Detroit Pistons: 7 unforgettable moments of the Goin’ To Work Pistons

2004 Podium Ceremony

Had the 2004 Finals turned out differently, the Goin’ To Work era would likely be looked upon much differently.

Sustained franchise success is enjoyable, but it’s a bit emptier without a championship. NBA history is full of long, successful runs. The Nets, Pacers, and Hawks have all seen recent comparable levels of success even if they may not rise to the level of six consecutive Eastern Conference Finals.

But a championship changes everything.

If you were a kid watching the 2004 Playoffs run, this was special.

You weren’t old enough to remember or, at least, truly appreciate the Bad Boys titles. But you suffered through the extra-long rebuild. Persistence is the only way to describe sitting and watching the Doug Collins and Alvin Gentry teams of the 1990s.

Then the Goin’ To Work Pistons happened.

The bad taste of much of the previous decade washed away. The new team in town did things the same way Isiah, Bill, and Dennis did. They suffocated teams with defense, scored enough to win, and made life generally miserable for opponents (and sometimes viewers).

But they got the job done.

Bill Davidson raised his second trophy in a week. Chauncey Billups was named Finals MVP.
And they celebrated it all in front of the faithful Motor City fans.