June 16, 2004
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
Find out what it means to Tha D.
Red Auerbach is safe. Coming into the NBA Finals the old Celtics codger and the Zen Master both had coached their teams to nine championships and the general consensus was that the Lakers would give Phil Jackson number 10. That however was not to be as the Pistons thoroughly dominated the Lakers, winning this year’s NBA Finals in five games.
Instead of focusing on where the Lakers went wrong, Gothamist would instead like to give the Pistons the respect they deserve. Quite simply, the Lakers were not ready, willing or able to deal with the Pistons defensive intensity. By having Ben Wallace anchor their D and match up against Shaq one on one, the Lakers role players did not have the open shots they usually get (and knock down) so it was left to Kobe Bryant to generate the offense, something he was not able to do with Tayshaun Prince draped all over him. Just as importantly, Rip Hamilton's constant attacking on offense forced Jackson to use Bryant to cover him, which obviously tired him out.
Congratulations go out to the entire Pistons organization, especially Larry Brown and Joe Dumars. Brown, who was brought in before the season by GM Dumars, became the first coach to win NBA and NCAA titles. Dumars took a lot of heat for bringing in Brown to replace Rick Carlisle, a former coach of the year that won 50 games last season. Gothamist is pretty sure that Pistons fans aren't complaining now though. Pistons owner, Bill Davidson, now has two championship winning teams, the Pistons and the Tampa Bay Lightning, who won the Stanley Cup.
Chauncey Billups was named MVP of the Finals even though he has never played in an All Star Game. The last player to do that? Joe Dumars.
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i find it amusing that the lakers didn't win with all their talent and how a lot of people didn't think it would be close.
excellent game last night. congrats to the pistons.
Respect from the big apple crew?
So best.
Obvs.
big ups for throwing some love towards The D ... still waiting for that Salt Water Taffy, though =P
HOLLA ATCHA PISTONS!
This is how far Gary Payton has fallen -- one-legged Jamaal Tinsley, even with two legs the shortest, slowest point guard in the NBA, locked down Billups better than the Glove did. That sound you hear is Billups' MVP trophy pounding the nails into Payton's coffin.
Payton has $5.5 million coming to him next year. No way he opts out after the playoffs he just had.
>> "...find it amusing that the lakers didn't win with all their talent..."
What talent? Besides Kobe and Shaq, the rest of this team was a joke. Payton was consistently burned by Billups -- he just doesn't have the legs any more. Malone is done. The rest? Medvedenko, George, Fisher and Fox are all role players. They are not talented. Luke Walton and Kareem Rush may turn out to be talented -- but they were by no means consistent, especially compaired to 2nd-year player Tayshaun Prince who was a solid contributor throughout the series.
There was a sign in the crowd featured the heads of the Pistons' starters and the heads of Shaq and Kobe. The headline was "Our Full House Beats Your Pair." So true. The Pistons are really a team. The Lakers are not.
I gotta give Detroit fans props for their excellent crowd signage. My favorite one was about Rasheed Wallace: "This 'Sheed is Unbelievable!"
DEEEEEEEtroit BASketALL
gotta love Mason
classy guy, LB - gave props to all the players who used to be part of it, former coach RC.
It's amazing how poorly the Lakers play when the other team doesn't give up open jumpers to Laker scrubs. (Maybe the Kings can learn from this and actually play some D next season?) Fisher, George and Rush had no chance to score, and Kobe settled for mostly long three point attempts and off-balance running jumpers. And Payton...where was he? Poor Shaq. He had a good series but needed some help.
Congrats to the Pistons. Seeing the Lakers lose is so very satisfying.
Enjoy the taffy, Grambo!
Uncle Grambo, do you want the Taffy separately? I'm waiting for Tiny Factory to make the t-shirt...