Isiah Thomas vs. Rockets (37 Points, 10 Assists, Clutch OT Finish - 1990)

February 27, 1990 - While it was Houston's Hakeem Olajuwon who dominated early (37 points, 25 rebounds), it was Detroit Pistons point guard Isiah Thomas who showed up when it mattered most. Thomas inflicted the bulk of his damage late in the fourth quarter and overtime, combining lockdown defense with a 37-point, 10-assist performance to turn a double-digit fourth quarter deficit into a 106-102 overtime victory.
Box Score: www.basketball...

[@frandavilacardenes]

That Pistons defense made offensive teams melt like butter. Final seconds and the pressure kept coming. Isiah is simply in his own category. Genius.

[@larrytaylor5634]

The Rockets couldn't get off the Launch Pad in Michigan, because the PISTONS grounded the HOUSTON ROCKETS

[@envyops]

Incredibly slept on defender. With everything else he brings to the table, Isiah is one of the best ball hawks of all-time, certainly the best of his era. Excellent man defense, too.

[@andyward510]

This why I’m a Pistons fan for life.

[@Max-wd6og]

Zeke got some of the best handles of all time.

[@dominiquejones3805]

That dribble was so tight

[@ryanjoslyn]

Thanks Ryan, a great video you’ve expertly edited and shared with us. What a regular season thriller! The Piston’s enthusiasm and poise was profound, with Rodman’s block on Hakeem to force OT, to Laimbeer’s stomping-feet celebration, after Dumars took the game-clinching charge. The Palace crowd and George Blaha’s announcing were giving me goosebumps. The Palace Guards were reigning supreme on this night, for sure.

[@tennaj1367]

Zeke is pound for pound GOAT !!

[@dominiquejones3805]

Say it again

[@briandenapoli3250]

Curry smaller and better sorry

[@bubufubu]

@@briandenapoli3250 Curry has played in an era with much less emphasis on defense. His era is also much weaker, mentally.

[@johnnypiston]

I never missed a Pistons local television broadcast that season, and I can verify that this was the best regular-season home Pistons game that was televised all season. In all of his career, the unabashed greatness of Hakeem Olajuwon against Detroit was never more apparent than in this game (yes, even though he missed a chance to score a lay-up at the buzzer against Rodman). Here is a classic exchange (though sadly missing from this edited video after what was an insanely-difficult Olajuwon bucket in the paint late in the game that seemed almost effortless for him) between two near-speechless announcers: JOHN MCLEOD: George, I don't know how that shot went in. GEORGE BLAHA: Neither do I.

[@DarkerBrother]

Thanks for sharing

[@lurking0death]

"Sleepy" Floyd was an excellent basketball player. He was an All-Star. Isiah Thomas flat ate his lunch when they played. Isiah was the best small guard I ever saw....all heart. The 1986 Celtics and the 1990 Pistons are the two best teams ever...far better than today's NBA. The Piston's defense was a joy to watch. It was amazing to watch them out hustle and out work really good teams. When you played them you had to face two HOF guards and then Vinnie "The Microwave" Johnson came in as the 6th man. What a load they were.

[@dominiquejones3805]

Zeke was just different. My fav PG

[@rashidumar3093]

"On the World Champion Pistons Basketball Network!" I miss that so much.

[@SJbzzz]

Dennis Rodman 🔒 the dream down in the clutch wow!

[@NickIntoTech]

Hardly Hakeem was still the best defensive player on the court

[@jeffvaliton4530]

Sleepy seeing Isiah in his nightmares still.

[@mikehamm45]

Isiah abused Floyd. He was a decent player but the comparison in the NBA is enormous at times. Decent player Vs all time great.

[@hipowa909]

major media and the NBA try to keep the pistons out of the talk of great teams.they beat chicago Los angelas and Boston and Philly.all top dogs.give the pistons their respect. AND ZEKE was just as good.

[@toiletpaper5770]

They’d lose money (if it was common knowledge that an average-looking team playing fundamental basketball could whip all those other team’s asses)

[@hipowa909]

@@toiletpaper5770 yeah you right lol

[@toiletpaper5770]

@@hipowa909 🤙

[@Classicbasketballdvds]

that Piston D was swarming...damn

[@hectorlopez1069]

Sleepy floyd was a good player for the rockets, shame he got traded after the 93 season and wasn't in the rockets championship teams.

[@Joe-f4j]

Did you see how Isiah took over

[@dominiquejones3805]

Cam we say Bill was 1 of the 1st Centers stepping out hitting shots

[@larrytaylor5634]

The ROCKETS FIZZIED AND THE PISTONS SIZZLED

[@jerryalexander8803]

The most clutch player I've ever seen

[@nonamewillbegiven]

He ain't more clutch than Jordan you m0r0n

[@nonamewillbegiven]

And of course Jordan killed your team in the clutch many times hahaha

[@jerryalexander8803]

@@nonamewillbegiven ummm maybe you should do your research because Isiah and the Pistons Beat Jordan WAY MORE than Jordan beat Isiah and the Pistons.. now go back and try again 😂. Peace ✌🏿

[@nonamewillbegiven]

@@jerryalexander8803 yawn. The Pistons won games against a Bulls team that wasn't champion contenders yet. Nothing to brag about

[@nonamewillbegiven]

@@jerryalexander8803 and of course, Jordan with multiple game winners against the Bad Boys

[@derekmaldonado3300]

This Detroit team could have dusted the 94 95 Champion Rockets

[@hectorlopez1069]

Give me a break, Olajuwon would of finished them just like in this game, but he still lost thought.

[@toiletpaper5770]

@@hectorlopez1069whut?

[@Hotsaucemx]

Do u have Isiah game vs Mark Price,Kevin Johnson or Tim Hardaway?

[@19509b4]

Isaiah gave Sleepy Floyd the business all night long

[@LDehaut]

Yes, and Isaiah got the calls also. Amazing , 37 pts for a 6'1" player. I remember, he was the best at one time, and during the Bird and Magic, and Jordan era.

[@LDehaut]

10:17 don't ever talk to me about Olajuwon being the greatest center EVER AGAIN.

[@hectorlopez1069]

It was bad luck, but he's the greatest player in history.

[@toiletpaper5770]

@@hectorlopez1069you can have a favorite but it doesn’t mean that they are the best

[@kitrik23]

at some point refs stopped calling " palming" ... never see that anymore

[@larrytaylor5634]

HOUSTON VS DETROIT

[@panosmj23]

Joe Dumars with a major flop at the end in front of the referree!!!The Pistons got away with clear fouls the whole 4th Qr and on the other hand the refs calling every cheap foul on the Rockets and u call this a comeback??This proves how rigged the NBA always has been!

[@zobrantley6672]

It's hilarious how you people call this "rigged" lmao it's just home ref bias. It's happened to literally every team in every era

[@panosmj23]

@@zobrantley6672 so u think home ref bias is not NBA driven but just ref decision and with your mindset every home team is favored even from bottom of the league just for home ref bias!😣

[@SJbzzz]

It happens still today all over the NBA its called home cooking 🍳

[@haadtheevision]

@@panosmj23 That’s why its called home court advantage in the playoffs

[@keeptahoeblue7496]

Yes exactly! The refs allowed the Pistons to get away with murder those championship years

[@keeptahoeblue7496]

Olajuwon was completely unstoppable this game and the refs made sure to give the Pistons the win

[@Swove2204]

Hakeem was amazing for most of the night and his box score that night borders on obscene. The bulk of that work came prior to Dennis Rodman taking over Olajuwon duties down the stretch and in OT. At that point, he became somewhat stoppable - kzbin.info/www/bejne/pmrQi3yGn8qZg7M

[@keeptahoeblue7496]

@@Swove2204 no he wasn't?! He was embarrassing Rodman and Rodman clearly fouled Olajuwon on a dunk a the buzzer

[@Xiucoatl]

Yeah, whatever you say genius

[@bubufubu]

@@keeptahoeblue7496 "Clearly"? You got a better angle to back up that claim? The first attempt, though hard to tell, looks like it was blocked by Rodman and the second came _after_ the buzzer.

[@toiletpaper5770]

In that case the whole league had the same chance