RetroSeasons recaps past sports seasons through stories, photos, videos, and stats from every team, league, and stadium in history. Coverage includes the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL, as well as vintage media from defunct teams and leagues.
The 1990–91 NBA season was the 45th season of the National Basketball Association. The season ended with the Chicago Bulls winning their first NBA Championship, eliminating the Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals.
* The Trent Tucker Rule was adopted. When Trent Tucker hit a walk-off three-point field goal at the buzzer in the previous season, the clock had started with 0.1 left. It prevents any shot to be taken with up to 0.2 seconds left in the period; the lone exception was a tip-in.
* The Los Angeles Lakers failed to win their division for the first time in ten years.
* The Orlando Magic moved to the Midwest Division of the Western Conference, but like the Miami Heat two seasons ago, experienced long road trips back and forth out west. They would move to the Atlantic Division the next season.
* The 1991 NBA All-Star Game was played at the Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina, with the East defeating the West 116-114. Charles Barkley of the Philadelphia 76ers won the game's MVP award. In the Three-Point Shootout, Chicago Bulls guard Craig Hodges set a record by making 19 consecutive shots, en route to winning his second straight shootout title, and Boston Celtics guard Dee Brown won the Slam Dunk Contest.
* The Minnesota Timberwolves played their first game at the Target Center. They had played their first season at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome while Target Center was being built.
* The NBA on NBC began (replacing The NBA on CBS) when the National Broadcasting Company signed a 4-year, US$600 million deal with the NBA. The relationship lasted 12 years (concluding at the end of the 2001–02 NBA season), until The NBA on ABC returned in 2002–03.
* On December 30, the last game of 1990, Scott Skiles of Orlando recorded 30 assists in a game against the Denver Nuggets to set a new NBA record.
* The Utah Jazz played their final season at the Salt Palace.
* The flagrant foul was instituted.
* For the first time since 1981, the Los Angeles Lakers were not the Number 1 seed in the Western Conference. However they still reached the NBA Finals by upsetting the heavily favored Portland Trail Blazers in six games. They would go on to lose to the Chicago Bulls in five games, their last NBA Finals appearance until 2000.
* During the season, all NBA teams sport patches featuring the American flag on their warmups as an honor to the American soldiers fighting during the Persian Gulf War. Champion became the league's official outfitter.
* The Golden State Warriors became the only seventh seeded team to beat the second seed twice since the 16-team playoff field was introduced seven years earlier. The Warriors swept the San Antonio Spurs in four games.
* The NBA becomes the first major professional sports league to play outside North America, as the Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz open the season against each other in Tokyo, Japan.
* On March 9, 1991, the Houston Rockets' Akeem Olajuwon officially changed the spelling of his first name to Hakeem.
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NBA 1965 Boston Celtics vs 1965 Los Angeles Lakers • Full Game Simulation
The 1965 NBA matchup between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers is a classic confrontation in the annals of basketball history. This was a time when the Celtics were in the midst of their legendary run of 11 championships in 13 seasons, under the leadership of the iconic coach Red Auerbach and with the indomitable Bill Russell at center. On the other hand, the Lakers, though not quite the powerhouse they would become in later years, were a formidable opponent with stars like Jerry West and Elgin Baylor lighting up the court. During the 1964-65 season, the Celtics had the upper hand, ultimately defeating the Lakers in the NBA Finals. However, the Lakers were always a tough challenge for the Celtics, and their games were often closely contested. This full game simulation should provide a fascinating look at two of the most storied franchises in NBA history at a pivotal time in their rivalry.
February 9, 1991 - Technically, Dee Brown already had the 1991 NBA Slam Dunk Contest...
Dee Brown - No-Look Dunk (1991 Dunk Contest) / February 9, 1991 - Technically, Dee Brown already had the 1991 NBA Slam Dunk Contest in the bag prior to his last dunk of the final round. This no-look finish was just the cherry on top of a thoroughly dynamic performance (all of Brown's dunks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uD8ZqkoM5E). Brown received a 49.6 for the dunk above.
In this clip, John Salley explained where the origin of the perceived beef between Michael...
John Salley: Magic, Not Jordan, was the Reason Isiah Thomas Didn't Make the Dream Team / In this clip, John Salley explained where the origin of the perceived beef between Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas started. According to John, it was sparked by Isiah's nephew wearing a Chicago Bulls jersey which made Isiah develop a certain disdain for the Bulls. But John explained further that it wasn't personal. He also said that the story of MJ keeping Isiah off the Dream Team was a myth and in fact, it was Magic Johnson's doing which kept him from making the Olympic squad.
Later on, John Salley talked about the Bulls becoming a force only after Scottie Pippen assumed more responsibility and that the narrative around the "Bad Boys" of the Detroit Pistons was started by Phil Jackson.
Ryan, Channing, and Fred sit down with one of the most iconic athletes who just...
Isiah Thomas 12x NBA All Star on Detroit Bad Boys, Magic Johnson & Feud w/ Michael Jordan / Ryan, Channing, and Fred sit down with one of the most iconic athletes who just happens to be their long time idol, NBA hall of famer, Isiah Thomas. The original Bad Boy of Detroit Pistons is opening up and talking everything from his relationship with Magic Johnson to Detroit Pistons changing the game to sharing his side of the infamous Michael Jordan feud.
Isiah starts the show saying very simply that he is going to state facts and you can’t argue facts and that it’s one thing to win a championship in the NBA but it’s another to win a championship at every level ever played.
Growing up on the West Side of Chicago, Isiah shares how his upbringing was shaped by his mother’s guidance and a family first mentality where his mother cared more about the type of man he’d become vs the money and opportunity being offered. His mom’s influence was so great, it became her decision where he played college basketball and also who he played for.
Explaining how he ended up in Bloomington, Indiana playing for Bobby Knight, he expounds on the life lessons that shaped him there not just winning back to back collegiate championships.
The West Side of Chicago is home to many activists and organizations such as Fred Hampton, Martin Luther King Jr, and The Black Panther Party. Isiah grew up in this environment and recalls marching alongside his mother with Dr.King. Spearheading change at the national level, Isiah used his local groundwork in Detroit to advocate for Black journalists covering the team, more rights for Black NBA players leaving a greater impact with his legacy not just on the court but in culture.
Isiah makes his case known for why so many people overlook Detroit Pistons as transcending the NBA and shares what the team really did for the league and how they were the firsts to do many things back then setting the example of how teams should be and move.
Known for his historic rivalry with Michael Jordan, Ryan asks what were his thoughts on the way his character was portrayed by Jordan in The Last Dance. Isiah provides The Pivot with an exclusive inside look to his true relationship with MJ and goes on to say that he always looked out for Michael and that their families were even close. He also speaks about how rules within the NBA were changed to protect Michael Jordan. Isaih doesn’t hold back as he shares his thoughts on while he was deemed the a-hole of the NBA when in fact he was the nice guy.
Lastly, Isiah lets the guys in on the history of his and Magic’s close relationship and what led up to their legendary interview. He gives credit to the current legends playing the game such as Lebron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant, and says they’ve transformed the game in
1 Comment
I sincerely appreciate the research work, and the information being shared. It is important and interesting history.
I sincerely appreciate the research work, and the information being shared. It is important and interesting history.