Damn, it's gonna be a war

[ducks]

Prince Is Playing Like He Belongs In The Weak East
He Will Get Punked By Manu

[FromWayDowntown]

I agree with FWD's assessment and I think the games will be close (just like in the Suns series) but I still think the Spurs win in Five.

Glad to know I'm not crazy!!

I'm not willing to go Spurs in five, but I also can see this becoming a short series if one team or the other takes a couple of close games and seizes some momentum. I take solace in the fact that the Spurs were able to win here, despite Billups' amazing 4th quarter (18 points, IIRC), and to battle in Detroit even without Timmy and mostly without Manu. If the Spurs can get the first two, I'd think they'll get at least 1 in Detroit and have a chance to close out in either Game 5 or Game 6.

That said, I could also see Detroit seizing momentum early on and making this a short series, too. I'm not hoping for that, but I could definitely see it happening.

[SPARKY]

None of you guys even mentioned the fact that Prince basically ate you alive the last game....

Yes, we know you need TD out of the series to win.

[mookie2001]

so wallace once held duncan 6 years ago

anyway im not scoffing Det, theyre just not as good as seattle or phx in my opinion
any nba finals is not going to be easy, i wish i was smoking some stuff though

[NameDropper]

Spurs in seven great games.

[Kori Ellis]

The Pistons pose a lot of matchup problems for the Spurs -- but on the flipside, the Spurs do the same to the Pistons. There are going to be hard-fought games, but it will come down to poise and execution. The Spurs have done a great job executing in fourth quarters for most of the postseason. The Pistons have floundered in that area somewhat. The games will be close, but the Spurs will prevail in five.

[TwoHandJam]

You're seriously smoking something if you think this one is going to be easy.

If you've been watching carefully for the last few years, you've undoubtedly noted a few things that are true:

All very good points but here are some rebuttals

1. Tony Parker struggles on both ends against big, strong guards.

Like Marbury, yes who is strong yet also quick. Billups is not quick and can not stay in front of Parker. If Tony is smart, he can still cause trouble with his penetration-and-dish. Also, Manu handles the ball for stretches now letting Tony play off-guard. This could be trouble for the Pistons.

2. Manu Ginobili is a good, but not a great jumpshooter. He's best when he's penetrating.

I've never really seen any team shut down Manu's penetration and the Pistons are no exception. I believe he even had a decent series against last year's Lakers.

3. There are actually a few guys in the NBA who defend Tim Duncan well.

True, Rasheed plays Tim well but his temper could be a factor this year as he has been taken out of his game more than ever this postseason. Tim also has a much better offensive threat to dish to in Nazr now.

4. Neither Rasho Nesterovic nor Nazr Mohammed is a consistent offensive force and each struggles to rebound against big bodied rebounders.

I agree this could be a problem but I see Horry logging more time in this series than Rasho. He can rebound well when he wants to.

5. The Spurs score well and easily against poor defensive teams, but stagnate and struggle against teams that don't have to double the post.

This happened to some extent during the Seattle series but the Spurs still put up decent offensive number and Tim was quite hobbled. I think they'll fare better in that respect this year with a better offense.

I'm not saying that the Spurs are done or won't win; but I am saying that this series has the potential to be ridiculously tight.

Agreed.

[SPARKY]

I think Detroit's offense tends to be overrated in this forum. Their D certainly will enable them to make things tight but I think they will struggle a little bit more than the Spurs will on the offensive end.

[mrpach]

Detroits defense is based on great individual defensive players, while spurs defense is more based on a great defensive scheme, of course besides the individuals :p . I think that if the spurs find an adecuate matchup they can break pistons defense...mabe using big dog and manu at the same time.
I think Spurs ofense is been underrated a little. Theyre very complete. While pistons offense has holes
Pistons offense doesnt has a post threat and the only 3pt real shooter is billups been wallace a 30 % shooter

[SPARKY]

This is a series tailor made for GRobinson to step up and steal the spotlight.

[FromWayDowntown]

This is a series tailor made for GRobinson to step up and steal the spotlight.

I've thought, all along, that Big Dog has a chance to be a factor in a series with Detroit. He's big and strong enough to get a shot off in traffic, and the Spurs are going to need that kind of play in halfcourt sets. I'd suspect that the Spurs have spent some time in the last few days dusting cobwebs off of Big Dog and Rasho.

I just wish Devin Brown was healthy. He had a wonderful game at Detroit this season and could have made a difference in this series.

[duncan_21]

You're seriously smoking something if you think this one is going to be easy.

If you've been watching carefully for the last few years, you've undoubtedly noted a few things that are true:

1. Tony Parker struggles on both ends against big, strong guards.

2. Manu Ginobili is a good, but not a great jumpshooter. He's best when he's penetrating.

3. There are actually a few guys in the NBA who defend Tim Duncan well.

4. Neither Rasho Nesterovic nor Nazr Mohammed is a consistent offensive force and each struggles to rebound against big bodied rebounders.

5. The Spurs score well and easily against poor defensive teams, but stagnate and struggle against teams that don't have to double the post.

Now, as it relates to this series, how do those things come into play?

1. The Pistons have a big, strong guard who has largely dominated Tony Parker in head-to-head matchups. CHECK.

2. Like the Lakers last year, and better than the Nuggets or Sonics could (based on personnel) the Pistons should be able to effectively clog the lane and deny penetration to Manu, turning him mostly into a jump shooter in half court sets. CHECK

3. Rasheed Wallace has, throughout his career, defended Tim Duncan better than any player in the NBA. In their only playoff matchup (1999 WCF), Wallace held Duncan to under 17 ppg and under 10 rpg. CHECK.

4. With the bruisers the Pistons have in the paint (Ben Wallace, Elden Campbell, etc) Nazr and Rasho are going to have to hold their own on the glass or they will be, essentially negated and very easily. CHECK

5. Detroit's bigs are good enough that they won't have to double Tim on the block. And Larry Brown has shown that he is unwilling to double dominant bigs in the post except in the most dire cir stances. That means no doubles on Tim; that means no open looks at 3 from the perimeter (or very few) unless the Spurs really move the ball. They've not shown a consistent willingness to do that on a regular basis. CHECK.

I'm not saying that the Spurs are done or won't win; but I am saying that this series has the potential to be ridiculously tight.

I have to counter some of your claims here

1. Billups didn't largely own parker, it's more of a wash. Urdrih is good for 15 minutes if det clogs the lane with his 3 pt shooting.

2. agreed, and if the spurs are hittin 3's believe that he will be effective in the lane

3. sheed ds up td pretty good but td of the last 3 years is different then a young 99 duncan

4. They did a good enough job against den and sea and who are det's big bodied big men? wallace at 6-6 or sheed sittin at the 3 pt line ? And if elden is out there we'll send out horry who will face him up and btw horry's pretty good at hittin the boards.

5. Detroit has to score too. w/out duncan and manu managed 100pts in ot. If they don't double td I foresse foul trouble and another td finals mvp.

With all that said spurs in 6.

[SPARKY]

One thing to consider is that Robinson can match up physically with Prince.

Yep, definitely hope that Devin can play some in this series.

[samikeyp]

Nice Laker-eque at ude in here. They underestimated us too

Actually Fro...if you check the majority of threads...they are pretty respectful of the Pistons.

As far as who smoked who last year...its irrelevant because it all different this year. If you have to revert to "last year" smack....you are not as smart as I thought.

[jochhejaam]

thats cool man i think Det is in for a rude awakening after playing all those fairyass eastern teams

and you beat the fools gold Nuggets WOW!!
struggled against the injury depleted Sonic Hedgehogs WOW again!!
and beat a paper tiger and the worst defensive team in the nba
Phoenix Puns while making Stoudamire look like the best player to ever put on a basketball uniform!! I'm impressed!!

[Sense]

and you beat the fools gold Nuggets WOW!!
struggled against the injury depleted Sonic Hedgehogs WOW again!!
and beat a paper tiger and the worst defensive team in the nba
Phoenix Puns while making Stoudamire look like the best player to ever put on a basketball uniform!! I'm impressed!!

We beat the hottest team in the NBA, in one of the hardest arenas in the NBA.

We beat the Sonics..the 3rd best team in the nba...your pistons were the 5th.

We beat the Suns, and amare's number apparently didn't mean .. no one owned them this season quite like us..


You are stupid.

[ALVAREZ6]

and you beat the fools gold Nuggets WOW!!
struggled against the injury depleted Sonic Hedgehogs WOW again!!
and beat a paper tiger and the worst defensive team in the nba
Phoenix Puns while making Stoudamire look like the best player to ever put on a basketball uniform!! I'm impressed!!

You beat the sixers!! WOW!!
You struggled against the Pacers!!!WOW AGAIN!!!
You struggled against the injury depleted Miami Heat!!! I'm impressed!

[jochhejaam]

We beat the hottest team in the NBA, in one of the hardest arenas in the NBA.

We beat the Sonics..the 3rd best team in the nba...your pistons were the 5th.

We beat the Suns, and amare's number apparently didn't mean .. no one owned them this season quite like us..


You are stupid.

yeah, and if I took your brain and put it in a gnats bu tt, it'd be like puttin a bb in a boxcar...

[jochhejaam]

You beat the sixers!! WOW!!
You struggled against the Pacers!!!WOW AGAIN!!!
You struggled against the injury depleted Miami Heat!!! I'm impressed!

Wow, imitating my post, how flattering!!
Ever come up with an original posting?

[Experiment2100]

and you beat the fools gold Nuggets WOW!!
struggled against the injury depleted Sonic Hedgehogs WOW again!!
and beat a paper tiger and the worst defensive team in the nba
Phoenix Puns while making Stoudamire look like the best player to ever put on a basketball uniform!! I'm impressed!!

And you guys played the 76ers. Struggled to beat a team missing 1 starter and a player in his late 30s. than played a team with 1 starter at 90% health and squeezed through when another starter go injured.

See I can play jerk fan demeaning another team's victories as well.

[Sense]

yeah, and if I took your brain and put it in a gnats bu tt, it'd be like puttin a bb in a boxcar...

lol this is a funny post by a detroit fan.. he isnt trying to make an argument but insult now.

Expected since you can't say about what I just said.


Who's the idiot?

[Sense]

Wow, imitating my post, how flattering!!
Ever come up with an original posting?

hahahahahahaahahahaha if a moron doesn't get what you did..what else can you do?

[jochhejaam]

And you guys played the 76ers. Struggled to beat a team missing 1 starter and a player in his late 30s. than played a team with 1 starter at 90% health and squeezed through when another starter go injured.

See I can play jerk fan demeaning another team's victories as well.

Well ya moronic jerk puss fan, I was respondin' to the idiot Spurs fans demeaning!!!

[Sense]

Well ya moronic jerk puss fan, I was respondin' to the idiot Spurs fans demeaning!!!

Wow you can tell you are dealing with an immature fan when you overuse the smileys to try to insult.

[SequSpur]

The Spurs are going to run the Pistons asses right out of the Gym.