“They were as good as advertised,” Magic Johnson crowns Isiah Thomas’ ‘Bad Boys’ Detroit Pistons as Dynasty
There are several checkpoints that need to be ticked for a team to be dubbed a dynasty, Magic Johnson was barely hesitant to put the Bad Boy Pistons in that category.
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Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas
The NBA has been around for a while, and fans have undoubtedly witnessed the formation of some incredible teams over the league’s existence. But even among those clubs, there are some that are simply too good and have made a lasting impression on their supporters. Such teams frequently receive the distinction of being labeled dynasties. Numerous teams have earned the distinction of being dynasties over the years. With that in mind, one can question if the Detroit Pistons‘ Bad Boys period was a dynasty.
The NBA’s never-before-seen rivalry between Larry Bird’s Celtics and Magic Johnson’s Lakers was to be the only thing to dominate the 1980s. A particular young gun by the name of Michael Jordan was to take over if anything remained. Isiah Thomas and his team in Detroit, however, had different ideas.
Magic Johnson recounts his experience with the Pistons, he said “When you win back-to-back, you gotta say if they are not a dynasty, they are close to it, right? I guess it’s up to every individual to say what they think a dynasty is, but let me tell you something, winning back-to-back is very difficult. So give them a lot of credit for going back-to-back and showing people that they were as good as advertised. Especially with Isiah’s leadership.”
In the second part of the 1980s, the Pistons emerged as a force to be reckoned with under the leadership of players like Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, and Bill Laimbeer. They became well-known for their aggressive defense and physical play, and the excitement surrounding the squad was heightened by their rivalry with the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers.
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Detroit Piston’s rise to fame during the NBA’s resurgence
Due to their muscular and aggressive style of play and their rapid success on the court, they suddenly gained a lot of popularity. The moniker for the team arose from its “Bad Boy” image, which became quite well-known. Due to the lack of social media at the time, there were many casual fans who were very familiar with the Pistons. In 1989 and 1990, they won back-to-back NBA titles, and in 1988, 1989, and 1990, they advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Most of the playoff games were against teams led by Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan, some of which drew attendance records. And the MVP of the 1989 Finals thinks that what made it happen was his squad. In the end, the Bad Boys Pistons may not have been one of the league’s most endearing squads, but they excelled at throttling rival teams when they were at their finest.
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Abhivyakt Sharma
(270 Articles Published)