The NBA has always been a breeding ground for competitive energy. The 1980s and 90s were home to some of the most competitive and physical brands of basketball. Nonetheless, at the root of it all was a profound sense of respect for their opponent. That applies to Pistons legend Isiah Thomas, who revealed Larry Bird inadvertently fueled his journey to capture NBA championships.
Advertisement
Before Isiah Thomas became one of the best point guards in NBA history, he was a small guard with a dream. He had experienced success at every stage of his career.
Ahead of joining the Pistons, he won a National Championship with the Indiana Hoosiers in 1981. Although he was on top of the basketball world, he wasn’t where he wanted to be just yet.
In that same year, Thomas’ attention was on the NBA. The Celtics were the last team standing and captured the 1981 NBA championship. The 6-foot-1 guard knew that was the next level he wanted to reach.
Unfortunately, once he got to Detroit, he was far from that level. However, he held onto that feeling he had seeing Bird win it all. In a feature titled Basketball Stories Thomas revealed the impact Bird had on his career.
“I’m watching [Bird] in the NBA Finals,” Thomas said. “And I’m like, ‘I want to learn how to do that.’ I had won a championship in Indiana, and I knew in Detroit we were nowhere near that level.”
Thomas was the second overall pick in the 1981 NBA Draft. Although he wanted to win immediately at the NBA level, he knew Detroit wasn’t on par with the Celtics. Regardless, that didn’t prevent him from striving to reach that level.
Eventually Thomas reached the player he wanted to become. He propelled the Pistons to consecutive titles in 1989 and 1990. During those runs he had the opportunity to prove himself against the man that motivated him to be the best version of himself.
Thomas crushed the Celtics in the 1989 NBA playoffs
In the first-round of the 1989 playoffs, Thomas received the opportunity he longed for. The perfect measuring stick of his ability was right in front of him as the Pistons matched up against the Celtics.
Unfortunately, Bird didn’t play in the series due to recovery from a surgery which removed bone spurs from both of his heels. Nonetheless, the matchup served as a full-circle moment for Thomas.
Detroit went on to sweep the Celtics in the best-of-five series. Thomas finished the job and won his first championship, staying true to his intentions when he saw Bird win in 1981.
