Scott Hastings

Lore & Background

The 1989–90 Indiana Pacers were a young, rising team in the Eastern Conference. They featured a core of Reggie Miller, who was emerging as one of the league's premier shooters, alongside the versatile Chuck Person and the skilled sixth man Detlef Schrempf. The team earned the 8th seed in the playoffs, setting up a first-round matchup with the top-seeded Detroit Pistons, the defending NBA champions. The Pistons had swept the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1989 NBA Finals and were looking to repeat. The Pacers, despite being heavy underdogs, competed hard. The series opened at The Palace of Auburn Hills, where the Pistons took the first two games. Game 3 shifted to Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, but the Pistons closed out the series with a 108–96 victory, completing a three-game sweep. Scott Hastings was part of that Pacers roster, contributing as a forward during the regular season and playoffs.

In Their Own Story

The 1990 playoffs were a coming-out party for Reggie Miller, but for Scott Hastings, it was a brief postseason run. The Pacers, as the 8th seed, drew the mighty Detroit Pistons in the first round. The Pistons were a team of stars: Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Dennis Rodman, and Bill Laimbeer. They had just won the championship and were on a mission to repeat. The Pacers, though outmatched, did not go quietly. In Game 1, the Pistons won at home. In Game 2, the Pacers fought hard but fell again. The series moved to Indianapolis for Game 3, where the Pacers hoped to extend their season. But the Pistons' experience and depth proved too much, as they won 108–96 to complete the sweep. For Hastings, it was a learning experience, a taste of playoff basketball against the eventual champions.

Reader's Guide

Scott Hastings played for the Indiana Pacers during the 1989–90 season, a year in which the team made the playoffs as the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers were led by Reggie Miller, Chuck Person, and Detlef Schrempf. In the first round, they faced the defending champion Detroit Pistons, who swept the series in three games. The Pistons would go on to win their second consecutive NBA championship, defeating the Portland Trail Blazers in five games in the 1990 NBA Finals. Hastings' role on the Pacers was as a forward, providing depth off the bench. The Pacers' season ended with the sweep, but the team's core would continue to develop in the years to come.

Did You Know?

• The 1989–90 Indiana Pacers were swept by the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the 1990 NBA playoffs.
• The Pistons won Game 3 of that series 108–96 at Market Square Arena.
• Reggie Miller, Chuck Person, and Detlef Schrempf were key players for the Pacers that season.
• The Pistons went on to win the 1990 NBA Finals, defeating the Portland Trail Blazers in five games.