ESPN 30 for 30 Detroit Pistons Bad Boys

[The Penguin]

Great documentary and loved how Laimbeer and Thomas worked together from the start to get us those championships. However, I have lost some respect for MJ after seeing what he said about us, then he has the balls to complain about us walking off. The bad boys were always an eye for an eye team, what the heck did you expect!!?? Go call them thugs and say the nba would be better off without then and still expect a handshake? No thanks MJ some teams and players don't bow down to you and the '91 pistons and were just that.

MJ & Kareem ushered in the age of whiners. They made it ok for guys like Lebron to flop and complain about every single call. Look at how the Pistons and Celtics conducted business in the 80s, Parrish punched Laimbeer during a playoff game and didn't get ejected, Mahon and Laimbeer mugged Bird regularly. Now McRoberts gives Lebron a shot and everyone is up in arms wanting to see him run out of the league. We need more guys like McRoberts and less guys who whine to the media about it not being their fault they took the biggest paycheck to play a position they know they can't.

[Redeemed]

Great documentary and loved how Laimbeer and Thomas worked together from the start to get us those championships. However, I have lost some respect for MJ after seeing what he said about us, then he has the balls to complain about us walking off. The bad boys were always an eye for an eye team, what the heck did you expect!!?? Go call them thugs and say the nba would be better off without then and still expect a handshake? No thanks MJ some teams and players don't bow down to you and the '91 pistons and were just that.

Yeah Phil, MJ, and Pippen went to the media every chance they got before the series, during the series, and after the series talking about the Pistons' character. They took to character assassination politicking for the refs to sway the whistle in their favor. It worked for the most part. I recorded that series and destroyed the tapes. It was so draining. It was like playing a pickup game with a bunch of whimps who call ball on every little touch.

Granted the Bulls were younger and we were fading. Age and the expansion draft killed us. If we had the 89 team in tact I believe it would have been a different series. Guys were terrified of Mahorn. He manhandled everybody...entire teams. Most guys in the league were afraid of Charles Oakley. Mahorn manhandled Oak and the entire Bulls team. If we had Mahorn, that more explosive/athletic Bulls team (minus Oakley) would have seen the Pistons go to another Finals and beat that aged Lakers team.

[DonVitoReturns]

If we had the 89 team in tact I believe it would have been a different series. Guys were terrified of Mahorn. He manhandled everybody...entire teams. Most guys in the league were afraid of Charles Oakley. Mahorn manhandled Oak and the entire Bulls team. If we had Mahorn, that more explosive/athletic Bulls team (minus Oakley) would have seen the Pistons go to another Finals and beat that aged Lakers team.

I believe that was the season Isiah broke his hand too and missed much of the year. Even though he was back for the playoffs, that disrupted things as well and obviously hurt their regular season record. If I remember correctly, that permitted the Bulls to end the season with the best record and the #1 seed, which forced another Pistons/Celtics series at the #2 and #3 seeds....and that series was brutal (again). Could easily have gone either way. The Pistons won it 4-2, but it took a lot out of them while the Bulls were able to coast to the ECF.

Without that injury (which caused the Pistons to meet the Celtics before playing the Bulls), and with Mahorn, I agree the Pistons may have won a third title (they definitely would not have been swept by the Bulls). That would have been it of course, but Isiah's injury, no Mahorn, and the Bulls crying was too much to overcome.

[mercury]

Before the Pistons hired Daly he only had 1/2 year of pro coaching experience... he was fired from the Cavs in '82 after winning only 9 games.
"Trader" Jack McCloskey knew Chuck from his Penn days and as a Sixers announcer.... he took a hell of a chance on Chuck... at first it was not looking good as the team was below .500 after 20 some games... they went on to win 49 during Chucks first year.
A little known fact was that Zeke saved Daly's job in '85... they were on a bad streak losing 13 of 16 games and Isiah got wind that management wanted to make a coaching change.... Isiah then set up a secret meeting with Chuck at McDonalds... he told Chuck what was going on and asked Chuck point blank if he was still committed to this team... Chuck affirmed that he was... then Zeke went to Mr. D's office and asked him to please hold off & that Chuck is his guy and they can win with him... Daddy Rich was granted a reprieve.... they ended up winning 19 of the next 22 games and made the playoffs.
No telling how this meeting effected the teams history.

[Manocad]

Absolutely fantastic watch. It was like reliving the anticipation and excitement of the '87-'90 seasons in fast forward speed. To this day the Bird steal in the '87 ECF is the most painful sports moment of my entire life. I was at a buddy's house watching the game, and we were jumping up and hollering because a simple inbound and run out of the clock would have put the Pistons up 3-2 going back to the Palace, where they had demolished the Celtics in Games 2 and 3. Bird gets the steal, they score, and it was like "NO NO NO NO NOOOO!!!! WHAT THEF F*******K?!?!?"

So the Celtics won the series, I suffered through the whole off season doing the "What if" thing, and then came the next season. Once again it was soooo close, the phantom foul against the Lakers, the whole off season mourning once again, going crazy waiting for the next season to start. And from the very start of the '88-'89 season you could tell the Pistons were on a mission and would not be stopped. After it was over there were still lots of Lakers fans pissing and moaning about how it would have been different had Byron Scott and Magic not gotten knocked out with injuries, but I don't think it would have made any difference.

The events of the previous two seasons, sweeping the Lakers, and the bad breaks (Lakers' injuries) finally happening to someone other than the Pistons made that championship so damn sweet. There really was nothing like it, even to this day. The '84 Tigers World Series win was great, Michigan's '98 national championship was better, and the Wings' '97 Stanley Cup was a close second since they had been good for a number of years and hadn't won a cup, but the '89 Pistons NBA championship is still tops for me. There was more frustration and anticipation leading up to it than the others.

[Redeemed]

Absolutely fantastic watch. It was like reliving the anticipation and excitement of the '87-'90 seasons in fast forward speed. To this day the Bird steal in the '87 ECF is the most painful sports moment of my entire life. I was at a buddy's house watching the game, and we were jumping up and hollering because a simple inbound and run out of the clock would have put the Pistons up 3-2 going back to the Palace, where they had demolished the Celtics in Games 2 and 3. Bird gets the steal, they score, and it was like "NO NO NO NO NOOOO!!!! WHAT THEF F*******K?!?!?"

So the Celtics won the series, I suffered through the whole off season doing the "What if" thing, and then came the next season. Once again it was soooo close, the phantom foul against the Lakers, the whole off season mourning once again, going crazy waiting for the next season to start. And from the very start of the '88-'89 season you could tell the Pistons were on a mission and would not be stopped. After it was over there were still lots of Lakers fans pissing and moaning about how it would have been different had Byron Scott and Magic not gotten knocked out with injuries, but I don't think it would have made any difference.

The events of the previous two seasons, sweeping the Lakers, and the bad breaks (Lakers' injuries) finally happening to someone other than the Pistons made that championship so damn sweet. There really was nothing like it, even to this day. The '84 Tigers World Series win was great, Michigan's '98 national championship was better, and the Wings' '97 Stanley Cup was a close second since they had been good for a number of years and hadn't won a cup, but the '89 Pistons NBA championship is still tops for me. There was more frustration and anticipation leading up to it than the others.

I cosign that Bird steal moment pain. It hurt me bad, but I think that loss in the Finals hurt way more because we had that title. It took an Isiah injury and a phantom call to have the bubbly rolled out of our locker room. I remember going to a two month on campus summer program and being clowned everyday because the Pistons loss.

I went back to the program the next year as the Pistons swept the Lakers and outclassed the Blazers. SWEET REDEMPTION! I loved that era of Pistons ball.

[Uncle Mxy]

Dantley getting himself knocked out was just as bad as Isiah's pass.
Those bloody leprechauns in those damn parquet floors...

[Redeemed]

Dantley getting himself knocked out was just as bad as Isiah's pass.
Those bloody leprechauns in those damn parquet floors...

Yeah I was watching that game and ended up having to leave and go to the mall. I ran to a TV in the department store where they were showing replays of the Dantley and Vinnie running into each other. I remember feeling physically ill watching Dantley carted off while Vinne sat on the bench with an ice pack on his head looking incoherent.

[mercury]

Dantley getting himself knocked out was just as bad as Isiah's pass.
Those bloody leprechauns in those damn parquet floors...

That was the coco butt heard around Michigan... tough break... the game turned on that knockout.

[MotownMadness]

I've watched and read a lot of footage of the Bad Boys run but I really wish I was old enough to be interested in it at the time. I was born in 85 and didn't start watching ball until the late 90s early 00s.

[Hotmayo]

after drinking a lot of coffee and not able to sleep I decided to watch this 30 for 30. Amazing n I lost ALOOT of respect for Jordan. If anything.. Jordan's bitchiness and superstar treatment ruined nba.

Anyways.

After watching, I understand joe dumars gm moves a little more now. Josh smith n brandon make sense as pistons... Josh plays both sides n brandon embraces the me against the world attitude. Except we didn't have a leader on this team to put them in check or a team identity.. So that when they came here to play they knew what their job was. Piston identity is obviously defense and team work. Drummond is too young. Monroe is too soft n whiney. Kcp is a true piston n I see why joe picked him he plays both sides. The pistons are really nba players who play both sides all the time every game. They play defense and teamwork like a family- always getting each other's back.

What should joe have done to make bad boys 3?

Hire Goerge Karl
Trade Monroe for Afflalo
Draft a player who plays both sides .. Maybe vonleh?
Resign stuckey- bc joe likes a team that stays together -chemistry
Sign another wing/shooter to add more firepower to the bench- maybe Jodie Meeks?