Lakers vs. Pistons Playoffs Comparison: Summary and Year by Year

Here you can compare, side by side, the all-time postseason performance of the Los Angeles Lakers and the Detroit Pistons, and how far these two NBA teams advanced in Playoffs each year.

The Los Angeles Lakers have been present in the NBA Playoffs 65 times in 78 seasons while the Detroit Pistons did it 43 times in their 78 seasons. Between the two they total 20 of the 79 NBA championships (25.3%).

They have faced each other in 11 playoff series, 8 of them won by the Lakers and 3 by the Pistons.

On this page, after a summary of their Playoff history (with championships won, playoff appearances and all-time records), you can see, side by side, how far the Lakers and the Pistons advanced in the postseason each year. Also, if they met that year, a note with details of the outcome of the series.

Summary of Their Playoff History
	Los Angeles Lakers	Detroit Pistons
Playoff Appearances:	65 (84.4%)	43 (55.8%)
Playoffs Missed:	12 (15.6%)	34 (44.2%)
NBA Titles:	17	3
Finals Lost:	15	4
All-time Playoff Record:	466 wins 321 losses (.592)	190 wins 186 losses (.505)
Total NBA Seasons:	78 1948-49 to present	78 1948-49 to present

Teams Comparison Playoff Performances Year by Year
Playoffs	Los Angeles Lakers	Detroit Pistons
2026	TBD	TBD
2025	Lost Western Conference 1st Round	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round
2024	Lost Western Conference 1st Round	DNQ
2023	Lost Western Conference Finals	DNQ
2022	DNQ	DNQ
2021	Lost Western Conference 1st Round	DNQ
2020	NBA Champions	DNQ

Playoffs	Los Angeles Lakers	Detroit Pistons
2019	DNQ	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round
2018	DNQ	DNQ
2017	DNQ	DNQ
2016	DNQ	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round
2015	DNQ	DNQ
2014	DNQ	DNQ
2013	Lost Western Conference 1st Round	DNQ
2012	Lost Western Conference Semis	DNQ
2011	Lost Western Conference Semis	DNQ
2010	NBA Champions	DNQ

Playoffs	Los Angeles Lakers	Detroit Pistons
2009	NBA Champions	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round
2008	Lost NBA Finals	Lost Eastern Conference Finals
2007	Lost Western Conference 1st Round	Lost Eastern Conference Finals
2006	Lost Western Conference 1st Round	Lost Eastern Conference Finals
2005	DNQ	Lost NBA Finals
2004	Lost NBA Finals	NBA Champions
	* The Pistons defeated the Lakers 4-1 in the Finals.
2003	Lost Western Conference Semis	Lost Eastern Conference Finals
2002	NBA Champions	Lost Eastern Conference Semis
2001	NBA Champions	DNQ
2000	NBA Champions	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round

Playoffs	Los Angeles Lakers	Detroit Pistons
1999	Lost Western Conference Semis	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round
1998	Lost Western Conference Finals	DNQ
1997	Lost Western Conference Semis	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round
1996	Lost Western Conference 1st Round	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round
1995	Lost Western Conference Semis	DNQ
1994	DNQ	DNQ
1993	Lost Western Conference 1st Round	DNQ
1992	Lost Western Conference 1st Round	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round
1991	Lost NBA Finals	Lost Eastern Conference Finals
1990	Lost Western Conference Semis	NBA Champions

Playoffs	Los Angeles Lakers	Detroit Pistons
1989	Lost NBA Finals	NBA Champions
	* The Pistons defeated the Lakers 4-0 in the Finals.
1988	NBA Champions	Lost NBA Finals
	* The Lakers defeated the Pistons 4-3 in the Finals.
1987	NBA Champions	Lost Eastern Conference Finals
1986	Lost Western Conference Finals	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round
1985	NBA Champions	Lost Eastern Conference Semis
1984	Lost NBA Finals	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round
1983	Lost NBA Finals	DNQ
1982	NBA Champions	DNQ
1981	Lost Western Conference 1st Round	DNQ
1980	NBA Champions	DNQ

Playoffs	Los Angeles Lakers	Detroit Pistons
1979	Lost Western Conference Semis	DNQ
1978	Lost Western Conference 1st Round	DNQ
1977	Lost Western Conference Finals	Lost Western Conference 1st Round
1976	DNQ	Lost Western Conference Semis
1975	DNQ	Lost Western Conference 1st Round
1974	Lost Western Conference Semis	Lost Western Conference Semis
1973	Lost NBA Finals	DNQ
1972	NBA Champions	DNQ
1971	Lost Western Conference Finals	DNQ
1970	Lost NBA Finals	DNQ

Playoffs	Los Angeles Lakers	Detroit Pistons
1959	Lost NBA Finals (as Minneapolis Lakers)	Lost Western Division Semis
	* The Lakers defeated the Pistons 2-1 in the Western Division Semifinals.
1958	DNQ (as Minneapolis Lakers)	Lost Western Division Finals
1957	Lost Western Division Finals (as Minneapolis Lakers)	Lost Western Division Semis (as Fort Wayne Pistons)
	* The Lakers defeated the Pistons 2-0 in the Western Division Semifinals.
1956	Lost Western Division Semis (as Minneapolis Lakers)	Lost NBA Finals (as Fort Wayne Pistons)
1955	Lost Western Division Finals (as Minneapolis Lakers)	Lost NBA Finals (as Fort Wayne Pistons)
	* The Pistons defeated the Lakers 3-1 in the Western Division Finals.
1954	NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers)	Lost Western Division Round Robin (as Fort Wayne Pistons)
	* The Lakers defeated the Pistons 2-0 in the Western Division Round Robin.
1953	NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers)	Lost Western Division Finals (as Fort Wayne Pistons)
	* The Lakers defeated the Pistons 3-2 in the Western Division Finals.
1952	NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers)	Lost Western Division Semis (as Fort Wayne Pistons)
1951	Lost Western Division Finals (as Minneapolis Lakers)	Lost Western Division Semis (as Fort Wayne Pistons)
1950	NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers)	Lost Central Division Finals (as Fort Wayne Pistons)
	* The Lakers defeated the Pistons 2-0 in the Central Division Finals.

Playoffs	Los Angeles Lakers	Detroit Pistons
1949	NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers)	DNQ (as Fort Wayne Pistons)
1948	-	-
1947	-	-