hey my MAV man, my 2 cents is
hey my MAV man, my 2 cents is
lakers are the fave however ...
they have not had an easy time in any series ... Malone's D has really been big part of their success ... Fisher and his running mate Lefty Rush really stepped up in 2 big wins too ... Kobe and Shaq present ultimate matchup probs for everyone, but Deet might be best equipped to gum that up
IMO Deet is like a football team, they are clawing and scratching and dont seem to give a damn who they face or knock down--they are tuffest team Ive seen in long time, might be since original Nasty Boys ... Rip is emerging and maybe he can make Kobe work even harder and tire more ... Shaq will be faced with W&W, not unlike when Blazers had rasheed and russian in PORT ... or Vlade and Webber when they had game ... Shaq might finally be slowed enuff to turn tide ... plus deet has eldon and okur for big bods and fouls
I wish Deet had a voshon lenard, hoiberg or kerr--one spot shooter b/c Pistons move ball wonderfully, emblematic of dean smith, who is larry's mentor and always has been (they need to stretch D more) ... Larry's denver and carolina ABA teams, his 1980 Bruins runner-up, and '88 KS ncaa champs, every team cept the Iversons (an anomaly i never understood cept for the $$$ that kept brown in philly) played such peerless team ball and passing lane D--halcyon tar heel trademarks ...
Now Larry seems at peace again--I watched him closely in Seattle game when I attended game on floor--at halftime, he sat with rasheed and james edwards (ex piston) BSing for 5 minutes before 2nd half started, Deet was up 20, but i was amazed how relaxed he seemed ... LB trusts and believes in this team, I got that feeling that nite and have bet them quite a few times since and done very well (i went against them in Indy game 5 and cursed myself, then at half I saw the fire and took them +190) ... they have strength and grit, and play best D ive seen in ages ...
However, it wont be easy esp. with Lakers having HC ...
IF the lakers win they won't exclusively ride Kobe or Shaq--it will be their dreaded role players stepping up and winning games like they did vs Spurs and Minny with big plays ... I love Fisher, always have .. another HUGE KEY, will Mailman bother rasheed like he did vs TD and KG for long stretches?
I am not predicting a Deet finals win, but I am saying every game should be a war, deet could lose 4-0 and lose each game by less than 5 ... Chancey and Tayshaun will need to be hero sometime to pull upset
But i do see Pistons making it interesting ...
NOW did LB learn enuff when Sixers gave their swings to Lakers in finals?
hope some of this helps
take care
gregg