Pistons vs. Heat on TNT

[jochhejaam]

The Pistons have won quite a few games this season where Billups hasn't had a great performance. That is why I don't think he deserves the MVP.

13 points in the second half and 9 assists for the game, not too shabby.

I agree with you that he's not MVP. I'd like to see him get a decent amount of votes though, I think he's earned that much recognition.


(Milkyway21 long time, no hear from. Welcome back)

[JamStone]

The Pistons have won quite a few games this season where Billups hasn't had a great performance. That is why I don't think he deserves the MVP.

Chauncey probably isn't as deserving as Nash, Kobe, LeBron, or Dirk, but his value is not all in tangible stats. Much like Bruce Bowen's defense is not proven in stats.

Chauncey is the table setter. Even when he doesn't get assists, he is setting the tempo, exploiting the mismatch, and getting fouls on the opposing guards. He doesn't score like the other MVP candidates, but when he does, the Pistons are extremely formidable and/or they are shots that are meaningful, necessary, and/or clutch.

Chauncey might not be the MVP this year, but his value is beyond the stats.

[mavsfan1000]

The Heat suck big time. The Pistons own them 3-1.

[Darrin]

The Heat suck big time. The Pistons own them 3-1.

The Pistons have had success, but in all fairness to the Heat, they were without Alonzo Mourning and Jason Williams tonight, and lost Zo to a calf injury in the late March loss to the Pistons.

I was suprised how rattled D-Wade got during this game. He made more mental errors than I can ever remember seeing. The intentional foul on Rip, failing to get back in transition, failing to convert in transition after that huge block by Shaq. That's the worst game mentally I have ever seen Wade play.

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

The Pistons have had success, but in all fairness to the Heat, they were without Alonzo Mourning and Jason Williams tonight, and lost Zo to a calf injury in the late March loss to the Pistons.

I was suprised how rattled D-Wade got during this game. He made more mental errors than I can ever remember seeing. The intentional foul on Rip, failing to get back in transition, failing to convert in transition after that huge block by Shaq. That's the worst game mentally I have ever seen Wade play.

You must have forgetten him fouling out with 5 pts. last year...

[scampers]

The Heat... or rather Shaq and Wade... always put up a good fight but it doesn't look like their team is deep enough to finish those big games. Wade is such an amazing player, though...

[Darrin]

The Heat... or rather Shaq and Wade... always put up a good fight but it doesn't look like their team is deep enough to finish those big games. Wade is such an amazing player, though...

If I was drafting today, before seeing Lebron in the playoffs, I'd take Wade number one overall in that draft.

[Darrin]

You must have forgetten him fouling out with 5 pts. last year...

He looked genuinely frustrated tonight. Not the kind of "oh, I had a bad game" frustration, but " ! When are we going to beat these guys?!" frustration. 2-14 against the best in the league, 7-12 against Detroit in Wade's career. Wow.

I wouldn't want to be the Heat right now; the Nets are 2 games back from taking over the 2nd seed and home-court in the second round matchup. But they weren't healthy tonight.

[bdubya]

If I was drafting today, before seeing Lebron in the playoffs, I'd take Wade number one overall in that draft.

Yeah, but see how you feel in a couple more years, when Darko is owning the league....

Sweet win. We got BENCH!!

[HB22inSA]

The Pistons showed they are ready to take back their le.

They did what the Spurs couldn't do, and they did it on the road against a better team (than Sacramento).

They just took care of business. Period.

[ReppinTheD]

haha actually, I think Wade was more pissed off at Rip more than his game - he had a good game.

lol althouhg it was kind of bad for Rip to say, he praised Reggie for learning his notorious arm flailing, and tricks to get calls - lol I guess whatever works

[TDMVPDPOY]

happy the pistons win? no, but at least they beat those pretenders in the heat, remember last game how wade hits that winnin shot and dude celebrated as if the heat has won the championship.

[JamStone]

If I was drafting today, before seeing Lebron in the playoffs, I'd take Wade number one overall in that draft.

I think you would be considered a bad GM.

[1Parker1]

Pistons. You're looking quite unbeatable at the moment.

[DisgruntledLionFan#54,927]

Well, they looked pretty good last night because they were only playing against 2 guys...

[mikejones99]

Why Ben and Rasheed not play in 4th vs Orlando?

[Nocioni]

they want to lose

[Darrin]

I think you would be considered a bad GM.

Why? When I have a star player, I want him to be able to hit the big shot. In his rookie season, he hit not only hit the game winner in his the first playoff game against a highly talented, much bigger, and more experienced guard in Baron Davis but a player who shoots 20% from the field from beyond the arc, hit the dagger three in game seven to send his team to their first series win in four seasons (vs. Detroit in 2000).

His team never has failed down the stretch of the season. In 2004, the Heat were behind only the Spurs and Pistons in winning percentage after the All-Star break. Wade was their leader in points per game in the playoffs after being the 4th leading scorer during the season (injury).

Lebron James is celebrating his first playoff appearance and his first game-winning shot a full two years after Dwyane Wade. He showed he was special before Shaquille O'Neal came to town. But with Shaquille, he's been the leading scorer on the first Miami Heat team to make the Conference Finals since 1997, setting a record in wins.

Here are their numbers:

Wade: 23.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 6.1 apg, 1.63 spg in 209 games. Played in 27 playoff games: 22.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 6.1 apg, and 1.44 spg.
James: 26.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 6.6 apg, 1.83 spg in 234 games. Never played in playoffs, will this season (at least 4 games).

So, I repeat: as it stands today, I would take Dwyane Wade over Lebron James.

[JamStone]

Because as an NBA GM, you don't just look at stats or production or which is the most NBA ready when you draft them. You also look at marketing. You also look at potential. You also look at the fact that LeBron James at 6-8 and 240 lbs (on draft day) with point guard skills and power forward strength and small forward athleticism and you don't pass that up, not for a 6-4 combo guard, no matter how good that player is.

You look at LeBron James and you realize the dollar signs, the marketing dream, the ticket sales. You look at LeBron James like Magic Johnson, Oscar Robertson, Larry Bird, a once in a generation type player.

You look at Dwyane Wade and you see Mitch Ritchmond, JR Rider, Randolph Childress, a player with point guard size but with a scoring mentality and great athleticism. Even in retrospect, as great as Dwyane Wade has become, it is easier to find players like him than it is to find players like LeBron.

You look at LeBron and you realize that he's a player who will win MVPs and should help win his team win championships. You look at Dwyane Wade, and you HOPE he does those things. Both might very well do that.


While Dwyane Wade is a phenomenal athlete and basketball player, you still go with LeBron James. Basketball wise, he's the better player with more potential. And, from a marketing standpoint, it makes the decision a no-brainer.

That's why I think you would be considered a bad GM for taking Wade of James.

[Darrin]

It's a good point: Lebron is more marketable. I believe both are going to be the toast of the league for a long time, and it's an interesting debate.

[Pistons < Spurs]

Wades style of play leads to too many nagging injuries. Those injuries will follow him his entire career.

Gimme Lebron easily over Wade.