ESPN 30 for 30 on the Bad Boys
Title speaks for itself. There will be an ESPN 30 for 30 piece on the Bad Boys. Only thing is we have to wait a year to see it. I'm really looking forward to it since I don't actually know that much about them, on account of me being a toddler at the time.
If I were to watch one playoff series from the Bad Boys, which should I watch?
After Stockton got picked over Isiah for the Dream Team, Zeke lit him up. Then because of it Malone cheap shotted him. It was typical Malone, because even though he had a body like a brick wall, he never picked a fight with anyone taller than 6'2".
Up 3 in Game 6 with less than a minute to play......phantom foul called on Laimbeer against Kareem with 14 seconds left.....Joe D rushes a shot when he had a pretty good look right before the final buzzer.....Isiah's 43 point game on a bum ankle ruined......AAAARRRGGGHHHHHH!!!!
One of the best.
Chuck was the man. He was not only a great coach, but he knew how to manage all of the different personalities and egos on the team. R.I.P. Coach Daly.
He was also a very well-rounded person, with a lot of intellectual interests. Not like a typical NBA coach at all.
Home court was supreme back then. When we lost Game 2 in Detroit, Portland thought they had it sewn up. The papers were complaining about our arrogance.
Joe D.'s played off his skull in Game 3 only to find out at the end of the game his dad passed away.
Detroit goes on to win the last three games. . .All in Portland!
Portland had a good team too. Drexler, Porter, Williams, that fat ass Duckworth.
But after Game 2 one of the Trailblazers said "we're not coming back to Detroit"....and they were right.
The thing is, Detroit hadn't won in Portland in like a decade, even with their great teams (because they played there only once a year).
The tone of the 30 for 30 films are often a product of the opinion of their creator towards the subject matter. For example, the one about Miami was very Pro-Hurricanes even though many would argue that those teams should not have been held in such high regard. Given the love them or hate them relationship people have with the Bad Boys I'm thinking this could end up being either a very critical or very complementary doc
Hopefully it's badass. Have every single 1989 ECF and NBA Finals game on DVD in a box set. Watch them every once in a while. Born in 89, so my first Pistons memories are Grant Hill and Allan Houston. But I love watching the Bad Boys.
...congratulations to the late Donna Summer on her R&R HoF induction.
I was very happy to hear this when I read the column on SI. Bad Boys were great and did Detroit proud. Deeeeeeeetroit Basketball™
They played a brand of defense that has rarely been seen since. Today's NBA is too ticky-tack. Anything's a foul. Back then you played and played hard. And those Bad Boys didn't let nothing go. Elbows, physical, that was good basketball, I don't care what those outside Detroit say.
They were hated outside Detroit, but loved in the city. They were great and I look forward to watching
Loved that tough D. No easy baskets.
Or if you just want to watch the fights
Thanks! Great post!
I love how Johnny Most's whining is spliced into the first video - well done.
In the second video, John Salley's block on Jordan at 1:40 is an amazing athletic play - one of the best blocks I've ever seen. It looks like MJ has cleared room for himself, and then Salley comes out of nowhere - and he keeps the ball alive and triggers a fastbreak, too.
In fact, reporters asked Isaiah if he thought the Celtics had a chance to beat the Lakers and repeat as champions and he said "No way, not a chance". Bird, upon learning of Zeke's prognosis: "Well, at least we have a chance, and [the Pistons] don't."
Because a lot of players believed what Rodman said, just not to the extent he said it, because frankly, Rodman isn't exactly that bright (I know, nothing that's happened since has given anyone that impression...). The problem is no matter his color Bird is one of the greatest players of all time. But the HYPE he was getting at the time was so much more than Wilkins and so forth, it exceeded the difference in their talent. Because back then there was still an undercurrent of wanting a "great white hope" in the League, and the Celtics were that.
And technically, in '87 Isiah's prediction was right. Realistically but for one boneheaded play and one play of heads boning together, the Celtics probably shouldn't have even been in that NBA Finals.
There's much we can debate, but Bird was correct - the Celtics had a chance to repeat and the Piston's didn't. Whether or not Bird was deserved of the "hype" was irrelevant. His teams won three (3) NBA titles and we can only find a handful of players in the 80's that can claim more success. Moreover, I have trouble believing that Bird won three (3) MVP's (not to mention a shitload of other honorariums) based on "hype."
Listen, I'm a rare fan of both franchises for a variety of uninteresting reasons. IMHO, it was the greatest period of pitched battle in NBA history (Celtics/Sixers, Celtics/Lakers, Celtics/Pistons, Pistons/Bulls). For whatever reason David Stern wasn't enamoured with any of it. Hopefully we get a flavor of it with the upcoming Pacers/Heat series.
Doesn't mean Isiah was wrong.
About what? Exactly? That the Celtics had "no chance" against the Lakers? BFD. He was playing golf while Bird was, in fact, correct.
Losers.
So glad they're doing a 30 for 30 on the Bad Boys! Brings me back to some of the best days of my childhood.
I wish Laimbeer was coaching the Pistons now.
What I'd really like to hear is the rationale for leaving Mahorn unprotected in the expansion draft in 1989. Mahorn was 31 and while he had some health issues (back), he still pretty much seemed in his prime. James Edwards had an awesome turnaround J, but he was 34 and in decline. If they'd left him unprotected instead of Mahorn, he probably would have been passed over.