DETROIT, Mich – The Detroit Pistons announced today that the club will host special “Championship Anniversary Nights” during two home games on Saturday, March 30 and Sunday, April 7 at Little Caesars Arena when the current Pistons team battles the Portland Trail Blazers at 7:00 p.m and the Charlotte Hornets at 4:00 p.m., respectively. The evenings will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first of two back-to-back championships in 1989 and the 15th anniversary of the 2004 NBA Champions.
1989 NBA Champion Pistons Honored Saturday, March 30
2004 NBA Champion Pistons Honored Sunday, April 7
Members of the respective championship teams will be on hand for each game which will include a special halftime ceremony along with video tributes, special in-game interviews and highlights of special moments commemorating each championship team. Each night will also have a commemorative give-a-way for fans in attendance.
The 1988-89 Detroit Pistons won 63 regular-season games and stormed through the postseason beating the Boston Celtics, Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls and finally the Los Angeles Lakers to win the first of the organization’s back-to-back championships. Team members included Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Bill Laimbeer, John Salley, Mark Aguirre, Dennis Rodman, Vinnie Johnson, James Edwards, Rick Mahorn, John Long, Fennis Dembo and Micheal Williams. The Bad Boys were constructed by Jack McCloskey and coached by the legendary Chuck Daly. Much of that core roster remained intact when the club went on to win back-to-back championships with a NBA Finals victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in 1990.
The 2004 Detroit Pistons won 54 games, including a 20-6 mark of the team’s final 26 games, and cruised through the postseason beating the Milwaukee Bucks, New Jersey Nets, Indiana Pacers and the Los Angeles Lakers to deliver the franchise’s third NBA Championship. The squad’s defense held an NBA record 11 teams under 70 points, including an NBA record of holding five consecutive opponents under 70 points in a game. Constructed by Joe Dumars and coached by Larry Brown, the roster included Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Ben Wallace, Rasheed Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, Corliss Williamson, Lindsey Hunter, Mehmet Okur, Mike James, Elden Campbell, Darvin Ham, Darko Milicic and Tremaine Fowlkes.