Vs SAN ANTONIO SPURS PG-Tony Parker SG-Manu Ginobili SF-Bruce Bowen PFTim Duncan C-Nazr Mohammad DETROIT PISTONS PG-Chauncey Billups SG-Rip Hamilton SF-Tayshaun Prince PFRasheed Wallace C-Ben Wallace FINALS SCHEDULE Game 1: Thurs, June 9 | Detroit at San Antonio | 9 p.m. ET, ABC Game 2: Sun, June 12 | Detroit at San Antonio | 9 p.m. ET, ABC Game 3: Tues, June 14 | San Antonio at Detroit | 9 p.m. ET, ABC Game 4: Thurs, June 16 | San Antonio at Detroit | 9 p.m. ET, ABC Game 5*: Sun, June 19 | San Antonio at Detroit | 9 p.m. ET, ABC Game 6*: Tues, June 21 | Detroit at San Antonio | 9 p.m. ET, ABC Game 7*: Thurs, June 23 | Detroit at San Antonio | 9 p.m. ET, ABC *=IF NEEDED
Good preview. I already made one so is it ok if I post it in here? If not, you can delete. <font size="5">VS</font> <font color="blue">Who: Detrot Pistons and San Antonio Spurs</font> When: Thursday, June 9th 9:00 ET on ABC <font color="blue">Where: SBC Center, San Antonio, Texas</font> <u><font size="3">Position Matchups</font></u> <font size="4">VS</font> PG Position: Chauncey Billups VS Tony Parker Both of these players play a very important role for their teams and this matchup will be very interesting to watch. Chauncey Billups is one of the main scorers on the Pistons while Tony Parker is a pass first type of point guard. Billups was last years Finals MVP and will be looking to have a repeat performance. It will be up to Tony Parker to slow him down and if fails to do so, it could change the outcome of some of these games. These players are both intellegent and make smart decisions in the fast break or in the half court offense. I think this is a close matchup and neither team has a huge advantage. Advantage: EVEN <u>Chauncey Billups Playoff Stats</u> 18 PPG 6.6 APG 4.1 RPG .425 FG% .371 3P% <u> Tony Parker Playoff Stats</u> 18.7 PPG 4.8 APG 3.1 RPG .452 FG% .206 3P% <font size="4">VS</font> SG Position: Richard Hamilton VS Manu Ginobili Expect to see a lot of points come from both of these players because they both averaging around 21 PPG during the playoffs. I think that most of the time you will be seeing Pistons' SF, Tayshaun Prince, covering Ginobili. Prince is a shutdown defender and I think he will matched up on Ginobili since the Spurs SF, Bruce Bowen, isn't much of an offensive threat. These two are both good offensive players and I think that this matchup is also equal. Advantage: EVEN <u>Richard Hamitlon Playoff Stats</u> 21.3 PPG 4.9 APG 3.9 RPG .481 FG% .321 3P% <u> Manu Ginobili Playoff Stats</u> 21.8 PPG 4.3 APG 5.8 RPG .512 FG% .462 3P% <font size="4">VS</font> SF Position: Tayshaun Prince VS Bruce Bowen Tayshaun Prince is the best one on one defender on the Pistons and possibly in the league so I think he will be covering Manu Ginobili to limit Manu's offense. I think Bruce Bowen will be switching off covering Tayshaun and Rip Hamilton throughout the game depending on who has the hot hand. Both of these players are spectacular defenders and expect to see them play a huge role in this series. I think that Tayshaun Prince is the better all around player out of these two because he can score and is a great defensive stopper as well. Bowen is a great defender but he isn't an offensive threat like Prince is. <font color="blue">ADVANTAGE: PISTONS</font> <u>Tayshaun Prince Playoff Stats</u> 14.7 PPG 6.9 RPG 3.6 APG .450 FG% .341 3P% <u> Bruce Bowen</u> 4.8 PPG 2.9 RPG 1.4 APG .346 FG% .421 3P% <font size="4">VS</font> PF Position: Rasheed Wallace VS Tim Duncan This is a huge mismatch for the Spurs and I think that one of the keys of the game for Detroit is to shut down Duncan. He is an explosive scorer who can change the momentum in a game and can only be contained, not stopped. Rasheed Wallace should get help from Defensive Player Of The Year Ben Wallace throughout the game since the Spurs don't have an offensive center in Nazr Mohammed. I think the matchup of the Wallaces against Tim Duncan will be the one that wins the series. Whichever team wins this matchup will win this series in my mind which is why I think the Spurs will win the series. ADVANTAGE: SPURS <u>Rasheed Wallace Playoff Stats</u> 14.7 PPG 7.4 RPG 1.1 APG .439 FG% .348 3P% 1.5 BPG <u> Tim Duncan Playoff Stats</u> 24.9 PPG 11.7 RPG 3 APG .483 FG% .735 FT% 2.31 BPG <font size="4">VS</font> C Position: Ben Wallace VS Nazr Mohammed This matchup isn't as exciting as some of the other ones in this game and I expect Ben Wallace to be covering Tim Duncan for most of this game. I think that this is an obvious advantage for the Pistons since Ben Wallace is one of the better centers in the NBA. <font color="blue">ADVANTAGE: PISTONS</font> <font color="blue">Detroit Pistons Keys To The Game * Control Tim Duncan * Control the tempo of the game * Spread the offense around </font> San Antonio Spurs Keys To The Game * Work the ball inside and let Duncan * Keep Manu and Parker involved in the offense * Slow down the Detroit fast break Swish's Predicted Game 1 Score Pistons- 83 Spurs- 88 Swish's Predicted NBA Champion: SPURS IN 5
27 reply's in the bragging about beating the Heat but not one in this after game 1? come on guys, you need to focus now. The heat are gone, you beat them. Now's the real test.
Bad game for the Pistons yesterday... they played their style the 1st quarter but after that, the Spurs just took over the game... completely, they dominated, they did everything right. The Pistons looked horrible out there last night. ( sorry if i'm harsh) But they need to rebound from this game... look at the positives. - They had open looks, but they just weren't falling down. - Know they can stay with S.A, as shown in quarter 1. Good luck Pistons, should be very tough.
I thought before the 1st game was played that this series would be easier for the Spurs to win than the Pistons.The Spurs are just the most well balanced team.I dont see any advantage the Pistons have that isnt negated or superseded by a Spurs advantage.If the Pistons are going to win Hamilton will have to score ALOT of points,which he should do because on defense hes guarding bruce bowen.I have a bet on the Spurs.
I was hoping for the Pistons to win first game they got off to a great start with no fouls for five minutes but then they kept getting more and more and finally the Spurs came ahead and won
Pistons played good enough ball for 40 minutes and got off to a great start but Larry Brown made a mistake by turning to force feed Ben in the post. From that point everyone else was standing around too much which allowed the Spurs to get back into the game. Pistons got nothing from Tayshaun, Sheed and Rip. I don't expect them all to play badly in game 2. However the Pistons need to find ways to keep under control in the 4th. Which is the quarter the Spurs have made big runs all post season.
Its crazy how few Pistons are posting up now after the barrage of braging from the unsilent minority of posters glad that Shaq was done for the year. The Pistons are being systematically dismanted. Any thoughts on whats happening, or any opinions on how the rest of the series is going to shape out. I believe i was the only poster, at least that i saw, that picked Spurs in 4, and it looks like i have a good shot at being right.
Game 2 was an offensive clinic by the Spurs. They were moving the ball well, getting out in transition and making crucial shots. Detroit's help defense was pitiful. There were several times when Parker beat his man and no one rotated to defend him. Another thing that beat Detroit was their shotting percentage from the arch. Detroit shot 0% from three-point land while San Antonio shot 45.5%. The Spurs got down and played lockdown defense on the Pistons. They just couldn't hit a shot. San Antonio got to the offensive glass and had multiple second chance points. There were several times when the ball hit the rim on a missed shot an nobody blocked Duncan out and he put the rebound in for a basket. Ginobli and Parker have had 2 great games but the thing thaty I like the most is that Duncan just quietly gets his double-double in Game 2 he had 18 points and 11 rebounds. And his points mostly came from offensive rebounds. Detroit needs to win all 3 games at home but I'm predicting that San Antonio will win Game 4.
Wow, I take back what I said before about the Pistons being able to contend with the Spurs... They are just getting mandhandled... and I'm sure the Heat would too. Prince is horrible, Rip Billups aren't performing because of the Spur's defense. Rasheed and Ben are pylons... The only player doing somethign right now is Mcdyess, who got 15 points off the bench which (I think) was the team high... Ginobili is crazy...
Right now after Game 2 things don't look so good. The look great and the Pistons don't. I think this series is actually being won been the Spurs quiet guys. Bowen stepped up offensively, Horry on both ends, and Nazr is showing Ben no love underneath. The Pistons should really clear their heads and come back in this series. Someone other than Brown may need to come in and give them a pep talk, for example: Joe Dumars. I know winning in SA is hard but so is winning in Detroit. So we'll see maybe a 2-2 series if not the Spurs will definitely take this one. And for the Heat fans out there: I never said the Pistons would beat the Spurs I thought it would be a close series but my thoughts we're that the Spurs would prevail.
The Spurs are on fire. Manu Ginobili and co. can't be stopped right now. I don't think anyone could have slowed them down when they are playing like this.
Pistons should be able to win 2 of 3 in Detroit to force this series back to San Antonio BUT the Spurs just seem the stronger and more hungry team right now.
If Detroit is going to win this series we are going to have to see a complete turn around, which in the end will not likely happen to the Spurs. But let me remind you, they have lost a series before despite going up 2-0, so Pistons fans it is not over until it is over.
I feel that the Detroit Pistons will win game 3 with the motivation of the home fans. They'll win that game but then thats it the spurs are playing to hot right now, and I dont expect them to slow down.
With their backs against the wall the Pistons bounced back well in game 3 to win 96-79 Rip and Chauncey combined for 44 points, Rip finally had a good shooting game after struggling in the first two games of the series. Sheed continued to struggle. Sheed had plenty of good looks too. I thought when he got two quick scores to start the game he would go on and have a big game but that didn't happen. So hopfully next game he will step up. Real difference from game 1's and 2 was the fact big Ben was full of energy and way more active on defense and on the boards. That and the fact Manu and TD struggled getting things going offensively. Game 4 is going to be a very interesting game, we now at least have a series.
(My first post) Great preview. Pistons came to play today, they were firing on all cylinders. Ben Wallace showed why he's the heart and soul of our team. Rip was finally able to create his own shots. They shut Manu and Duncan down, but had to give up shots to Bowen and Parker, which I would trade off anyday of the week. Awesome game for Detroit on both ends of the floor. They haven't done anything yet though, game 4 is just as important if not more important then game 3. Go Pistons!
Thanks. My aspiration is to become a Sports Writer, and I think stumbling across this fourm may be the best training I could get. The people here have excelent basketball views, anylasis, and thoughts on basketball. Reading whats written here will help me learn alot about basketball and will improve my writing and delivery. I'm defintally gonna stick around.
Great game three by the Pistons, the only thing that has me wondering is why are the Pistons waiting till game three to play with so much intensity. I understand the home crowd helps, but it cannot help that much. Sad to say it might be to late for the Pistons to come back, and if they do then they have to play the way they did in game three for the rest of the series. The most import thing I notice is that the Pistons actually produced on the offensive end, Rip finally came through and the rest of the Pistons were their usually solid selves. The benefactor for the game was definitely Ben Wallace, he played with tremendous energy and intensity, and he ran the floor and protected the paint big ups to him for stepping it up. The Pistons showed they are no pushovers, they are going to have to play perfect in each and every game and the Spurs have to (and trust me they will) adjust and match the energy of Detroit.
