In the 1980s, the Pistons assembled a roster that played incredible defense and stifled opponents with their physicality. It helped them win two championships in 1988 and 1989 and formed their identity. They stuck to their style for the next two decades and won another title in 2005. However, the advent of the three-pointer era prompted them to tweak their identity, which Isiah Thomas believes was a huge mistake.
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In an interview with MLive’s Kory Woods, the Hall of Famer lamented the Pistons’ identity crisis. He called out the team’s hierarchy for moving away from their playstyle and effectively turning the franchise into a bottom-feeder. Thomas said,
“You know there was a certain identity in a style of play that we represented, that we brought to the court that all fans appreciated and understood worldwide. Over the last ten years or so, Pistons have lost their identity and the style of play.”
He cited the Lakers as an example of a team that has always stuck to their identity and never veered from it. The Pistons icon claimed that their strong philosophy and penchant for focusing on strengthening three key areas have ensured they remain successful through every era. Thomas said,
“The Lakers have always been known for their great Center play, whether it be Wilt, Kareem, and Shaq. Then they great Small Forwards, Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant and then the guard position, you go Jerry West and Magic Johnson was just something out of this world, that nobody has still replicated.”
Thomas then spoke about the Celtics’ ability to identify players who have traits representing their strong values. He noted the similarities between Kevin Garnett and Bill Russell’s attitude and playing style. He claimed that the two Celtics icons had noticeably similar attributes and wouldn’t look out of place standing next to each other. The retired point guard explained,
“When you look at the Celtics have their own style of play for years has been relatively the same. Some of the names have changed but the people that you put in the Celtics uniform, you look at those guys and you say they are Celtics. As much as we love Kevin Garnett in Minnesota when Kevin Garnett went to Boston, you said him and Bill Russell standing together, oh that makes a lot of sense.”
Thomas opined that Pistons legends like Ben Wallace and Bill Laimbeer embodied the franchise’s hard-nosed, blue-collar spirit. Their distinct attitude was only appreciated in Detroit and the duo were at their best when representing the city.
However, the team’s decision to deviate from their trademark playing style and adopt tactics that are common across the league took away their edge and uniqueness. To make it worse, it did not help them in the slightest. The Pistons have lost 507 games over the last 10 years, 19 more than any other team.
While the rest of the league is aiming to move forward, Thomas feels that Detroit should look back and embrace what made them great.
