NBA Playoff Time...

[namkcuR]

After a comment like this . . .



. . . I think it's safe to assume that a comment like this . . .



. . . is a rip on the Pistons. I don't recall you commenting on any of the Spurs wins as "disguisting games," making it look like a biased comment by someone who just looks for something to rip the Pistons on. That's what I saw and that's what I called. If that's not what you meant, fair enough.

I was taking taking the statement into context of other posts, not on its own. A little unfair, and I'll give you that.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a big Pistons apologist. 90% of the reason I root for them is because they're my hometown team, not because of how they play basketball. I haven't stood up to defend them against any of the arguments on this thread because, frankly, most of these arguments are right. It just gets on my nerves when people decide not to like one team and then look for anything negative in their game to comment on. Or the other way around. Both get old real quick. And that's what I saw.

Now let's get back to Stevie Wonder. I mean, seriously, wouldn't a luxury box be the seat of choice in that situation?

I too think Headache is continually too hard on the Pistons, however, in his defense, he admitted to being drunk when he posted the first quote...he said he wasn't at first, but then admitted it

Also, Stevie is blind, what difference does it make where he sits?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

the criticism of the pistons that i post here pales in comparison to what i say when i'm actually watching them.

 

[Hewson]

Also, Stevie is blind, what difference does it make where he sits?

To all the well informed and well intentioned questions about where Stevie Wonder sits...did any of you ever think that by sitting courtside, he can hear the flow of the game, the players running up and down the floor, the ball swishing through the net (or in the case of this series, clanging off the rim, no make that the backboard, no wait what sound does an airball make?) and so forth and with a little help from whoever he sits with can actually have a feel for what is going on with the game?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

stevie had earplugs pumping the play by play of the game direct from the abc feed...

so the real tragedy of the situation is that he was forced to listen to hubie brown for 2 hours.

 

[namkcuR]

Game 4

Tipoff Coming Shortly...

Let's Go Pistons!

I started out not caring who won the series, I like both teams a lot, but the Pistons need this game more, some I'm routing for them.

GO PISTONS!

 

[LMP]

Yeah, last score I saw was 97-71 in the 4th quarter Pistons lead, it's safe to say the series is tied

 

[deep]

Stevie Wonder had to do a double take.

 

[namkcuR]

Pistons 102 Spurs 71

31 point victory, 7 players in double digits, only 4 turnovers in the whole game, an NBA Finals record low for turnovers in a game. The Pistons played a great, GREAT game.

Series is 2-2. It's a 3 game series now!

 

[speedracer]

Plus Darko scored.

 

[impy13]

I fear the fro

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

in a series that's supposed to feature some of the great coaches in the league, there certainly hasn't been much in the way of great coaching.

detroit's great defense is based on physicality and knocking people around.

san antonio's great defense is based on food speed and great lateral quickness.

so the refs in san antonio are making calls that favor the spurs quickness, the pistons bitch and moan about it, don't adjust, and get smacked around.

they go back to detroit, and low and behold, the refs start letting the ticky tack stuff go. detroit, as any team with their backs against the wall, figures if they're gonna go down they might as well go down swinging, establish complete control over the pace of the game...

so now the spurs are bitching and moaning about the pistons fouling them, rather than making adjustments and just friggin playing.

if this trend continues, the pistons will win game 5 by about 20 points, and then the spurs will win games 6 and 7 by just as much.

orrrrr maybe someone on the spurs will grow a set and hit back, 'cause they've played these last two games like a bunch of complete pansy asses.

 

[Hewson]

san antonio's great defense is based on food speed

So they play better D after a meal at McDonald's or some other fast food joint??

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

So they play better D after a meal at McDonald's or some other fast food joint??

doh... FOOT speed...

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

this was from Hewso...err... The Sports Guy's latest Mailbag...

Q: My buddy Chuck and I just had a 20-minute conversation as to why Bavetta is not involved in Game 3. As two of the other 19 NBA diehards left, we figure that Stern is saving Bavetta for Game 4. Stern desperately needs this series to get to 2-2 – the NBA cannot have a lackluster Finals followed up by a lockout; it would sink this league. And Stern still has this game covered with Crawford and Salvatore. So, here's to Bavetta in Game 4, and a 2-2 tie.
–Kyle Blanton, Las Vegas

SG: Yes, I received this e-mail on Tuesday night, before we found out Dick Bavetta was reffing Game 4. All joking aside, I'm worried that the NBA is morphing into professional wrestling. With all due respect to the Pistons, who may have played the best playoff game of any 2005 team Thursday night (four turnovers?!?!?!), Game 4 was decided in the first few minutes when it became clear that the Pistons were allowed to clutch, grab, paw at the ball and contest every shot with no repercussions, culminating in Ben Wallace raking Duncan across the arm (probably the worst no-call of the playoffs) and Popovich picking up a technical. The Spurs were D-U-N done after that. Of course, in Game 2, the Pistons weren't allowed to breathe on anyone without a foul being called.

Sometimes I feel like Mel Gibson in "Conspiracy Theory" complaining about this stuff, but I honestly feel that the officiating is slowly undermining the credibility of the league. My friends who follow the NBA feel that way. Enough of my readers feel that way that I don't think I'm crazy. And it's getting to the point that I can actually guess which referees will be assigned to which games … and I'm right! That's insanity! This is a much bigger problem than high schoolers entering the draft, six-year contracts, revenue sharing and anything else. Where have the quality referees gone? Why are some playoff games called completely different than other games? Why are certain refs only assigned to must-win games for the home team? Why does it seem like certain refs have grudges against certain teams, and more importantly, why has there been a preponderance of coaches calling out these grudges (more than any other year)?

just to prove i'm not alone in my psychosis

 

[Chizip]

maybe its really headache who is the sports guy

 

[speedracer]

maybe its really headache who is the sports guy

If so, then Headache deserves ample kudos for simultaneously pulling off the tormented Red Sox fan gig on ESPN.com and the bitter anti-Sox fan bit here.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

If so, then Headache deserves ample kudos for simultaneously pulling off the tormented Red Sox fan gig on ESPN.com and the bitter anti-Sox fan bit here.

 

[namkcuR]

Game 5 tonight...

Let's go Pistons! Make it 3 out of 3 in Detroit! Take the 3-2 lead!

 

[U2@NYC]

Game 5 tonight...

Let's go Pistons! Make it 3 out of 3 in Detroit! Take the 3-2 lead!

Tonight, the Spurs will win. They are too good of a team to sustain this embarassment for three games.

And it will be the end of the series and the D-suck Pistons do not have a chance in SA.

Go Spurs go!

 

[namkcuR]

Tonight, the Spurs will win. They are too good of a team to sustain this embarassment for three games.

And it will be the end of the series and the D-suck Pistons do not have a chance in SA.

Go Spurs go!

These are the two best teams in the NBA. Anything can happen. But it's wrong to say either team sucks. That's just ignorant. And do I need to remind you that Detroit has already won a game 7 on an oppenent's floor this playoffs?

GO DETROIT!

 

[U2@NYC]

These are the two best teams in the NBA. Anything can happen. But it's wrong to say either team sucks. That's just ignorant. And do I need to remind you that Detroit has already won a game 7 on an oppenent's floor this playoffs?

GO DETROIT!

Sorry, man, the fact that Detroit is a good team does not prevent me from hating them.

 

[Chizip]

ok the last two possessions of regulation are why i hate nba basketball

instead of running an actual play each team just gave the ball to the guard, cleared out and let him try to make a play, both times it failed miserably

how about running a play that involves more than one person, like somebody cutting across the baseline, getting a nice pick, have the ball thrown to them and they shoot a jumper?

picket fence play anybody?

nope, just 1 on 1 type crap, it sucks, i hate it and thats why i dont watch the nba

 

[speedracer]

A few questions:

1. By how many inches did Robert Horry dislocate his shoulder on that dunk?

2. Has it now been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that one must always cover the passer on an inbounds play late in the game?

3. Why not put Antonio McDyess in for Ben Wallace for an offensive possession with 5.9 seconds left?

 

[U2@NYC]

Spurs 96, Pistons 95

Great game. Finally one worth of an NBA Final.

Despite my initial beliefs, Robert Horry is 'da man'. What he did today was unbelievable.

Go Spurs! One more to go, and thank God, no more games to play in Detroit.

 

[U2@NYC]

A few questions:

1. By how many inches did Robert Horry dislocate his shoulder on that dunk?

2. Has it now been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that one must always cover the passer on an inbounds play late in the game?

3. Why not put in Antonio McDyess in for Ben Wallace for an offensive possession with 5.9 seconds left?

1. I know. Unbelievable.

2. I think what the Pistons thought was that Manu was going to drive the basket. This play reminded me a lot of the last play of the series between the Bulls and the Suns, where MJ drove the ball and Paxson hit the three.

3. I agree. The thing was that Larry Brown was not even intending to pass the ball on the last play. It was only supposed to go to Billups but the Spurs defended him great.

Go Spurs!

BTW, in this series it will be impossible to pick an MVP. No player has been consistent enough.

I miss Air Jordan. He was the one and only MVP.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

the ginobli play to end regulation was a very good play call against an over-aggresive defensive team like the pistons... you put the ball in the hands of your best peremeter player and let him drive to the basket, drawing ben wallace off of tim duncan, who trails down the lane un-checked for an offensive rebound... it worked exactly to design... duncan just didn't hit the easy follow.

by that same theory (best rebounder trailing down the weak side), anyone with half a clue knew immediately that the pistons were going to attempt to shoot on the left side of the court once you saw ben wallace move to the right side.

i would have put the ball in the hands of chauncy billups myself on that final play in over-time

duncan played like a pansy down the stretch... he played well for three quarters, but then disapeared in the 4th.

but when it's all said and done, this game is all about three simple words....

big

shot

bob.


robert horry has simply been one of the most clutch shooters in NBA history. how you leave him bare-ass open with time running out is beyond me.

 

[namkcuR]

Great, great game. A heartbreaker though.

But you heard Duncan; When it comes to winning elimination games, the Pistons are the best around. Losing game 5 definitley hurt them, but I still think they can steal game 6 and at least push it to a game 7.

And I'm surprised I haven't heard more of you bitching and moaning about Sheed almost pulling a Webber yet.

 

[namkcuR]

robert horry has simply been one of the most clutch shooters in NBA history. how you leave him bare-ass open with time running out is beyond me.

The Spurs had 3 or maybe even 4 3-point threats on the floor(Horry, Ginobili, Parker, Bowen), it's hard to keep them all closed off AND adequately cover Duncan inside. Someone was bound to be left open and unfortunately for the Pistons it was Horry.

 

[U2@NYC]

I agree with Headache... Duncan played well for 3 quarters.

Then he chickened out.

He played much better than games 3 and 4 but by no means he played by his standards.

I also agree with Headache. Even though the Spurs had a lot of 3-point threats, the one you want to make sure to cover is Big Shot Bob.

The apparently best team in the league screwed up what could be the most important play of the season, I think.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

And I'm surprised I haven't heard more of you bitching and moaning about Sheed almost pulling a Webber yet.

the only thing interesting about the rasheed time out is that if you watch the original game tape the clock was stopped with 0.1 seconds left... the refs waved it off and said that the time expired, as they should have. it would have been a shame to end a game on a play like that. but detroit's home court advantage... i.e. the scorekeeper being quick on the clock... almost screwed them royaly.