Description
June 3, 1988 - Herein lies the deciding factor in the 1988 Eastern Conference Finals matchup between the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics. When the Pistons' starting unit wasn't hitting on all cylinders, game-changers like Vinnie Johnson, John Salley, Dennis Rodman, and James Edwards were waiting in the wings, frothing at the mouth. In contrast, when Celtics starting center Robert Parish stepped away with a knee injury in the first half of Game 6, Boston answered by sending out the like of Brad Lohaus and Mark Acres in hopes of slowing down the Pistons' front line.
It didn't work.
Edwards churned out an efficient 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting, combining with fellow bench mate Vinnie Johnson's 24 to finally topple the Celtics once and for all, closing out Larry Bird and company with a 95-90 win to secure a trip to the 1988 NBA Finals.
Box Score: https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/198806030DET.html