Detroit v. San Antonio

[NickelBack]

Who wins and why?

 

[devilalum]

Duncan

 

[HooverDam]

Spurs win. Both teams are great at D, but SA can actually score. Also, as much as I hate ****ers like Manu and Horry, I feel a little better for the Suns if they can say "we lost to the eventual champion"

 

[NickelBack]

Season series was a split.

Both teams won at home:

@San Antonio Spurs won 80-77
@Detroit Pistons won 110-101

 

[Errntknght]

Slight edge to Spurs - homecourt, Duncan and bench... besides I always root for the WC team, particularly one that eliminates us.

 

[WizardOfAz]

The Pistons have been too inconsistant through the first couple of rounds this year. They will have to play much better to reatin the championship, in my opinion.

 

[JPlay]

This is a heavy-weight bout. I would never underestimate the Pistons, they can turn it up a notch and have clutch players and play great defense.

I can't wait to see Bowen try to guard Rip or Tayshaun shutting down Horry and Barry, Chauncey guarding Parker.

 

[fordronken]

You forgot the option "Nobody finds out who won because everybody fell asleep for good during the second quarter of game 2."

 

[Joe Mama]

San Antonio Spurs win unless Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, or Ginobilli suffer an injury. It wouldn't surprise me if that happened though. Detroit's been lucky like that.

Joe Mama

 

[WizardOfAz]

Detroit Pistons Playoff History:

Playoff Appearances: 36
Overall Record: 154-146 (.513)
NBA Championships: 3 (1989-90, 2004)



San Antonio Spurs Playoff History:

Playoff Appearances: 25
Overall Playoff Record: 117-105 (.527)
NBA Championships: 2 (1999, 2003)

 

[hooper]

San Antonio Spurs win unless Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, or Ginobilli suffer an injury. It wouldn't surprise me if that happened though. Detroit's been lucky like that.

Joe Mama

So has San Antonio. They barely beat Seattle without Radmonovich for the entire series and Lewis for the last two games. Not to mention Ray Allen playing on a gimpy ankle. Then they played the Suns without Johnson for most of the series. Seems like the Spurs got their fair share of breaks too.

 

[Cheesebeef]

So has San Antonio. They barely beat Seattle without Radmonovich for the entire series and Lewis for the last two games. Not to mention Ray Allen playing on a gimpy ankle. Then they played the Suns without Johnson for most of the series. Seems like the Spurs got their fair share of breaks too.

the NBA playoffs are a war of attrition. If you'r enot tough enough and ready for battle, you're gonna lose. You guys make it seem like the Spurs and Pistons don't have bumps, bruises (Rip's Calf injury, Duncan's ankle, etc. etc. - but those guys are warriors and don't talk about them nor make a big deal about them.

Bottom line- everyone at this popint in the NBA season ash something wrong with them - and the Spurs and the Pistons have just rode those injuries out and performed - that's all they can do.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

San Antonio Spurs
NBA Championships: 2 (1999*, 2003)

 

[JPlay]

The Spurs haven't played a team like this yet. A team that plays just as good or defense as they do. A team with playmakers and clutch shooters. A team that can turn on the D when it needs stops.

Tayshaun can shut down Horry and Barry. Chauncey is big enough to give Parker problems a lot like Marbury did. Rip has the quickness and conditioning to play Ginobli and Ben Wallace to colapse when he penetrates. Detroit will let Duncan score and not double team. Rasheed will be marginally successful, but his advantage is that he will be open from 3 pt range a lot because Duncan won't go out and guard him.

 

[JPlay]

Oh and never underestimate the defending Champions.

 

[hooper]

the NBA playoffs are a war of attrition. If you'r enot tough enough and ready for battle, you're gonna lose. You guys make it seem like the Spurs and Pistons don't have bumps, bruises (Rip's Calf injury, Duncan's ankle, etc. etc. - but those guys are warriors and don't talk about them nor make a big deal about them.

Bottom line- everyone at this popint in the NBA season ash something wrong with them - and the Spurs and the Pistons have just rode those injuries out and performed - that's all they can do.

Oh, I agree completely. I was responding to the sentiment that the Pistons were the only team to get "lucky" like that. Both teams have earned their right to fight for the championship. I'm liking the Pistons in 6.

 

[Joe Mama]

the NBA playoffs are a war of attrition. If you'r enot tough enough and ready for battle, you're gonna lose. You guys make it seem like the Spurs and Pistons don't have bumps, bruises (Rip's Calf injury, Duncan's ankle, etc. etc. - but those guys are warriors and don't talk about them nor make a big deal about them.

Bottom line- everyone at this popint in the NBA season ash something wrong with them - and the Spurs and the Pistons have just rode those injuries out and performed - that's all they can do.

I agree that part of being a great NBA team is being able to stay healthy. However we are talking about a serious lucky streak with the Detroit Pistons. Hamilton may be injured, but his injury was nothing serious enough to keep him out of the game. The Detroit Pistons ride to the championship last year and victory in the Eastern conference finals this year involved to some really good fortune. In three difficult series last year the other team lost a key player/the best player or had them severely crippled. I'm not really talking about Shaquille O'Neal's injury this year because he had been injured for some time. I'm talking about Wade's ribs. That's a freak thing, and I really believe that cost Miami this series and a trip to the finals.

Joe Mama

 

[JCSunsfan]

Spurs vs. Pistons

Yaaaaaawn! I haven't been this disinterested in the finals in a long time. If Dwayne Wade was playing, I would be interested.

Thugball plus,

No personalities.
No new stories.
No offense.

=

No interest.


The best thing the NBA could do to revitalize itself--call the games according to the rules, and then call the playoffs like the regular season.

The biggest problem with this league is the arbitrary and inconsistent way in which the games are refereed, and then when they are refereed consistently, its still not according to the rules.

 

[WizardOfAz]

Saw this in this morning's AZ Republic

Finals to feature teams for purists

The NBA Finals will be more about substance than style, more about matchups than minutiae.

The Detroit Pistons nor the San Antonio Spurs are a sight to behold for basketball purists. One team is the defending champion. The other was the reigning titlist a year ago.

The only superstar in the series, Tim Duncan, seems dull but is quietly charismatic. The coaches, Detroit's Larry Brown and San Antonio's Gregg Popovich, are such good friends that "Pop" was the best man at the wedding of "L.B."

Both teams have made defense and team play their calling cards. Neither has a player who will make your jaw drop.

"I think you're going to see another great series," Detroit's Chauncey Billups said. "It's going to be a tough challenge. You know, I just can't wait, man, I can't wait."

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/sports/articles/0608nba0608.html