One of basketball fans' recent hypothetical matchup fantasy has been the 2004 Detroit Pistons vs. 2017 Golden State Warriors. As it is, Rasheed Wallace was responsible for opening the heated discourse, claiming they'll "beat the sh*t out" of the Dubs. In response, Draymond Green retaliated and didn't hold back, disagreeing with the former star big man as he claimed he and the Warriors would demolish the Pistons on the other hand.
While Wallace is convinced that he and Detroit can dismantle Golden State, Chauncey Billups is meanwhile non-committal of the idea that they'll beat them at full strength. In his appearance at the 'Sheed & Tyler' podcast, the ex-Pistons franchise guard and Finals MVP argued that his 'Goin' to Work' squad would face an uphill battle if Kevin Durant was on Golden State's roster.
"I think we would have a tough time with the KD team," Billups said . "Whenever KD was there, it would have been a tough one with them. But them other teams? We would've boned them."
"I love them all. I'm a big fan of them, so I ain't like that. But nah, [the pre-KD title team and post KD-title team]? We would've washed them. I love all of them, but the KD one would be tough," Chauncey added.
A challenging fight
The Golden State dynasty saw the peak of its power in its first year with Durant, the 2016-17 season. Coming off a historic 73-win campaign, the Dubs became even more invincible as a superteam upon KD's controversial arrival to the Bay Area. They won 67 games, dominated the playoff stage with an NBA-record 16-1 card, and ultimately hoisted the 2017 championship, cementing themselves as arguably the best NBA team of all time.
The 2004 Pistons are a phenomenal title squad of their own, establishing a gritty defensive masterclass that was off the charts, which they used to upset the Los Angeles Lakers superteam. However, what Billups argued couldn't be more agreeable. Durant would be the wild card in the duel between both teams. If he's available, his scoring arsenal would already be too overwhelming for the Pistons to handle, besides slowing down the strong offensive production of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
The Pistons have a considerable chance to contest the Warriors' pre- and post-Durant title years in 2015 and 2022, respectively, but they'll have a hard time dealing with the 2017 Dubs. From top to bottom, at both ends of the floor, on the system being applied, and in terms of achievements attained, the KD Warriors are a perfectly constructed all-time team that only the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls can rival.
Related: Larry Bird comments on Heat's Big 3 losing to the Mavs in the 2011 NBA Finals: "Ball movement always beats individuals going one-on-one"
Both teams are special in their own way
Stuff like this is inevitable. It's difficult not to debate about each championship squad, and it's already natural, not just in basketball but also in sports, to compare and contrast different eras. But at the end of the day, we need to acknowledge that each team and generation has enjoyed and thrived with their own style, luck, and rules applied, making every discussion purely subjective in perception.
More than glorifying your preferred team and tearing down the other one, we have to appreciate and celebrate the respective legacy they made, which contributed to the game's success. The 2004 Pistons will always be a remarkable team for their unique story as an underdog champion and superb defensive identity, while the 2017 Warriors are a one-of-a-kind group that featured a stacked collection of talents that we'll possibly never witness again.
Related: "I do not think that they would have stayed on the court with us" - Rip Hamilton on why the Pistons would beat the Warriors in a hypothetical matchup
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