All-Time Pistons would beat All-Times Bulls (article)

[valet]

Chicago Bulls:

Michael Jordan
Scottie Pippen
Derrick Rose
Artis Gilmore
Toni Kukoc
Horace Grant
Chet Walker
Norm Van Lier
Jerry Sloan
Bob Love
Reggie Theus

Detroit Pistons:

Isiah Thomas
Dave Bing
Bob Lanier
Bill Laimbeer
Grant Hill
Chauncey Billups
Ben Wallace
Joe Dumars
Rasheed Wallace
Vinnie Johnson
Dennis Rodman (see: below)

This NBA offseason has been a fascinating one. The ups and downs of free agency hit its peak with DeAndre Jordan’s “holed up in the house” story and hit its nadir with news of Ty Lawson’s second DUI.

But the most intriguing thing this summer has occurred on social media, where a number of players have argued about hypothetical all-time teams playing each other. Shaq started the whole thing with this pic on Instagram back in July, comparing the Lakers to the Bulls

That led to a back-and-forth with former Bull Scottie Pippen that at times got ugly and perhaps a little too personal. Michael Jordan added his two cents in the debate, saying:

What did I think when Shaq said the five all-time greatest Lakers players could beat the Bulls’ five greatest? I felt like he was just talking. It’s a debate. The thing is that we would never know. I think we would have killed them. He thinks they would’ve kills us. You guys decide.

Which, come on, that’s just preposterous. The Bulls don’t have the depth nor the frontcourt to deal with the game’s best big men. I briefly commented on Twitter that an all-time Bulls team couldn’t even handle the all-time Pistons.
That didn’t go over well, mostly because Bulls fans have a warped view of history. Outside of the Jordan era, the franchise has been below average, struggling in the playoffs with an abysmal 65-94 record. They neither have the success nor depth of talent compared to other franchises.

That being said, they have Jordan, the G.O.A.T. Our very own Spencer Lund of DIME summed it up best, saying:

“He’s like the ultimate trump card. If you’re a euchre player, he’s the right and left bower in EVERY all-time series.”

As for the Pistons, well, no organization in the NBA is more hated than Detroit. They won championships in two different eras using a brand of basketball not welcomed by others in the league. If you made a list right now of most hated players in history, chances are Bill Laimbeer, Rasheed Wallace, Rick Mahorn (and maybe a handful of other Bad Boys) make the top 10.

But make no mistake about it: The franchise as a whole is littered with talented players, guys who could have played and succeeded on other teams. There are 15 Hall of Famers and two players who were honored on the Top 50 All-Time NBA list (Dave Bing and Isiah Thomas). There’s Bob Lanier, a dominant big man of his era who averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds. There’s Bill Laimbeer, the dirtiest, smartest, sharp-shooting big man the league has ever seen.

Yes, there’s a glaring omission from both teams, we’ll get to that in a sec. Also, we left off Nate Thurmond (who didn’t play long enough for the Bulls) and George Yardley (because nobody actually saw him play). Both excellent basketball players, both Hall of Famers.

And sure, guys like Ron Harper, John Paxson, Steve Kerr, Jerry Stackhouse, Charles Oakley, Rip Hamilton (among others) might have a spot on this team. But whatever, let’s not focus on that. Let’s call that a wash.

Before we get into who has the stronger squad, let’s address the elephant in the room.

The Dennis Rodman Problem

And herein lies the biggest issue with the battle of these two teams. A player who won five championships, two with Detroit, three with Chicago. A player many believe to be one of the game’s greatest rebounders and certainly one of its best defensive players: Dennis Rodman.

The entire dynamic shifts when you put “The Worm” on either of the teams. His versatility on the defensive end was unmatched in the late ’80s and ’90s. He could (and did) cover some of the game’s greatest players one-on-one. Everyone from Bird to Magic to Jordan to Worthy to Kareem to Clyde. He was a menacing defender, a nuisance, really, a guy who was on your hip pocket 30 feet away from the basket. As a help defender, he often stepped in for a charge or helped protect the rim. In fact, one of Rodman’s greatest defensive plays was overshadowed by an even better one.

Look closely at Larry Bird’s drive right before “The Steal” during the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals. Yep, that was Rodman with the block

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Read the rest The All-Time Pistons Would Beat The All-Time Bulls, And It Wouldn’t Be Close

 

[Brozay]

do people really care about this bullshyt?

 

[*Hulks Up*]

The late 80's Pistons teams routinely beat the Bulls until 91, of course the all time Pistons team would give em that work.

 

[MercuryHayes]

do people really care about this bullshyt?

Yeah

People have compared eras, teams and players our entire lifetime

They do it in Music and Film as well

And they will continue to do so

 

[Hammer]

No.

Jordan ended Isiah's Pistons and ended all their careers

 

[Brozay]

Yeah

People have compared eras, teams and players our entire lifetime

They do it in Music and Film as well

And they will continue to do so

Im not talking on a general level breh, you know this. Dont make it so basic where Im saying we cant compare anything

Im talking about this 'all time team' bullshyt that Shaq started a couple weeks ago

 

[*Hulks Up*]

No.

Jordan ended Isiah's Pistons and ended all their careers

Ended it after they got old. People act like the 90, 89, 88 seasons were Zeke let MJ hold that L didn't exist. Low key Pistons probably have the greatest all time team with exception to the Lakers.

 

[Brozay]

People act like the 90, 89, 88 seasons were Zeke let MJ hold that L didn't exist.

Nobody has ever acted like that tho

 

[I.V.]

You either put rodman on both teams, you you get rid of him entirely.

 

[Whitty Hutton]

These match-ups are silly....still lol @ All-Time Bulls, as if the Bulls really have any non-90's starter not named D-Rose worth putting on any all-time roster

Michael Jordan
Scottie Pippen
Derrick Rose
Artis Gilmore
Toni Kukoc
Horace Grant
Chet Walker
Norm Van Lier
Jerry Sloan
Bob Love
Reggie Theus

 

[MercuryHayes]

You either put rodman on both teams, you you get rid of him entirely.

Ben Wallace should have been on all time Bulls w the money they paid him.


Pistons had to be petty and pay Ben Gordon

 

[Alexander The Great]

Ended it after they got old. People act like the 90, 89, 88 seasons were Zeke let MJ hold that L didn't exist. Low key Pistons probably have the greatest all time team with exception to the Lakers.

man what? gtfoh

Isiah was 29 when the Bulls ended his chapter. Dumars was 27. wanna try again chappy?

 

[*Hulks Up*]

Nobody has ever acted like that tho

Well, they conveniently forget then. Because of the Bad Boy image most seem to give credit to the Pistons for toughening up the Bulls and walking off early as the Bulls went on to their first title. That's the Pistons v Bulls rivalry to the casual fan.

 

[Illeye buckmatic]

Elton Brand should've got consideration

 

[*Hulks Up*]

man what? gtfoh

Isiah was 29 when the Bulls ended his chapter. Dumars was 27. wanna try again chappy?

Yeah, the back court was 'relatively' young but we are talking about the whole team. Isiah and Joe D weren't enough to get them past that Bulls team even with a young Rodman doing alot of defensive work. Also that Piston was coming off 3 title runs off their own so they were an old 29 and 27 just off the amount of games during that run.

No excuses tho, MJ wasn't going to be denied at that point.