Isiah Thomas says the Pistons had a simple idea for dealing with Michael Jordan and the Bulls: make the game play on Detroit’s terms, then force Chicago’s stars to work for everything.
On the Crossover Podcast, Thomas explained that his approach started with tempo and shot selection. “Jordan was the first volume shooter,” Thomas said.
“My thought was, as a point guard, we know this. Okay, if I can control tempo, then I can control shot selection on the other team.
And if I can control shot selection on the other team, then I can control the volume of shots that his teammates are going to get. So by Jordan, okay, we’re going to give you your 20-plus shots, but you taking them against double team.
“So your field goal percentage is going to be a little lower against us, but maybe high against other teams,” Thomas added. “… But the most important thing is Scottie Pippen, you used to getting 12, 13 shots. Against us, you’re getting six.”
That philosophy showed up in the numbers across Detroit’s run against Chicago. In the 1987-88 regular season, the Bulls averaged 85.5 field goal attempts per game. That dropped to 79.6 in the 1988 Eastern Conference Semifinals, when the Pistons beat them in five games.
The next year, Chicago averaged 85.0 field goal attempts per game in the regular season, then fell all the way to 72.8 against Detroit in the 1989 Eastern Conference Finals. Scottie Pippen, who was beginning to emerge as Jordan’s running mate, averaged 11.9 field goal attempts per game in the regular season and 9.5 in that series. The Pistons won in six.
The pattern continued in 1990. The Bulls were at 86.5 field goal attempts per game in the regular season and dropped to 81.4 in the Eastern Conference Finals against Detroit.
Pippen’s attempts barely changed, going from 14.0 in the regular season to 13.4 in the series. Still, the Pistons took the matchup in seven games.
Thomas’ point was that Detroit was fine with Jordan taking tough shots over double teams if it meant the rest of Chicago’s offense was squeezed out of rhythm. The slower pace and the reduced number of total attempts helped the Pistons keep control late in games.
That edge disappeared in 1991. The Bulls swept the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals, and Jordan’s shot profile changed from the previous three meetings.
In those series, he averaged 22.2 field goal attempts and shot 47.1%. In 1991, he averaged 17.8 attempts and shot 53.5% from the field.
He had bulked up in the offseason and embraced Phil Jackson’s “Triangle Offense” before finally getting past Detroit.
From there, the Bulls took off. They won three straight titles from 1991 to 1993, then did it again from 1996 to 1998. Jordan earned Finals MVP in all six championships, a run that helped cement his place as the GOAT in the eyes of many.
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