Overview
The Detroit Pistons defeated the Los Angeles Lakers four games to one in the NBA Finals to conclude the 2003-04 NBA season. The Lakers came into the series as heavy favorites but lost the first game, and after winning the second, lost three straight to end the series.
This series marked the third time the Pistons and Lakers met in the NBA Finals. The Lakers won the first meeting, in 1988, but the Pistons swept the Lakers the following season.
Chauncey Billups was named the series MVP. He was the first Finals MVP to win the award before making an All-Star team since another Pistons guard, Joe Dumars, did it in 1989.
The Lakers had home-court advantage for the Finals, by virtue of their 56-26 regular-season record. The two teams split their regular-season meetings in 2003-04, with each team winning on its home court.
This series marked the third time the Pistons and Lakers met in the NBA Finals. The Lakers won the first meeting, in 1988, but the Pistons swept the Lakers the following season.
Chauncey Billups was named the series MVP. He was the first Finals MVP to win the award before making an All-Star team since another Pistons guard, Joe Dumars, did it in 1989.
The Lakers had home-court advantage for the Finals, by virtue of their 56-26 regular-season record. The two teams split their regular-season meetings in 2003-04, with each team winning on its home court.
Road to the Finals
| Team | Pistons | Lakers |
| Regular Season | 54-28, 2nd in Central Division | 56-26, 1st in Pacific Division |
| First Round | Def. (6) Milwaukee Bucks, 4-1 | Def. (7) Houston Rockets, 4-1 |
| Conference Semifinals | Def. (2) New Jersey Nets, 4-3 | Def. (3) San Antonio Spurs, 4-2 |
| Conference Finals | Def. (1) Indiana Pacers, 4-2 | Def. (1) Minnesota Timberwolves, 4-2 |
Game 1 - Pistons 87, Lakers 75
Thanks to a defense that held the Lakers to just 34 points in the second half, the Pistons overcame a one-point halftime deficit and took a 1-0 lead in the series, stealing home-court advantage from the Lakers.
Chauncey Billups scored 22 points to lead the Pistons, who had four of their five starters score in double figures. (Only Ben Wallace, with nine points, failed to reach double digits.) The Pistons made up for their 46.2 percent shooting by holding the Lakers to 39.7 percent from the field.
Shaquille O'Neal scored 34 points on 13-of-16 shooting. He was also 8-of-12 from the free-throw line, but didn't attempt a free throw in the second half, as the Lakers struggled to get him the ball. Kobe Bryant did most of the shooting for L.A. late in the game, but was just 10-of-27 from the field. He missed 10 of the 15 shots he attempted after halftime.
Gary Payton and Karl Malone, a pair of former Finals stars making their first Finals appearance for the Lakers, combined for just seven points on 3-of-13 shooting. Other than O'Neal and Bryant, no Lakers player scored more than five points.
Chauncey Billups scored 22 points to lead the Pistons, who had four of their five starters score in double figures. (Only Ben Wallace, with nine points, failed to reach double digits.) The Pistons made up for their 46.2 percent shooting by holding the Lakers to 39.7 percent from the field.
Shaquille O'Neal scored 34 points on 13-of-16 shooting. He was also 8-of-12 from the free-throw line, but didn't attempt a free throw in the second half, as the Lakers struggled to get him the ball. Kobe Bryant did most of the shooting for L.A. late in the game, but was just 10-of-27 from the field. He missed 10 of the 15 shots he attempted after halftime.
Gary Payton and Karl Malone, a pair of former Finals stars making their first Finals appearance for the Lakers, combined for just seven points on 3-of-13 shooting. Other than O'Neal and Bryant, no Lakers player scored more than five points.
Game 2 - Lakers 99, Pistons 91 (OT)
After controlling the first half and taking an eight-point lead into halftime, the Lakers allowed the Pistons to score 30 points in the third quarter to cut the deficit to two. Detroit took the lead in the fourth quarter and led by six with 40 seconds left. Then Shaquille O'Neal converted a 3-point play and after a miss by Chauncey Billups, Kobe Bryant hit a 3-pointer with 2.1 seconds left to force overtime. In the extra session, the Lakers outscored the Pistons 10-2 to even the series at one game apiece.
Bryant finished with 33 points, while Shaquille O'Neal had 29 -- including six of the Lakers' 10 in the overtime period. The Lakers improved to 7-0 in overtime games in the 2003-04 season (including playoffs). Luke Walton, who didn't play at all in Game 1, had seven points (on 3-3 shooting) and eight assists, helping the Lakers jump out to their big first-half lead. For the second consecutive game, Bryant and O'Neal were the only Lakers in double figures.
The Pistons shot just 1-of-9 from the field in overtime and finished the game shooting 39.5 percent. Chauncey Billups had 27 points and Richard Hamilton added 26, but the two guards combined to miss 24 of their 40 shots.
Bryant finished with 33 points, while Shaquille O'Neal had 29 -- including six of the Lakers' 10 in the overtime period. The Lakers improved to 7-0 in overtime games in the 2003-04 season (including playoffs). Luke Walton, who didn't play at all in Game 1, had seven points (on 3-3 shooting) and eight assists, helping the Lakers jump out to their big first-half lead. For the second consecutive game, Bryant and O'Neal were the only Lakers in double figures.
The Pistons shot just 1-of-9 from the field in overtime and finished the game shooting 39.5 percent. Chauncey Billups had 27 points and Richard Hamilton added 26, but the two guards combined to miss 24 of their 40 shots.
Game 3 - Pistons 88, Lakers 68
With the series shifted to Detroit, the Pistons used a stifling defense to regain momentum and take a 2-1 series lead. Detroit held the Lakers to 68 points, the fewest the Lakers had ever scored in a playoff game.
Richard Hamilton bounced back from his poor shooting effort in Game 2 to score a game-high 31 points, making 11 of his 22 shots from the field and all seven of his free-throw attempts. The Pistons opened the game on an 8-0 run and never trailed.
Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers with just 14 points, shooting 7-of-14 from the field. After the game, O'Neal complained that he wasn't getting the ball enough in the series. Kobe Bryant failed to make a shot in the first half and finished with 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting. Again, O'Neal and Bryant were the only Lakers players in double figures.
In the fourth quarter, the game was such a blowout that much-maligned Pistons rookie Darko Milicic, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, made his Finals debut. He played the final two minutes of the game but missed the only shot he attempted.
This was the 10th time since 1985 (when the Finals went to a 2-3-2 format) that teams split the first two games. Each of the previous nine times, the winner of Game 3 went on to win the title.
Richard Hamilton bounced back from his poor shooting effort in Game 2 to score a game-high 31 points, making 11 of his 22 shots from the field and all seven of his free-throw attempts. The Pistons opened the game on an 8-0 run and never trailed.
Shaquille O'Neal led the Lakers with just 14 points, shooting 7-of-14 from the field. After the game, O'Neal complained that he wasn't getting the ball enough in the series. Kobe Bryant failed to make a shot in the first half and finished with 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting. Again, O'Neal and Bryant were the only Lakers players in double figures.
In the fourth quarter, the game was such a blowout that much-maligned Pistons rookie Darko Milicic, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, made his Finals debut. He played the final two minutes of the game but missed the only shot he attempted.
This was the 10th time since 1985 (when the Finals went to a 2-3-2 format) that teams split the first two games. Each of the previous nine times, the winner of Game 3 went on to win the title.
Game 4 - Pistons 88, Lakers 80
The two teams entered the fourth quarter tied, but the Pistons outscored the Lakers 32-24 over the final 12 minutes to take a 3-1 series lead. The Lakers -- who had been dealing with internal controversy -- began to unravel, as Kobe Bryant picked up a technical foul late in the game, and Shaquille O'Neal could be seen in the Lakers' huddle yelling at someone.
Rasheed Wallace had a team-high 26 points for the Pistons and matched Ben Wallace for the team lead in rebounds (13). The balanced Pistons also got 23 points from Chauncey Billups and 17 from Richard Hamilton. Detroit's starting backcourt of Billups and Hamilton outscored the Lakers starting backcourt of Bryant and Gary Payton 40-28.
O'Neal led all players with 36 points and 20 rebounds, but attempted just 21 shots from the field. By comparison, Bryant attempted 25, including 14 in the first half. However, he made just eight shots for the game, finishing with 20 points.
This was the final game in Karl Malone's career. Struggling with a knee injury for much of the postseason, Malone would not be able to play in Game 5. He finished with two points and five rebounds in Game 4, giving him 4,761 points in his postseason career. At the time it was the third most in NBA history. (Shaquille O'Neal passed him for 3rd in 2006.)
Rasheed Wallace had a team-high 26 points for the Pistons and matched Ben Wallace for the team lead in rebounds (13). The balanced Pistons also got 23 points from Chauncey Billups and 17 from Richard Hamilton. Detroit's starting backcourt of Billups and Hamilton outscored the Lakers starting backcourt of Bryant and Gary Payton 40-28.
O'Neal led all players with 36 points and 20 rebounds, but attempted just 21 shots from the field. By comparison, Bryant attempted 25, including 14 in the first half. However, he made just eight shots for the game, finishing with 20 points.
This was the final game in Karl Malone's career. Struggling with a knee injury for much of the postseason, Malone would not be able to play in Game 5. He finished with two points and five rebounds in Game 4, giving him 4,761 points in his postseason career. At the time it was the third most in NBA history. (Shaquille O'Neal passed him for 3rd in 2006.)
Game 5 - Pistons 100, Lakers 87
Facing elimination, the Lakers jumped out to a 10-4 lead to start the game but fell behind by the end of the first quarter and trailed by 10 points at halftime en route to a 13-point series-clinching win for the Pistons. Detroit was never in danger of losing in the second half, leading by as many as 28 points before pulling most of its starters.
All five Pistons starters scored in double-figures, led by Richard Hamilton's 21 points. Ben Wallace had 18 points and 22 rebounds for the Pistons, who outrebounded the Lakers 50-36 in the game.
Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 24 points but once again struggled with his shot, making just seven of 21 attempts from the field. Shaquille O'Neal had 20 points but attempted just 13 shots from the field and missed 10 of his 16 free-throw attempts. For the first time in the series, a Lakers player other than Bryant or O'Neal scored at least 10 points. (Slava Medvedenko and Derek Fisher had 10 each.)
The Pistons became the first Eastern Conference team since the 1998 Bulls to win an NBA title. They were also the first team to win a title without one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players on the roster since the 1979 SuperSonics. Pistons coach Larry Brown became the first coach to win NBA and NCAA titles, having won the NCAA championship with Kansas in 1988.
This game marked the end of the Lakers' mini-dynasty in the early part of the decade. After the season, coach Phil Jackson chose temporarily to retire from coaching, though he returned to the Lakers after a one-year hiatus. Bryant opted out of his contract and ended up re-signing with the Lakers, though not before O'Neal had been traded to Miami. Malone retired, Payton was traded to the Celtics and Fisher left as a free agent to sign with the Warriors.
All five Pistons starters scored in double-figures, led by Richard Hamilton's 21 points. Ben Wallace had 18 points and 22 rebounds for the Pistons, who outrebounded the Lakers 50-36 in the game.
Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 24 points but once again struggled with his shot, making just seven of 21 attempts from the field. Shaquille O'Neal had 20 points but attempted just 13 shots from the field and missed 10 of his 16 free-throw attempts. For the first time in the series, a Lakers player other than Bryant or O'Neal scored at least 10 points. (Slava Medvedenko and Derek Fisher had 10 each.)
The Pistons became the first Eastern Conference team since the 1998 Bulls to win an NBA title. They were also the first team to win a title without one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players on the roster since the 1979 SuperSonics. Pistons coach Larry Brown became the first coach to win NBA and NCAA titles, having won the NCAA championship with Kansas in 1988.
This game marked the end of the Lakers' mini-dynasty in the early part of the decade. After the season, coach Phil Jackson chose temporarily to retire from coaching, though he returned to the Lakers after a one-year hiatus. Bryant opted out of his contract and ended up re-signing with the Lakers, though not before O'Neal had been traded to Miami. Malone retired, Payton was traded to the Celtics and Fisher left as a free agent to sign with the Warriors.