“Any club that beats you 4 straight is a better club than you are”: Former Pistons coach Chuck Daly’s candid confession post the 1991 ECF sweep

When Pistons head coach Chuck Daly gave Michael Jordan and the Bulls their flowers post being swept 4-0 in the 1991 ECF.

When it comes to one of the most iconic rivalries in the NBA, it’s hard to top the Bulls-Pistons. The two teams boasted multiple Hall of Famers such as Isiah Thomas, Scottie Pippen, and Michael Jordan. The 4-year feud was filled with drama and emotions, whether it be the Bad Boy Pistons or Jordan Rules.

The Pistons were one of the most dominant teams during the late 80s, with players like Zeke, Joe Dumars, Bill Laimbeer, and John Sally bringing the city of Detroit back-to-back championships (1989-90). At the time, a young MJ had just arrived on the scene.

During this course, the Pistons developed the iconic Bad Boys image, adopting a more physical style of approach, termed dirty by many. While Chuck Daly and his crew had established themselves on the top, they had some competition coming their way via the Bulls.

Despite Jordan being the leading scorer in the NBA, he couldn’t get the Bulls past the Pistons in 3 consecutive playoff meetings, getting beaten and battered in the paint. However, Air Jordan would eventually overcome the Pistons hump, doing it in an iconic fashion.

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With the right supporting cast of Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant, MJ would lead the Bulls in a 4-0 sweep against the Pistons in the 1991 ECF.

Former Pistons coach Chuck Daly’s post-game interview post the 1991 ECF.

Daly coached the Detroit Pistons for 8-seasons, winning 467 out of the 738-games during his time.  During Daly’s tenure, the Pistons made the playoffs each time, including three Finals appearances and two championships. One of his historical achievements continues to remain the 1992 Olympics. The Dream Team coach won the gold medal in Barcelona, Spain.

The 1991 ECF marked the end of an era in Pistons basketball, with the beginning of a new dynasty in the form of the Bulls. Daly would address the loss in a post-game interview, saying the following.

“Well, first of all, they deserve to win. Any club that beats you 4-straight is a better club than you are, at least this year. There’s no sad songs in our locker room, you can hear it, guys are having fun, the music is on. We had a great run, lot of pride, we did so much for basketball, not around this country, but for the city of Detroit. I love those guys and they accomplished a lot, it’s a heavy burden to carry around for two or three years.”

Daly’s comments speak of high sportsmen spirit, considering his roster had refused to shake hands with the Bulls post losing, storming out of the arena.

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