by Miguel Mike Medina
Isiah Thomas is from Chicago. People need to know that ball players from Chicago come with a different type of grit. They are wired differently. Ask Tim Hardaway, Derrick Rose, Patrick Beverley, Nick Anderson, etc. Players that come from Chicago bring a lot of toughness and passion on the court whether they are superstars or role players. Isiah went from Chicago to Indiana where he played under the legendary Bobby Knight. Together, they won the 1981 National Championship. He was Consensus First-Team All-American and named Final Four Most Outstanding Player.
He got drafted by the Detroit Pistons and turned the entire franchise around. He was the ringleader of the “Bad Boy” Pistons who were very physical and not well-liked by opponents and the NBA. But the Bad Boy Pistons are one of the greatest teams in NBA history. Isiah has a playoff-winning record over Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, and Michael Jordan. The rivalry with Thomas and Jordan will never be forgotten. Two great players, two fierce competitors going for the throne. Pistons and Bulls were at each other’s throats from 1988 to 1991. It took the fourth try for the Bulls to finally beat the Pistons.
Isiah Thomas’s signature game and the game that cements the legend of Isiah is the 1988 NBA Finals Game 6. Thomas hurt his ankle during a fastbreak situation and he stepped on Michael Cooper’s ankle. His toughness and willingness to lift his team to glory was put on display. Thomas scored 25 points in the third quarter with one leg and to this day is an NBA Finals record. Not only was he torturing the Lakers, but he was inspiring his teammates. There hasn’t been another performance in a single quarter like Isiah. Despite the effort, the Pistons lost that game and they also lost Game 7.
However, the Pistons got revenge the following season. They swept the Lakers in the 1989 Finals to win the title, and they repeated as champions in 1990 by beating the Portland Trail Blazers in five games.
Isiah is a 12-time All-Star, 2-time NBA champion, 1990 Finals MVP, and 2-time All-Star Game MVP. A gold medal is missing on his resume but he should’ve had one in 1992. We all know why. He never won league MVP but winning a championship plus Finals MVP is much better and rewarding. We salute one of the greatest points of all time. He wasn’t everyone’s favorite cup of tea, but the man deserved his flowers for what he meant to the game of basketball. Incredible basketball IQ and a student of the game.
