2008 NBA Playoffs Thread - Page 3

Scott Merryfield · 06-02-2008, 11:42 AM

Hamilton is probably Detroit's most attractive trade bait, considering he's still in his 20's and has a favorable contract. However, I agree that moving him for Deng or Gordon doesn't make much sense, although the Pistons will be looking to give Rodney Stuckey more playing time in the backcourt next season. Trading Billups would be a better idea, but he'll be harder to move. Chauncey is older and has a less attractive contract with 3 years remaining.

DavidJ · 06-02-2008, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jan H

I just read something from Freep about the Pistons possibly moving Rip Hamilton to the Bulls for Deng and/or Gordon. Not sure that makes much sense, but unloading Wallace certainly does.

That doesn't seem to make any sense to me. I'm all for keeping Rip as he was the Pistons' best player in this years playoffs.

Scott Merryfield · 06-03-2008, 10:42 AM

Flip Saunders fired. Dumars has made the first necessary change quickly. Hopefully this means some additional changes in the roster will follow this summer.

Now the question is who will be the next coach. Michael Curry is rumored, but I'd rather see a coach with more experience to lead an experienced roster. What is Pat Riley's status with Miami? Other options would be Jeff Van Gundy, Avery Johnson or current Detroit assistant Terry Porter.

ZacharyTait · 06-03-2008, 12:37 PM

Like it or not, Flip had to be let go.

He was 171-70 in the regular season, but only 30-21 in the postseason, plus 3 straight conference finals losses.

Hopefully, Joe can find a coach who can get them over the hump and back into the NBA Finals and win a championship.

I love how the Pistons, Red Wings and Tigers all make the nescessary personnell moves to try to win, but the Lions just do nothing.

Scott Merryfield · 06-03-2008, 03:25 PM

The team definitely underachieved with Flip the past three postseasons. After two consecutive Finals appearances (and one title) under Larry Brown, the team should have made at least one more Finals appearance over the past three seasons. Last year against Cleveland probably hurt more than any of the failures. You have to wonder how this team would have done had Larry Brown not been such a flake and stuck around. Of course, if Brown wasn't so flaky, he never would have been available to come to Detroit in the first place.

DavidJ · 06-03-2008, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Merryfield

The team definitely underachieved with Flip the past three postseasons. After two consecutive Finals appearances (and one title) under Larry Brown, the team should have made at least one more Finals appearance over the past three seasons. Last year against Cleveland probably hurt more than any of the failures. You have to wonder how this team would have done had Larry Brown not been such a flake and stuck around. Of course, if Brown wasn't so flaky, he never would have been available to come to Detroit in the first place.

It is a weird world where a team can make it to six straight conference finals and that accomplishment seems to mean nothing and fans are left with a bit of an empty feeling. The three straight loses in the conference finals definitely hurt and I agree the Cleveland loss is the by far the most painful.

The expectations were high for Flip and he didn't meet them so I guess it was time for him to go. The strange thing is that I was not a big fan of the hire, but I actually thought he got better each year. I would go further than saying they should have made another Finals by saying they should've won another title and it might have happened if Brown stuck around.

I think we will eventually look back and appreciate all that this team has accomplished, but at the moment it is hard to be satisfied. If this team is going to try and make some moves to compete for a championship over the next couple of years, hiring Curry makes no sense to me. I'm all for teams giving younger coaches opportunities, but I don't think you do it with a veteran oriented team who is close to winning it all. I just really want McDyess to get a ring.

Robert_Z · 06-04-2008, 09:57 PM

Yesterday I saw that ESPN was previewing the Finals then began showing Lakers-Celtics footage from the 80s. Not just a clip, but the entire game.

They can fantasize all they want, but when the series starts on Thursday, there'll be no Magic, Kareem, Worthy, Bird, Parrish, McHale, etc., no Great Western Forum, no Boston Garden ... absolutely none of that.

The funny thing is that I would prefer to watch the 80s games because I sure won't be watching a minute of the Finals. The Lakers are bad for TV ratings in my house.

C'mon national media; go ahead and dog the Lakers for the poor TV ratings in my house. You dogged the Spurs because some people didn't watch them in the Finals. I guarantee the same applies for LA and Boston. This series will tie the '06, '04 and '02-'00 Finals for the least-watched Finals in the past decade at Robert_Z's.

Kirk Tsai · 06-05-2008, 04:05 AM

That's quite a bitter post, Robert.

Honest question, why not watch a minute of it? Strictly against watching Laker games, or against watching any game without the Spurs? Either way, that's some good basketball you'd be missing.

I think most people could have seen both the onslaught of "rivalry" pieces in the media, and the blacklash to it before the Lakers-Celtics Finals came to be. That's just how it is.

OTOH, I think it's also pretty silly to say team rivalries don't matter just because the cast of characters has changed. No current Dodger player has played against the Giants for something as important as the division or penant, but that doesn't mean they're not the hated Giants. This isn't directed towards Robert; many others have pointed out the obvious fact that Bird and Magic won't be playing. Well, here comes Kobe, Gasol, LO, KG, Rayray and Paul Pierce. That's some star power right there, too, and with the two number one seeds.

No, these guys haven't played each other in the Finals before, but you've gotta start somewhere. The Lakers are probably the favorite to win it all next year, and it seems like the Celtics would be right there with them (uncertainty in Detroit and no foreseeable great offseason for the Cavs makes them a favorite in the East), so there is a chance that they would build on this in the future.

Jan H · 06-05-2008, 07:47 AM

I do not begrudge the man his bitterness. I'd feel the same way if the Lakers weren't in it. I didn't watch a lick of last year's Finals. Then again, neither did anyone else outside of SA and Cleveland.

This is not the '80's. That was an era that will never be repeated or duplicated in terms of the quality of play, intensity of rivalry, the joy of victory or the agony of defeat. Still, these are two excellent teams that play great basketball. I can't believe I don't hate the Celtics, but, man, I really don't. KG is class, Paul Pierce is an LA guy, and Ray Allen is a quality person.

I hope I develop some hatred soon, or this series will be in a weird way kind of a letdown for me.