In three consecutive Eastern Conference Finals series against the Pistons from 1989 to 1991, Michael Jordan averaged 31.3 points, 6.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game, with a pair of steals and a block to boot in each contest.
Jordan posted those numbers against Isiah Thomas himself, a 12-time All-Star and Hall of Fame point guard. Six-time All-Star and Hall of Famer Joe Dumars was on those teams. Hall of Famer and future Jordan teammate Dennis Rodman was on those teams. Three-time All-Star Mark Aguirre and two-time All-Star Bill Laimbeer rounded out the starting five.
In short, the Pistons boasted some elite talent and proved to be incredible competition, and despite that, Jordan still put up numbers and made plays that are on par with the greatest we've ever seen. But it's still not enough for Isiah Thomas to back down from his rivalry with Jordan and allow him to warrant undisputed consideration as the greatest of all time.
Thomas became a central part of the most recent installments of "The Last Dance" documentary as the Bulls and Pistons rivalry stole the spotlight. Fans took to Twitter to express their feelings, frustrations and more toward Isiah Thomas, so much so that current NBA player Isaiah Thomas had to clear the air.
But what Thomas said recently is likely going to stoke the fire even more. In an interview with Chris Broussard on "The Association", Thomas said that he think today's stars deserve more recognition in the greatest-of-all-time debate that often looks no further than Jordan.
"I think this generation is not getting enough credit for what they're doing, because the athletes that are in this generation are so far superior than what was in my generation," Thomas said. "Jordan by far was the best athlete that we had ever seen and he could do stuff from an athletic standpoint -- I'm not talking basketball playing -- but there are like 10 or 11 guys in the NBA right now with Jordan's athleticism. We didn't have that back then."
That seems like a perfectly reasonable point. Though the Pistons roster above did possess some of the most talented guys of that generation, as I mentioned, there wasn't anyone on that team with the pure blend of size and athleticism that guys like LeBron have.
Just because Thomas is suggesting 10 or 11 guys could have matched Jordan's athleticism, that doesn't mean he's saying that they're better overall basketball players. But the Pistons great did provide some names that he thinks warrant more GOAT recognition when everything is taken into account.
“What KD and LeBron are doing, if you put them back in the era of 80s with their talent, athleticism and skill… Who’s the GOAT?” Thomas said, to which Broussard responded that they would have looked like "mutants" given the prototypical NBA build during that era.
At 6'10", 240 pounds, and with speed, handles and impeccable shooting ability, it's hard to imagine that Durant wouldn't have been able to completely tear up the league throughout Jordan's era. The same goes with LeBron at 6'9". The best guys who played over the span of Jordan's career and exceeded 6'9" were almost exclusively big men that you can't really imagine matching up with someone like Durant. Think Hakeem Olajuwon, Karl Malone, Patrick Ewing and other interior big men that don't have the perimeter abilities, speed or ball-handling skills that James and Durant display.
Some exceptions could be Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and James Worthy at 6'9", but as far as guys of that height and build that could bring up the ball and establish a strong wing presence, the list is understandably small.
There does seem to be something to what Thomas is saying. The stars of today's game, like the aforementioned LeBron and KD, the 6'8" Paul George, the 6'11" Giannis Antetokounmpo, the 6'10" Ben Simmons... they possess such dynamic athleticism to go along with their huge builds. How would they fare in the 80s when there was no one like this to defend them? And how would Jordan fare today, playing among these giants? He'd undoubtedly be one of the best players around, but what he be the best in the game?
It's a question that Thomas is getting a lot of heat for on social media, from fans who seem to be discrediting his argument due to the well-publicized rivalry between him and Jordan. While Thomas has already expressed some regret for his behavior during the rivalry, though, his take on the GOAT situation is one that he will likely defend having played through the Jordan years and witnessed what the NBA has come to in today's game.
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