163-861: Michael Howard Finley (born March 6, 1973) is an American former professional basketball player who is the Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played 15 seasons in the NBA, predominantly with the Mavericks, but also for the Phoenix Suns (who drafted him in 1995 ), the San Antonio Spurs , and the Boston Celtics . He
326-417: A technical foul is given one, two or three one-point free throws . The team with the most points at the end of the game wins, but if regulation play expires with the score tied, an additional period of play ( overtime ) is mandated. Players advance the ball by bouncing it while walking or running (dribbling) or by passing it to a teammate, both of which require considerable skill. On offense, players may use
489-551: A "phantom foul". With Thomas unable to compete at full strength, the Pistons narrowly fell in Game 7, 108–105, as the Lakers became the first back-to-back NBA Champions since the 1969 Boston Celtics . Prior to the 1988–89 season , the Pistons moved to Auburn Hills to play at The Palace of Auburn Hills , the first NBA arena financed entirely with private funds. The 1989 Pistons completed
652-408: A 3–2 series lead back to Los Angeles, Detroit appeared poised to win their first NBA title in Game 6. In that game, Isiah Thomas scored an NBA Finals record 25 points in the third quarter while playing on a severely sprained ankle. However, the Lakers won the game, 103–102, on a pair of last-second free throws by Abdul-Jabbar following a controversial foul called on Bill Laimbeer, referred to by many as
815-404: A backboard that measures 6 by 3.5 feet (1.8 by 1.1 meters) and one basket is at each end of the court. The white outlined box on the backboard is 18 inches (46 cm) high and 2 feet (61 cm) wide. At almost all levels of competition, the top of the rim is exactly 10 feet (3.05 meters) above the court and 4 feet (1.22 meters) inside the baseline. While variation is possible in the dimensions of
978-495: A basket mounted on a wall. Naismith wrote the basic rules and nailed a peach basket onto an elevated track. Naismith initially set up the peach basket with its bottom intact, which meant that the ball had to be retrieved manually after each "basket" or point scored. This quickly proved tedious, so Naismith removed the bottom of the basket to allow the balls to be poked out with a long dowel after each scored basket. Shortly after, Senda Berenson , instructor of physical culture at
1141-496: A children's game called duck on a rock , as many had failed before it. Frank Mahan, one of the players from the original first game, approached Naismith after the Christmas break, in early 1892, asking him what he intended to call his new game. Naismith replied that he had not thought of it because he had been focused on just getting the game started. Mahan suggested that it be called "Naismith ball", at which he laughed, saying that
1304-541: A clutch player for the Mavericks. In 2005, he was waived by Dallas to avoid luxury taxes (as part of the league's new labor agreement). Finley became an unrestricted free agent and after being pursued by Detroit , Miami , Minnesota , and Phoenix , he elected to remain in Texas with the San Antonio Spurs . In San Antonio , Finley adapted well to a secondary role as Manu Ginóbili 's backup, developing and emphasizing his outside shooting. The Spurs would face Finley's former team
1467-405: A dribble, the player cannot carry the ball by placing their hand on the bottom of the ball; doing so is known as carrying the ball . A team, once having established ball control in the front half of their court, may not return the ball to the backcourt and be the first to touch it. A violation of these rules results in loss of possession. The ball may not be kicked, nor be struck with the fist. For
1630-714: A foul by Frank Brian with 12 seconds left that enabled King's winning free throw, and a turnover by the Pistons' Andy Phillip in the final seconds which cost them a chance to attempt the game winning shot. In the following season , the Pistons made it back to the NBA Finals . However, they were defeated by the Philadelphia Warriors in five games. Though the Pistons enjoyed a solid local following, Fort Wayne's small size made it difficult for them to be profitable, especially as other early NBA teams based in smaller cities started folding or relocating to larger markets. After
1793-470: A game since 1974, to play Games 3, 4 and 5. The Pistons won all three games in Portland, becoming the first NBA team to sweep the middle three games on the road. The decisive game came down to the final second. Trailing 90–83 with two minutes remaining, the Pistons rallied to tie the game, then took a 92–90 lead when Vinnie Johnson sank a 15-foot jumper with 00.7 seconds left in the game; this shot earned Johnson
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#17328586416191956-583: A game. In 2001, he was again selected to represent the Western Conference on All-Star weekend. He played for the US national team in the 2002 FIBA World Championship , which lost a record-three games and failed to win a championship for the first time in a major competition since FIBA opened international competitions to NBA players. While Finley began to play more of a supporting role ( small forward ) as he aged and teammate Dirk Nowitzki blossomed, he remained
2119-459: A half-time break under FIBA, NBA, and NCAA rules and 10 minutes in United States high schools. Overtime periods are five minutes in length except for high school, which is four minutes in length. Teams exchange baskets for the second half. The time allowed is actual playing time; the clock is stopped while the play is not active. Therefore, games generally take much longer to complete than
2282-712: A loss to the Indiana Pacers . The Pistons finished with a 27–55 record, their worst since 1994. Another 50-loss season, this time finishing at 30–52, led to the firing of Kuester at the end of the 2010–11 season. On April 7, 2011, Karen Davidson, the widow of the late Bill Davidson, reached a long-awaited agreement to sell the franchise to billionaire Tom Gores , which was approved by the NBA Board of Governors in May. The deal also included The Palace of Auburn Hills and DTE Energy Music Theatre . According to Crain's Detroit Business ,
2445-504: A name like that would kill any game. Mahan then said, "Why not call it basketball?" Naismith replied, "We have a basket and a ball, and it seems to me that would be a good name for it." The first official game was played in the YMCA gymnasium in Albany , New York, on January 20, 1892, with nine players. The game ended at 1–0; the shot was made from 25 feet (7.6 m), on a court just half the size of
2608-455: A new nickname in Detroit, "007", to go with his original, "The Microwave". Isiah Thomas was named NBA Finals MVP. The Pistons' championship run came to an end in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals, as they were swept by the eventual NBA champion Chicago Bulls in four games. The most critical injury during this time belonged to Isiah Thomas, who had suffered a wrist injury a few months prior to
2771-441: A present-day Streetball or National Basketball Association (NBA) court. At the time, soccer was being played with 10 to a team (which was increased to 11). When winter weather got too icy to play soccer, teams were taken indoors, and it was convenient to have them split in half and play basketball with five on each side. By 1897–98, teams of five became standard. Basketball's early adherents were dispatched to YMCAs throughout
2934-600: A promising small forward , with the third overall pick. However, this period also saw the team make numerous questionable personnel decisions, such as the loss of free agent Allan Houston to the New York Knicks , the signing of free agent washouts Loy Vaught and Bison Dele ; and head coaching changes from Ron Rothstein to Don Chaney to Doug Collins to Alvin Gentry to George Irvine in an eight-year span. Of these coaches, only Collins had any sort of success with
3097-670: A season. The Pistons played in Olympia Stadium (home of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL) at the time) for their first four seasons, then moved to Cobo Arena beginning in the 1961–62 season . During the 1960s and 1970s, the Pistons were characterized by talented players including George Yardley, Bailey Howell , Dave Debusschere , Dave Bing , and Bob Lanier , questionable trades, and frequent coaching changes. At one point, DeBusschere
3260-687: A semi-professional company basketball team called the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons after he received a request from his workers. In 1941, the Zollner Pistons shed their works team roots and joined the National Basketball League (NBL). The Zollner Pistons were NBL champions in 1944 and 1945. They also won the World Professional Basketball Tournament in 1944, 1945 and 1946. In 1948, the team became
3423-501: A series of venues, including Catholic University , Georgetown and George Mason . The National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament for Black High Schools was held from 1929 to 1942 at Hampton Institute . The National Invitational Interscholastic Basketball Tournament was held from 1941 to 1967 starting out at Tuskegee Institute . Following a pause during World War II it resumed at Tennessee State College in Nashville. The basis for
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#17328586416193586-423: A standard uniform consists of a pair of shorts and a jersey with a clearly visible number, unique within the team, printed on both the front and back. Players wear high-top sneakers that provide extra ankle support. Typically, team names, players' names and, outside of North America, sponsors are printed on the uniforms. A limited number of time-outs, clock stoppages requested by a coach (or sometimes mandated in
3749-490: A teammate's field goal attempt. Goaltending is a defender's touching of a ball that is on a downward flight toward the basket, while the related violation of basket interference is the touching of a ball that is on the rim or above the basket, or by a player reaching through the basket from below. Goaltending and basket interference committed by a defender result in awarding the basket to the offense, while basket interference committed by an offensive player results in cancelling
3912-591: A total of three referees on the court. The table officials are responsible for keeping track of each team's scoring, timekeeping, individual and team fouls , player substitutions, team possession arrow , and the shot clock . The only essential equipment in a basketball game is the ball and the court: a flat, rectangular surface with baskets at opposite ends. Competitive levels require the use of more equipment such as clocks, score sheets, scoreboards, alternating possession arrows, and whistle-operated stop-clock systems. A regulation basketball court in international games
4075-557: A touring Canadian women's team based in Edmonton , Alberta, operated between 1915 and 1940. The Grads toured all over North America, and were exceptionally successful. They posted a record of 522 wins and only 20 losses over that span, as they met any team that wanted to challenge them, funding their tours from gate receipts. The Grads also shone on several exhibition trips to Europe, and won four consecutive exhibition Olympics tournaments, in 1924, 1928, 1932, and 1936; however, women's basketball
4238-525: A trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers in February 1982. Another key move by the Pistons was the hiring of head coach Chuck Daly in 1983. Initially, the Pistons had difficulty moving up the NBA ladder. In 1984 , the Pistons lost a tough five-game series to the underdog New York Knicks , 3–2. In the 1985 playoffs , Detroit won its first-round series and faced the defending champion Boston Celtics in
4401-523: A variety of shots – the layup , the jump shot , or a dunk ; on defense, they may steal the ball from a dribbler, intercept passes, or block shots; either offense or defense may collect a rebound , that is, a missed shot that bounces from rim or backboard. It is a violation to lift or drag one's pivot foot without dribbling the ball , to carry it, or to hold the ball with both hands then resume dribbling . The five players on each side fall into five playing positions . The tallest player
4564-458: A verbal agreement with the Boston Celtics to join the team for the remainder of the 2009–10 season. He signed with the Celtics on March 6, 2010. The Celtics would reach the 2010 NBA Finals , but would lose to the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in seven games. At the end of the season, Finley announced he would retire. Finley began playing basketball in elementary school. His favorite player
4727-532: A widely respected assistant coach who had been a contributor for the Celtics during the mid-1980s. The franchise also returned to its traditional red, white, and blue colors. Carlisle helped lead the Pistons to their first 50-win season since 1997 , and their first playoff series victory since 1991 by defeating the Toronto Raptors in five games. They lost, however, to the Boston Celtics in five games. In
4890-621: A winter season (April–September) and did so until the completion of the 20th season in 1998 . The 1998–99 season, which commenced only months later, was the first season after the shift to the current summer season format (October–April). This shift was an attempt to avoid competing directly against Australia's various football codes . It features 8 teams from around Australia and one in New Zealand. A few players including Luc Longley , Andrew Gaze , Shane Heal , Chris Anstey and Andrew Bogut made it big internationally, becoming poster figures for
5053-489: Is 28 meters (92 feet) long and 15 meters (49 feet) wide. In the NBA and NCAA the court is 94 by 50 feet (29 by 15 meters). Most courts have wood flooring , usually constructed from maple planks running in the same direction as the longer court dimension. The name and logo of the home team is usually painted on or around the center circle. The basket is a steel rim 18 inches (46 cm) diameter with an attached net affixed to
Michael Finley - Misplaced Pages Continue
5216-404: Is called a shot. A successful shot is worth two points, or three points if it is taken from beyond the three-point arc 6.75 meters (22 ft 2 in) from the basket in international games and 23 feet 9 inches (7.24 m) in NBA games. A one-point shot can be earned when shooting from the foul line after a foul is made. After a team has scored from a field goal or free throw, play
5379-561: Is currently no tournament to determine a national high school champion. The most serious effort was the National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament at the University of Chicago from 1917 to 1930. The event was organized by Amos Alonzo Stagg and sent invitations to state champion teams. The tournament started out as a mostly Midwest affair but grew. In 1929 it had 29 state champions. Faced with opposition from
5542-430: Is out of bounds if it touches a boundary line, or touches any player or object that is out of bounds. There are limits placed on the steps a player may take without dribbling, which commonly results in an infraction known as traveling . Nor may a player stop their dribble and then resume dribbling. A dribble that touches both hands is considered stopping the dribble, giving this infraction the name double dribble . Within
5705-453: Is resumed with a throw-in awarded to the non-scoring team taken from a point beyond the endline of the court where the points were scored. Games are played in four quarters of 10 ( FIBA ) or 12 minutes (NBA). College men's games use two 20-minute halves, college women's games use 10-minute quarters, and most United States high school varsity games use 8-minute quarters; however, this varies from state to state. 15 minutes are allowed for
5868-576: Is the WNBA ( NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Championship is also popular), whereas the strongest European clubs participate in the EuroLeague Women . A game similar to basketball is mentioned in a 1591 book published in Frankfurt am Main that reports on the lifestyles and customs of coastal North American residents, Wahrhafftige Abconterfaytung der Wilden (German; translates as Truthful Depictions of
6031-593: Is usually the center , the second-tallest and strongest is the power forward , a slightly shorter but more agile player is the small forward , and the shortest players or the best ball handlers are the shooting guard and the point guard , who implement the coach's game plan by managing the execution of offensive and defensive plays (player positioning). Informally, players may play three-on-three, two-on-two, and one-on-one. Invented in 1891 by Canadian-American gym teacher James Naismith in Springfield, Massachusetts , in
6194-537: The 2000 playoffs , Joe Dumars, who had retired following the 1998–99 season, was hired as the team's president of basketball operations. He quickly faced what appeared to be a setback for the franchise, as Grant Hill elected to leave for the Orlando Magic . However, Dumars worked a sign and trade with Orlando that brought the Pistons Ben Wallace and Chucky Atkins in exchange for Hill. Both quickly entered
6357-469: The 2004 Athens Olympics , the United States suffered its first Olympic loss while using professional players, falling to Puerto Rico (in a 19-point loss) and Lithuania in group games, and being eliminated in the semifinals by Argentina . It eventually won the bronze medal defeating Lithuania, finishing behind Argentina and Italy . The Redeem Team , won gold at the 2008 Olympics , and the B-Team, won gold at
6520-532: The 2004 playoffs , after defeating the Milwaukee Bucks in five games, they defeated the defending Eastern Conference champion New Jersey Nets in seven games after coming back from a 3–2 deficit. The Pistons then defeated the Pacers , coached by Rick Carlisle, in six tough games to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1990. Many analysts gave the Pistons little chance to win against their opponent,
6683-509: The 2010 FIBA World Championship in Turkey despite featuring no players from the 2008 squad. The United States continued its dominance as they won gold at the 2012 Olympics , 2014 FIBA World Cup and the 2016 Olympics . Worldwide, basketball tournaments are held for boys and girls of all age levels. The global popularity of the sport is reflected in the nationalities represented in the NBA. Players from all six inhabited continents currently play in
Michael Finley - Misplaced Pages Continue
6846-506: The All American Red Heads Team , which competed against men's teams, using men's rules. By 1938, the women's national championship changed from a three-court game to two-court game with six players per team . The NBA-backed Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) began in 1997. Though it had shaky attendance figures, several marquee players ( Lisa Leslie , Diana Taurasi , and Candace Parker among others) have helped
7009-643: The Basketball Association of America (BAA) in 1948. The NBL and BAA merged to become the NBA in 1949, and the Pistons became part of the merged league. In 1957, the franchise moved to Detroit. The Pistons have won three NBA championships: in 1989 , 1990 and 2004 . Fred Zollner owned the Zollner Corporation, a foundry that manufactured pistons , primarily for car, truck, and locomotive engines in Fort Wayne, Indiana . In 1937, Zollner sponsored
7172-525: The Chicago Bulls . Facing each other for the third straight season, the Pistons and Bulls split the first six games before the Pistons finished the series with a decisive 93–74 victory in Game 7. Advancing to their third consecutive NBA Finals , the Pistons faced the Portland Trail Blazers . After splitting the first two games at The Palace, the Pistons went to Portland , where they had not won
7335-467: The Denver Nuggets for Allen Iverson . McDyess was later waived on November 10 and rejoined the Pistons on December 9. The trade was marked as the start of a new rebuilding process due to Iverson's free agent status at the end of the season. Indeed, Joe Dumars previously made it clear that no player on the team was guaranteed a position, bluntly saying they lost their sacred cow status. The season
7498-619: The Eastern Conference . The team plays its home games at Little Caesars Arena , located in Midtown Detroit . The team was founded as the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons , a semi-professional company basketball team based in Fort Wayne, Indiana , in 1937. The club would turn professional in 1941 as a member of the National Basketball League (NBL), where they won two NBL championships (1944 and 1945). The Pistons later joined
7661-705: The EuroLeague and the Basketball Champions League Americas . The FIBA Basketball World Cup and Men's Olympic Basketball Tournament are the major international events of the sport and attract top national teams from around the world. Each continent hosts regional competitions for national teams, like EuroBasket and FIBA AmeriCup . The FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup and Women's Olympic Basketball Tournament feature top national teams from continental championships. The main North American league
7824-484: The Los Angeles Lakers , who had won three out of the previous four NBA championships and who fielded a star-studded lineup that included Shaquille O'Neal , Kobe Bryant , Gary Payton , and Karl Malone . However, the Pistons won the series in dominating fashion, defeating Los Angeles in five games for the team's third NBA championship. The Pistons posted double-digit wins in three of their four victories and held
7987-462: The Miami Heat . Once again, the Pistons fell behind. However, they ultimately won the series in seven games. In the NBA Finals , the Pistons faced the San Antonio Spurs . After the teams split the first four games of the series, the turning point came at the end of Game 5 in Detroit, which went into overtime. The Pistons were ahead 95–93 when Robert Horry sank the game-winning three-point basket for
8150-470: The NBA playoffs . The Conference Finals is best remembered for the Pistons walking off the court in the last game just before it ended, willingly letting the final seconds tick away, unwilling to shake hands with the Bulls. After the series, Michael Jordan said, "You see two different styles with us and them. The dirty play and the flagrant fouls and unsportsmanlike conduct. Hopefully, that will be eliminated from
8313-673: The National Federation of State High School Associations and North Central Association of Colleges and Schools that bore a threat of the schools losing their accreditation the last tournament was in 1930. The organizations said they were concerned that the tournament was being used to recruit professional players from the prep ranks. The tournament did not invite minority schools or private/parochial schools. The National Catholic Interscholastic Basketball Tournament ran from 1924 to 1941 at Loyola University . The National Catholic Invitational Basketball Tournament from 1954 to 1978 played at
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#17328586416198476-794: The National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in New York, was organized in 1938; the NCAA national tournament began one year later. College basketball was rocked by gambling scandals from 1948 to 1951 , when dozens of players from top teams were implicated in game-fixing and point shaving . Partially spurred by an association with cheating, the NIT lost support to the NCAA tournament. Before widespread school district consolidation, most American high schools were far smaller than their present-day counterparts. During
8639-677: The Original Celtics and two all-African American teams, the New York Renaissance Five ("Rens") and the (still existing) Harlem Globetrotters played up to two hundred games a year on their national tours. In 1946, the Basketball Association of America (BAA) was formed. The first game was played in Toronto , Ontario, Canada between the Toronto Huskies and New York Knickerbockers on November 1, 1946. Three seasons later, in 1949,
8802-573: The Pistons were considered a strong contender to win a second consecutive title in 2005. They won 54 games during the regular season , their fourth consecutive season of 50 or more wins. During the 2005 playoffs , they easily defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 4–1 and then rallied from a 2–1 deficit to finish off the Indiana Pacers , 4–2. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Pistons faced
8965-556: The Soviet Union , Brazil and Australia rivaling the American squads. In 1989, FIBA allowed professional NBA players to participate in the Olympics for the first time. Prior to the 1992 Summer Olympics , only European and South American teams were allowed to field professionals in the Olympics. The United States' dominance continued with the introduction of the original Dream Team . In
9128-400: The University of Chicago , Columbia University , Cornell University , Dartmouth College , the University of Minnesota , the U.S. Naval Academy , the University of Colorado and Yale University began sponsoring men's games. In 1905, frequent injuries on the football field prompted President Theodore Roosevelt to suggest that colleges form a governing body, resulting in the creation of
9291-474: The University of Chicago , while Adolph Rupp , a student of Naismith's at Kansas, enjoyed great success as coach at the University of Kentucky . On February 9, 1895, the first intercollegiate 5-on-5 game was played at Hamline University between Hamline and the School of Agriculture, which was affiliated with the University of Minnesota . The School of Agriculture won in a 9–3 game. In 1901, colleges, including
9454-526: The 1956–57 season, Fred Zollner decided that Fort Wayne was too small to support an NBA team and announced the team would be playing elsewhere in the coming season. He ultimately settled on Detroit. Although it was the fifth largest city in the United States at the time, Detroit had not seen professional basketball in a decade. They lost the Detroit Eagles due to World War II , both the Detroit Gems of
9617-542: The 2002 off-season, Joe Dumars revamped the roster by signing free agent Chauncey Billups , acquiring Richard "Rip" Hamilton from the Washington Wizards , and drafting Tayshaun Prince from Kentucky . The Pistons posted consecutive 50-win seasons and advanced to the 2003 Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1991. There, however, they were swept in four games by the New Jersey Nets . Despite
9780-453: The 2015 off-season, Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy began to change the roster by making such acquisitions as Ersan İlyasova , Marcus Morris , Aron Baynes , and Steve Blake . They also drafted rookie Stanley Johnson with the eighth pick in the 2015 NBA draft and re-signed point guard Reggie Jackson . The Pistons entered the 2015–16 season with a stronger roster than the previous season, although they lost starter Greg Monroe to
9943-541: The 2016–17 season, 980,673 boys and girls represented their schools in interscholastic basketball competition, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations . The states of Illinois , Indiana and Kentucky are particularly well known for their residents' devotion to high school basketball, commonly called Hoosier Hysteria in Indiana; the critically acclaimed film Hoosiers shows high school basketball's depth of meaning to these communities. There
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#173285864161910106-425: The 50th anniversary of the franchise in Detroit. At the start of the 2007–08 season , Rasheed Wallace became the Pistons' new center. Upon entering his third season, Saunders became the longest-tenured Pistons coach since Chuck Daly. Detroit finished the season with the second-best record in the league at 59–23. The Boston Celtics held the first seed, and many speculated that Boston was their main competition in
10269-510: The BAA merged with the National Basketball League (NBL) to form the National Basketball Association (NBA). By the 1950s, basketball had become a major college sport, thus paving the way for a growth of interest in professional basketball. In 1959, a basketball hall of fame was founded in Springfield , Massachusetts, site of the first game. Its rosters include the names of great players, coaches, referees and people who have contributed significantly to
10432-413: The Bulls was due to comments said by Jordan in a pre-game interview before Game 4, where he said, "The Pistons are undeserving champions. The Bad Boys are bad for basketball." After getting swept by the Bulls, the Pistons traded James Edwards and waived Vinnie Johnson during the off-season. In the 1991–92 season , the Pistons finished with a 48–34 record. In the first round of the 1992 NBA playoffs ,
10595-521: The Conference of Physical Training in Springfield to draw up general rules for women's basketball. Thus, the sport quickly spread throughout America's schools, colleges and universities with uniform rules for both sexes. Basketball was originally played with a soccer ball . These round balls from " association football " were made, at the time, with a set of laces to close off the hole needed for inserting
10758-509: The Eastern Conference. In the 2008 NBA playoffs , Detroit started out poorly with a Game 1 loss to the seventh-seeded Philadelphia 76ers and found themselves in a 2–1 deficit. However, the Pistons rallied to defeat the Sixers in six games. In the semifinals, the Pistons faced the Orlando Magic . The Pistons rolled out to a Game 1 romp, and won a tight Game 2 amid mild controversy. At
10921-598: The Fort Wayne Pistons and jumped to the Basketball Association of America (BAA). In 1949, Fred Zollner brokered the formation of the National Basketball Association from the BAA and the NBL at his kitchen table. There are suggestions that Pistons players conspired with gamblers to shave points and throw various games during the 1953–54 and 1954–55 seasons. In particular, there are accusations that
11084-404: The G League has 31 teams. FIBA (International Basketball Federation) was formed in 1932 by eight founding nations: Argentina , Czechoslovakia , Greece , Italy , Latvia , Portugal , Romania and Switzerland . At this time, the organization only oversaw amateur players. Its acronym, derived from the French Fédération Internationale de Basket-ball Amateur , was thus "FIBA". Men's basketball
11247-419: The Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (IAAUS). In 1910, that body changed its name to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The first Canadian interuniversity basketball game was played at YMCA in Kingston , Ontario on February 6, 1904, when McGill University – Naismith's alma mater – visited Queen's University . McGill won 9–7 in overtime;
11410-417: The Lakers to a franchise-low 68 points in Game 3. Chauncey Billups was named NBA Finals MVP. With the win, Bill Davidson became the first owner to win both an NBA and NHL championship in the same calendar year, as he had also won the Stanley Cup as owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning . Despite losing key members of their bench during the off-season (including Okur, Mike James and Corliss Williamson ),
11573-462: The Los Angeles Lakers, who appeared in eight straight conference finals from the 1981–82 to 1988–89 seasons. They lost Game 1 88–79, but won in Game 2 on the road, 103–97, marking the Celtics' first home court loss in the postseason. Immediately following that, the Celtics won their first road game of the postseason, 94–80, in Game 3. Game 4 saw the Pistons win 94–75. In the pivotal Game 5 they lost 106–102, despite rallying from 17 points down late in
11736-459: The Mavericks in the second round of the 2006 NBA playoffs . In Game 5 of the series, Finley was punched by former teammate Jason Terry , earning Terry a suspension for the next game of the series and irritating Mavericks owner Mark Cuban. The Spurs would force a seventh game after facing a 3–1 deficit, but ultimately fell to the Mavericks in overtime. In the fifth and final game of San Antonio's first-round series against Denver in 2007, Finley set
11899-425: The Mavericks, Finley led the team in scoring, assists and steals. Along with point guard Steve Nash and forward Dirk Nowitzki , he became an integral part of the Mavericks' late '90s "run and gun" offense. In 2000, he was selected to represent the Western Conference in the 2000 All-Star Game , in which he scored eleven points. On January 23, 2001, Finley tied an NBA record by recording eight steals in one half of
12062-505: The Miss Head's School. In 1899, a committee was established at the Conference of Physical Training in Springfield to draw up general rules for women's basketball. These rules, designed by Berenson, were published in 1899. In 1902 Berenson became the editor of A. G. Spalding 's first Women's Basketball Guide. The same year women of Mount Holyoke and Sophie Newcomb College (coached by Clara Gregory Baer ), began playing basketball. By 1895,
12225-481: The NBA) for a short meeting with the players, are allowed. They generally last no longer than one minute (100 seconds in the NBA) unless, for televised games, a commercial break is needed. The game is controlled by the officials consisting of the referee (referred to as crew chief in the NBA), one or two umpires (referred to as referees in the NBA) and the table officials. For college, the NBA, and many high schools, there are
12388-404: The NBA, and U Sports (Canadian universities) play for both sexes, and 30 seconds in NCAA play for both sexes), holding the ball while closely guarded (5 seconds), and remaining in the restricted area known as the free-throw lane, (or the " key ") (3 seconds). These rules are designed to promote more offense. There are also limits on how players may block an opponent's field goal attempt or help
12551-673: The NBA. Top international players began coming into the NBA in the mid-1990s, including Croatians Dražen Petrović and Toni Kukoč , Serbian Vlade Divac , Lithuanians Arvydas Sabonis and Šarūnas Marčiulionis , Dutchman Rik Smits and German Detlef Schrempf . In the Philippines, the Philippine Basketball Association 's first game was played on April 9, 1975, at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao , Quezon City , Philippines. It
12714-647: The NBL (who became the Minneapolis Lakers ) and the Detroit Falcons of the BAA in 1947, and the Detroit Vagabond Kings in 1949. Zollner decided to keep the Pistons name, believing it made sense given Detroit's status as the center of the automobile industry. George Yardley set the NBA single-season scoring record in the Pistons' first season in Detroit, becoming the first player to score 2,000 points in
12877-506: The Pistons avenged their two previous playoff losses to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, defeating them in six games and advancing to the NBA Finals for the first time since the franchise moved to Detroit. The Pistons' first trip to the Finals in 32 years saw them face the Los Angeles Lakers , who were led by Magic Johnson , James Worthy , and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar . After taking
13040-484: The Pistons closed out the series, 95–85, in Game 6 to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals for the fifth consecutive season. In the Eastern Conference Finals, the Pistons faced the Cleveland Cavaliers . After both teams split the first four games of the series, the turning point happened in Game 5. The game is best remembered for LeBron James ' performance where he scored the Cavaliers' final 29 of 30 points, including
13203-560: The Pistons recorded the NBA's best overall record. Their 37–5 start exceeded the best start for any Detroit sports franchise in history and tied for the fourth-best start through 42 games in NBA history. Four of the five Pistons starters (Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace, and Ben Wallace) were named to the All-Star team, and Flip Saunders served as the Eastern Conference All-Star team coach. The Pistons finished
13366-491: The Pistons signed Nazr Mohammed . He struggled to fill the team's void at center, however, and the team began looking for additional help. On January 16, 2007, the Pistons signed free agent Chris Webber . The Pistons quickly began playing better basketball. They were only 21–15 before Webber was acquired; with him, the team went 32–14. On April 11, the Pistons clinched the best record in the Eastern Conference, which guaranteed them home-court advantage for first three rounds of
13529-450: The Pistons were defeated by the New York Knicks in five games. Chuck Daly resigned as head coach after the season. Following Daly's departure, the Pistons went through a transitional period, as key players were either traded (Salley and Rodman) or retired (Laimbeer in 1993 and Thomas in 1994). They bottomed out in the 1993–94 season , finishing with a 20–62 record. Following the 1993–94 season, they were able to draft Grant Hill ,
13692-437: The Pistons' starting lineup. Wallace in particular developed into a defensive stalwart in the coming years. However, Hill played only 47 games in the following three seasons due to a recurring ankle injury. The Pistons suffered through another tough season in 2000–01 , going 32–50 despite Jerry Stackhouse averaging 29.8 points a game. After the season, the Pistons fired George Irvine as head coach and hired Rick Carlisle ,
13855-400: The Pistons, winning 54 games in the 1996–97 season . The franchise even changed its team colors in 1996 from its traditional red and blue to teal , burgundy , gold and black in what proved to be a highly unpopular move with fans. The only color that did not change was white . This period has become known, often derisively, as the "teal era". After being swept by the Miami Heat in
14018-578: The Savages : "Among other things, a game of skill is described in which balls must be thrown against a target woven from twigs, mounted high on a pole. There's a small reward for the player if the target is being hit." In December 1891, James Naismith , a Canadian-American professor of physical education and instructor at the International Young Men's Christian Association Training School (now Springfield College ) in Springfield, Massachusetts ,
14181-503: The Spurs with 5.8 seconds left in the extra session. The Pistons fought back to win Game 6 in San Antonio, setting up the first NBA Finals Game 7 since 1994. The Pistons then lost a hard-fought, low-scoring game to the Spurs, who won their third NBA championship since 1999. The Pistons' 2004–05 season was marked by a major controversy, as well as distracting issues involving Larry Brown. In
14344-513: The Spurs' record for three-point field goals in a playoff game, making eight of nine attempts. He eclipsed the previous record of seven set by teammate Bruce Bowen in 2003. Finley won his only NBA championship in 2007 with the San Antonio Spurs in his 12th NBA season. At Finley's request, the Spurs bought out the final year of his contract and waived him on March 1, 2010, freeing him to sign with another team. On March 4, 2010, Finley reached
14507-428: The United States, and it quickly spread through the United States and Canada. By 1895, it was well established at several women's high schools. While YMCA was responsible for initially developing and spreading the game, within a decade it discouraged the new sport, as rough play and rowdy crowds began to detract from YMCA's primary mission. However, other amateur sports clubs, colleges, and professional clubs quickly filled
14670-459: The United States, basketball has evolved to become one of the world's most popular and widely viewed sports. The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the most significant professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition (drawing most of its talent from U.S. college basketball ). Outside North America, the top clubs from national leagues qualify to continental championships such as
14833-458: The Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Dallas Mavericks . Finley was one of the producers of the films Lee Daniels' The Butler and The Birth of a Nation . Basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court , compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball (approximately 9.4 inches (24 cm) in diameter) through
14996-450: The WNBA to break even this year." Measurements and time limits discussed in this section often vary among tournaments and organizations; international and NBA rules are used in this section. The object of the game is to outscore one's opponents by throwing the ball through the opponents' basket from above while preventing the opponents from doing so on their own. An attempt to score in this way
15159-512: The act of shooting, depending on whether the shot was successful. One point is awarded for making a free throw, which is attempted from a line 15 feet (4.6 m) from the basket. Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit . The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of
15322-407: The allotted game time, typically about two hours. Five players from each team may be on the court at one time. Substitutions are unlimited but can only be done when play is stopped. Teams also have a coach, who oversees the development and strategies of the team, and other team personnel such as assistant coaches, managers, statisticians, doctors and trainers. For both men's and women's teams,
15485-490: The basket if one is scored. The defense gains possession in all cases of goaltending or basket interference. An attempt to unfairly disadvantage an opponent through certain types of physical contact is illegal and is called a personal foul. These are most commonly committed by defensive players; however, they can be committed by offensive players as well. Players who are fouled either receive the ball to pass inbounds again, or receive one or more free throws if they are fouled in
15648-414: The basketball is also regulated. For men, the official ball is 29.5 inches (75 cm) in circumference (size 7, or a "295 ball") and weighs 22 oz (620 g). If women are playing, the official basketball size is 28.5 inches (72 cm) in circumference (size 6, or a "285 ball") with a weight of 20 oz (570 g). In 3x3 , a formalized version of the halfcourt 3-on-3 game, a dedicated ball with
15811-475: The building of their roster by trading Adrian Dantley for Mark Aguirre , a trade that Pistons fans criticized heavily initially, but later praised. The team won 63 games, shattering their one-year-old franchise record, and steamrolled through the playoffs and into an NBA Finals rematch with the Lakers . This time, the Pistons came out victorious in a four-game sweep to win their first NBA championship. Joe Dumars
15974-516: The champion dwindled after 1954 when Brown v. Board of Education began an integration of schools. The last tournaments were held at Alabama State College from 1964 to 1967. Teams abounded throughout the 1920s. There were hundreds of men's professional basketball teams in towns and cities all over the United States, and little organization of the professional game. Players jumped from team to team and teams played in armories and smoky dance halls. Leagues came and went. Barnstorming squads such as
16137-419: The circumference of a size 6 ball but the weight of a size 7 ball is used in all competitions (men's, women's, and mixed teams). The ball may be advanced toward the basket by being shot, passed between players, thrown, tapped, rolled or dribbled (bouncing the ball while running). The ball must stay within the court; the last team to touch the ball before it travels out of bounds forfeits possession. The ball
16300-472: The conference semifinals. Though Boston prevailed in six games, Detroit's surprise performance promised that a rivalry had begun. In the 1985 NBA draft , the team selected Joe Dumars 18th overall, a selection that proved to be very wise. They also acquired Rick Mahorn in a trade with the Washington Bullets . However, the team took a step backwards, losing in the first round of the 1986 playoffs to
16463-439: The court and backboard, it is considered important for the basket to be of the correct height – a rim that is off by just a few inches can have an adverse effect on shooting. The net must "check the ball momentarily as it passes through the basket" to aid the visual confirmation that the ball went through. The act of checking the ball has the further advantage of slowing down the ball so the rebound does not go as far. The size of
16626-403: The defender's hoop (a basket 18 inches (46 cm) in diameter mounted 10 feet (3.048 m) high to a backboard at each end of the court), while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own hoop. A field goal is worth two points, unless made from behind the three-point line , when it is worth three. After a foul, timed play stops and the player fouled or designated to shoot
16789-608: The development of the game. The hall of fame has people who have accomplished many goals in their career in basketball. An upstart organization, the American Basketball Association , emerged in 1967 and briefly threatened the NBA's dominance until the ABA-NBA merger in 1976. Today the NBA is the top professional basketball league in the world in terms of popularity, salaries, talent, and level of competition. The NBA has featured many famous players, including George Mikan ,
16952-796: The ending of the game was replayed three times until the Soviet Union finally came out on top. In 1950 the first FIBA World Championship for men, now known as the FIBA Basketball World Cup , was held in Argentina. Three years later, the first FIBA World Championship for women, now known as the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup , was held in Chile. Women's basketball was added to the Olympics in 1976, which were held in Montreal , Quebec, Canada with teams such as
17115-412: The final sale price was $ 325 million, far lower than expected. In the 2011 NBA draft , the Pistons selected Brandon Knight , Kyle Singler and Vernon Macklin . Prior to the start of the 2011–12 season , the Pistons made several leadership changes, including appointing Dennis Mannion as president of the franchise and Palace Sports & Entertainment . The team decided to hire Lawrence Frank as
17278-472: The first decades of the 20th century, basketball quickly became the ideal interscholastic sport due to its modest equipment and personnel requirements. In the days before widespread television coverage of professional and college sports, the popularity of high school basketball was unrivaled in many parts of America. Perhaps the most legendary of high school teams was Indiana's Franklin Wonder Five , which took
17441-798: The first dominating "big man"; ball-handling wizard Bob Cousy and defensive genius Bill Russell of the Boston Celtics ; charismatic center Wilt Chamberlain , who originally played for the barnstorming Harlem Globetrotters ; all-around stars Oscar Robertson and Jerry West ; more recent big men Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , Shaquille O'Neal , Hakeem Olajuwon and Karl Malone ; playmakers John Stockton , Isiah Thomas and Steve Nash ; crowd-pleasing forwards Julius Erving and Charles Barkley ; European stars Dirk Nowitzki , Pau Gasol and Tony Parker ; Latin American stars Manu Ginobili , more recent superstars, Allen Iverson , Kobe Bryant , Tim Duncan , LeBron James , Stephen Curry , Giannis Antetokounmpo , etc.; and
17604-502: The first month of the season, the infamous Malice at the Palace erupted between the Pacers and the Pistons, one of the largest fan-player incidents in the history of American sports. It resulted in heavy fines and suspensions for several players and a great deal of NBA and media scrutiny. Meanwhile, Brown was forced to leave the team on two occasions due to health concerns. During this time, he
17767-406: The first-ever rights fees to be paid to a women's professional sports league. Over the eight years of the contract, "millions and millions of dollars" were "dispersed to the league's teams." In a March 12, 2009, article, NBA commissioner David Stern said that in the bad economy, "the NBA is far less profitable than the WNBA. We're losing a lot of money among a large number of teams. We're budgeting
17930-425: The game had spread to colleges across the country, including Wellesley , Vassar , and Bryn Mawr . The first intercollegiate women's game was on April 4, 1896. Stanford women played Berkeley , 9-on-9, ending in a 2–1 Stanford victory. Women's basketball development was more structured than that for men in the early years. In 1905, the executive committee on Basket Ball Rules (National Women's Basketball Committee)
18093-409: The game. In Game 6, the Pistons entered the fourth quarter leading 70–60, but a lack of focus, a poor game from Rasheed Wallace, and a rally-killing turnover by Tayshaun Prince ultimately led to their demise; the Pistons ended their season with an 89–81 loss. In what would ultimately be a bellwether moment in the franchise's history, Wallace refused to take any post-game questions, simply walking back to
18256-425: The game. I think we play clean basketball. We don't go out and try to hurt people and dirty up the game. You never lose respect for the champions. But I haven't agreed with the methods they used. I think people are happy the game will get back to a clean game [with a Bulls triumph] and away from the 'Bad Boy' image." It was later revealed that the real reason the Pistons walked off the court without shaking hands with
18419-414: The head coach. The 2011–12 season was an improvement from previous years for the Pistons, although they still posted a losing record. While they started the season 4–20, they won half their remaining games to finish a lockout -shortened season with a record of 25–41. The team continued to build its young core with the drafting of the talented center Andre Drummond . Following the 2012–13 season , Frank
18582-463: The inbound pass and passed it to Dennis Johnson for the game-winning layup. While the Pistons did win Game 6 in Detroit, they lost the series in a tough Game 7 back in Boston. Motivated by their loss to the Celtics, the Pistons , aided by midseason acquisition James Edwards , improved to a then-franchise-record 54 victories and the franchise's first division title in 32 years. In the postseason ,
18745-489: The inflatable bladder after the other sewn-together segments of the ball's cover had been flipped outside-in. These laces could cause bounce passes and dribbling to be unpredictable. Eventually a lace-free ball construction method was invented, and this change to the game was endorsed by Naismith (whereas in American football , the lace construction proved to be advantageous for gripping and remains to this day). The first balls made specifically for basketball were brown, and it
18908-422: The last few years, veterans Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess. On July 8, 2009, the Pistons hired former Cavaliers assistant coach John Kuester to be the new head coach. The Pistons later re-signed Ben Wallace on August 12, 2009. Despite these changes, the team regressed even further, as they were hampered by setbacks and injuries. On March 23, 2010, the Pistons were eliminated from playoff contention with
19071-545: The league's popularity and level of competition. Other professional women's basketball leagues in the United States, such as the American Basketball League (1996–98) , have folded in part because of the popularity of the WNBA. The WNBA has been looked at by many as a niche league. However, the league has recently taken steps forward. In June 2007, the WNBA signed a contract extension with ESPN . The new television deal ran from 2009 to 2016. Along with this deal, came
19234-445: The locker room after, aware that Joe Dumars would likely start dismantling the team, saying only "It's over, man." After that, the Celtics went on to win the 2008 NBA Finals . On June 3, 2008, the Pistons announced that Flip Saunders would not return as head coach. On June 10, 2008, the Pistons hired Michael Curry to be their new head coach. On November 3, 2008, the Pistons traded key members Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess to
19397-423: The mezzanine balcony of the playing court, but this proved impractical when spectators in the balcony began to interfere with shots. The backboard was introduced to prevent this interference; it had the additional effect of allowing rebound shots. Naismith's handwritten diaries, discovered by his granddaughter in early 2006, indicate that he was nervous about the new game he had invented, which incorporated rules from
19560-470: The more athletic Atlanta Hawks . After the series, changes were made in order to make the team more defensive-minded. Prior to the 1986–87 season , the Pistons acquired more key players: John Salley (drafted 11th overall), Dennis Rodman (drafted 27th) and Adrian Dantley (acquired in a trade with the Utah Jazz ). The team adopted a physical, defense-oriented style of play, which eventually earned them
19723-489: The nation by storm during the 1920s, dominating Indiana basketball and earning national recognition. Today virtually every high school in the United States fields a basketball team in varsity competition. Basketball's popularity remains high, both in rural areas where they carry the identification of the entire community, as well as at some larger schools known for their basketball teams where many players go on to participate at higher levels of competition after graduation. In
19886-402: The nearby Smith College , went to Naismith to learn more about the game. Fascinated by the new sport and the values it could teach, she started to organize games with her pupils, following adjusted rules. The first official women's interinstitutional game was played barely 11 months later, between the University of California and the Miss Head's School. In 1899, a committee was established at
20049-400: The new sport and the values it could teach, she instantly introduced the game as a class exercise and soon after teams were organized. The first women's collegiate basketball game was played on March 21, 1893, when her Smith freshmen and sophomores played against one another. The first official women's interinstitutional game was played later that year between the University of California and
20212-461: The nickname "Bad Boys". In 1987, the team reached the Eastern Conference Finals against the Celtics . After pushing the defending champions to a 2–2 tie, the Pistons were on the verge of winning Game 5 at the Boston Garden with seconds remaining. After a Celtics turnover, Isiah Thomas attempted to quickly inbound the ball and missed Chuck Daly's timeout signal from the bench. Larry Bird stole
20375-454: The offense, a violation of these rules results in loss of possession; for the defense, most leagues reset the shot clock and the offensive team is given possession of the ball out of bounds. There are limits imposed on the time taken before progressing the ball past halfway (8 seconds in FIBA and the NBA; 10 seconds in NCAA and high school for both sexes), before attempting a shot (24 seconds in FIBA,
20538-419: The play took 4.6 seconds, and since there were 5.1 seconds remaining when it began, the field goal was counted. The NBA later admitted that the play actually took 5.7 seconds and the basket should not have counted. In addition to losing Game 3 badly, 111–86, the Pistons also lost all-star point guard and team leader Chauncey Billups to a hamstring injury. Despite his absence, the Pistons rallied from 15 down in
20701-531: The playoffs. The Pistons opened the 2007 NBA playoffs with a 4–0 victory over the Orlando Magic , their first playoff series sweep since 1990. The team advanced to face the Chicago Bulls , marking the first time that the Central Division rivals had met in the postseason since 1991. After winning the first two games by 26 and 21 points, the Pistons overcame a 19-point deficit to win Game 3, 81–74. The Bulls avoided elimination by winning Games 4 and 5, but
20864-500: The regular season with a record of 64–18, setting new franchise records for both overall and road victories (27). In addition, the team set an NBA record by starting the same lineup in 73 consecutive games from the start of the season. The top-seeded Pistons defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 4–1 in the first round of the 2006 NBA playoffs , but struggled in the second round against the Cleveland Cavaliers , falling behind 3–2 before winning in seven games. Things did not improve against
21027-564: The score was 7–7 at the end of regulation play, and a ten-minute overtime period settled the outcome. A good turnout of spectators watched the game. The first men's national championship tournament, the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball tournament, which still exists as the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) tournament , was organized in 1937. The first national championship for NCAA teams,
21190-557: The second-seeded Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals . Miami defeated the Pistons in six games en route to the 2006 NBA championship . During the off-season, the Pistons offered Ben Wallace a four-year, $ 48 million contract, which would have made him the highest-paid player in franchise history at the time. However, Wallace agreed to a 4-year, $ 60 million contract with the Chicago Bulls. To replace Ben Wallace,
21353-463: The sport in Australia. The Women's National Basketball League began in 1981. Women began to play basketball in the fall of 1892 at Smith College through Senda Berenson , substitute director of the newly opened gymnasium and physical education teacher, after having modified the rules for women. Shortly after Berenson was hired at Smith, she visited Naismith to learn more about the game. Fascinated by
21516-540: The state championship, Finley was invited to travel to Deerfield, Illinois , where he played against Michael Jordan in a game of H-O-R-S-E and a 1-on-1 game to three points. Jordan H-O-R-S-E and won the game of 1-on-1 three to one. Both games were recorded and broadcast on a sporting chance segment for WBBM CBS Chicago. In 2007, Finley was voted one of the " 100 Legends of the IHSA Boys Basketball Tournament ". The 6' 7" shooting guard / small forward
21679-514: The team may have intentionally lost the 1955 NBA Finals to the Syracuse Nationals . In the decisive Game 7, the Pistons led 41–24 early in the second quarter before the Nationals rallied to win the game. The Nationals won on a free throw by George King with 12 seconds left in the game. The closing moments included a palming turnover by the Pistons' George Yardley with 18 seconds left,
21842-585: The team to the suburb of Pontiac , where they played in the 82,000 capacity Silverdome , a structure built for professional football (and the home of the Detroit Lions at the time). The franchise's fortunes finally began to turn in 1981, when they drafted point guard Isiah Thomas from Indiana University . In November 1981, the Pistons acquired Vinnie Johnson in a trade with the Seattle SuperSonics . They later acquired center Bill Laimbeer in
22005-453: The team's final 25 points, to help defeat the Pistons 109–107 in double overtime. The Pistons never recovered as they were eliminated in Game 6, 98–82. In the 2007 NBA draft , the Pistons selected Rodney Stuckey with the 15th overall pick and Arron Afflalo with the 27th overall pick. They also re-signed Chauncey Billups to a long-term contract, as well as top prospect Amir Johnson and key reserve Antonio McDyess . This season marked
22168-497: The team's improvement, Rick Carlisle was fired in the 2003 off-season. There were believed to be five reasons for the firing: first, that Carlisle had appeared reluctant to play some of the team's younger players, such as Prince and Mehmet Okur , during the regular season; second, that some of the players had not gotten along with Carlisle; third, that Carlisle's offense was thought to be conservative; fourth, that Hall of Famer Larry Brown had become available; and fifth, that Carlisle
22331-455: The team's principal owner until his death in 2009. The team had a winning season in 1971 , having spent the 1960s below .500, and then had a brief period of sustained success in the mid-1970s, qualifying for the playoffs in four straight seasons ( 1974 , 1975 , 1976 and 1977 ). Hope was then placed in Dick Vitale in 1978 , the former head coach at the University of Detroit , but he
22494-478: The third quarter to win Game 4 90–89 on a field goal by Tayshaun Prince with just 8.9 seconds to play, taking a 3–1 series lead. Again with Billups sitting on the sideline, they then proceeded to win Game 5 in Detroit, winning the series 4–1. Detroit advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the sixth straight season, squaring off against the Celtics. This put the Pistons second on the all-time list of most consecutive conference finals appearances, behind only
22657-560: The third rookie in Suns history to score over 1,000 points in a season. Despite playing all 82 games in his rookie season, Finley was injured on the final day of regular season and did not play in the playoffs. He was traded by the Suns on December 26, 1996 to the Dallas Mavericks along with Sam Cassell , A.C. Green and a second-round draft pick for Jason Kidd , Tony Dumas and Loren Meyer . Finley flourished in Dallas. In his first season with
22820-551: The three players who many credit with ushering the professional game to its highest level of popularity during the 1980s and 1990s: Larry Bird , Earvin "Magic" Johnson , and Michael Jordan . In 2001, the NBA formed a developmental league, the National Basketball Development League (later known as the NBA D-League and then the NBA G League after a branding deal with Gatorade ). As of the 2023–24 season,
22983-427: The very end of the third quarter, Chauncey Billups hit a three-point field goal that gave the Pistons a three-point lead. However, the clock had stopped shortly into the play. League rules currently prohibit officials from using both instant replay and a timing device to measure how much time has elapsed when a clock malfunctions, nor is a replay from the time of the malfunction onward allowed. The officials estimated that
23146-622: The void. In the years before World War I , the Amateur Athletic Union and the Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (forerunner of the NCAA ) vied for control over the rules for the game. The first pro league, the National Basketball League, was formed in 1898 to protect players from exploitation and to promote a less rough game. This league only lasted five years. James Naismith
23309-399: Was Michael Jordan and he would occasionally go to Chicago Bulls games. He majored in business management at Wisconsin. Although he did not graduate at the time due to the NBA draft, he completed his bachelor's degree in 2014 in agricultural and applied economics at Wisconsin. Finley attended the same high school as Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers . He works in the front office as
23472-513: Was a two-time NBA All-Star and won an NBA championship with the Spurs in 2007 . Finley attended Proviso East High School in Maywood, Illinois , graduating in 1991. In Finley's senior season, Proviso East won the 1991 IHSA class AA boys basketball tournament, and Finley was named to the all-tournament team. Finley's teammates, known collectively as the "Three Amigos", included future NBA draftees Sherrell Ford and Donnie Boyce . In response to winning
23635-403: Was common by 1896, with a rule against the double dribble by 1898. The peach baskets were used until 1906 when they were finally replaced by metal hoops with backboards. A further change was soon made, so the ball merely passed through. Whenever a person got the ball in the basket, his team would gain a point. Whichever team got the most points won the game. The baskets were originally nailed to
23798-607: Was created by the American Physical Education Association . These rules called for six to nine players per team and 11 officials. The International Women's Sports Federation (1924) included a women's basketball competition. 37 women's high school varsity basketball or state tournaments were held by 1925. And in 1926, the Amateur Athletic Union backed the first national women's basketball championship , complete with men's rules. The Edmonton Grads ,
23961-468: Was fired as head coach on April 18, 2013, after two losing seasons, and on June 10, 2013, the Pistons hired former player and coach Maurice Cheeks . His tenure lasted for just a bit more than half a season, as he was replaced by interim coach John Loyer . In April, the Pistons announced that Joe Dumars would step down as president of basketball operations but remain as an advisor to the organization and its ownership team. On May 14, 2014, Stan Van Gundy
24124-479: Was fired as head coach. Iverson signed with the Memphis Grizzlies during the off-season. In the off-season, the Pistons reached an agreement with former Chicago Bulls guard Ben Gordon on a five-year/$ 55 million contract, as well as an agreement with former Milwaukee Bucks forward Charlie Villanueva on a five-year contract worth $ 35 million. That same month, the Pistons lost their two key members during
24287-524: Was fired the following season, and the team limped into the 1980s with a 16–66 record in 1979–80 . The 1979–80 team lost its last 14 games of the season which, when coupled with the seven losses at the start of the 1980–81 season , constituted a then-NBA record losing streak of 21 games . Over time, Davidson became displeased with Cobo Arena, but opted not to follow the Red Wings to the under-construction Joe Louis Arena next door. Instead, in 1978, he moved
24450-498: Was first included at the Berlin 1936 Summer Olympics , although a demonstration tournament was held in 1904. The United States defeated Canada in the first final, played outdoors. This competition has usually been dominated by the United States, whose team has won all but three titles. The first of these came in a controversial final game in Munich in 1972 against the Soviet Union, in which
24613-587: Was founded as a "rebellion" of several teams from the now-defunct Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association, which was tightly controlled by the Basketball Association of the Philippines (now defunct), the then-FIBA recognized national association. Nine teams from the MICAA participated in the league's first season that opened on April 9, 1975. The NBL is Australia's pre-eminent men's professional basketball league. The league commenced in 1979 , playing
24776-414: Was hired. Van Gundy signed a 5-year, $ 35 million contract to become the head coach and president of basketball operations for the team. After starting the 2014–15 season with a 5–23 record, the Pistons waived Josh Smith , who was acquired in the summer of 2013. The team went on a lengthy winning streak, but finished the season with a record of only 32–50 after Brandon Jennings ' Achilles injury. In
24939-477: Was instrumental in establishing college basketball . His colleague C. O. Beamis fielded the first college basketball team just a year after the Springfield YMCA game at the suburban Pittsburgh Geneva College . Naismith himself later coached at the University of Kansas for six years, before handing the reins to renowned coach Forrest "Phog" Allen . Naismith's disciple Amos Alonzo Stagg brought basketball to
25102-413: Was marked with many controversies and injuries. As a result of this and poor play, the Pistons dropped down the standings, only clinching a playoff berth on April 10, 2009. The Pistons finished the season at 39–43, their first losing season in eight years. The Pistons were then swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in four games in the first round of the 2009 NBA playoffs . On June 30, 2009, Michael Curry
25265-463: Was named NBA Finals MVP . The Pistons successfully defended their title in 1990, despite losing Rick Mahorn to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the expansion draft. After winning 59 games and a third straight division title, the Pistons cruised through the first two rounds of the playoffs before playing a tough Eastern Conference Finals series against Michael Jordan , Scottie Pippen , and
25428-469: Was not an official Olympic sport until 1976. The Grads' players were unpaid, and had to remain single. The Grads' style focused on team play, without overly emphasizing skills of individual players. The first women's AAU All-America team was chosen in 1929. Women's industrial leagues sprang up throughout the United States, producing famous athletes, including Babe Didrikson of the Golden Cyclones , and
25591-424: Was only in the late 1950s that Tony Hinkle , searching for a ball that would be more visible to players and spectators alike, introduced the orange ball that is now in common use. Dribbling was not part of the original game except for the "bounce pass" to teammates. Passing the ball was the primary means of ball movement. Dribbling was eventually introduced but limited by the asymmetric shape of early balls. Dribbling
25754-560: Was originally drafted out of University of Wisconsin–Madison by the Phoenix Suns as the 21st overall pick of the 1995 NBA draft . Finley held the all-time scoring record at Wisconsin for eleven years before being passed by Alando Tucker on March 10, 2007. Finley was named to the 1995–96 NBA All-Rookie First Team and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting after averaging fifteen points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. He became only
25917-407: Was rumored to have alienated owner Bill Davidson with his personality. Brown accepted the job that summer. The Pistons' transformation into a championship team was completed with the February 2004 acquisition of Rasheed Wallace . The Pistons now had another big man to pose a threat from all parts of the court. The Pistons finished the season 54–28, recording their best record since 1997. In
26080-476: Was the head coach of the Bullets at the time, assessed the Pistons thusly: "Detroit has the worst management in the league." Howell would go to win two championships as a member of the Boston Celtics . Yardley, Lanier, and Bing all ended their Pistons tenure being traded away, frustrated with the direction and opportunities with Detroit. In 1974, Zollner sold the team to glass magnate Bill Davidson , who remained
26243-541: Was the subject of a series of rumors linking him to other job openings. Concerned about Brown's health and angered over his alleged pursuit of other jobs during the season, the Pistons bought out his contract soon after the 2005 NBA Finals. Brown was promptly named head coach of the New York Knicks, while the Pistons hired Flip Saunders , formerly of the Minnesota Timberwolves. During the 2005–06 season ,
26406-527: Was the youngest player-coach in the history of the NBA. Then a trade during the 1968–69 season sent DeBusschere to the New York Knicks for Howard Komives and Walt Bellamy , both of whom had their best seasons behind them. DeBusschere became a key player in leading the Knicks to two NBA titles. Howell had previously been dealt to the Baltimore Bullets in 1964 and former Pistons guard Gene Shue , who
26569-402: Was trying to keep his gym class active on a rainy day. He sought a vigorous indoor game to keep his students occupied and at proper levels of fitness during the long New England winters. After rejecting other ideas as either too rough or poorly suited to walled-in gymnasiums , he invented a new game in which players would pass a ball to teammates and try to score points by tossing the ball into
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