NBA Finals

[SpencerH]

I didnt watch the whole thing but it looked to me that the key to Detroits win was their unusual defense around the basket (I dont remember when I've seen so many blocked shots one after another) and their fast break (which nullified Shaq's rebounding (he had a whole bunch early in the game) since he's too slow to get back).

[Guynemer]

I agree about running the fast break, Spencer. The Pistons know that they are faster at every position (with the only exception being a deadlock at shooting guard between Kobe and Rip), and especially faster at center and power forward. Anytime the Lakers (Kobe) take an ill-advised long-range shot, the Pistons swarm to the rebound and are off and running.

You'll probably see even more of this in the next game, because the Lakers (especially Shaq & Malone) only have one day of rest. Shaq in particular has been slower and less effective in games after only one day of rest. There should be lots of oppotunities for the Wallaces to run the floor.

[Aeson]

The running game certainly is a difference. But there is a definite difference between running off a made basket and a long rebound. Especially when one of the guys who should be getting back on defense is taking the shot, falling out of bounds, out at the 3-point line, with a hand in his face.

When Shaq (rested like he was last night) is shooting on the other hand, whoever's guarding him is generally planted in the photographer row and the ball goes in the hoop ~80% of the time. That defender isn't going to be running, and the LA guards are going to be back on D too.

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Almost all of Detroit's blocks were on Kobe, when he tried to overpenetrate and force a shot up against 2-3 guys. The only other one I remember was Malone trying to draw a foul as he has no chance of getting a shot off in the lane in his condition.

You'll probably see even more of this in the next game, because the Lakers (especially Shaq & Malone) only have one day of rest. Shaq in particular has been slower and less effective in games after only one day of rest. There should be lots of oppotunities for the Wallaces to run the floor.

Agreed. Kobe will probably be even more assertive too, and take more shots. I wouldn't be suprised if he hits a decent percentage (he's due for a good game), but it's still not as efficient as going through Shaq as the first option.

[JohnT]

he's due for a good game

Not like he has much of a choice, ya know?

[Lawrence of Arabia]

i called pistons in five, with lakers stealing game two at home, and it looks like i will be right.

[Aeson]

By "due" I'm not saying he will, just that if you look at his averages you'd expect him to have a game or two in any 5 game span where he hits a good percentage of the difficult shots. He has a definite ability to "turn it on" sometimes, just he isn't terribly consistant with it.

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This is where the comparisons to MJ are really unfounded IMO (the other is FG%). Jordan (the Chicago one) virtually never had two 'bad' (for him) games in a row, and even if he did from a scoring perspective, he would come up with some other aspect of the game to have a special performance in. A triple double, great defense, something. Also Jordan was facing this kind of defense for most of his career, and used that to the Bull's advantage. Scottie Pippen never had to use his decent post game with MJ to average 20ppg, cause he got that on layups (the years MJ was out you got to see Pippen's real talents). Kerr/Hodges/Armstrong/Paxson shot high percentages on 3's cause 2-3 guys were always running at MJ. Longley/Cartwright/Wennington just had to shoot uncontested 15 foot shots.

The Lakers could be doing the same things, but not through Kobe. Shaq is their dominant post presence, and the guy who generally gets the ball where it needs to go (in the hoop, or to an open teammate). Malone did this for them a lot when he was healthy. Payton is the other one they could use in the post, but given that they haven't worked on it all season, it's too late to try now.

[ixnay]

Nothing would make me happier than seeing the Lakers lose.

[OzzyKP]

Well I saw my first game of the finals, it was pretty good. Motown was looking ugly in the first half though, but amazingly the score was neck and neck the whole time. The team was what, 2 for 20 for FGs for a bit there? I was shocked how badly they were shooting (not that I watch a lot of basketball). But there were so many damn fouls they stayed in it.

Kobe got pwned.

[Sava]

HAW HAW KARL MALONE CRY LIKE A BABY YOU LOSER... YOU WON'T WIN A TITLE JUST LIKE CHARLES BARKLEY NYAH NYAH NYAH YOU SUCK!

[Guynemer]

12 minutes to go.

Pistons up by twenty-three points. No doubt about it, they are simply the better team.

WUTANG!


And, as a side note, Larry Brown's wife is HOT.

[Tis I]

holy ****, the lakers are getting smoked!!!

To think, if kobe hadn't had made that three, this woulda been a sweep.

[Ted Striker]

Yep.

Congratulations to the Pistons.

A very likable team

[asleepathewheel]

wow


I wonder what it feels like to be the owner. Ning, Pistons. Da-yum. Good investments, them. Two (now) model franchises

[Guynemer]

Don't forget about the Shock.


Ted, would you hit it?

[Ted Striker]

Unfortunatley I cannot hit it.

I'm just not much into the sistas.