1987–88 Detroit Pistons season

The 1987–88 Detroit Pistons season was the 40th season for the Detroit Pistons in the National Basketball Association, and their 31st season in Detroit, Michigan. This was also the team's final season in which they played their home games at the Pontiac Silverdome in suburban Pontiac, Michigan.

After a 7–5 start to the regular season, the Pistons posted a 10-game winning streak in December, and later on held a 25–16 record at the All-Star break. At mid-season, the team acquired James Edwards from the Phoenix Suns. The Pistons posted a seven-game winning streak in March, finished in first place in the Central Division with a 54–28 record, and earned the second seed in the Eastern Conference; it was the first Division title for the franchise since moving to Detroit in 1957.

Adrian Dantley led the team in scoring with 20.0 points per game, while Isiah Thomas averaged 19.5 points, 8.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game, and Joe Dumars provided the team with 14.2 points and 4.7 assists per game. In addition, Bill Laimbeer averaged 13.5 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, while Vinnie Johnson contributed 12.2 points and 3.3 assists per game, and second-year forward Dennis Rodman provided with 11.6 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. Meanwhile, Rick Mahorn averaged 10.7 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, and second-year center John Salley provided with 8.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game.

During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois, Thomas was selected for the 1988 NBA All-Star Game, as a member of the Eastern Conference All-Star team. Thomas, a native of Chicago, dished out 15 assists as the Eastern Conference defeated the Western Conference, 138–133. Thomas also finished in twelfth place in Most Valuable Player voting, while Dantley finished tied in 14th place, and Rodman finished tied in eighth place in Defensive Player of the Year voting.

In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1988 NBA playoffs, the Pistons faced off against the 7th–seeded Washington Bullets, a team that featured All-Star center Moses Malone, All-Star guard Jeff Malone, and Bernard King. The Pistons won the first two games over the Bullets at home at the Pontiac Silverdome, before losing the next two games on the road, which included a Game 4 loss to the Bullets at the Capital Centre, 106–103. With the series tied at 2–2, the Pistons won Game 5 over the Bullets at the Pontiac Silverdome, 99–78 to win in a hard-fought five-game series.

In the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, the team faced off against the 3rd–seeded Chicago Bulls, who were led by All-Star guard, Most Valuable Player, and Defensive Player of the Year, Michael Jordan, Charles Oakley and Sam Vincent. The Pistons won Game 1 over the Bulls at the Pontiac Silverdome, 93–82, but then lost Game 2 at home, 105–95 as the Bulls evened the series. The Pistons managed to win the next two games on the road at the Chicago Stadium, before winning Game 5 over the Bulls at the Pontiac Silverdome, 102–95 to win the series in five games.

In the Eastern Conference Finals, and for the second consecutive year, the Pistons faced off against the top–seeded, and Atlantic Division champion Boston Celtics, who were led by the All-Star quartet of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish and Danny Ainge. The Pistons won Game 1 over the Celtics on the road, 104–96 at the Boston Garden, but then lost Game 2 on the road in overtime, 119–115. With the series tied at 2–2, the Pistons won the next two games, including a Game 6 home win over the Celtics at the Pontiac Silverdome, 95–90 to win the series in six games, and advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1956, when the team was based in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

In the 1988 NBA Finals, the Pistons faced off against the top–seeded, and defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers, who were led by the quartet of All-Star guard Magic Johnson, All-Star forward James Worthy, Byron Scott and All-Star center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The Pistons won Game 1 over the Lakers on the road, 105–93 at the Great Western Forum, but then lost the next two games as the Lakers took a 2–1 series lead. The Pistons managed to win the next two games, including a Game 5 home win over the Lakers at the Pontiac Silverdome, 104–96 to take a 3–2 series lead.

However, in Game 6 at the Great Western Forum, Thomas suffered a gruesome ankle injury; on the sidelines, camera shots displayed the critical condition of Thomas's foot, as he could barely fit his shoe back on, but he insisted on playing. Hobbling badly for the rest of the game, Thomas put on a show, scoring 25 points in the third quarter, and 43 points in the game. In the closing seconds, and with the Pistons ahead, there was a controversial call on Laimbeer. Abdul-Jabbar feinted over his right shoulder to the middle, then pivoted to his left for his classic sky hook along the baseline; Laimbeer raised his hands straight above his head to show he was not fouling, and yet was called for what Lakers head coach Pat Riley would call a "phantom foul". The Pistons lost to the Lakers, 103–102 as Abdul-Jabbar made both free throws to even the series. In Game 7 at the Great Western Forum, and with a very limited Thomas, the Pistons lost to the Lakers, 108–105, thus losing in a hard-fought seven-game series, as the Lakers won their second consecutive NBA championship.

The Pistons led the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 1,066,505 at the Pontiac Silverdome during the regular season. Game 5 of the NBA Finals was the franchise's last game at the Pontiac Silverdome, as the Pistons would move to another Detroit-area suburban arena, the purpose-built arena known as The Palace of Auburn Hills, the following season.