30 for 30: Bad Boys

[wildturkey]

This is one of the reasons why Jordan is the best ever. He played in this era & THRIVED. Now if a player touches another a foul is called. It's sad. I'm not saying thug basketball should be brought back, but there needs to be a middle ground.

It's not that simple. Fouls are called more often but the defenses back then were more simpler. In the late 90s and 00s, the NBA relaxed a lot of the "illegal defense" rules. Now you've gone from what was a lot of man to man stuff to some very complex hybrid systems with help scenarios and rotations. That isn't to say Jordan or any other great couldn't adapt, but I'm just pointing out something that I see people leave out a lot when looking back and saying "Man, player X would kill it today".

 

[TBBishop]

Great documentary. It's still upsetting that the Pistons were looked at so poorly based on the walk off. First and foremost when they finally disposed of the Celtics, the Celtics walked off the court the same way yet no one is going to call out the Celtics or Larry Bird for poor sportsmanship. I also like that everyone blasted Jordan and Pippen about mouthing off about how much they hate the Pistons and how everyone will be happy after the Bulls win. Isiah was right, no defending champions had ever been talked about in that manner by a team that was about to eliminate them but that POS Jordan doesn't get waxed for poor sportsmanship. So what they didn't want to shake hands, I never really got why this was a requirement anyway. I hated shaking hands after a loss, I still do. Good game my ass!!!! As far as their physical play, I don't think that they fouled any more than any other team of that more fouls are called today than there used to be. I just think that they figured if they are going to foul, they will make sure you knew that you were fouled. No reason to get called for touching an elbow, I'll just try to rip off your arm!! I loved that team so much! I still have my Dumars jersey.

 

[trojanfan12]

Great documentary. It's still upsetting that the Pistons were looked at so poorly based on the walk off. First and foremost when they finally disposed of the Celtics, the Celtics walked off the court the same way yet no one is going to call out the Celtics or Larry Bird for poor sportsmanship. I also like that everyone blasted Jordan and Pippen about mouthing off about how much they hate the Pistons and how everyone will be happy after the Bulls win. Isiah was right, no defending champions had ever been talked about in that manner by a team that was about to eliminate them but that POS Jordan doesn't get waxed for poor sportsmanship. So what they didn't want to shake hands, I never really got why this was a requirement anyway. I hated shaking hands after a loss, I still do. Good game my ass!!!! As far as their physical play, I don't think that they fouled any more than any other team of that more fouls are called today than there used to be. I just think that they figured if they are going to foul, they will make sure you knew that you were fouled. No reason to get called for touching an elbow, I'll just try to rip off your arm!! I loved that team so much! I still have my Dumars jersey.

I think those "Bad Boys" teams are appreciated a lot more today than they were then. You have to remember, part of the reason that they were so hated was because of how they embraced the "villain role". They wanted to be hated and fed off of it.

During the Lakers/Celtics reign, neither team was a true "villain" to the entire NBA. They were villains to one another's fanbase and maybe to the opposite conference, but they were also respected.

Those Pistons teams were villains for the entire NBA. Virtually no one outside of Detroit liked them. As a result, the "walk-off" by the Celtics gets forgotten about while the Pistons "walk-off" gets remembered.

Heck, if memory serves, the first bit of physical play in the first Lakers/Pistons Championship series was started by the Lakers when Magic clobbered Isaiah, but most just remember how physical the Pistons were.

 

[Nascar Addict]

Horace Grant... I haven't seen him in years. Man. He's changed. I didn't recognize him. Go Tigers!