Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls knew they needed to toughen up to finally match the Detroit Pistons' infamous "Bad Boys" squad in the late '80s. At the same time, the team also realized that Scottie Pippen, along with MJ, had to be prepared for the arduous and intense physical battles waiting ahead of them.
Jordan hit the gym and underwent a rigorous training program to strengthen and build muscles. As for Pippen, the Bulls brought in former Pistons journeyman Cliff Levingston in 1990 to batter the All-Star forward in practice.
"The Bulls brought me on board to beat up Scottie [Pippen] every day," Levingston said on The Thurl Talk Podcast in 2020. "To be physical with him so he can handle when he gets out on the court. As you know, as an athlete, if you see something every day, it becomes normal. It doesn't bother you or phase you anymore, and that was the whole thing with Scottie."
Cliff and Pip ended up fighting
Well aware of his role in the team, Levingston did exactly what he was supposed to and went head-to-head with Pippen in drills and scrimmages. Inevitably, the pair had their fair share of physical altercations, often ending in "fist fights."
Levingston also noted that though he and Scottie took on each other tooth and nail on a regular basis, they never hated one another personally. In fact, the feuds were over once the practice was over.
"We really got in fights every day in practice," Cliff remembered. "I mean, a lot of times, we got in fistfights in practice. We were ready to go blows, but after practice, we hung out."
Related: “This is not a laughing matter” - Scottie Pippen once accused a 5-year-old of causing a six-figure damage to his property
The Bulls became a physical team
In retrospect, it's safe to say Levingston served his purpose as Pippen noticeably grew stronger on the court, especially when the Bulls faced the Bad Boys once again in the playoffs. Chicago went on and swept the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals to advance to the Finals and ultimately win the NBA title in 1991.
From that point forward, the Bulls took off and gained quite a reputation for being one of the most physical teams in the '90s. They instilled fear and intimidation in every team they faced on the court. In conclusion, this was the result of the team's training sessions, which were characterized by an intensity that often crossed the line into physical confrontations.
Related: Michael Jordan wanted to face the Pistons over the Celtics in the 1991 ECF: "We always faltered under Detroit's pressure"
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