Michael Jordan won six championships in the form of two three-peats with the Chicago Bulls. By the late ’80s, MJ was arguably the best player in the world but he couldn’t win a title till 1991. The Detroit Pistons stopped him for three successive years in the Eastern Conference. That team was nicknamed “The Bad Boys” due to their aggressive nature on the court.

They had Isiah Thomas, Dennis Rodman, John Salley, Joe Dumars, and Bill Laimbeer. Jordan hated the Pistons and said, “The Bad Boys are bad for basketball”. He still hates the Pistons to this day for what they did to him in the late 80s.

When Michael Jordan finally conquered the hurdle in 1991, he chastised the Pistons for their dirty plays, flagrant fouls, and unsportsmanlike conduct. Jordan didn’t like that they were trying to “hurt” people and wanted to play “clean” with the Bulls.

Teenager Shaquille O’Neal Shut Down Michael Jordan Comparisons With Defining 8 Word Statement: “I’m Good but I’m Not That Good Yet”

Former Pistons player William Bedford challenged Jordan recently on that statement he made decades back. “It didn’t clean up and didn’t stop,” says Bedford, “Other teams picked it up. The New York Knicks picked it up right after us”. He continued, “He(Jordan) beefed up to get those next championships too. They started playing the same way. Why? Because you got our players.”

Bedford mentioned that they had Salley, Dennis Rodman, and James Edwards. Hence, to Bedford, nothing changed from those days of rugged playing and Jordan inherited that style anyway.

Why did Michael Jordan fear the Pistons?

Dennis Rodman, Isiah Thomas, and others like William Bedford were part of a legendary Detroit Pistons Team. “The Bad Boys” were popular with the Detroit crowd. It became their identity. They defeated the likes of Larry Bird, Jordan, and Magic Johnson during their title runs.

Trending

Shaq Warns Lakers Locker Room Of Jeanie Buss Game Plan If Darvin Ham & Co Fail Vs Nuggets

April 24, 2024 09:42 PM EDT

Heat Injury Report: Latest On Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson Ahead of Game 2 vs Celtics

April 24, 2024 02:46 PM EDT

What Happened to Kenny Smith’s Legs? Unfolding the Sad Truth Behind TNT Host’s Dodgy Knees

April 22, 2024 08:05 PM EDT

Joel Embiid Banned By Empire State Building After Dangerous Incident On Court With Mitchell Robinson

April 26, 2024 02:59 AM EDT

“So Rigged”: All Hell Breaks Loose as Jamal Murray Forces LeBron James’ Lakers Into Bitter Embarrassment

April 23, 2024 06:21 AM EDT

Get instantly notified of the hottest NBA stories via Google! Click on Follow Us and Tap the Blue Star.

Follow Us

They won two successive titles in 1989 and 1990. The Pistons defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in a four-game sweep in the 1989 NBA Finals. They repeated their success in 1990 after going through a tough Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls team in seven games. Detroit faced the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1990 Finals.

They shared wins at home but in Portland, the Pistons won all of their games. Portland was leading 90-83 in the fifth game with just two minutes left. They lost it later on as the Pistons rallied. Vinnie Johnson’s 15-foot jumper at 0.07 seconds won them the game.

Watch This Story: The 10 NBA Players Who Scored The Most Points In The 2000s: Kobe Bryant Was The Only One With Over 20K Points

Michael Jordan was arguably right to fear this team. They were an All-Star team who deserved their titles. The Detroit Pistons were certainly an underrated team in the 90s.