2005 NBA Playoffs

[bigunreal]

Great Lake State-



There is nothing to like about the Pistons. They are a team full of
retreads, many of them ex-Wizards. They are also 100% thuggish in their
style of play. Rasheed Wallace? Ben Wallace? Yeah, really
lovable. Without the refs permitting the style of "defense"
that, like every other aspect of today's NBA, began in the worst urban
areas of the country, Detroit would not be able to legitimately
compete. They are the worst shooting bunch I've ever seen; the NBA
should have been embarrassed to have them as champions last year. Also,
their coach hates white players and will not let them play. Period.
Darko was the 2nd overall pick last year, and his coach has never given
him a chance to get decent playing time. With that bunch of no-talented
derelicts, a potential young star like Darko doesn't get a chance to
play?

 

[White Shogun]

Although I've chimed in a couple times in this forum, I gotta be honest with y'all: I can't watch an entire NBA game anymore. I doubt I've watched an entire game, cumulatively, the entire season.

The calls the refs make coupled with those they don't drive me crazy.

Heaven forbid its a close game under 2:00. Those last 2:00 will take half an hour, what with the innovative strategy of foul, free throw, shoot; foul, free throw, shoot every play.

I mean, is it REALLY possible to inbound the ball and shoot it in .04 seconds?

 

[white lightning]

I agree that the Pistons are one of my least favorite
teams but I respect GreatLakeState for rooting for them.
He has been cool to everyone on here and he can root for
who ever he wants.We appreciate all of the info he
brings us about players we like.He did say that he
believes when Brown is gone,the team will be a little
more caste friendly.We can only hope.Anyways,it will be
fun.That being said,GO SPURS!!!!!

 

[Colonel_Reb]

White Shogun; I have the same problem watching them as you.

Great Lake State; I grew up being seriously one of the biggest Ole Miss football fans you will ever find. When they first starting going Caste in the mid-90's, I wasn't around enough to know how much the change had affected the team. When I got back to Mississippi in 1998, I realized what had happened, but being a loyal Rebel, I stuck by my team. That all changed in 2003, when they did a 180 degree turn away from what made them my team. They turned their backs on the traditions and history that made them a team worth rooting for. With this came a huge tide of blacks into the program, supposedly for the sake of winning. During this time, 3 head coaches went through the program, which did see more winning than it had in several years, mainly due to the QB being Eli Manning. The problem had grown larger than any coach though, it was beyond their control. It was the administration, or front office if you will. When Robert Khayat, the Chancellor, got rid of the extremely popular Colonel Reb mascot in the summer of 2003, I realized they had gone too far and were no longer the team I grew up loving. I never went back to another game after that, nor do I plan to go to another one. The point of all this is to say that when your team changes to the point that it becomes anti-you, the time has come for you to leave your team and do something else with your time and effort. Like Pink Floyd sang; "if the band your in starts playing a different tune, ... I'll see you on the dark side of the moon. I hope you will consider this as you think about your team, the Pistons.

 

[white lightning]

What a game.It was close for 3 quarters but then Ginobli
took over the game in the 4th quarter hitting 9 out of
10 shots.Manu finished with 24 points & Duncan had a
great game too.You have to love the Spurs and they are
now 3 games away from being World Champs for the third
time!

 

[Don Wassall]

Manu was spectacular in the fourth quarter, again. I just hope that he and Steve Nash are inspiring a lot of young white kids to want to imitate them.

 

[SteveB]

GINOBILI! The guy was amazing. The Spurs are great at beating teams at their own game. They prove that they can grind it out or play up tempo. I think that they were just in better shape than the Piston. The Pistons ran out of gas. Maybe playing the Suns helped.

 

[surfsider]

Loving the Spurs and Ginobili! My memories of him as a player are a little fuzzy but might Manu remind anyone else of a taller, better Paul Westphal?

 

[Don Wassall]

My memories of Westphal are a little fuzzy too, but I remember him driving to the basket a lot as well as being a sharp shooter from outside.

 

[Colonel_Reb]

Just for the record, Manu finished with 26 points. He was simply incredible that last quarter. It seemed very strange that all the media attention last night was on Ginobili, considering he was the only white starter! It was awesome that every time the announcers praised him, he did something even more spectacular! Last night was great for me. I haven't been into a NBA finals game like that since watching Larry Bird and the Celtics. If Manu keeps playing like that the rest of the series, they just might win it in 4 or 5 games.

 

[Kaptain]

An ESPN post-game commentator (I think his name is Stephen A. Smith) blamed the piston's lose on the lightest skinned player Detroit has that actually sees some limited action - Daniel Arroyo. This guy openly despises anyone who is not black. Last year he blamed the Laker's fall from grace on the limited time of Slavadon Melinkovich (SP?).


I think Manu just may be a starter next year.

He has had this game for years now. Its amazing that the media is finally starting to notice.

 

[jaxvid]

I was a Pistons fan but how can you root against a brother like Manu? He was spectacular and it is just great to see a white athlete take over a big game like that.

In defense of the Pistons; they are not too bad a group of guys. Only Rasheed Wallace has said or acted like a gangster and not really since he came to Detroit. Ben Wallace, even though he looks like a thug is actually a pretty decent guy. The rest of the team is kind of working class and their success is due to the fact that, like European teams, they play more of a team game.

Yes the defense they play is outright ugly, too physical, but it is allowed in the NBA and they do it better then anybody, at least it takes hard work, they get credit for that.

I think the series will be close. It's kind of like the hockey playoffs, the refs let the rough stuff happen without fouls and that allows the lesser team to compete. I look for the Pistons to really get physical especially against Ginobili. Look for Manu to get an elbow or something in the next couple of games. The Pistons to a man feel he is the key.

 

[GreatLakeState]

Hey, Spurs won game one, but there are six to go.

Bigunreal: Talk to any basketball coach -- not people who only
know the game from the television -- and hear them rave about
Detroit's five-man basketball and help-side team defense.

As for Darko. If the Pistons would have played Darko more,
how would they have done better than win an NBA
championship? Did you know that Darko has hardly played
competitive basketball -- not on his pro team in Europe, not on
his national team, and he's going to contribute on a veteran,
championship-caliber team? You think Joe Dumars wouldn't be
screaming bloody murder if his No. 2 pick, the alleged future of
the franchise, couldn't get off the bench if he could actually
contribute?

Maybe Darko should spend more time in the gym, and less
time in the clubs. Maybe if he had the work ethic of, say, Ben
Wallace, he could make something of himself. You're way off in
your label of Wallace. Perhaps you look at Ben, know nothing
about him besides perhaps a visceral reaction, and label hiim a
thug. Those of us in Michigan know he is a family man, a self-
made man and has never had any criminal issues. He
overcame a real down and dirty caste system -- his parents
were sharecroppers in Alabama. And our problem is, oh no,
this European multimillionaire isn't getting enough playing time.
It's not fair!

Colonel Reb: I think there's a big difference between a
university and the tradition and pride it embodies, and a
professional football team. A state university should probably to
some extent be a reflection of the state in which it resides, and
takes money, and that state's values. A pro basketball team
exists to make money, entertain and win games. In the Pistons '
case, Bill Davidson makes money, the fans are obviously
entertained (lead the league in attendance) and obviously they
win games -- NBA champions. Edited by: GreatLakeState

 

[Colonel_Reb]

I think college football is so big because of the money it makes too. It is supported by the state, but it also gets a whole lot of private money. They finished an indoor practice facility in 2003, and a huge expansion to the stadium 1997-2002 that couldn't have happened with state funds alone. Anyway, its clear you missed the point of my post so just forget I ever said anything. I was just trying to get you to think. What I said still holds true whether its football, basketball, or ice hockey. Whats the difference between tradition and giving white players (tradition) a chance. I don't see one.

 

[bigunreal]

Great Lake State,



My point about the Pistons' great "defense" is that is it a ghetto
style defense that shouldn't be allowed under the actual rules of
basketball. It is also a style of defense that no white players are
allowed to play, so perhaps that explains Detroit's lack of white
players.



As for Darko, you and I both know that, if he was one of the many black
high school players drafted that high by an NBA team, he would be
playing. Period. Also, it is laughable for you to mention a white guy
going to the clubs too much. Yeah, none of the black athletes are noted
for going to clubs and partying much, are they? The Wizards had a
player drafted in much the same position out of high school, Kwamie
Brown, who looked absolutely awful his first few years in the league.
The difference is, the team played him. Larry Brown doesn't like white
players, and the team wouldn't have drafted Darko if he'd had his way.
When you are paying a kid the kind of money they're paying Darko, it's
ridiculous not to get him some playing time.

 

[JD074]

Did you know that Darko has hardly played
competitive basketball -- not on his pro team in Europe,
[snip]

He averaged 10 ppg in his last year in Europe, so he must've
played at least a little bit. But it is true that they drafted him
because of his "skill set" and athleticism at his size, not on
actual experience. Sort of the anti-Billy Ball mentality that
usually results in blacks getting overrated because of their size
and/or athleticism. But in this case it was a white player.

 

[Bart]

Maybe Darko should spend more time in the gym, and less
time in the clubs.

Darko surely needs playing time to develop. I checked his minutes over the last two years, if added together you will find he 's averaged the equivalent of 4-5full games per year. His playing time usually consists of a minute or two here and there, when on the floor for longer stretches he has shown ability. As for his work ethic, I can't say, don't know enough about him. If he's been disheartened and discouraged, it wouldn't surprise me, especialy with Brown as head coach.


An article about Darko's work ethic written more than a year ago seems to indicate he is no slacker. http://www.detnews.com/2003/pistons/0312/01/d04-338606.htm


A few snips: For Darko Milicic, the Pistons' highly-publicized second overall pick in the draft last June, progress isn't measured in minutes, points and rebounds. Not yet. He isn't getting any.


No, progress for the 18-year-old Milicic is measured in terms of his size, strength, conditioning, work ethic and, perhaps most significantly, by his fortitude.


And by all accounts, he is progressing remarkably on all fronts.


"I really do think he's improving," said Pistons assistant coach Herb Brown, who works with Milicic every day. "He's getting settled in. He has a house now, a license and a car (two cars actually). That has made life easier for him.


"He has really dedicated himself to being a better player, and to adjusting to the NBA way of doing things and to the American way of life."


Milicic lives alone, and he spends just about every waking hour doing something basketball-related. He works out with strength and conditioning coach Arnie Kander before and after every practice and every game.


If the team's game day shoot-around is at 10 a.m., he is at the arena working with Kander an hour before everybody else. After games, he is in the training room, riding a stationary bike and lifting weights.


"Before I go to bed, I have to do 100 push-ups and 100 sit-ups," Milicic said. "I have to do this every night or I cannot sleep."


Herb Brown tells the story of the Sunday the Pistons returned home from their four-game, five-night West Coast trip. The team had gotten back into Detroit in the early morning hours and the players were given the day off.


"It was Sunday afternoon and I went into the office to get some work done," Brown said. "Darko was there. He said he wanted to do some shooting. The thing is, he didn't have his license yet, so he had to hire a private car to take him there and bring him back. That's initiative. That's being a self-starter and that's very important.


"I took him to dinner that night. He's really growing and he really wants to get better and that's the first step. He wants to get better and he's willing to put in the extra time."


His diligence has impressed everyone in the organization, especially Ben Wallace.


"I told Arnie that he (Darko) needed to get in that weight room, and I set up a couple of programs for him," Wallace said. "He's been in there working every day. Every day."

 

[white lightning]

Great article on Milicic.I hope he gets some playing
time soon or else goes to another team.I can't wait for
tonights game.It's Ginobli time.Go Spurs!

 

[Bart]

Speaking of the Pistons, Rasheed has voicedhis opinion of Manu Ginobli.


Speaking of Rasheed, he sounded like a sore loser in yesterday's San Antonio-Express. When asked about Manu Ginobli's game, 'Sheed responded with, "He's alright. He's a good ballplayer. In my mind, there ain't nothing too special about the kid." ... End Quote


http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/3683578

 

[surfsider]

Reminiscent of Rodman's remarks regarding Larry Bird don't you think?

 

[white lightning]

Not only Rodman but even Isaih Thomas said if Bird were
black,he would just be an average player.What a stupid
comment.Some of these guys just don't think before they
open their mouth.Anything to keep the white man down.
It's ok because Ginobli will light it up like a christmas
tree tonight.I hope he dunks on Rasheed.lol.

 

[SteveB]

Spurs win big again! Ginobli was great and led all scorers with 27. The Pistons are just too slow to match up. If they guard the perimeter, Ginobli and Parker kill them in the lane. If they pack the lane, the Spurs kill them on the perimeter. The Pistons have no answer. Ginobli is turning into a superstar during this series. Spurs fans have known he was great for the past two years, now the rest of the country is finding out.

 

[Don Wassall]

Manu has indeed become a superstar. It's great to see. Now we have four in the NBA with Ginobili, Nowitzki, Kirilenko and Nash. Maybe next season Hinrich and Gasol will join them.

 

[white lightning]

You forgot Stoyakovic.He is a all star and one of the
best scorers in the nba.Ginobli is as good as any of
these guys.His defense is incredible.He just has a knack
of coming up with the big play on both ends of the floor.
The best thing about all of this is,the future.All of
the kids who idolize these guys.Some of these kids will
be the future Ginobli's and Nowitzki's.One last thing,
just wait untio Darko finally gets to play and start.
Whether it's the Pistons or another team,watch out!I
can't wait.

 

[Don Wassall]

I definitely forgot about Peja! He's right up there too. I think Bogut will be a star right off the bat and it would be great for Darko to get an opportunity to develop. These guys are showing the way for all the Europeans coming into the league, and hopefully more Americans will step it up too.Edited by: Don Wassall