Less than twenty-four hours after capturing their third NBA Championship, the Detroit Pistons are still no better than the third biggest story in pro basketball. The Pistons unexpected victory sits comfortably behind the excuses for the Lakers collapse and the future of the Western Conference Champions as topics of discussion.
While no one is sure what's in store for the Lakers this off-season, I do know we can stop looking for reasons (and excuses) why L.A. looked so horrible in The Finals. The Pistons were the reason.
Forget Kobe's selfishness, the officiating, the poor surrounding cast. No one was crying about the "dysfunctional" Lakers when they dispatched Houston, San Antonio and Minnesota. L.A. stopped functioning properly immediately after running headfirst into the Pistons defense. That's not a coincidence. Nor is it a conspiracy theory. It's a pattern.
The Pistons have been playing this type of hard working, defense first basketball for three years. The style of play that Rick Carlisle introduced and Larry Brown elevated has been causing fits around the league. As evidence, the Pistons just set the NBA record for holding opponents under seventy points in consecutive games this year.
While most disregarded the Pistons path to The Finals, their destruction of the Lakers coupled with their regular season performance should give rise to the thought that the '03-'04 Pistons are, perhaps, the best single season defensive team ever.
That title can be debated, the Pistons championship cannot. The Lakers can and will dominate the headlines, but the Pistons dominanted the basketball floor.
Another thought on the Pistons title run. I owe Chauncey Billups an apology. I never thought he could be effective enough as a point guard to lead the Pistons to a championship. I loved him as a two guard, but thought he would never be comfortable enough distributing the ball as his first priority to lift the Pistons to this level.
Chauncey, I apologize. I was wrong. Congratulations on your MVP award and championship.
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