Thomas’ explanation, from “The Last Dance:”
Adrian Dantley was shooting a free throw, and the Boston Celtics were walking off during the game. I grabbed [Kevin] McHale, and then he stopped as he was walking off the floor. That’s how they left the floor. And to us, that was OK.
Knowing what we know now, and the aftermath of what took place, I think all of us would have stopped and said “Hey congratulations,” like they do now. We would have did it, of course we would have done it. But during that period of time, that’s just not how it was passed.
When you lost, you left the floor. That was it.
As pointed out by CBS Sports’ Pete Blackburn, Thomas has been asked about the walk-off in the past. His answer has significantly changed.
ok so Isiah is about to catch a tidal wave of slander so i implore you to watch the Open Court interview with him from 2013 where he gives the full explanation of their reasoning to walk off and if they'd do it again if given the opportunity. pic.twitter.com/giImVPxUdx
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) April 27, 2020
In 2013, the reason for the Pistons’ walk-off wasn’t that it was the style of the time and what the Celtics did, but a reaction to disrespectful tirades from Jordan and the Bulls.
“We had dethroned the Celtics, we had dethroned the Lakers and we thought that we deserved a little bit of respect as a champion. Everyone and every team could play and act like the Pistons and adopt out philosophy, except the Pistons.
Before the Bulls swept us in ’91, I remember clearly Jordan and Phil Jackson, because they swept us in Detroit, they went on a day-and-a-half tirade about how we were bad for the game, how we were bad people, how Laimbeer was a thug. In our town. They were up 3-0 and then they had this press conference just totally disrespecting us as champions.
They went on to sweep us, and the decision was made just to walk off … It was made on the bench as the game was winding down.”
Not a lot of mention of the Celtics in there.
And finally:
The reasoning for the Pistons leaving the bench has slightly evolved over time.
In Nov 1991, nearly 6 months after it happened, the Pistons returned to Chicago Stadium. Isiah gave this interview with TNT. #TheLastDance pic.twitter.com/tuBv9JIBbN
— Carl 🇧🇿 (@TheCnotes) April 27, 2020
It’s a bit hard to square that last line and what Thomas said in the documentary.
Sounds like Dennis was telling the truth, which is way more respectable.
Dennis Rodman: "We didn't even shake hands just walked off the court. F*ck you guys, thank you for kicking our ass."
— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) April 27, 2020
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