1989 NBA Finals

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The 1989 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1988-89 NBA season. The series was a rematch of the previous year's Championship Round between the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers.

During the season, the Los Angeles Lakers had won their division, with Magic Johnson collecting his second MVP award. The team swept the first three playoff series, resulting in a rematch with the Detroit Pistons in the Finals. Johnson and Byron Scott were injured with Scott suffering a hamstring injury in practice before Game 1 and Johnson pulling a hamstring during Game 2.

The Pistons won the series in a four-game sweep.

For their rough physical play, and sometimes arrogant demeanor, Pistons' center Bill Laimbeer nicknamed the team 'The Bad Boys'. The name became an unofficial 'slogan' for the Pistons throughout the next season as well.

Following the series, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar announced his retirement at 42, after 20 years with the NBA.

Pistons' guard Joe Dumars was named MVP for the series.

This series was aired on CBS. Dick Stockton and Hubie Brown called the action.

Preceded by
1988 NBA Finals
NBA Finals
1989
Succeeded by
1990 NBA Finals