Celtics: So just imagine if Duncan winds up in Boston...

[BD24]

If Boston had drafted Duncan we would be light 5, the Spurs may not even be in San Antonio, and I imagine alot of us wouldn't be Spurs fans.

He must be something special if he can control all of that.

[I. Hustle]

[ambchang]

The whole point of the thread was what if TD went to Boston, not what would have happened if thee Spurs were good. That said, Denver would have been interesting because it would have kept him out west.

He would have bolted to Orlando and teamed up with a hobbled Grant Hill in 2000, effectively wasting his prime away winning 50 games with nothing to show for it, while Shaq and Kobe goes on a 5 peat because nobody forced them to be dismantled in 2003.

[Kawhitstorm]

It doesn't change the fact they took advantage of a Lakers implosion. It was part of the reason Shaq left in the offseason, he was furious that Kobe wouldn't pass him the ball. It's funny, they should have beaten the Spurs but lost to the Lakers.

Let's see, the 2004 Spurs were inferior to the '04 Pistons but had the Lakers down 2-0 before Feel Jackson packed the paint & dared the Spurs role player to beat 'em. The Wolves w/ a beatup Cassell (even missed a couple of games) pushed the Lakers to a hard fought 6 games.

The Lakers couldn't stop Billups on PnRs (the Lakers achilles) & their "pack in the paint" strategy didn't work b/c he was an elite shooter. They were able to defend Shaq 1-on-1 without doubling (same w/ Kirby) so the role player couldn't get open looks. After Malone got injured, the Lakers also had no answer for Sheed on the block. Hamilton also forced Kirby to play defense which zapped his legs.











Shaq then fled to South Beach & got bounced by the same Pistons in the ECF while he was getting as many touches as he wanted:

[baseline bum]

Yeah man, those Pistons were ing legit. Sheed on the block, Big Ben trapping guards in the backcourt, Hamilton always getting great shots off double screens from the Wallaces, and Billups with that pick and pop if you went under the screen or just bulling his way to the basket if you switched or went over. I remember Pop saying he couldn't believe the Spurs beat that team in 2005. But damn did they miss Larry Brown in 06 and beyond.

[baseline bum]

Hubie Brown sounded like was about to bust every time the Pistons made a play in those 05 Finals. That must have been his favorite team of all-time.

[Caltex2]

Let's see, the 2004 Spurs were inferior to the '04 Pistons but had the Lakers down 2-0 before Feel Jackson packed the paint & dared the Spurs role player to beat 'em. The Wolves w/ a beatup Cassell (even missed a couple of games) pushed the Lakers to a hard fought 6 games.

The Lakers couldn't stop Billups on PnRs (the Lakers achilles) & their "pack in the paint" strategy didn't work b/c he was an elite shooter. They were able to defend Shaq 1-on-1 without doubling (same w/ Kirby) so the role player couldn't get open looks. After Malone got injured, the Lakers also had no answer for Sheed on the block. Hamilton also forced Kirby to play defense which zapped his legs.

You're right about Malone. Still, they didn't go into Shaq nearly enough and that's why he left. Maybe the Pistons could have beaten the Lakers in an upset but there's no way they should have won a 5-0 sweep (because Kobe rescued the Lakers in Game 2 when it was basically over). It's cheap to say this but the officiating was also awful, though I won't shed any tears over the Lakers getting the short end of the stick there when they were gifted the 2002 Western Conference Finals versus the Kings.