Source:Ryan Van Dusen– Bullets center Moses Malone.
“Washington Bullets guard Jeff Malone averaged 25.6 points over five games and nearly propelled his team to an unlikely upset over the Detroit Pistons in the 1988 playoffs. Malone scored 35 points on 15-of-22 shooting in Game 3, including 4-of-4 in overtime, sparking Washington’s retort after dropping the first two contests of the series. At a loss as to how to cool off an opposing two-guard on an unconscious run, Chuck Daly appealed to his secret weapon for the deciding Game 5. In lieu of Joe Dumars, Daly assigned the task of slowing Malone to the 6-foot-8 Dennis Rodman, who held him to just 1-of-12 shooting and four points in a 99-78 rout.”
From Ryan Van Dusen
In 1988, the Detroit Pistons were still somewhat in transition from a team that annually win 45-50 games, but go out in the 1st round of the playoffs, to a team that was becoming a great, dominant, NBA championship team.
The 1988 Bullets, whatever they lacked in chemistry and coaching, made up for in talent. They had a lot of firepower on that team, including off the bench, with players like John Williams. It wasn’t just Moses and Jeff Malone, but Bernard King was on that team, as well as Terry Catledge.
So when the Bullets played a team that didn’t respect them, which is what the Pistons didn’t, especially after beating them easily at home during the 1st two games of that series, the Bullets could catch you napping and beat you. Which is what they did to the Pistons, even as a 7th seed, 2/3 games in that series.