"I don’t know Michael Jordan!" - Isiah Thomas claims tension between him and MJ was made up by the media, reveals he "wanted what Larry, Dr. J, and Magic had"

Michael Jordan and Isiah Thomas were part of some of the most bruising and controversial playoff matches in NBA history. Since both the Chicago Bulls and the Detroit Pistons came from the East, more often than not their paths would inevitably cross deep into the postseason.

From 1988 to 1990, Michael Jordan’s Bulls couldn't get past the sometimes overly physical game of the 'Bad Boys'. Back then, there were reports that Isiah Thomas, a Chicago native, had personal beef with the rising star from North Carolina who was on his way to becoming the face of the NBA. It was allegedly one of the reasons why their teams’ encounters were one of the fiercest and wildest ever.

In Jackie MacMullan’s the Icon’s Club, the Detroit Pistons’ feisty team leader would clarify the score between him and Jordan amidst all those no-holds-barred matchups:

“I played basketball against Jordan, and I went home. I don’t know Michael Jordan! The only time he and I had interactions is out on the floor. Other than that, I don’t know him…So, this whole media thing that was made up about he and I not liking each other. I had nothing against him. I didn’t know him to have anything against him. He wasn’t what I was chasing or wanted, I wanted what Larry, Dr. J, and Magic had.”

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At the time, the former Finals MVP was already labeled by many in the NBA as a dirty player who instigated skirmishes to intimidate opponents. It wasn’t just Michael Jordan who felt the Pistons’ special brand of basketball. Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics were also on the receiving end of Detroit’s trademark intimidation tactic.

Years later, IT would debunk those accusations of the Pistons' physicality going overboard, calling it the media's creation. The 12x All-Star would claim that the “Bad Boys” reputation was a narrative made up by some who cover the NBA, particularly since Detroit is a small-market team.

Back in the late 80s, “His Airness" and his Bulls were becoming more and more difficult for Isiah Thomas and the Pistons to hold off. Chicago lost in the semis to Detroit 4-1 and would then meet them in the Eastern Finals three more times with the series going tighter until the Bulls swept the Pistons in 1991.

It wasn’t until the emerging Bulls figured out how to react to the overwhelming physicality of the Pistons, which some called dirty, that they fulfilled their potential.

Michael Jordan decided to beef up to beat Isiah Thomas and the Detroit Pistons

A beefed up Michael Jordan would finally conquer Isiah Thomas' "Bad Boys" in the 1991 East Finals. [Photo: GQ Australia]

The late head coach of the Detroit Pistons, Chuck Daly, devised the “Jordan Rules” to prevent Michael Jordan from exploding against them. MJ dropped 59 points versus the Pistons in 1988, so the legendary tactician formulated the said plan. At the core of those rules was to be physical and nail MJ if any defender gets beaten.

To counter that and with the hope of finally getting over the hump, the best player in the NBA decided to add more muscle to his frame. He came into the 1990 season having added 15 pounds of muscle to dish out punishment.

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Dennis Rodman, one of Jordan’s primary defenders, admitted to being impressed by the change in Jordan’s approach and physique. In the third episode of The Last Dance, “The Worm,” who put Jordan above everyone else for surviving the Pistons' relentless beatdown on him.

With Michael Jordan much better physically and mentally, he would lead the Bulls past the Pistons before throttling Magic Johnson's LA Lakers for their first title.