Pistons/Lakers game 2

[F-Dog]

I figured a new thread would be nice, to get away from all the Marion-bashing.


I guess I'm in the minority here, but I think Detroit will come out with more desperation than LA. Certainly, they need this game more--they need to win one more road game, because the lower seed always loses at least one home game in the 2-3-2 format, and this might be their best chance for that second road win (since the Lakers are banged up a little).

Meanwhile, the Lakers have to be confident they can win four games in a row once they find their rhythm; that's what they did to San Antonio, after all. They can start the steamroller in game 3 if they have to, and they would still have a game in hand in case of a fluke loss.


Even if Detroit comes out with more energy again, the Lakers will be better prepared than in game 1, and they'll still have the home court and maybe the calls (although the officials' favor no longer seems to be a sure thing for them). If the teams come out as I expect they will, it should be a close and well-contested game.


The X-factors in game 2 are Kobe and Chauncey Billups, IMO. Rip Hamilton should bounce back, but Detroit will need at least a pretty good game from Billups too if they want to score 90, which will give them a fighting chance at the W. Billups is the toughest cover for the Lakers, since he can body Payton and Fisher and also make plays off the dribble, but his shooting comes and goes.

Kobe Bryant has to drive and distribute. Without double-teams, the Lakers' role players aren't getting the automatic open looks that they expect, but Kobe should be able to create some looks for them anyway if he's unselfish. Shaq is due for a poor FT-shooting game, so I'm guessing that the Pistons will use their fouls to prevent another 80% shooting night...

 

[Joe Mama]

How many of you think Shawn Marion could bring the ball up and... I'm sorry, couldn't help myself.

I still believe the Lakers will win this game by double digits, but if the Pistons are going to have a chance they'll have to get more from Hamilton.

So far so good for the Pistons. It's an ugly, close game early on.

Joe Mama

P. S. how many of you saw the Lakers' intro before the game? The video display was almost completely Kobe Bryant from Game 1. The only showed a few quick flashes of Shaquille O'Neal.

 

[Evil Ash]

18-16 Lakers after 1 quarter. It looks like its going to be another ugly defensive game.

That style of game does favor the Pistons

 

[Evil Ash]

68-66 Lakers at the end of the 3rd quarter. This looks like its gonna go down to the wire

 

[slinslin]

Come On! Hold On Now.

And it's amazing how Fisher gets all those open 3s in the corners.

 

[slinslin]

Man Kobe.

The Lakers never run out of luck.

 

[scudney]

omg. Kobe does it again

 

[slinslin]

Should have fouled Shaq when he touched it.

 

[Evil Ash]

They should have fouled Shaq when they had the chance

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

kobe did that with his left hand, then changed to his right mid air.

I cant wait till the suns have him

 

[Renz]

They should have fouled Shaq when they had the chance

Absolutely.

Wow! Kobe is clutch!!! :notworthy

 

[Joe Mama]

The Detroit Pistons had two chances in the last minute of the game to foul Shaquille O'Neal in the last minute of the game. They didn't take either of them and the result in both cases was a three-point play.

Joe Mama

 

[slinslin]

The Lakers absolutely don't deserve to win. Can't they for once have bad luck?

 

[elindholm]

They showed a stat saying that Bryant was 4-28 from three-point range in the fourth quarter of the playoffs, but somehow I don't recall seeing any of the misses.

 

[Renz]

The Detroit Pistons had two chances in the last minute of the game to foul Shaquille O'Neal in the last minute of the game. They didn't take either of them and the result in both cases was a three-point play.

Joe Mama

Teams almost never foul when they have a three point lead. Why? It must be some kind of basketball code of honor.

 

[Evil Ash]

Kobe just got called for his 5th foul

How much do you want to bet that miraculously both he had Shaq don't foul out?

 

[Lefty]

This game is just about over, Lakers win. Larry Brown is a moron for not telling his team to foul. Why do people think he is such a great coach? He never wins the big one. If not for Danny Manning he would have zero championships. This series has taken a huge momentum in favor of the Lakers.

 

[Evil Ash]

Once the game went into overtime, the Pistons quit. However, the Pistons did do what they needed to by splitting the series.

This is a much better series so far than I thought it would be

 

[PhxGametime]

I watch 3 plays the whole game and if Refs call blocking call on Fisher - game is over... sheesh

 

[Lefty]

Once the game went into overtime, the Pistons quit. However, the Pistons did do what they needed to by splitting the series.

This is a much better series so far than I thought it would be

Disagree. The Pistons feel like they should be up 2 games to none. The Lakers would of had to win twice in Detroit, now they only need one.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Disgusting....I was sick watching the last two minutes of this game....not fouling Shaq or Kobe in the last 8 seconds is one of the biggest coaching blunders in the history of basketball; has Larry Brown watched Kobe play ever? He is clearly undoubtebly the most clutch player right now, and one of the most in the history of the game.

The B.S. Al Michaels is spewing about Showtime Redux makes me want to puke. The difference between that team of the 80's and this team now is night and day. The Lakers are two good players, and a bunch of crap that can only hit wide open shots. The Lakers team of the 80's had talent up and down. Malone and Payton have to be mortified, they are a complete embarassment. If I hear the "Let's get it started" song once more, or see another shot of ******* Jack Nicholson, I will break my tv. (Memo to Jack: you are inside, and it is night, rendering sunglasses worthless. Leave them at home).

 

[Evil Ash]

Disagree. The Pistons feel like they should be up 2 games to none. The Lakers would of had to win twice in Detroit, now they only need one.

Yes and no. You're right that the feeling that Pistons should be up 2 could come back to haunt them. Its up to how/if they bounce back in game 3.

The goal of every team that is the road team at the beginning of a series is to split on the road. That way they take away home court advantage away from the other team. If they win all their games at home they win the series

 

[Evil Ash]

Disgusting....I was sick watching the last two minutes of this game....not fouling Shaq or Kobe in the last 8 seconds is one of the biggest coaching blunders in the history of basketball; has Larry Brown watched Kobe play ever? He is clearly undoubtebly the most clutch player right now, and one of the most in the history of the game.

Agreed, a HUGE mistake by Larry Brown.

The B.S. Al Michaels is spewing about Showtime Redux makes me want to puke. The difference between that team of the 80's and this team now is night and day. The Lakers are two good players, and a bunch of crap that can only hit wide open shots. The Lakers team of the 80's had talent up and down. Malone and Payton have to be mortified, they are a complete embarassment. If I hear the "Let's get it started" song once more, or see another shot of ******* Jack Nicholson, I will break my tv. (Memo to Jack: you are inside, and it is night, rendering sunglasses worthless. Leave them at home).

Its funny you should mention the commentary by ABC because I was listening to some national sports radio after game 1 and even Laker fans are admitting the pro-Laker bias is sickening

 

[elindholm]

Teams almost never foul when they have a three point lead. Why? It must be some kind of basketball code of honor.

Some coaches do. I think Don Nelson is one of them, but I could be wrong about that.

Fouling isn't quite the no-brainer that it seems.

First of all, it stops the clock, which the team protecting a small lead never wants to do.

Secondly, you have to commit your foul quickly enough that the player can't get his shot off -- and in the closing moments, when (let's face it) no one has any idea what will or won't be called a foul, that can be risky. Maybe the officials won't call your foul until the offensive player has started his shot motion? That's certainly a risk.

Next, you have to rebound the missed free throw. In this case, that's hardly automatic when you figure O'Neal is going to be running everyone over once Bryant (or whoever) intentionally misses the second attempt.

And then, you have to inbound the ball successfully (depending on the foul situation), make your own foul shots, and guard against whatever desperation attempt comes in the closing seconds.

So all in all, I'm not sure I'd foul if I were the one in charge.

What you can do, of course, is double the other team's best clutch shooter, especially as the clock is winding down. But teams don't seem to want to do that, either.

So who has the explanation for that one?

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Fouling isn't quite the no-brainer that it seems.

First of all, it stops the clock, which the team protecting a small lead never wants to do.

Secondly, you have to commit your foul quickly enough that the player can't get his shot off -- and in the closing moments, when (let's face it) no one has any idea what will or won't be called a foul, that can be risky. Maybe the officials won't call your foul until the offensive player has started his shot motion? That's certainly a risk.


And then, you have to inbound the ball successfully (depending on the foul situation), make your own foul shots, and guard against whatever desperation attempt comes in the closing seconds.

So all in all, I'm not sure I'd foul if I were the one in charge.

I understand what you are saying, but we have to look at this case on an individual situation basis. There Shaq was, recieving the inbounds pass with 8 seconds left, with his back to the basket. This is a GOLDEN opportunity for the Pistons, you foul him ASAP, have around 7 seconds left. As long as you box out, you should be able to get the rebound, call timeout, and get your best free throw shooters on the floor. Essentially at that point, there is maybe one posession for both teams, and with Shaq getting free throws in the LA posession, your odds are looking pretty good.

Let's face it, you don't give Kobe the chance to hit the game winning shot, I can understand the strategy of not fouling being sound in many situations; this is not one of them. Did anyone here think that Kobe wouldn't hit that shot?