The Bulls–Pistons rivalry is an NBA rivalry between the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons. The rivalry began in the late 1980s and was one of the most intense in NBA history for a couple of years, when Michael Jordan evolved into one of the league's best players and the Pistons became a playoff contender. They represent the two largest metro areas in the Midwest and are only separated by a 280-mile stretch of road, mostly covered by I-94. The ferocity of the rivalry can also be attributed to the geographic Chicago-Detroit rivalry, which is mirrored in the Major League Baseball's White Sox–Tigers rivalry, the National Football League's Bears–Lions rivalry and the National Hockey League's Blackhawks–Red Wings rivalry.