Lakers or Celtics?...Or Pistons

Mike · May 19th, 2008, 07:11 AM

Can the Celtics keep their winning ways against the Pistons? Man I have been keeping a close eye on the Celts and they seem to win at home, and at home only. Two, 7 game series - they have to be getting tired from playing so much!

Lakers seem to be on a role and I don't think that the Spurs or the Hornets have a chance against them, even with Kobe's back!!

I am not sure what to think about the Pistons right now. They have to win at least one in Boston

Anyone paying any attention to the Playoffs at all?

BtownJay · May 19th, 2008, 08:25 AM

Not really paying much attention other that the Celtics games.

They are 8-0 at home and 0-6 on the road. I guess technically they don't need to win a game on the road, but one would figure they would have to in this next series.

BaldBil · May 19th, 2008, 09:09 AM

I'm watching. Boston needs to win one in detroit just to get the monkey off their back.

ssigman · May 19th, 2008, 10:48 AM

go hornets!!

Rusty27 · May 19th, 2008, 10:53 AM

Go anyone but the Lakers

AndyC0803 · May 19th, 2008, 11:57 AM

I think the Pistons can beat the Celtics. Here is why:

The Pistons are better rested
The Pistons are a veteran team that is used to winning together
The Pistons are a veteran team that doesn't seem to care if they are home or away
The Pistons have a deeper bench
As bad of a coach as Flip Saunders is, Doc Rivers is even worse.
The Pistons play great team defense

Overall, I think the Celtics shot their wad in beating Cleveland, Pierce especially. Pistons in 6.

BaldBil · May 19th, 2008, 12:19 PM

Just to be contrary here I will say this;

The Celtics by vitrue of two challenging series are better prepared to face the Pistons who will come in cold.

The Pistons veterans have shown a tendency the last two seasons to not step up to real challenges.

Detroit's home- court advantage is not strong enough.

The Celtic's bench is under-rated. They won game six in Cleveland by putting the Cav's players on the line late.

Doc Rivers................. ya got me there.

Pierce is getting hot and will step up in this series.

Celtics in 5.

ssigman · May 19th, 2008, 12:25 PM

wow going from not winning 1 game on the road to not losing one in this series..interesting

BtownJay · May 19th, 2008, 12:28 PM

Yeah i think game 7 proved the Celtics have the deeper bench. Biggest shot of the game? Eddie House to PJ Brown. The Celtics use just about every bench player, every game... the Pistons don't.

But other than that, can't really argue what you said.

AndyC0803 · May 19th, 2008, 12:35 PM

The fact that the Celtics were challenged by the Hawks should tell you that they aren't as good as they are supposed to be.

The Pistons have shown a tendency to play down to their competition and the belief that they can just "flip the switch" and it has bitten them in the ass (Cleveland last year) but the Pistons have played like mad men since the Orlando series and I guarantee they will be amped up for this Boston series, it isn't often that the Pistons are the underdogs and I think they will relish that role.

The crowd in Detroit has sucked so far in the playoffs, no doubt about it. But like I said, I really don't think the Pistons care. They can just play within themselves.

I do think the Celtics bench is under-rated but that doesn't change the fact that the Pistons bench is probably best in the league and definitely better than the Celtics.

Here is what would concern me the most as a Celtics fan though;

Pierce has never won a damn thing
Ray Allen has never won a damn thing
Garnett has never won a damn thing

This group of Pistons is led by guys that won a ring in ’04, have been to the finals twice, and have been to the ECF for 6 straight years. The Pistons know how to play together and more importantly how to WIN together.

AndyC0803 · May 19th, 2008, 12:46 PM

If you look at the end of the season, The Pistons bench got a lot of work in games and it shows that they are always ready to play; case in point: Stuckey. The Pistons won both games against Orlando that he started due to Billups' injury. Plus, Maxiell eats babies.

BaldBil · May 19th, 2008, 02:19 PM

The fact that Pierce, Garnett and Allen haven't won a title should work in their favor. Two tough series against an an Atlanta team that is on the upswing and a Cleveland team that was just starting to come together after the February trade were a dose of NBA reality the Celtic's needed.

So far Boston has been healthy while the same cannot be said of the Pistons. The Billups injury(?) could be a factor which would test the Piston's bench.

Pierce finally may be heating up. If he is that will create opportunities for both Garnett(get your ass in the paint) iside and Allen outside. A couple of nice open trey's just might be all that Allen needs.

Detroit does play some good D, but I don't see their offense doing enough to fully compliment it.

AndyC0803 · May 19th, 2008, 02:45 PM

Allen has done two things so far in the playoffs; jack and shit. His playoff average is 12.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 2.3 APG while shooting a pedestrian 38%. Keep in mind that most of those numbers are buoyed by his decent series against Atlanta, against Cleveland he was about as potent as baby aspirin.

As for Garnett, his reputation is that of a player who shrinks in big moments and when the game is on the line he does NOT want the ball.

As for Pierce, correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't he usually follow up a great performance with a stinky one? I thought that the knock on him was always that he was inconsistent from game to game.

Don’t get me wrong, by no means do I think the Celtics will be push over’s but I don’t think they will beat the Pistons. Detroit is a team chock full of proven playoff performers. Guys that have been there and done that. Boston isn’t. Plus the Celtics are playing with the pressure of being the favorite, something that a lot of these guys aren’t used to since they played for such shitty teams before. It seemed a lot of times in the first two rounds they weren’t playing to win as much as they were playing not to lose. The Pistons have got nothing to lose. They are the underdogs so if they lose, no big deal, they were supposed to, but if they win, they get to tell the rest of the East that the conference still belongs to them.

ssigman · May 19th, 2008, 02:48 PM

andy noone cares...someone other than me is going to post a link to goal line blitz...click it and sign up and before you create your guy..go to our NFL Web Based Game Thread and read up on what's going on

someone now post there link so you can get referral flex points

AndyC0803 · May 19th, 2008, 02:54 PM

I see you feel about the NBA the way I feel about the NHL.

And sadly, the site the game is on is blocked here at the office. Oh well, good luck!

May 19th, 2008, 07:11 AM	#1
Mike Join Date: 07-08-2002 Location: Dallas, Texas Posts: 10,791	Lakers or Celtics?...Or Pistons Can the Celtics keep their winning ways against the Pistons? Man I have been keeping a close eye on the Celts and they seem to win at home, and at home only. Two, 7 game series - they have to be getting tired from playing so much! Lakers seem to be on a role and I don't think that the Spurs or the Hornets have a chance against them, even with Kobe's back!! I am not sure what to think about the Pistons right now. They have to win at least one in Boston Anyone paying any attention to the Playoffs at all?

May 19th, 2008, 08:25 AM	#2
BtownJay Join Date: 07-14-2004 Location: Lehigh Valley, PA Posts: 27,746	Not really paying much attention other that the Celtics games. They are 8-0 at home and 0-6 on the road. I guess technically they don't need to win a game on the road, but one would figure they would have to in this next series.

May 19th, 2008, 09:09 AM	#3
BaldBil Join Date: 06-15-2006 Location: Salem, MA Posts: 5,146	I'm watching. Boston needs to win one in detroit just to get the monkey off their back.

May 19th, 2008, 10:48 AM	#4
ssigman Join Date: 03-15-2004 Posts: 26,924	go hornets!!

May 19th, 2008, 10:53 AM	#5
Rusty27 Join Date: 07-15-2004 Location: Knoxville,Tenn. Posts: 27,105	Go anyone but the Lakers

May 19th, 2008, 11:57 AM	#6
AndyC0803 Join Date: 06-26-2004 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 931	I think the Pistons can beat the Celtics. Here is why: The Pistons are better rested The Pistons are a veteran team that is used to winning together The Pistons are a veteran team that doesn't seem to care if they are home or away The Pistons have a deeper bench As bad of a coach as Flip Saunders is, Doc Rivers is even worse. The Pistons play great team defense Overall, I think the Celtics shot their wad in beating Cleveland, Pierce especially. Pistons in 6.

May 19th, 2008, 12:19 PM	#7
BaldBil Join Date: 06-15-2006 Location: Salem, MA Posts: 5,146	Just to be contrary here I will say this; The Celtics by vitrue of two challenging series are better prepared to face the Pistons who will come in cold. The Pistons veterans have shown a tendency the last two seasons to not step up to real challenges. Detroit's home- court advantage is not strong enough. The Celtic's bench is under-rated. They won game six in Cleveland by putting the Cav's players on the line late. Doc Rivers................. ya got me there. Pierce is getting hot and will step up in this series. Celtics in 5.

May 19th, 2008, 12:25 PM	#8
ssigman Join Date: 03-15-2004 Posts: 26,924	wow going from not winning 1 game on the road to not losing one in this series..interesting

May 19th, 2008, 12:28 PM	#9
BtownJay Join Date: 07-14-2004 Location: Lehigh Valley, PA Posts: 27,746	Yeah i think game 7 proved the Celtics have the deeper bench. Biggest shot of the game? Eddie House to PJ Brown. The Celtics use just about every bench player, every game... the Pistons don't. But other than that, can't really argue what you said.

May 19th, 2008, 12:35 PM	#10
AndyC0803 Join Date: 06-26-2004 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 931	The fact that the Celtics were challenged by the Hawks should tell you that they aren't as good as they are supposed to be. The Pistons have shown a tendency to play down to their competition and the belief that they can just "flip the switch" and it has bitten them in the ass (Cleveland last year) but the Pistons have played like mad men since the Orlando series and I guarantee they will be amped up for this Boston series, it isn't often that the Pistons are the underdogs and I think they will relish that role. The crowd in Detroit has sucked so far in the playoffs, no doubt about it. But like I said, I really don't think the Pistons care. They can just play within themselves. I do think the Celtics bench is under-rated but that doesn't change the fact that the Pistons bench is probably best in the league and definitely better than the Celtics. Here is what would concern me the most as a Celtics fan though; Pierce has never won a damn thing Ray Allen has never won a damn thing Garnett has never won a damn thing This group of Pistons is led by guys that won a ring in ’04, have been to the finals twice, and have been to the ECF for 6 straight years. The Pistons know how to play together and more importantly how to WIN together.

May 19th, 2008, 12:46 PM	#11
AndyC0803 Join Date: 06-26-2004 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 931	If you look at the end of the season, The Pistons bench got a lot of work in games and it shows that they are always ready to play; case in point: Stuckey. The Pistons won both games against Orlando that he started due to Billups' injury. Plus, Maxiell eats babies.

May 19th, 2008, 02:19 PM	#12
BaldBil Join Date: 06-15-2006 Location: Salem, MA Posts: 5,146	The fact that Pierce, Garnett and Allen haven't won a title should work in their favor. Two tough series against an an Atlanta team that is on the upswing and a Cleveland team that was just starting to come together after the February trade were a dose of NBA reality the Celtic's needed. So far Boston has been healthy while the same cannot be said of the Pistons. The Billups injury(?) could be a factor which would test the Piston's bench. Pierce finally may be heating up. If he is that will create opportunities for both Garnett(get your ass in the paint) iside and Allen outside. A couple of nice open trey's just might be all that Allen needs. Detroit does play some good D, but I don't see their offense doing enough to fully compliment it.

May 19th, 2008, 02:45 PM	#13
AndyC0803 Join Date: 06-26-2004 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 931	Allen has done two things so far in the playoffs; jack and shit. His playoff average is 12.7 PPG, 3.4 RPG, and 2.3 APG while shooting a pedestrian 38%. Keep in mind that most of those numbers are buoyed by his decent series against Atlanta, against Cleveland he was about as potent as baby aspirin. As for Garnett, his reputation is that of a player who shrinks in big moments and when the game is on the line he does NOT want the ball. As for Pierce, correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't he usually follow up a great performance with a stinky one? I thought that the knock on him was always that he was inconsistent from game to game. Don’t get me wrong, by no means do I think the Celtics will be push over’s but I don’t think they will beat the Pistons. Detroit is a team chock full of proven playoff performers. Guys that have been there and done that. Boston isn’t. Plus the Celtics are playing with the pressure of being the favorite, something that a lot of these guys aren’t used to since they played for such shitty teams before. It seemed a lot of times in the first two rounds they weren’t playing to win as much as they were playing not to lose. The Pistons have got nothing to lose. They are the underdogs so if they lose, no big deal, they were supposed to, but if they win, they get to tell the rest of the East that the conference still belongs to them.

May 19th, 2008, 02:48 PM	#14
ssigman Join Date: 03-15-2004 Posts: 26,924	andy noone cares...someone other than me is going to post a link to goal line blitz...click it and sign up and before you create your guy..go to our NFL Web Based Game Thread and read up on what's going on someone now post there link so you can get referral flex points

May 19th, 2008, 02:54 PM	#15
AndyC0803 Join Date: 06-26-2004 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 931	I see you feel about the NBA the way I feel about the NHL. And sadly, the site the game is on is blocked here at the office. Oh well, good luck!