Isiah Thomas is one of the best guards of all time. He is underestimated for his achievements, but some of these were brought to light during the Last Dance documentary. Recently, while speaking with NBA analyst Rashad Phillips, Thomas spoke of his rival Magic Johnson, calling him “The smartest basketball player” he has ever played with.
Thomas said, “When you bring the game to the ground, you have to play chess. He was a great chess player on the ground and had all the pieces. “
I will deliver my documentary on Isiah Thomas. He breaks down his favorite matchups, childhood, college recruiting and the secret for the little NBA PCs to win big. This is Zeke UNCUT. Here it breaks down @MagicJohnson into a rare form. See you at church on Saturday with doors open at noon. ???? pic.twitter.com/fz6EHWOMcF
– Rashad Phillips (@ RP3natural) July 1, 2020
Along with a high basketball IQ, Johnson also had the versatility to play literally in any position. In his beginner season during the 1980 NBA finals, he entered the game center, despite being a guardian. Kareem-Abdul Jabbar was forced to leave due to an injury and Johnson decided to take over. So in Game 6, Johnson recorded 42 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists as he took the Lakers to their seventh championship.
Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas: the brothers have reconciled
By the late 1980s, the Detroit Pistons took the place of the best Eastern Conference team. Led by Isiah Thomas, the Bad Boy Pistons defeated the Celtics in the 1988 Eastern Conference finals, officially announcing themselves as the best team in the East. With this, a new rivalry began between the best team in the east against the best team in the west. Isiah Thomas’ Pistons vs Magic Johnson’s Lakers.
Before the first game of the 1988 NBA final, Magic and Isiah had a brotherly hug as they kissed each other on the cheek. After that, it was all business. First the rivals, the second brothers. The series went back and forth, but the Lakers managed to climb to the top. James Worthy lost 36 and 10 while leading the Lakers to victory in Game 7 of the Finals.
But Thomas and Johnson’s relationship began to spiral after Magic announced that he had contracted HIV in 1991. Johnson accused Thomas of spreading rumors that he was gay. Then, in 1992, Johnson prevented Thomas from joining the 1992 United States Olympics basketball team, also called the Dream Team. But popular history was Michael Jordan’s rivalry with Thomas, which cost him a place on the team.
They reportedly reconciled, but then in 2009 Johnson published his book and Thomas found out that it was Magic who was responsible for his absence from the Olympics and not from Jordan. Thomas made a statement saying: “I am really hurt and I feel really exploited for all these years. I am totally blind to this. He and I went out to dinner in New York. I didn’t know he felt that way. ”
Then finally, in 2017, they buried the hatchet in an emotional encounter. Johnson said, “Let me apologize. If I hurt you. That we weren’t together ” leaving behind their troubled past.
