2004 NBA Finals
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| Dates | June 6–15 | ||||||||||
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| MVP |
Chauncey Billups (Detroit Pistons) |
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| Television | ABC (U.S.) | ||||||||||
| Announcers | Al Michaels and Doc Rivers | ||||||||||
| Radio network | ESPN | ||||||||||
| Announcers | Brent Musburger and Jack Ramsay | ||||||||||
| Referees | |||||||||||
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| Hall of Famers |
Lakers: Karl Malone (2010) Gary Payton (2013) Shaquille O'Neal (2016) Coaches: Larry Brown (2002) Phil Jackson (2007) Tex Winter (2011) Officials: Dick Bavetta (2015) |
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| Eastern Finals | Pistons defeated Pacers, 4–2 | ||||||||||
| Western Finals | Lakers defeated Timberwolves, 4–2 | ||||||||||
| Game 1: | Joe Crawford, Bob Delaney, Bernie Fryer |
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| Game 2: | Bennett Salvatore, Steve Javie, Joe DeRosa |
| Game 3: | Ron Garretson, Dan Crawford, Mike Callahan |
| Game 4: | Jack Nies, Dick Bavetta, Eddie F. Rush |
| Game 5: | Joe Crawford, Bernie Fryer, Bennett Salvatore |
The 2004 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2003–04 National Basketball Association season. The Finals were between the Los Angeles Lakers of the Western Conference and the Detroit Pistons of the Eastern Conference; the Lakers held home court advantage. The series was played under a best-of-seven format, so the first team to collect four game victories would win the series.
Although the Lakers were the heavy favorite, the Pistons won the series four games to one to win their first title since 1990 and their fifth overall (three NBA Championships, two NBL Championships). Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups was named as the NBA Finals MVP. The series was noted for the perceived underdog, the Pistons, dominating a Lakers team that had four future Hall of Famers.
Pistons owner William Davidson became the first owner in sports history to win two championships in one year. Eight days earlier, the other team that Davidson owned, the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League had won the Stanley Cup in seven games over the Calgary Flames.
The Lakers had won consecutive championships from 2000 to 2002, but lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference playoffs in 2003 to end their streak at three.
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