I like how the '86 Celtics and '87 Lakers are lauded as two of the absolute best teams ever, but somehow immediately fell off the cliff when the Pistons hit their stride. Interesting coincidence.
They did screw up the ending. The real end for the Pistons wasn't the loss in the Eastern finals to Chicago in '91. It was when Riley's Knicks beat them at their own game in the first round the next season. That's when the curtain came down for good.
Yeah. Dumars didn't get near the credit he deserved and Thomas got too much. Thomas mad it easier to not like them.
Being removed several years, its amazing how much the game has changed in the way its played and called.
Funny that the Russell era Celts fell apart when Russell could no longer dominate too. One could say the same of Detroit sucking after Jordan added some pieces and they lost some. That Detroit team would have been mauled by the two teams you listed.
Could care less about the Celtics, but I don't exactly remember this happening. I was a Jordan/Bulls (and Bucks) fan once I started watching the NBA at about 8 years old, which would have been 1985. The Pistons were good, not great, and merely transitioned the league between eras of the actual dynasties of the NBA in the 80s and 90s. Once Scottie Pippen learned not to be a little [itch bay] when faced with physicality, the Pistons had no answer. I certainly don't long for the days of a no talent hack like Bill Laimbeer clothes-lining someone and pretending it was part of some great moment in NBA history.
Yeah, the dropoff was so precipitous in one year the Pistons went from "would have been mauled" to playing both of those teams to the buzzer in Game 7s on the road.
When, but for a phantom foul call, the Pistons beat the Lakers in Game SIx and win the first of three straight?
It was right there in the documentary last night. Always amazing how selective people's memories are.
Yep. Laimbeer had so little talent he's got over 10,000 career rebounds and was one of the better shooting big men of his era.
Laimbeer nearly spiking Dominique through the Omni floor is one of the best moments in league history.
They also win 1 or 2 more titles without Jerry Krause. I'm not so sure that they don't do the second three-peat with someone else at PF other than Rodman, but, probably, not as easily.
Not many people embrace being the villain as well as he did. It takes actual talent to be that big of a ********, and I mean that as a compliment to Laimbeer.
Uh, no. Considering Krause is the guy who discovered Pippen and drafted Ho Grant and aquired every other meaningful guy outside of Jordan. Without Krause, they never win the first title.
