John Salley on how the Bad Boys Pistons were never embraced around the NBA because of the "Messiah in Chicago"
The Detroit Pistons bridged the gap between the Showtime Lakers and Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls. Known as the Bad Boys, the Pistons went to three straight NBA Finals from 1988 to 1990, winning back-to-back titles in 1989 and 1990.
But despite being only the fourth team in NBA history to repeat as champions, the Pistons never received the same royal treatment as those who won the Larry O'Brien trophy before them. For Pistons center, John Salley, a member of those back-to-back title teams, explained why during an interview on the Dan Patrick Show.
"When they put the Messiah in Chicago," said Salley. "They thought it was going to be this guy handing off to this, he's going to be the next run. "
The Pistons spoiled the master plan
Spider claims that the NBA has a 'manuscript.' The league reportedly wanted the '80s decade to be a battle between Magic and Bird. However, Dr. J's Sixers almost ruined that by making three trips to the NBA Finals from 1980 to 1983. The Celtics and the Lakers ended up playing each other thrice in the NBA Finals during that decade.
When Michael Jordan entered the league in 1984, Salley claims that then-NBA commissioner David Stern anointed him as the face of the league or the messiah. Stern wanted the transition from Magic-Bird to MJ, but in between, just like the Sixers before them, they spoiled the grand plan.
"But as Mitch Albom, the great writer put it," added Salley, "This little team in the middle of the country out of a city that no one was paying attention to, messed up the pitcher so that the pitcher at one time looked like Van Gogh, and then when we got there it looked like Basquiat."
Buddha had a more realistic explanation
But while Salley said it so well during the interview, he probably has a vivid imagination to come up with a conspiracy theory like that one. On the other hand, Spider's Pistons teammate, James Edwards, said it better when he admitted that nobody liked the Pistons because of their physical play.
"With the way we played, nobody really liked us except for the people of Detroit. They could understand the hard work that we did out on the floor, but we didn't really get any respect (nationally) after we won those two championships," stated Buddha.
The Bad Boys didn't just border with dirty basketball. They were also the heel to the fan-favorites Chicago Bulls and were always perceived to be trying to hurt, not defend, the best-loved Michael Jordan. It's easy to explain why the Pistons' title teams were hated instead of celebrated. But yeah, Salley was correct that they weren't good for the image and revenue figures of the then-growing league.
