On Larry Bird, Dennis Rodman and Isiah Thomas said, “If he was Black, he’d be just another good guy.”
With so many great teams and players competing against one another, establishing memorable rivalries, and putting on performances every night, the 1980s are regarded as the greatest period in NBA basketball history. With so many teams vying for the title and superstars supporting each of them, every season was unpredictable. However, the rivalry between the Boston Celtics, headed by Larry Bird, and the Detroit Pistons, led by Isiah Thomas, the infamous “Bad Boys,” was one of the most intense.
fabled rivalry between the Pistons and Celtics
Great basketball, brawls, ejections, and cheap shots were all part of every game these teams played in the 1980s, especially in the postseason. The Celtics and Pistons squared off five times in the postseason between 1985 and 1991. The Pistons have won three straight series since 1988, making three Finals berths and two championships, but the Celtics would advance in 1985 and 1987.
It was a legendary rivalry; Bird detested Laimbeer and the others for their dirty play, and the Bad Boys never sat well with him. Naturally, though, the Pistons also didn’t think much of Bird, and tensions reached a breaking point during the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals. Game 3 ended with an all-out confrontation between the two teams as Bird lost his composure and began swinging at Laimbeer and Rodman following a hard foul.
Zeke and Rodman without any filters
The legendary Bird steal on the inbounds later in the series in Game 5 gave the Celtics the much-needed 3-2 lead that ultimately helped them win in seven games and go to the NBA Finals. Emotions were running high on both sides after a protracted, dramatic, contentious, and turbulent series—especially for the Pistons, who took the loss very seriously. Following the match, rookie Rodman attacked Bird:
He is not the Almighty. I don’t think he’s the best player in the NBA. He is Caucasian. He receives the MVP award as a result. Magic Johnson is never given credit. Not only did he deserve it last year. It doesn’t concern me. Tell him, please. You’ll still include it in the document.”
Dennis Rodman through NY Times
Isiah Thomas, his teammate, concurred with Rodman and went so far as to make a remark that many saw as racist:
“In my opinion, Larry is an extremely talented basketball player. He is a very gifted person. However, I have to concur with Rodman. He would be simply another nice guy if he weren’t black.”
via NY Times with Isiah Thomas
Following their remarks, the Pistons team faced criticism. However, Thomas swiftly clarified that he had made such remarks in jest because he was friends with Bird. On the other hand, even though Rodman thought he had said nothing improper, his agent ultimately had him apologize, and they faxed an apology to Bird. Because of the hue of his skin, Bird was frequently the target of disdain and underestimation from the public in his day. However, ultimately,