The Detroit Pistons have been the final stop for Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls for years. Even today, the legend can’t stand the Bad Boys.
Only a few teams could take on Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the NBA.
One team that not only annoyed Jordan, but even threw him out of the playoffs three times in a row was the Detroit Pistons.
“I hated them,” Jordan said in the third episode of The Last Dance, “and that hate continues to this day.”
Bad Boys become Jordan’s enemy.
The “Bad Boys” defeated Jordan’s Bulls in the semi-finals of the 1988 Eastern Conference (4:1) and in the Conference Finals in 1989 (4:2) and 1990 (4:3).
The Pistons terrorized Jordan with an unparalleled defense known as the Jordan Rules.
“We had to physically do everything we could to stop him,” remembered Detroit star Isiah Thomas. “They took it personally. They simply beat us up,” added Jordan.
Jordan ends Pistons curse
In 1991, the Bulls once again put an impressive end to the curse when, on the way to their first of six Jordan-era titles, they managed an impressive 4-0 sweep.