The ‘Bad Boys’ era Pistons will be in the next batch of ESPN 30 for 30 Documentaries. Richard Deitsch of Sports Illustrated reports the documentary will air April 17 and feature interviews with more than 40 players, coaches and personalities associated with the iconic two-time champions that defined the late 1980s and early 1990s-era of basketball.
It will be nice to see Isiah Thomas painted in a positive light once again.
Thomas, Joe Dumars, Bill Laimbeer, Vinnie Johnson, Chuck Daly, Dennis Rodman and John Salley all helped form the backbone of one of the most physical and imposing champions in NBA history. They went to the Final in 1988 before breaking through and winning the 1989 and 1990 titles.
The Pistons were the “Bad Boys” because of their physically demanding style of play and the way they could get under the skin of the composed and celebrated Celtics of the 1980s. Those clashes were truly epic and helped harden Detroit for the title runs ahead, just like Detroit’s physical play hardened Michael Jordan and Chicago for the 1990s.
This should be a very interesting documentary as Dietsch describes it as one of the most anticipated documentaries of the series.
NBA Entertainment helped produce the documentary and they have a pretty good track record. Last year’s Dream Team documentary was fantastic as was Once Brothers about the relationship between Vlade Divac and Drazen Petrovic. The NBA also helped produce The Announcement on Magic Johnson’s announcement that he had contracted HIV.
Other great NBA documentaries in the series include No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson about Allen Iverson’s arrest and incarceration while he was in high school and Winning Time about the mid-90s rivalry between the Pacers and Knicks. They rank among the best documentaries in ESPN’s now five-year series.
