The 1990–91 NBA season was the Pistons' 43rd season in the National Basketball Association, and 34th season in the city of Detroit. The Pistons entered the season as the two-time defending NBA champions and looked to win a third consecutive title. The team posted a nine-game winning streak in November as they finished the first month of the season with a 13–2 record. However, they would lose six of their next seven games in early December. Midway through the season, the Pistons won eleven consecutive games, finishing second in the Central Division with a 50–32 record, eleven games behind the Chicago Bulls. Injuries limited last year's Finals MVP Isiah Thomas to just 48 games this season. Dennis Rodman was named Defensive Player of The Year for the second straight season.

Entering the playoffs as the #3 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Pistons won their first series against the Atlanta Hawks 3–2, and their second against the Boston Celtics 4–1. This put them in their fifth consecutive Eastern Conference Finals, where they would be swept by the Bulls and be denied a fourth consecutive appearance in the NBA Finals.

Toward the end of the loss to the Bulls in Game 4, which occurred on the Pistons' home floor at The Palace of Auburn Hills, most of the Pistons' players walked off the court toward the locker room without congratulating their opponents or shaking hands. It was seen as a sign of disrespect by the outgoing champions, and was concocted by Thomas and Bill Laimbeer in response to comments made by Michael Jordan about the Pistons' physical playing style being bad for basketball, and that he felt the league would be happy to see the Pistons lose.

Following the season, James Edwards was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers, and Vinnie Johnson was released, where he would sign as a free agent with the San Antonio Spurs during the next season.

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