what would hurt more?

[Pablo Escobar]

to lose like we lost or to make it all the way to the finals and lose?
just a thought

[snowboarder]

how we did

[greens]

Hands down, in my opinion, it hurts a hell of a lot more to loose in the Finals BECAUSE you are so close to victory, you can almost taste it...The two top teams have worked their butts off the whole year and have fought to get to the Finals. And to loose when you are so close to winning, well, there is nothing worse than that...

I can only imagine how the Pistons felt after loosing Game 7 to the Spurs last year...Especially to be in a 7 game series and give it your very best, then to loose in the end...That hurts, that hurst a LOT...

[jamezyjamez]

Hands down, in my opinion, it hurts a hell of a lot more to loose in the Finals BECAUSE you are so close to victory, you can almost taste it...

I can only imagine how the Pistons felt after loosing Game 7 to the Spurs last year...Especially to be in a 7 game series and give it your very best, then to loose in the end...That hurts, that hurst a LOT...

Good point, and since it seems that everyone knows you would have rolled the Suns and Pistons/Heat, it's basically the same thing as losing the Finals.

Swap Spurs for Pistons in that last sentence and it works just the same for this year.

[snowboarder]

Yea but having high expectations and predicting to be in the finals this year, it hurts to lose in the 2nd round..

If you make it to the finals, you have accomplished a great goal.

[greens]

Good point, and since it seems that everyone knows you would have rolled the Suns and Pistons/Heat, it's basically the same thing as losing the Finals.

Swap Spurs for Pistons in that last sentence and it works just the same for this year.

There are no guarantees that the Spurs would have 'rolled' the Suns and the Pistons/Heat...Let's not forget that no one expected that the Pistons would win the 2004 championship and totally embarass the Lakers...who were nonstoppable...Plus I saw that the Suns have played very nicely, even WITHOUT one of their MAIN players, Stoudermire....And the Heat has Shaq...So you never know what would have happened. Most people last year thought that the Pistons would beat the Spurs easily...that did not happen..

True, the Pistons haven't played as well as they did last year. But they are a mentally strong team that is very hungry for another ring...especially after their huge loss to the Spurs last year...The Pistons might have come back with a vengence and beat the Spurs by a mile...You never know...The future is full of surprises and the unexpected...Last year, the Spurs were considered underdogs...and look at how they won the games so amazingly...

If anything, I could see even Miami or Suns winning a ring this year...

[strangeweather]

If you make it to the finals, you have nearly accomplished a great goal.

I fixed it for you.

This isn't horseshoes and all that.

[Dre_7]

Id rather lose in the Finals.

[SsKSpurs21]

id rather lose in the finals as well because atleast you can say you were the BEST team in your conference, plus you are conference champs so thats gotta be worth something.

[exstatic]

Finals would be worse. There are only a handful of teams with multiple titles and NO losses. Spurs are one of them. Second round losses are de rigeur for the Spurs.

[Brutalis]

Losing is losing. Refer to my title.

[Louae]

it wasn't where we lost in the playoffs, it was how we lost in the playoffs. if we lost games 3 and 4 like we did game 7, i'd have no problem with losing that series. But to know we got screwed in those two games really makes it hard to cope with the defeat. Once the mavs go down, i'll take some comfort that justice has prevailed. if the mavs win it all, i'll have to wait until the new season begins to finally get over it.

[texas84]

it wasn't where we lost in the playoffs, it was how we lost in the playoffs. if we lost games 3 and 4 like we did game 7, i'd have no problem with losing that series. But to know we got screwed in those two games really makes it hard to cope with the defeat. Once the mavs go down, i'll take some comfort that justice has prevailed. if the mavs win it all, i'll have to wait until the new season begins to finally get over it.

Poor baby!!

(it'll never end, will it?)

[DubMcDub]

it wasn't where we lost in the playoffs, it was how we lost in the playoffs. if we lost games 3 and 4 like we did game 7, i'd have no problem with losing that series. But to know we got screwed in those two games really makes it hard to cope with the defeat. Once the mavs go down, i'll take some comfort that justice has prevailed. if the mavs win it all, i'll have to wait until the new season begins to finally get over it.

:rolleyes

[kimberly_spursfan]

Thats such a tough question, of course its hard to lose how we did because we DIDNT GET TO GO TO THE FINALS, but it would suck to lose in the finals after working so hard to get there. but i think its worse losing how we did, cz winning isnt even as important to the team as it is to us fans, and i think they would rather go to the finals, they dont mindd working hard to get there, and they would love to get there weather they win or lose that doesnt matter to them. i think they would rather get there then not get to go at all, so i base my decision on that, it would be worse to lose now then in the finals

[Darrin]

how we did

Nope. This Pistons fan has experienced both in the last five years. Getting to the Finals, knowing the team is good enough to win, coming all the way back to tie the series, be seconds away from going back to San Antonio with a 3-2 series lead...that hurt more. There's only one loss I've taken worse than that - the '91 Conference Finals, game 4.

It's easier to avenge what happened this season to the Spurs - to get back to the Conference Finals. It is painful to be in the situation the Pistons are in right now with their last chance at a Championship ending the way it did last season.

[Spurologist]

to lose like we lost or to make it all the way to the finals and lose?
just a thought

Just think about it. Would you rather make it to the Western Conference Semi finals or Make it to the Finals.

[Darrin]

Just think about it. Would you rather make it to the Western Conference Semi finals or Make it to the Finals.

Would you rather lose a cubic zerconia ring or a diamond ring? What's easier to get - $1 or $1,000? What's easier to take when you lose it?

How often does your team make the NBA Finals? The Pistons have been there 5 times in 50 years. The Spurs have been there 3 times in 30 years. To get there, to play that far, to have those expectations...and to lose on one play or one game. That's very tough to take.

[Spurologist]

Would you rather lose a cubic zerconia ring or a diamond ring? What's easier to get - $1 or $1,000? What's easier to take when you lose it?

How often does your team make the NBA Finals? The Pistons have been there 5 times in 50 years. The Spurs have been there 3 times in 30 years. To get there, to play that far, to have those expectations...and to lose on one play or one game. That's very tough to take.

Every playoff exit is tough to take. I don't think anything will ever surpass 0.4. I'd rather come in 2nd place than 3rd or 4th.

[koopa]

i'd rather lose now then go all the way and then get beat on the grandest stage

[Spurologist]

i'd rather lose now then go all the way and then get beat on the grandest stage

Now you know what it's like to be a mavericks fan.

[Louae]

Poor baby!!

(it'll never end, will it?)

don't feel sorry for me. i've had the joy of seeing the spurs win 3 championships. you'll have the misery of seeing the mavericks lose once the whistled bodyguards lift their protection of the 7-foot vagina after Stern is assured of his NBA finals matchup.

[SPARKY]

to lose like we lost or to make it all the way to the finals and lose?
just a thought

To never have been to the top.

[Louae]

Every playoff exit is tough to take. I don't think anything will ever surpass 0.4. I'd rather come in 2nd place than 3rd or 4th.

Agreed. 0.4 was tough. Much tougher to take than this series. The high I felt with TD's shot just lifted me that much higher for the fall in the following play.

[Louae]

at least many here would say yall were cheated and were really the best team
(see post 12)

couldn't have said it better with one exception. We were the better team. Miami looks pretty dominant. I'd have to hold my tongue in saying we'd be the best team out there.

[DubMcDub]

couldn't have said it better with one exception. We were the better team. Miami looks pretty dominant. I'd have to hold my tongue in saying we'd be the best team out there.

You know what, I think you're right. The Spurs were the better team. The better team always loses a Game 7 on their home court.

In fact, I'm pretty sure if you look up the phrase "better team", that's the exact definition you'll find.

[greens]

You know what, I think you're right. The Spurs were the better team. The better team always loses a Game 7 on their home court.

In fact, I'm pretty sure if you look up the phrase "better team", that's the exact definition you'll find.

Miami-ring this year
Dallas-nothing...

[DubMcDub]

Miami-ring this year
Dallas-nothing...

Cool, thanks for the prediction.

By the way, just so I can get a gauge on how accurate your sports foresight normally is...did you predict that the Spurs would lose a Game 7 on their homecourt to the Mavericks? Certainly you must have. After all, you're clearly the Nostradamus of such predictions.

[greens]

Cool, thanks for the prediction.

By the way, just so I can get a gauge on how accurate your sports foresight normally is...did you predict that the Spurs would lose a Game 7 on their homecourt to the Mavericks? Certainly you must have. After all, you're clearly the Nostradamus of such predictions.

Actually, I was surprised that Dallas couldn't close when they were up 3-1...I was delighted to see the Spurs really showing their toughness and extending the series to 7 games...

[Darrin]

Okay...

In my lifetime as a Pistons fan, I have seen them eliminated multiple times in the first round, lose 4 straight after taking a 1-0 lead in the semis, watched them get thumped in the 1991 and 2003 Conference Finals, watch them go down to the Heat 3-1 and never recover, and lose in the NBA Finals.

I still haven't changed my mind. As disheartened as I am right now, it doesn't compare to game 5 of last year's NBA Finals, and then watching the Spurs lift the gold ball at the end of game seven. The foul on Antonio McDyess in quarter 3, the 3s by Bowen, Manu breaking down the lane...nothing compares to that.

The only other loss I have taken harder is Memorial Day 1991, the 115-94 thrashing. Bill Laimbeer, his mask in hand, hugging Isiah Thomas. Walking off the court with 7 seconds left. The Palace crowd chanting "GO L-A." Opening up the paper and reading 'Goodbye to Glory,' a sentimental tale of the Pistons Championship run coming to an end. That's the only other loss I took worse that that Finals, Game 7.

What pains me most today, the Pistons don't get the opportunity to cleanse that experience from last year.

[Louae]

You know what, I think you're right. The Spurs were the better team. The better team always loses a Game 7 on their home court.

In fact, I'm pretty sure if you look up the phrase "better team", that's the exact definition you'll find.

just watch games 3 and 4 again and see how you got to game seven. Then you'll find your answer. if you can't see that, there's no helping you.

[MadDog73]

The Mavs beat us. Period. Man up and take it, and realize that it will make beating them next year that much sweeter.

In regards to the OP, we came back from being down 3-1, and almost overtook a 20 point deficit to win Game 7. You can't say the Spurs gave up.

Would it be worse to lose in the Finals? For the first time? Against the Heat?

Yes.