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Detroit Pistons all-time roster: The best players in franchise history

By Zac Snyder

Feb 26, 2017; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; The jerseys of Detroit Pistons former players Ben Wallace and Chauncy Billups hang from the rafters before the game against the Boston Celtics at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 26, 2017; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; The jerseys of Detroit Pistons former players Ben Wallace and Chauncy Billups hang from the rafters before the game against the Boston Celtics at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /
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Detroit Pistons
Feb 8, 2017; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons former player Isiah Thomas is honored during halftime of the game between the Detroit Pistons and the Los Angeles Lakers at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /

Point Guard: Isiah Thomas

It’s hard to talk about Pistons history without starting with Isiah Thomas. The diminutive point guard earned his place among the team’s all-time greats by being the heart and soul of the Pistons as they rose to become championship contenders in the 80s and into the 90s.

As the second-overall pick in the 1981 NBA Draft, Thomas came to a Pistons team that had not eclipsed the 30-win mark in three seasons. The franchise took a small step forward in the two seasons after drafting Thomas but really started to rise to prominence after hiring Chuck Daly prior to the 1983-84 season. That year, the Pistons finished 49-33 and made the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons.

His penchant for playoff dramatics was on display in his first playoff series as he scored 16 points in just over a minute and a half to help force overtime in the deciding fifth game of that opening round series. Unfortunately, the Pistons were eliminated as the Knicks won the overtime period but Thomas showed he was built for the big stage.

Then there was the 1988 NBA Finals. The Lakers were the defending NBA Champions while the Pistons were the upstarts seeking their first NBA Championship. Holding a 3-2 series lead in game six in Los Angeles, Thomas had the performance of a lifetime as he scored an NBA Finals record 25 points in the third quarter despite a badly sprained ankle.

Like his Herculean effort four years earlier against the Knicks, the team came up short but Thomas and the Pistons couldn’t be kept down because of it. The Pistons were right back in the Finals against the Lakers the next season, this time winning in four games. Thomas was named Finals MVP the following year when the Pistons went back-to-back.

For all the heroics, Isiah Thomas’s legacy is far more than a few big moments in some really big spots. He was a 12-time All-Star and still holds many franchise records including minutes played, field goals, points, assists and steals.

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