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Remembering five of the best Detroit Pistons of the teal era

By Duncan Smith

Apr 12, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; A general shot of a basketball with a Detroit Pistons logo on it during the third quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Pistons beat the Hornets 116-77. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 12, 2015; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; A general shot of a basketball with a Detroit Pistons logo on it during the third quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Pistons beat the Hornets 116-77. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports /
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Joe Dumars

Joe Dumars was the cornerstone, the primary link from the teal era to the “Going to Work” Detroit Basketball days we all remember. The first year of the teal era was his best teal year, scoring 14 points per game in 1996-97, before finally retiring in 1999.

After a 14 year career, all with the Pistons, winning two championships and being the 1989 Finals MVP, he took on his next challenge as the Pistons President of Basketball Operations in 2000-01.

If ever there was a Mr. Piston, it would have been Joe Dumars. He took over a middling, underachieving team that really wasn’t a team and couldn’t play defense to save its life, and reconstructed it quickly in the form of a team that would defend and battle. It’s very likely that with no Joe Dumars there is no Going To Work era, and the Eastern Conference dynasty, the 03-04 championship, never happen.

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