<span style="font-family:Courier New">Do the Cavs or Pistons really stand a chance against the Spurs? When I watched last nights game, I saw a</span> team <span style="font-family:Courier New">that could not be stopped. They were doing what ever they wanted to a very good Jazz team. Duncan was Duncan, Many was incredible and Parker had one of his best games in the playoffs. Finley shot the ball very well, and even Oberto and Elson chipped in with 7 and 9 points. They were dominate from the start and put the Jazz away in 5.</span><span style="font-family:Courier New">Tonight I saw a different kind of game. I saw a</span> player <span style="font-family:Courier New">in LeBron James who could not be stopped. He hit every shot (except for the air ball) down the stretch that I could remember. He took the ball inside and dunked on people. He faked out people on the outside and shot right in their faces. The pistons had no answer for LeBron as he lead his team to a 2OT game against the Pistons to take a 3-2 lead in the series going back to Cleveland.When I look at it, do the Pistons or Cavs really have any shot at beating the Spurs? Lets say the Cavs end this in 6 Saturday, what are the chances of LeBron doing what he did tonight every game throughout the series against the best defensive team in the NBA? Not very good. And you can't depend on the supporting cast to take the load, because there isn't a chance at all they will. LeBron could lead them to a victory once or twice, no more then that. He will need help and I don't think he will get it.Now lets look at it the other way. Say the Pistons do come back and win this series, what are their chances like? They are having a very hard time with the Cavs, who weren't supposed to beat them more then two times. They don't have Big Ben anymore, so who is going to cover Duncan? Rasheed? Then he will , most likely , get in foul trouble. Then what happens? They have no threats inside to score. I don't see the Pistons winning more then two games either. Do you guys agree that no matter who wins this series, that the Spurs are going to win?</span>
the pistons have a pretty good shot if they get there. Lebron would have to pull some DWade sh*t to beat the Spurs.
If the Pistons advance, they might be able to give the Spurs a run for their money, maybe even a 6 game series. I doubt they'd pull it off if Tim Duncan keeps his fire in the post. If the Cavs go on, I don't see them pulling it out. The Spurs have a very nice chance in taking it all this year; I would call them the champs right now but not so fast.
No they arent automatic champs. Pistons are a excellent matchup for the Spurs..both can be very similiar is style of play. And I think if LeBron can will his team to beat Detriot...he can do the same against San Antonio. Not to mention Cleveland matches up pretty nice against San Antonio and vice versa.
Honestly, I kinda think the Spurs have already won the championship. Cleveland may be 2-0 against them this year, but thats the normal season. Its gonna be series that is a must see if Cleveland gets there, I honestly couldn't say the same about Detroit because we all know how they played the Spurs, and blah, blah, blah. I don't know, would be a tough call but I just wanna win this next game and than worry about the Spurs, and the finals, and w/e.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (austingriz @ Jun 1 2007, 12:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>No they arent automatic champs. Pistons are a excellent matchup for the Spurs..both can be very similiar is style of play. And I think if LeBron can will his team to beat Detriot...he can do the same against San Antonio. Not to mention Cleveland matches up pretty nice against San Antonio and vice versa.</div><span style="font-family:Courier New">I didn't say they were automatic champs. Just because two teams play the similar way doesn't mean they match up well. Tell me who is going to cover Duncan? Rasheed right? How about if he gets in foul trouble? There goes arguably their most talented offensive player. Then who would cover him? Webber? Duncan will have a field day against them. And I don't care how good LeBron is, there is not a way in hell he is going to beat this Spurs team by himself. Do you really think the Spurs would let him score 29 out of the last 30 points against them? No. Popovich is a very smart coach and would get the ball out of LeBron's hands. Then I would like to see the role players beat the Spurs.</span>
First off, nobody is going to contain Duncan..nobody ever has. Its containing Manu and Parker and their outside shooters(and dont say they dont have Wallace anymore...cause he wasnt defending perimeter players). Pistons have shown they can do that..remember Pistons took the Spurs to a 7 game series. No doubt in my mind the Pistons can give the Spurs a run. They match up well because Billups can contain Parker for a good portion, Manu and Rip are gonna run each others asses off. Tayshaun will probably end up help defending Duncan along with Rasheed. Im just saying the Pistons arent just going to easily be beaten. Although San Antonio will be the favorite.As far as LeBron, right now nobody can say what he cant do. Not saying he will beat the Spurs, cause of the Cavs do go to the Finals, the Spurs defiently have the advantage...but what Bron did tonight, we can never say never.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (austingriz @ Jun 1 2007, 01:09 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>First off, nobody is going to contain Duncan..nobody ever has. Its containing Manu and Parker and their outside shooters(and dont say they dont have Wallace anymore...cause he wasnt defending perimeter players). Pistons have shown they can do that..remember Pistons took the Spurs to a 7 game series. No doubt in my mind the Pistons can give the Spurs a run. They match up well because Billups can contain Parker for a good portion, Manu and Rip are gonna run each others asses off. Tayshaun will probably end up help defending Duncan along with Rasheed. Im just saying the Pistons arent just going to easily be beaten. Although San Antonio will be the favorite.As far as LeBron, right now nobody can say what he cant do. Not saying he will beat the Spurs, cause of the Cavs do go to the Finals, the Spurs defiently have the advantage...but what Bron did tonight, we can never say never.</div><span style="font-family:Courier New">That was a different Pistons team. They had Ben Wallace. They had Larry Brown as a coach. And I did say that the pistons would put up a fight, taking it to 6 at most. As for LeBron, it would be a very long shot. His teammates would have to step up, which hasn't happened all post season, and he would have to be GREAT every game. I just don't see it happening.</span>
Brons teammates havent stepped up? Daniel Gibson has stepped up, Larry Hughes gave solid minutes when he played, Drew Gooden and Big Z have been playing well. I think LeBrons teammates have stepped up.Defiently not having Brown or Wallace changes your team, but it doesn't change it to the point you cant compete with a team you have before even though you have 4 of the 5 guys. Plus Webber who isnt too shabby himself on offense. I can easily see the Pistons taking the Spurs to a game 7.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (austingriz @ Jun 1 2007, 01:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Brons teammates havent stepped up? Daniel Gibson has stepped up, Larry Hughes gave solid minutes when he played, Drew Gooden and Big Z have been playing well. I think LeBrons teammates have stepped up.</div>But not consistently, and that is the problem. Gibson had 2 good games, Hughes has shown flashes, Pavlovic has shown flashes, Gooden has been up and down, Varejao was outstanding in the beginning but has really been the total opposite the last 3 games of the series. So yeah, certain individuals have stepped up and had good nights, but that does not mean the supporting cast, as a whole, has stepped up.
Hughes put up 9 points tonight, and on a foot that he shouldn't even be on. I call that stepping up, just playing gave the Cavaliers a huge lift. Gibson has been amazing, and Gooden has been alright at home. Thats pretty much it, it's been all LeBron really.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (austingriz @ Jun 1 2007, 01:19 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Brons teammates havent stepped up? Daniel Gibson has stepped up, Larry Hughes gave solid minutes when he played, Drew Gooden and Big Z have been playing well. I think LeBrons teammates have stepped up.Defiently not having Brown or Wallace changes your team, but it doesn't change it to the point you cant compete with a team you have before even though you have 4 of the 5 guys. Plus Webber who isnt too shabby himself on offense. I can easily see the Pistons taking the Spurs to a game 7.</div><span style="font-family:Courier New">They are lucky if they take the Cavs to 7, who aren't playing even close to the level the Spurs are playing at right now. The Spurs are a different team also if you didn't notice. Tony Parker is a much better player, having more experience and becoming smarter. They have different role players (Finley,Oberto, Vaughn), and Duncan is playing as good as he has ever been. The way things look now though, there is no point in even talking about the Pistons, I think they are done.Yeah his teammates show up on occasion, tell me which play great game in and game out. Gooden, who is supposed to be your second best player, scores 7 and grabs 6 rebounds. Thats stepping it up in the biggest game in Cavs history? Big Z played alright with 16 points and 8 rebounds, nothing great. Only two players outside of LeBron scored more then 10 points tonight. If his teammates stepped out, why did LeBron have to score 29 out of the last 30 points for his team?</span>
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (austingriz @ Jun 1 2007, 01:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>true...and I wouldnt put Pavlovic up there..he was incredibley hurting the Cavs tonight.</div>I know, and that's what I meant when I said Hughes/Pavlovic has shown flashes. That means they have had some good moments, but they have not been doing it on a consistent basis (Hughes obviously has a reason why, just saying).
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jkidd51524 @ Jun 1 2007, 12:30 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><span style="font-family:Courier New">They are lucky if they take the Cavs to 7, who aren't playing even close to the level the Spurs are playing at right now. The Spurs are a different team also if you didn't notice. Tony Parker is a much better player, having more experience and becoming smarter. They have different role players (Finley,Oberto, Vaughn), and Duncan is playing as good as he has ever been. The way things look now though, there is no point in even talking about the Pistons, I think they are done.Yeah his teammates show up on occasion, tell me which play great game in and game out. Gooden, who is supposed to be your second best player, scores 7 and grabs 6 rebounds. Thats stepping it up in the biggest game in Cavs history? Big Z played alright with 16 points and 8 rebounds, nothing great. Only two players outside of LeBron scored more then 10 points tonight. If his teammates stepped out, why did LeBron have to score 29 out of the last 30 points for his team?</span></div>Foul trouble. The Cavs foul trouble tonight really screwed up the rotation. As Steve Kerr was explaining, the Cavs didnt want Varejou AND Snow out there at the same time cause then theres not much offense. It came to the point which they both had to play cause of other players foul trouble...so besides LeBron and Z(with exceptions of Marshal and D Jones get little PT later in game), nobody else out there is known for their offense. LeBron HAD to take it upon himself to score that much. You noticed that besides Pavlovic, the others player didnt attempt that many shots in the OTs. Pistons can take the Spurs to 7 games, both are extremely experianced, both have big time players...both teams starting rosters(for the most part) have won a championship before. When it comes down to the 4th quarter in the NBA Finals, its the players who are making things happen...and Detriot had atleast 4(and IMO 5 with Webber) who know how to make things happen on both ends of the court.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (austingriz @ Jun 1 2007, 01:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Foul trouble. The Cavs foul trouble tonight really screwed up the rotation. As Steve Kerr was explaining, the Cavs didnt want Varejou AND Snow out there at the same time cause then theres not much offense. It came to the point which they both had to play cause of other players foul trouble...so besides LeBron and Z(with exceptions of Marshal and D Jones get little PT later in game), nobody else out there is known for their offense. LeBron HAD to take it upon himself to score that much. You noticed that besides Pavlovic, the others player didnt attempt that many shots in the OTs. Pistons can take the Spurs to 7 games, both are extremely experianced, both have big time players...both teams starting rosters(for the most part) have won a championship before. When it comes down to the 4th quarter in the NBA Finals, its the players who are making things happen...and Detriot had atleast 4(and IMO 5 with Webber) who know how to make things happen on both ends of the court.</div><span style="font-family:Courier New">Okay, you could use foul trouble as an excuse. I will go back to game 4. Big Z only has 9 points and 7 rebounds, and no foul trouble. Thats not showing up to a very important game is it? Pavlovic scores 5 points, and no foul trouble. Gooden decided to show up this game, scores 19 and grabs 8 rebounds. Do you see where I am getting at? No consistency. You cant call them having one good game and then having a bad game "them showing up". You stated nothing in that paragraph to help your case with the Pistons. You basically said the obvious saying that both are very experienced and most have championship rings. Wow, that makes them a great team? No. The pistons are just not the same as their championship team, I don't care what you say. The team the Spurs had in 05 are not as good as the Spurs right now, and the Pistons in 05 were better then the ones right now. Thats basically it. This series, if it happens, goes 5 or 6, no more.</span>
I think its crazy that you think the Pistons cant take on the San Antonio Spurs. The Pistons, with exception of Webber, have been through ALOT together, giving them a supreme chemistry(which SA possesses as well), but not only that, but now, especially in this years playoffs, we are starting to see Saunders offensive philosophy mixed with the remenants of Browns defense. If oyu watch the game tonight, you saw that halfcourt trap that the Pistons were famous for...and its still there and still being applied. So in many ways, the Pistons are more veristle now and can oppose situations on the Spurs which they couldnt do in the Finals. Of course SA is going to have its advantages, but your overlooking the Pistons advantages. Pistons can take the Spurs to a game 7. It doesn't even matter though cause LeBron will probably end up going to the Finals.
Yes, they have been since the Amare-Diaw suspension. It sucks reading about the playoffs because every round it's just gotten easier and easier. What a wasted opportunity for the Suns.Now if the Cavs win the NBA might actually get decent ratings and there will be no intimidating Detroit fans to keep the refs from giving the championship away. I can just see it now. Game 1, LeBron takes a jumper in the 1st quarter, Bowen puts his foot under him, LeBron breaks his ankle and is out for the series, Bowen gets a flagrant foul a day later and the Spurs sweep. :brickwall: Thank goodness the Diamondbacks are tied for first place in their division. A good distraction.
No, no team has even a decent shot against the Spurs. For the Cavs, the Spurs are a much better defensive team than the Pistons and while Bron may go off, he won't go 48pts and 29 of last 30 off. Cavs simply don't have the role players, consistency, or offense to beat a team like the Spurs. Bron will need to do more than what Wade did last year in games 2-6 to beat this Spurs team.As for the Pistons, absolutely no shot. Even slimmer than the Cavs. Defense isn't what it used to be, Duncan will murder them without Big Ben, and offense isn't up to par with other Spurs' victims (Nuggets, Suns, and Jazz all have superior offenses).But, as we saw last year with Heat and Mavs... anything is possible.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (austingriz @ Jun 1 2007, 01:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I think its crazy that you think the Pistons cant take on the San Antonio Spurs. The Pistons, with exception of Webber, have been through ALOT together, giving them a supreme chemistry(which SA possesses as well), but not only that, but now, especially in this years playoffs, we are starting to see Saunders offensive philosophy mixed with the remenants of Browns defense. If oyu watch the game tonight, you saw that halfcourt trap that the Pistons were famous for...and its still there and still being applied. So in many ways, the Pistons are more veristle now and can oppose situations on the Spurs which they couldnt do in the Finals. Of course SA is going to have its advantages, but your overlooking the Pistons advantages. Pistons can take the Spurs to a game 7. It doesn't even matter though cause LeBron will probably end up going to the Finals.</div><span style="font-family:Courier New">Okay, so again your saying they are experienced and have been through a lot together. You have said that three times now, we get that. But that makes no difference because right now they are going up against a team with much less experience and they are losing the series. So obviously something is not right there. I did watch the game tonight, and I saw a team that could not contain a player. Your saying they are going to be able to contain Parker, Manu and Duncan? I don't think so. Again, I really don't think this series is going to happen anyway.</span>
