San Antonio vs. Detroit - NBA Finals
- Thread starter Bibby_Is_Clutch
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Pistons start the game shooting terribly, and the Spurs have drawn 8 Piston fouls, while the Pistons have only drawn 5 Spur fouls. To compound the problem, Nazr and Duncan are 7-8 from the line, and the Pistons team is only 2-6 ('Sheed with a miss, Hunter with a miss, Ben Wallace with 2 misses). Pistons down 9 with 2:30 left in first quarter. If they aren't careful, they may be offensively out of this game by halftime.
Then Rip misses one of two free throws to basically end the first quarter with the Pistons down 11. Yes, they have much bigger problems than just shooting free throws, but if Sheed, Hunter and Hamilton each make their fts like they are capable, Pistons are only down 8.
On the other end, Spurs just appear to be a level above the Pistons at this point, both offensively and defensively. They play smart in transition, Nazr is playing as well as (if not better than Big Ben), and they are shooting well from distance. If all of these things continue to happen, Pistons hardly seem to have a chance.
On the other end, Spurs just appear to be a level above the Pistons at this point, both offensively and defensively. They play smart in transition, Nazr is playing as well as (if not better than Big Ben), and they are shooting well from distance. If all of these things continue to happen, Pistons hardly seem to have a chance.
I am not able to watch this game, so I can't see if the Pistons are just missing a million little layups, but that is what Yahoo GameChannel would have me believe. If the Spurs were hitting their threes in this second quarter, the Pistons would be in much more trouble than they currently are (which is down 11).
Brown better figure out how to get his scorers/shooters involved in this game or find some offense somewhere or it's over in 5 ....
The way the Pistons AREN'T PLAYING - I don't see the Spurs having any problems going to Detroit and taking 2 of 3
Pistons are getting ther Motown Mojo turned into Da Blues !!!!
The way the Pistons AREN'T PLAYING - I don't see the Spurs having any problems going to Detroit and taking 2 of 3
Pistons are getting ther Motown Mojo turned into Da Blues !!!!
Man, if you're a Piston's fan you gotta be yellin' at the players right about now ... they ARE LOOKING FOR A FOUL CALLED EVERYTIME THEY SHOOT UNDERNEATH ... that would drive me nuts .... cause some of the King's players' have done that many-many times.
Just play ball ... don't expect the refs to get you back into this game
Just play ball ... don't expect the refs to get you back into this game
Stat of the game with 5 minutes left: Bowen 5-12 for 15 points; Prince 1-7 for 3 points. For the Pistons to even compete, it would seem, those numbers need to be reversed. Yet Prince has just failed to show up to this point in either of the first two games, not to mention the fact that if he's "checking" Manu (which I can't determine if he is since I can't watch these games --- only listen), he's not living up to the reputation he made for himself guarding Kobe in last year's finals.
Series is not quite over, and IMHO San Antonio has ALWAYS been mentally shaky. They have stumbled and collapsed under pressure a number of times in the past, so until that final buzzer in their 4th victory sounds Detroit will still have its chance.
But that said, San Antonio is simply the better team. And why is no secret either -- this Spurs team, unlike their weaker predecessors, plays both sides of the ball. Makes them more dangerous than the '03 Spurs crew, and more dangerous than Detroit last year or this. Detroit will just suddenly quit scoring for 8 minutes, and have no goto guy to get them through those patches. On the other side the Spurs have far fewer of those stretches than they used to.
But that said, San Antonio is simply the better team. And why is no secret either -- this Spurs team, unlike their weaker predecessors, plays both sides of the ball. Makes them more dangerous than the '03 Spurs crew, and more dangerous than Detroit last year or this. Detroit will just suddenly quit scoring for 8 minutes, and have no goto guy to get them through those patches. On the other side the Spurs have far fewer of those stretches than they used to.
The fat lady may not be singing quite yet, but she's standing on the stage warming up.
I do NOT see Detroit being able to put something together to take 4 of the next 5 games from this Spurs squad.
I would truly love it if it was our Kings playing that kind of ball. It isn't, though, so I'm just going to enjoy watching the game played with spirit, determination and precision - the way it was meant to be played.
I do NOT see Detroit being able to put something together to take 4 of the next 5 games from this Spurs squad.
I would truly love it if it was our Kings playing that kind of ball. It isn't, though, so I'm just going to enjoy watching the game played with spirit, determination and precision - the way it was meant to be played.
Detroit totally blew it three times in a row on their end at the five minute mark, first with bad shot selection then two turnovers, that was the nail in the coffin. They were within 8 and had a chance at that point, albeit a slim one.
I just can't see SA losing their mojo very soon, they're on a tear!!! If Detroit is thinking going home is gonna help their stead very much, they'd be wrong unless they can make some serious adjustments. What adjustments do you see that need to be made?
I just can't see SA losing their mojo very soon, they're on a tear!!! If Detroit is thinking going home is gonna help their stead very much, they'd be wrong unless they can make some serious adjustments. What adjustments do you see that need to be made?
I strongly disagree. The Spurs went to the line because they were aggressive, playing hard ball and forcing the Pistons to foul them. Vast discrepancy? I don't think so. The Pistons were playing uninspired, lackadaisical ball and started whining at every opportunity. I think Brown had better look for other excuses than a disparity in free throws.
I'd say the difference between 34 and 15 when talking about the number of free throws shot by two teams in a basketball game is a vast discrepancy, if for no other reason than the simple numbers. And I specifically pointed out that the Spurs were being more aggressive.
But, that's not to say that the Pistons, at least according to their radio announcers, didn't try to take the ball to the basket a bit more than they did in game 1, and from a glass is half empty perspective, they weren't rewarded for their efforts. Without having seen a single play, I can't comment on anything specific where a Pistons' player may have deserved a call, or a Spurs' player got a home whistle, but it wouldn't surprise me if either occurred, and that's what I'd imagine Brown would bring up. The Pistons had 6 or 7 team fouls in the first quarter before the Spurs had even committed a foul, which I find hard to imagine considering the type of defensive game that each of these teams play. Clarification: The 6 or 7 fouls doesn't surprise me, but the 0 might.
But you are correct, imho, in pointing out that Brown has other things to worry about than just the discrepancy in number of free throws taken by each team. Hamilton hasn't looked this bad since he was a rookie (might have something to do with Bowen), Nazr is playing Ben Wallace to a statistical draw, Prince seemingly has decided that he's not going to use his length and athleticism to take advantage of smaller players guarding him, and Chauncey is the only guy in a Pistons' uniform playing with any sort of pride. It's certainly not just the free throws, but LB complaining about any of the above other than thre free throws to the media gets him nothing, whereas complaining about officiating has, in some cases, seemingly been rewarded in the following games. At this point, LB has nothing to lose.
But, that's not to say that the Pistons, at least according to their radio announcers, didn't try to take the ball to the basket a bit more than they did in game 1, and from a glass is half empty perspective, they weren't rewarded for their efforts. Without having seen a single play, I can't comment on anything specific where a Pistons' player may have deserved a call, or a Spurs' player got a home whistle, but it wouldn't surprise me if either occurred, and that's what I'd imagine Brown would bring up. The Pistons had 6 or 7 team fouls in the first quarter before the Spurs had even committed a foul, which I find hard to imagine considering the type of defensive game that each of these teams play. Clarification: The 6 or 7 fouls doesn't surprise me, but the 0 might.
But you are correct, imho, in pointing out that Brown has other things to worry about than just the discrepancy in number of free throws taken by each team. Hamilton hasn't looked this bad since he was a rookie (might have something to do with Bowen), Nazr is playing Ben Wallace to a statistical draw, Prince seemingly has decided that he's not going to use his length and athleticism to take advantage of smaller players guarding him, and Chauncey is the only guy in a Pistons' uniform playing with any sort of pride. It's certainly not just the free throws, but LB complaining about any of the above other than thre free throws to the media gets him nothing, whereas complaining about officiating has, in some cases, seemingly been rewarded in the following games. At this point, LB has nothing to lose.
I watched the game. I didn't see any particular bias towards the Spurs. What I saw was a hustling team get the calls they deserved and a whining team that didn't look anything like the EC champions fouling with abandon and - in some cases - frustration.
The Pistons do not look good and by the end of the game they looked disheartened and uninspired.
The Pistons do not look good and by the end of the game they looked disheartened and uninspired.