It didn’t take long for things to heat up again between Isiah Thomas’ Detroit and Atlanta. Sure, the rivalry might not carry the same fire as the Celtics vs Pistons throw-downs, but don’t let that fool you—these two have history. Just a month ago, Cade Cunningham lit it up with 38 points, 12 assists, and seven rebounds, helping the Pistons edge out the Hawks 148-143 in a high-scoring thriller. And while the current squads battle it out on the floor, the old school stars are still trading punches—verbally, at least.
Interestingly, it was Hawks’ legend and now Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers who threw the first jab—not at today’s Pistons, but at Isiah Thomas and the infamous “Bad Boy” era. “I actually got to play against the Bad Boys Pistons in the Pistons League. They were that bad,” Rivers said at a recent post-game presser. Then came the sting: “So soft.” That line alone was bound to stir the pot.
Naturally, if someone calls out the Bad Boys, Isiah Thomas isn’t going to stay silent. On NBA TV, the Hall of Famer and two-time champ had a few words of his own. “Shut up, shut up. Nah, nah, I mean, you know. We did our thing. You know, you can go look at the record book,” Thomas said. “We beat them a couple of times and they beat us one series. We beat them.”
Moreover, Thomas didn’t hesitate to bring up Atlanta’s own toughness. “We had great battles with Atlanta… they had a guy by the name of Kevin Willis… Michigan State, Detroiter, you know,” he said. Still, he added, “But for the most part, we just tapped a little harder.”
Zeke reacts to Doc Rivers saying the Bad Boy @DetroitPistons “weren’t that bad” pic.twitter.com/s0RD0nl6r0
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 12, 2025
Even now, the edge belongs to Detroit. Since 2004, the Pistons have a 42-40 lead over the Hawks in head-to-head matchups. And while Zeke’s throwback clap-back might ruffle feathers in Atlanta, it’s worth noting that he’s already managed to get under the skin of Lakers fans not too long ago.
Isiah Thomas already had Lakers fans heated
To be fair, this clash with Doc Rivers isn’t the first time Isiah Thomas has stirred up headlines lately. During a recent NBA TV broadcast, Zeke got the internet buzzing when he called out LeBron James—not for his game, but his pregame.
“I totally 100% object to this,” Thomas said about LeBron’s shirtless warm-up before the Lakers faced the Rockets. He even added, “If I was the GM or the coach, I would never let one of my players walk out on the floor looking like this.”
Naturally, that take didn’t sit well with fans. The two-time champ didn’t hold back, blasting the NBA’s current vibe. “We are professional NBA league; we ain’t summer league,” he said, clearly unimpressed. Then came the real shot: “Now, Adam Silver, if you want to fine somebody, fine that. Put a fine on that.” But fans were quick to clap back at Thomas.
In fact, one fan didn’t mince words, posting, “Bro who tf cares what someone wears warming up….. weird vibes from IT on this one.” The debate didn’t stop there either. Steve Smith, Thomas’ co-host, even pushed for NBA coaches to return to suits, ditching the comfy tracksuits—something Thomas actually co-signed.
Still, while LeBron’s shirtless look wasn’t during the actual game, Thomas wanted to make a point. “Abso-[self-censored]-lutely,” he said when asked if a standard should be set. But not everyone agreed—most fans felt the outburst was over the top.
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