Isiah Thomas details hilarious exchange with Larry Bird - "I got somebody for your a**"

The NBA has had numerous iconic rivalries throughout its history. With all the heated competition involved, there are some feuds that have that brief moment of levity.

Isiah Thomas, on the "All the Smoke" podcast with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, spoke about a funny exchange between him and Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird.

Thomas detailed how Larry Bird felt disrespected when the Detroit Pistons assigned Kelly Tripucka, Bill Laimbeer and Kent Benson to guard him. When Larry Bird mocked Thomas for not having any "brothers" to defend him, the latter saw from the perspective of Bird that those three were white athletes and that he could easily take them all on.

"I got somebody for your a**," Thomas said as the Pistons had Dennis Rodman at that point to check Larry Bird.

Isiah Thomas against Larry Bird

The Boston Celtics were one of the most dominant teams in the NBA during the 1980s with Larry Bird leading the way.

However, the dominant Celtics finally met their match in the Eastern Conference as they met the Detroit "Bad Boys" Pistons led by Isiah Thomas.

During the 1985 Eastern Conference semifinals and the 1987 Eastern Conference finals, the Boston Celtics had an edge over the Pistons through championship experiences that the Detroit team didn't have yet at that point.

It was during the 1988 Eastern Conference finals that saw the passing of the torch moment between the two teams. Isiah Thomas and the Detroit Pistons were finally able to defeat the Boston Celtics 4-2.