Did you know that Reggie Miller had a deep dislike for Rick Mahorn as a player? The reason is quite unusual.
Advertisement
It’s rare for a player to warn an opponent about one of his own teammates. But when it does happen, it says a lot about how intimidating that teammate is. Miller experienced this firsthand when Joe Dumars, a former Detroit Pistons guard, constantly cautioned him about facing Mahorn before their matchups.
The 5x All-Star soon remembered the advice he received from Dumars. The 2x champion had warned him about Mahorn’s presence while driving to the basket.
“What’s funny is, Joe Dumars, the gentle ‘Bad Boy’ would always tell me, ‘Reg, I’m just telling you… If you beat me off the dribble and get by me, just be careful because Mahorn is gonna take you out.'”
View this post on Instagram
This offered a glimpse into the fiercely competitive nature of basketball played in the ’80s and ’90s. During this time, the Pistons were particularly notorious for their physical style of play. They earned the nickname ‘Bad Boys’ for relentlessly tormenting the biggest stars of that era and pretty much beating them up as they drove to the rim.
Mahorn was the glue in their system. He connected the guards, Isiah Thomas and Dumars, with the big men, Dennis Rodman and Bill Laimbeer. Any opponent who managed to get past the Pistons’ backcourt duo had to face him next.
Miller’s position as the shooting guard at the Pacers frequently forced him to charge straight into Mahorn. The two squared off multiple times on the court to give rise to one of the greatest NBA matchups.
Unfortunately for Miller, these bruising clashes often ended with him lying on the floor in pain. Despite this, Mahorn once admitted that there was never any ill will behind his on-court actions.
What did Mahorn say about his antics?
Earlier this year, Mahorn discussed his competitive mindset on CLNS Media Boston Sports Network. He discussed how winning on the court meant putting everything else aside, even lifelong friendships. The 65-year-old explained,
“The competition that we had back then… It’s not dislike. It’s just 48 minutes, I’mma try to kill you because I wanna beat you. I ain’t got no friendship with you for 48 minutes… Jeff Ruland is my brother, Bill Laimbeer is my brother but if I have to play against them, I’m trying to kick their a**…”
Many superstars of his generation shared this mindset. It’s what made that era so brutal, yet memorable. That era played a significant role in reshaping the game in ways no one could have imagined.
