"Bad Boys in the building" - NBA fans react as Pistons HOF trio of Isiah Thomas, Ben Wallace & Chauncey Billups show up against Knicks

The Detroit Pistons - down 2-1 in the series - got some extra help in the form of resounding support in Sunday's Game 4 matchup against the New York Knicks. The home crowd at the Little Caesar's Arena got a boost with the attendance of Chauncey Billups, Ben Wallace and Isiah Thomas.

The trio of ex-NBA All-Stars was spotted sitting courtside to support their former team.

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Their appearance caused excitement among fans. Some referred to them fondly using an old moniker while others called them legends.

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"The bad boys in the building," one fan tweeted.

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"The original bad boys," another person said.

"Legends who defined an era," one fan pointed out.

Some fans were pleased to see them and gave them some praise. Still, other fans asked to see more ex-Detroit players.

"Where Rip (Hamilton), Tayshaun (Prince) at?" One fan wondered.

"Might as well bring out John Salley and Joe Dumars and put em in," another said.

"3/4 of the Pistons Mount Rushmore," a fan tweeted.

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Isiah Thomas - who spent his entire career in Detroit (1981-1994) - was a member of the original "Bad Boys" that rivaled Michael Jordan. Thomas - as a matter of fact - is a senior to Wallace (2000 to 2006) and Billups (2002 to 2009).

Also read: Pistons legend Isiah Thomas sends powerful message of support to Shedeur Sanders amid humiliating NFL draft slide

Isiah Thomas, Ben Wallace and Chauncey Billups all brought championships to the Detroit Pistons

The Detroit Pistons - featuring Bill Laimbeer, Joe Dumars, Dennis Rodman, Mark Aguirre, and Isiah Thomas - won their back-to-back championships in 1989 (first in franchise history) and 1990.

They were defined by their physical brand of defense, which gave the Chicago Bulls trouble.

Detroit would not get back to the NBA Finals for a long time after 1990. In 2004, a squad that had Ben Wallace, Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Chauncey Billups would lead the franchise's deepest postseason run in nearly a decade and a half.

They'd reach the Finals for the first time since Thomas' era. They faced a stacked LA Lakers squad that featured Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal as well as Horace Grant, Karl Malone and Gary Payton.

Billups, Wallace and company would stun LA in five games to bring home the Pistons's third franchise title.

About the author

Miguel is a basketball writer at Sportskeeda with an overall experience of 7 years. A lover of the sport owing to its mental aspect, he has played it throughout high school and college as a power forward and small forward, and has also coached high school and college basketball teams. These experiences have given him a unique perspective on the game, which translates into insightful content.

For Miguel, the San Antonio Spurs, especially during the Tim Duncan era, were the embodiment of team basketball. He respects Gregg Popovich's empathy toward his players and his understanding of the game. The Spurs' titles, Kobe Bryant's poignant "Dear Basketball" tribute, Derrick Rose's remarkable 50-point game with Minnesota and Magic Johnson's remarkable comeback are among Miguel's top basketball moments.

For his articles, he conducts thorough research, cross verifies information with at least three sources, and sometimes sacrifices speed for accuracy. Content simplification and maintaining a neutral view on topics are his strengths.

Miguel follows other sports, particularly the NFL, and when not working he enjoys hobbies like cooking and playing video games.

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Edited by William Paul