Yes, the Pistons might, conceivably, face the New Jersey Nets in the playoffs. Yes, they could be a formidable opponent. Yes, they seem to be able to play the kind of defense needed to go on a long playoff run. Yes, they still have Jason Kidd, and now Vince Carter, and Richard Jefferson, and they took the Pistons to a Game 7 in the conference finals two years ago.
But no, you shouldn't worry your little head that the Pistons might lose to the Nets four times in a playoff series.
Oh, if everyone would just listen to me and save on the antacid. Ledges would be safe from footprints, as well.
Just as I tried to reassure everyone about the Miami Two-Man Heat, I will say this about the New Jersey Nets: They are a tough little basketball team, no question. But they are still a couple of bullets short in their holster.
Kidd, frankly, doesn't scare me anymore. He might get 12-15 points and dish out a few assists -- maybe even snag some rebounds here and there -- but he's still finding 30 years of age growing smaller and smaller in his rearview mirror, and there are some nights -- against the Pistons especially -- when he is downright invisible.
Carter is a beast and should be dealt with, and he will be. I saw enough "swarm Carter" defense last night -- very effective, too -- that makes me think when the chips are down, he won't beat the Pistons. Jefferson is a slasher that can cause problems, but during a series of covering -- and being covered by -- Tayshaun Prince, he can be worn down.
The rest of the Nets, I can take or leave.
The Nets handed the Pistons just their third home loss last night, 79-74, and the ESPN jabbermouths were saying that this proves the Nets can beat the Pistons.
Well, yeah -- in a single regular-season game in March.
The Pistons were due for a home loss, frankly, and I'm much more impressed with their win over the Heat last week and the victory in Indiana on Friday, anyway.
Nobody, that I know of, has gone 41-0 at home in an NBA season. The '85-86 Celtics went 40-1. The Pistons are now 30-3 at the Palace. And one of those losses was a double OT thriller against the Washington Wizards that the Whizzes only won because Chucky Atkins was unconscious in the fourth quarter and first OT. So I still like the Pistons' odds of taking care of home court in the playoffs.
In about a month we'll get these NBA and NHL postseason dances underway, and fearless bloggers like yours truly will pick each game apart with maddening frequency and self-proclaimed loquaciousness. So, in other words, there'll be plenty of time for that later.
For now, take last night's game for what it was: a road team stealing a game, winning ugly. Happens every night in the NBA.
But it's only happened thrice at the Palace, and we're nearing April.
So take the Poison Control Center off your speed dial already.
5 comments:
Do you think it's fear about an Eastern Conference foe rising up to challenge Detroit? Or is it fear of not finishing with the best record in the NBA and winning home-court advantage?
Last season was a painful example of how being on the short end of the Finals' 2-3-3 format can affect a team's chance of winning. And I think that's the worry. It's not so much that the Nets beat Detroit. It's that San Antonio and Dallas can catch up in the standings.
I think you're giving the sports fan of Detroit too much credit. Not everyone is as logical as you are. I think most fans are wringing their hands because they're afraid the Pistons might not get out of the East.
Do I smell a poll?
Didn't you tell me not to worry about the Spurs last year, too? We see how that worked out. I don't know if I can trust you, Eno.
Ahh, but was it not I who correctly predicted a blowout of the Heat in Game 6 and a tight win on the road for Game 7?
:-)
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