Rivalries

[1979]

Who is the Pistons' rival?

Right before our championship run, we always seemed to be going up against the Nets. We even had an intense seven game series against them. Anyone remember that triple overtime game that started with Chauncey's Hail Mary shot? At that point, I, personally, considered them our rivals.

They barely knicked the Pacers. Indiana was our division rival, and tensions were always high when we played eachother. Heck, I'll never forget that Tayshaun block. And once that fight broke out, many people truly believed we hated one another.

And what about the Cavs? People in Detroit and Michigan hate all things Cleveland and Ohio. When LeBron dropped 48 on us and it went into double overtime, I felt a little something. I wanted those Cavaliers to get crushed in the following round after that series.

That same postseason, the Pistons played the Bulls. And the media kept dubbing it a "rivalry renewed". That's a little flattery for a team that went behind three games to none at the start of the series. There's tradition here, but especially looking at this season's Bulls, how can there still be a Chicago and Detroit rivalry right now?

And to replace these Bulls, we have the Celtics. In the two matchups this season, I was standing in front of my TV every second. These two teams really want to be better than the other. The Detroit and Boston rivalry has existed in the NBA at least somewhat before in memories I was never alive for, but are nightmares for others. It's easily the conference matchup of the season, and probably the next coming years too.

But now the Nets have ignored us, the Pacers aren't even contenders, the Bulls just plain suck now, we're looking like twice the team Cleveland is, and even though it's just starting, what's going on in Boston is looking amazing.

So do we have a rival? Or is it just Pistons v. Eastern Conference?

[b-diddy]

nice post.

i couldnt call it cleveland, though i guess it might be them.

for now boston seems to be it, which is ok. i'll never forget pierce and walker's shit eating grins they had when they knew they had beaten us in game 5 of the stack era playoff series.

i probably have the most animosity towards miami, though. cant stand em.

[Jethro34]

I would say Cleveland. It's Bulls-Pistons reincarnate. The ultimate TEAM vs the ultimate PLAYER. We're in the same division and geography makes the most sense.
Boston is good right now, and Chicago is the Windy City Whack Bastards, but Cleveland is the rivalry. Plus, it goes beyond basketball. They're the obvious baseball rival, the state has the obvious college football rivalry, the Browns and Lions are trying to decide who sucks less each year, and the Red Wings poop in a box and send it across the state line just for fun.

Ok, I made up that last part, but I still say it's the Cavs.
I mean, what Pistons fan didn't have Side Show Varejao on their list of most hated players?

[Timone]

The Heat, duh!

Boston.

[Cross]

I would say Cleveland. It's Bulls-Pistons reincarnate. The ultimate TEAM vs the ultimate PLAYER. We're in the same division and geography makes the most sense.
Boston is good right now, and Chicago is the Windy City Whack Bastards, but Cleveland is the rivalry. Plus, it goes beyond basketball. They're the obvious baseball rival, the state has the obvious college football rivalry, the Browns and Lions are trying to decide who sucks less each year, and the Red Wings poop in a box and send it across the state line just for fun.

Ok, I made up that last part, but I still say it's the Cavs.
I mean, what Pistons fan didn't have Side Show Varejao on their list of most hated players?

[Glenn]

The ultimate man vs. the ultimate meatball

Anybody follow me?

[Vinny]

The ultimate man vs. the ultimate meatball

Anybody follow me?

yes

[geerussell]

The only team I can think of to call a rival that has both history with the pistons and is also still good is the Spurs.

The current squad in Boston just doesn't have enough history with the pistons to qualify and the rest of the east sucks too much.