DE-FENSE!

[MavKikiNYC]

Interesting comment's by Bird, who seems to suggest that if Nellie can keep coaching through this 8-10 year cycle, the Mavs might be favored to win a champinoship. But not until then.

PISTONS LEAD SERIES, 3-2
Bird Yearns for the Days When Players Could Shoot
By JASON DIAMOS

Published: June 1, 2004


INDIANAPOLIS, May 31 - Larry Bird helped raise basketball to an art form as a Boston Celtic.

These days, as president of basketball operations for the Indiana Pacers, Bird has been forced to watch some ugly basketball as the Pacers and the Detroit Pistons have set records for shooting futility in the Eastern Conference finals.

Before Sunday night's Game 5, Bird was asked if he minded that the series was being called an eyesore.

"Not as long as we win," he said with a laugh.

The Pacers, however, shot 32.9 percent in Game 5 and lost, 83-65. Detroit can clinch the series at home Tuesday night at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Sunday night was the second time in the series the Pistons held the Pacers to their playoff scoring low. Not to be outdone, the Pacers have held the Pistons to their playoff low.

The Pacers, who are shooting 34.6 percent and averaging 74.2 points, were positively on fire during their Game 4 rout, in which they won, 83-68, by shooting 45.7 percent. The 47-year-old Bird put that statistic into perspective.

"Dennis Johnson used to shoot 44 percent and we thought he was a horrible shooter," Bird said, referring to a former teammate. "Right now, he'd be a great shooter."

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Pacers' scoring average is the lowest in the conference finals since the 1954-55 season, the first year of the 24-second shot clock. The Pistons are not exactly shooting well, either. They are shooting 38.3 percent and averaging 76.4 points, the third-lowest scoring average in conference finals history. The Pacers and the Pistons have the distinction of averaging the lowest points per game in a conference finals during the shot-clock era.

Only one player, Detroit shooting guard Richard Hamilton, has been able to hit jump shots with any consistency.

He is the only player to average at least 20 points (24.2) and the only player to score at least 20 points in every game of the series.

On Sunday night, Hamilton, who established a career high in the playoffs with 33 points, nearly outscored Indiana's starting five. The Indiana starters shot a combined 14 for 50 (28 percent) and scored 39 points.

Hamilton, on the other hand, made 12 of 22 shots. For the series, he is shooting 47.5 percent (47 for 99). The rest of the Pistons are shooting an Indiana-like 34.8 percent (89 for 256).

"The thing that I see that's missing in our game is the midrange jumper," Bird said. "Guys either shoot the 3's or they take it all the way to the hole. Rip Hamilton is one guy who will pump fake, take a couple dribbles and hit the midrange jumper. You don't see it very often anymore.

"When I played, we all knew in the playoffs that our defense had to step up," said Bird, who won three championships and three Most Valuable Player awards. "You could score as many points as you want, but you still had to stop people. But the defense is definitely a lot better now."

That's not necessarily good for the game.

"I just think, for the fans, it's better to score points," Bird said. "Just like in hockey, if you can get more pucks going into the net, then I think it would be more interesting for the fans. But the thing is, everything is geared to defense."

It did not used to be that way, not when teams ran the floor like Bird's fast-breaking Celtics and their archrivals, Magic Johnson's Los Angeles Lakers.

Not these Pacers and Pistons, who often seem at a loss about what to do in a fast-break opportunity. With that in mind, Bird was asked whether he would like to see the game return to its running roots, when the coaches did not have as much influence and control dictating halfcourt games.

"Everything goes in cycles," he said. "This might be a 10-year cycle, an 8-year cycle. Then you'll see teams come back, I guarantee you. These guys are so athletic."

It is their aesthetic that has been lacking in these conference finals.

[chumdawg]

I'm not ready to give all the credit to great defense. There's a lot of awful offense being played these days. Last night's Lakers/Wolves game was a case in point for those like myself who believe more games on won on offense than on defense. It was pitiful to watch the Wolves in the fourth quarter. It was obvious that no one besides Garnett or Sprewell had a prayer of scoring consistently. And on the flip side, Kobe and Shaq weren't killing the Wolves all by themselves. It was that "instant offense" from Rush that sealed the deal.

Simply put: without the OF-FENSE from Rush, that series would probably still be going. And it wouldn't be too pretty a thing.

[MavKikiNYC]

Chum, Rush's 18 was a faint blip compared to the defense being played by both of these teams throughout the series--by Malone on Garnett, by Garnett all-over the court, by Johnson-Kandi-Miller-Madsen against Shaq, by the entire Lakers team in Q1.

Rush had a nice game, hit some timely shots, and definitely tipped the scales in the Lakers' favor. But that series, as well as Pistons v. Pacers has been all about lead-pipe defense, IMO. As was Nets v. Pistons.

Defense wins in the playoffs.


Defense wins champinoships.

These truths are immutable.

[Murphy3]

I think much of it has to do with the amount of contact that players are allowed to get away with....it's much easier to play defense when you're allowed to make as much contact as an offensive and defensive lineman going at it in the trenches.

[SaltwaterChaffy]

Originally posted by: Murphy3
I think much of it has to do with the amount of contact that players are allowed to get away with....it's much easier to play defense when you're allowed to make as much contact as an offensive and defensive lineman going at it in the trenches.

I definitely agree with this. Some of the contact last night was ridiculous. I enjoyed watching the game, and I've enjoyed it the series much more than the Lakers - T'wolves. But, if you substitute a team like the Mavs instead of the Pistons, and every player would foul out. The contact that both teams got away with was amazing.

I'll chalk it up to playoff basketball.

[chumdawg]

Originally posted by: MavKikiNYC
Chum, Rush's 18 was a faint blip compared to the defense being played by both of these teams throughout the series--by Malone on Garnett, by Garnett all-over the court, by Johnson-Kandi-Miller-Madsen against Shaq, by the entire Lakers team in Q1.

Rush had a nice game, hit some timely shots, and definitely tipped the scales in the Lakers' favor. But that series, as well as Pistons v. Pacers has been all about lead-pipe defense, IMO. As was Nets v. Pistons.

Defense wins in the playoffs.


Defense wins champinoships.

These truths are immutable.

Neither truths, nor immutable.

Rather, it all has to do with matchups, with relativism. And of course, with balance on the individual teams. The team that is so one-sided defensively loses to one hot offensive player, such as Rush or Rip Hamilton. That's the problem with a style of play that results in final scores in the 70's: a team goes on a little run--and as you know, it's the NBA, where everybody makes a run--and you are shot. It's no "faint blip" that costs you a game and a series.

For all the defensive prowess of a Minnesota or an Indiana or a San Antonio, all those teams are making tee times this morning while the teams who found a way to get the ball in the basket when it mattered are moving on. Defense didn't win for them in the playoffs, now did it? It didn't win them a championship, now did it?

Of course, this isn't to diminish the defense that LA and Detroit have played. It is rather to reinforce to point that the better balanced teams--and the teams that were not suspect (or *as* suspect) offensively--are the ones who moved on.

No self-respecting NBA team should score in the 60's, or even the 70's, on a consistent basis--against ANY defense. You do that, and you are just begging to get beat.

[Richard]

Detestable as I find the scrums passing for NBA games nowdays, the last one had great ratings, I hear. Stern isn't going to worry about fixing it so long as lots of us tune in. You get what you are willing to pay for, I guess.

[MavKikiNYC]

bump.

[Murphy3]

Originally posted by: Richard
Detestable as I find the scrums passing for NBA games nowdays, the last one had great ratings, I hear. Stern isn't going to worry about fixing it so long as lots of us tune in. You get what you are willing to pay for, I guess.

Ratings are going to be good compared to what's happened in the not too distant past. That doesn't mean that there aren't some serious issues to be addressed.

Why would the ratings be up?

1. The Lakers are back in the finals
2. Their opponent actually has a good shot at beating them this season.

Don't get confused. The Lakers are the big draw. But, they are an even bigger draw when their opponent has a chance to actually compete against them. That is why the ratings are up. No offense to Spurs fans, but they're a boring team with little name appeal even with TD. No offense to the east, but the entire conference has been garbage until this season.

Ratings aren't up because people are happy with the style of play. Ratings are up because the Lakers are back in the finals, and because they actually might lose.

So what would happen next season if the Spurs and Pistons were to meet in the Finals? The ratings would drop like a rock.

[chumdawg]

Does anyone here agree that a team like Dallas or Sacramento would have no difficulty scoring well more than 63 points against Detroit, or any other team?

[MavKikiNYC]

Bump.

Originally posted by: MavKikiNYC


Defense wins in the playoffs.


Defense wins champinoships.

These truths are immutable.

[Simon2]

Highest Percentage Regular Season:

Coach Pct. W L
PHIL JACKSON (.728) 776-290
Billy Cunningham (.698) 454-196
K.C. Jones (.674) 522-252
Red Auerbach (.663) 938-479
Pat Riley (.661) 1,110-569
GREGG POPOVICH (.647) 339-185
JERRY SLOAN (.627) 875-521
Paul Westphal (.627) 267-159
Lester Harrison (.620) 295-181
Tom Heinsohn (.619) 427-263
RICK ADELMAN (.611) 603-384 Coach Pct. W L
PHIL JACKSON (.728) 776-290
Billy Cunningham (.698) 454-196
K.C. Jones (.674) 522-252
Red Auerbach (.663) 938-479
Pat Riley (.661) 1,110-569
GREGG POPOVICH (.647) 339-185
JERRY SLOAN (.627) 875-521
Paul Westphal (.627) 267-159
Lester Harrison (.620) 295-181
Tom Heinsohn (.619) 427-263
RICK ADELMAN (.611) 603-384

Highest Percentage Regular Season:

Coach Pct. W L
PHIL JACKSON (.730) 162-60
Butch van Breda Kolff (.636) 21-12
John Kundla (.632) 60-35
Billy Cunningham (.629) 66-39
BYRON SCOTT (.625) 25-15
Larry Costello (.617) 37-23
Larry Bird (.615) 32-20
GREGG POPOVICH (.610) 47-30
Pat Riley (.608) 155-100
Chuck Daly (.595) 75-51

Where's Nellie? His record is for the playoffs is 69-81 (.460)

Is it the defense? Does Nellie really build his team for the regular season?

[chumdawg]

The Pistons are fortunate to be facing a team that has very, very little to offer on offense right now. At best the Lakers have two threats on offense. Yet they also appear to be a team not playing on the same page, and seldom do they have both threats going at the same time. I'm sorry, but even an average team can defend a one-headed threat.

It's just sad to see the lack of depth the Lakers have, and the lack of shooting ability. What did I hear this morning, that no Laker besides Shaq or Kobe has scored in double digits this series? The Lake Show is just an easy team to defend right now. Which allows Detroit to have the game the way they want it--hold the ball for the whole 24 and slow the pace down.

You would be foolish to underestimate this Pistons team on offense, too. They have three or four guys who can score on the court at all times. That is every big a difference in this series as is their defense. When they have needed points, they have been able to get them.

Try to see the complete picture.

[Usually Lurkin]

Defense wins championships because injuries lose series (es).

If one of your top offensive cogs goes down, your team can be toast.
On the other hand, pretty much anybody can goon it up on defense.

Since playoff officiating means "let them play" more than in the regular season, it means everyone take a shot at the guy who might score. That means injury for the important offensive players.

[MavKikiNYC]

<whistles knowingly>