Opinions: How Well would Phoenix match up vs Detroit

[Soul_Patch]

...Lets say this happened. I was considering this today. How well do you think these two teams match up?

Do you see it being an easy suns win? easy pistons win?


I honestly haven't been following basketball (outside of the spurs) this year as much as i normally do, so i am a lot less knowledgable about the pistons than a lot of you.

Id like to hear what the consensus is.

[Findog]

I don't think it's automatic at all that Phoenix wins. In fact, I think it would be a uva series. Bell has to guard Rip so therefore Billups is free to trounce Nash defensively. Wallace takes Amare and that leaves Webber to guard Marion. Prince and Diaw would be forced to guard each other, and I think Prince gets the better of that matchup.

Suns have more offensive firepower, but the Detroit bench is deeper. I'd say Suns in 7, since they'd be certain to get at least one in Detroit and send the series back to Phoenix in the 2-3-2 format.

I'd much rather watch Detroit-Phoenix than Detroit-San Antonio.

[ponky]

i think it would be a fun series as well. i know it's not much to go by but this season, the pistons beat the suns in phoenix by a huge margin of over 20 points with subar performances by billups and hamilton and the suns won a close game in detroit without chauncey billups in the lineup. both teams should have enough playoff experience to keep them from getting fazed, and hopefully the suns will stay calm upon finally reaching the finals, if they do in fact get there

[JamStone]

Tough call. I think Pistons' offensive balance would propose problems for the Suns because they haven't faced an offense where all five players are capable of putting up 25+ points in any given game. They have been able to double off players to focus on Kobe or Duncan or Parker. With the Pistons, teams generally can't do that because the Pistons will exploit mismatches and pass out of double teams to guys that can all knock down shots. However, the Suns transition game can really put pressure on the Pistons to play at a faster pace than they want to. Billups is one of the better point guards at establishing a half-court pace. But, if Phoenix pushes, Detroit's transition defense would be susceptible to allowing a lot of fastbreak points.

I think it would be a very compe ive series. Objectively, I would give the edge to the Suns in seven games since they would have homecourt advantage.

[Soul_Patch]

Well im obviously biased and would prefer a pistons v spurs finals...but that said, i do think a suns pistons final would be very watchable.

[mardigan]

I will root for the Pistons throughout if the SPurs get knocked out

[mavsfan1000]

Phoenix would kill Detroit. To beat Phoenix, you need a low post threat and great slashers. The Pistons lack in both categories. Therefore Suns in 6.

[DarkReign]

Phoenix would kill Detroit. To beat Phoenix, you need a low post threat and great slashers. The Pistons lack in both categories. Therefore Suns in 6.

Sometimes I wonder if you even watch basketball.

[Bob Lanier]

Detroit would easily win.

Of course, San Antonio should easily win, too.

[mavsfan1000]

Sometimes I wonder if you even watch basketball.

Detroit relies on their outside shots which feeds right into the Suns style of play. The spurs though go inside-out and have great slashers in Parker and Ginobili that really give the suns fits.

[monosylab1k]

Phoenix would kill Detroit. To beat Phoenix, you need a low post threat and great slashers. The Pistons lack in both categories. Therefore Suns in 6.

WHAT??!

you need a low post threat

Chris Webber? And Rasheed is a top 5 post player in the league when he isn't gay for his crappy 3 point shot.

great slashers.

Tayshaun Prince always seems to find a way to the hole when it matters. And while it's not slashing in the typical sense of the word, the way Rip Hamilton slices through a defense without the ball works almost as well as any "slasher".

Detroit would murder Phoenix.

[mabber]

Would be nice to see Sheed play down low like he'd have to for the Pistons to beat the Suns. I think it would be a good series.

[mavsfan1000]

WHAT??!



Chris Webber? And Rasheed is a top 5 post player in the league when he isn't gay for his crappy 3 point shot.



Tayshaun Prince always seems to find a way to the hole when it matters. And while it's not slashing in the typical sense of the word, the way Rip Hamilton slices through a defense without the ball works almost as well as any "slasher".

Detroit would murder Phoenix.

Rasheed might be a top 5 post player but he rarely posts up. He is usually waiting at the 3 point for his shot. Detroit just doesn't have the offensive fire power to go back at the suns. Also Webber was held scoreless 2 straight games. With Ben Wallace gone, the suns will be able to attack the rim better along with not getting killed on the boards. Webber will be useless in this series as the suns will exploit his lack of speed.

[mardigan]

Rasheed might be a top 5 post player but he rarely posts up. He is usually waiting at the 3 point for his shot. Detroit just doesn't have the offensive fire power to go back at the suns. Also Webber was held scoreless 2 straight games. With Ben Wallace gone, the suns will be able to attack the rim better along with not getting killed on the boards. Webber will be useless in this series as the suns will exploit his lack of speed.

Webber isnt much slower than Tim.
Detroit also has McDyess and maxiell who can score in the post. Billups will run all over nash. The Pistons have great interior d, and I doubt the Suns would be able to score more at the rim or get more boards.

[monosylab1k]

Detroit just doesn't have the offensive fire power to go back at the suns.

They have more firepower than the Spurs do. Webber, McDyess, and Wallace will all own Stoudemire/Thomas/Whoever in the post. And if they want a 3 point shootout, I'll take my chances with Billups, Hamilton, and Prince.

Detroit also has much better perimeter defense as they don't have a weak link like Tony Parker out there. Billups would manhandle Nash out there.

althought none of this matters because San Antonio is winning the series.

[mavsfan1000]

Webber isnt much slower than Tim.
Detroit also has McDyess and maxiell who can score in the post.

Thanks for the joke. Duncan>>>>>Webber in everything.

[mavsfan1000]

They have more firepower than the Spurs do. Webber, McDyess, and Wallace will all own Stoudemire/Thomas/Whoever in the post. And if they want a 3 point shootout, I'll take my chances with Billups, Hamilton, and Prince.

Detroit also has much better perimeter defense as they don't have a weak link like Tony Parker out there. Billups would manhandle Nash out there.

althought none of this matters because San Antonio is winning the series.

Tony Parker is great defensively. What series have you been watching? Billups is too slow to guard Nash so it goes both ways. I guess we'll see what happens but I think the suns match up much better to the Pistons than the spurs. The spurs are a nightmare matchup for the suns because of Duncan.

[Findog]

Phoenix would kill Detroit. To beat Phoenix, you need a low post threat and great slashers. The Pistons lack in both categories. Therefore Suns in 6.

Wallace can score on the low blocks, McDyess can score on the low blocks, Billups, Hamilton and Prince can all get to the rim, Webber can easily find cutters to the basket when they station him out on the high post. Detroit can easily play big ball against Phoenix.

[mardigan]

Thanks for the joke. Duncan>>>>>Webber in everything.

Yea, he is better at everything (except maybe passing), all I said was that Webber wasnt much slower because he isnt and that argument really wont make any difference

[Findog]

althought none of this matters because San Antonio is winning the series.

Agreed. It's funny to read the sky is falling handwringing from a significant portion of the Spurs fanbase today.

[mavsfan1000]

Yea, he is better at everything (except maybe passing), all I said was that Webber wasnt much slower because he isnt and that argument really wont make any difference

Yeah it does make a difference. Who is Webber going to guard? Marion? Duncan is incredibly mobile for a big man unlike Webber. At least after surgery Webber.

[monosylab1k]

Tony Parker is great defensively.

thanks for the joke. so great defensively that even devin harris makes him his . so great that nash is playing better versus TONY parker than he did versus SMUSH parker.

if parker is so great defensively, why is bowen on nash now?

wait till billups handles nash and leaves the better defenders like prince and rasheed to take care of marion and stoudemire.

What series have you been watching?

the Spurs-Suns series, not "adventures in fantasy basketball".

[mabber]

Tony Parker is great defensively. What series have you been watching? Billups is too slow to guard Nash so it goes both ways. I guess we'll see what happens but I think the suns match up much better to the Pistons than the spurs. The spurs are a nightmare matchup for the suns because of Duncan.

Are you serious?

[mardigan]

Yeah it does make a difference. Who is Webber going to guard? Marion? Duncan is incredibly mobile for a big man unlike Webber. At least after surgery Webber.

They run a lot of their offense through Webber, so he doesnt have to be very mobile in half court sets

[monosylab1k]

Are you serious?

he needs to just keep the Suns as his favorite team, cuz after all this bull I don't think any Mavs fans will take him back.