“Your father put that one in, Joe” — the heartbreaking story of Joe Dumars' father's passing during the 1990 NBA Finals
Joe Dumars
© Detroit Free Press-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Content Services LLC
The 1990 NBA Championship holds a special place in Joe Dumars' heart for various reasons.
VIRGIL VILLANUEVA - DEC 14, 20220
Joe Dumars’ second championship with the Detroit Pistons was a memorable win, not just because it was their second consecutive win. For Dumars, that 1990 NBA Championship trophy holds a special place in his heart because of what happened off the court, particularly regarding his father.
A promise
By Game 3 of the 1990 NBA Finals between the Pistons and the Portland Trail Blazers, Dumars’ father, Joe Dumars Jr., had been in the intensive care unit for two weeks. The Dumars patriarch had been suffering from diabetes and had his right leg amputated. The Pistons guard and his wife, Debbie, knew the inevitable was near, and they had prepared for it.
“If Dad dies during a game, I want you to promise me you’ll be the one to tell me, OK? And not until after the game is over. Just you, OK?” Dumars said to his wife, per The Detroit Free Press.
His dad passed away a few hours before Game 3 of the NBA Finals due to congestive heart failure. Debbie kept her promise. She only shared the bad news with Isiah Thomas Pistons coach Chuck Daly and assistant Brendan Malone. All of them could only look at Dumars with pity.
“You were looking at a guy who was real happy,” Thomas said, per the Los Angeles Times. “But you knew all of the sudden in the next hour his world was going to be shattered.”
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“I would just look at him and feel sad,” Malone said. “I would say to myself, ‘Here’s a guy having his best playoff game of the year. At the end, that euphoria is going to be--what’s the word?--blown out the door.’”
The shot
Perhaps Dumars was aware of the saying that ignorance is bliss. The guard led his team to a convincing 121-106 win in Game 3, which put them up 2-1. Out of his 33 points, one basket stood out to Thomas.
“Joe made one shot today,” Thomas said, “running down the lane, threw it up, and it went in. After that, we both looked at each other and smiled, and I said to myself, “Your father put that one in. You didn’t have anything to do with that.’”
After a mini celebration of their big win, Daly pulled Dumars to an office right outside the visitors’ locker room. Debbie, calling from Detroit, finally broke the news. Still donning his sweaty jersey, Dumars headed to the airport where the team owner’s private plane was waiting. After picking up Debbie, they headed to Louisianna, Dumars’ hometown, where they laid Joe Dumars Jr. to rest.
Thomas and the Pistons knew how deep Dumars’ relationship with his father was. And if he never came back to play, they would completely understand. There are other things bigger than basketball.
But Dumars did return in Game 4 to chip in 26 points. In Game 5, Dumars struggled from the field but made up for it with 7 assists. His efforts and courage proved more than enough as the Pistons won their second consecutive NBA title.
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