Detroit encountered injuries to their starters and they missed a dozen games, do you believe they can still produce a W-L record that can challenge for HCA?
I take comfort in knowing our Spurs did just that despite Timmy's foot problems and Manu's nagging injuries (not to mention NVE,TP,Horry,et al).
Regardless of wheter we get HCA or not, the championship swagger is very much still firmly embedded on our Spurs.
Its still the SPURS ERA baby!!!
The Piston starting 5 is starting to feel the fatigue bug. Perhaps that explains why Flippo has been using more of his bench as of late. Detroit has been running full throttle since the start of the year to clinch HCA but are surely shocked to find our Spurs still "drafting"
in Indycar -speak.
Question is, do the Pistons have enough in their tank to finish ahead ?
I wouldn't say the Pistons have been full throttle throughout the season. For a big stretch in February and early March, the Pistons mailed in a lot of games. There were at least 4 games (Miami, Indiana, Atlanta, LA Lakers) in which they had double digit leads in the second half and then let those teams come back and win those games.
Are the Pistons starters feeling fatigued? Maybe a little. Not more than any other NBA starter averaging about 35 minutes a game. All of the Pistons starters play between 35-37 minutes per game. 35 minutes a game is not too tiring for well conditioned NBA players. 35 minutes is actually on the low side for NBA stars. 35 minutes a game is going to tire out most players at some point in the regular season. 35 minutes per game is right about where by the way Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and Bruce Bowen are all play. Tony: 34.6, Tim: 35.2, Bruce: 34.0. The highest minutes average of the Pistons starters is Chauncey Billups at 36.9. And, he doesn't go 100 miles per hour like Tony Parker. Rasheed averages 35.6. Is that extra half hour over a six month period really going to make Sheed more fatigued than Tim Duncan? At least Sheed hasn't been playing on plantar fasciitis.
Flip is using his bench more partially to help rest his starters and partially because he wants to prepare them if he needs them for more than just spot minutes in the playoffs. And, McDyess is playing more to get him in his playoff groove, as he is starting to play extremely well. Bruce Bowen is 9 years older than Tayshaun yet plays only 2 fewer minutes a game. How is the fatigue factor over there with the Spurs?
The Spurs can still catch the Pistons for HCA, and you don't have to assume that the one of the Pistons starters get injured. It's still entirely possible even if the Pistons starters are all healthy until game 82. If the Spurs do catch the Pistons, it won't be because the Pistons didn't have enough in their tank to finish the season. It will be because the Spurs are that good. Your argument just "crashed and burned" in Indycar-speak.
In that case, let's see which team (SAS or Det) , in Indycar-speak; will have that extra gear to cruise to the finish.
Detroit may have beaten the Spurs 2-0 in reg season play but we still hold the LOB trophy - we still wear the rings.
And any basketball afficionado would agree that statements are made in the play-offs.
Until the play-offs are settled, no declarations can be made. Therefore, all swagger still belongs to San Antonio until some team takes it away.
Much the same way the Spurs did to your belt-wearing Pistons in 2005.
Well, then ummm, Mr. Smartypants, why did you start a thread asking about homecourt advantage a team gets FROM THE REGULAR SEASON?
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