Before the Detroit Pistons became back-to-back NBA champions, they had to earn every ounce of respect they got. Through the early and mid-'80s, they battled some of the best the Eastern Conference had to offer — but no matter how close they came, the Pistons were often labeled as a second-tier team in the Association's hierarchy.
Truth be told, they weren't as flashy as Magic Johnson's Showtime Lakers, nor as polished as Larry Bird's Boston Celtics . They were tough, physical and unrelenting, and for the most part, wildly disrespected because of it.
But instead of feeling sorry for themselves or begging for recognition, the players embraced that identity. They didn't care about looking good on national TV; they cared about winning and were willing to get their hands dirty to do it.
That attitude became their trademark, and it was all headlined by their undisputed leader, Isiah Thomas .
"If they want to make us out to be a Raiders-type of basketball team, then we can become a very, very aggressive type of team and let people know this is the game we play," Thomas said.
When a leader of Isiah's caliber speaks like that, it sets the tone for everyone else in the locker room. And that's exactly what happened in Detroit. The Pistons' roster was filled with players who were cut from the same cloth: Bill Laimbeer , Rick Mahorn, Dennis Rodman, John Salley, Joe Dumars, guys who didn't mind getting physical and were more than happy to play the villains of the whole league if that's what it took to get to the ultimate prize.
They took everything that was supposed to be a negative and flipped it to their advantage. Being disliked became their power source. The more teams complained about their rough style, the harder the Pistons hit. The team found an identity and stuck with it, as their big man, Mahorn , also pointed out.
"Nobody likes us," Mahorn said , via the book "Dynasties." "I don't mind being a Raider of the NBA."
To understand Mahorn's comparison, you have to go back to the Oakland Raiders of the NFL. During their heyday, they were seen as the league's outlaws, the roughest team in football. They weren't everyone's favorite, but they didn't care and, in fact, they preferred it that way.
The Pistons of the mid-to-late '80s were no different. They were the NBA's equivalent to the Raiders — physical, intimidating and downright proud of it. And much like the Raiders, they didn't care about public approval.
Detroit's "Bad Boys" embodied the very spirit of their city. That competitive edge, the one the rest of the league criticized, ultimately became their greatest weapon. It helped them knock off the giants of the era and carve out their own dynasty in the process.
They ended the Celtics' and Lakers' long-standing dominance, and for several years, even kept the rising Michael Jordan -led Chicago Bulls at bay. The Pistons' back-to-back championship triumphs in 1989 and 1990 wouldn't have been possible without every player fully embracing that identity.
Sure, sometimes it was rough, sometimes it crossed the line, but that was the name of the game at that time, and it took them to the promised land, not once, but twice.
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This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 27, 2025, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
