NBA
Why were the Detroit “Bad Boy” Pistons Hated So Much?
In the 1988 NBA season, the Detroit Pistons adopted an unpopular strategy, the 94-feet defense scheme, which placed the team on a hate scale.
Bill Laimbeer//Getty Images
The Detroit “Bad Boys” Pistons graced the NBA in the 1980s to early 1990s, peaking between Magic Johnson’s Los Angeles Lakers, Larry Bird’s Boston Celtics heated rivalry era, and the Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls era.
The Bad Boys Pistons revolutionized the art of playing defense, albeit with a lot physicality and dirty dark arts tactics. They were a fierce cohesive unit that walked into opposing NBA courts as villains, and truly lived up to that billing.
Under the wise guidance of head coach Chuck Daly and Isaiah Thomas, who’s arguably one of the greatest point guards to have ever graced the hardwood, the gritty squad put the city of Detroit on the NBA map. The Bad Boys Pistons won back-to-back NBA championships in 1989 and 1990, and were perennial Eastern Conference Finals contenders.
Despite not being classified as a dynasty due to their inability to win three titles, they left a lasting impact on the minds of many NBA pros, coaches and fans. Three of the five starting players have been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall.
Rise to Prominence
Isiah Thomas of the Detroit Pistons and Terry Porter//Getty Images
The Pistons’ ascent to the upper echelon of the NBA began with the drafting of point guard Isiah Thomas in 1981, with the second pick of the draft. The Pistons had lost a franchise record 66 games in 1980 and had followed it up with another 60 game loss season in 1981. To add to the misery, they had the worst attendance record in the NBA, with average attendance of 5000 spectators.
Jack McCloskey, who was their general manager, traded for young Cleveland Cavalier center Bill Laimbeer, who boasted gritty toughness and a never give up attitude. Thomas and Laimbeer became the heart and soul of the team. The appointment of head coach Chuck Daly gave Pistons the core pieces to turn their fortunes around.
In 1984, the trio’s first season together, the Pistons had the number one offense in the NBA. The franchise also registered the best attendance record in the league, with average of 16,000 fans, a complete turnaround from the three seasons ago. They had a winning season for the first time in years, and reached the playoffs. The Pistons made a first round exit, after a Bernard King-led New York Kicks proved to be too much.
The following year they made the playoffs again and won their first playoff series after nine years. They would, however, suffer defeat to Bird’s Boston Celtics, who were in the middle of their dynasty. In the offseason, they drafted shooting guard Joe Dumars, with the 18th pick of the draft. They also traded for master screen-setter Rick Mahorn. They made the playoffs, but still suffered disappointment against the Dominick Wilkins-led Atlanta Hawks, in the first round.
Instead of breaking the squad up, Jack McCloskey brilliantly drafted John Salley and Dennis Rodman who would prove to be extremely important. Rodman had a troubled past but possessed unparalleled work ethic. The low-key trade of former two-time scoring champion, Adrian Dantley was also a bonus. They were finally a true contender, and they proved this by steam rolling through the playoffs, until a heartbreak ensued after a closely fought seven game series.
The Detroit Pistons "Bad Boys" trio of Dennis Rodman, John Salley, and James Edwards have won a title with the Chicago Bulls, despite the Bulls and Pistons being mortal rivals in the late 80s and early 90s. The trio were part of 72-10 Bulls team that won a title in 1996.
The ‘Hate Mongering’ Defense Scheme
In the 1988 season, head coach Chuck Daly introduced the 94-feet defense scheme to the team. This meant they would defend everywhere on the court, making it difficult for opposing teams to set up their offense. It’s this scheme that made them to be hated and disliked so much. They introduced a level of physicality and dirty play that was never seen before in the NBA. They pressured, bumped and agitated opponents to mental and physical exhaustion.
The Pistons led the league in fouls after the whistle, hip checks, cheap shots to the groin, forearms to the ribs and the shoving of players to mid-air. Center, Bill Laimbee, took things a notch higher by intentionally leaving his feet in the opposing players landing area so as to injure them.
Ironically, the Pistons schemes worked wonders as they won a franchise record 54 wins at the time, while also leading the league with an average spectator attendance of 25,000. They finished the season with the league’s second best defense. In the playoffs, they handled the Washington Bullets and whopped Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls.
In the Eastern Conference Finals, they overcame the Boston Celtics, who had reached the finals for four consecutive years in six games. The games in Boston proved to be some of the most heated confrontations in the NBA, especially with Bill Laimbeer spitting on the famous Celtic Leprechaun logo in the middle of the court. This un-sportsman-like behavior agitated the Boston crowd to the brink of madness.
In their first NBA finals, the “Bad Boys” Pistons faced the dynamic duo of Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul Jabber, who were sensationally nicknamed ‘ShowTime Los Angeles Lakers’. They led the finals series 3-2, before their marquee point guard Isaiah Thomas severely sprained his ankle, after stepping on Michael Cooper’s foot.
He toughed up and delivered a virtuoso performance, despite hobbling on one leg. However, karma struck and Laimbeer was called for a foul on Kareem, despite not touching the Laker’s big man. The call proved controversial as Lakers went on to win the game, as many felt the officials had made the call based on Laimbeer’s reputation rather than the actual play. The Lakers withstood the onslaught and won the NBA Finals, after a close fought seven game series.
Back to Back Championships
Following the Finals disappointment, the “Bad Boys” Pistons took their game to another level. The franchise totally embraced the Bad Boys moniker after the “previous Finals”. They sold merchandise and created an “us against the world” mentality that proved to be a masterstroke.
They had more ferocity and were even dirtier than before. They won a franchise-record 63 wins in the regular season. In the playoffs, they swept the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks in the first and second rounds.
In the Eastern Conference Finals, they deployed the famous “Jordan Rules” in order to stop Michael Jordan, who was at the time, the best player in the NBA. The rules contained both legal and illegal schemes. They literary man-handled the Bulls’ great and won the series in six games.
In the NBA finals, injuries to key personnel in the Los Angeles Lakers squad, such as Magic Johnson and Byron Scott, meant the Pistons had an easy walk. They swept the Lakers in four games, winning the franchise’s first NBA title.
In the 1990 season, the team won 59 games and topped the Eastern Conference. Despite losing Rick Mahorn due to the 1990 NBA expansion draft, Dennis Rodman capitalized on the availability of more minutes and won his first Defensive Player of the Year award.
In the playoffs, they gave Jordan similar treatment as the year before, beating the Chicago Bulls to reach their third consecutive NBA final. In the finals, they faced the then up-coming Portland Trailblazers. Their experience and tenacity proved instrumental, as they edged them out in the clutch, winning the NBA Championship in five games.
A Decline for the Pistons
In the 1991 season, the “Bad Boys” Pistons reached yet another Eastern Conference Finals. However, the Bulls had physically improved and were younger and hungrier for success. The Bulls swept the series in four games.
True to their Bad Boys Moniker, the Pistons walked past the Bulls bench and off the court without shaking their competitor’s hands, proving to some that they were bitter losers. The incident that occurred before the finals whistle, was however cherished by the Detroit fan base.
The following years would witness a decline in performance for the once dominant team. Dennis Rodman left the organization. After suffering a career altering Achilles injury, Isaiah Thomas retired, with Bill Laimbeer following suit, which ended the Bad Boys Era.
Ian Mugo Wanyeki is based in Nairobi, Kenya. He is a sports enthusiast with vast knowledge of different sport disciplines. Ian is a graduate with a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Kenyatta University. He is a Kenyan journalist who’s worked as a sports analyst at Covenant Television Network, as a sports reporter at NTV and as a Sports Correspondent/contributor at Quartz Africa.