I already feel sick to my stomach at the though of Karla "The Flopping 'Neck" Malone hoisting the championship trophy.
sure. i don't think it's the most likely outcome, but I do think it's possible. we've seen far crazier in pro sports than this Laker team going down to either Detroit or Indiana. this team is far from unbeatable.
Detroit has a chance, there is no doubt about that but I don't think they have a better chance than the spurs did. I would say that detroit currently has a better defense than the spurs but the spurs offense is better than detroit's. Malone should have no difficulty guarding rasheed. In fact I think malone's dirty tactics might bother rasheed and cause him to get a little emotional. I predict one ejection for rasheed. I hope detroit makes it tough for the lakers cuz as much as I like kobe's game, I don't want malone to win a ring. I'm still hoping for the pacers but their outlook isn't good. Poor reggie
I read that yesterday, and it smacked me a one of the only blatent Laker-hating pieces I've seen in a while. Back before the playoffs up to the early games in round 2, any anti-Laker writings were talking about the reality: the Lakers looked shaky. Unfortunately, the Lakers we're looking at right now don't. Not at all. It reminds me of how I was in the 90s. I detested Jordan and the Bulls. Loved the Magic taking them out in 95. Swore up and down during each of their championship runs that they were going to get bumped off, especially the last one with Pippen hurting so bad. You know what it was? Denial. I was convincing myself they could be beaten because I wanted to see them knocked off the hill that bad. Similar situation here. 70% of NBA fans want to see the Lakers miss out. People like rooting for the underdog, and they make for a poor one, regardless of seeding. It's like playing pickup ball and all the big guys are on the same team. So everyone's clinging to whatever hope they can find that they'll go down, a hope resting 100% in Detroit's hands. Sign of hope: LA's struggles have been in overcoming tough defensive units. Rockets and Spurs made most of their games dogfights. Detroit should offer a similar challenge. Sign of worry: Rockets and Spurs didn't pull their series out because they had so much difficulty scoring themselves. It's a stretch to think Detroit will be able to rack up the points while watching them struggle against Indiana. Will Kobe be run down chasing Rip? No. Will Rip offer much defense against Kobe, even if it is a worn out Kobe? No. Malone has pulled his usual mafia antics against Duncan and against the league MVP. He'll still be pulling them against Detroit. Is Rasheed supposed to be more of a threat to the LA frontline then Garnett or Duncan? Because both of them have been more or less controlled. Wallace & Wallace are the best frontcourt in the East, but now they're looking at the best frontcourt in the league. Upsetting but true. Malone has been steady in the playoffs, and no one in the league can handle Shaq one on one. No one. Yao did the best, but he had help and Shaq wasn't playing like he cared. Billups should tear Payton a new one, but that matchup hasn't helped anyone else in the playoffs so far. It kills me to say it, but I don't see more than a remote chance that Malone doesn't pick up a BS ring to go with his BS MVP trophy. Evan
Karl Malone - played forever, scored a lot of points, grabbed a lot of boards, dominated the power forward position for years...rode others coattails to a championship. Have fun kissing away Karla. Maybe Dan Marino can come back as the second string quarterback for the Patriots and win a ring too??
For me, I never hated the Bulls as much as I do the Lakers. Why? Because Michael Jordan was a MUCH more likeable character than Shaq, Kobe, Malone, and Payton--COMBINED. I didn't mind when the Bulls won it all, since they never beat the Rockets. And hey, I definitely didn't mind the last three championships when they beat Payton, then Malone twice. That was actually pretty sweet. I won't argue with your point though. I am rooting for the underdogs, not only because I like their stars better (KG, Big Ben, Jermaine), but because I'm just hoping that somehow they'll beat those stupid Lakers (probably won't happen). This is a good point--makes me doubt those Pistons, even though I think they still have a decent shot.
Detroit's frontcourt is the only team that has a chance against the Lakers now. Minnesota - Ervin Johnson, Olowokandi, O. Miller? Don't think so. Indiana - O'Neal, Foster? Shaq will tear them apart. But, with the Wallaces, Campbell, and Okur in the frontcourt.. Detroit is the only one that matches up w/ Shaq and Malone. Put Tayshuan Prince against Kobe and Kobe definitely won't be scoring 30 points a night. IMO, Detroit is the only hope left after the Spurs lost...
The two regular season games between the Lakers and Pistons were in mid November and the season series was split. Elden was playing because R Wallace was still with Portland. <a HREF="http://www.nba.com/games/20031114/DETLAL/boxscore.html">Pistons @ LA</a> <a HREf="http://www.nba.com/games/20031118/LALDET/boxscore.html">Lakers @ Detroit</a>
first game payton is the leading scorer, second game malone for the Faker show. Don't know why but doubt that will be replicated in the finals. The Pistols have three 7 footers to throw at Shaq, B. Wallace, Okur and E. Campbell. I think the pistons can totally compete and possibly win against this group of boorish, sex starved (in shaq’s case just starved) over bloated collection of talent.
also darko...okur is 6-11 so is rasheed, ben is 6-9 didnt know that myself either unitll i checked. I say detroit wins. THe will fustrate the lakers. Unless the refs screw it up and treat kobe and shaq like their god.
Absolutely pathetic effort by the Pistons tonight, horrid horrid offense. U just can't play like that if u want to beat the lakers. Neither of these eastern teams have a chance in the finals.
seems that pistons overrated defense isn't that overrated after all,it's kind of crazy to believe that they actually hold the lakers to only 68 point.
LOL! xiki.....props to you. After reading this thread its funny how many people thought you crazy for predicting Pistons to be in the series, let alone dominating it. And if it wasnt for Kobe's 3 in the last seconds of game 2, we could as well have been looking at a pistons sweep!! AMAZING!!!
