Isaiah Thomas has always been a Pistons guy, through and through. The Hall of Famer, the leader of the Bad Boys, the man who put Detroit on the map in the late ‘80s and early ’90s – it’s in his blood. And now, in the middle of yet another controversy surrounding his beloved franchise, he’s making his stance crystal clear.
For those who missed it, the Pistons found themselves in the middle of yet another fiasco after Stewart got tangled up in a scuffle that quickly escalated. In an astonishing moment in the game between the Timberwolves and Pistons, Donni DiVincezo got aggressive with Ronald Holland – an altercation that spilled into the crowd. Assistant coaches and referees swiftly thwarted any further escalation, but the damage was already done, leading to a whopping seven total ejections across the two teams. Predictably, the media and critics quickly zeroed in on Isiah Stewart, branding him as the instigator. But Isiah Thomas? He’s not buying it.
A clip surfaced on Instagram shared by @downwithdetroit. In the clip, during the Game Time Show, Isaiah Thomas weighed in on the fight, saying, “And 100 percent for the Detroit Pistons. I see the aggressor. I’m just looking at the aggressor. Who’s the aggressor right now? The aggressor is zero in white, right? He grabs the guy in blue. Those are in the stands now. You can’t come back and have a press conference and say that all the Detroit guys are so physical, and this is how they play. When you walk up and you put your hands on somebody and you grab them and run them into the stands… where I’m from, you are called the aggressor… Now I don’t know what happened. Five plays before that, but that’s what I saw.” breaking down the situation and seemingly defending Isiah Stewart as he was not the one aggravating the situation from the get-go.
Isaiah Thomas also has had his fair share of fights in the NBA. From Jordan, to Bird, to Karl Malone, which almost ended badly. He is in a prime position to dissect and talk about a fight. Doubting us? Read on to find out about some of his most notorious on court moments.
A History of Clashes: When Isiah Thomas battled it out on the court
Isiah Thomas wasn’t just a magician with the ball, he was a pit bull on the hardwood. Standing at just 6’1”, he had the heart of a seven-footer and the attitude of someone who refused to back down from a fight. And in the brutal, no-layups era of ‘80s and ‘90s basketball, that meant plenty of fights, scuffles, and outright brawls.
Let’s start with his legendary beef with Michael Jordan. The bad blood between them ran so deep that it didn’t just stay on the court, it spilled over into All-Star snubs and Olympic team exclusions. The infamous “Jordan Rules” were Detroit’s way of saying, ‘If you’re gonna score on us, you’re gonna feel it.’ MJ, of course, didn’t take too kindly to that, and their rivalry turned personal fast. MJ once said, “I respect Isiah Thomas’ talent… To me, the best point guard of all-time is Magic Johnson, and right behind him is Isiah Thomas. No matter how much I hate him, I respect his game,” appreciating his tenacity despite their longstanding beef.
Then there’s the time Thomas and Bill Laimbeer got into it with Larry Bird and the Celtics. Boston and Detroit hated each other, and Isiah was right in the middle of it, calling out Bird and exchanging hard fouls that nearly turned into full-on wars. Oh, and we can’t forget that wild moment in 1989 when Thomas squared up with John Stockton’s teammate, Karl Malone. After a vicious elbow from Malone left Isiah needing 42 stitches, the feud between the Pistons and the Jazz got extra spicy, with Thomas even calling it the “dirtiest, cheapest foul in the history of the game.”
Isiah Thomas wasn’t just tough, he was scrappy, fearless, and always ready to battle. Whether it was Jordan, Bird, or Malone, one thing was certain: if you messed with Zeke, he was coming right back at you. Therefore, trust he knows when someone is the aggressor or just the one being aggravated – and the present situation is hardly any different.
The post Calling Out the “Aggressor”, Isiah Thomas Defends Pistons as Isaiah Stewart Faces Backlash After Brawl appeared first on EssentiallySports.