In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls‘ rivalry was one of the fiercest and most memorable rivalries in NBA history. One of the most contentious incidents in the rivalry occurred in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals in 1991 when the Pistons exited the court without shaking hands with the Bulls, which is a customary display of sportsmanship in the game of basketball.
The media and fans harshly criticized this action, damaging the Pistons’ reputation and igniting the rivalry. Isiah Thomas provided a defense for the Pistons’ actions in a Pivot Podcast episode, though.
Isiah Thomas emphasized that the Boston Celtics with Larry Bird and Kevin McHale, the Los Angeles Lakers with Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and the Chicago Bulls with Michael Jordan were all defeated by the Detroit Pistons.
But he wasn’t happy when Michael Jordan continued to refer to them as unworthy champions: “87,88, we all up in the mix. We lose what our people arguably say the greatest basketball teams ever. We got those teams beat and then we knocked them off. Then this dude sit up there and say, y’all undeserving, y’all bad for the game.”
Thomas further stated that despite Detroit’s own resistance, the national media supported Jordan and the Bulls and wrote them off.
The Conflict Between Isiah Thomas And Michael Jordan
When their respective clubs, the Chicago Bulls and the Detroit Pistons, were strong forces in the Eastern Conference in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Jordan and Thomas’ rivalry got its start.
The Pistons, who were coached by Isiah Thomas, were known for their aggressive and physical brand of basketball, which earned them the moniker “Bad Boys.” While the Pistons were the dominant team in the East, Michael Jordan and the Bulls were emerging stars in the league and sought to unseat them.
During the NBA playoffs, when the two teams frequently faced off against one another in stressful contests, the animosity intensified. Jordan and the Bulls received heavy criticism after Thomas and the Pistons declined to shake hands with them. Michael Jordan publicly criticized Isiah Thomas and the Pistons after the no-handshake incident.
Beyond the NBA floor, the rivalry spread to other continents. Isiah Thomas, one of the league’s top point guards, was notably left off the roster when the “Dream Team” was assembled for the 1992 Olympics. Many believed that Thomas’ omission was influenced by Michael Jordan, a key member of the Dream Team, as a result of their continuous conflict.
