Eastern Conference Finals

WolverineSteve · Post by **WolverineSteve** » Fri May 26, 2006 4:06 pm

I love what the Pistons did last night. It reminded me of the Finals vs. the Lake show a couple years ago. Let Wade (playing the role of Bryant) get his, play Shaq 1 on 1, don't let the role players beat you. You can give Wade and Shaq 50-60 points and shut down the chuckers like Walker and Peyton, and win. I love it. I hope Flip remembers that it was defense that first made this team great.

'stons still in 6.

Cicero · Post by **Cicero** » Fri May 26, 2006 5:36 pm

You are right in that in order for the Heat to win, Udonis, Antoine and Payton need to combine for a good 30 points if the Heat want to win the series. Shaq and Dwade need some help.

T REX · Post by **T REX** » Sun May 28, 2006 3:56 pm

MgoBlue-LightSpecial wrote:When the Pistons decide they really truly WANT to win the game, they won't lose. The difference between Miami and Detroit is, if Miami is playing at the top of their game, the Pistons will hang around, and may even win. If Detroit is at the top of their game, the Heat will get blown out.

This is where I disagree. I think that LAST YEAR it was close with Wade and Shaq injured. This year they are both healthy and making a huge difference.

Cicero · Post by **Cicero** » Sun May 28, 2006 4:49 pm

Huge win for the Heat last night. D Wade deserves to be mentioned in the LeBron/Kobe discussion b/c he has took his team further than the other two the past two years and he doesnt disappear in the big games. His block on McDyess's dunk in the 4th, was the play of the season for the Heat.

Shaq played great and if he comes out physical in Game 4, the Heat win. He is making the Defense POY look pretty suspect.

Diogenes · Post by **Diogenes** » Sun May 28, 2006 9:18 pm

Cicero wrote:D Wade deserves to be mentioned in the LeBron/Kobe discussion b/c he has took his team further than the other two the past two years and he doesnt disappear in the big games.

You're an idiot. Demonstrated by the fact you think there is a 'LeBron/Kobe discussion'. Wade is a phenomenal player, but nowhere near James. And since he doesn't go around raping women, and then raping his team, no reason to compare him to the cancer in yellow and violet.

Talk about comparing apples and iguanas and then you want to include machetes....

Cicero · Post by **Cicero** » Sun May 28, 2006 9:53 pm

Diogenes wrote:
Cicero wrote:D Wade deserves to be mentioned in the LeBron/Kobe discussion b/c he has took his team further than the other two the past two years and he doesnt disappear in the big games.
You're an idiot. Demonstrated by the fact you think there is a 'LeBron/Kobe discussion'. Wade is a phenomenal player, but nowhere near James. And since he doesn't go around raping women, and then raping his team, no reason to compare him to the cancer in yellow and violet.

Talk about comparing apples and iguanas and then you want to include machetes....

I dont personally think there should be a discussion but the media sure likes to point to those two as the best in the NBA. I think both are overrated. Kobe is a great talent but lacks mental toughness. Lebron has all the potential to be the 2nd greatest player of all-time, but he hasnt proven anything yet to get the Mount Rusmore type of hype the media bestows upon him.

D Wade has the complete game w/ no weaknesses. Great scorer, play maker, defender, mentally tough and plays w/ in the flow of the game.

T REX · Post by **T REX** » Mon May 29, 2006 2:28 pm

Cicero wrote:
Diogenes wrote:
Cicero wrote:D Wade deserves to be mentioned in the LeBron/Kobe discussion b/c he has took his team further than the other two the past two years and he doesnt disappear in the big games.
You're an idiot. Demonstrated by the fact you think there is a 'LeBron/Kobe discussion'. Wade is a phenomenal player, but nowhere near James. And since he doesn't go around raping women, and then raping his team, no reason to compare him to the cancer in yellow and violet.

Talk about comparing apples and iguanas and then you want to include machetes....

I dont personally think there should be a discussion but the media sure likes to point to those two as the best in the NBA. I think both are overrated. Kobe is a great talent but lacks mental toughness. Lebron has all the potential to be the 2nd greatest player of all-time, but he hasnt proven anything yet to get the Mount Rusmore type of hype the media bestows upon him.

D Wade has the complete game w/ no weaknesses. Great scorer, play maker, defender, mentally tough and plays w/ in the flow of the game.

Lebron....overrated?

Drugs are bad.....m'kay.....

Cicero · Post by **Cicero** » Mon May 29, 2006 9:49 pm

LeBron will be great, but he hasnt won shit yet, cant shoot and whines after every call. He is in the Top 5 in the league, but shouldnt be compared to the likes of MJ, Magic and oscar just yet.

Cicero · Post by **Cicero** » Tue May 30, 2006 3:25 am

Statement game for the Heat tonight. Held homecourt and D Wade went off again. Shaq is playing w/ a lot of energy and has been able to stay out of foul trouble.

I think the Pistons win game 5 at home and the heat wrap it up in 6.

M2 · Post by M2 » Tue May 30, 2006 3:54 am

The Heat close it in D-toliet... in game 5.

Killian · Post by **Killian** » Tue May 30, 2006 1:47 pm

The Pistons will win at home and get smoked in Miami.

Rip Hamilton is one of the biggest pussies I've ever seen, and I formed that opinion after last night. His fear to take the ball inside is boardering on comical, and the Heat/Shaq are so far in his head it's causing him to pass on open three pointer to... Maurice fucking Evans.

Billups needs to go Kobe and take over for this team because he's the only one with the balls to take it to his defender.

And for the love of God, sit Ben. Having to play 4 on 5 is only fun for so long.

T REX · Post by **T REX** » Tue May 30, 2006 4:36 pm

Killian wrote:The Pistons will win at home and get smoked in Miami.

Rip Hamilton is one of the biggest pussies I've ever seen, and I formed that opinion after last night. His fear to take the ball inside is boardering on comical, and the Heat/Shaq are so far in his head it's causing him to pass on open three pointer to... Maurice fucking Evans.

Billups needs to go Kobe and take over for this team because he's the only one with the balls to take it to his defender.

And for the love of God, sit Ben. Having to play 4 on 5 is only fun for so long.

Sit the DPOY?????

Killian · Post by **Killian** » Tue May 30, 2006 4:50 pm

T REX wrote:
Killian wrote:The Pistons will win at home and get smoked in Miami.

Rip Hamilton is one of the biggest pussies I've ever seen, and I formed that opinion after last night. His fear to take the ball inside is boardering on comical, and the Heat/Shaq are so far in his head it's causing him to pass on open three pointer to... Maurice fucking Evans.

Billups needs to go Kobe and take over for this team because he's the only one with the balls to take it to his defender.

And for the love of God, sit Ben. Having to play 4 on 5 is only fun for so long.
Sit the DPOY?????

Shaq is going to get his, that's a given. So why play Wallace who isn't even a small threat on offense, when you have someone like McDyess who can actually hit an open jumper, and force O'Neal to move on defense?

Will it work? Probably not, but it's better than letting Shaq camp in the middle of the lane and intimidate the hell out of Hamilton.

WolverineSteve · Post by **WolverineSteve** » Tue May 30, 2006 5:24 pm

I thought the great Flipper brought a better offense to the table. This team looks lost on "O" and slow on rotations on "D". Chauncey is being too un-selfish in the first halves of games. Rip isn't creating his own shots. Ben is useless on offense, Dale Davis is worse, McDyess is missing the shots he's been making the past 2 years. Don't get me started on Rasheed.

Here's hoping the Pistons can extend the series.

By the way...Props to the Heat. Shaq looks 5 years younger, and Wade is a MoFo.

MgoBlue-LightSpecial · Wed May 31, 2006 1:55 pm

Well, Miami is clearly proving me wrong right now. If they win, I'll sack up and admit to it fully...but we still have a chance.

Dinsdale · Post by **Dinsdale** » Wed May 31, 2006 6:00 pm

WolverineSteve wrote:Don't get me started on Rasheed.

Just think how badly off the Pistons would be without his 40 points in the paint every night.

Killian · Post by **Killian** » Wed May 31, 2006 6:34 pm

Dinsdale wrote:
WolverineSteve wrote:Don't get me started on Rasheed.

Just think how badly off the Pistons would be without his 40 points in the paint every night.

Or where they would have been in 2004 without him.

He may be turning into the Rasheed of old, but without that trade, Detroit wouldn't have a championship that year, or make it to the finals last year.

WolverineSteve · Post by **WolverineSteve** » Wed May 31, 2006 6:46 pm

^^True.

in 2004 Sheed was the difference. I don't think he's the old sheed off the court with all the troubles etc., but he is having a tough series. He's actually been most effective on the rare occasion that he posts up Haslam.

We aint dead yet, but we've cerainly dug an imposing hole.

RadioFan · Post by **RadioFan** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 7:56 am

Dan Wetzel, after Detroit wins game 5, 91-78 wrote:There was a great debate afterward about which team was now under the gun – Detroit, which still needs to win two more games, or Miami, which certainly doesn't want to return here for Game 7 – and the answer broke along partisan lines. But the reality is the Heat can't be happy that the Pistons just woke up to extend their record in elimination games over the last four seasons to a remarkable 11-2.

Detroit resembles a boxer in these long, long series it thrives in. The Pistons jab and jab and throw body blow after body blow, sometimes losing early rounds and sometimes looking feeble. But all that grinding and all that wearing down tend to pay off in the end with a knockout in Games 6 or 7.

The difference between this series and all of those other successful ones is the great play of Miami and the internal sniping of Detroit. The Pistons hadn't looked like Detroit and the Heat had looked unbeatable.

Column: Pistons' road block

Cicero · Post by **Cicero** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 1:27 pm

Pistons played good D last night and the Heat didnt take advantage when they cut to lead to 4 or less. I figured the Heat would lose this one b/c the Pistons are too good to lose in 5 games.

MgoBlue-LightSpecial · Fri Jun 02, 2006 2:27 pm

I don't think it's going to happen, but if Detroit can find a way to scrap a win out tonight, they won't lose a game 7 on their home floor. Just gotta find a way to squeak one out tonight...

Cicero · Post by **Cicero** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 2:54 pm

If the Heat lose tonight, its over. It will ruin me.

WolverineSteve · Post by **WolverineSteve** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 4:49 pm

I don't know why the Pistons can't put together a complete game and beat Miami tonight. Other than the fact that they haven't done so all series.

Rip, Chauncey, and Prince all need big games. Ben must repeat his defensive brilliance from game 5 to give Detroit a chance. Lindsey off with bench with swarming d (do not shoot please!), and McDyess hitting the baseline jumpers. If 80% of these things occur, Detroit has a chance.

T REX · Post by **T REX** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 3:04 am

Shaq CARRIED the team on his back to a win.

Shaq's third different team in the finals. Amazing.

Cicero · Post by **Cicero** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 2:34 pm

Cicero wrote:I'm going to go homer since the Heat are my team, but since the All-Star break, the Heat and Pistons have the exact same record. Last year, a healthy Wade would have put the Heat in the Finals. W/ a week off and plenty of rest I think the Heat are going to be ready. The Pistons can’t continue to play hot and cold and pull it off every series. They are going to get caught sleeping one time and this one time is against the Heat.

Heat in 6

I just had a feeling about this team. They played great in the first 2 Rounds and Shaq was healthy, finally. Shaq dominated Ben Wallace in the series. No one on the Pistons team could guard D Wade. Did Rasheed Wallace play last night? Anyway, 6 days of rest before the Finals. Dallas scares the shit out of me.

MgoBlue-LightSpecial · Sat Jun 03, 2006 4:00 pm

Props to Miami. They were than the Pistons this year.

T REX · Post by **T REX** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 4:53 pm

Cicero wrote: Anyway, 6 days of rest before the Finals. Dallas scares the shit out of me.

Shaq will be well rested and on his game.

Diogenes · Post by **Diogenes** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 5:04 pm

Whoever wins tonight's game wins it all.

Bank on it.

T REX · Post by **T REX** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 5:36 pm

Diogenes wrote:Whoever wins tonight's game wins it all.

Bank on it.

Wins the title?

I disagree completely. The Heat have Shaq. Neither Dallas nor PHX have anything that could begin to imagine to stop Shaq. Spare me the Elton Brand reference as Brand is no where near Shaq's experience level nor size.

Diogenes · Post by **Diogenes** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 8:58 pm

And you would be completely wrong. Shaq isn't going to be a problem, Wade is. But the Heat can't stop either Dallas or Phoenix from scoring, and can't keep up with them.

T REX · Post by **T REX** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 9:12 pm

Diogenes wrote:And you would be completely wrong. Shaq isn't going to be a problem, Wade is. But the Heat can't stop either Dallas or Phoenix from scoring, and can't keep up with them.

Shaq isn't going to be a problem? The Heat just beat the best team in the league. The best defensive team in the league.

They are stocked with veteran role players that have been there before.

Shaq alone is the difference. The guy is in his what his sixth or seventh finals? Yeah, that has no bearing on the outcome.

This is going nowhere fast. Shaq isn't going to be a problem? Funniest shit I have read in a long time.

Cicero · Post by **Cicero** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 10:37 pm

Mavs scare me more than Suns. Wade can shut down Nash. There is absolutely no answer for Shaq. Haslem on Diaw and have Walker and Posey guard Bell and Marion. Not an easy task b/c they have very atheltic wings, but if the Heat slow down the game, the Suns arent the same in a halfcourt set. This conversation is pointless though as the Mavs are going to win this series.

T REX · Post by **T REX** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 11:07 pm

Cicero wrote:Mavs scare me more than Suns. Wade can shut down Nash. There is absolutely no answer for Shaq. Haslem on Diaw and have Walker and Posey guard Bell and Marion. Not an easy task b/c they have very atheltic wings, but if the Heat slow down the game, the Suns arent the same in a halfcourt set. This conversation is pointless though as the Mavs are going to win this series.

No..no...Shaq won't be a problem dude. He's insignificant. He doesn't matter.

MgoBlue-LightSpecial · Sat Jun 03, 2006 11:24 pm

I don't have anything against the guy, but I swear, every time I read a sports take from diogenes, it's just incredibly fucking stupid. Ignorant at best.

Ben Wallace can defend Shaq probably better than anyone in the league and Shaq still did his damage. But somehow, he's not going to be a factor versus a team that has NO ONE to defend him? It's simple logic, dio, grasp it already.

Wade's a great scorer, but Miami's entire offense revolves around Shaq, not Wade.

Diogenes · Post by **Diogenes** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 11:38 pm

MgoBlue-LightSpecial wrote:I don't have anything against the guy, but I swear, every time I read a sports take from diogenes, it's just incredibly fucking stupid. Ignorant at best.

Ben Wallace can defend Shaq probably better than anyone in the league and Shaq still did his damage. But somehow, he's not going to be a factor versus a team that has NO ONE to defend him? It's simple logic, dio, grasp it already.

Wade's a great scorer, but Miami's entire offense revolves around Shaq, not Wade.

Shaq isn't going to be a factor, because in a high scoring close game, which most of them should be, he will be a liability in crunch time, due to his inability to make a free throw. If they keep him in at the end of the game, he gats fouled and blows the shots. Or he sits on the bench. Either way, no problem. And they canj't slow down the Suns or Mavs, or match them basket for basket.

Diogenes · Post by **Diogenes** » Sat Jun 03, 2006 11:41 pm

And no, the Pistons weren't the best team in the league. Their regular season record was inflated due to playing in the pathetic east.

MgoBlue-LightSpecial · Sun Jun 04, 2006 12:12 am

Diogenes wrote:
MgoBlue-LightSpecial wrote:I don't have anything against the guy, but I swear, every time I read a sports take from diogenes, it's just incredibly fucking stupid. Ignorant at best.

Ben Wallace can defend Shaq probably better than anyone in the league and Shaq still did his damage. But somehow, he's not going to be a factor versus a team that has NO ONE to defend him? It's simple logic, dio, grasp it already.

Wade's a great scorer, but Miami's entire offense revolves around Shaq, not Wade.
Shaq isn't going to be a factor, because in a high scoring close game, which most of them should be, he will be a liability in crunch time, due to his inability to make a free throw. If they keep him in at the end of the game, he gats fouled and blows the shots. Or he sits on the bench. Either way, no problem. And they canj't slow down the Suns or Mavs, or match them basket for basket.

His inability to make a free throw? Since when has that stopped his Magic, Laker and Heat teams from winning an absurd amount of games? Shaq's inability to hit free throws down the stretch, or at ANY point in the game isn't exactly a fresh observation. When the Heat are on their game, his inability to make a free throw has no outcome on the game.

T REX · Post by **T REX** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 12:45 am

This is going nowhere.

Cicero · Post by **Cicero** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 1:24 am

Diogenes wrote:And no, the Pistons weren't the best team in the league. Their regular season record was inflated due to playing in the pathetic east.

Sincerely,

3 years ago

The East has caught up. Lebron, DWade, Shaq and Arenas out front should have told you.

RadioFan · Post by **RadioFan** » Sun Jun 04, 2006 3:42 am

T REX wrote:The Heat just beat the best team in the league.

Arguable at best, considering Dallas beat the defending champs while Miami beat a team that had a complete collapse in the playoffs, starting before the ECFs.

MgoBlue-LightSpecial wrote:But somehow, he's not going to be a factor versus a team that has NO ONE to defend him? It's simple logic, dio, grasp it already.

Dallas will play Miami the same way they played SA, use two centers against Shaq, who may have a few big games, like Duncan did ... resulting in losses for the Heat.

The matchup problems the Spurs' forwards and guards had against Dallas -- namely speed -- is going to be the same for the Heat, if not worse.

Should be a decent finals.

Cicero wrote:The East has caught up.

Right. Washington and Cleveland would only lose to Sacramento 4-2 instead of being swept.