The 2004 Detroit Pistons were one of the greatest defensive teams the NBA has ever seen and won them a title.
The 2017 Golden State Warriors were the culmination of a four-title dynasty, the first year Kevin Durant came together to form a true superteam.
Rasheed Wallace of those Pistons – a lineup led by Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton – said in the podcast “Sheed & Tyler” which his Detroit team could beat the 2017 Warriors. Draymond Green took to social media to disagree.
I think we would have beaten you all. Yall was scoring 72 points per game. That’s not winning half. And we’re putting you and those big forces in every pick and roll. Let’s see you move those feet. That ring was great, bro. We all appreciate it! https://t.co/vcICDzfibr
-Draymond Green (@Money23Green) June 2, 2024
The problem with comparing teams from different eras of the NBA is that the game was officiated differently. Are we playing 2004 rules with hand checking and much more physicality allowed on defense (and no zones allowed), or 2017 rules when any contact on the perimeter was a foul? Each team is best built for its era.
That said, sorry Sheed, but I’m taking the Warriors in 5 of this series. As good as the Pistons’ defense was, Stephen Curry and Durant formed an unstoppable offense, and the Warriors team could handle the physicality better than people think.
