2006 NBA Conference finals
Heat-Pistons Who would have thought this series would be at a 2-1 count in favor of Miami. But I guess after the Pistons' showing in the second round against the Cavaliers anything can be expected. They barely squeaked by Cleveland 4-3.
We think we predicted this one. Well, not really but we did say something in light of this at the beginning of the season. We think Flip Saunders is just being outcoached. Sure it's the players that win the game, but a coach does make crucial decisions.
Honestly we believe this is the best Pistons squad even when you equate in the 2003-2004 squad. Look at it this way: would Larry Brown need game 7 to fend off the Cavaliers? I think not.
Perhaps the Pistons are only down in this series because they just underestimate the Heat. Last year we had the Heat to win the Conference finals - if it had not been for the injuries to Shaq and Dwyane. Those two are looking for vengeance for being taken advantage of while they were not at their best.
How about this story: you really have to have a healthy dose of confidence, ego and ruthlessness, to take over for a coach who led a team to game 7 of the conference finals, when everybody knew you would do so. As team President Pat Riley built the Miami Heat into the powerhouse it is now, and does deserve a lot of credit. Yet you do have to wonder how this whole scenario sits with his loyal right hand man Stan Van Gundy, whom he took over the team from.
What kind of discussion did they have? Pat Riley would have to be very convincing. Sure He's the team president, but he has too much class to just put out his longtime number one man, for an ego trip. He already has rings and is a lock to be in the hall of fame as a coach. What likely happened is that Stan was handsomely rewarded to walk away from a possible career highlight season.
Unless Stan takes another squad far in the playoffs sometimes in the future, as a coach, he will always rank below younger brother Jeff.
Overall this is a brillantly fought series which has more value to the hoop connoisseur than the sharpshooting exhibition going on out west.
Heat in seven.
Phoenix-Mavericks We're watching game 3 of the series as we're writing this. These two teams are the ones you don't want playground kids to imitate. These teams score so easily they make it look easy to the untrained eye. They have no regard to defense, and it seems they've made a mockery of it.
We don't see many defensive stops in their games. Either teams gets a basket almost anytimes it needs it. It's only a matter of who has the most points when the final buzzer sounds.
A good sign however is that Dallas is more of a defensive team than Phoenix could ever hope to be. Thanks to Avery Johnson.
It took a few years for Mark Cuban to realize that under Don Nelson, Dallas as a run and gun team was only good for the regular season, not the grind it out style of the playoffs.
Well then why is Phoenix here? We still contend that had Kobe been more focused their fans would be enjoying baseball by now.
Jason Terry is a fine point guard, but we'd wish Dirk Nowitzki had the ball more during clutch time, and that he be more assertive.
Dallas in 6.
Whoever wins this series would have won their last series of the season.