“Michael Jordan Loved Him”: Despite Being a Pain for the Bulls, Pistons Boss Chuck Daly Found a Friend in MJ, Reveals 4x NBA Champion

The Detroit Pistons bothered the 6x NBA champion Michael Jordan a lot in the late 80s. The Detroit ‘Bad Boys’ Pistons played an aggressive brand of basketball. Moreover, the Pistons’ head coach Chuck Daly played a huge part in their repeat championship successes in 1989 and 1990. The Pistons notably restricted the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals twice in those years. However, the troubles MJ faced on-court didn’t affect his off-court relationship with Daly.

John Salley, the 4x NBA champion who was a part of the ‘Bad Boys’ repeat in the late 80s, recently opened up in a podcast and revealed the off-court relationship between Daly and Jordan.

Michael Jordan in the 80s

In an episode of ‘All The Smoke’, John Salley discussed his NBA journey and his days as part of the ‘Bad Boys’ camp. He spoke about Pistons head coach Chuck Daly and how he handled the team. While he spoke about Daly, he emphasized on Daly’s relationship with Jordan. He said, “Michael Jordan loved him [Chuck Daly], like, they would play golf, they would hang out“. Everyone in the NBA world is aware of MJ’s love for golf and his competitive nature.

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MJ’s Bulls and the Pistons fought hard against each other in the Eastern Conference Finals in 1989 and 1990. Although the Pistons outplayed the Bulls with their brute performances, Chuck had a huge part in restricting Jordan near the hoops through his infamous ‘Jordan Rules’. The ‘Bad Boys’ game involved a lot of physical interactions and MJ had a tough time. However, in 1991, MJ’s Bulls managed to finally beat the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Bulls went on to win the title in 1991, and the following two years to win their first historic three-peat.

Drama during the 1991 Eastern Conference Finals

The 2x NBA champion Isiah Thomas, who led the Pistons to the titles in 89′ and 90′, refused to shake hands with Michael Jordan after the defeat. In an interview with ESPN, Thomas revealed that he paid a heavy price for his behavior and said that he regrets his decision.

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What did you think of the famous Bulls-Pistons rivalry? Let us know in the comments below.