The modern NBA has rivalries, LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers fought against the Golden State Warriors for 4 consecutive seasons in the NBA Finals. The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers have faced each other quite a bit, and it’s evident the teams don’t like each other. Recently, the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies have been through some beef, although that seems more one-sided than anything.
The true rivalries of the NBA are all in the past, though, and none of them come close in terms of animosity to the one between Michael Jordan’s Bulls and the Bad Boy Pistons. Isiah Thomas recently spoke about how he’s going to hold on to the issues he has with Michael Jordan, especially over the way he was portrayed in the Last Dance. And MJ doesn’t seem to be in any hurry to reconcile either.
One of the major dramas covered in the Last Dance documentary was how Isiah Thomas and the Pistons refused to shake the Bulls’ hands after finally losing to them in the playoffs. The Pistons had won 2 championships prior and had denied MJ and the Bulls both times, who were gracious in their defeat, although not fond of the Pistons. But the Pistons’ lack of grace made them angry, and the wounds festered.
Jalen Rose Backed Isiah Thomas And The Detroit Pistons For Not Being Gracious In Defeat To Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls
Many have clowned Zeke and the Pistons for their perceived lack of good grace, but there is one person that gets it. Jalen Rose, who is Michigan through and through, came to the defense of the Detroit legends, explaining why he gets the way they acted in that situation.
(starts at 1:08 minutes)
“I’m right behind Isiah…You know why? Let me tell you why…this is the era where you had true rivals. So, true rivals weren’t shaking hands, kissing babies and exchanging jerseys after the game. It was a total different lifestyle. And I loved it.”
Considering that the Pistons’ tactics were to be physical with MJ, the fact that the Bulls acknowledged their victory both times kind of undercuts Rose’s words here. Sportsmanship is an important part of any game, and it’ll always be hard to understand letting it go even in the heat of a rivalry. The situation became symbolic of a larger hatred between the two teams, and it simply doesn’t feel like a beef that will ever truly be settled.
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