NBA History: 5 Dirtiest players of all time
Playing dirty is often perceived as a negative aspect of the game. It means intentionally provoking the rival team members by the use of physical play or by trash talk. It stops making the game fun for everyone. Some consider it as a part of the sport, others see it as a cheap way of gaining an advantage over your opponents.
These players use cheap tricks (frequently shoving, kicking and injuring others) and bend the rules just to get the result in their favour. A dirty player is not concerned with proving who is better. All that matters for him are to get his hands on the main prize by any means possible.
In this presentation, we will take a look at the five dirtiest players in NBA history.
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#5 Bill Laimbeer
Bill Laimbeer was the part of the Detroit Pistons team and stayed with them for 12 seasons. Playing at the centre position, Bill was known for his rough defensive game.
The Pistons used any means necessary to win and were known as the Bad Boys of the NBA. This team won two consecutive NBA Championships in 1989 and 1990 and defeated some of the best teams of all time including the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, and even Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls.
Bill was the worst of them all. The four-time All-Star was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers but was soon send to the Pistons, where he made a formidable partnership with players like Isiah Thomas, Dennis Rodman, and Rick Mahorn.
Laimbeer was a great defender, rebounder and a decent scorer (averaging 12.9 points and rebounds per game) but was hated by the opposition fans and players for committing rough fouls. He started several fights (sometimes with his teammates) and did much of the team's dirty work. He retired in 1993 due to problems with his back and knees.
There is also a Super Nintendo game called 'Bill Laimbeer’s Combat Basketball', which endorses him and encourages physical play.