April 26, 1991 - Late in Game 1 of their 1991 first round series, Detroit Pistons guard Isiah Thomas was floored by a mid-air body check from Atlanta Hawks big man Kevin Willis. Thomas was shaken though generally unmoved, peeling himself off the court and hitting both free throws.

The 1990-91 season was one of trial and tribulation for Thomas, who played with an injured wrist for the first half of the season before succumbing to corrective surgery in late January. Suspected to miss the rest of the season, Thomas returned early and rehabilitated on the fly, playing the 1991 playoffs with an only partially functioning shooting wrist.

In other news, 1990-91 introduced clearer ramifications for those who commit what could be considered intentional or flagrant fouls. This was the first season with a more modern interpretation of the rule, where transgressions resulted in two free throws and possession. Had Willis' foul occurred the season prior, Willis likely would have received only a common foul.

Game 1 Box Score: [ Ссылка ]

Game 1 (in full) can be found here, courtesy of jaboo82681: [ Ссылка ]&

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