# 1990 NBA playoffs

The 1990 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1989–90 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons defeating the Western Conference champion Portland Trail Blazers 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals. Isiah Thomas was named NBA Finals MVP.
It was the Blazers' first trip to the NBA Finals since their victory in the 1977 NBA Finals.
The New York Knicks fell behind 2–0 to the Boston Celtics in their first round matchup, but took the series 3–2 by winning Game 5 121–114 in Boston Garden. Prior to this, the Celtics had beaten the Knicks 26 straight at the Boston Garden. This deciding game featured a missed dunk by Larry Bird late in the fourth with the Celtics trailing by four (103–99) and a clinching 3-point basket by Patrick Ewing on a play where he chased down an errant pass by Charles Oakley on the sideline in front of the Knicks' bench and hurled up a desperation shot as the shot clock was reaching zero. The basket put the Knicks up 113-101 and essentially clinched the game and the series.
The Phoenix Suns defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in a playoff series for the first time ever. It also marked the first time since 1981 that the Lakers failed to reach the Western Conference Finals, ending the longest such run since the Bill Russell-led Boston Celtics, who made the Eastern Conference Finals thirteen consecutive times between 1957 and 1969.
It was the first NBA Finals to not feature the Lakers or Celtics since 1979.
The Chicago Bulls lost Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals 93–76 in Detroit, making it the third straight year they were ousted in the playoffs by the Pistons.
The Indiana Pacers made only their third playoff appearance since their NBA debut in the 1976–77 season; they proceeded to make the playoffs 16 out of the next 17 years (missing only in 1997).
The Dallas Mavericks made their only playoff appearance of the decade. They did not return until 2001.
Game 5 of the NBA Finals was the last NBA game to be televised on CBS.

## 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 | Indiana | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| E8 | Indiana | 0 | | | E1 | Detroit* | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | E5 | New York | 1 | | | | | | | |
| E4 | Boston | 2 | | | E5 | New York | 1 | | | | | | | |
| E5 | New York | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| E5 | New York | 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 | E3 | Chicago | 3 | | | | |
| E3 | Chicago | 3 | | | | | | | | | E3 | Chicago | 3 | | | | |
| E6 | Milwaukee | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| E6 | Milwaukee | 1 | | | E3 | Chicago | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | E2 | Philadelphia* | 1 | | | | | | | |
| E2 | Philadelphia* | 3 | | | E2 | Philadelphia* | 1 | | | | | | | |
| E7 | Cleveland | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| E7 | Cleveland | 2 | | | | | | | | | | E1 | Detroit* | 4 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | W3 | Portland | 1 |
| W1 | LA Lakers* | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | W3 | Portland | 1 |
| W8 | Houston | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| W8 | Houston | 1 | | | W1 | LA Lakers* | 1 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | W5 | Phoenix | 4 | | | | | | | |
| W4 | Utah | 2 | | | W5 | Phoenix | 4 | | | | | | | |
| W5 | Phoenix | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| W5 | Phoenix | 3 | | | | | | W5 | Phoenix | 2 | | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | W5 | Phoenix | 2 | | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | W3 | Portland | 4 | | | | |
| W3 | Portland | 3 | | | | | | | | | W3 | Portland | 4 | | | | |
| W6 | Dallas | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| W6 | Dallas | 0 | | | W3 | Portland | 4 | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | W2 | San Antonio* | 3 | | | | | | | |
| W2 | San Antonio* | 3 | | | W2 | San Antonio* | 3 | | | | | | | |
| W7 | Denver | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | |
* * Division winner
* Bold Series winner
* Italic Team with home-court advantage

## First round
### Eastern Conference first round
#### (1) Detroit Pistons vs. (8) Indiana Pacers

* April 26
* Boxscore
Indiana Pacers 92, Detroit Pistons 104 :
| Scoring by quarter: 17–32, 28–24, 29–26, 18–22 |||
| Pts: Detlef Schrempf 26 Rebs: Detlef Schrempf 7 Asts: Vern Fleming 8 | Pts: James Edwards 21 Rebs: Bill Laimbeer 14 Asts: Thomas, Dumars 5 each |
| Detroit leads series, 1–0 |||
* The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan Attendance: 21,454 Referees: Dan Crawford, Mike Mathis, Wally Rooney
* April 28
* Boxscore
Indiana Pacers 87, Detroit Pistons 100 :
| Scoring by quarter: 16–20, 25–21, 22–33, 24–26 |||
| Pts: Reggie Miller 23 Rebs: Chuck Person 12 Asts: Vern Fleming 7 | Pts: Bill Laimbeer 22 Rebs: Bill Laimbeer 11 Asts: Isiah Thomas 12 |
| Detroit leads series, 2–0 |||
* The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan Attendance: 21,454 Referees: Joe Forte, Darell Garretson, Ronnie Nunn
* May 1
* Boxscore
Detroit Pistons 108, Indiana Pacers 96 :
| Scoring by quarter: 26–23, 28–22, 28–27, 26–24 |||
| Pts: Isiah Thomas 23 Rebs: Bill Laimbeer 19 Asts: Isiah Thomas 9 | Pts: Reggie Miller 22 Rebs: LaSalle Thompson 8 Asts: Reggie Miller 4 |
| Detroit wins series, 3–0 |||
* Market Square Arena, Indianapolis, Indiana Attendance: 15,301 Referees: Paul Mihalak, Jack Nies, Earl Strom
Detroit won 4–1 in the regular-season series :
November 8, 1989
Recap
Detroit Pistons 74, Indiana Pacers 95
Market Square Arena, Indianapolis
December 9, 1989
Recap
Indiana Pacers 93, Detroit Pistons 121
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
January 5, 1990
Recap
Indiana Pacers 99, Detroit Pistons 122
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
March 4, 1990
Recap
Indiana Pacers 105, Detroit Pistons 111
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
April 20, 1990
Recap
Detroit Pistons 121, Indiana Pacers 115 (OT)
Market Square Arena, Indianapolis :
This was the first playoff meeting between the Pistons and the Pacers.

#### (2) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (7) Cleveland Cavaliers

* April 26
* Boxscore
Cleveland Cavaliers 106, Philadelphia 76ers 111 :
| Scoring by quarter: 21–22, 28–23, 33–40, 24–26 |||
| Pts: Hot Rod Williams 23 Rebs: Hot Rod Williams 10 Asts: Mark Price 12 | Pts: Charles Barkley 38 Rebs: Charles Barkley 21 Asts: Johnny Dawkins 9 |
| Philadelphia leads series, 1–0 |||
* Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Attendance: 15,319 Referees: Joe Forte, Darell Garretson, Tommy Nunez Sr.
* April 29
* Boxscore
Cleveland Cavaliers 101, Philadelphia 76ers 107 :
| Scoring by quarter: 26–32, 33–24, 19–26, 23–25 |||
| Pts: Mark Price 27 Rebs: Brad Daugherty 13 Asts: Craig Ehlo 8 | Pts: Charles Barkley 32 Rebs: Rick Mahorn 9 Asts: Johnny Dawkins 11 |
| Philadelphia leads series, 2–0 |||
* Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Attendance: 18,168 Referees: Ron Garretson, Bill Oakes, Ed T. Rush
* May 1
* Boxscore
Philadelphia 76ers 95, Cleveland Cavaliers 122 :
| Scoring by quarter: 15–32, 32–28, 17–35, 31–27 |||
| Pts: Hersey Hawkins 19 Rebs: Charles Barkley 11 Asts: Johnny Dawkins 7 | Pts: Craig Ehlo 25 Rebs: Ehlo, Daugherty 10 each Asts: Ehlo, Daugherty 9 each |
| Philadelphia leads series, 2–1 |||
* Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio Attendance: 16,317 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Hugh Evans, Eddie F. Rush
* May 3
* Boxscore
Philadelphia 76ers 96, Cleveland Cavaliers 108 :
| Scoring by quarter: 23–34, 27–26, 32–26, 14–22 |||
| Pts: Charles Barkley 23 Rebs: Barkley, Mahorn 11 each Asts: Johnny Dawkins 10 | Pts: Brad Daugherty 34 Rebs: Brad Daugherty 9 Asts: Mark Price 18 |
| Series tied, 2–2 |||
* Richfield Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio Attendance: 17,106 Referees: Joe Crawford, Hue Hollins, Jack Nies
* May 5
* Boxscore
Cleveland Cavaliers 97, Philadelphia 76ers 113 :
| Scoring by quarter: 29–38, 20–21, 23–33, 25–21 |||
| Pts: Brad Daugherty 25 Rebs: Hot Rod Williams 13 Asts: Craig Ehlo 5 | Pts: Hersey Hawkins 39 Rebs: Charles Barkley 19 Asts: Johnny Dawkins 14 |
| Philadelphia wins series, 3–2 |||
* Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Attendance: 18,168 Referees: Jess Kersey, Jack Madden, Jake O'Donnell
Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series :
November 29, 1989
Recap
Cleveland Cavaliers 84, Philadelphia 76ers 114
Spectrum, Philadelphia
January 12, 1990
Recap
Cleveland Cavaliers 113, Philadelphia 76ers 102
Spectrum, Philadelphia
January 23, 1990
Recap
Philadelphia 76ers 103, Cleveland Cavaliers 88
The Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio
March 13, 1990
Recap
Philadelphia 76ers 102, Cleveland Cavaliers 119
The Coliseum, Richfield, Ohio :
This was the first playoff meeting between the Cavaliers and the 76ers.

#### (3) Chicago Bulls vs. (6) Milwaukee Bucks

* April 27
* Boxscore
Milwaukee Bucks 97, Chicago Bulls 111 :
| Scoring by quarter: 27–26, 25–28, 22–25, 23–32 |||
| Pts: Alvin Robertson 22 Rebs: Brad Lohaus 7 Asts: Jay Humphries 12 | Pts: Michael Jordan 38 Rebs: Scottie Pippen 10 Asts: Scottie Pippen 13 |
| Chicago leads series, 1–0 |||
* Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois Attendance: 18,676 Referees: Bill Oakes, Ed T. Rush, Don Vaden
* April 29
* Boxscore
Milwaukee Bucks 102, Chicago Bulls 109 :
| Scoring by quarter: 18–33, 34–18, 23–28, 27–30 |||
| Pts: Paul Pressey 25 Rebs: Greg Anderson 10 Asts: Paul Pressey 12 | Pts: Michael Jordan 36 Rebs: Michael Jordan 9 Asts: Michael Jordan 11 |
| Chicago leads series, 2–0 |||
* Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois Attendance: 18,676 Referees: Dan Crawford, Mike Mathis, Bill Saar
* May 1
* Boxscore
Chicago Bulls 112, Milwaukee Bucks 119 :
| Scoring by quarter: 31–27, 29–31, 25–32, 27–29 |||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 48 Rebs: Horace Grant 11 Asts: Scottie Pippen 9 | Pts: Alvin Robertson 38 Rebs: Alvin Robertson 8 Asts: Paul Pressey 12 |
| Chicago leads series, 2–1 |||
* Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Attendance: 18,575 Referees: Joe Crawford, Ron Garretson, Bennett Salvatore
* May 3
* Boxscore
Chicago Bulls 110, Milwaukee Bucks 86 :
| Scoring by quarter: 27–20, 29–19, 28–21, 26–26 |||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 25 Rebs: Horace Grant 14 Asts: Michael Jordan 5 | Pts: Alvin Robertson 20 Rebs: Lohaus, Anderson 8 each Asts: Alvin Robertson 4 |
| Chicago wins series, 3–1 |||
* Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin Attendance: 18,633 Referees: Bernie Fryer, Paul Mihalak, Jake O'Donnell
Chicago won 4–1 in the regular-season series :
January 6, 1990
Recap
Chicago Bulls 111, Milwaukee Bucks 118
Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
February 18, 1990
Recap
Chicago Bulls 111, Milwaukee Bucks 88
Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
February 27, 1990
Recap
Milwaukee Bucks 96, Chicago Bulls 106
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
March 6, 1990
Recap
Chicago Bulls 114, Milwaukee Bucks 105
Bradley Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
April 13, 1990
Recap
Milwaukee Bucks 106, Chicago Bulls 116
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois :
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Bucks winning the first two meetings.
Milwaukee leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series :
1974
Chicago Bulls 0, Milwaukee Bucks 4
1974 Western Conference Finals
1985
Chicago Bulls 1, Milwaukee Bucks 3
1985 Eastern Conference First Round :

#### (4) Boston Celtics vs. (5) New York Knicks

* April 26
* Boxscore
New York Knicks 105, Boston Celtics 116 :
| Scoring by quarter: 30–28, 29–29, 21–31, 25–28 |||
| Pts: Patrick Ewing 22 Rebs: Patrick Ewing 9 Asts: Maurice Cheeks 9 | Pts: Larry Bird 24 Rebs: Larry Bird 18 Asts: Larry Bird 10 |
| Boston leads series, 1–0 |||
* Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts Attendance: 14,890 Referees: Lee Jones, Jess Kersey, Jack Madden
* April 28
* Boxscore
New York Knicks 128, Boston Celtics 157 :
| Scoring by quarter: 38–41, 21–33, 34–42, 35–41 |||
| Pts: Patrick Ewing 28 Rebs: Charles Oakley 9 Asts: Gerald Wilkins 7 | Pts: Kevin McHale 31 Rebs: Robert Parish 16 Asts: Larry Bird 16 |
| Boston leads series, 2–0 |||
* Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts Attendance: 14,890 Referees: Paul Mihalak, Tommy Nunez Sr., Earl Strom
* May 2
* Boxscore
Boston Celtics 99, New York Knicks 102 :
| Scoring by quarter: 28–28, 20–24, 31–29, 20–21 |||
| Pts: Larry Bird 31 Rebs: Robert Parish 10 Asts: Larry Bird 8 | Pts: Patrick Ewing 33 Rebs: Patrick Ewing 19 Asts: Maurice Cheeks 11 |
| Boston leads series, 2–1 |||
* Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Attendance: 18,212 Referees: Hue Hollins, Wally Rooney, Ed T. Rush
* May 4
* Boxscore
Boston Celtics 108, New York Knicks 135 :
| Scoring by quarter: 30–36, 27–29, 28–32, 23–38 |||
| Pts: Kevin McHale 24 Rebs: Larry Bird 8 Asts: Johnson, Bagley 6 each | Pts: Patrick Ewing 44 Rebs: Patrick Ewing 13 Asts: Maurice Cheeks 12 |
| Series tied, 2–2 |||
* Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Attendance: 18,212 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Hugh Evans, Joe Forte
* May 6
* Boxscore
New York Knicks 121, Boston Celtics 114 :
| Scoring by quarter: 24–32, 26–22, 37–29, 34–31 |||
| Pts: Patrick Ewing 31 Rebs: Charles Oakley 17 Asts: Patrick Ewing 10 | Pts: Larry Bird 31 Rebs: Bird, Parish 9 each Asts: Dennis Johnson 10 |
| New York wins series, 3–2 |||
* Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts Attendance: 14,890 Referees: Darell Garretson, Mike Mathis, Jake O'Donnell
Boston won 4–1 in the regular-season series :
December 6, 1989
Recap
New York Knicks 98, Boston Celtics 113
Boston Garden, Boston
December 9, 1989
Recap
Boston Celtics 92, New York Knicks 124
Madison Square Garden, New York City
January 31, 1990
Recap
New York Knicks 91, Boston Celtics 97
Boston Garden, Boston
March 24, 1990
Recap
Boston Celtics 115, New York Knicks 110
Madison Square Garden, New York City
April 15, 1990
Recap
New York Knicks 94, Boston Celtics 101
Boston Garden, Boston :
This was the 13th playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Celtics winning seven of the first 12 meetings.
Boston leads 7–5 in all-time playoff series :
1951
Boston Celtics 0, New York Knicks 2
1951 Eastern Division Semifinals
1952
Boston Celtics 1, New York Knicks 2
1952 Eastern Division Semifinals
1953
Boston Celtics 1, New York Knicks 3
1953 Eastern Division Finals
1954
Boston Celtics 2, New York Knicks 0
1954 Eastern Division Round Robin Semifinals
1955
Boston Celtics 2, New York Knicks 1
1955 Eastern Division Semifinals
1967
Boston Celtics 3, New York Knicks 1
1967 Eastern Division Semifinals
1969
Boston Celtics 4, New York Knicks 2
1969 Eastern Division Finals
1972
Boston Celtics 1, New York Knicks 4
1972 Eastern Conference Finals
1973
Boston Celtics 3, New York Knicks 4
1973 Eastern Conference Finals
1974
Boston Celtics 4, New York Knicks 1
1974 Eastern Conference Finals
1984
Boston Celtics 4, New York Knicks 3
1984 Eastern Conference Semifinals
1988
Boston Celtics 3, New York Knicks 1
1988 Eastern Conference First Round :

### Western Conference first round
#### (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (8) Houston Rockets

* April 27
* Boxscore
Houston Rockets 89, Los Angeles Lakers 101 :
| Scoring by quarter: 27–21, 22–22, 18–26, 22–32 |||
| Pts: Otis Thorpe 21 Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 14 Asts: Sleepy Floyd 8 | Pts: James Worthy 34 Rebs: James Worthy 11 Asts: Magic Johnson 14 |
| LA Lakers lead series, 1–0 |||
* Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California Attendance: 17,505 Referees: Joe Crawford, Bob Delaney, Bennett Salvatore
* April 29
* Boxscore
Houston Rockets 100, Los Angeles Lakers 104 :
| Scoring by quarter: 33–30, 32–18, 17–27, 18–29 |||
| Pts: Sleepy Floyd 27 Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 11 Asts: Sleepy Floyd 8 | Pts: James Worthy 32 Rebs: Magic Johnson 7 Asts: Magic Johnson 14 |
| LA Lakers lead series, 2–0 |||
* Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California Attendance: 17,505 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Jake O'Donnell, Greg Willard
* May 1
* Boxscore
Los Angeles Lakers 108, Houston Rockets 114 :
| Scoring by quarter: 30–31, 26–29, 34–32, 18–22 |||
| Pts: James Worthy 26 Rebs: Magic Johnson 8 Asts: Magic Johnson 18 | Pts: Otis Thorpe 27 Rebs: Otis Thorpe 8 Asts: Sleepy Floyd 18 |
| LA Lakers lead series, 2–1 |||
* The Summit, Houston, Texas Attendance: 16,611 Referees: Joe Forte, Bernie Fryer, Darell Garretson
* May 3
* Boxscore
Los Angeles Lakers 109, Houston Rockets 88 :
| Scoring by quarter: 27–25, 29–27, 24–23, 29–13 |||
| Pts: James Worthy 20 Rebs: James Worthy 7 Asts: Magic Johnson 8 | Pts: Hakeem Olajuwon 28 Rebs: Hakeem Olajuwon 10 Asts: Sleepy Floyd 10 |
| LA Lakers win series, 3–1 |||
* The Summit, Houston, Texas Attendance: 16,611 Referees: Jim Clark, Bill Oakes, Earl Strom
Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series :
November 28, 1989
Recap
Los Angeles Lakers 104, Houston Rockets 110
The Summit, Houston, Texas
January 12, 1990
Recap
Houston Rockets 98, Los Angeles Lakers 107
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California
March 6, 1990
Recap
Los Angeles Lakers 95, Houston Rockets 112
The Summit, Houston, Texas
April 15, 1990
Recap
Houston Rockets 102, Los Angeles Lakers 113
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California :
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Rockets winning the first two meetings.
Houston leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series :
1981
Houston Rockets 2, Los Angeles Lakers 1
1981 Western Conference First Round
1986
Houston Rockets 4, Los Angeles Lakers 1
1986 Western Conference Finals :

#### (2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (7) Denver Nuggets

* April 26
* Boxscore
Denver Nuggets 103, San Antonio Spurs 119 :
| Scoring by quarter: 22–28, 26–28, 21–25, 34–38 |||
| Pts: Todd Lichti 22 Rebs: Todd Lichti 13 Asts: Lichti, Adams 8 each | Pts: Willie Anderson 27 Rebs: David Robinson 13 Asts: Rod Strickland 9 |
| San Antonio leads series, 1–0 |||
* HemisFair Arena, San Antonio, Texas Attendance: 15,910 Referees: Jim Clark, Jack Nies, Earl Strom
* April 28
* Boxscore
Denver Nuggets 120, San Antonio Spurs 129 :
| Scoring by quarter: 33–41, 29–26, 33–29, 25–33 |||
| Pts: Fat Lever 26 Rebs: Fat Lever 16 Asts: Fat Lever 9 | Pts: David Robinson 31 Rebs: Terry Cummings 13 Asts: Rod Strickland 13 |
| San Antonio leads series, 2–0 |||
* HemisFair Arena, San Antonio, Texas Attendance: 15,910 Referees: Jess Kersey, Jack Madden, Ed Middleton
* May 1
* Boxscore
San Antonio Spurs 131, Denver Nuggets 120 :
| Scoring by quarter: 31–27, 34–26, 32–35, 34–32 |||
| Pts: Terry Cummings 28 Rebs: David Robinson 16 Asts: Rod Strickland 9 | Pts: Alex English 24 Rebs: Lever, Rasmussen 10 each Asts: Fat Lever 8 |
| San Antonio wins series, 3–0 |||
* McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, Colorado Attendance: 15,604 Referees: Steve Javie, Jake O'Donnell, Blane Reichelt
San Antonio won 3–1 in the regular-season series :
November 11, 1989
Recap
Denver Nuggets 108, San Antonio Spurs 122
HemisFair Arena, San Antonio
January 20, 1990
Recap
San Antonio Spurs 99, Denver Nuggets 126
McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, Colorado
March 10, 1990
Recap
Denver Nuggets 111, San Antonio Spurs 118
HemisFair Arena, San Antonio
April 20, 1990
Recap
San Antonio Spurs 112, Denver Nuggets 108
McNichols Sports Arena, Denver, Colorado :
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 :
1983
Denver Nuggets 1, San Antonio Spurs 4
1983 Western Conference Semifinals
1985
Denver Nuggets 3, San Antonio Spurs 2
1985 Western Conference First Round :

#### (3) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (6) Dallas Mavericks

* April 26
* Boxscore
Dallas Mavericks 102, Portland Trail Blazers 109 :
| Scoring by quarter: 28–28, 23–27, 16–22, 35–32 |||
| Pts: Derek Harper 24 Rebs: Roy Tarpley 14 Asts: Derek Harper 7 | Pts: Terry Porter 28 Rebs: Buck Williams 16 Asts: Drexler, Porter 5 each |
| Portland leads series, 1–0 |||
* Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon Attendance: 12,884 Referees: Joe Crawford, Bob Delaney, Bennett Salvatore
* April 28
* Boxscore
Dallas Mavericks 107, Portland Trail Blazers 114 :
| Scoring by quarter: 38–24, 27–39, 18–27, 24–24 |||
| Pts: Derek Harper 23 Rebs: Roy Tarpley 17 Asts: Rolando Blackman 5 | Pts: Kevin Duckworth 18 Rebs: Buck Williams 13 Asts: Clyde Drexler 7 |
| Portland leads series, 2–0 |||
* Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon Attendance: 12,884 Referees: Bruce Alexander, Hugh Evans, Hue Hollins
* May 1
* Boxscore
Portland Trail Blazers 106, Dallas Mavericks 92 :
| Scoring by quarter: 34–28, 24–15, 18–26, 30–23 |||
| Pts: Jerome Kersey 29 Rebs: Buck Williams 10 Asts: Clyde Drexler 10 | Pts: Rolando Blackman 23 Rebs: Roy Tarpley 15 Asts: Derek Harper 12 |
| Portland wins series, 3–0 |||
* Reunion Arena, Dallas, Texas Attendance: 17,007 Referees: Dan Crawford, Lee Jones, Mike Mathis
Portland won 4–0 in the regular-season series :
November 10, 1989
Recap
Portland Trail Blazers 99, Dallas Mavericks 91
Reunion Arena, Dallas
December 29, 1989
Recap
Portland Trail Blazers 144, Dallas Mavericks 140 (3OT)
Reunion Arena, Dallas
February 3, 1990
Recap
Dallas Mavericks 100, Portland Trail Blazers 131
Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon
April 13, 1990
Recap
Dallas Mavericks 92, Portland Trail Blazers 124
Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon :
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Trail Blazers winning the first meeting.
Portland leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series :
1985
Dallas Mavericks 1, Portland Trail Blazers 3
1985 Western Conference First Round :

#### (4) Utah Jazz vs. (5) Phoenix Suns

* April 27
* Boxscore
Phoenix Suns 96, Utah Jazz 113 :
| Scoring by quarter: 24–27, 23–31, 20–25, 29–30 |||
| Pts: Dan Majerle 23 Rebs: Kurt Rambis 9 Asts: Jeff Hornacek 6 | Pts: Karl Malone 21 Rebs: Karl Malone 11 Asts: John Stockton 17 |
| Utah leads series, 1–0 |||
* Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, Utah Attendance: 12,616 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Bernie Fryer, Jake O'Donnell
* April 29
* Boxscore
Phoenix Suns 105, Utah Jazz 87 :
| Scoring by quarter: 33–21, 24–22, 25–21, 23–23 |||
| Pts: Kevin Johnson 22 Rebs: Mark West 21 Asts: Kevin Johnson 7 | Pts: Karl Malone 20 Rebs: Karl Malone 10 Asts: John Stockton 8 |
| Series tied, 1–1 |||
* Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, Utah Attendance: 12,616 Referees: Hugh Evans, Hue Hollins, Steve Javie
* May 2
* Boxscore
Utah Jazz 105, Phoenix Suns 120 :
| Scoring by quarter: 22–25, 33–31, 26–34, 24–30 |||
| Pts: Thurl Bailey 30 Rebs: Karl Malone 11 Asts: John Stockton 19 | Pts: Kevin Johnson 29 Rebs: Mark West 10 Asts: Kevin Johnson 12 |
| Phoenix leads series, 2–1 |||
* Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 14,487 Referees: Jess Kersey, Jack Madden, Bill Saar
* May 4
* Boxscore
Utah Jazz 105, Phoenix Suns 94 :
| Scoring by quarter: 24–22, 25–26, 30–21, 26–25 |||
| Pts: Karl Malone 33 Rebs: Karl Malone 11 Asts: John Stockton 14 | Pts: Eddie Johnson 33 Rebs: Mark West 11 Asts: Kevin Johnson 13 |
| Series tied, 2–2 |||
* Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 14,487 Referees: Dan Crawford, Darell Garretson, Mike Mathis
* May 6
* Boxscore
Phoenix Suns 104, Utah Jazz 102 :
| Scoring by quarter: 23–22, 26–31, 25–23, 30–26 |||
| Pts: Tom Chambers 32 Rebs: Mark West 11 Asts: Kevin Johnson 9 | Pts: Bailey, Malone 26 each Rebs: Mark Eaton 9 Asts: John Stockton 17 |
| Phoenix wins series, 3–2 |||
* Salt Palace, Salt Lake City, Utah Attendance: 12,616 Referees: Joe Crawford, Bill Oakes, Ed T. Rush
* Kevin Johnson hits the series-winning shot with 8 tenths left.
Phoenix won 3–1 in the regular-season series :
December 13, 1989
Recap
Phoenix Suns 95, Utah Jazz 102
Salt Palace, Salt Lake City
February 14, 1990
Recap
Utah Jazz 103, Phoenix Suns 114
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona
March 13, 1990
Recap
Phoenix Suns 114, Utah Jazz 106
Salt Palace, Salt Lake City
April 9, 1990
Recap
Utah Jazz 115, Phoenix Suns 119 (OT)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona :
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 :
1984
Phoenix Suns 4, Utah Jazz 2
1984 Western Conference Semifinals :

## Conference semifinals
### Eastern Conference semifinals
#### (1) Detroit Pistons vs. (5) New York Knicks

* May 8
* Boxscore
New York Knicks 77, Detroit Pistons 112 :
| Scoring by quarter: 20–23, 18–26, 15–35, 24–28 |||
| Pts: Patrick Ewing 19 Rebs: Eddie Lee Wilkins 8 Asts: Maurice Cheeks 6 | Pts: Isiah Thomas 21 Rebs: Bill Laimbeer 13 Asts: Isiah Thomas 7 |
| Detroit leads series, 1–0 |||
* The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan Attendance: 21,454 Referees: Joe Crawford, Bob Delaney, Bill Oakes
* May 10
* Boxscore
New York Knicks 97, Detroit Pistons 104 :
| Scoring by quarter: 28–24, 26–34, 24–23, 19–23 |||
| Pts: Gerald Wilkins 24 Rebs: Charles Oakley 15 Asts: Maurice Cheeks 8 | Pts: James Edwards 32 Rebs: Bill Laimbeer 13 Asts: Isiah Thomas 12 |
| Detroit leads series, 2–0 |||
* The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan Attendance: 21,454 Referees: Hue Hollins, Jack Nies, Earl Strom
* May 12
* Boxscore
Detroit Pistons 103, New York Knicks 111 :
| Scoring by quarter: 27–34, 28–28, 22–20, 26–29 |||
| Pts: Isiah Thomas 20 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 8 Asts: Isiah Thomas 6 | Pts: Patrick Ewing 45 Rebs: Charles Oakley 20 Asts: Maurice Cheeks 12 |
| Detroit leads series, 2–1 |||
* Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Attendance: 18,212 Referees: Dan Crawford, Bernie Fryer, Darell Garretson
* May 13
* Boxscore
Detroit Pistons 102, New York Knicks 90 :
| Scoring by quarter: 27–23, 24–19, 23–21, 28–27 |||
| Pts: James Edwards 19 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 14 Asts: Isiah Thomas 11 | Pts: Patrick Ewing 30 Rebs: Charles Oakley 14 Asts: Cheeks, Jackson 6 each |
| Detroit leads series, 3–1 |||
* Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York Attendance: 18,212 Referees: Jack Madden, Mike Mathis, Bennett Salvatore
* May 15
* Boxscore
New York Knicks 84, Detroit Pistons 95 :
| Scoring by quarter: 28–20, 21–31, 14–18, 21–26 |||
| Pts: Patrick Ewing 22 Rebs: Patrick Ewing 14 Asts: Maurice Cheeks 9 | Pts: Mark Aguirre 25 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 11 Asts: Isiah Thomas 6 |
| Detroit wins series, 4–1 |||
* The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan Attendance: 21,454 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Steve Javie, Ed T. Rush
Detroit won 4–0 in the regular-season series :
November 3, 1989
Recap
New York Knicks 103, Detroit Pistons 106
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
January 6, 1990
Recap
New York Knicks 106, Detroit Pistons 117
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
February 25, 1990
Recap
Detroit Pistons 98, New York Knicks 87
Madison Square Garden, New York City
April 10, 1990
Recap
Detroit Pistons 108, New York Knicks 98
Madison Square Garden, New York City :
This was the second playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Knicks winning the first meeting.
New York leads 1–0 in all-time playoff series :
1984
Detroit Pistons 2, New York Knicks 3
1984 Eastern Conference First Round :

#### (2) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (3) Chicago Bulls

* May 7
* Boxscore
Philadelphia 76ers 85, Chicago Bulls 96 :
| Scoring by quarter: 21–33, 26–20, 18–20, 20–23 |||
| Pts: Charles Barkley 30 Rebs: Charles Barkley 20 Asts: three players 4 each | Pts: Michael Jordan 39 Rebs: Horace Grant 12 Asts: Scottie Pippen 12 |
| Chicago leads series, 1–0 |||
* Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois Attendance: 18,676 Referees: Hugh Evans, Joe Forte, Bill Saar
* May 9
* Boxscore
Philadelphia 76ers 96, Chicago Bulls 101 :
| Scoring by quarter: 30–25, 27–21, 20–32, 19–23 |||
| Pts: Hersey Hawkins 23 Rebs: Charles Barkley 19 Asts: Johnny Dawkins 13 | Pts: Michael Jordan 45 Rebs: Grant, Pippen 9 each Asts: Michael Jordan 7 |
| Chicago leads series, 2–0 |||
* Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois Attendance: 18,676 Referees: Darell Garretson, Mike Mathis, Tommy Nunez Sr.
* May 11
* Boxscore
Chicago Bulls 112, Philadelphia 76ers 118 :
| Scoring by quarter: 14–33, 27–30, 26–24, 45–31 |||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 49 Rebs: Ed Nealy 7 Asts: B. J. Armstrong 7 | Pts: Charles Barkley 34 Rebs: Charles Barkley 20 Asts: Charles Barkley 8 |
| Chicago leads series, 2–1 |||
* Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Attendance: 18,168 Referees: Dan Crawford, Hue Hollins, Bennett Salvatore
* May 13
* Boxscore
Chicago Bulls 111, Philadelphia 76ers 101 :
| Scoring by quarter: 26–30, 24–25, 27–31, 34–15 |||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 45 Rebs: Grant, Nealy 9 each Asts: Michael Jordan 11 | Pts: Hersey Hawkins 26 Rebs: Charles Barkley 13 Asts: Hersey Hawkins 6 |
| Chicago leads series, 3–1 |||
* Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Attendance: 18,168 Referees: Jack Nies, Bill Oakes, Earl Strom
* May 16
* Boxscore
Philadelphia 76ers 99, Chicago Bulls 117 :
| Scoring by quarter: 31–28, 32–34, 18–27, 18–28 |||
| Pts: Ron Anderson 20 Rebs: Charles Barkley 13 Asts: Johnny Dawkins 15 | Pts: Michael Jordan 37 Rebs: Michael Jordan 9 Asts: John Paxson 9 |
| Chicago wins series, 4–1 |||
* Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois Attendance: 18,676 Referees: Jess Kersey, Jack Madden, Paul Mihalak
Tied 2–2 in the regular-season series :
December 9, 1989
Recap
Philadelphia 76ers 105, Chicago Bulls 125
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
December 23, 1989
Recap
Chicago Bulls 104, Philadelphia 76ers 131
Spectrum, Philadelphia
January 26, 1990
Recap
Chicago Bulls 109, Philadelphia 76ers 120
Spectrum, Philadelphia
March 17, 1990
Recap
Philadelphia 76ers 109, Chicago Bulls 114
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois :
This was the first playoff meeting between the Bulls and the 76ers.

### Western Conference semifinals
#### (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (5) Phoenix Suns

* May 8
* Boxscore
Phoenix Suns 104, Los Angeles Lakers 102 :
| Scoring by quarter: 31–26, 22–25, 25–33, 26–18 |||
| Pts: Tom Chambers 26 Rebs: Mark West 16 Asts: Kevin Johnson 12 | Pts: M. Johnson, Worthy 22 each Rebs: A.C. Green 13 Asts: Magic Johnson 14 |
| Phoenix leads series, 1–0 |||
* Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California Attendance: 17,506 Referees: Bernie Fryer, Jack Madden, Wally Rooney
* This was Phoenix's first win at Great Western Forum in 22 attempts, dating back to Game 5 of the 1984 Western Conference Finals on May 23 of that year.
* May 10
* Boxscore
Phoenix Suns 100, Los Angeles Lakers 124 :
| Scoring by quarter: 20–33, 28–30, 25–34, 27–27 |||
| Pts: Jeff Hornacek 18 Rebs: five players 5 each Asts: Kevin Johnson 12 | Pts: James Worthy 27 Rebs: A.C. Green 13 Asts: Magic Johnson 14 |
| Series tied, 1–1 |||
* Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California Attendance: 17,505 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Hugh Evans, Steve Javie
* May 12
* Boxscore
Los Angeles Lakers 103, Phoenix Suns 117 :
| Scoring by quarter: 29–26, 20–25, 25–37, 29–29 |||
| Pts: James Worthy 27 Rebs: A.C. Green 10 Asts: Magic Johnson 16 | Pts: Tom Chambers 34 Rebs: Chambers, K. Johnson 7 each Asts: Kevin Johnson 8 |
| Phoenix leads series, 2–1 |||
* Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 14,487 Referees: Jess Kersey, Paul Mihalak, Ed T. Rush
* May 13
* Boxscore
Los Angeles Lakers 101, Phoenix Suns 114 :
| Scoring by quarter: 22–36, 26–26, 31–22, 22–30 |||
| Pts: Magic Johnson 43 Rebs: A.C. Green 18 Asts: Magic Johnson 10 | Pts: Kevin Johnson 30 Rebs: Mark West 15 Asts: Kevin Johnson 16 |
| Phoenix leads series, 3–1 |||
* Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 14,487 Referees: Jim Clark, Joe Forte, Jake O'Donnell
* May 15
* Boxscore
Phoenix Suns 106, Los Angeles Lakers 103 :
| Scoring by quarter: 20–35, 33–26, 24–19, 29–23 |||
| Pts: Kevin Johnson 37 Rebs: Mark West 16 Asts: Kevin Johnson 8 | Pts: Magic Johnson 43 Rebs: M. Johnson, Divac 8 each Asts: Magic Johnson 7 |
| Phoenix wins series, 4–1 |||
* Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California Attendance: 17,505 Referees: Joe Crawford, Jack Nies, Bill Oakes
* Michael Cooper's final NBA game.
Los Angeles won 3–1 in the regular-season series :
November 7, 1989
Recap
Phoenix Suns 107, Los Angeles Lakers 111
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California
December 7, 1989
Recap
Phoenix Suns 96, Los Angeles Lakers 100
Great Western Forum, Inglewood, California
January 9, 1990
Recap
Los Angeles Lakers 118, Phoenix Suns 121 (OT)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona
April 6, 1990
Recap
Los Angeles Lakers 103, Phoenix Suns 99
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona :
This was the seventh playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Lakers winning the first six meetings.
Los Angeles leads 6–0 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
1989
Los Angeles Lakers 4, Phoenix Suns 0
1989 Western Conference Finals :

#### (2) San Antonio Spurs vs. (3) Portland Trail Blazers

* May 5
* Boxscore
San Antonio Spurs 94, Portland Trail Blazers 107 :
| Scoring by quarter: 22–31, 30–21, 22–26, 20–29 |||
| Pts: Frank Brickowski 20 Rebs: David Robinson 9 Asts: Rod Strickland 9 | Pts: Jerome Kersey 25 Rebs: Jerome Kersey 16 Asts: Clyde Drexler 11 |
| Portland leads series, 1–0 |||
* Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon Attendance: 12,884 Referees: Tommy Nunez Sr., Wally Rooney, Earl Strom
* May 8
* Boxscore
San Antonio Spurs 112, Portland Trail Blazers 122 :
| Scoring by quarter: 27–27, 28–36, 22–34, 35–25 |||
| Pts: Terry Cummings 33 Rebs: David Robinson 8 Asts: Rod Strickland 14 | Pts: Terry Porter 27 Rebs: Buck Williams 8 Asts: Clyde Drexler 8 |
| Portland leads series, 2–0 |||
* Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon Attendance: 12,884 Referees: Dan Crawford, Ron Garretson, Ed T. Rush
* May 10
* Boxscore
Portland Trail Blazers 98, San Antonio Spurs 121 :
| Scoring by quarter: 22–27, 23–34, 27–25, 26–35 |||
| Pts: Porter, Williams 18 each Rebs: Clifford Robinson 8 Asts: Clyde Drexler 9 | Pts: David Robinson 28 Rebs: Strickland, Cummings 9 each Asts: Rod Strickland 17 |
| Portland leads series, 2–1 |||
* HemisFair Arena, San Antonio, Texas Attendance: 15,910 Referees: Lee Jones, Jess Kersey, Jack Madden
* May 12
* Boxscore
Portland Trail Blazers 105, San Antonio Spurs 115 :
| Scoring by quarter: 33–25, 18–37, 20–24, 34–29 |||
| Pts: Clyde Drexler 27 Rebs: Buck Williams 10 Asts: Clyde Drexler 7 | Pts: Terry Cummings 35 Rebs: Terry Cummings 11 Asts: Rod Strickland 14 |
| Series tied, 2–2 |||
* HemisFair Arena, San Antonio, Texas Attendance: 15,910 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Hugh Evans, Steve Javie
* May 15
* Boxscore
San Antonio Spurs 132, Portland Trail Blazers 138 (2OT) :
| Scoring by quarter: 27–41, 26–31, 34–27, 32–20, Overtime: 7–7, 6–12 |||
| Pts: Terry Cummings 32 Rebs: David Robinson 15 Asts: Rod Strickland 7 | Pts: Terry Porter 38 Rebs: Kersey, Williams 10 each Asts: Clyde Drexler 9 |
| Portland leads series, 3–2 |||
* Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon Attendance: 12,884 Referees: Joe Forte, Hue Hollins, Jake O'Donnell
* May 17
* Boxscore
Portland Trail Blazers 97, San Antonio Spurs 112 :
| Scoring by quarter: 27–26, 14–26, 24–25, 32–35 |||
| Pts: Jerome Kersey 22 Rebs: Buck Williams 10 Asts: Clyde Drexler 7 | Pts: Willie Anderson 30 Rebs: David Robinson 13 Asts: Rod Strickland 12 |
| Series tied, 3–3 |||
* HemisFair Arena, San Antonio, Texas Attendance: 15,910 Referees: Dan Crawford, Darell Garretson, Mike Mathis
* May 19
* Boxscore
San Antonio Spurs 105, Portland Trail Blazers 108 (OT) :
| Scoring by quarter: 24–31, 22–21, 26–21, 25–24, Overtime: 8–11 |||
| Pts: Terry Cummings 27 Rebs: David Robinson 16 Asts: Rod Strickland 8 | Pts: Terry Porter 36 Rebs: Williams, Kersey 15 each Asts: Terry Porter 9 |
| Portland wins series, 4–3 |||
* Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon Attendance: 12,884 Referees: Joe Crawford, Hugh Evans, Ed T. Rush
Portland won 3–1 in the regular-season series :
November 8, 1989
Recap
Portland Trail Blazers 108, San Antonio Spurs 104
HemisFair Arena, San Antonio
January 26, 1990
Recap
San Antonio Spurs 103, Portland Trail Blazers 109
Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon
March 22, 1990
Recap
Portland Trail Blazers 106, San Antonio Spurs 107
HemisFair Arena, San Antonio
April 8, 1990
Recap
San Antonio Spurs 105, Portland Trail Blazers 112
Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon :
This was the first playoff meeting between the Trail Blazers and the Spurs.

## Conference finals
### Eastern Conference finals
#### (1) Detroit Pistons vs. (3) Chicago Bulls

* May 20
* Boxscore
Chicago Bulls 77, Detroit Pistons 86 :
| Scoring by quarter: 22–24, 21–15, 17–28, 17–19 |||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 34 Rebs: Horace Grant 9 Asts: Michael Jordan 5 | Pts: Joe Dumars 27 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 13 Asts: Isiah Thomas 6 |
| Detroit leads series, 1–0 |||
* The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan Attendance: 21,454 Referees: Bill Oakes, Jake O'Donnell, Wally Rooney
* May 22
* Boxscore
Chicago Bulls 93, Detroit Pistons 102 :
| Scoring by quarter: 18–27, 20–26, 31–21, 24–28 |||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 20 Rebs: Horace Grant 9 Asts: Michael Jordan 7 | Pts: Joe Dumars 31 Rebs: Laimbeer, Johnson 8 each Asts: Thomas, Johnson 7 each |
| Detroit leads series, 2–0 |||
* The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan Attendance: 21,454 Referees: Dan Crawford, Darell Garretson, Hue Hollins
* May 26
* Boxscore
Detroit Pistons 102, Chicago Bulls 107 :
| Scoring by quarter: 19–24, 32–19, 26–33, 25–31 |||
| Pts: Isiah Thomas 36 Rebs: Bill Laimbeer 8 Asts: Isiah Thomas 8 | Pts: Michael Jordan 47 Rebs: Pippen, Grant 11 each Asts: Scottie Pippen 5 |
| Detroit leads series, 2–1 |||
* Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois Attendance: 18,676 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Joe Crawford, Bernie Fryer
* May 28
* Boxscore
Detroit Pistons 101, Chicago Bulls 108 :
| Scoring by quarter: 16–28, 19–23, 33–20, 33–37 |||
| Pts: Isiah Thomas 26 Rebs: Dennis Rodman 20 Asts: Isiah Thomas 8 | Pts: Michael Jordan 42 Rebs: Horace Grant 13 Asts: Michael Jordan 9 |
| Series tied, 2–2 |||
* Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois Attendance: 18,676 Referees: Jess Kersey, Jack Nies, Earl Strom
* May 30
* Boxscore
Chicago Bulls 83, Detroit Pistons 97 :
| Scoring by quarter: 25–25, 16–21, 23–26, 19–25 |||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 22 Rebs: Horace Grant 12 Asts: Michael Jordan 8 | Pts: Joe Dumars 20 Rebs: John Salley 10 Asts: Isiah Thomas 10 |
| Detroit leads series, 3–2 |||
* The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan Attendance: 21,454 Referees: Hugh Evans, Jack Madden, Ed T. Rush
* June 1
* Boxscore
Detroit Pistons 91, Chicago Bulls 109 :
| Scoring by quarter: 20–21, 24–26, 19–33, 28–29 |||
| Pts: Joe Dumars 23 Rebs: Rodman, Laimbeer 8 each Asts: Isiah Thomas 10 | Pts: Michael Jordan 29 Rebs: Horace Grant 14 Asts: Pippen, Grant 5 each |
| Series tied, 3–3 |||
* Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois Attendance: 18,676 Referees: Darell Garretson, Hue Hollins, Mike Mathis
* June 3
* Boxscore
Chicago Bulls 74, Detroit Pistons 93 :
| Scoring by quarter: 19–17, 14–31, 26–21, 15–24 |||
| Pts: Michael Jordan 33 Rebs: Horace Grant 14 Asts: Michael Jordan 9 | Pts: Isiah Thomas 21 Rebs: Mark Aguirre 10 Asts: Isiah Thomas 11 |
| Detroit wins series, 4–3 |||
* The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan Attendance: 21,454 Referees: Joe Crawford, Jake O'Donnell, Earl Strom
Detroit won 4–1 in the regular-season series :
November 7, 1989
Recap
Detroit Pistons 114, Chicago Bulls 117
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
January 9, 1990
Recap
Chicago Bulls 90, Detroit Pistons 100
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan
January 23, 1990
Recap
Detroit Pistons 107, Chicago Bulls 95
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
March 16, 1990
Recap
Detroit Pistons 106, Chicago Bulls 81
Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois
April 22, 1990
Recap
Chicago Bulls 106, Detroit Pistons 111
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan :
This was the fourth playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Pistons winning two of the first three meetings.
Detroit leads 2–1 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
1989
Chicago Bulls 2, Detroit Pistons 4
1989 Eastern Conference Finals :

### Western Conference finals
#### (3) Portland Trail Blazers vs. (5) Phoenix Suns

* May 21
* Boxscore
Phoenix Suns 98, Portland Trail Blazers 100 :
| Scoring by quarter: 26–24, 22–26, 32–34, 18–16 |||
| Pts: Tom Chambers 29 Rebs: Mark West 12 Asts: Kevin Johnson 11 | Pts: Clyde Drexler 20 Rebs: Jerome Kersey 11 Asts: Terry Porter 9 |
| Portland leads series, 1–0 |||
* Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon Attendance: 12,884 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Jack Nies, Earl Strom
* Kevin Duckworth hits the game-winner with 17.3 seconds left.
* May 23
* Boxscore
Phoenix Suns 107, Portland Trail Blazers 108 :
| Scoring by quarter: 28–17, 31–24, 32–41, 16–26 |||
| Pts: Tom Chambers 28 Rebs: Tom Chambers 14 Asts: Kevin Johnson 8 | Pts: Jerome Kersey 29 Rebs: Jerome Kersey 11 Asts: Clyde Drexler 6 |
| Portland leads series, 2–0 |||
* Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon Attendance: 12,884 Referees: Jess Kersey, Jack Madden, Paul Mihalak
* Terry Porter hits the game-winner with 12.7 seconds left.
* May 25
* Boxscore
Portland Trail Blazers 89, Phoenix Suns 123 :
| Scoring by quarter: 18–40, 25–31, 17–32, 29–20 |||
| Pts: Jerome Kersey 16 Rebs: Mark Bryant 7 Asts: Clyde Drexler 6 | Pts: Tom Chambers 24 Rebs: Andrew Lang 10 Asts: Kevin Johnson 12 |
| Portland leads series, 2–1 |||
* Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 14,487 Referees: Hugh Evans, Hue Hollins, Steve Javie
* May 27
* Boxscore
Portland Trail Blazers 107, Phoenix Suns 119 :
| Scoring by quarter: 28–27, 22–29, 26–33, 31–30 |||
| Pts: Jerome Kersey 29 Rebs: Buck Williams 8 Asts: Terry Porter 12 | Pts: Kevin Johnson 28 Rebs: Mark West 12 Asts: Kevin Johnson 17 |
| Series tied, 2–2 |||
* Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 14,487 Referees: Dan Crawford, Mike Mathis, Ed T. Rush
* May 29
* Boxscore
Phoenix Suns 114, Portland Trail Blazers 120 :
| Scoring by quarter: 24–31, 33–33, 27–27, 30–29 |||
| Pts: Kevin Johnson 28 Rebs: Tom Chambers 13 Asts: Kevin Johnson 14 | Pts: Clyde Drexler 32 Rebs: Jerome Kersey 11 Asts: Terry Porter 12 |
| Portland leads series, 3–2 |||
* Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon Attendance: 12,884 Referees: Joe Crawford, Darell Garretson, Bill Oakes
* May 31
* Boxscore
Portland Trail Blazers 112, Phoenix Suns 109 :
| Scoring by quarter: 31–34, 28–29, 25–26, 28–20 |||
| Pts: Drexler, Porter 23 each Rebs: Buck Williams 11 Asts: Drexler, Porter 7 each | Pts: Jeff Hornacek 36 Rebs: Kurt Rambis 12 Asts: Hornacek, Johnson 6 each |
| Portland wins series, 4–2 |||
* Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona Attendance: 14,487 Referees: Dick Bavetta, Jess Kersey, Jake O'Donnell
Portland won 3–2 in the regular-season series :
November 15, 1989
Recap
Portland Trail Blazers 107, Phoenix Suns 109
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona
November 17, 1989
Recap
Phoenix Suns 109, Portland Trail Blazers 110
Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon
December 26, 1989
Recap
Portland Trail Blazers 105, Phoenix Suns 121
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona
February 4, 1990
Recap
Phoenix Suns 121, Portland Trail Blazers 123
Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon
April 18, 1990
Recap
Portland Trail Blazers 128, Phoenix Suns 120 (OT)
Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Phoenix, Arizona :
This was the third playoff meeting between these two teams, with the Suns winning the first two meetings.
Phoenix leads 2–0 in all-time playoff series :
1979
Phoenix Suns 2, Portland Trail Blazers 1
1979 Western Conference First Round
1984
Phoenix Suns 3, Portland Trail Blazers 2
1984 Western Conference First Round :

## NBA Finals: (E1) Detroit Pistons vs. (W3) Portland Trail Blazers

* June 5
* Boxscore
Portland Trail Blazers 99, Detroit Pistons 105 :
| Scoring by quarter: 33–24, 19–23, 28–29, 19–29 |||
| Pts: Clyde Drexler 21 Rebs: Buck Williams 12 Asts: Terry Porter 8 | Pts: Isiah Thomas 33 Rebs: Bill Laimbeer 15 Asts: Isiah Thomas 6 |
| Detroit leads series, 1–0 |||
* The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan Attendance: 21,454 Referees: Hugh Evans, Ed T. Rush, Dick Bavetta
* June 7
* Boxscore
Portland Trail Blazers 106, Detroit Pistons 105 (OT) :
| Scoring by quarter: 23–30, 30–15, 22–24, 19–25, Overtime: 12–11 |||
| Pts: Clyde Drexler 33 Rebs: Buck Williams 12 Asts: Terry Porter 10 | Pts: Edwards, Laimbeer 26 each Rebs: Bill Laimbeer 11 Asts: Isiah Thomas 11 |
| Series tied, 1–1 |||
* The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan Attendance: 21,454 Referees: Darell Garretson, Jack Madden, Hue Hollins
* Terry Porter hits the game-tying free throws with 10.2 seconds left in regulation to force OT; Clyde Drexler hits the game-winning free throws with 2.1 seconds left in OT.
* June 10
* Boxscore
Detroit Pistons 121, Portland Trail Blazers 106 :
| Scoring by quarter: 31–27, 27–24, 32–31, 31–24 |||
| Pts: Joe Dumars 33 Rebs: Bill Laimbeer 12 Asts: Isiah Thomas 8 | Pts: Jerome Kersey 27 Rebs: Clyde Drexler 13 Asts: Terry Porter 9 |
| Detroit leads series, 2–1 |||
* Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon Attendance: 12,884 Referees: Jake O'Donnell, Jess Kersey, Joe Crawford
* This was Detroit's first win in Portland since October 19, 1974, the second game of Bill Walton's career.
* June 12
* Boxscore
Detroit Pistons 112, Portland Trail Blazers 109 :
| Scoring by quarter: 22–32, 29–14, 32–27, 29–36 |||
| Pts: Isiah Thomas 32 Rebs: Bill Laimbeer 12 Asts: Isiah Thomas 5 | Pts: Clyde Drexler 34 Rebs: Drexler, Kersey 8 each Asts: Clyde Drexler 10 |
| Detroit leads series, 3–1 |||
* Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon Attendance: 12,642 Referees: Hugh Evans, Mike Mathis, Earl Strom
* Danny Young's buzzer beater is, correctly, disqualified by Earl Strom.
* Final NBA game officiated by Earl Strom.
* June 14
* Boxscore
Detroit Pistons 92, Portland Trail Blazers 90 :
| Scoring by quarter: 26–22, 20–20, 19–27, 27–21 |||
| Pts: Isiah Thomas 29 Rebs: Bill Laimbeer 17 Asts: Joe Dumars 7 | Pts: Duckworth, Porter 21 each Rebs: Jerome Kersey 9 Asts: Terry Porter 9 |
| Detroit wins series, 4–1 |||
* Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon Attendance: 12,642 Referees: Darell Garretson, Jack Madden, Ed T. Rush
* Vinnie Johnson hits the title-winning shot with 0.7 seconds left, capping off a 9–0 run in the final two minutes.
* Final NBA game aired on CBS.
Tied 1–1 in the regular-season series :
November 26, 1989
Recap
Detroit Pistons 82, Portland Trail Blazers 102
Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon
January 13, 1990
Recap
Portland Trail Blazers 106, Detroit Pistons 111
The Palace of Auburn Hills, Auburn Hills, Michigan :
This was the first playoff meeting between the Pistons and the Trail Blazers.

## 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 | 49 | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls | 36.7 | 16 |
| Rebounds | Mark West Charles Barkley | Phoenix Suns Philadelphia 76ers | 21 | Charles Barkley | Philadelphia 76ers | 15.5 | 10 |
| Assists | John Stockton | Utah Jazz | 19 | John Stockton | Utah Jazz | 15.0 | 5 |
| Steals | Patrick Ewing | New York Knicks | 7 | Michael Jordan | Chicago Bulls | 2.8 | 16 |
| Blocks | Hakeem Olajuwon | Houston Rockets | 10 | Hakeem Olajuwon | Houston Rockets | 5.8 | 4 |