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With the advent (onslaught?) of “The Last Dance,” the hugely popular series about the demise of the Chicago Bulls dynasty, we’re getting a fresh look not just at the Bulls but also the Detroit Pistons.
Known as the Bad Boys, Detroit played a highly physical game that inspired Michael Jordan to bulk up to take them on.
They played a bully sort of basketball that led Charles Barkley to warn families to consider filing missing persons reports if things didn’t go well.
On the other hand, though, while the Pistons liked to dish it out, the nature of their game also meant that they periodically took some very hard shots as well.
Take this play against the Utah Jazz.
Isaiah Thomas drives the lane and gets past 7-4 Mark Eaton only to find Karl Malone, aka the Mailman (because he always delivered), waiting under the basket.
And when Thomas went up, Malone’s elbow came down...hard.
Thomas ended up with 40 stitches in his face. Malone got a $10,000 dollar fine and a 1-game suspension.
Everyone with the Pistons went nuts, but what are you gonna do? Live by the sword, die by it.