Oct
23
When the Detroit Pistons upset the heavily-favored Los Angeles Lakers four games to one in the 2004 NBA Finals, they were an inspiring and hungry squad that moved around on offense and played team basketball.
Ever since the Pistons won the title in 2004, they have been too content with their ability to turn it on whenever they feel like it. Detroit has consequently disappointed during the last three playoffs, losing to the San Antonio Spurs in Game 7 of the 2005 NBA Finals and respectively falling in six games to the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2006 and 2007 Eastern Conference Finals.
When Rasheed Wallace officially snapped at the end of the Game Six blowout in Cleveland during the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals, Detroit’s run as a title contender officially ended. While the Pistons return their core of Wallace, Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince, this is a team that is one year older and still uncertain whether all of the players are on board with third-year Head Coach Flip Saunders.
General Manager Joe Dumars decided to give this team another shot and did a great job retooling the Detroit bench. Ultimately, this team’s fate rests in the hand of its four starting holdovers, who along with Chicago’s Ben Wallace, restored the Pistons to championship glory.
However, it seems safe to say that Detroit’s run as a legit championship contender is on its last legs, if not officially over.
by Chris Maynard, chris@hoops4thesoul.com
Oct
23
After witnessing Lebron James dominate the Detroit Pistons in the best performance of his young career during Game Five of the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals and then being carried to the Eastern Conference crown by the hot shooting of rookie guard Daniel Gibson two nights later, the Cleveland Cavaliers were a flop against the San Antonio Spurs in the 2007 NBA Finals.
The Cavs were pretenders rather than contenders during San Antonio’s ugly four-game sweep. Beginning and ending with James, Cleveland was passive and in over its head.
Just as when it looked like James had established himself as a dominant closer in the pivotal Game Five against Detroit, Lebron took a major step back during the Finals. It only took James 15 quarters in that series to start attacking the rim. By the time he did, it was way too late.
Even though the Cavs proved to be one of the worst teams to have ever reached the Finals, things would seem to be on the upswing entering this season, right? For heavens sake, James is entering his fifth year and is still only 22 years old. And he’s already taken the Cavs to the Finals while still being a long way from reaching his prime!
Cleveland fans are going to need to develop such idealistic views this season as the Cavs took another dramatic step back in the offseason. In simple terms, Cleveland is in big-time trouble this season and no longer a contender in the Eastern Conference. And it gets worse. James is starting to have doubts about what Cleveland’s management is doing; a bad sign considering that he can opt out of his contract in 2010-2011.
by Chris Maynard, chris@hoops4thesoul.com
When the Detroit Pistons upset the heavily-favored Los Angeles Lakers four games to one in the 2004 NBA Finals, they were an inspiring and hungry squad that moved around on offense and played team basketball.
After witnessing Lebron James dominate the Detroit Pistons in the best performance of his young career during Game Five of the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals and then being carried to the Eastern Conference crown by the hot shooting of rookie guard Daniel Gibson two nights later, the Cleveland Cavaliers were a flop against the San Antonio Spurs in the 2007 NBA Finals.