Bad Boys, ’04, and More
It’s Motown, a great American city synonymous with hard work, grit, and resilience. A true sports town with beloved teams in all four major American leagues, Detroit has long been in love with the Pistons. Few basketball franchises better embody the city they call home.
From the Bad Boys who took down two dynasties and crafted the Jordan Rules, to a championship team that rode an all-time defense to the top, the Pistons have told a story of toughness, never backing down from a fight. Let’s take a look at some of the different ways collectors can capture the spirit and the story of Pistons basketball.
Pistons Mount Rushmore
2009 Topps Basketball Legendary Laundry Tags #LL-IT Isiah Thomas Patch 1/1
Player Accomplishments
• 2x Champion
• 1990 Finals MVP
• 12x All-Star
Card Info
• One-of-a-kind Thomas card featuring Logoman Patch
Player Impact
• The greatest Piston of them all and one of the most exciting players in the history of the league, he led the way as the Pistons fended off Michael Jordan while bringing an end to the Lakers/Celtics domination of the ’80s
1992 Topps Archives Basketball #63 Joe Dumars Gold
Player Accomplishments
• 2x Champion
• 1989 Finals MVP
• 6x All-Star
Card Info
• Shows Dumars dunking before a packed house in a classic ’90s Topps design
Player Impact
• One of the game’s most renowned defensive stoppers, provided incredible defense and competitiveness to help give the Bad Boy Pistons their edge
1971 Topps Basketball #63 Bob Lanier RC
Player Accomplishments
• 8x All-Star
• 1974 All-Star Game MVP
• Number retired by both Detroit and Milwaukee
Card Info
• Vintage design featuring Lanier in warmup jacket, his RC in a set that also features rookies Dave Cowens and Rick Barry
Player Impact
• Averaging 20 and 10 for his career, Lanier remains the all-time Pistons scoring average leader at 22.7 PPG, bringing stability to a franchise that was in constant transition during his time
2003 Topps Chrome Basketball #30 Ben Wallace Black Refractor
Player Accomplishments
• 2004 Champion
• 4x Defensive Player of the Year
• 4x All-Star
Card Info
• Fitting player image of Wallace grabbing a board, part of important 2003 Topps Chrome Basketball release
Player Impact
• One of the game’s great defensive players, one of only three to win four DPOYs, and did so in a five-year span
Bad Boys
Led by electric and fiery guard play from superstar Isiah Thomas and running mate Joe Dumars, the Bad Boy Pistons were rounded out by a brutally tough frontcourt and overall style of play. While not everyone appreciated their methods, the Pistons did what they had to do to change basketball history.
Taking out the Celtics and Lakers on the way to the first of two titles, this squad has come to represent a transition to a new era of basketball, fending off a rising young star named Michael Jordan in the process of defeating dueling dynasties.
At heart, the Bad Boys were a team of character and characters. While Isiah and Dumars are must-have players for a Pistons collection, most diehards will also want to chase the cards of feared enforcer Bill Laimbeer, as well as Rick Mahorn, John Salley, Mark Aguirre, Vinny Johnson, and James Edwards.
The Bad Boys offer a story of perseverance, of battling against greatness and coming out champions. In three years, the Pistons lost two bruising battles against the tested Celtics, but they kept pushing until they broke the door down.
Dennis the Menace
As the Pistons ascended in the eighties against the backdrop of a dominant Celtics and Lakers rivalry, the team unearthed a gem with the 27th pick of the second round of the 1986 Draft, selecting Dennis Rodman. One of the greatest rebounders of all-time, Rodman brought even more edge to a group about to become the Bad Boy Pistons.
The two-time DPOY was a critical piece and a huge personality for the team and the city. He went on to win three rings with the Bulls, while becoming a sporting and pop culture icon of the era. This 1992 Beam Team card’s player image perfectly captures Rodman doing what he does best.
Defense Wins Championships
15 years after sweeping the Lakers for the 1989 championship, the Pistons once again ended a historic run. The 2004 Pistons were perhaps the best defense in modern history. Calling themselves “The Best Five Alive,” the starting lineup featured four-time DPOY Ben Wallace, Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, and Rasheed Wallace, all of whom are worth the chase.
This downright nasty group made short work of Shaq, Kobe, and the Lakers. In the Lakers’ four losses in the five-game series, they averaged a mere 77 points per game, as the Pistons rolled to the title.
Finals MVP Chauncey Billups, the quintessential floor general who was so key in the clutch he earned the nickname “Mr. Big Shot,” led the ‘group ’04 Pistons with intelligent, hard-nosed, and unselfish play. His 1997 Topps RC features his start with the Celtics, but there are plenty of offerings from Billups’ brilliant stay in Detroit across Topps releases. This 2008 Co-Signers dual auto bridges Pistons’ history from the Bad Boys to the Best Five Alive.
Pistons Fan Favorites
Seven-time All-Star Dave Bing and eight-time All-Star Bob Lanier are both key pieces to any Pistons retrospective collection. Bing, the 1967 Rookie of the Year, has a Topps RC in the important 1969 ‘Tall Boys’ set, while Lanier’s RC is found in 1971 Topps.
In between Detroit’s two championship teams came 1994 third overall draft pick Grant Hill. The 1995 Rookie of the Year exploded onto the scene with a fantastic debut campaign, and his star power was made evident as he became the first rookie in any major American sports league to lead in All-Star voting.
With huge success in the following five seasons, Hill was a bonafide superstar on and off the floor. He left for Orlando after an ankle injury in his last playoff campaign with Detroit, but the start to his career was one of the best in league history.
Capturing History Your Way
The Pistons have represented the character and grit of the city of Detroit for decades, going to battle with some of the best teams in league history, and giving as good as they got. An array of personalities, victories, stars, and fan favorites make the Detroit Pistons a fascinating team to collect.
