dukeswh
Bench
http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8177820/Lakers-Celtics-Final-is-no-guarantee
Agree with the Lakers-Celtics matchups except for this line:
Spurs vs. Pistons
The good: These two teams already had a great series in 2005, with the Spurs barely winning in seven games, thwarting the Pistons' attempt to repeat after taking out the Lakers in five the year before. Both teams are predicated by defense and consistent team execution at both ends of the floor.
The bad: When these two teams meet, the scores tend to look more like college games than the NBA. In this fast-paced basketball frenzy of the 21st century, they'll still slow it down. In 2005, the Pistons were the only team to score 100 points in the series, and it happened in a 102-71 blowout in Game 4. On the other hand, the Pistons also lost, 84-69, in Game 1. A thing of beauty, it was not.
Conclusion: These two teams have garnered an enormous amount of respect this decade and rightfully so. They have been consistently solid year in and year out, which is why this matchup would be no surprise and intense. The only problem is that nobody but the fans of the two teams has any interest in seeing them slug it out again.
Lakers vs. Pistons
The good: There is history here, too, with the 2004 Finals the most recent — signaling the end of the Shaquille O'Neal-Kobe Bryant-Phil Jackson era for the Lake Show. All three proved to be amazingly selfish in the end, with Shaq getting dealt to Miami, Phil taking a year off for a "tell-all" book and Kobe suffering the brunt of the blame, when in retrospect it seems to be equal parts of blame to go around. There also were the 1988 and 1989 meetings that began with Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas exchanging kisses on the cheek and ended with their public friendship becoming a personal feud. The Lakers won in 1988, but the Pistons won in 1989 when Johnson and Byron Scott both suffered hamstring injuries that made it impossible for the Lakers to compete.
The bad: Chauncey Billups has the hamstring in question for the Pistons. The way he looked in Games 1 and 3, it's hard to fathom the Pistons getting there now. Sure, rookie Rodney Stuckey has been surprisingly stellar and growing in confidence in his place. But if they can't get more dependable play from Rasheed Wallace and Tayshaun Prince, it won't matter. They won't get there.
Conclusion: All things being equal health-wise, this would be an excellent matchup, with Wallace and Antonio McDyess going against Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol up front and with Rip Hamilton and Bryant locking horns in the backcourt. But unless the Pistons rally quickly, it's not going to happen.
Spurs vs. Celtics
The good: There is the tradition of the Spurs now and the Celtics then that makes it intriguing. Even more special would be the matchup of Duncan and Garnett, Western Conference rivals for so many years, meeting in the Finals for the first time. Watching Bruce Bowen check Paul Pierce would be fun and the Ray Allen-Manu Ginobili lockup would also be great theater in so many ways. And that's not to mention the quickness of the Celtics young Rajon Rondo against the race car known as Tony Parker.
The bad: The scores will be in the 80's and low 90's featuring a bump-and-grind mode for both teams. These games could be excruciating to watch until the fourth quarter, which would finally offer some great basketball. In other words, the desire would be to see a best-of-seven, one quarter each. Otherwise, the non-diehards would find it to be unwatchable.
Conclusion: As a die-hard NBA fan, this would be a fabulous series. The matchups are terrific, even if Duncan and Garnett aren't head-to-head all the time. The alteration of defenses from the Spurs Gregg Popovich and Pistons coach Flip Saunders are continual, with the two having faced each other innumerable times in the Western Conference during Saunders' nine-plus seasons as coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves. This is the second choice because of the possibilities.
Lakers vs. Celtics
The good: Unless you resent both franchises, there is nothing to dislike about this. Bryant making his first playoff appearance in Boston is reason enough to get excited. Even more so, there is the prospect of Jackson in search of his 10th title with the ghost of Auerbach looming overhead the Garden. There also is the desire to see Garnett, Pierce and Allen have a shot at their first title after all three superstars never having made it to the Finals before.
The bad: There will be the conspiracy theories if this happens. The NBA has been waiting for a return to the golden era ever since the lockout of 1998-99, when it lost a large chunk of audience and got lost in the hip hop, tattoo-infested youth of the 21st century. But in reality, if the worst matchup is the Spurs vs. the Pistons, there is no way the NBA can lose this time around. Conclusion: Again, unless you just hate the NBA or the two franchises, how can you not want this to happen? This would be the greatest matchup, mostly because of the legacy of the Celtics and Auerbach vs. Bryant and Jackson. Just imagine if the Lakers were to clinch the series in Boston and Jackson gets to light up a stogie in the Garden to celebrate. Those would certainly be ingredients of his choice.
Agree with the Lakers-Celtics matchups except for this line:
Just imagine if the Lakers were to clinch the series in Boston and Jackson gets to light up a stogie in the Garden to celebrate. Those would certainly be ingredients of his choice.
