattle SuperSonics | 8 | Manute Bol | Golden State Warriors | 3.6 | 8 |