(preface this by saying this series is far from over)
The easy thing to do after Game 2 was to hand the Eastern Conference throne to the Pistons. I can’t blame those who automatically did such a thing. The uninformed were being stuffed with ‘The Celtics can’t win on the road’, ‘They haven’t won all postseason’. It seemed like simple Everywhere you looked the storyline was ‘can the Celtics win on the road?’ and that 0-fer stat was thrown in everyone’s face.
People didn’t do their homework.
This is the Detroit Pistons we are dealing with. What exactly have they done to earn such a distinction? If this was San Antonio stealing home court advantage than yes everyone and their mother could whole heartedly agree that the series was over. Why? Because the Spurs take care of business. How did everyone forget the bipolar nature of the Detroit Pistons? How was this not addressed by anyone in the power to do it? There is a reason why this team is making its sixth straight appearance in the ECF with only two trips to the Finals and one ring on their fingers. If Game 2 showed why the Pistons are a championship caliber team, Game 3 was the counterargument. Last night showed why this Piston team may never win a title. They are entirely too beatable. And it is not that they do not have the talent…it is that they continue to beat themselves. Their “swagger” is their undoing. The proof is in the pudding: when the Pistons get cocky and comfortable, they get bored and lose.
- They gave up a home game to the Sixers.
- Two years ago they had to fight off Cleveland (down 3-2) and then watched as the Heat stole Game 1 of the ECF in Detroit and took the series.
- Last year they almost let the Bulls back into a series after blowing them out and then forgot how to play basketball after going up 2-0 on Cleveland and losing in 6.
When the Pistons have an advantage, they seem to fold. That switch that the great teams have been able to turn on (the Lakers of the 00’s, the Spurs of now) the Pistons cannot seem to get a hold of it. And there is no rhyme or reason to when they are going to turn it on. My hypothesis is they respond when their backs are against the wall or when they have a chip on their shoulder. Game 2 they played like a team with a chip on their shoulder. And in Game 4 they will more than likely win, maybe even going away because they for some reason like to put themselves in a corner and make it interesting.
The reason why Detroit can’t win a championship is because they don’t have the discipline to get it done. Does anyone remember how hungry this Piston team was in 04 when they beat the Lakers? They absolutely obliterated the Lakers and ended that era on their own. Detroit doesn’t seem to have that same hunger. Last night did they look like a team who realized that a win last night could have broken the Celtics back? No. They looked like a team who just counted on home court for their victory. You could tell in their quotes leading up to the game:
“The atmosphere’s going to be crazy,” Hamilton said. “We’re geeked about getting back to our home court. The fans are excited, and now it’s our job to take care of home court.”
In the playoffs you can’t just think that home court is going to automatically give you the win. And you could tell that’s what the Pistons thought. Their amazing intro, the fans were going wild, they had their swagger going. But as soon as the ball went up, all of that aura they carried with them disappeared with the smoke from the pyro. There was no substance. They had no sense of urgency. It’s like getting in a fight with someone. If you go into a fight unprepared, cocky and thinking you’re going to beat the hell out of whoever it is…odds are you are going to get knocked the bleep out. Detroit showed up thinking they were going to win but did nothing about it.
So what exactly is the problem? It has been a known fact for years that Detroit’s starting 5 is completely inconsistent when it comes to giving effort. For some reason because of their talent quota this has just been deemed acceptable in the basketball world. That’s why the Maxiell’s, Stuckey’s, Hunter’s of the world are so important. They come in and work hard. And that’s why Flip had to go to Stuckey so early.
The most underrated part of the game last night was KG and Ray Allen getting in foul trouble. It seemed as if disaster was imminent, that the start would be ruined. And it was for the most part. The Celtics were up 15-8 when Allen went out with his second foul. All hell began to break loose. For about three minutes the Celtics looked like a team who didn’t belong in most rec leagues, let alone games away from a potential trip to the Finals. Sam Cassell looked completely lost. Paul Pierce apparently didn’t get the memo it was his time to shine and was in the process of making all sorts of bad decisions. Slowly but surely the Pistons came back. 17-15 Detroit. Looked like the Pistons would runaway with it.
Except Boston’s bench took Detroit’s punch…and responded. Got some free throws, settled down and then Posey and Sam I Am made a couple huge threes. The bench was put in a position where they HAD to play well. There was no other choice. It wasn’t man we ‘need’ to play well they ‘had’ to. And they did. By the time KG and Allen returned the lead was 29-23…only one point less than when they had left. No damage was done and if anything it settled the role players into a comfort zone.
It’s foolish to hand the series to the Celtics. There is way too much basketball left to be played.
Just trust history.