Isiah Thomas Drops 34 on Chicago in Key Overtime Win
189January 31, 1989 - Detroit Pistons guard Isiah Thomas played 51 minutes and finished with a game-high 34 points in a 104-98 overtime win over the Chicago Bulls. This game is also notable for Isiah's altercation with Bill Cartwright at the 3:24 mark, culminating in Thomas taking his anger out on Pistons assistant coach Brendan Malone, briefly wrapping both hands around Malone's neck before relenting.
From the Washington Post:
"And Detroit assistant coach Brendan Malone swears that Isiah Thomas knew exactly what he was doing when he put his hands on Malone's throat last week during the Pistons-Bulls game. Malone was in town last weekend scouting the Washington-Milwaukee game, and he said Thomas was demonstrating his anger with Bulls' center Bill Cartwright.
Cartwright had just sent Thomas flying with an elbow, producing a pretty bad cut by Thomas' eyebrow. When he came out on court to calm Thomas down, Malone said, Thomas had a few choice words about Cartwright and then said words to the effect of "he makes me so mad I could . . ." choke him. And that's what Thomas acted out on Malone, who never flinched. Malone said he knew he was in no danger, and that Thomas thanked him later for keeping him from getting thrown out of the game . . ."
Washington Post Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1989/02/08/notebook/b16e328a-a7e1-4ae1-9d42-8086394c6ff7/
Box Score: https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/198901310CHI.html