The Detroit Pistons might be a struggling franchise right now, but back in the 1980s, they were one of the most dominant squads in the NBA. A huge reason for their success was their physical style of play.
Due to their ruthless playing style, they were also given the nickname of the ‘Bad Boys Pistons.’ The team featured the likes of Isiah Thomas, Dennis Rodman, Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn, and more players.
While the team’s playing style was rough, it worked out well for them. They ended up winning two NBA Championships in an era that featured Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, etc.
The Pistons’ rivalry with MJ and the Chicago Bulls is something that most are already aware of, thanks to ‘The Last Dance.’ Speaking of which, the Pistons even developed special ‘Jordan Rules’ to stop him in his tracks.
The Jordan rules were pretty simple, and they featured just one tactic. It was to put MJ on the ground every time he tried to go to the basket. This is a risky strategy and probably the biggest reason why Jordan still hates the Bad Boys Pistons.
On that note, NBA legend Charles Barkley recently talked about the Bad Boys Pistons in an interview. He revealed that the Pistons legitimately tried to hurt people in order to win games.
(Starts at 1:27):
“I played during that generation, and I tell people when you played against those Bad Boys Pistons, you had to call your family and say just in case I never see you again, I want y’all to know we’re good. I love y’all. ‘Cause those boys are out there trying to hurt people.”
To be honest, this is not shocking at all. Most NBA fans are already aware of how ruthless the Bad Boys Pistons were.
All they cared about was winning NBA Championships. No matter what it costs to achieve that goal. As a result, they didn’t think twice before trying to hurt Michael Jordan before he put on some weight and could finally defeat the Pistons.
