Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas looked back on their battles with the Los Angeles Lakers, recounting that they refused to give him medical supplies to tend to his ankle injury.
Speaking with Lakers legend James Worthy, Thomas looked back on how Pat Riley and Magic Jonhson snubbed him when he asked if he can get some supplies to rehabilitate his ankles. Worthy, for his part, said that the Lakers learned such ways in their duels with the Boston Celtics.
Thomas continued, saying that trainers from the NFL's Oakland Raiders offered to help. Check out the video below for Thomas' story:
When Isiah Thomas got hurt, the Lakers wouldn't give him any medical supplies to get ready for Game 7. đł#FinalsFilmRoom pic.twitter.com/necUykoM99
â NBA TV (@NBATV) June 11, 2018
Thomas and Worthy were talking about the 1988 NBA Finals. In Game 6, Thomas suffered a sprained ankle in the third quarter. Despite this, Thomas finished the game with 43 points â 25 of which came in the third quarter where he was 11-of-13 from the field. He also had eight assists, six steals.
The Pistons lost Game 6. The Lakers would eventually win the title. But Thomas' performance proved to be a play that's been discussed over the years.
After the game, Pistons head coach Chuck Daly said, per NBA.com:
âWe got a miraculous game from Isiah, as hurt as he was,â Pistons coach Chuck Daly said afterward. âHe got us back in the game. On offense, we didn't give him as much support as I would like. We were 45 seconds away from an NBA Championship. What can I say?â
Lakers legend Magic Johnson concurred with Daly's statements:
âI think he was just unconscious. I think he said, âOkay, I'm going to take this game over.' I've seen him do that before. He was in his rhythm. When he starts skipping and hopping, that means he's in his rhythm. That means he's ready.â