11/21/24
April 17, 2006
Can the Pistons be Stopped? : I don't think so. 64 wins (a team record) and I don't see anyone other then San Antonio that is a threat to them.
posted by commander cody to basketball at 02:44 AM - 39 comments
That may be true the pistons play extremely well as a cohesive unit but you Can not count out the spurs you take them lightly and they can make you pay dearly Amen, as I said the Spurs look like the only team that might trip them up. I'll still take my Pistons in 5 games.
posted by commander cody at 02:54 AM on April 17, 2006
Guarantee that to be a hell of a series, honestly I would like to see Detriot take it. I'm a Sonics fan but we know how that turned out this year. ANYONE but the Lakers.
posted by smalz24 at 02:59 AM on April 17, 2006
ANYONE but the Lakers. Oh yes and I live in L.A. I have to be careful cause as I've said before if you say anything against the Lakers out here they send Jack Nicholson to your door to try to hit you with his walker or cane.
posted by commander cody at 03:05 AM on April 17, 2006
I know what you mean I used to live in LA. But I was raised with a "Seattle" based household I learned to hate the Lakers, Raiders and USC
posted by smalz24 at 03:07 AM on April 17, 2006
Beddy bye time, but I like the way you think.
posted by commander cody at 03:13 AM on April 17, 2006
The Pistons certainly are solid but if Tim Duncan is healthy then a series with the Spurs will be a tough one for Detroit. That's not to say that the Pistons won't win, they'll just have to work pretty hard to get by Timmy and company. Also, don't rule out Dallas as a wild card in this discussion. They've improved defensively this year and Dirk is playing better than he ever has so you never know what might happen. Of course, with that said, it would still be a pretty big upset if the Mavericks knocked off the Spurs in the Western Conference playoffs. Sure, both teams were very close all year in the win column but let's be honest, they are worlds apart when it comes to playoff confidence, which the Spurs have in abundance and Dallas lacks. As for the rest of the NBA, well, the regular season winning streaks and LeBron's and Kobe's individual brilliance were all nice to keep us interested during the long winter months, but none of that wins in the playoffs. Until further notice the Pistons and Spurs are the class of the NBA come playoff time.
posted by donnnnychris at 05:22 AM on April 17, 2006
64 wins seems like alot, until you look at the Eastern Conference which is where a huge amount of those wins came from. I'm not saying the Pistons aren't good, they just play in a coference that has 3 teams going to the playoffs that are under .500.
posted by Familyman at 05:27 AM on April 17, 2006
If Carlisle could ever get a team to stay as healthy as Saunders did this year, the Pacers could give them a run. I really think any team could if they started the same 5 for as many games as the Pistons. Team play is shown by the Pistons with the fact there were no players choosen for the All Star by fan voting. Most fans away from the Mid-west did not know the players. At least at the Piston's games you don't hear, "Let's go Red Wings!!" Go Pistons
posted by coach at 06:33 AM on April 17, 2006
Before San Antonio is crowned the West champ, it's worth noting that the Spurs could still fall to fourth seed. Dallas can still tie their record and has a better tiebreaker in the division.
posted by rcade at 07:01 AM on April 17, 2006
64 wins seems like alot, until you look at the Eastern Conference which is where a huge amount of those wins came from. I don't know, Familyman, 25-5 against non-Conference teams isn't too shabby either. That includes a 6-2 record against the top four seeds in the West: 2-0 vs. Suns 2-0 vs. Spurs 1-1 vs. Nuggets 1-1 vs. Mavs
posted by wingnut4life at 07:20 AM on April 17, 2006
I've only seen the Pistons a few times this season, but they looked pretty unstoppable. I love the way they play the game -- it's tough not to root for them, even when they're playing my hometown Mavs.
posted by rcade at 07:35 AM on April 17, 2006
Detroit has been healthy this year. An injury to a starter may be one of two reasons that can stop the Pistons. The other reason is a healthy Spur team with a healthy Tim Duncan.
posted by mustang71 at 08:27 AM on April 17, 2006
An injury to a starter may be one of two reasons that can stop the Pistons. Just don't tell McDyess that he's starting. He hates starting. He'll come off the bench any day. Just...don't...tell...him...he's starting!
posted by wingnut4life at 08:34 AM on April 17, 2006
I want to see them win it all . Any team can beat any team on any given day , but Detroit seems hungrier than the rest of the NBA teams and that is what counts in the end . It's all a matter of HOW much you really want it . There will be a few surprizes in the Road to the Finals but Detroit will be there .
posted by alvinthefirst at 08:35 AM on April 17, 2006
The ONLY team that can stop the Pistons is.... Drumroll....... The Pistons. Period...end of story...they control their own destiny...San Antonio is down this year some, Phoenix is missing Amare, Miami (please) is their most serious East competitor...Dallas may beat them if they get to the finals...but who knows what will happen...the playoffs are LIKE a crapshoot sort of...the best team wins though...
posted by chemwizBsquared at 08:51 AM on April 17, 2006
I am sorry joecab but I don't think the Pistons are going to choke in the big game like your USC trojans did in the Rose Bowl, and if you didn't notice Isiah Thomas has been out of Detroit for quite a long time.
posted by muggsy at 08:54 AM on April 17, 2006
Detroit has to watch itself in the playoffs! The Bulls are hungry and have no pressure to win, so they will come out with a lot of energy! Detroit tends to take it a bit easy in the first half and then turns it on in the second. That drives me crazy, but it has become effective. After watching the Bulls beat the Heat handily, it got me thinking, the Pistons better not sleep on that team whatsoever! I know the playoffs are different from the regular season, but they better play hard each and every night! Chauncey for MVP, Ben Wallace for DPY and Flip Saunders for COY!
posted by bkdet at 08:56 AM on April 17, 2006
chemwizBsquared: I agree! The Pistons is the only team that can stop the Pistons! They better use Rasheed in the post cause he's unstoppable down there! Also, tell Lyndsay Hunter not to hold the damn ball for too long when he's running the point while Chauncey's out! Dammit!
posted by bkdet at 08:58 AM on April 17, 2006
Minor gripes - Pistons are the class of the league. Unfortunately, that means anything less than a championship has to be considered something of a disappointment. I can't see a team in the East that can challenge them, or even push them to seven. (Miami is the biggest pretender around - they're worse than last year, and I think the playoffs are going to show it) The West may make it more interesting, but I still can't see any of San Antonio (please no - it will be the most boring finals in history. Even more boring than last years' boring finals. And that was some boring), Dallas, Phoenix, beating them. No one matches up well against Detroit in a seven gamer. So it's the old classic "Do they choke and not win?!?" playoffs for Piston fans. I hate being the favorite.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 09:40 AM on April 17, 2006
Every post warning about the Spurs has mentioned "a healthy Tim Duncan." He hasn't really been healthy all year, so you can't expect him to heal when the most physical games of the year are being played. The one thing that could take the Pistons out is an injury to Chauncey Billups. There are some experienced guys at forward and center, but Delk and Hunter couldn't come close to making up for the loss of Mr. Big Shot.
posted by MarsCrash at 10:25 AM on April 17, 2006
The Pistons will only lose 5 games through out the playoffs. They'll beat the Spurs in 6 games.
posted by The Toz at 11:52 AM on April 17, 2006
I love to argue so much... I wish I could argue for any one other than the Pistons here; it would really be nice to not conform... But,... Pistons are tough, I have to agree that they look like a Championship team. Miami has the power, so it would be a mistake to doubt them. Also, as was said above, the west is a lot tougher than the east. It should be a fun Playoffs.
posted by everett at 12:24 PM on April 17, 2006
pistons are overwhelming favorites, without a doubt. they've had an unbelievable streak of good health w/ regards to their starters so their bench/depth has never really been tested. i agree that miami is overrated and not played well as of late. spurs have not been as good this year w/ hobbled duncan and a regularly ailing ginobili. things seem to always line up nicely for the pistons to win it all, between the pacers losing key players last year and the lakers losing malone 2 yrs ago... it would be sad if they couldn't take advantage of a lean year for the spurs.
posted by ninjavshippo at 12:57 PM on April 17, 2006
When playoff time comes, Ben Wallace's poor free-throw shooting will get the best of Detroit. Not to say they will suffer an early exit, but that's what eventually will knock them out. I think their 2nd round match-up with Cleveland will be too much for them to handle.
posted by im050483 at 01:27 PM on April 17, 2006
Miami has a chance if Shaq, Wade, and Jason Williams are all at the top of their games. I don't see it happening, but they've got a shot. I just honestly hope its not Spurs and Pistons again because that would be painfully, painfully dull. Again.
posted by uglatto at 02:38 PM on April 17, 2006
im050483: Are you serious about the Cavs being too much for Detroit? Maybe you missed that game the other night when they played each other! The cavs will not be in the second round anyway because of the Wizards! Now there's where Detroit will be challenged! They don't have an answer for Arenas!
posted by bkdet at 03:21 PM on April 17, 2006
The Pistons will win 17 games in the playoffs.
posted by HATER 187 at 04:01 PM on April 17, 2006
Detroit has Dominated Cleveland ALL season . Where have YOU been ?? Usually teams with ONE option Like LA with Kobe or Washington with Arenas or Even Cleveland with LeBron , Detroit just collapses their defense around that ONE man team and shut them down . Usually they flounder when their only scoring option has been shut down . If anyone on here actually KNEW what they were talking about , New Jersey is the ONLY team in the East that Detroit needs to worry about . It will probably be Detroit and DALLAS in the Finals . Detroit in a Hard fought 7 .
posted by alvinthefirst at 04:02 PM on April 17, 2006
Thankfully the author of this post is unbiased towards "HIS" Pistons. They stand a good chance, but there are several teams out there that can beat them in any 7 game series. Let's just leave it at "They look as unbeatable as they did last year."
posted by LostInDaJungle at 04:12 PM on April 17, 2006
The Spurs are good, but they lack the fire that the Pistons have. Their playing style is too unemotional. They certainly don't want it as much as the Pistons do, especially after what happened last year in the Finals.
posted by JanxMcGanx at 04:55 PM on April 17, 2006
Detroit wants it they got it..........
posted by sirtt22 at 04:55 PM on April 17, 2006
Their gonna roll through the playoffs
posted by luther70 at 05:01 PM on April 17, 2006
Pistons no way At the end the Spurs will reign
posted by mamanonas at 05:05 PM on April 17, 2006
How will Ben Wallace's free throw shooting affect the Pistons at all? The offense rarely goes through him. It's not like Hack-a-Shaq, where the Diesel is the motor that runs the team (although it's quickly becoming Wade's team). Must be a Cav fan supporting his team. And that is what the playoffs are about...
posted by MarsCrash at 05:42 PM on April 17, 2006
You guys are fogetting the Beast of the East that moved to the West. Artest promised the Kings a playoff berth and delivered. He has also promised a championship this year. The Kings are gaining momentum going into the post-season.
posted by irunfromclones at 06:29 PM on April 17, 2006
Artest can promise anything he likes, but the Pistons are a meat-grinder this year. If they keep their focus no one can stand up to them. There are some other good teams this year, but the Pistons are great and it's their year. I agree with some of the other posters here, the only way they'll lose is if they beat themselves
posted by commander cody at 06:39 PM on April 17, 2006
New Jersey will take Detroit to 7.
posted by smithers at 08:18 AM on April 18, 2006
New Jersey has become that "team" in the East as of late along with the Magic (but too late and too bad, maybe next season!) I think if they make it past the Heat, they will surely take Detroit to 6 or 7 games.
posted by bkdet at 08:37 AM on April 18, 2006
That may be true the pistons play extremely well as a cohesive unit but you Can not count out the spurs you take them lightly and they can make you pay dearly