In the 1980s, the Pistons were a team that played incredible defense and smothered opponents with their physicality. This helped them win two championships in 1988 and 1989 and forged their identity. They stuck with their style for the next two decades, winning another title in 2005. However, the advent of the three-point era forced them to change their identity, which Isiah Thomas says was a huge mistake.
In an interview with MLive’s Kory Woods, the Hall of Famer lamented the Pistons’ identity crisis. He blamed the team’s hierarchy for straying from his style of play and turning the franchise into a bottom-of-the-table franchise. Thomas said:
“We had a certain identity in the style of play that we represented, that we brought to the court and that all the fans appreciated and understood around the world. Over the last ten years, the Pistons have lost their identity and their style of play.”
He cited the Lakers as an example of a team that has always stayed true to its identity and never strayed from it.. The Pistons icon said their strong philosophy and penchant for focusing on strengthening three key areas has allowed them to remain successful throughout the ages. Thomas said:
“The Lakers have always been known for their great center play, whether it’s Wilt, Kareem and Shaq. Then they had great small forwards, Elgin Baylor, Kobe Bryant and then the guard position, you have Jerry West and Magic Johnson, it was just something extraordinary, that no one has ever duplicated.“
Thomas then spoke about the Celtics’ ability to identify players who have traits that represent their strong values. He noted the similarities between Kevin Garnett and Bill Russell’s attitude and style of play. He said the two Celtics icons have substantially similar attributes and wouldn’t mind standing side by side. The retired point guard explained:
“When you look at the Celtics, their style of play has stayed relatively the same for years. Some of the names have changed, but the players that you put in a Celtics uniform, you look at those guys and you say they’re Celtics. As much as we love Kevin Garnett in Minnesota, when Kevin Garnett went to Boston, you said he was next to Bill Russell, oh, that makes a lot of sense..”
Thomas felt that Pistons legends like Ben Wallace and Bill Laimbeer embodied the hard-working spirit of the franchise. Their unique attitude was appreciated only in Detroit and the duo was at their best when representing the city.
However, the team’s decision to deviate from its usual style of play and adopt tactics common to the entire league has tarnished its uniqueness. Worse yet, it hasn’t helped them in the least. The Pistons have lost 507 games in the last 10 years, 19 more than any other team.
As the rest of the league looks to move forward, Thomas believes Detroit should look back and embrace what made them great.
