They scored their revenge the following year. Technically they won a 3peat if we gauge the 1988 NBA Finals properly, in terms of how the refs cheated the Pistons out of two games literally. [197][198] The Pistons were then swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in four games in the first round of the 2009 NBA playoffs. The Air Jordan 6 Helped Deliver Michael Jordan His First Championship - GQ [40], Over time, Davidson became displeased with Cobo Arena, but opted not to follow the Red Wings to the under-construction Joe Louis Arena next door. He ultimately settled on Detroit. [177], Detroit advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the sixth straight season, squaring off against the Celtics. Apr 5 @ ATL, DET (54-19) beat ATL, 104-99, 74. [302] This list includes draft rights that were acquired from trades with other teams. Nine days. They won gamesand championships. Amongst a ton of achievements, MJ holds an ecstatic postseason record. Nov 8 @ IND, DET (2-2) lost to IND, 74-95, 5. Top 10 Best Detroit Pistons Players of All Time Nov 21, DET (6-4) lost to ATL, 96-103, 12. We present them here for purely educational purposes. The regular TV announcers are George Blaha with play-by-play, Greg Kelser with color commentary, Grant Long or Tim McCormick with studio analysis and Johnny Kane or Natalie Kerwin with sideline reports. [56] However, the Lakers won the game, 103102, on a pair of last-second free throws by Abdul-Jabbar following a controversial foul called on Bill Laimbeer, referred to by many as a "phantom foul". James Worthy poured in 40 points for the Lakers, who werewithout Magic Johnson. [25] Howell had previously been dealt to the Baltimore Bullets in 1964 and former Pistons guard Gene Shue, who was the head coach of the Bullets at the time, assessed the Pistons thusly: "Detroit has the worst management in the league. [94] He quickly faced what appeared to be a setback for the franchise, as Grant Hill elected to leave for the Orlando Magic. [152] After winning the first two games by 26 and 21 points, the Pistons overcame a 19-point deficit to win Game 3, 8174. Jan 13, DET (25-12) beat POR, 111-106, 38. [281] The horse's head and flaming mane logo lasted until 2005, when the team switched to a more classic logo design. Detroit Pistons | History, Championships, Notable Players, & Facts 'The Jordan Rules': What to know about the defense the 'Bad Boys [206] The Pistons later re-signed Ben Wallace on August 12, 2009. [65][66] After winning 59 games and a third straight division title, the Pistons cruised through the first two rounds of the playoffs before playing a tough Eastern Conference Finals series against Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and the Chicago Bulls. Now, before anyone calls me a hater, let me just make it clear- the Pistons are an all-time great team, I just don't see how they frequently get ranked in the top 5 or top 10 teams of all time. During this time, he was the subject of a series of rumors linking him to other job openings. The Pistons used a balanced attack in the 1989 series finale, with six players scoring in double-figures, as they rallied from a double-digit deficit in the first half. [113] The Pistons then defeated the Pacers, coached by Rick Carlisle, in six tough games to advance to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1990. How Michael Jordan bulked up to outmuscle Pistons, win first NBA [64], The Pistons successfully defended their title in 1990, despite losing Rick Mahorn to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the expansion draft. [229][230], In the 2015 off-season, Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy began to change the roster by making such acquisitions as Ersan lyasova, Marcus Morris, Aron Baynes, and Steve Blake. [188] On November 3, 2008, the Pistons traded key members Chauncey Billups and Antonio McDyess to the Denver Nuggets for Allen Iverson. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? [39], Prior to the 198687 season, the Pistons acquired more key players: John Salley (drafted 11th overall), Dennis Rodman (drafted 27th) and Adrian Dantley (acquired in a trade with the Utah Jazz). [210] The Pistons finished with a 2755 record, their worst since 1994. The team failed to hit the three-peat the following season and Henderson ended his career with the Houston Rockets following the 1991-92 season. [102], In the 2002 off-season, Joe Dumars revamped the roster by signing free agent Chauncey Billups, acquiring Richard "Rip" Hamilton from the Washington Wizards, and drafting Tayshaun Prince from Kentucky. The game is best remembered for LeBron James' performance where he scored the Cavaliers' final 29 of 30 points, including the team's final 25 points, to help defeat the Pistons 109107 in double overtime. [35][36][37][38] Hope was then placed in Dick Vitale in 1978, the former head coach at the University of Detroit, but he was fired the following season, and the team limped into the 1980s with a 1666 record in 197980. But I haven't agreed with the methods they used. [56][58], Prior to the 198889 season, the Pistons moved to Auburn Hills to play at The Palace of Auburn Hills, the first NBA arena financed entirely with private funds. [143][144], During the off-season, the Pistons offered Ben Wallace a four-year, $48 million contract, which would have made him the highest-paid player in franchise history at the time. Born in 1974, Wallace was one of 11 children. John Salley explains why he didn't take part in Bulls-Pistons - RSN draft, the culmination of years of mediocrity. [80][90][91][92] Of these coaches, only Collins had any sort of success with the Pistons, winning 54 games in the 199697 season. [240] The Pistons surpassed their win totals from the 200910 season to the 201415 season on March 9, 2016, when they defeated the Dallas Mavericks 10296. Pistons won the game 101-79, gaining a 2-1 series lead. [22][41], The franchise's fortunes finally began to turn in 1981, when they drafted point guard Isiah Thomas from Indiana University. In the documentary, some of the Pistons explain how the walkout came to be. The. [267][268] The Pistons finished the season with a 2046 record. Fred Zollner owned the Zollner Corporation, a foundry that manufactured pistons, primarily for car, truck, and locomotive engines in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Dec 1 @ LAL, DET (10-5) beat LAL, 108-97, 16. Wallace in particular developed into a defensive stalwart in the coming years. Had MJ joined the Lakers and linked up with Phil then that's a different story. [24][84][85][86] They bottomed out in the 199394 season, finishing with a 2062 record. Mar 22 @ HOU, DET (51-16) lost to HOU, 110-115, 68. All rights reserved. the official stats partner of the NBA, NHL and MLB. Those were Mitch Albom's opening words from his column in the Free Press on June 14, 1989, under the headline "Not Bad, Boys!" [263][264], On March 11, 2020, the 201920 season was suspended by the NBA after it was reported that Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19. In NBA playoffs vs. LeBron, Memphis Grizzlies have 'Bad Boys' attention [59] The 1989 Pistons completed the building of their roster by trading Adrian Dantley for Mark Aguirre, a trade that Pistons fans criticized heavily initially, but later praised. The "Bad Boys" Detroit Pistons. [52][53] After a Celtics turnover, Isiah Thomas attempted to quickly inbound the ball and missed Chuck Daly's timeout signal from the bench. [103][104][105] The Pistons posted consecutive 50-win seasons and advanced to the 2003 Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 1991. "[28][29] Howell would go to win two championships as a member of the Boston Celtics. [202][203] That same month, the Pistons lost their two key members during the last few years, veterans Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess. Laimbeer was the main reason why the "Bad Boy" Pistons of the 1980s and 90s got their infamous name. MORE: Michael Jordan's hatred for Isiah Thomas, 'Bad Boy' Pistons is still very, very real That takes away from what Detroit really was. How a 2004 NBA Finals win over Shaq, Kobe and the Lakers - ESPN [276] It was their first 60-loss season since 199394. [1][9] George Yardley set the NBA single-season scoring record in the Pistons' first season in Detroit, becoming the first player to score 2,000 points in a season. [255][256] The move made Detroit the only U.S. city to have its Major League Baseball (MLB), National Football League (NFL), NBA, and NHL teams playing in its downtown district, and one of only two U.S. cities to have all their teams playing in one place, the other being Philadelphia. Here's the opening excerpt fromAlbom's game column in the Free Press: In the end, there would be no denying them; they wanted this more than life itself. [274], With the fifth overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, the Pistons selected Jaden Ivey. [51], In 1987, the team reached the Eastern Conference Finals against the Celtics. In NBA playoffs vs. LeBron, Memphis Grizzlies have 'Bad Boys' attention Dec 13 @ LAC, DET (13-8) lost to LAC, 79-83, 22. "[75][76][77], After getting swept by the Bulls, the Pistons traded James Edwards and waived Vinnie Johnson during the off-season. [71] The decisive game came down to the final second. [99] The franchise also returned to its traditional red, white, and blue colors. Jan 31, DET (31-14) beat WSB, 133-109, 46. [48] After the series, changes were made in order to make the team more defensive-minded. Feb 8 @ MIL, DET (35-14) beat MIL, 104-101, 51. The 1991 'Bad Boy' Detroit Pistons infamously refused to shake hands after losing to Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and the Chicago Bulls following their Eastern Conference Finals series loss. [219] The 201112 season was an improvement from previous years for the Pistons, although they still posted a losing record. Dec 23, DET (16-10) beat ORL, 106-100, 27. [80][87] However, this period also saw the team make numerous questionable personnel decisions, such as the loss of free agent Allan Houston to the New York Knicks,[88] the signing of free agent washouts Loy Vaught and Bison Dele;[89] and head coaching changes from Ron Rothstein to Don Chaney to Doug Collins to Alvin Gentry to George Irvine in an eight-year span. That moment came 31 years ago Saturday night, at. [20][21], The Pistons played in Olympia Stadium (home of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League (NHL) at the time) for their first four seasons, then moved to Cobo Arena beginning in the 196162 season. [271][272] In the 2021 NBA draft, the Pistons selected Cade Cunningham with the first overall pick. FMIA: A Night in the Raiders' Draft Room and 12 Minutes With C.J The rough bad-boy fighting style of the Raiders fits our image. Not 'Bad Boys' Anymore, the Pistons Just Want to Be Good Again [1] The Zollner Pistons were NBL champions in 1944 and 1945. [278][279] There are several affiliate stations throughout Michigan. [278][280], The Pistons' current exclusive local television rights holder is Bally Sports Detroit. Who in Detroit will ever forget? What The Detroit Pistons' Bad Boys Look Like Now - Grunge Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. [244][245], Beginning with the 197879 season, the Pistons played their home games in suburban Oakland County, directly north of Detroit/Wayne County, first playing ten seasons at the Pontiac Silverdome and then playing at The Palace of Auburn Hills starting in the 198889 season. The Pistons have won three NBA championships: in 1989, 1990 and 2004 . Jan 2 @ ORL, DET (19-11) beat ORL, 115-113, 35. The Pistons were ahead 9593 when Robert Horry sank the game-winning three-point basket for the Spurs with 5.8 seconds left in the extra session. [66] After splitting the first two games at The Palace, the Pistons went to Portland, where they had not won a game since 1974, to play Games 3, 4 and 5. "[288], Jalen Rose, who later starred as a member of the Fab Five at Michigan, embraced the Bad Boys brand as a teenager growing up in Detroit, stating "I loved everything about the Bad Boys. [189] Indeed, Joe Dumars previously made it clear that no player on the team was guaranteed a position, bluntly saying they lost their sacred cow status. Well, the man has broken several records and won six championships during his career. [273] The Pistons finished the 202122 season at 2359, missing the playoffs for the third consecutive season. Top 5 NBA players with a "bad boy" reputation across the - Sportskeeda [177][178] This put the Pistons second on the all-time list of most consecutive conference finals appearances, behind only the Los Angeles Lakers, who appeared in eight straight conference finals from the 198182 to 198889 seasons. Through the 1980s and into the early 1990s, the Detroit Pistons were the Bad Boys of the league. Apr 20 @ IND, DET (58-23) beat IND, 121-115, 82. Detroit Pistons' All-Time Starting 5 - Bleacher Report Hopefully, that will be eliminated from the game. In what would ultimately be a bellwether moment in the franchise's history, Wallace refused to take any post-game questions, simply walking back to the locker room after, aware that Joe Dumars would likely start dismantling the team, saying only "It's over, man. 9 overall pick", "Lawrence Frank fired by Detroit Pistons", "Detroit Pistons Relieve Maurice Cheeks of Head Coaching Duties", "Pistons owner Tom Gores: Poor progress under Mo Cheeks; John Loyer interim coach", "Detroit Pistons Announce Organizational Changes", "Detroit Pistons Name Stan Van Gundy Head Coach and President of Basketball Operations", "What We Learned About the Detroit Pistons During the 2014-15 NBA Season", "2014-15 Detroit Pistons Roster and Stats", "Pistons get Ersan Ilyasova from Bucks for Butler, Williams", "Pistons get small forward Marcus Morris in trade with Suns", "Pistons agree to deal with Spurs center Baynes", "Pistons acquire Steve Blake for insurance at point", "Pistons draft Johnson No.