Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas have remained the closest of friends over the years. However, the passion to win a championship has always overridden the boundaries of friendship, especially while facing each other during crucial moments of the Championship Finals. Magic Johnson once shared how they kept their friendship aside when they met as opponents on the court during the two championship Finals the Detroit Pistons played against the Los Angeles Lakers from 1987-1989. Quite interestingly, Johnson had threatened his friend Isiah Thomas during the brutal Lakers vs. Pistons rivalry.

The Lakers and the Pistons played against each other in two back-to-back Finals. Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas had some heated incidents on the court during the two brutal series. Despite their friendship, Johnson once warned Isiah of the consequences of driving the lane.

Magic Johnson & Isiah Thomas’ rivalry transcended their friendship

In an appearance on The Breakfast Club a few years ago, Magic Johnson shared how the rivalries between the teams used to be much more physically dominant during his days than it is in the modern-day NBA. Johnson said, “You think about all the rivalries we had back in the day. Now dudes are friends with each other, so they don’t really go at each other.”

Moreover, the five-time NBA champ suggested that despite his friendship with Isiah, the two really played to their fullest potential against each other. The Lakers legend also revealed a conversation he had with Isiah Thomas. Magic Johnson stated, “We told each other, he said ‘Man! I hate you for these next seven games.’ I said, handle your business because if you come down that lane, I’m gonna put you on your b**t. And the same he did to me.”

Johnson followed through on his threat to Isiah Thomas during Game 4 of the 1988 Finals series. During the game, Thomas and Johnson got into each other’s faces and fell on the floor. Thomas got up and pushed Johnson which frustrated the Lakers legend, responding with a hard foul.

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In the fourth quarter, the Pistons had a big lead and Isiah Thomas did drive the line. In response, Magic Johnson ended up slamming the 12-time All-Star to the floor. Eventually. the Detroit Pistons won by 111-86 to tie the Finals series 2-2 after Game 4.

Lakers vs Pistons Finals rivalry

The Lakers and Pistons met in the Finals on three occasions in 1988, 1989, and 2004. During the 1987-88 season, Johnson’s Lakers won the Finals series by 4-3. However, Isiah Thomas’ Pistons returned to the Finals the next season and swept the Series by 4-0.

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Moreover, the Pistons got the better of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal‘s Lakers in the 2004 NBA Finals, taking the championship by 4-1.