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Monday, May 01, 2006
Sayson: D on dayoff
By Homer Sayson
Second overtime
CHICAGO – Of the 16 teams making an appearance in these 2006 NBA playoffs, the Bad Boys from Detroit impress me the most. By adding their already established hardscrabble defense to a more creative and explosive offense, the Pistons are creating what certainly appears like a championship potion.
Seeded No.1 in the East, Detroit has toyed with No.8 Milwaukee thus far, beating the lowly Bucks, 92-74, in Game 1 and 109-98 in Game 2. In those decisive twin wins at the Palace of Auburn Hills, the Pistons held the Bucks to a frightful 68-of-172 field goals.
The Pistons pride themselves as blue-collar workers who practice diligently everyday and play hurt when the team beckons. Tough as they come, they wear their floor burns like a red badge of courage.
Unfortunately, they took a night off yesterday, which now leads me to some mysterious occurrence at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee. The Bucks, the same Bucks who were used as dummies for target practice in Games 1 and 2, were suddenly doing all the shooting in Game 3.
And when All-Star Michael Redd was done emptying his rifle’s clip for 40 points, the Pistons were riddled with disbelief. They went down cold, 124-104.
Did somebody seize the Pistons team bus on the way to Bradley Center and stuff it with impostors? Maybe.
But the most logical explanation is that the Pistons simply took a dayoff. How else can I explain the fact that Detroit allowed Milwaukee to score 124 points, shoot 60.3 percent from the field (47-of-78) and make 11-of-17 treys for a mind-boggling 64.7 percent?
In a memorable season that saw them flirt with the 1995-96 Bulls’ 72-10 record, the Pistons have never been this timid on defense. The most they surrendered in a game was 120 points and the highest field-goal percentage they allowed was 59.2 percent. They also once yielded a 60 percent clip beyond the arc.
Are the Pistons really beatable?
No way. Not in the East, anyway. And that’s coming from me, an unrepentant Miami Heat fan.
Maybe they got bored, or just got tired playing ball since late October last year. Whatever the reason, yesterday’s loss was an apparition, one that will give way to reality in Game 4. The sad Game 3 demise will definitely wake up a disinterested giant. Look for the Pistons to beat the bejesus out of Milwaukee in Game 4.
Even though the Pistons lost, the stats indicate a lot of positives. They had more free throws than Milwaukee, 37-22, a stat that usually determines strength in the low post and aggressiveness in the paint.
Detroit also shot 34-of-70 from the field and 11-of-28 from the 3-point line. In other words, 48.6 percent on the road is pretty nifty, it just wasn’t good enough to beat a home team that was so hot it couldn’t miss even if it tried.
Look for the Pistons to contain Redd in Game 4. Trust me, he won’t shoot 14-of-21 field goals again. Neither will he make 4-of-5 treys.
The Pistons were so defensively sloppy in Game 4 they’d have a hard time beating a group of cheerleaders. Look, they allowed Milwaukee a total of 34 assists. Guard T.J. Ford had 15 of those assists and the Pistons were so lame chasing him that Ford looked like a Steve Nash without a long-range jump shot.
That will change, too. Billups, who acquitted himself well with 26 points, six rebounds and two assists, will clamp down on Ford, use his physicality over the less-experienced sophomore.
MEANDERINGS. If the Lakers beat the Suns again today, a second-round series between the Lakers and LA Clippers looms. How strange is that?
The Mavs, after beating the Memphis Grizzlies, 94-89, in overtime yesterday, hold a 3-0 lead in their series. Dallas is winning on offense, not defense, the main championship ingredient. Now, that’s nothing new.
In Game 3 of the Spurs-Kings series, Ron Artest hounded Manu Ginobili into committing seven turnovers. Artest also held the nimble Argentine to only eight points. Say what you must about the weird Ron, but hey, the man can play D.
(homsay@hotmail.com)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (May 1, 2006 issue)
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