[Kilbey]

Article.

Pistons Burn Heat 88-82 to Make NBA Finals

MIAMI Jun 6, 2005 — The pressure of Game 7 didn't faze the defending champions. In a Game 7 that stayed close the entire 48 minutes, the Detroit Pistons summoned their experience and played with poise down the stretch of the fourth quarter to defeat the Miami Heat 88-82 Monday night.

Now, it's back to the NBA Finals for the team often dismissed as a fluke champion a disparaging title if there ever was one, but one the Pistons can get rid of with four more wins...

[ManOfSteal]

Awesome, I would hate to see SHAQ advance any further...

[thunderous_funker]

Have to say it came as an utter shock. Miami dominated the tempo and style of the game. Don't get me wrong, I'm a Detroit fan (and I hate Shaq and could never cheer for any team from Flordia) but Detroit played like crap all night.

Offensively they were standing around and totally stagnate. Miami forced the issue and dominated points in the point and the FT line. I still can't believe Detroit won. Somehow they simply managed to make crazy shots when they needed to.

Should be an interesting finals. I was curious to see Ginobli vs Wade, but Detroit/San Antonio is a classic strength on strength matchup.

Shaq: please retire so that the NBA can go back to playing basketball. Your WWE crap is so tiresome its ridiculous. Please retire. Now.

[brapper]

as if the game wasn't shown so that wrestling could be aired.
****in' hick town.

[spacefreak]

Originally Posted by ManOfSteal

Awesome, I would hate to see SHAQ advance any further...:

Yeah, heaven forbid one of the league's good guys do well, especially when he does stuff like pay for a poor old player's funeral...

George Mikan's family has accepted Shaquille O'Neal's offer to pay for the late center's funeral expenses. O'Neal said arrangements were completed Friday. "Everything's going to be handled," he said.

Personally, I wanted to see Shaq get back to the finals, if only just to show up Kobe Bryant after he practically forced the Lakers to trade Shaq away.

Other than that, I'm not too into these playoffs. Being a Knicks fan these days can do that sorta thing.

[thunderous_funker]

Shaq is by all accounts a very very nice guy. He does lots of charity work and always does it with a smile and appears to really be sincere in all his efforts.

I don't dislike him as a person. I can't stand him as a player. In fact, I was once a fan when he actually moved his feet and played basketball. Now all he does is run over people and complain.

Unfortunately the NBA is so Star-driven that the officials have adapted the rules to suit Shaq rather than forcing Shaq to play by the same rules as everyone else. That has been detrimental to the game, IMO. All the rules changes, and tinkering can't change the fact that some players are allowed to plow through defenders and everyone else is required to go around a defender. Shaq isn't the only player guilty of this crap, but he's the most visible.

I will say this. Shaq showed a lot of character this year by allowing himself to be a role player in Miami. He's made that team better by playing within a system and sacrificing some of his game for his team-mates. That is something that Kobe hasn't learned yet. I think Kobe has already been shown for what he is and Shaq has already been vindicated by having a great season in Miami.

But still. I hate Shaq-ball and i'm ready for the NBA to start calling offensive fouls like they used to.

[Randman]

I started a poll in another thread. Go Spurs Go.

[E's Lil Theorem]

I didn't watch the game, but saw the highlights. Looks Miami just got owned during the last four minutes or so. I actually wanted to see Shaq move on and have him fail in the Finals so he could see that he needed Kobe just as much Kobe needed him. Bah

Originally Posted by thunderous_funker

...Unfortunately the NBA is so Star-driven that the officials have adapted the rules to suit Shaq rather than forcing Shaq to play by the same rules as everyone else. ....

IIRC, the league adapted a couple of rules (maybe more) to counter Shaq back when he was in his Laker prime: 1) the league brought back the hand-check, so defenders could push off on Shaq; 2) the league brought back zone defenses so teams could more easily double Shaq without actually doubling Shaq and leaving someone like Kobe free.

Anyway, go Spurs!

[quesera]

Um, Go Spurs Go!

[ghporter]

Detroit took the series because they rely on defense and teamwork, while Miami relies on Shaq and maybe two other players being exceptionally strong offensive players. And while Shaq may be a nice guy off the court, he is still over the top ON the court; I think this is why so many people have such different views of him.

Now the problem: I grew up in the Detroit area, but I live in San Antonio...talk about conflicted!

[Randman]

Wade was hurt. That's the only reason Detroit squeaked by.