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Post by Meursault on Jun 15, 2004 14:01:37 GMT -5
The game tonight?
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Post by alexiscarrington on Jun 15, 2004 16:20:50 GMT -5
I'm looking forward to this game. I want the Pistons to clean it all up tonight and leave Kobe looking like the dummy he is, but I doubt the series will end that neatly. I can't wait though, I'm rooting Pistons all the way. Anyone who whoops on the Lakers is all right with me.
*sounds the Ben Wallace Gong*
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Post by RocDoc on Jun 15, 2004 16:57:29 GMT -5
Rasheed's going to be the steadying influence tonight...well, UNLESS someone pisses him off that is...then he's goin' off his nut, that's all...
Gotta love that sorta eternally wronged player...
The Laimbeers
The Rodmans
The McHales
~
Born under a bad sign
I been do-o-own since I began to crawl
If it wasn't for bad luck
Well I'd have no luck at all...
~
Go DEEETROIT!!!
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Post by alexiscarrington on Jun 15, 2004 19:06:20 GMT -5
Really so far in this game, win or lose I think Detroit is out playing the Lakers. The Lakers are throwing away a lot of balls and giving away a lot of fouls. I wouldn't be surprised if someone gets fouled out this game and the Pistons aren't giving up on free throws. I don't want to get ahead of myself, because I know that it would be a rarity if the games didn't go any further (I'm one of those people who believes sometimes they stretch these things out), but so far in the first half the Pistons are definitely putting the Lakers to shame.
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Post by alexiscarrington on Jun 15, 2004 20:05:10 GMT -5
And this third quarter? It's ABSOLUTELY embarrassing to the Lakers! They look like a college team up against the Pistons right now! I can't believe how awful they are playing, they'll need a real miracle (like Michael Jordan's spirit possessing their entire team) in order to come back in this game now.
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Post by Clicker on Jun 15, 2004 21:18:15 GMT -5
Congrats Pistons and to Detroiters the world over!
Los Laquers true colors came out on this one... wooohooo!
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Post by alexiscarrington on Jun 15, 2004 21:54:59 GMT -5
Well I am from Flint MI, and normally we have a rivalry with Detroit, but I was rooting for the Pistons all the way. I am just SURPRISED at how horrible the Lakers were. I mean it was kind of pathetic, wasn't it? They played like crap.
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Post by rockysigman on Jun 16, 2004 1:02:37 GMT -5
Oh my god what a great night. Drank in downtown detroit at a hole in the wall irish pub which was absolutely packed. After the game, ran through the streets, high fiving and yelling and celebrating with I don't know how many people. The Pistons were unreal, and the city came together for a damn good celebration. I almost thought that the Lakers were going to start Magic Johnson in Karl Malone's place tonight, but I guess Medvedenko worked out okay for them (even if Magic is younger than Malone, and in better shape than either of them  |
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Post by rockysigman on Jun 16, 2004 1:03:32 GMT -5
Did anyone else really revel in how obvious it was when the Pistons became confident that they had it wrapped up? Ben Wallace attempted a three pointer. Highlight of the entire season.
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Post by stratman19 on Jun 16, 2004 5:59:55 GMT -5
Way to go Detroit! The blue collar Pistons utterly spanked the pretty boy Lakers. Take that, you southern California bastards! ;D
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Post by Howenstein on Jun 16, 2004 7:33:19 GMT -5
WAAA-HOOOO!!! PISTONS KICK ASS!!Rocky -- I think I saw you on TV last night. Were you the one rocking that SUV?  More to come... |
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Post by Howenstein on Jun 16, 2004 8:24:17 GMT -5
Yes, the DETROIT PISTONS are the NBA Champions. All through the Eastern Conference playoffs, we kept hearing how “these kinds of games are bad for basketball.” Well, I think the opposite is true. Seeing a real TEAM effort is GOOD for basketball.
Let’s face it, the NBA has become a league of individuals. Shaq, Kobe, T-Mac, Iverson, etc. and their showboat play is what had become “bad for basketball.” And when the NBA itself latched on to that theme and began marketing just the individuals, I really got turned off by the whole thing. So, it’s good to see a team void of superstars take the title. You never heard any complaining about how many times someone touched the ball in a particular game all year. Even the Bad Boys of ’89-’90, who drew some comparisons to this year’s team, had one bona fide star in Isiah Thomas.
Credit Joe Dumars for making the personnel moves that needed to be made. Only two players (Ben Wallace and Corliss Williamson) remain from the Pistons team that lost to the Boston Celtics in the second round two years ago. And how many players did he acquire that were simply “discarded” by other teams? Chauncey Billups is playing for his sixth team in five years. Rip Hamilton was thought to be one-dimensional when Washington gave him up for an overrated Jerry Stackhouse. Rasheed Wallace was a cancer in Portland, and they traded him for… Bob Sura??? Dumars’ commitment to Tayshaun Prince was criticized by fans and media when he passed on small forward Carmelo Anthony in last year’s draft. Elden Campbell was injured most of last year and the Hornets simply waived him in the off-season. This team is truly the “wretched refuse” of the NBA. Herb Brooks’ line from the movie Miracle comes to mind: “I’m not looking for the best players…I’m looking for the right players.”
Credit former coach Rick Carlisle for getting the Pistons to initially buy-in to a defense-first philosophy. It’s no accident those Pistons-Pacers games were all in the 60’s and 70’s.
And credit Larry Brown for taking the Pistons the rest of the way. Pushing the right buttons in the finals with guys like Campbell and Lindsey Hunter. Teaching Rip and Tayshaun to play better defense. Teaching Ben Wallace to at least be adequate on offense. Always teaching.
CONGRATS, Pistons. You have done Detroit proud.
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Post by stratman19 on Jun 16, 2004 8:55:16 GMT -5
Very, very well put Howie. You betcha!
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Post by rockysigman on Jun 16, 2004 9:52:07 GMT -5
Howe, I think in the long term you're right about Pistons-style basketball being good for the game. I think the league probably got about the best finals it could have had. The Lakers were in the Finals, so people who wanted to see the superstars still tuned in to see them, but the way that the Pistons manhandled them not only changed the way that most smaller market teams will probably start building themselves (no longer will they feel like they need to nab a superstar) but most importantly they made the Eastern Conference relevent again. How many times did ABC or ESPN analysts call the Western Conference Finals the real league finals? The Eastern Conference, although still probably weaker over all, must now at least be taken seriously, and every team in the league that has been building around just one or two big guys and not quite getting as far as they wanted are going to reevaluate their whole approach. Another Pistons team for history. I'm still recovering. ;D
And no, I wasn't shaking any SUVs, although I did threaten to tip my friend's Horizon several times.
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Post by alexiscarrington on Jun 16, 2004 14:50:33 GMT -5
It would've been better if the Lakers had put up a fight, but dear God they practically laid down and let the Pistons stomp over them...even if that was their best playing it just didn't measure up at ALL. Three games in a row? LA could've done much better.
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