fiasco! Posted June 2, 2004 Share Posted June 2, 2004 All of you comments don't surprise me since the majority of you prefer the sport of hockey over basketball. said by a true karl malone fan......following a player to another team like a sheep. i don't understand how a jazz fan can root for the lakers, especially after malone basically said, "fluff you, jazz, and fluff your fans too. i want to win a championship and i'm gonna sell my soul to do it." i didn't respect ray bourque when he went to colorado to do the same, and i won't respect anyone else that does it.to question others' knowledge of a game, because they may prefer to watch or play another is ridiculous and smacks of ignorance. i have been a pistons fan since the seventies, i will be until the day i die. i will always pick them to win, because in my heart, i feel that they will.i don't change allegiances because allan houston plays for the knicks, or theo ratliff plays for the blazers, or isaiah thomas is in the knicks organization. no. i am a pistons fan. always have been, always will be. LinkedIn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shiznit1083 Posted June 2, 2004 Share Posted June 2, 2004 All of you comments don't surprise me since the majority of you prefer the sport of hockey over basketball. Just becuase I prefer hockey over basketball doesn't make me any less knowledgeable.A few notes on what I think about these finals:- Karl Malone is a baby and a ring whore. I have every right to say this. I love Ray Bourque, but what happened with him was wrong and this is the same thing. He's a leetch and far from an integral part of this team.- So is Gary Payton.- The Pistons bench is far more talented than the Lakers'.- The Lakers have not seen this many talented big men on one roster all season.- Once again, Pistons in Six Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiasco! Posted June 2, 2004 Share Posted June 2, 2004 Modern Day "Bad Boys" Modern day 'Bad Boys' by Steve Kerr, Yahoo! SportsJune 2, 2004Somewhere in America, Bill Laimbeer and Rick Mahorn are smiling. After a brutal six-game series in which the Detroit Pistons held the Indiana Pacers to an average of 73 points, Detroit is back in the NBA finals for the first time since 1990. That was the year Laimbeer, Mahorn and the rest of the "Bad Boys" won their second consecutive NBA title by beating opponents senseless with stifling defense. This Pistons team is run by Joe Dumars, so maybe it's not a coincidence that it is built in remarkably similar fashion. Like the original "Bad Boys," Detroit gets great scoring from its backcourt. Chauncey Billups and Richard Hamilton carry the scoring load and are counted on for big shots in the clutch ? much like Dumars and Isiah Thomas were. Rasheed Wallace is a more athletic version of Laimbeer ? a three-point shooting big man who spreads the floor on offense and plays terrific defense. And Ben Wallace is a latter-day Dennis Rodman. He's an incredibly athletic defender, a ferocious rebounder and has a hairdo that people love to talk about ? not unlike the one Rodman would sport later in his career. This year's Detroit team is well-coached by Larry Brown. Like Chuck Daly, Brown has convinced his team to play together, share the ball and get after it defensively. And that's why they're back in the championship round for the first time in 14 years. While most people won't give them a chance against the Los Angeles Lakers, the Pistons believe they can win. So does Pacers coach Rick Carlisle. After Indiana lost Game 6, Carlisle said of his former team: "They match up well with the Lakers. They have good-shooting big men to spread the floor, they defend well and I think they have an excellent chance to win the championship." To beat the Lakers, Detroit will have to find a way to score. Hamilton has emerged as a clutch shooter, and he'll have to play well. He can make Kobe Bryant work hard at the defensive end, which could take some energy out of Bryant (although L.A. may put Gary Payton or Devean George on Hamilton to keep Kobe fresh). Rasheed Wallace will have to knock down some perimeter shots, and Billups will have to pick up his game. But the Pistons have a shot because of their defense. They are absolutely stifling, and with a much deeper bench than L.A., Detroit might have enough to pull off the upset. Something that would undoubtedly make Laimbeer, Mahorn and the rest of the old "Bad Boys" very happy. nicely put by mr. kerr. LinkedIn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starchild Posted June 2, 2004 Author Share Posted June 2, 2004 I gotta say, I completely disagree with both of your comments regarding Malone, Payton and Borque being ring whores.IMO, if you're one of the greatest players to ever play the game, Hall of Famer, multiple time All Star, even League MVP in Malone's case - then you deserve to have the opportunity to at least compete for a ring. That's what you should be playing for - it's about being the best at what you do, and the ring helps to solidify it. Guys like Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Gary Payton and our man in NYC - Patrick Ewing... they ALL deserve to go into the Hall of Fame with a championship ring on - regardless of what team they play for.I COMPLETELY respect what happened to Ray Borque, Malone, Payton and Barkley. All four of them left their respective franchises in order to pursue a championship. Borque wasn't going to do it in Boston. After 1999, the Jazz were history. Ever since 1996 when Kemp and Payton were destroyed by MJ they weren't going to do anything significant anymore. Barkley headed to Phoenix because Philly wasn't going anywhere. IMO, their heads are where it should be - focused on winning the biggest prize in their respective sport. Malone and Payton took pay cuts for it just for the opportunity to reach the Finals again. One missed jump shot by Derek Fisher and the two might have been sitting at home by now. If Patrick Ewing would've won a championship with the Seattle Sonics or with the Orlando Magic during his brief stays there, NY would've been happy for the big man. Not the team, screw the team he plays for... we would've loved to see Pat win it here in NY (as he would have as well), but getting that ring for the Cap'n, especially with his career winding down would've made things fine - and I say that as a die hard Knicks fan who hates just about everyone and everything outside of New York.And joel, it's nice to see someone who sticks to their team regardless... I'm in the same boat. Although, I think supporting a player wherever they head is alright. Like even though Latrell Sprewell isn't a Knick anymore, I'm happy to see him do well, go far into the playoffs and such without jumping onto the bandwagon and becoming a T'Wolves fan. Just my really, really long 2 cents right here... Got a nice little debate goin' on here "The true New Yorker secretly believes that anyone living anywhere else has got to be, in some sense, kidding." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shiznit1083 Posted June 2, 2004 Share Posted June 2, 2004 ..and I respectfully disagree. I think winning a championship by going to a contender is cheap. It's the easy way out. Especially when the player isn't even an integral part of the team and becomes easily replaceable. I have more respect for a player who decides to stick it out with a team his whole career and wins one with them. Who is to say that the team doesn't have a shot. The year after Borque went to Colorado, the Bruins had a legitimate Stanley Cup contender and probably would have benefited from having Borque there. That's why I respect John Elway and Patrick Ewing. Elway stuck it out and won a Championship with his team. The team he helped build. Ewing never won, but he held on to the bitter end with the Knicks until they no longer wanted him. I have respect for these guys. For a guy like Stockton, he stuck it out, but couldn't pull it off, but that commands respect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlucas4092 Posted June 2, 2004 Share Posted June 2, 2004 I can't stand the Pistons, but they're playing Karl Malone, therefore I hope they kick the hell out of hte Lakers. All will be right in the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joshawaggie Posted June 2, 2004 Share Posted June 2, 2004 Go Pistons... I'm NOT bandwagon jumping, I'm NOT rooting cuz its the underdog.. I need someone to cheer for, and it aint gonna be the Lakers. Plus I like Rip Hamilton, i'm a big UCONN fan., have been for a long time. @josh_j12 CFA- Fargo Bobcats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
See Red Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 The Pistons bench is far more talented than the Lakers'.Even though I, too, am picking the Pistons to win. I must disagree with that being a reason. Bench doesn't matter in the playoffs because the starters play alot more. Pretty much all that matters is the top 7 guys in your line up and to be honest, I'm kind of afraid of Kareem Rush off the bench now.The series is very wierd in terms of match ups. Chauncey Billups is a better player than either Fisher or Gary Payton, no doubt in my mind the Pistons are better set there.Rasheed Wallace is as good as, if not a better player than Malone. Together with Ben Wallace, they put up the most Shaq/Malone proof defense of anyone in the league.Rip Hamilton ripped the Pacers apart, and Kobe isn't quite as good of a defender as Ron Artest despite being named to the NBA All-Defensive team in the past. So I think Rip Hamilton will have a good series. Kobe has the advantage there, but it's not by the margins one would think it would be because alot of times, the play of Kobe depends on the play of Shaq, and I think Shaq will be contained.Also --Kobe Bryant averaged 25.1 ppg. In two games against Detroit, he averaged only 17.5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlucas4092 Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 One thing to remember, this is why Detroit drafted Darko. There's 6 fouls right there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJTank Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 Baseball is far more comepattive tehn basketball since 1980, only 7 teams have won the NBA Championship. Lakers 8Bulls 7Celtics 3Pistons 2Rockets 2Spurs 276ers 1That my freinds is not competative balance in fact its boring as hell. www.sportsecyclopedia.com For the best in sports history go to the Sports E-Cyclopedia at http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
See Red Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 Yes, tank, but remember... competative-ness aside -- the series featuring the Celtics, Lakers, and Pistons are considered some of the greatest series' in sports history.The fans knew the best teams were competing every year. It wasn't just the National League against the New York Yankees in the Championships. Since 1980's... I'd take the moments of glory that basketball has provided over the moments baseball has provided. And certainly -- give me the two best teams in the league slugging it out at some point in the conference or league finals WITH bad blood or good storylines over what baseball provides.And there's something to be said about working as a team to win a championship than to be a bunch of individuals wearing the same jersey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NJTank Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 Yes those series were great they also were 15 years ago, what great Finals series have we had since. www.sportsecyclopedia.com For the best in sports history go to the Sports E-Cyclopedia at http://www.sportsecyclopedia.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
See Red Posted June 3, 2004 Share Posted June 3, 2004 You can't honestly say the NBA playoffs haven't had some amazing and memorable moments in recent years. Hell, just take a look back at game 6 of the Lakers/Spurs series.The most memorable moment of last years MLB playoffs had to be fan induced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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