Many believe that Isiah Thomas is one of the greatest point guards in NBA history. Thomas was the best player on the ‘Bad Boy’ Detroit Pistons, one of the best teams in the NBA during the 80s. And with Thomas at the helm, the Pistons were able to win 2 NBA championships.
After getting the better of the Chicago Bulls, the Pistons would set their eyes on the NBA championship. And in 1989 and 1990, they were successful, winning 2 NBA titles back to back, with Isiah Thomas playing some of the best basketball of his career during those runs.
In fact, Thomas is the only player who can claim to have beat Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson in playoff series during his prime, a fact he loves to remind fans about.
Thomas is clearly very proud of those accomplishments. So much so that he took to Twitter recently to celebrate the fact that he was the only top-50 NBA player to win back-to-back championships without another top-50 teammate alongside him.
https://twitter.com/IsiahThomas/status/1449398538664828929
NBA fans were quick to point out that Kobe Bryant had done the same. But Thomas was referring to the NBA Top 50 players list that came out in 1996, the year Kobe was drafted. But fans also dragged him for not showing respect to Joe Dumars, who won Finals MVP in 1989.
Weird considering MJ stans act like he had no help
— 💎Calabasas💎 (@calabasasjones) October 16, 2021
Sasha Vujacic. Ever heard of him?
— P.S.F (@PFoSho) October 17, 2021
https://twitter.com/Jeremiah48204/status/1449408054215258114https://twitter.com/JamesHaliburto2/status/1449418671252779010https://twitter.com/junno11/status/1449512666305896452https://twitter.com/TheHBomb7/status/1449710938416836612
ok let’s relax lmao he’s def up there imo
— p (@huskiesplswin) October 16, 2021
In Back-to-Back championships
Durant’s top 50 teammate didnt win FMVP
Lebron’s top 50 teammate didnt win FMVP
Shaq’s top 50 teammate didnt win FMVP
Jordan’s top 50 teammate didnt win FMVP
Hakeem’s top 50 teammate didnt win FMVP
Isiah’s non top-50 teammate WON FMVP (Dumars)
— sports talk (@rsandns) October 16, 2021
He tweeted, "in nba history" pretty sure he wasn't referring to what you think. Plus if he was so great, why did no one wanna play with him firing the Olympics ?? Don't get me wrong, not trynna hate, because he was really good, but I don't think I will consider him top 50 ever.
— Simply High Thots (@simplyhighthots) October 17, 2021
The best player doesn't always have the best series… You know that. You just don't like Isiah…..so you bought into other people's hate…They hate Isiah because he beat ALL of them!!!!! Every superstar in the 80's AND All-Star
— Michael Lewis (@mllewis27) October 17, 2021
https://twitter.com/i_chugs/status/1449561307028639744
Point is. They were a great TEAM
— Jason Dolenga (@dolenga) October 16, 2021
The Pistons were a dominant force in the East and beat some of the best players in the league. Most notably, Michael Jordan. Jordan and the Chicago Bulls fell victim to the Detroit Pistons on multiple occasions, because of the Pistons’ ‘Jordan Rules’ tactics under which they physically dominated Jordan.
Thomas’ dominance over Jordan and the Bulls created a massive rivalry between them, and other members of the Bulls did not like him either. In fact, Thomas recently called out Scottie Pippen for being one of the players who blocked his participation in the 1992 Team USA ‘Dream Team’.
While the animosity between Jordan and Thomas has persisted to this day, he acknowledges just how great MJ is. In fact, fans would be surprised to hear the kind words Thomas had for Jordan during their playing days.
Thomas and the Pistons were by no means the favorites of the league. If anything, many consider the 80s Pistons to be the most hated team in the league. Despite the antics, no one can deny that Thomas is one of the best players at his position in NBA history.
