I don't think that Jones choked against the Pistons so much as it was that the Pistons shined a light on a big weakness in his game. He needed Shaq drawing all the attention to the paint to get his shot off. Pistons played Shaq straight up and the shooters never got a clean shot off. Jones will be effective if Lebron can find him on some penetration kickouts.
Jones was played tough, but he did get some open looks and choked on shots he was making in the regular season.
Plus he's a 85-90% FT shooter and missed some huge FTs in game 7, and a couple of other games IIRC.
The other big Heat choker was Dooling, I thought. A reasonable game from either one would have won game 7.
I'll take your word for. I didn't watch the ECF that closely and the commentators kept confusing so that I wasn't sure which Jones was doing what. Thankfully the Heat made some trades so that I won't have to worry about getting players confused because they won't make it to the ECF this year.
Yeah, but the Heat blew it down the stretch in Game 7. Damon gave up the lead with a bad pass with 2 minutes left, then Wade took a bad shot early in the shot clock and turned it over there with a minute remaining to really swing things the Pistons way. Granted, Wade had his rib injury to deal with and he only went 7-20, but it was basically playoff inexperience and mistakes that killed the Heat in crunch-time.
So how will their starting lineup look?
Z/Marshall/James/Hughes/Jones?
Not bad. If Mike molds them into at least a good defensive team, watch out.
scary as Juwon Howard...
I can excuse Jones for sucking versus the Pistons. The Pistons are death to point guards. Beno Udrih isn't the only player they destroyed:
2005 WCF: D. Jones held in check. He scored less against the Pistons in seven games than he did against the Nets and the Wizards in four games.
2005 2nd Round: Tinsley shoots 37.5% from the floor. Anthony Johnson shoots 30% from the floor.
2004 Finals: Gary Payton plays like the worst basketball player on the planet.
2004 WCF: Tinsley shoots 32.7% from the floor. Anthony Johnson shoots 30% from the floor.
2004 2nd Round: Pistons hold Jason Kidd to 28.4% shooting for the series, including 14.7% shooting from beyond the arc.
Having the two best point guard defenders in the league in Hunter and Billups is a huge part of the reason why the Pistons have been so good over the last two to three seasons.
P.S.
This is another example of why the smart basketball fan knows that Parker's play in the Finals was a huge part in winning the championship. Though Parker didn't shine, he didn't fold like all the other point guards that have faced off against Detroit.
Plus Pop figured out that Parker could defend Hamilton fairly well late in games and that change in defensive strategy paid off (except for that late silly foul in Game 7).
do you think he will trust his teamates
Damn, you just dissed a lot of people here.
Those are nice stats. You wonder how much of that was due to LB, who probably understands the point guard position better than any coach alive.
The Heat are screwed... they still don't have a quality backup to Jason Williams... who needs a backup more than about any other PG. They also still do not have a quality backup SG! Sure, Sprewell and Payton are still on the market, but could you imagine the chemistry problems with the following group of players:
Shaq - couldn't handle Kobe... wait for this year...
Wade - must have the ball to contribute...
Antoine - worst three point jacker in the league... and a bad at ude...
Jason Williams - completely failed chemistry in high school
and then add
Sprewell - gotta feed his kids... and his ego
Payton - loudest mouth in the NBA
There are zero quality players left on the market that will impact their roster in a positive way... maybe Steve Blake or Janero Pargo... who will probably go to another team too... the Heat are done as far as I'm concerned...
Shaq and Wade are HUGE injury risks and the rest of their team will not be able to gel...
My new top 8 teams in the East list...
1. Indiana... should have known my pick
2. Detroit
3. Cleveland... Damon Jones and Donyell Marshall on the kickout from the James penetration... if the three misses Big Z gets the board... passes to LeBron who dunks it! And of course Pacers and Spurs fans both know how smart a coach Mike Brown is... he did a lot for both of our teams... thanks Mike... you are in a great situation... you deserve it! I may even give Cleveland the edge over Detroit... even with their D... they will have fits with that starting line-up!
4. Miami
5. New Jersey
6. Chicago (if they retain Curry, if not... I bump them to 8th)
7. New York... they are my surprise team of the year
8. Boston
^^^ You might want to check the success your point guards have had against Detroit. Sarunas isn't going to fair much better.
Trust us, we have a slow, Euro point guard who can shoot, too.
Tinsley does very well offensively against the detroit defense... when he is healthy or not... he can break the defense down and penetrate well against the Detroit D. His only problem against Detroit is he has a problem shutting Billups down... if he helps out on D... Billups hits a three... and Billups can back Tinsley down in a heart beat and put a semi-post move on him. All in all Billups gets the slight edge over Jamal... but Tinsley does damage to him too. Anthony Johnson does not have a problem with Detroit either... he is slow, but he has such a wide body that he protects the ball well bringing it up the court... and Sarunas... I think his biggest challenge will be against Detroit... they play very pressured D! But Sarunas could step up and put them to shame... we'll have to see about him... but the only time the Pistons worry me at the PG spot is when Eddie Gill is in there... which would have to be a pretty sad time if he has to play in big situations again this year... but Eddie cannot handle the ball against their D... he just can't
I have to admit I'm biased against both Jones and Dooling.
For game 7 of Heat-Pistons, I was with a hot chick at Gloria Estefan's restaurant, which is attached to the AA Arena. I figured if the Heat had won it would be nonstop partying that night in the MIA, which can be very, very good.
Instead Jones and Dooling clutched, and a stream of angry displaced New Yorkers flooded the streets. There was not much fun to be had.
Both Tinsley and Johnson came back from injuries against Detroit... Anthony had only been playing for a week or two and Tinsley came back in the first Detroit game... Tinsley would have still been sitting out if it weren't the playoffs... both men were cold... but they still did pretty decent... I have seen every Detroit and Indiana game for the last three years... and trust me... our PGs fair very well against them when they are healthy. I have even seen one of the games from the front row!
Cleveland will be in the top three in the East:
C- Big Z
PF- Marshall
SF- LeBron
SG- Hughes
PG- Damon
bench
PF- Gooden
C- Varejao (once he's off the IL)
PG- Eric Snow
SF- Pavlovic
SG- Luke Jackson (didn't see him much at all last year... he coulda been a good rookie)
Cleveland has added:
Larry Hughes
Donyell Marshall
Damon Jones
and
Mike Brown
I believe I give them best off-season to date... this summer. Ferry possibly the GM of the year... so far. They are gonna be tough.
Tinsley's job isn't to score, it's to penetrate and create. Billups does not keep Tinsley in front of him very well. Jamaal was burning him this year, but LB and the Pistons adjusted their help defense and shut down his drives to the basket. Of course, they could do this because no one else on our team was scoring woth a lick.
I don't know what games you are watching. But Tinsley sucks ass against Detroit.
Even during the regular season, not just those playoff stats.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/teams/...avg=pg&split=8
His assists are up against Detroit, but everything else is laughable.
Tinsley gets it handed to him from Billups... but he does some damage too... I have never sat back after a Detroit game and thought... man... Tinsley really blew it for us. Listen to me and Soup... he can penetrate on them... unlike an other Pacer... and he can hit the wide open three for us too. They definately have a problem stealing the ball from Tinsley... he dribbles very low to the ground... he is one of the best ball handlers in the league... he gets his turnovers on stupid passes.
Tinsley is not supposed to be a scorer for us when we have all of our parts... if he can get assists and steals like that and score 5+ points a game... the Pacers will be fine against Detrash.
Incorrect.
Johnson had been healthy since December.
Tinsley played the last three games of the Boston series.
You must be blind.I have seen every Detroit and Indiana game for the last three years... and trust me... our PGs fair very well against them when they are healthy. I have even seen one of the games from the front row!
Let's break it down:
Tinsley against the Pistons in the 2005 playoffs:
37.5% from the field
20.0% from beyond the arc
6.0 APG but 3.0 TPG
Billups averages 18.7 points and 7.2 assists on his azz
Tinsley against the Pistons in the 2004 playoffs:
32.7% from the field
11.8% from beyond the arc
3.5 APG but 2.0 TPG
Tinsley against Detroit in the 2005 regular season:
30.7% from the field
Tinsley against Detroit in the 2004 regular season:
2.5 PPG on 33.3% from the field
Tinsley against Detroit in the 2003 regular season:
34.4% from the field.
Johnson against the Pistons in the 2005 playoffs:
33.3% from the field
30.0% from beyond the arc
Billups averages 18.7 points and 7.2 assists on his azz
Johnson against the Pistons in the 2004 playoffs:
30.0% from the field
22.2% from beyond the arc
Johnson against the Pistons in the last three seasons:
< 33.3% shooting
Do you watch basketball.
Question.
Good. I expect to see Barry in a Spurs uniform picking up Ring #2 in '05-06.
Can you post what Billups did on Tinsley and the Pacers? I am curious... You may be right on Johnson... I don't really remember... but I am fairly sure that Tinsley's first game back was against Detroit. Can you disprove that one for me?
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