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The pacers, Artest/Byrd have somethng to prove.
Heat
Miami
Indianna
Detroit
Other
Im rooting for a Miami-Spurs matchup in the finals, simply for the chance to prove how stupid ESPN really is.
Im not saying Spurs would win 100% but it would be oh so sweet to break Shaq again.
The pacers, Artest/Byrd have somethng to prove.
I seriously don't know. Probably Miami or Detroit.
But each has there problems, Miami meshing and detroits coaching.
I went with Detroit, only because you have to respect the defending (eastern conference) champions... the starting 5 is still one of the best, if not the best group in the league. Its the bench and the inexperienced flip saunders (i know, hes not inexperienced per se, but he is inexperienced in anything past the first round basically) that would cause me to think otherwise. I dont seriously think Miami will contend past the semis (unless of course wade goes ballistic and turns it up to 11). The only other real contender for the conference is indiana... BUT someone has to prove that Detroit wont win it first and i dont think indiana will
The Pacers.
Tinsley, one of the most well-rounded PG's in the league
Jackson, a near 20 per game scorer
Artest, best offense/defense perimeter player in the league
O'Neal, 20/10/2 MVP candidate
Foster, rebounding machine with great defense
And then a bench with Jasikevicius, Granger, Fred Jones, Scot Pollard, David Harrison, Anthony Johnson, Jonathan Bender, Austin Croshere, etc.
And the icing on the cake is having the most decorated coach in the NBA running the sidelines. If Rick Carlisle can get a starting lineup of Anthony Johnson/Fred Jones/James Jones/Marcus Haislip, Britton Johnsen to 46 wins and game 6 of round 2 vs the defending champs, just imagine what he can do with the team listed earlier. Wowzers.
I'm with you.
But i voted detroit, because they haven't lost any of their starting 5 and the bench can only get better.
Detroit, they have the same core (the starters plus McDyess) coming back next season, they added Dale Davis and Mo Evans to shore up the little defensive weakness they even had. Flip will better utilize Milicic and Arroyo. Carlos Delfino was having a good rookie season until he got hurt, you know he has to be decent for a coach like LB (hates young and foreign players) to play him 15 plus minutes per game as a rookie. The Pacers weak points of Jammal Tinsley (injury prone), Anthony Johnson (can't handle ball pressure), and Bender (injury prone and low basketball IQ) will hurt them in the end. The Heat will suffer defensively come the playoffs.
Sorry man, but the pistons have been big time overachievers the past 4 years because of great coaching from Carlisle and Brown. When you go from two Hall of Fame-worthy coaches to Mr. Mediocrity Flip Saunders....well...you'll see
Carlisle is a good coach... I'd say top five in the league. But he was fired froim his last job and hasn't won with the Pacers.
Call me when he has a ring or has long term success like Jerry Sloan.
The only Hall of Fame coaches in the league right now are Jackson, Brown, and Riley. Pop and Rudy T are borderline. Carlisle is closer to Eric Musselmann than he is to the Hall of Fame.
Rick Carlisle has been the best coach in the NBA over the past 4 years. Anyone who says otherwise is a complete nutcase and hater.
When you lead a team that starts Chucky Atkins, Jerry Stackhouse, Michael Curry, Ben Wallace, and Cliff Robinson to 50 wins and the 2nd round of the playoffs, you know you're great.
1. So great the team fires your ass to bring in a... Hall of Fame coach.When you lead a team that starts Chucky Atkins, Jerry Stackhouse, Michael Curry, Ben Wallace, and Cliff Robinson to 50 wins and the 2nd round of the playoffs, you know you're great.
2. There's a difference between being great and being a HOF level coach.
3. Scoreboard. Where are the rings over the past four years as the "best coach in the NBA?
4. A poster named "The Artest Factor" calling somebody else a nutcase?
I think Detroit will come out unless Indy chokes them to death.
Sorry man if you are calling Ben (DPOY) and Rasheed Wallace, Prince, Billups, and Hamilton overachievers and not great players you are the complete nutcase and hater. The Pistons starting 5 had a 61.61 rating in the postseason, even better then the Spurs who had a 57.85. In the regular season they were also #1 with a 101.03 (again the Spurs were 2nd with a 98.08 rating) Every Pistons starter (except for underachiever Rasheed Wallace - 13th this backup Antonio McDyess 21th) was in the top 8 at their position in the NBA. The only thing that kept the Pistons from winning 60 games was the fact they had no bench (Smush Parker, Horace Jenkins, Anthony Goldwire, Darvin Ham, Ronald Dupree, an injured Carlos Delfino -missed 50 games) and that Gar Heard coached the team for 17 games. Again when Carlisle comes close to winning a ECF come back and argue with me. All the Pistons need is a coach that knows how to utilize the players they have, the only HOF coach in the NBA right now is Pop.Sorry man, but the pistons have been big time overachievers the past 4 years because of great coaching from Carlisle and Brown. When you go from two Hall of Fame-worthy coaches to Mr. Mediocrity Flip Saunders....well...you'll see
.
Phil Jackson, Larry Brown, and Jerry Sloan are all HOF coaches.
^^^Truly one of the great basketball minds of our time.
Ben Wallace is the choker.I think Detroit will come out unless Indy chokes them to death.
Indy will beat the Pistons in East finals
Thank you for saying... It feels good for my team to be getting some love here today
There are certain things you guys need to remember. Carlisle went to the ECF the year before with Detroit and DID NOT have Sheed. Sheed was the reason Detroit won the Championship in 2004, not Larry. That being said I think if Carlisle was there last year they would have won it also. I also think if Carlisle was still with Detroit they would've had a better shot at repeating, Brown's selfishness is one of the reasons the Pistons lost to the Spurs, he was concentrating on everything EXCEPT what he was getting Paid to do.
I think that Indiana will come out of the east. Thats my opinion. Who is the best team in the east? Detroit and will be until they lose in the playoffs. Flip is a terrible coach if you ask me. I honestly doesnt think he's gonna last too long in Detroit. Indiana added what they needed to get past Detroit. A pure shooter. Indy has struggled TERRIBLY from the arc in the last few years. Adding Granger and Saraunas should really help this problem.
BTW for the first time in atleast 3 years, Indystar has just reported that the ENTIRE Pacer team is healthy. I wont be happy until they can still say this in June
I wouldn't think a Pacers homer would say the Pistons are going to win the east, I thought it was going to be down to 3 teams Indiana, Miami, and Detroit but when you really look at things just the couple upgrades the Pistons made in getting Evans and Davis will keep them better then the Heat. I feel it comes down to this, which team will get the most out of bench.
Pacers - Detroit
PF Jonathan Bender - Antonio McDyess
F Austin Croshere - Darko Milicic toss up
F Danny Granger - Carlos Delfino toss up
C David Harrison - Dale Davis toss up
PG Sarunas Jasikevicius - Carlos Arroyo toss up
PG Anthony Johnson - Lindsey Hunter offense/defense
SG Fred Jones - Maurice Evans tie
F Scot Pollard - Jason Maxiell toss up
The only clear cut winner I see is McDyess over Bender. Milicic, Delfino, Granger, Jasikevicius, Harrison, and Maxiell haven't had enough if any playing time to determine how good they will be this upcoming season. Dale Davis (on the Pacers last year) and Arroyo have been a starters, Jones and Evans are a tie. It's really too early to tell. If Granger & Jasikevicius on Indiana or Delfino & Milicic on Detroit don't live up to their hype or "potential" this season then that team will come in second.
i voted for other, charlotte are going to cause an upset.
just kidding, the bulls might cause a few upsets but i wanna see how sauranus and the pacers do
It could be any of the three, I think they've all got roughly equal chances.
But since I'm a Pacer fan, I'm obviously inclined to choose Detroit here.
Sorry man, but the pistons have been big time overachievers the past 4 years because of great coaching from Carlisle and Brown. When you go from two Hall of Fame-worthy coaches to Mr. Mediocrity Flip Saunders....well...you'll see
The way I see it, better to be overachievers than underachievers. But, that's just me. I can see some people who would rather be the odds-on favorite, but what happens when they don't live up to expectations? Excuses and conspiracy theories. I'd just rather be the overachiever.
Anyway, back on topic ...
I think on paper, Indiana has the best team in the East. On paper, Miami probably has the most talent. I KNOW Detroit has the experience and mental toughness. Barring injury and suspension, I could see any three of those teams making it to the NBA finals. But, obviously being born and raised in Detroit, I will support my home team and go with them.
I think the a team that could play spoiler in the East is the Washington Wizards. I think they got better defensively with Caron Butler and Antonio Daniels (Larry Hughes is a great man defender, but takes a lot of gambles and is not the team defender Daniels is). And, I wouldn't be surprised if they shocked some teams in the playoffs.
PF Jonathan Bender - Antonio McDyess - No debating this. McDyess, despite his shaky knees, was a very solid backup whereas Benders entire NBA career has been injuries.
F Austin Croshere - Darko Milicic - What's overlooked in all the fuss over Croshere's contract is that he's actually a solid player. Solid offense and rebounding, and a good "change of pace" power forward off the bench. Darko, with all due respect, has been arguably the worst player in the NBA the past 2 years, and untill proven otherwise, you have to give this to AC.
F Danny Granger - Carlos Delfino - Granger is amazing. I don't care what anyone says about Bogut, the best player in NCAA basketball last year was Danny Granger. The guy simply does it all. Only 1 player in NCAA averaged 18/9/3/2 steals - Granger. Only one player in NCAA averaged 18/9/3/2 blocks - Granger. 18/9/3/2 blocks 2 steals - Wow! His body and his smoothness is almost identical to Tracy McGrady.
Check out the Granger highlight video here. Carlos Delfino on the other hand looks like he's on his way out of the NBA. I know Pistons fans hyped him up relentlessy last season, but he was such a huge disappoint. Not only did he not have the game, but he had a piss poor at ude.
C David Harrison - Dale Davis - Davis gets the nod for now, however if Harrison improved on his very impressive rookie play, he'll not only get the nod, he could be starting before the All-Star break. 2nd in the NBA in FG% and 8th in blocks per minute as the 29th pick in the draft. Looks like the next great draft steal, I.M.O.
PG Sarunas Jasikevicius - Carlos Arroyo - Saras was the best player in Europe, period. He's got such a great reputation, and from everything I've seen he backs it up. I just got done watching the clip of Saras single handedly beating team USA in the Olympics las year. Lith was down by 4 with 3 minutes to go, and Saras goes on a tear, scoring the final 12 points in the game for Litj in under 3 minutes, as USA watches on in horror knowing they cant stop him. Simply breathtaking. Arroyo had one solid year in Utah, but ever since then he's been El Averago with a questionable at ude. Noone reasonable can honestly take Arroyo over Saras.
PG Anthony Johnson - Lindsey Hunter - I was close to going with push here, but then I looked things over. Johnsons not only a better scorer and distributor, but he's also about equal on defense. Anthony Johnson recieiver votes for the NBA All-Defense team this year, Lindsay Hunter did not. So your offense/defense claim is inaccurate. Overall Johnson is a better player, plain and simple.
SG Fred Jones - Maurice Evans - Fred Jones was fantastic for the Pacers last year. While our top guys were out, Fred Jones tepped up and became a leader for our team. He's also a really productive player, scoring in double figures in less than 29 minutes a game, not to mention he's a very respectable defender because of his combonation of speed, strength, athleticism, and long arms. Maurice Evans was an ok backup for Sacramento, but Fred Jones is atleast 2 notches above him on the NBA ladder.
F Scot Pollard - Jason Maxiell - You gotta go with the underrated Pollard. He's not much of a scorer, but the man can rebound and defend like a madman. Maxiell has a nice at ude on the court, but he's so undersized he really has no shot in the NBA. He's basically a smaller Reggie Evans, and thats not good news for Pistons fans.
IMO......
Wallace>Foster
R. Wallace<<J. Oneal
Prince<Artest
Rip Hamilton=Stephen Jackson
Billips>>Tinsley
With that said, I think its a toss-uo between these two. I say Detroit until someone beats them.
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