Aging Lakers victimized by foul play
By Terry Brown
NBA Insider
Monday, June 14
The Eastern Conference rules the NBA once again.
"No doubt about it," said one Eastern Conference scout. "Good defense stops good offense and there is no question that the Eastern Conference is much better than everyone thought. That defensive, beat 'em style is back and there's nothing that all the glamour and glitz teams can do."
The Detroit Pistons now lead the Los Angeles Lakers, 3-1, in the NBA Finals with the fifth game slated for Tuesday evening in Auburn Hills. In what was supposed to be another four-game sweep for a Western Conference team has turned into a flurry of rug burns and Greco-Roman deathgrips.
The Dallas Mavericks, the highest scoring team in the league at 105.2 points per game, were eliminated in the first round.
The Sacramento Kings, the second highest scoring team in the league at 102.8 points per game, were eliminated in the semifinals.
The Lakers, the third highest scoring team in the league at 98.2 points per game, have been held to 80.5 points per game in the Finals.
"It takes a helluva high skill level to do what Detroit is doing," said the scout. "The Pistons are staying in front of their guys. They're switching when they need to. They're staying true to man to man principles. They have a philosophy in place that requires athletic, quick players who can move their feet, anticipate and understand passing lanes."
A team shooting 40 percent in the playoffs is one game away from claiming the title by holding their postseason opponents to 39 percent shooting.
The Pistons have completely outplayed the favored Lakers.
"It's going to take these new kids forever to catch up," said the scout. "Because it's not pretty and they still see Michael Jordan flying through the air and Kobe doing the same. They're going to have to go back to basics and learn how to play defense. I'll tell you right now, Ben Wallace should be the MVP for all the things no one sees but has the Pistons beating up on the Lakers. He's got my vote."
In four games so far in these NBA Finals, the Lakers have taken 232 shots within the arc, they've scored 164 points in the paint and gotten only 78 free throws for their troubles.
The Pistons have taken 238 shots within the arc, scored only 136 points in the paint and gotten 132 free throws.
Shaq is still getting his dunks and Kobe is still slashing to the bucket. The difference is that there is a hand in Shaq's face, a body in front of Kobe and a blunt elbow for every offensive angle.
Shaq scores 34, the Pistons stay in a man-to-man. Shaq scores 36, the Pistons stay in a man-to-man. Kobe hits a 28-foot shot with 2.1 seconds left and the Pistons stay in a man-to-man.
There are no double-teams to hide behind. There are no zones to lean on and rest.
When the Laker players make their move to the basket, the Pistons move and rotate with their agitated feet and long arms.
When the Piston players make their move to the basket, the Lakers clutch and grab and try to play defense with their manicured hands.
The Pistons are getting to the foul line because the Lakers are fouling them in the open court.
In Sunday night's game, with only a minute and a half elapsed in the first quarter, Devean George picked up his second personal foul and neither of them were shooting fouls.
In the second quarter, when the Pistons drilled 10 of 10 free throws to stay in the game, the Lakers committed 11 personal fouls and only four of them were shooting fouls.
For the game, the Lakers committed 35 personal fouls of which only 13 were shooting. That's 22 fouls in the open floor before a shot is even attempted. On the other hand, the Pistons were whistled for 20 fouls. 10 were shooting.
"I'm telling you, there is a skill level involved here," said the scout. "And the Pistons are superior."
And it isn't just because the Lakers are old or the referees are biased or David Stern has stamped his latest memo with an East Coast return address.
Times are changing.
The Indiana Pacers, a team ranked 20th in scoring at 91.3 points per game, had the best regular season record in the league.
Detroit, a team ranked 24th in scoring at 90.1 points per game, is now 48 minutes from turning the NBA world as we know it upside down.
"It's a beautiful thing," said the scout.
By Terry Brown
NBA Insider
Monday, June 14
The Eastern Conference rules the NBA once again.
"No doubt about it," said one Eastern Conference scout. "Good defense stops good offense and there is no question that the Eastern Conference is much better than everyone thought. That defensive, beat 'em style is back and there's nothing that all the glamour and glitz teams can do."
The Detroit Pistons now lead the Los Angeles Lakers, 3-1, in the NBA Finals with the fifth game slated for Tuesday evening in Auburn Hills. In what was supposed to be another four-game sweep for a Western Conference team has turned into a flurry of rug burns and Greco-Roman deathgrips.
The Dallas Mavericks, the highest scoring team in the league at 105.2 points per game, were eliminated in the first round.
The Sacramento Kings, the second highest scoring team in the league at 102.8 points per game, were eliminated in the semifinals.
The Lakers, the third highest scoring team in the league at 98.2 points per game, have been held to 80.5 points per game in the Finals.
"It takes a helluva high skill level to do what Detroit is doing," said the scout. "The Pistons are staying in front of their guys. They're switching when they need to. They're staying true to man to man principles. They have a philosophy in place that requires athletic, quick players who can move their feet, anticipate and understand passing lanes."
A team shooting 40 percent in the playoffs is one game away from claiming the title by holding their postseason opponents to 39 percent shooting.
The Pistons have completely outplayed the favored Lakers.
"It's going to take these new kids forever to catch up," said the scout. "Because it's not pretty and they still see Michael Jordan flying through the air and Kobe doing the same. They're going to have to go back to basics and learn how to play defense. I'll tell you right now, Ben Wallace should be the MVP for all the things no one sees but has the Pistons beating up on the Lakers. He's got my vote."
In four games so far in these NBA Finals, the Lakers have taken 232 shots within the arc, they've scored 164 points in the paint and gotten only 78 free throws for their troubles.
The Pistons have taken 238 shots within the arc, scored only 136 points in the paint and gotten 132 free throws.
Shaq is still getting his dunks and Kobe is still slashing to the bucket. The difference is that there is a hand in Shaq's face, a body in front of Kobe and a blunt elbow for every offensive angle.
Shaq scores 34, the Pistons stay in a man-to-man. Shaq scores 36, the Pistons stay in a man-to-man. Kobe hits a 28-foot shot with 2.1 seconds left and the Pistons stay in a man-to-man.
There are no double-teams to hide behind. There are no zones to lean on and rest.
When the Laker players make their move to the basket, the Pistons move and rotate with their agitated feet and long arms.
When the Piston players make their move to the basket, the Lakers clutch and grab and try to play defense with their manicured hands.
The Pistons are getting to the foul line because the Lakers are fouling them in the open court.
In Sunday night's game, with only a minute and a half elapsed in the first quarter, Devean George picked up his second personal foul and neither of them were shooting fouls.
In the second quarter, when the Pistons drilled 10 of 10 free throws to stay in the game, the Lakers committed 11 personal fouls and only four of them were shooting fouls.
For the game, the Lakers committed 35 personal fouls of which only 13 were shooting. That's 22 fouls in the open floor before a shot is even attempted. On the other hand, the Pistons were whistled for 20 fouls. 10 were shooting.
"I'm telling you, there is a skill level involved here," said the scout. "And the Pistons are superior."
And it isn't just because the Lakers are old or the referees are biased or David Stern has stamped his latest memo with an East Coast return address.
Times are changing.
The Indiana Pacers, a team ranked 20th in scoring at 91.3 points per game, had the best regular season record in the league.
Detroit, a team ranked 24th in scoring at 90.1 points per game, is now 48 minutes from turning the NBA world as we know it upside down.
"It's a beautiful thing," said the scout.
