“You can never match the hunger of the opponent” – Isiah broke down the Pistons’ 1990 Finals mindset vs. the Blazers originally appeared on Basketball Network.
The Detroit Pistons were aiming for back-to-back titles in the 1990 Finals but knew achieving that would not be easy. They were facing a hungry Portland Trail Blazers team, a squad that seemed to match up well with them on paper.
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Aware it was the same fire the “Bad Boys” had when they dethroned the Los Angeles Lakers in the previous Finals, Isiah Thomas knew they had to use their wits. “Zeke” used boxing champion Muhammad Ali as an example, stressing they had to play it smart.
“You have to run much, much faster,” Thomas said before Game 1 of the 1990 Finals. “You have to run faster and be just as intelligent because you can never match the hunger of the opponent. The reason Muhammad Ali was the champion for so long was because he understood that he could never match the hunger of the guy that he was fighting against. So he just outsmarted him all the time. That’s the position that we’re in.”
Experienced Pistons schooled Blazers
Although both teams appeared to match up well, the fact that the Pistons had been to the Finals in the last three years was an edge. That showed in Game 1, with Thomas standing out.
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Portland showed some fight in Game 1, although the overtime win was far from impressive. It took a block from Clifford Robinson to lift the Trail Blazers to tie the series. However, that win would also be their last.
Detroit showed that playing on the road would hardly help the “RIP City” squad. Thomas and Joe Dumars proved they were the better backcourt in the succeeding games, outclassing the Blazers duo of Clyde Drexler and Terry Porter. “Zeke” went on to win the Finals MVP after averaging 27.6 points, 7.0 assists, and 5.2 rebounds.
Pistons shame detractors
During the regular season, many cast doubts on whether the Pistons could succeed in their quest for back-to-back titles. They struggled, and losing 8 of their last 16 assignments was not a good sign. But as most know, the level of play in the postseason is different. Detroit stepped up its game, proving critics wrong.
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They turned to their defense, an ingredient that helped them win their first title. Leading by example was none other than Thomas, and the rest of the Pistons followed the former second overall pick’s lead.
“Isiah is leading the charge. He’s the one we follow,” Dennis Rodman said via UPI back then.
“Zeke” credits old friend and rival for success
At that point in his career, there was no question that Thomas was at the top of his game. However, the 6-foot-1 guard admitted that a rival and good friend — Magic Johnson — helped him elevate his game.
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“Having to compete against him has definitely made me a much, much better player. It’s like we all strive to be perfect. When you go in, you are practicing; you wanna be like a perfect basketball player because that’s the only reason why you practice, to get to that level of perfection,” Thomas stated.
Unfortunately, that would be the last hurrah for Isiah and the Pistons. “Zeke” started to incur injuries, and without their leader, the “Motor City” squad was not the same.
The Chicago native eventually retired in 1994, leaving a big void that the Pistons had to deal with in the years that followed. They went into a dark period, looking for the next big thing to lead the franchise to a championship with Thomas no longer on board.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.