Welcome to LWOS Basketball department “NBA Time Traveler Series,” the column that imagines which retired player from an NBA franchise one would most want to travel back in time to see them play again in their prime. The LWOS Basketball department will review each of the 30 NBA franchises and which retired player would be their “NBA Time Traveler Player.”
Be sure to bookmark the site and follow us on Twitter. Last Word On Sports is your headquarters for everything hoops. For a Complete Listing of all our NBA Time Traveler Player Articles Click here.
LWOS NBA TIME TRAVELER SERIES: DETROIT PISTONS’ ISIAH THOMAS
Another installment in our NBA Time Traveler Series is the Detroit Pistons franchise. The selection of Isiah Thomas was an easy selection for a Piston that some would want to travel back into time to see play in his prime.
TIME TRAVEL TO SEE ISIAH THOMAS PLAY FOR THE DETROIT PISTONS AGAIN
The Detroit Pistons franchise has experienced the highest of the highs, and the lowest of the lows. It has produced many great players, which include Chauncey Billups, Ben Wallace, Joe Dumars, Grant Hill, and Bill Lambeer just to name a few. Isiah Thomas was a notch above all of them though, and definitely deserves this honor.
ISIAH THOMAS’ INDIVIDUAL ACCOLADES
Isiah Thomas was a 12x All-Star, 2x NBA All-Star Game MVP, 3x All-NBA First Team, 2x All-NBA Second Team, NBA All-Rookie First Team, won the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award in 1987, and led the NBA in assists in 1985. He is also the Detroit Pistons’ All-Time leading scorer, and his No. 11 jersey was retired. Thomas was elected to the NBA Hall of Fame as a first ballot member in 2000. He would also be a Dream Team member of the 1992 Olympic Games if not for a freeze out by stars such as Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson. Johnson confirmed this preposterous move in his book When The Game Was Ours.
ISIAH THOMAS’ TEAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Thomas was the ultimate team player over his career, leading a downtrodden culture in Detroit to becoming a back-to-back NBA champion in one of the toughest eras to play in. Thomas’ Pistons won their two championships in 1989 and 1990, playing a physical brand of basketball that would hurt Thomas’ reputation forever. Thomas took this lump for the ultimate goal, though, and he eventually achieved it. Thomas led the Pistons to five straight Eastern Conference Finals appearances, and three straight NBA Finals appearances.
THREE GAMES THAT ONE MIGHT WANT TO TRAVEL BACK INTO TIME TO SEE THOMAS PLAY:
1984 FIRST ROUND — GAME 5 AGAINST THE NEW YORK KNICKS:
A very young Isiah Thomas was not having his greatest game for the first three and a half quarters against the Knicks in 1984, but caught fire at the end of the fourth quarter. Thomas would score 16 points in the 93 seconds to force overtime, and although the Knicks would win in overtime, he officially announced to the country that he was here to stay.
1988 NBA FINALS — GAME 6 AGAINST THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS
In what is still one of the greatest Finals performances of all-time, Isiah Thomas did the unthinkable in the second half of the game. On a Laker fast break, Thomas was getting back when he stepped on Michael Cooper’s ankle. Thomas’ ankle was badly sprained, and teammate Joe Dumars wondered if he could even get his shoe back on. Nonetheless, Thomas returned, and scored 25 points in the third quarter, a NBA Finals record. The Pistons would eventually lose the game and the series on a phantom foul call on center Bill Lambeer.
1985 REGULAR SEASON — HOME GAME VERSUS THE LOS ANGELES LAKERS
It would have been easy to go with another playoff performance, but it’s necessary to laud Thomas’ great performance against the Lakers in the middle of their dynasty years. The Pistons were still an up-and-coming team, but that did not stop Thomas. He scored 30 points and dished 20 assists in a blowout win, one that would help the young Pistons gain confidence that they could become something more — and they sure did.
