NBA Playoffs Thread

[homonger]

I'm sure someone has done some kind of study on home field/court advantage, but it sure does seem odd, because Detroit and San Antonio have looked like totally different teams between the 1st two and last two games of this series.

Game 5 is frequently an indicator for who wins the series. If the Spurs lose tonight, do they have it in them to come back and win the last two games at home? I think they can, but I'd have to really like the Pistons chances at that point. On the other hand, if the Pistons lose tonight, I think they are done.

 

[Kwazy]

Home team advantage....

I've never played hockey competitively, but have played basketball in school and I find you practice in your home court...and like most sports you get good by repeating the same thing over and over and over, that's why you see guys take shots from the same spot all the time. When you're shooting, you see the same surroundings, the same background, the same spot etc etc etc.....in a foreign stadium everything tends to be a bit different...even the floors are different and the bounce you get when you jump, its all very different.....i can see why its important in basketball.

like i said, i've never played competitive hockey, but the rinks seem pretty identical and you don't tend to take shots from the same spot all the time ....so i never felt it would be the same for hockey(i could be wrong though)

and the crowd definitely helps you with energy on the defensive side...in any sport!!!

 

[Don]

Big shot bob

Been a long time since I watched a BB game from start to finish. Boy am I glad I didn't shut this one off in the 4th and go to bed as I planned.

 

[homonger]

Augh! There goes my bet on the Pistons. I just don't see them beating the Spurs twice on their home floor. They really needed this one.

Have to tip your hat to Horry. 21 points in the last 17:30 minutes. He was huge. Of course, you could argue his heroics wouldn't have been needed if Duncan could make some free throws.

Great game otherwise.

 

[new2game]

Pistons are still missing shots...

...but I agree with Homonger....gotta really give a lot of credit to Will Smith....err Robert Horry. At the end of OT I think the Pistons thought that the Spurs would'nt risk a three point try to take the lead and would try for 2...the Pistons guessed wrong and Horry put the dagger to their hearts....that last play to Hamilton was crap...you got to find a way t get the ball to Mr Big Shot...Chauncey Billups....If there is any team gritty enough to pull this off...it's the Pistons.....but realistically...I think it's over...



N2G

 

[zydeco]

Finally a good game in this series! Actually a great game. Does anyone really think that the Pistons can win twice in San Antonio?

 

[Kwazy]

All the Pistons need to do is..

Win the next game!

After that the odds even out...San Antonio has home court, and Detroit will have the momentum and the knowledge that they can win in SanAN.


Robert Horry


Robert Horry


Robert Horry.

 

[Pleasing_Brian]

Do I think the Pistons can win? Yes.
Do I think the Pistons will win? No.

I'd give them a 5% chance of winning the series.

As for Robert Horry, what else can be said other than "wow"! He hits a big 3 in the 4th, then another big 3, then drives the lane with a great dunk, grabs a big rebound, etc, etc, etc. And he doesn't let up in the overtime either. In fact, I don't recall him missing a shot in the late 4th-OT at all. The man is pure money.

And as good as Tim Duncan is, he certainly fell short of "money" in crunch time last night. But that's why it's a team game - Duncan gets you deep into the finals, bit players like Robert Horry step it up and close game 5.

 

[tagboy]

Yep, I agree, great game. Robert Horry was the best player for the last half of the game. The Pistons were effective against Manu last night so someone else had to step up if the Spurs were gonna win. Timmy had a tough time on the foul line but still provided a good effort.

I don't think the Spurs will lose the last two games. They lost three home games during the regular season.

 

[holden]

last night was one of the most exciting NBA games I have seen in a while

 

[Asterix]

Robert Horry saved Tim Duncan's butt last night. There was one moment when Tim Duncan was at the free throw line and this incredibly weary look came over his face as if he was thinking, "Oh, God, please let this go in". And then he missed. The botched lay up near the end of regulation was stunning. It was fascinating to compare interviews of the two. After the game Horry looked relaxed and said that you have to just have fun playing. Before the game Duncan when asked if he felt depressed about his performance in games 3 and 4, answered it was closer to suicidal. By the end of the fourth quarter he looked like it.

 

[holden]

I wonder who the MVP will be if the Spurs win

Duncan

Manu

Horry

Hard to chose since no one consistently shined in the series so far

 

[zydeco]

I guess it will depend on who steps up in the next game (or two) - but right now I'd give the edge to Duncan.

 

[tagboy]

I would go with Timmy. Sure, he's had problems on the line but he does so much for that team.

If Big Shot Bob hits the winning shot tonite, then maybe him.

All three are great players. I think they'll be happy for whoever takes it.

I wonder who the MVP will be if the Spurs win

Duncan

Manu

Horry

Hard to chose since no one consistently shined in the series so far

 

[Asterix]

Not really a well played game by either team. I'm kinda glad the Spurs lost. At least it holds out the chance we might see more than just one exciting game in this series. This is the finals, right?

 

[new2game]

WTF are you talking about?????

Not really a well played game by either team. I'm kinda glad the Spurs lost. At least it holds out the chance we might see more than just one exciting game in this series. This is the finals, right?

.....now I don't claim to be an expert on this game....only started taking a real interest a couple yrs ago with this Pistons "going to work" gang...but because a game was not well played statistically, does not mean it was not an exciting game...that game was in question until the end. Detroit hadn't been able to make 3 pointers all series... 8 for 40 I think...something like 19%...and tonight they go 8-16. Tim Duncan, one of the most consistant foul shooters for a big man....has another poor foul shooting game ...Robert Horry shoots a couple of 3 point air balls...and to say game 5 wasn't entertaining???....Overtime , decided on a clutch 3 pointer???.....I think you better check if you are actually have a pulse,Asterix...


N2G

 

[Asterix]

Read what I wrote. Of course game 5 was exciting, that was the one game I was referring to. Sorry, I guess I expect better execution, passing, and less sloppy play in a finals series.

 

[homonger]

Not the most well executed game, but entertaining to some degree, nevertheless. It is amazing how much better a team can play when they make a few shots.

Horry had that one amazing game, but the Pistons bench of McDyess and Hunter has played pretty well throughout the series.

I'm not too surprised Detroit won, but I will be surprised if they can win again on Thursday. I am pulling for them, but I don't know... I think Detroit has a decent shot though, and after looking bad in the first two games, they have played 4 pretty good games in a row. One could argue, that if not for Horry's heroics, this series would be over already.

 

[zydeco]

I've been pulling for the Spurs - and hope that they win, but I'm starting to think that the Pistons actually deserve it.

 

[Kwazy]

Some fishy here or....

Tim Duncan is not the player everyone totes him to be!


I can understand some missed free throws BUT a "put back" 4 inches away from the rim that clangs off, and then a fumbled pass??...somethings fishy...it almost seems as though Timmy has been trying to prolong this series....even from game 5 it looked like he was trying to throw the game but Horry came up too big even for Duncan to blow!


OR maybe Duncan's just not much of a closer!