Comments on: Preview and Chat: The Detroit Pistons

By: DrRayEye

DrRayEye — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 17:59:30 +0000

Looks like strategy/counter strategy is taking place in the NBA for the Lakers.

The Smusher can’t defend the high pick and roll? Nevermind, we’ll bring out the big guys to cover up.

Gee, we’re not getting as many defensive rebounds. I wonder why?

The Smusher can’t be a true point guard. Let him be a “Dishee” and let Kobe be the point. Well, at least for the first three quarters.

Gee, they’ve gone into a zone and the “Dishee” is getting covered. 1 for 9. Did you see him screaming at the referee?

Now let’s see how Bryant compares to Nash.

Eight turnovers you say? We got blown out?

Maybe Kobe would be happier if he had a teammate that could penetrate and dish rather than a “Dishee” scoring machine that was always looking to steal from behind rather than stay in front of his man?

By: Paul

Paul — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 17:03:21 +0000

Lanier Fan,

I didn’t mean to diss the Pistons. I was just commenting on the fact that the Lakers got lulled into lethargy by the zone defense. And that zones can be beat if you put your mind to it. That being said look at that the college game, lots of missed shots. I don’t like the zone; I liked the NBA pre zone defense.

By: LanierFan

LanierFan — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 15:40:37 +0000

Paul, I’m afraid you don’t represent other Lakers fans very impressively. So Detroit is afraid? They don’t see the game as fun? You must be terribly young. It’s a lot more fun when everyone can pass, everyone can score and everyone has a basketball IQ. But I guess you’d rather watch a “supporting cast” of inexperienced kids waiting for Kobe to hand out passes like Daddy giving out candy.

Detroit is Detroit. Not sexy, just balanced. And quite possibly the kind of boring team that will put some Western Conference darling to sleep in the Finals.

By: Paul

Paul — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 14:12:21 +0000

Detroit plays a very boring game. It can be frustrating for opponents who still see the game as fun. It is clear to me that the Lakers play best when they are having fun. So what do you with an opponent that insists on playing a boring style of basketball. Do you succumb or do you compete? Last night, the Lakers succumbed. The bland and old have as many weaknesses to be exploited as do the young and reckless. Go for the jugular and expose them, break them down, and then play your style of ball. They play zone, get up the court befofre they have a chance to setup the defense. If you have to set up half court, find the creases, pound it in the paint, place Odom and Bynum there, have the defense collapse on the interior, and then pitch out to wide open shooters. Put shooters in there, who can make their shots. Make Detroit pay for their conservatism. They’re playing conservative because they are the ones who are afraid, because they know they can’t man up against the young, quick players of the Lakers.

By: JOEM

JOEM — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 05:30:03 +0000

I read FB&G every day and consider you ard your regulars
pretty smart basketball fans. So I won’t comment on Kobe’s
horrible turnover numbers (I’m a big Kobe fan) or their general
inability to get defensive rebounds against ANY team. I’ll leave
that to you smart guys. But I want to point out a blind spot in your, and everybody else’s coverage of the Lakers. Everyone, including apparently Kobe, is enamored with his “getting everyone involved” strategy in almost every first half of every game. Don’t you smart guys understand that that means every team lays off him in the first half and plays 5 on the other 4? It’s a no brainer. Then when he decides to “take over” the game, they recognize it after a couple of plays and 2 to 3 players sandwich him when he tries dribble thru everyone. But Kobe is in his “take over” mode and doesn’t adapt. IT IS PATENTLY OBVIOUS THAT KOBE MUST PLAY A BALANCED GAME FROM BEGINNING TO END.

By: John (Vancouver)

John (Vancouver) — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 04:59:01 +0000

Man, that game just looks ugly.

By: Kas

Kas — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 04:01:44 +0000

i dont wanna lose cook.

By: kwame a.

kwame a. — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 03:55:56 +0000

Wow, that was some terrible alternate universe where lamar odom is trapped in his invisible mode and some evil scientist replaced kobe’s hands with kwame’s. this is one of those: no post-game talk, burn the tape, forget about it games, if we win the last 2 on this trip then its a 5-3 success

By: JONESONTHENBA

JONESONTHENBA — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 02:34:47 +0000

Even though they are terrible right now, the Heat have no competition other than the Pistons. So they probably still have a chance.

By: Kurt

Kurt — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 01:50:09 +0000

I am wary of the Spurs, I wouldn’t be shocked if they won it all. That said, I think the cat is out of the bag on them as well, teams are playing them differently (particularly late in games) and forcing someone other than the big three to take a shot. The Lakers did it, Finley just hit it. But they’ve missed others. It’s just a gut feel, but so long as they have Duncan and Parker they are a threat.

I think the Suns are a different team with Amare than the one the Lakers beat. (But yes, the Lakers are better too.) And they are 10th in the league in defensive eff. They are not bad.

The Heat, well, last year they pulled it together for a run. But to me, they just look old right now. I’m not sure they can pull it together for an entire playoffs. That said, in the East right now, they may only face one tough series.