Michael Jordan lost in the Playoffs 6 years in a row dating from his rookie season in 1984-85 to the 1990 Eastern Conference Finals until finally reaching the NBA Finals. However, once Jordan reached the Finals, there was no stopping him as he would go on to post a 6-0 record in the promiseland.
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The one team that him along with his Chicago Bulls had to overcome to reach the Finals was the Detroit Pistons. Led by one of the greatest point guards of all time in Isiah Thomas, the Pistons played an aggressive style of basketball, especially on the defensive end of the floor.
Both in 1989 and 1990, the Pistons were tested by the Bulls in the ECF and as expected, with the stakes being at their highest, so was the intensity. This intensity bled onto the court in the form of an overtly physical defense that Michael did not appreciate.
Isiah Thomas on Michael Jordan ‘crying’ over fouls
The Pistons and the Bulls established themselves as premier rivals in the league during the late 80s and early 90s. After losing to the Pistons in the Playoffs three years in a row, the Bulls would finally sweep them in the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals to face off against Magic’s Lakers in the NBA Finals.
Isiah Thomas would go on a podcast with Celtics legend, Cedric Maxwell, to talk about a variety of aspects of his illustrious career. Of course, the topic of Michael Jordan came up and IT didn’t mince his words regarding MJ’s complaining about fouls.
“Jordan, every time you hit him, he was crying. Going to David Stern’s office, going to the commissioner’s office, having a meeting about getting hit and fouled, and then changing the rules. I watched Dr. J get beat up. I watched Magic get beat up. I watched Max get beat up. I done got beat up,” said IT.
Michael Jordan had to learn not to react to the Pistons’ fouls
Michael Jordan has stated before that he knew him and his Chicago Bulls had officially gotten over the Pistons hump when they refused to react to their hard fouls. Before, they would get ready to fight out on NBA hardwood following a foul but it was during that ‘91 ECF that they learned to go about their business.
Harder fouls in the 80s and 90s usually get brought up as an aspect of the game that differentiates the style of play from then to now. However, it should be understood that hard fouls on defense don’t make you a better defender.
Dishing out punishment in that era was simply done to put fear in perimeter players’ hearts when it came to attacking the paint. If a player was laid out a couple times during a game, he would think twice about challenging the big at the rim and that’s exactly what guys like Dennis Rodman and Bill Laimbeer did.
