[DET/MIA] Just the way they like it? (Game 4)

Mr. S£im Citrus

Mr. S£im Citrus

Doryphore of KingsFans.com
Staff member
Miami has the opportunity to put a stranglehold on this series with a win... Detroit has shown that they can win with their backs are against the wall, so this could be what they were waiting on.

Howe'er, comma, there are rumors of sniping in the Pistons locker room, and much of it is alleged to be directed at coach Flip Saunders. Will it become a factor on the court?

I hope not: the Pistons are my only hope for a watchable Finals.

EDIT - Whoops! That should say (Game 4)
 
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^i think more than anything if the heat wins, this is why:
heat23.jpg



does anyone think if the heat wins and dallas advances that the heat can/will beat mavs? some say detroit is the only team that can challenge dallas... anyone agree?
 
You know what? I am beginning to think the Pistons may have fallen victim to hubris. The same sort of arrogance those Lakers teams had -- the old "we can turn it on whenever we want to no matter how unfocused we look" schtick. But of course as soon as you start consciously telling yourself that, you set yourself up for the fall. You get lazy and full of yourself, and one day a hungrier team still fighting for every game steps up and takes it from you. This entire playoffs for the Pistons seems to have turned into one long wait for the other shoe to drop.
 
Kings113 said:
I just hope an east team wins the title... I like both much more than Mavs or Suns, and have.
Click to expand...

me too. i think its time for an eastern team to win. i don't like seeing dallas advance to the finals. if they do, im going for the opposite team. if the suns win, i think i'll be rooting for them, since they never won a title.
 
Bricklayer said:
You know what? I am beginning to think the Pistons may have fallen victim to hubris...
Click to expand...
Possibly: I have a different theory, though:

I think it's Flip Saunders' fault.

As much as some people like to subscribe to the paradigm that "players win, coaches lose," and that Larry Brown had nothing to do with their success, the more I've seen of the Pistons (and I watched all of their games during the regular season and playoffs whenever their schedule didn't conflict with the Kings), the more I believe that Brown's coaching was actually the difference maker in the playoffs. I think that Saunders' emphasis on offense at the expense of their trademark defense has had a detrimental effect of their team. I don't think it's a coincidence that the Pistons, while scoring more points than they did while coached by either Brown or Carlisle, are also playing the worst defense that they ever have since the core of their team was brought together. I find myself disinclined to believe that any member of their core unit, all of whom are still in their respective primes, have lost a step to any significant degree, nor do I believe that they have forgotten how to play defense.

Occam's Razor dictates that leaves the coach. The more I see Detroit struggle in the playoffs, the more I believe that it's not as simple as just "moving out of the player's way," as some tend to believe, and the more I believe that Larry Brown is a better coach than some people want to give him credit for, the debacle in New York notwithstanding.
 
Mr. S£im Citrus said:
Possibly: I have a different theory, though:

I think it's Flip Saunders' fault.

As much as some people like to subscribe to the paradigm that "players win, coaches lose," and that Larry Brown had nothing to do with their success, the more I've seen of the Pistons (and I watched all of their games during the regular season and playoffs whenever their schedule didn't conflict with the Kings), the more I believe that Brown's coaching was actually the difference maker in the playoffs. I think that Saunders' emphasis on offense at the expense of their trademark defense has had a detrimental effect of their team. I don't think it's a coincidence that the Pistons, while scoring more points than they did while coached by either Brown or Carlisle, are also playing the worst defense that they ever have since the core of their team was brought together. I find myself disinclined to believe that any member of their core unit, all of whom are still in their respective primes, have lost a step to any significant degree, nor do I believe that they have forgotten how to play defense.

Occam's Razor dictates that leaves the coach. The more I see Detroit struggle in the playoffs, the more I believe that it's not as simple as just "moving out of the player's way," as some tend to believe, and the more I believe that Larry Brown is a better coach than some people want to give him credit for, the debacle in New York notwithstanding.
Click to expand...

Apart from being a complete ***, Brown is a great coach. However, Carlisle left him a team that was built for Brown to excell with. It was kind of a perfect match and once Sheed was brought in - well we all know what happened then. So, while I am loath to give all or most of credit to LB, I do mostly agree with you.

On the other hand, whith Flip it may be exactly opposite. Detroit and Flip are not a good match. Flip just doesn't have offensive weapons or depth for his type of coaching on this team. Detroit has to be playing LB style of basketball to be at their optimum efficiency and keep opponents under or in low 80's.
 
regardless of who receives the blame for the potential Pistons' downfall, in this game 4, Shaq has forced Ben Wallace to collect 4 fouls, McDyess to collect 5 fouls, and Sheed to collect 4 fouls. Sheed just picked up a stupid 5th foul on a moving offensive pick, so with 9 minutes left in the game, the Pistons are in serious frontline foul trouble and trailing by 4 points.
 
Finally a good game after two-three one-sided games... been fun to watch. I like the more traditional playoff game as well (of course).

Pistons are a completely different team this 2nd half.
 
Wow, Wade just hit a ridiculous, Kobe-esque jumper from the corner...and Rip hit him on the arm in the process (although there was no foul called).
 
Pistons just don't really have an answer for Wade, and their offense looks terrible. Rip Hamilton just passed up an open three to give it to Mo Evans in the corner. That's not a good choice, imho.

Heat up 6 with 7 minutes left.
 
Pistons down 7 with less than 6 minutes after Billups hits a pull-up jumper in the lane...

but James Posey answers with a 3 to push the lead to 10.

Pistons' offense is just not clicking. Shooting 39% for the game, and nothing seems to work consistently. Sheed cannot take advantage of Haslem or Walker in the post. Payton has done a decent job on Billups, and Hamilton is suffering through one of his terrible shooting games (4-14), similar to his run through the NBA Finals last year.

5:30 left for the Pistons to add to their rep. Otherwise, it's backs against the wall the rest of the ECF.
 
Sheed with a silly foul for his 6th...there goes one of the Pistons three point shooters for the last 3:30, and facing an 11 point deficit.
 
Yes, Pistons are now dangerously close to having their backs placed against the wall. They had better get back to the Palace and regroup just to try and push this series to 7 games.

oops. I meant 6 games.
 
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bozzwell said:
Apart from being a complete ***, Brown is a great coach. However, Carlisle left him a team that was built for Brown to excell with.
Click to expand...
That may be true, but everything in Carlisle's coaching career lends itself to suggest that he's only a "regular season" coach; he got the Pistons playing hard defense, but they never went anywhere in the playoffs when he was in charge. And the Pacers haven't done any better.
 
wade with another solid game, posting his average numbers for the series of 31/6/5. he is playing on a special level right now indeed, i really love this kids game. what a star. detroit looks done. i sure hope the heat can beat the mavs.
 
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