# 1998–99 Detroit Pistons season

The 1998–99 NBA season was the Pistons' 51st season in the National Basketball Association, and 42nd season in the city of Detroit. Due to a lockout, the regular season began on February 5, 1999, and was cut from 82 games to 50.
The Pistons had the eleventh overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft, and selected Bonzi Wells out of Ball State University, but later on traded him to the Portland Trail Blazers. In the off-season, the team acquired Christian Laettner from the Atlanta Hawks, and signed free agents Loy Vaught, and Jud Buechler. Laettner would reunite with former Duke University teammate Grant Hill, but only played just 16 games due to an Achilles injury and a broken rib. After a solid year the previous season, Brian Williams changed his named to Bison Dele to honor his Cherokee heritage.
The Pistons won their first three games, but then lost five straight. However, they would play above .500 for the rest of the season, and bounce back from their disappointing season to finish third in the Central Division with a 29–21 record, and return to the playoffs after a one-year absence.
Hill averaged 21.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game, was named to the All-NBA Second Team, and finished in eighth place in Most Valuable Player voting, while sixth man Jerry Stackhouse continued to provide scoring off the bench averaging 14.5 points per game. In addition, Lindsey Hunter provided the team with 11.9 points and 1.8 steals per game, while Joe Dumars contributed 11.3 points per game, and Dele averaged 10.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Off the bench, Laettner averaged 7.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, while Jerome Williams provided the team with 7.0 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, and starting power forward Don Reid contributed 5.1 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.
However, in the Eastern Conference First Round of the playoffs, the Pistons would lose to the Atlanta Hawks in five games. This season also marked an end of an era, as Dumars retired after a solid fourteen-year career with the Pistons, and would become the team's vice president next season. This was also Dele's final season of his career as he retired before the following season, turning down a $36 million contract.

## Draft picks

| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Nationality | College |
| 1 | 11 | Bonzi Wells | SG | United States | Ball State |
| 2 | 40 | Korleone Young | SF | United States | |

## Regular season
### Season standings

| Central Division | W | L | PCT | GB | Home | Road | Div | GP |
| y-Indiana Pacers | 33 | 17 | .660 | – | 18‍–‍7 | 15‍–‍10 | 15–7 | 50 |
| x-Atlanta Hawks | 31 | 19 | .620 | 2.0 | 16‍–‍9 | 15‍–‍10 | 15–8 | 50 |
| x-Detroit Pistons | 29 | 21 | .580 | 4.0 | 17‍–‍8 | 12‍–‍13 | 13–8 | 50 |
| x-Milwaukee Bucks | 28 | 22 | .560 | 5.0 | 17‍–‍8 | 11‍–‍14 | 13–11 | 50 |
| Charlotte Hornets | 26 | 24 | .520 | 7.0 | 16‍–‍9 | 10‍–‍15 | 12–10 | 50 |
| Toronto Raptors | 23 | 27 | .460 | 10.0 | 14‍–‍11 | 9‍–‍16 | 9–14 | 50 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 22 | 28 | .440 | 11.0 | 15‍–‍10 | 7‍–‍18 | 9–13 | 50 |
| Chicago Bulls | 13 | 37 | .260 | 20.0 | 8‍–‍17 | 5‍–‍20 | 4–19 | 50 |
Eastern Conference :
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | GP |
| 1 | c-Miami Heat * | 33 | 17 | .660 | – | 50 |
| 2 | y-Indiana Pacers * | 33 | 17 | .660 | – | 50 |
| 3 | x-Orlando Magic | 33 | 17 | .660 | – | 50 |
| 4 | x-Atlanta Hawks | 31 | 19 | .620 | 2.0 | 50 |
| 5 | x-Detroit Pistons | 29 | 21 | .580 | 4.0 | 50 |
| 6 | x-Philadelphia 76ers | 28 | 22 | .560 | 5.0 | 50 |
| 7 | x-Milwaukee Bucks | 28 | 22 | .560 | 5.0 | 50 |
| 8 | x-New York Knicks | 27 | 23 | .540 | 6.0 | 50 |
| 9 | Charlotte Hornets | 26 | 24 | .520 | 7.0 | 50 |
| 10 | Toronto Raptors | 23 | 27 | .460 | 10.0 | 50 |
| 11 | Cleveland Cavaliers | 22 | 28 | .440 | 11.0 | 50 |
| 12 | Boston Celtics | 19 | 31 | .380 | 14.0 | 50 |
| 13 | Washington Wizards | 18 | 32 | .360 | 15.0 | 50 |
| 14 | New Jersey Nets | 16 | 34 | .320 | 17.0 | 50 |
| 15 | Chicago Bulls | 13 | 37 | .260 | 20.0 | 50 |
    c - clinched homecourt advantage
    y - clinched division title
    x - clinched playoff spot

### Record vs. opponents

1998-99 NBA Records :
| Team | ATL | BOS | CHA | CHI | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GSW | HOU | IND | LAC | LAL | MIA | MIL | MIN | NJN | NYK | ORL | PHI | PHO | POR | SAC | SAS | SEA | TOR | UTA | VAN | WAS |
| Atlanta | — | 3–0 | 3–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 |
| Boston | 0–3 | — | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 |
| Charlotte | 0–3 | 2–1 | — | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| Chicago | 1–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | — | 0–3 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 |
| Cleveland | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 3–0 | — | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 |
| Dallas | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | — | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 1–3 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 0–0 |
| Denver | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | — | 0–0 | 1–3 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 0–4 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 3–1 | 0–1 |
| Detroit | 2–1 | 3–0 | 0–3 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | — | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–4 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| Golden State | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 0–0 | — | 0–3 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–4 | 4–0 | 0–0 |
| Houston | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | — | 0–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 4–0 | 0–0 |
| Indiana | 1–2 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | — | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 |
| L.A. Clippers | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 0–0 | — | 0–4 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 0–0 |
| L.A. Lakers | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 4–0 | — | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 2–1 | 0–0 |
| Miami | 3–0 | 0–3 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | — | 2–1 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 |
| Milwaukee | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | — | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| Minnesota | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | — | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 3–1 | 0–0 |
| New Jersey | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 0–0 | — | 0–3 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| New York | 1–2 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 3–0 | — | 0–3 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| Orlando | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | — | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 |
| Philadelphia | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 2–1 | — | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 |
| Phoenix | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | — | 0–3 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 0–0 |
| Portland | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | — | 4–0 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 0–0 |
| Sacramento | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 0–4 | — | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 4–0 | 1–0 |
| San Antonio | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 4–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 3–1 | 2–1 | — | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 |
| Seattle | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 2–2 | 2–2 | 1–2 | — | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 |
| Toronto | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–0 | — | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 |
| Utah | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 4–0 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–0 | — | 3–0 | 1–0 |
| Vancouver | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0–4 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 0–4 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–3 | — | 0–0 |
| Washington | 1–2 | 1–3 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | — |

### Game log
## Playoffs

1999 playoff game log :
First Round: 2–3 (home: 2–0; road: 0–3)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceSeries
1
May 8
@ Atlanta
L 70–90
Grant Hill (26)
Bison Dele (9)
Grant Hill (8)
Georgia Dome 20,884
0–1
2
May 10
@ Atlanta
L 69–89
Grant Hill (15)
Grant Hill (10)
Joe Dumars (5)
Georgia Dome 16,377
0–2
3
May 12
Atlanta
W 79–63
Christian Laettner (15)
Jerome Williams (10)
Grant Hill (5)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 14,812
1–2
4
May 14
Atlanta
W 103–82
Grant Hill (23)
Jerome Williams (8)
Grant Hill (9)
The Palace of Auburn Hills 16,216
2–2
5
May 16
@ Atlanta
L 75–87
Grant Hill (21)
Dele, Hill (7)
Grant Hill (11)
Alexander Memorial Coliseum 8,460
2–3 :
1999 schedule :

## Player statistics
### Regular season

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Grant Hill | 50 | 50 | 37.0 | .479 | .000 | .752 | 7.1 | 6.0 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 21.1 |
| Jerry Stackhouse | 42 | 9 | 28.3 | .371 | .278 | .850 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 14.5 |
| Lindsey Hunter | 49 | 49 | 35.8 | .435 | .386 | .753 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 11.9 |
| Joe Dumars | 38 | 38 | 29.4 | .411 | .403 | .836 | 1.8 | 3.5 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 11.3 |
| Bison Dele | 49 | 48 | 24.0 | .501 | .000 | .686 | 5.6 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 10.5 |
| Christian Laettner | 16 | 0 | 21.1 | .358 | .333 | .772 | 3.4 | 1.5 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 7.6 |
| Jerome Williams | 50 | 10 | 23.1 | .500 | | .673 | 7.0 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 0.1 | 7.1 |
| Jud Buechler | 50 | 0 | 21.1 | .417 | .412 | .722 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 5.5 |
| Don Reid | 47 | 30 | 19.9 | .557 | | .608 | 3.6 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.9 | 5.1 |
| Korleone Young | 3 | 0 | 5.0 | .500 | .250 | 1.000 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.3 |
| Loy Vaught | 37 | 10 | 13.0 | .381 | .000 | .643 | 3.9 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 3.4 |
| Charles O'Bannon | 18 | 1 | 9.2 | .429 | .000 | 1.000 | 1.9 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 3.1 |
| Khalid Reeves | 11 | 0 | 10.2 | .381 | .333 | .571 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 2.3 |
| Eric Montross | 46 | 2 | 12.5 | .525 | .000 | .344 | 3.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 2.1 |
| Mikki Moore | 2 | 0 | 3.0 | 1.000 | | 1.000 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| Mark Macon | 7 | 3 | 9.9 | .200 | .333 | | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 1.3 |
| Corey Beck | 8 | 0 | 3.8 | .500 | | 1.000 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.3 |
| Steve Henson | 4 | 0 | 6.3 | .500 | | 1.000 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.0 |

### Playoffs

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Grant Hill | 5 | 5 | 35.2 | .457 | .000 | .813 | 7.2 | 7.4 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 19.4 |
| Bison Dele | 5 | 5 | 24.4 | .600 | | .556 | 6.4 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 10.6 |
| Joe Dumars | 5 | 5 | 30.6 | .487 | .526 | 1.000 | 1.4 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 10.2 |
| Christian Laettner | 5 | 0 | 24.6 | .426 | | .786 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 10.2 |
| Jerry Stackhouse | 5 | 0 | 24.8 | .391 | .250 | .857 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 10.0 |
| Lindsey Hunter | 5 | 5 | 36.0 | .264 | .273 | 1.000 | 3.0 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 7.2 |
| Jerome Williams | 5 | 5 | 24.6 | .444 | | .778 | 6.4 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 6.2 |
| Loy Vaught | 2 | 0 | 7.5 | .500 | | | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| Jud Buechler | 5 | 0 | 16.8 | .200 | .250 | | 2.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 1.6 |
| Eric Montross | 5 | 0 | 14.0 | .500 | | .500 | 2.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 1.4 |
| Don Reid | 4 | 0 | 5.3 | .667 | | | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| Charles O'Bannon | 4 | 0 | 2.3 | .667 | | | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
Player Statistics Citation:

## Awards and records

* Grant Hill, All-NBA Second Team