NBA Finals

Dr. Giganto

so, the NBA Finals start this weekend, so i figure we should make some predictions.

There are quite a few questions to be asked here:

1.Are the Lakers motivated enough to play to their full potential?
2.Will they take the Pistons too lightly?
3.Can the Pistons D stop Shaq and Kobe?
4.Can the Pistons score enough points to make the games competitive?
5.Will Darko get any playing time at all?
6. Who wins the battle between Kobe and Rip Hamilton?
7.Shaq and Big Ben?
8.Who wins and in how many games?

here are my answers:

1. No...if it wasnt for Derek Fisher and Kareem Rush, who knows where the Lakers would be right now...the big 4 have not played to their potential yet, no reason to think they'll start now
2. Yes. Everyone thinks the East is a joke, including the Lakers
3. Yes. but they cant stop Shaq, Kobe, Malone, Payton, Fisher, Rush, all at the same time
4. No, plain and simple
5. None whatsoever
6. Kobe...i'm still not sold on Hamilton as the star that people are making him out to be
7. Shaq...just too damn big. Plus the fact that Ben Wallace is a non-factor on offense means Shaq can hang around the basket and swat anything that comes in his way
8. Lakers in 5

So, who do you think will win?

Dr. Giganto

well, i was totally wrong so far. The Pistons have dominated series so far, and it took a miracle in Game 2 to keep the Lakers from being down 3-0.

and even Darko got some playing time last night!!!

DMW

This indeed has been a very sad series so far. I think Kobe needs another court date to get him motivated.

DMW

Well this has indeed been a very, very depressing series.

First of all, all the credit in the world to Detroit. They really showed up for this series and played their best ball all year. And if the Lakers had to lose to someone, I'm glad it was the Pistons. Larry Brown is a class act coach and a basketball purest that I have a lot of respect for. He never resorted to hack-a-Shaq and had his team playing quality, hard-nosed basketball. Congrats to them.

As for the Lakers, it's hard to figure out what happened to them. I guess they just underestimated the tenacity of the Pistons defense, and it really got them out of sync. I feel bad for Malone. I really would have loved to have seen him get a ring. He deserves it.

Finally, I would like to rant for a minute. The officiating in this series was god-awful. Now I in no way mean to imply that that was the reason the Lakers lost, because Detroit was clearly the better team, but god-damn they sucked. It wasn't completely one-sided was they were making some shitty calls against Detroit as well, but for every bad call against the Pistons, there were four or five against LA. The refs are lucky that Detroit won this series decisively, since it's unlikely that much of a stink will be raised about the horrible job they did.

/rant

Dr. Giganto

There are several reasons why the Lakers lost this series, some of which you touched upon DMW

1. First and formost was the Pistons defense. I dont think Kobe had an uncontested shot all series. Every shot he had two or three guys in his face. Even the shot he hit to send Game 2 to OT, and all those runners he hit in overtime, there was someone in his face every time.

2. The Pistons simply outhustled the Lakers. Every loose-ball went to the Pistons. The Lakers couldnt get back fast enough on D. and how many offensive rebounds did the Pistons have? The Pistons simply played harder

3. The foul calls. Although I know i would be pissed if i was a Lakers fan, I have to admit it was nice to see the tables turned after seeing the Lakers be the beneficiary of many generous calls over the years (Remember Shaq ass-raping Damon Stoudamire at the end of Game 7 of the Western Confernce Finals in 2000 and not getting called?). Also, the Pistons deserved to get more calls, because they played more aggresively and took the ball to the hole.

4. The Pistons simply were the better "team". Although L.A.'s individual players are probably better than the Pistons, they did not mesh at all in this series. In Game 4, when Shaq was absolutely unstoppable, he should have shot the ball 30-40 times, at least. But the Lakers either couldnt figue out a way to get Shaq the ball, or Kobe was too egotistical to give it up. Shaq was 16-21. Kobe was 8-25. No way Kobe should take more shots than Shaq in that game

An extension of this Gary Payton's stubborn refusal to adapt to the offense. Hey Gary, if the system is good enough for Micahel Freakin Jordan, its good enough for you

5. Injured Karl Malone. With a healthy Malone, the Lakers would have had someone to match Detroit's intensity and hustle. Malone gave it a hell of an effort, and i credit him for that, but his knee just wouldnt let him get it done.

6. Larry Brown simply outcoached Phil Jackson. Before anyone credits Phil Jackson with being the greatest coach ever, lets remember that Phil has never coached a team that didnt have the best player in the NBA on it (MJ then Shaq). Larry Brown, however, has made a career out of taking terrible teams (Clippers, Nets, Sixers) and bringing them up to respectability. He finally got the chance to coach a team that was already good, and he took them to that next step that Rick Carlisle couldnt get them to. also, maybe if Phil Jackson had spent more time preparing his team, and less time trying to get the refs on his side, the Lakers might have put up more of a fight.

Also, i think it was very classy of Brown to give thanks to Carlisle, as well as to the players like Chucky Atkins and Michael Curry who were traded this season.

On a side note, Derek Fisher showed what a true prfoessional he was in his interview with Michelle Tafoya after the game. He didnt make any excuses, and although i'm sure he was devastated, he still took the time to speak in front of the camera. He's one Laker I would love to see on my Knicks

Danny Diamond

Founder/Admin

That was hilarious.


Why can't the Celtics get players like Billups?

Dr. Giganto

The Celtics had him...then they traded him for Kenny Anderson

Danny Diamond

Founder/Admin

Yes D, you were supposed to pick up on the sarcasm there.

We also had Ben Wallace 3 times and cut him 3 times. We also had Larry Brown locked up for a 5 year deal until Pitino told Celtics management he wanted the job after having lunch with Larry Brown one day.



Funny thing is, the Celtics have more Championships than any other city in the NBA, yet the NBA is deader than dead in this city. The national rating for the NBA finals was like a 14 share, here in Boston it barely did a 3 share.

Dr. Giganto

I did pick it up...but i just wanted to add the Kenny Anderson thing, which makes it that much worse

Dont feel that bad, though. Three other teams gave up on Billups, and several teams gave up on Ben Wallace too. The Pitino thing probably stings though...

Danny Diamond

Founder/Admin

Rick Pitino personally ruined basketball in the city of Boston.


But other things that certainly didnt help (although its pretty much crying over spilt milk)

*Len Bias and Reggie Lewis dieing in back to back years (both are accused of having heart attacks due to cocaine overdoses, but Reggie isnt proven. Len's was)

*Hiring that nitwit Rick Pitino.

*Not getting Tim Duncan (also speculation is that Pitino only took the job because he wanted to coach Duncan and Walker)

*Trading Ron Mercer, Chauncy Billups, Walker, and countless others. Each time he made a trade the team got worse.


But enough about the Celtics. At least the NBA is over for the year.