What made Detroit perform so badly in 1991?

The reason for the 50 wins was Isiah being hurt for most of the season. We still had Vinnie Johnson and he was picking up the slack due to an inability of the GM to find a suitable backup at the time.

In the post-season I recall the 1st round with Indy going 5, then Boston in the 2nd round I think went 6? BOS was aging but still good.

Then in the Conf finals is when the Pistons walked off the court after getting swept in game 4 by the Bulls. Waked off with a couple of sec's left in protest of what they thought was biased called series by the refs. It infuriated Chuck Daly that they did not at least shake hands which contributed to him leaving the team.

What happened that series was a travesty and one of the darkest moments in the NBA fueling all kinds of conspiracy theories about getting Jordan in the Finals. It was a badly called series because the league decided to change what was and was not a foul that series thus taking away a lot of what the old Pistons did defensivly to win games. That series ended the bboys run.

O.k., here's where I get kicked off the forum.

I was on the other side there in 1991, three years into my new life in Chicago, and I don't remember that last series that way at all. It's hard to remember any of those Bulls-Pistons games that didn't have at least a dozen Piston's fouls uncalled, most ending with some guy in the third row. And at least another dozen that would have been flagrant fouls today and gotten guys kicked for the next game. And of course, the game four walk-off merely solidified our POV that we were watching a bunch of thugs who deserved to go down.

Interesting to think back though about that style of play (a little bit of which I wish for from the current bunch every now and then - just knock somebody down if they try to get in the paint) and whether it would fly at all today. Hard to imagine two or three starters wouldn't get kicked out in the first half in today's kinder gentler NBA.

That series was the graveyard for physical basketball. To that point, the Pistons had held off the Bulls with tough, intimidating defense.

That was how things worked in the old days. You knocked on the door of the Conference Champs until you could overtake them. As Detroit did to Boston, Chicago did to the Pistons after being eliminated 3 straight years by Detroit.

The "walk off" is a bit overplayed. Dumars and Salley did not walk off with the rest of the team. It was the first obvious sign of division from the locker room cartel of Thomas and Laimbeer.

Dumars and Jordan had mutual respect for one another, and legend has it that JD wished Jordan good luck in the Finals.

You have to bear in mind that the Pistons drafted horribly since 1986. After Rodman and Salley were drafted, and the Pistons added Buddha and Aguirre, the Pistons did not bring in a significant free agent, draft pick or trade acquisition prior to that series. They were getting old, and years of deep playoff runs were starting to catch up with them.

Overlooked in all of this is that the Bulls were the last true NBA dynasty, and the Pistons were at the end of their run while Jordan was starting his.

It's weird the way it turns. I'm now watching Laimbeer on game broadcasts and thinking he seems like a guy it might be fun to have a barbeque with. And of course, Rodman became a Chicago hometown hero during the second run of 'ships. Everyone always liked Dumars, and the other guys were o.k. Except of course for Thomas. I still can't see him without wanting to plant that goofy smiling / pouting face somewhere.

The difference between those series and what we might call a physical one today is like night and day. Certainly one of Mr Stern's biggest changes to the game.

O.k., I'll stop hi-jacking this thread with my off topic stuff now. Thanks for indulging me and not throwing things.

The only problem Piston fans had at the time is the play call changes in the middle of the post-season and without warning. Thats supposed to happen before the start of a season and the league is supposed to send out notice on how the games will be called.

It should be noted that the bboys were not a popular team outside of Michigan. Not at all like the popularity our current team has. Back then I think everyone knew the Pistons got boned but did not care as long as they did not have to see them advance.

This is also part of the reason why I buy more into Flips system than most fans. When you also have the ability to out score an opponent then you are less susceptible to the league taking away how you win games.

No sweat though - Most NBA fans like the Pistons now. Instead of badboys its more like the goodboys.

Wasn't it nice to beat the Phil Jackson Lakers in 04 and watch Phil stammer around at the mic after game 5 trying to blame the refs for not calling enough fouls against Kobe? He just came across as a sore loser. Took 13 years but it was nice getting some payback. Not a single cheap shot that whole series.

Losing Horn was a blow, but imagine if they had lost VJ the previous year? He was left unprotected in the Miami/Orlando expansion draft.

The '90 Pistons squad was mostly an 8 man rotation. 3 Bigs, 3 smalls and 2 forwards in Aguirre and Rodman. Daddy Rich made full use of that to go offense, defense, big or small.

I still think that the failings in '91 have a lot to do with the complacency that set in after the second championship, and the inability of Jack McCloskey (The Trader) to add talent. You can see how JD has emphasized adding hungry vets each year. Dice, D Square, Delk. To be honest, the youth on the current squad is just a safety blanket. They'll only really play if there is a rash of injury. Like an insurance plan.

Short answer.

Nope.

It was Jordan's time. No way a chiseled Jordan was walking away with anything less than a championship that year. He was ready to assume his postition as NBA Legend.

And that was very hard for me to admit because I am Bad Boys diehard fan.