So were upon the Finals once again, with the champions of the past 2 seasons squaring off. Who do you think will win, how many games will it take, and why will your team win?

I think this will be a great series. Detroit had a tough season, from the November fight to periods of poor play throughout the season. But nevertheless, they perservered and are back to defend their crown. San Antonio played a bit more consistently this season, but not without some bumps along the way.

I think the Spurs win in 7 games. If Detroit has games where Ben & Rasheed Wallace don't play well, as happened against Miami, the Spurs win the game. Despite the Pistons tenacious defense, I think San Antonio has too many weapons (Duncan, Ginobli, Parker, and Horry off the bench) for Detroit to contain. Whereas Miami really only had Shaq and Wade, with Wade ineffective for 3 games in the series.

I think San Antonio will win (as much as it pains me to say) but I'm pulling for Detroit. I think the Spurs are hotter right now and really showed me something in making quick work of Phoenix in only 5 games (almost a sweep). Detroit just had a gruelling series with Miami and San Antonio is more rested, but that could hurt them too (they could go cold). But I think San Antonio will win because I agree with you goombah, I think they have too many weapons (especially with Horry coming off the bench). I do however think Detroit CAN win, but if I had to put money on it, I'd take the Spurs. Man I hope I'm wrong!

Absolutely Detroit can win. The other factor, besides the points you made that could help SA is home-court. Virtually no one gave Detroit a shot against LA last year and Detroit ended up winning in a mere five games. So anything can happen. Let's see if the old adage of 'defense wins championships' holds true. Then again, SA's defense isn't too shabby either.

That's why I don't think home court advantage plays too much into this series because Detroit won last year in 5 games (almost 4). But the thing that I haven't seen much of is the Detroit team who man-handled the All-Star team that was the Los Angelos Lakers. If the Pistons play the way they did in the Finals last year, they'll win the series no questions asked. Holding opponents under 80 points, etc I mean

my heart says Pistons, but I really don't know. it will be a tough series. I really believe the Pistons can win because the biggest weapon of the Spurs against the offensive powerhouses in the west has always been their defense, which most of the great teams in the west don't have. well, we know that when it comes to defense, no one is better than the Pistons, so I believe they can win in a clash of two similar styles. now, if the Spurs keep their defense tough and still manage to be a real threat in the offensive end, they will win. LET'S GO PISTONS!

I think San Antonio will win it in six games.

You're so right. The Lakers used to not be slackers, remember? Actually, a couple of years ago, they were more powerful than the Spurs are now. So who knows, that cocky laziness could kick in for any team. I think if the Pistons could beat the Lakers when our team had so many good players, they could certainly beat the Spurs now, too.

I think the Spurs just have to watch their backs and play with the realization that they could lose against this team. They need to play with a lot of effort in every position. If they do their best, then they could beat the Pistons at their best, too. The Lakers knew they were a better team than the Pistons, and that's what did them in, ultimately.

It was a classic case of the tortoise and the hare.

I agree with what you said Zia, however I don't think the Spurs are as cocky as the Lakers were last year. I think because Detroit upset the Lakers in the Finals last year, San Antonio will not want to make the same mistake of taking them lightly. I think San Antonio's destruction of Phoenix was a perfect example of playing their best ball

I agree that there is no way the Spurs make the mistake of underestimating the Pistons like LA did last year. That doesn't mean the Spurs will win it, but no one in SA is not giving the defending champs their just due.

Zia, you hit the nail on the head - the Lakers were cocky. I think the two teams in this year's finals are the best teams rather than collection of players (like last year's Lakers). It seems to be a reviving trend in sports over the past four or five years: strong teams uniting to play for the common goal of winning it all: 2002 OSU Buckeyes, the Patriots, 2004 Pistons. The common denominator was that the sum was greater than its parts.

I couldn't agree with what you said more goombah (too bad the Yanks aren't as much of a team like they were from 96-01) However, I think you also have to look at the teams who have been hot going into the playoffs and have won it. UNC was hot in the tournament, the Red Cocks got hot last year unfortunately, the Aneheim Angels got hot in 2002, etc. Hot teams are just as dangerous and to me San Antonio is pretty hot with making quick work of Phoenix (I really thought either Phoenix would win or the series would have at least gone to 6 games)

But the Spurs exposed the flaws of Phoenix - their defense. That's not taking away from the great scoring year they had, but that was their Achilles Heel. I equate what San Antonio did to Phoenix to what NE did to the Steelers in the playoffs: NE made a point to stop the running game and let Roethlisberger try and beat NE. In that game at least, it demonstrated that Ben got lucky several times throughout the season and never brought his team back to victory when down by 10 or more. Sorry for deviating from the point of this thread briefly...

Beings basketball is majorily watched by men, I wonder how many close up shots they'll have of Eva Longoria...just for ratings sake. :p

Let's hope 1 every time a live play stops

WOO-HOO! Spurs give Detroit an ass pounding! 84-69. Go Spurs!

That was a good game last night. I thought Detroit was going to take advantage of SA's flatness at the beginning.

WTF are they waiting to play Game 2 until Sunday? They are in the SAME FRIGGING CITY. Why the hell do they need 2 days off to play in the same city? This is a major reason why the NBA is out of touch and not the most popular sport as it was in the 80's and 90's.

Exactly! The NBA has turned coporate so much in just the past couple of years it makes me sick. Did you hear that they're beginning to think about puttling advertisements on the players jerseys!? What is this, NASCAR!? I hate the idea and I'm totally against it. It won't work on me. People who advertise for them, I'm just going to use their opposite product. Like in baseball, companies who sponsor the Arizona Diamondcracks or Boston Red Cocks, yeah I boycott their products (except of course for Dunkin Donuts because I've always loved them and they also advertise for the Yanks). But I think Mark Cuban said it best about the NBA and advertisements on players jerseys, "We're a commercial business who's product is entertainment!" This is for you Corporate America

I would like to see hard data that shows how they actually make money by waiting 3 days to play the next game. Do they actually think we take that time and go out and buy more NBA jerseys, more Pepsi, etc. just because we "have the time in between games???" Are they that naive?

Same thing for that ridiculous 2 week gap b/w the conference championship & Super Bowl. I'm so sick of hearing the hype for 14 days that by the time the game rolls around, I'm uninterested. That, along with the fact that they wait until 6:30 EST to kickoff and with all the b.s in between, the game isn't over until nearly 11:00. :rolleyes:

I gotta agree with goombah on about the Super Bowl. Remember back in January during those 2 excruciating weeks on how ESPN and the media would NOT shut UP about whatever Terrell Owens would play or not. I mean he did play and actually had a decent-good game, unlike his former loudmouth teammate Freddie Mitchell(who like Owens later trashed McNabb for not having the heart late in the game).

Besides, the extra week would give the players more distraction while at the Super Bowl city. Ray Buchanon anyone?

One other note, I think another reason why the NBA is having problems with fans is that in general, the technical fundamental levels with most players is absolute garbage. I mean is it a real shocker that many of the best technical-playing people in the NBA came from outside the US of A? I mean Steve Nash, Ginobilli, etc., anyone?

Yeah, why do you think the supposed "Dream Team" got their asses kicked in Athens? Because everyone on that team and mostly in the NBA is all about the "bling bling", slam dunks and money. RRA makes an excellent point about fundamentals. They have gone down the drain.

I think as we all know the Super Bowl is also 2 weeks after the conference championships so players & coaches can better prepare for not only the biggest game of the year, but in most cases, the biggest game of their lives. If I were a player or coach I wouldn't complain about having an extra week to prepare.

As for the NBA, the fundamentals have been going down for a long time now. I'm not shocked at all about the state of the NBA nor at them lossing in the Olympics last year (Ok, I'm a little surprised). But most European/foreign players play the game right and that's why they're coming over here and dominating. Not to mention they're more of a team player than this "I need to score 30+ points ever game to get endorsements"

I agree - the reason the USA got schooled in last year's Olympics is that most, not all, NBA players have one shot: the dunk. They can't pass or shoot beyond 10 feet. It's embarrassing. Many of the players (not just in the NBA) have one mission: to make as much money as possible for themselves and to do something (whether on the court or off) to be on Sports Center.

thats the dumbest thing ive ever heard

some of the fundementals may have been lost from the game but they play for a ring not to make SP

The majority, not all, are like that. But yet again, the MAJORITY of players in the NBA are like that. They have one shot, the dunk, and they care about the "bling bling" and scoring 30 points a night for endorsments. Stop me when I'm wrong.

Real good argument - you really backed up your claim with that elaborate two line sentence. What the hell is SP? :rolleyes:

In addition to not being able to write, you're awfully naive to think "they play for a ring." Wake up and realize that many of the modern era NBAers put themselves far ahead of their team.

I can name one or two players from every team who fits that description. Perfect example: Kobe Bryant - he gets Phil & Shaq cast off after winning 3 titles with them b/c he thinks he can win without them. Shaq was in the confernce finals with his new team while Kobe was watching the playoffs from home.

WOO-HOO! Spurs give Motown another beatdown! 97-76! This series is looking one sided so far...

I am surprised at how bad the Pistons have looked in the 1st two games of the series. Neither Wallace is doing much and the foul trouble is killing Detroit. What is shocking to me is how bad the Pistons have looked on defense. But the Spurs themselves are putting on quite a defensive show so far. We'll see how 3 games in Detroit go, but right now, the Pistons appear to be circling the drain...

say it with me now.....detroit basketball! lol to tell u the truth...i wouldnt be surprised if detroit sent this one back to the west being up 3-2

If they continue to play the way they did last night, they most certainly will. Oh yeah, DETROIT BAS-KET-BALL!

The way Detroit has played in the playoffs, it seems that the formula for them in the games they have won are: 1) having both Wallaces show up and score, 2) not whining to the refs about calls or non-calls, 3) playing suffocating defense. In all the games they have lost in each round of this year's playoffs, they have not done one of those 3 things. I

I think it will be tied 2-2 after tonight, but I think SA wins Game 5 and finishes the Pistons off in SA.