Tag: Isiah Thomas

NBA stars who had a winning record against Michael Jordan

There aren’t many stars who can boast about besting Michael Jordan, widely regarded as the greatest of all time by most basketball fans. Though MJ gave everybody the business, a bunch of NBA luminaries managed to beat him more often than not during …

There aren’t many stars who can boast about besting Michael Jordan, widely regarded as the greatest of all time by most basketball fans. Though MJ gave everybody the business, a bunch of NBA luminaries managed to beat him more often than not during his early days with the weak Chicago Bulls roster in the mid-80s or when he donned the Washington Wizards jersey.

Few accomplished that when MJ and his team were at the peak of their powers – most notably a towering center from the Western Conference.

Here’s a list of stars who retired with a winning record against the GOAT:

Isiah Thomas: LeBron James is the best I’ve ever seen

Hall of Fame point guard Isiah Thomas gave LeBron James some major props in a recent interview.

Sometimes it seems that the debate of whether LeBron James is the greatest basketball player of all time is divided in a generational manner. The easy temptation is to say that most who give James the nod in this debate are Millennials and members of Gen Z, while those who are older would vote for Michael Jordan or possibly someone such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

But a growing number of elders are publicly coming out and saying that, in their opinion, James is the greatest of all time.

One of those is Isiah Thomas, the Hall of Fame point guard from the 1980s and early 1990s who led the Detroit Pistons to back-to-back NBA championships. He revealed this opinion during an interview with Kory Woods of MLive.com (h/t Sports Illustrated).

“I think when you look at, like I say, he’s touched and he leads in almost every statistical category,” Thomas said. “He’s passed Kareem in scoring. I think he’s got the most playoff points. Not only that, when you look at the assist column, I know where I stand on the assist record. I think he’s passed me; I think he’s passed Magic [Johnson] on the assist record. I mean, so when you talk about passing, scoring, rebounding, we’ve never had a player in the NBA that has touched every statistical category and leads in some of these statistical categories that we’re talking about. There’s never been another player like him. Now, everyone has their favorites, but if the numbers don’t lie, the numbers don’t lie. And he definitely passes the eye test. So to me, he’s the best that I’ve ever seen from a team standpoint and also as a basketball player.”

It should be noted that Thomas and Jordan have had lots of bad blood between them for some 30 years. One has to wonder if that could be something that has colored Thomas’ opinion of who the greatest player in NBA history is.

On one hand, James is 4-6 in the NBA Finals, which is something his critics incessantly point to. But other than that, his resume stacks up favorably with the league’s other all-time greats, and it will make this debate very interesting for a long time.

Los Angeles Lakers legend Michael Cooper and Boston Celtics alum Dee Brown share Larry Bird stories

Cooper and company got into some Larry Legend hijinks, and also touched on some Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Isaiah Thomas.

Los Angeles Lakers legend Michael Cooper had a heck of a career battling Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics for titles in the 1980s, so he has saved up a bevvy of stories to share from those halcyon days. And Coop recently shared a bunch of them on a recent episode of his CLNS Media “Showtime with Michael Cooper” podcast.

Cooper and company got into some Larry Legend hijinks, and also touched on some Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Isaiah Thomas dirt for good measure.  To top it off, the guest for the episode is none other than former Bird teammate and slam dunk specialist Dee Brown, who had some nuggets of his own to share in the show.

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear what they had to say about the Hick From French Lick and their peers from that era.

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Charles Barkley shares his side of the story of Michael Jordan leaving Isiah Thomas off the Dream Team

Charles Barkley shares his side of the story of Michael Jordan leaving Isiah Thomas off the 1992 Dream Team as the decades-long rivalry continues.

After decades of wondering why one of the best point guards [autotag]Isiah Thomas[/autotag], was left off the 1992 Olympic men’s basketball team known as the ‘Dream Team’, we are finally getting more clarification.

Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame player turned popular TV analysis Charles Barkley appeared on Pro Football Hall of Fame Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay to share details on why Thomas wasn’t on the team. Sharpe asked the dream team player the million-dollar question, and Barkley revealed his thoughts on the matter. 

Barkley alluded to [autotag]Michael Jordan[/autotag] being the reason Thomas was left off the team due to his desire not to play with the former Piston guard.

Barkley’s answer still leaves a lot of room for speculation, but there’s no denying the heated back-and-forth playoff series Jordan and Thomas had. Jordan even bulked up one summer after taking a “beating” by the Bad Boy Pistons, according to the “Last Dance Documentary“. 

Thomas and Jordan are still not on good terms, with the most recent banter between the two is Thomas asking for a public apology from the Tar Heel. Jordan has yet to apologize or respond, so there’s no saying if this rivalry will ever end.  

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Isiah Thomas reveals what Michael Jordan needs to do to get back on good terms

Isiah Thomas reveals that Michael Jordan needs to publicly apologize to him for the pair to get back on good terms.

[autotag]Michael Jordan[/autotag] is one of the most beloved athletes of all time, grabbing the hearts of millions through his play. That said, everyone hasn’t been Team Jordan, and with love comes hate.

Isiah Thomas, A former NBA legend who has had his fair share of battles with Jordan, shared his thoughts on how the two could repair their damaged relationship. Truth be told, these two were never that close, with rumors speculating that it was Thomas who didn’t want Jordan as an All-star his rookie campaign to Jordan allegedly being the reason Thomas was left off the dream team.

Neither rumor was confirmed, yet when you add in the physical battles between Detroit and Chicago, it’s easy to see why the two players could be at odds. According to Thomas, he believed they were on good terms until he watched the last dance, where Jordan called out the Piston star, calling him an a-hole.

Those comments didn’t sit well with Thomas, and when appearing on the Draymond Green show, he made it clear what would need to happen for the two to get back on good terms.

It will be interesting to see if Jordan gives Thomas the apology he’s looking for or if he stands by his comments. One thing is for sure, we have never seen Jordan back away from a challenge, even if that challenge is an apology.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

History says Becky Hammon’s take about Jalen Brunson’s size with a title-contending team is correct

Becky Hammon told no lies about Jalen Brunson’s limitations.

Jalen Brunson is one of the NBA’s more electric scorers. He’s a guy who can take a game over on a whim and lead the New York Knicks to a big win on any given night. But for as special as Brunson can be, there are probably limitations on how far he can actually take the Knicks in the playoffs if he’s their focal point.

On Thursday, during an NBA Today discussion on ESPN, Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon shared an incisive take about Brunson’s ceiling. As the panel debated whether the slightly above-average Knicks are stuck in Purgatory, Hammon took it a step further. She proclaimed that New York lacks the true No. 1 superstar necessary to win a championship. When Kendrick Perkins pushed back and highlighted Brunson, Hammon explained that the 6-foot-2 guard is simply too short to be the fulcrum of a team that can win four consecutive best-of-seven series in a postseason.

Honestly, based on years of NBA history, Hammon isn’t wrong. At all:

At any point in the NBA’s history, almost every single championship team is built around someone with considerable size and length.

There are a few outliers, of course — namely, Steph Curry (the best shooter of all time), Isiah Thomas (arguably the finest pure point guard ever), Dwyane Wade (an arguably top-three shooting guard all time, who was also 6-foot-4), and Chauncey Billups (more a cog in a team system than an outright superstar) — but they are all exceptions. All of them.

There is also usually a stark cut-off in height for a true No. 1. We can probably use the 6-foot-6 Michael Jordan (who won six championships with the Chicago Bulls) as the bar. If your top player isn’t at least that height, you’re probably not winning it all in June. Recent history especially says as much.

Here’s the list of best players and their respective heights on the last 10 NBA champions:

  • 2014 San Antonio Spurs, Kawhi Leonard (6-foot-7)
  • 2015 Golden State Warriors, Steph Curry (6-foot-3)
  • 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James (6-foot-8)
  • 2017 Warriors, Kevin Durant (6-foot-10)
  • 2018 Warriors, Kevin Durant (6-foot-10)
  • 2019 Toronto Raptors, Kawhi Leonard (6-foot-7)
  • 2020 Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James (6-foot-8)
  • 2021 Milwaukee Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo (6-foot-11)
  • 2022 Warriors, Steph Curry (6-foot-3)
  • 2023 Denver Nuggets, Nikola Jokic (6-foot-11)

Again, you might counter with Curry, but he is literally the greatest three-point shooter in NBA history. At the time of this writing, Curry has made over 500 more threes than the next-best on the NBA’s all-time list.

Put another way: Curry is the outlier of outliers.

This isn’t to say that Brunson can’t win a title with the Knicks.

After all, 25-point scorers don’t just grow on trees. And history isn’t necessarily empirical. The modern NBA presents a different game and a different challenge. The league is more built than ever to allow smaller players to thrive. But when combining the current landscape of skyscraper stars with history, it’s abundantly clear that New York would be better off turning Brunson into a loyal sidekick for another alpha with more size. Jamal Murray in Denver is a perfect example of that reality in present terms.

Hammon knows what she’s talking about. Brunson is talented, but the Knicks still have a lot of work to do — maybe the hardest work in acquiring a No. 1 superstar — before they’re ready to compete for a championship.

Isiah Thomas unveils new wrinkle to historic beef with Michael Jordan

According to former Detroit Pistons star Isiah Thomas, he didn’t even know about his beef with Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan.

The Chicago Bulls have a long, incredible history, and Michael Jordan is at the center of it. He dominated the NBA for an entire decade and was one of the best players in the league for even longer than that. Throughout his tenure with the Bulls, Jordan had plenty of rivals, but none quite like the Isiah Thomas-led Detroit Pistons.

Thomas and Jordan have a history of bad blood that stems from their rivalry on the court. During the 2020 documentary “The Last Dance,” which detailed Jordan’s time with the Bulls, he discussed the rivalry and his dislike for Thomas and the Pistons.

However, Thomas wasn’t as aware of the bad blood as Jordan was. During the ForbesBLK Summit in Atlanta, he said that he learned about it during the documentary. (H/t Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic)

Isiah Thomas believes the Kristaps Porzingis trade might take the Boston Celtics over the top

Not everyone is down on the move for Boston.

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There have been a fair number of doubters regarding the Boston Celtics‘ decision to trade away veteran point guard Marcus Smart for star big man Kristaps Porzingis, but Hall of Fame point guard Isiah Thomas is not among them. Thomas believes the Celtics, with their core intact and the addition of Porzingis, could be favored to win the championship.

He draws parallels between the Celtics’ situation and his former team, the Detroit Pistons, when they made major trades to win back-to-back titles.

“Maybe Porzingis is the missing piece,” said Thomas in an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Justin Barrasso. “I see the similarities.”

“They did have to trade Marcus Smart, but the core of the team is still intact,” he suggested. “The Celtics have been knocking on the door for so long. Think about the success Tatum and Brown have had at such young ages.

Not many people have that type of success without winning a championship,” related Thomas. “They’ve been to four Eastern Conference Finals and one NBA Final. It’s pretty remarkable that they’ve been knocking on the door for so long, and they haven’t won it yet

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Isiah Thomas, an all-time Boston nemesis, measured his game vs. a Celtics great

“He was so inspirational to point guards,” said Thomas.

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A former nemesis of the Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas measured himself against the standard of a Celtics great who also played the point guard position according to the man himself in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated’s Justin Barrasso.

That guard is none other than the so-called “Houdini of the hardwood,” Hall of Fame Boston floor general Bob Cousy. “When I first got into the league, Cousy was the standard,” Thomas said. “He was the one you measured yourself against at the point guard position. I still remember making this statement as a player–I said, ‘When I’m done playing, when they mention Bob Cousy’s name, I hope my name is also in that statement.’”

“He was so inspirational to point guards,” added Thomas, now a Hall of Fame point guard as well.

“He’s the one who sparked my imagination,” related Thomas. “Imagine doing that for the next generation? That’s very significant. Because of him, we had something to measure ourselves against and shoot for.”

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:23

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Isiah Thomas disagrees with Dennis Rodman’s take that Larry Bird would play in Europe today

“Bird would win two or three championships in this era,” added Thomas for good measure.

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Former NBA star Dennis Rodman turned some heads after saying that his longtime Boston Celtics rival, Hall of Fame forward Larry Bird, would be playing in Europe if he were playing today. But Isiah Thomas, his fellow Detroit Pistons alum from the “Bad Boy” era that regularly locked horns with Bird’s Celtics, disagreed on a recent episode of the “Sway in the Morning” show (h/t Basketball Network’s Shane Garry Acedera).

“My personal opinion on Larry Bird, if Larry Bird was playing today, he would still be the MVP of the league, and his team would still be winning championships,” said Thomas.

“Now, why do I say that?” he continued. “Because we just watched The Joker (Nikola Jokic), who is very similar to Larry Bird, take his Denver Nuggets team and win the championship.”

“So if I look at these two players, and I’m sayin’ that they’re similar, then Bird would win two or three championships in this era.”

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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