The 1998–99 Detroit Pistons season was the 51st season for the Detroit Pistons in the National Basketball Association, and their 42nd season in Detroit, Michigan. Due to a lockout, the regular season began on February 5, 1999, and was cut from 82 games to 50.
Season summary
Off-season The Pistons received the eleventh overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft, and selected shooting guard Bonzi Wells out of Ball State University, but later on traded him to the Portland Trail Blazers. During the off-season, the team acquired Christian Laettner from the Atlanta Hawks, and signed free agents Loy Vaught, and Jud Buechler. Laettner would reunite with former Duke University teammate Grant Hill, but only played just 16 games due to an Achilles injury and a broken rib. After a solid year the previous season, Brian Williams changed his named to Bison Dele to honor his Cherokee heritage.
Regular season The Pistons won their first three games of the regular season, but then posted a five-game losing streak afterwards. However, the team soon posted a six-game winning streak between February and March, posted another six-game winning streak between March and April, and another six-game winning streak between April and May. The Pistons finished in third place in the Central Division with a 29–21 record, earning the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, and returning to the NBA playoffs after a one-year absence.
Hill averaged 21.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, 6.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game, and was named to the All-NBA Second Team, while sixth man Jerry Stackhouse continued to provide scoring off the bench, averaging 14.5 points per game, but struggled shooting .371 in field-goal percentage. In addition, Lindsey Hunter provided the team with 11.9 points, 3.9 assists and 1.8 steals per game, while Joe Dumars contributed 11.3 points and 3.5 assists per game, and led the Pistons with 89 three-point field goals, and Dele averaged 10.5 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. Off the bench, Laettner averaged 7.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game, while Jerome Williams provided with 7.0 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, Buechler contributed 5.5 points per game, and starting power forward Don Reid averaged 5.1 points and 3.6 rebounds per game.
Hill finished in eighth place in Most Valuable Player voting. The Pistons finished eighth in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 444,585 at The Palace of Auburn Hills during the regular season.
NBA playoffs In the Eastern Conference First Round of the 1999 NBA playoffs, the Pistons faced off against the 4th–seeded Atlanta Hawks, who were led by All-Star center Dikembe Mutombo, All-Star guard Steve Smith, and Mookie Blaylock. The Pistons lost the first two games to the Hawks on the road at the Georgia Dome, but managed to win the next two games at home, which included a Game 4 win over the Hawks at The Palace of Auburn Hills, 103–82 to even the series. However, the Pistons lost Game 5 to the Hawks at the Alexander Memorial Coliseum, 87–75, thus losing in a hard-fought five-game series; Game 5 of the series was played at the Alexander Memorial Coliseum, because the Georgia Dome was booked for a concert.
Aftermath This season also marked an end of an era, as Dumars retired after a solid fourteen-year NBA career with the Pistons, and would become the team's vice president the following season. This was also Dele's final season of his NBA career, as he retired before the following season, turning down a $36 million contract.
Draft picks
Round Pick Player Position Nationality College 1 11 Bonzi Wells SG Ball State 2 40 Korleone Young SF
Roster
Regular season
Season standings
c - clinched homecourt advantage y - clinched division title x - clinched playoff spot
Game log
| 1 | February 5 | @ Miami | | Jerry Stackhouse (24) | Jerome Williams (11) | Lindsey Hunter (5) | Miami Arena15,200 | 1–0 |- | 2 | February 7 | Indiana | | Grant Hill (26) | Eric Montross (14) | Joe Dumars (6) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills18,877 | 2–0 |- | 3 | February 8 | Washington | | Grant Hill (46) | Hill & Stackhouse (7) | Lindsey Hunter (8) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills14,210 | 3–0 |- | 4 | February 9 | @ Philadelphia | | Grant Hill (32) | Bison Dele (12) | Lindsey Hunter (4) | First Union Center15,871 | 3–1 |- | 5 | February 11 | Orlando | | Grant Hill (25) | Bison Dele (12) | Grant Hill (7) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills17,783 | 3–2 |- | 6 | February 15 | @ New York | | Grant Hill (31) | Bison Dele (10) | Jerry Stackhouse (7) | Madison Square Garden19,763 | 3–3 |- | 7 | February 16 | @ New Jersey | | Grant Hill (22) | Jerome Williams (8) | Jerry Stackhouse (3) | Continental Airlines Arena15,633 | 3–4 |- | 8 | February 17 | Miami | | Grant Hill (22) | Jerome Williams (14) | Grant Hill (3) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills17,225 | 3–5 |- | 9 | February 19 | @ Phoenix | | Jerry Stackhouse (23) | Bison Dele (11) | Jerry Stackhouse (10) | America West Arena19,023 | 4–5 |- | 10 | February 21 | @ San Antonio | | Grant Hill (16) | Williams & Dele (9) | Grant Hill (4) | Alamodome19,495 | 4–6 |- | 11 | February 23 | Toronto | | Jerry Stackhouse (18) | Grant Hill (9) | Grant Hill (10) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills14,187 | 5–6 |- | 12 | February 24 | Cleveland | | Joe Dumars (26) | Dele & Reid (8) | Grant Hill (11) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills13,271 | 6–6 |- | 13 | February 26 | Miami | | Grant Hill (22) | Grant Hill (10) | Grant Hill (8) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills20,083 | 7–6 |- | 14 | February 28 | New York | | Joe Dumars (21) | Grant Hill (11) | Grant Hill (8) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills20,896 | 8–6
| 15 | March 2 | @ Chicago | | Grant Hill (17) | Jerome Williams (10) | Grant Hill (11) | United Center22,432 | 9–6 |- | 16 | March 4 | @ Cleveland | | Grant Hill (28) | Vaught & Montross (7) | Grant Hill (8) | Gund Arena13,248 | 10–6 |- | 17 | March 6 | @ Orlando | | Grant Hill (17) | Don Reid (9) | Grant Hill (5) | Orlando Arena17,248 | 10–7 |- | 18 | March 8 | Washington | | Grant Hill (19) | Bison Dele (9) | Grant Hill (8) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills15,022 | 11–7 |- | 19 | March 10 | @ Washington | | Grant Hill (16) | Jerome Williams (11) | Lindsey Hunter (7) | MCI Center16,316 | 11–8 |- | 20 | March 12 | Boston | | Grant Hill (33) | Loy Vaught (10) | Grant Hill (8) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills19,644 | 12–8 |- | 21 | March 14 | Atlanta | | Grant Hill (27) | Grant Hill (11) | Grant Hill (7) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills14,834 | 12–9 |- | 22 | March 16 | @ Cleveland | | Grant Hill (23) | Grant Hill (12) | Joe Dumars (6) | Gund Arena12,928 | 12–10 |- | 23 | March 17 | Toronto | | Bison Dele (23) | Grant Hill (9) | Joe Dumars (7) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills14,981 | 12–11 |- | 24 | March 19 | Dallas | | Jerry Stackhouse (15) | Bison Dele (9) | Grant Hill (9) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills18,152 | 13–11 |- | 25 | March 21 | Utah | | Jerry Stackhouse (32) | Grant Hill (13) | Grant Hill (11) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills19,098 | 14–11 |- | 26 | March 22 | @ Milwaukee | | Christian Laettner (17) | Christian Laettner (9) | Laettner & Hill (3) | Bradley Center13,187 | 14–12 |- | 27 | March 24 | @ New Jersey | | Bison Dele (18) | Grant Hill (9) | Grant Hill (8) | Continental Airlines Arena16,896 | 15–12 |- | 28 | March 26 | Milwaukee | | Jerry Stackhouse (34) | Hill & Williams (9) | Lindsey Hunter (9) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills18,873 | 16–12 |- | 29 | March 28 | Seattle | | Lindsey Hunter (20) | Bison Dele (8) | Grant Hill (7) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills16,626 | 17–12 |- | 30 | March 30 | @ Atlanta | | Grant Hill (28) | Bison Dele (10) | Grant Hill (8) | Georgia Dome14,764 | 18–12 |- | 31 | March 31 | @ Boston | | Lindsey Hunter (17) | Grant Hill (11) | Lindsey Hunter (6) | FleetCenter16,915 | 19–12
| 32 | April 1 | Chicago | | Hill & Dumars (18) | Don Reid (6) | Grant Hill (11) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills17,583 | 20–12 |- | 33 | April 3 | Orlando | | Bison Dele (20) | Jud Buechler (9) | Bison Dele (5) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills22,076 | 20–13 |- | 34 | April 5 | Indiana | | Bison Dele (19) | Jerome Williams (11) | Joe Dumars (9) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills19,642 | 20–14 |- | 35 | April 7 | Atlanta | | Grant Hill (30) | Lindsey Hunter (8) | Grant Hill (9) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills16,568 | 21–14 |- | 36 | April 9 | @ Indiana | | Grant Hill (30) | Loy Vaught (7) | Grant Hill (8) | Market Square Arena16,720 | 22–14 |- | 37 | April 11 | @ Minnesota | | Grant Hill (27) | Grant Hill (8) | Lindsey Hunter (5) | Target Center19,006 | 22–15 |- | 38 | April 12 | Charlotte | | Don Reid (25) | Reid & Vaught (9) | Grant Hill (9) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills14,355 | 22–16 |- | 39 | April 14 | @ Charlotte | | Lindsey Hunter (20) | Eric Montross (11) | Charles O'Bannon (5) | Charlotte Coliseum18,229 | 22–17 |- | 40 | April 16 | New York | | Lindsey Hunter (23) | Grant Hill (8) | Grant Hill (7) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills22,076 | 23–17 |- | 41 | April 18 | @ Orlando | | Lindsey Hunter (25) | Jerome Williams (8) | Hill & Hunter (6) | Orlando Arena17,248 | 23–18 |- | 42 | April 21 | @ Charlotte | | Grant Hill (28) | Hill & Williams (9) | Grant Hill (6) | Charlotte Coliseum19,385 | 23–19 |- | 43 | April 22 | Philadelphia | | Joe Dumars (19) | Jerome Williams (13) | Joe Dumars (9) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills18,652 | 23–20 |- | 44 | April 25 | @ Toronto | | Jerry Stackhouse (24) | Jerome Williams (12) | 3 players tied (4) | Air Canada Centre19,800 | 24–20 |- | 45 | April 27 | @ Boston | | Grant Hill (32) | Jerome Williams (14) | Lindsey Hunter (4) | FleetCenter16,408 | 25–20 |- | 46 | April 28 | New Jersey | | Grant Hill (25) | Jerome Williams (15) | Grant Hill (6) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills17,795 | 26–20 |- | 47 | April 30 | @ Milwaukee | | Joe Dumars (20) | Hill & Dele (8) | Grant Hill (6) | Bradley Center18,717 | 27–20
| 48 | May 2 | Philadelphia | | Grant Hill (35) | Grant Hill (14) | Grant Hill (7) | The Palace Of Auburn Hills22,076 | 28–20 |- | 49 | May 3 | @ Chicago | | Grant Hill (22) | Lindsey Hunter (9) | Lindsey Hunter (11) | United Center22,306 | 29–20 |- | 50 | May 5 | @ Philadelphia | | Grant Hill (27) | Jerome Williams (11) | Lindsey Hunter (9) | First Union Center20,192 | 29–21
Playoffs
| 1 | May 8 | @ Atlanta | L 70–90 | Grant Hill (26) | Bison Dele (9) | Grant Hill (8) | Georgia Dome20,884 | 0–1 |- | 2 | May 10 | @ Atlanta | L 69–89 | Grant Hill (15) | Grant Hill (10) | Joe Dumars (5) | Georgia Dome16,377 | 0–2 |- | 3 | May 12 | Atlanta | W 79–63 | Christian Laettner (15) | Jerome Williams (10) | Grant Hill (5) | The Palace of Auburn Hills14,812 | 1–2 |- | 4 | May 14 | Atlanta | W 103–82 | Grant Hill (23) | Jerome Williams (8) | Grant Hill (9) | The Palace of Auburn Hills16,216 | 2–2 |- | 5 | May 16 | @ Atlanta | L 75–87 | Grant Hill (21) | Dele, Hill (7) | Grant Hill (11) | Alexander Memorial Coliseum8,460 | 2–3
Player statistics
Regular season PlayerGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG 50 50 37.0 .479 .000 .752 7.1 6.0 1.6 0.521.1 42 9 28.3 .371 .278 .850 2.5 2.8 0.8 0.514.5 49 49 35.8 .435 .386 .753 3.4 3.9 1.8 0.211.9 38 38 29.4 .411 .403 .836 1.8 3.5 0.6 0.111.3 49 48 24.0 .501 .000 .686 5.6 1.4 0.8 0.810.5 16 0 21.1 .358 .333 .772 3.4 1.5 0.9 0.87.6 50 10 23.1 .500 .673 7.0 0.5 1.3 0.17.1 50 0 21.1 .417 .412 .722 2.7 1.1 0.7 0.35.5 47 30 19.9 .557 .608 3.6 0.7 0.6 0.95.1 3 0 5.0 .500 .250 1.000 1.3 0.3 0.0 0.04.3 37 10 13.0 .381 .000 .643 3.9 0.3 0.4 0.23.4 18 1 9.2 .429 .000 1.000 1.9 0.7 0.1 0.23.1 11 0 10.2 .381 .333 .571 0.6 1.0 0.4 0.02.3 46 2 12.5 .525 .000 .344 3.0 0.3 0.3 0.62.1 2 0 3.0 1.000 1.000 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.02.0 7 3 9.9 .200 .333 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.11.3 8 0 3.8 .500 1.000 0.6 0.0 0.3 0.01.3 4 0 6.3 .500 1.000 0.0 0.8 0.3 0.01.0
Playoffs