If the Spurs lose tonight, but play a good game...

[GrandeDavid]

...and the final score is something like Detroit 88 San Antonio 86, do you think the Spurs can take two straight in San Antonio? Why or why not?

I certainly think so. But I also think they'll win tonight. In any case, anything's possible.

[MadDog73]

I think the Spurs at least need a close game tonight to win the series.

Something to give the Pistons some doubt and the Spurs some confidence.

It's obvious the Larry Brown used the Piston run in game 2 where they cut the score to 7 as a stepping point to get the Pistons going strong in Game 3. Which lead to Game 4.

Now the Spurs need to start swinging the momentum the other way. Even if we don't win the game, we a need at least a period of absolute dominance. Something to look back to for Game 6.

[Brodels]

I think it's possible, but I won't feel very confident in the Spurs if they go back to SA having lost three in a row and having to win two straight.

I think they better win tonight.

Anything is possible, but losing three straight in the finals doesn't inspire confidence. And the Pistons can be a tough road team.

I hope they win tonight so we don't even have to think about it.

[boutons]

"I think they better win tonight"

Whoever wins tonight will win the series.

If they Spurs lose, they will be 2-3 and as psychologically snuffed out as if by "0.4 secs" for the rest of the series.

If the Pistons lose, Spurs will be 3-2 and will NOT be swept @SBC.

[NASHville]

The Spurs' confidence needs a boost or else they may go home scared.

[GrandeDavid]

There's no f-ing reason for the Spurs to lose this game tonight. They are the better team and they deserve to win this. Protect the f-ing ball, Tim be assertive, and D the f- out of Detroit.

And start HARD fouling Detroit players. I'm still pissed at Tony or nobody clocking a Pisstons player after Billups tried to behead Parker. WTF! Show some f-ing passion and anger tonight. Punch those es in the mouth, Spurs.

[Marklar MM]

Detroit is 10-0 in close out games the past couple years...that is reason enough for the Spurs to win tonight.

[samikeyp]

unless the NBA switched to a "first team to three wins is the champ" format, nothing is over for either team tonight.

[MadDog73]

unless the NBA switched to a "first team to three wins is the champ" format, nothing is over for either team tonight.

OK, technically true, but you have to admit the stakes of this game.

If the Spurs get trounced again, that will be a huge blow. They've spent 2 days resting and going over film. If is was all for nothing, homecourt is not going to suddenly allow them to beat the Pistons, who are 10-0 when they can eliminate a team.

If the Spurs come out and win this game, then the Pistons confidence is broken. They know this was their best chance to take a lead in the series, and now they have to win 2 games in SA, where they are 0-10.


So, yeah, important game. That said, of course some miracle could happen, where Spurs win 2 at home if they are down 3-2. Or they could be swept by 2-3 Pistons in SA (much less likely, IMO).

[Rick Von Braun]

Detroit is 10-0 in close out games the past couple years...that is reason enough for the Spurs to win tonight.

Several Pistons' fans has said this. What does it mean??

They should have won the 2003 and 2004 championships if this is true.

[whottt]

RVB...they got their ass kicked by the Nets in 03(the same team that was later seen losing to us in a one sided finals)...there was no close out game in that series for the Pistons to win. They were too busy getting swept off their own HCA by a 40 win team...IOW nearly a 3rd of that stat is of the moral victory variety.

[MadDog73]

Several Pistons' fans has said this. What does it mean??

They should have won the 2003 and 2004 championships if this is true.

He means in games where the Pistons could eliminate their opponent, not the other way around.

Sounds like a baked up stat, but it's about as useful as the Spurs being 10-0 against the Pistons in SA.

[whottt]

The Spurs are undefeated in playoffs series they don't lose.

[GrandeDavid]

^

[MadDog73]

The Spurs are undefeated in playoffs series they don't lose.

Laughing at Whottt. Hey, the Pistons have the same stat! Someone's gonna break...

[indianspur]

The Spurs are undefeated in playoffs series they don't lose.

Was this Scottie Pippen's prediction????

[Perfect10]

Sounds like a baked up stat, but it's about as useful as the Spurs being 10-0 against the Pistons in SA.

No it means that when Detroit has a chance to close out a series, they do it. They don't relax. They don't give 2nd chances. They keep their foot to the throat and apply the death blow. It's an impressive quality for a team to have and it's the reason it's continually brought up by the media.

[bdubya]

If the Spurs lose tonight by just a few points, I'm afraid they'll go back saying "hey, we know we can match their intensity, and now we're heading back to OUR house!" That'd be a big lift, and make it REAL tough for the Pistons to take 2 in a row.

IMHO, tonight's not just a "must-win" for the Pistons, it's a "Must DOMINATE!"

[whottt]

That 10-0 stat is basically meaningless...

For instance...the Spurs are 16-4 in close out games in the Duncan era...

Their actual record in series when they have put their opponent in a closeout situation?

16-0.

The fact that they have 4 times failed to win a close out game hasn't prevented them from winning a single series in which they did so...

Most teams do usually win a series in which they have a close out game...

That might have some weight in game 7's or game 5's(in 5 game series of the past)...

But that stat doesn't have as much weight as the Spurs being 15-1 in series in which they hold a 2-0 lead.


The reason being is that it's a fact that the Spurs had a 2-0 lead in this series...whether or not Detroit will get a close out game is in question at least until tonight...and the 10-0 record isn't going to mean much considering they will have to do it in a place they haven't won this century.

You guys also had hadn't gone down to a team 0-2 since Larry Brown became your coach...what happened?

[catydid]

Being 10-0 in close-out games means diddlee if you don't win all the series you are in. That stat leaves a false impression that you haven't really lost a series for ten straight and hte only real state that matters is what your record is in how many series you have won.
And for those conspiracy theorists out there, how about this scenario: now that the series has been tied up (for whatever reasons you choose to believe), "Commissar Sternski" has it planned for the Spurs to win tonight and have the Pistons win the first game in San Antonio to stretch it out to a seven-game series and make more money. How about that for a conspiracy theory since S.A. and Detroit are supposed to be two of the smallest NBA markets and he has complained about that a lot and even ignoring these playoffs some because his favored teams did not make it in there.
Just thought I would throw it out for there and make of it what you want. There are so many out there, I thought I would come up with a conspiracy theory of my own.
Everybody keep their positive vibes going tonight anyway. The SpurTs better show up tonight or Detroit may be too pumped up. I'm praying and crossing the fingers as well as anything else I can up with. Y'all do the same.

[Leetonidas]

Detroit is 10-0 in close out games the past couple years...that is reason enough for the Spurs to win tonight.

And when did Detroit play the Spurs in those games?

If the Spurs were to lose the game on a good run by less than 5, that will give them some hope. If Tim and Manu can have great games, Detroit should be scared.

[MainEvent]

If the Spurs were to lose the game on a good run by less than 5, that will give them some hope. If Tim and Manu can have great games, Detroit should be scared.

So if Manu and Tim have great games and the Spurs still lose, the Pistons should be scared?

The Pistons do need to take care of business and get this game tonight. It would a tall task to go into SA and get consecutive wins in games 6 & 7 to take the series.

[Leetonidas]

So if Manu and Tim have great games and the Spurs still lose, the Pistons should be scared?

The Pistons do need to take care of business and get this game tonight. It would a tall task to go into SA and get consecutive wins in games 6 & 7 to take the series.

If the Spurs lose by 4 points but Tim and Manu have 25 or 30 plus points each, don't you think going back to San Antonio will give them all the confidence in the world?

[Al Swearengen]

There's no way the San Antonio Spurs lose 3 in a row to these suckers!

[cheguevara]

If that happens, then Spurs have at least to gain back some fans' faith by showing a lot of heart in game 5.